"I bet that you didn't know that the first rooftop array was installed in Manhattan!"

I'm so glad you are with me again this week! We're back with another edition of the Solar Pioneers Series, and today's guest hails from the East Coast of the US. I know what you are thinking - "Wait a minute, Nico, aren't all the solar pioneers from California?"

Not all of them! 

Back in the 70s and 80s, there were a number of companies in and around the DC area that were quite innovative. Among them, Solarex. Today's guest was one of the early employees at Solerex.

When I met Tony back in 2010, he was the CDO of Standard Solar, a company he continues to lead today. 

I have had the pleasure of watching Standard Solar become one of the fastest growing and important solar companies, not just in the North East region, but now with an established presence across the US.

In today's episode, Tony and I discuss:

• What it was like to work for Solarex in the 70s.
• What Tony believes are the fundamentals or bellwether signs of a maturing industry (and where solar is along that curve).
• What key employee characteristics he looks for when hiring into such a fast-growing company.
• Tony's thoughts on the next 5 years ahead for the solar industry.
• A fun Hot or Not segment, including Tony's thoughts on topics from Distributed Storage to the Section 201 Trade Case with Suniva.
• ...and of course, some key lessons and advice gleaned from his 30+ years, not just in solar, but in scaling startups!

And lastly, if you or someone you know is selling commercial solar, you should check out Solrates.com, the fast and Free online platform for providing your commercial customers with a credible lease financing proposal. If you have projects over $100K value, and you'd like to see how Solrates can help You quickly and easily deliver a financing proposal to your customers, please reach out to me directly for an invitation code to join the platform. Did I mention it's free?

LINKS & RESOURCES:

Follow Tony on LinkedIn

ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, a regular conversation with Solar Industry professionals who are leading in emerging solar markets.  The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is a 10-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.  He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and is considered one of the market's leading experts on solar PV expansion in the region.

Nico can be reached on Linked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus
or by email nico@mysuncast.com