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Most C&I solar projects don’t fall short because of the solar itself.
They struggle because deals aren’t structured correctly, markets are misunderstood, or developers take on opportunities that were never a fit to begin with.
"I really find that the people that are most successful in building a business are people that find a purpose in the meaning of their operation and what they're doing." – Aaron Wilson
In this episode of SunCast, Nico Johnson sits down with Aaron Wilson, co-founder and CEO of Solar One, to unpack what actually separates projects that get built and deliver long-term value - from the ones that stall, get delayed, or fail to meet expectations.
Aaron didn’t come up through traditional solar channels. He started in commodities - trading steel and silicon across Europe and China - before moving into development and building Solar One into a vertically integrated C&I solar company operating in markets like Long Island and Texas.
Along the way, he’s:
- Built projects in markets most developers overlooked
- Helped stand up hundreds of megawatts in Texas - before the market was ready
- Made deliberate decisions to walk away from residential solar
- And developed a disciplined approach to choosing markets, customers, and deals
In this conversation, we explore:
🔹 Why Solar One chose C&I over the residential gold rush
🔹 What business owners actually need from a solar partner in an era of rising electricity costs
🔹 Why great entrepreneurs are driven by purpose, not ruled by fear
🔹 How to evaluate whether a market is actually viable (vs just “hot”)
🎧 Listen now to learn how to build C&I solar projects that actually deliver.
RESOURCES:
Connect with Aaron Wilson:
Check out Solar One:
"The best foundation that you can build a team on is trust, people who are trustworthy." – Aaron Wilson
Noteworthy Quotes:
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Nico Johnson
Entrepreneur & Podcaster
In my 20 year career, I've worked with dozens of entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and professionals in transition to clarify their mission, set or stretch their goals, and work through the barriers to their growth.
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