SunCast

874: Building Solar as a System: Inside Nextpower’s Integration Playbook


Listen Later

Most solar projects are still built the hard way—treating structure, electrical, and software as separate scopes that have to be stitched together in the field. But the teams delivering gigawatts today know something different: solar plants work best when they’re designed as systems, not parts.

In this Tactical Tuesday, Nico sits down with three of the people shaping that shift inside Nextpower:

Jake Morin (Chief Product Officer),

Ryan Schofield (VP of Electrical Systems), and

Jyoti Jain (Head of Software Product Management).

Together, they break down what actually changes when you integrate structure, eBOS, data, and software upstream—and why EPCs, developers, and owners are turning toward system-level thinking to reduce rework, prevent failures, and build faster.

Expect practical insights like:

🔹 Why early electrical integration eliminates jumpers and avoids 80% of DC field failures

🔹 How integrated tracker + foundation design removes entire construction steps

🔹 How tools like NX Pulse speed up commissioning by 50%

🔹 How robotics and fleet data are reshaping hardware design

🔹 Why “internalizing complexity” at the OEM level is becoming a competitive advantage for builders

If you're trying to build smarter and reduce surprises, this episode gives you the playbook the most experienced teams are using right now.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

SunCastBy Nico Johnson

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

175 ratings


More shows like SunCast

View all
Odd Lots by Bloomberg

Odd Lots

1,942 Listeners

Energy Gang by Wood Mackenzie

Energy Gang

1,252 Listeners

Columbia Energy Exchange by Columbia University

Columbia Energy Exchange

398 Listeners

Currents by Norton Rose Fulbright

Currents

124 Listeners

Interchange Recharged by Wood Mackenzie

Interchange Recharged

504 Listeners

Redefining Energy by Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid

Redefining Energy

129 Listeners

Switched On by Bloomberg

Switched On

98 Listeners

POLITICO Energy by POLITICO

POLITICO Energy

142 Listeners

Volts by David Roberts

Volts

624 Listeners

The Big Take by Bloomberg

The Big Take

158 Listeners

Catalyst with Shayle Kann by Latitude Media

Catalyst with Shayle Kann

267 Listeners

The Green Blueprint by Latitude Media

The Green Blueprint

210 Listeners

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

Zero: The Climate Race

228 Listeners

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins by Heatmap News

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins

119 Listeners

Open Circuit by Latitude Media

Open Circuit

139 Listeners