Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Andrew Birch, the founder and CEO of OpenSolar, to explore the stark differences between solar markets around the world and what the U.S. can learn from countries like Australia and Europe. With over 20 years of experience in the solar industry, Birchy shares his insights on why Australia has achieved an impressive 33% solar penetration, while the U.S. lags behind at just 5%.

The conversation dives into the key factors driving Australia's success, including streamlined permitting processes, lower costs, and efficient customer adoption. Birchy explains how the U.S. solar market is bogged down by complex regulations, high permitting costs, and lengthy installation timelines, which make solar three times more expensive than in Australia. He also discusses the potential of initiatives like SolarAPP+ to simplify permitting and reduce costs, which could revolutionize the U.S. solar industry.

Birchy also shares his journey with Sungevity, one of the leading U.S. solar companies, and how the company's challenges with financing and policy changes ultimately led to its downfall. He offers valuable advice for solar installers on how to grow sustainable businesses in a challenging market, emphasizing the importance of simplifying processes and advocating for policy changes.

The episode also touches on the role of storage in solar adoption, the future of commercial solar, and the potential for solar to dominate global energy markets by 2035. Birch’s optimism about the future of solar is contagious, and his call to action for the industry to rally around solutions like SolarAPP+ is both inspiring and urgent.

If you're in the solar industry, a policy maker, or simply interested in the future of clean energy, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to learn how we can accelerate solar adoption, reduce costs, and create a more sustainable energy future.

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