In part six of this series, we'll explore the era defining opportunities presented by the clean energy transition and highlight innovative solutions entrepreneurs are developing to level up domestic manufacturing in the United States. In today’s episode, Nick speaks with Jim Tharp, Sr. Director of Operations at Wacker Chemical Corporation, a leading player and one of the world’s most research-intensive chemical companies, about the ways in which raw materials, skilled training, and community life can come together and form a more welcoming ecosystem for domestic manufacturing. Industry leaders like Silicon Ranch and Wacker are at the cutting edge of the renewable energy transition, but as you'll hear, it's the training and employment of skilled innovators of today along with the job seekers of tomorrow that will determine the shape and scope of domestic industry for the next generation.

We continue to explore domestic manufacturing and the innovative new solutions entrepreneurs are developing to fully leverage opportunities the solar industry offers. In today’s episode, Nick speaks with Suvi Sharma, co-founder & CEO at SOLARCYCLE — the country’s most advanced solar panel recycling solution, about the need to produce the parts and raw materials we need right here in the United States. Approaching solar projects through a circular lens helps reduce reliance on new mining of precious materials like silver and copper by enabling us to mine those materials from solar panels that have reached their end of useful life. But recycling end-of-life panels can provide more than a new source for materials. It can also provide a valuable source for new domestic factories and jobs. Listen in to this episode to learn how.

The conversation on the future of domestic manufacturing in the solar industry continues with Vinayak Gupta, Senior Vice President of Operations of Clean Energy Associates, a global company operating in the United States, Asia, and Europe, working on the soup to nuts of solar supply chains in terms of what it takes to bring new technology to production at scale of high quality. In this episode, Vinayak shares how module manufacturing can fully leverage the economic development opportunity that the solar industry brings.

The conversation on the future of domestic manufacturing in the solar industry continues with John Fluker, President and CEO of Grenzebach North America, a leading global automation company with expertise manufacturing glass, plywood, solar panels and even the luggage wheeling through just about any airport across the globe. In this episode, John discusses the role automation plays in the opportunity to bolster manufacturing in the solar industry, and shares the secret to what makes his factories work so well, including training the workforce to maximize the efficiency of the equipment and processes in place. 

In this episode we continue to explore the unprecedented opportunity to bolster domestic manufacturing while transitioning our energy infrastructure to cleaner, more reliable, renewable energy sources. Here in the U.S. labs are already testing new technologies, their stress points, and long-term reliability. The type of information these labs produce is crucial to people building the next generation of solar products and solutions. Every advancement is a new opportunity to create value, but getting these advancements wrong can be costly. For today’s episode we speak with Dr. Teresa Barnes of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The work that Dr. Barnes and her team are preforming at NREL enables entrepreneurs to get these advancements right by supplying them with the necessary tools and knowledge.

To support the continued growth of solar and other industries it is becoming increasingly clear that the US needs to bolster its own domestic manufacturing infrastructure and shorten supply lines. Doing so requires a number of essential elements including leadership. In today’s episode, hosted by Nick de Vries, we kickoff a special series blueprinting domestic manufacturing and how it can be supported to drive economic development across the country. Join us for this conversion as we sit down with Matt Kisber, the Co-founder and Chairman of Silicon Ranch, to discuss the company’s leadership in and commitment to supporting domestic manufacturing.

In previous episodes, we heard from Clearloop's founders, Laura Zapata and Bob Corney about how their company is helping businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint while also expanding access to clean energy to communities that need it most. In this episode, Laura joins the conversation again, this time with Brad Robison of the Tallahatchie Valley Electric Power Association and Joe Azar, Director of Economic Development for Panola County, Mississippi to discuss Clearloop's first two projects in the Magnolia State, and their mission to meet the energy and economic development needs of the communities they serve.

Discover how we at Silicon Ranch continue to keep all of our solar plants operating at peak performance, and meet some of the technology partners and talented teams whose skills help us interpret data to predict and prevent future problems. In this episode, Jim Bausell is joined by Clay Helms, Performance Engineer on Silicon Ranch’s very own Technology and Asset Management team, and Peter Kobliska, VP of Business Development at GreenPower Monitor, to hear how they solve complex puzzles that help us keep the lights on and continue to harvest clean energy.

With us today on the show are Davin Smith, Regional Manager for Power Plant Maintenance for Silicon Ranch, and Jason Boatwright, one of Silicon Ranch’s Solar O&M Technicians. So, join us to hear how these two master detectives and craftsmen, are helping to make solar do more! And stay tuned for the end of our episode to hear “Home” an original tune from the talented Taylor Downes.

The solar energy industry is rapidly creating new jobs, new positions, and new opportunities for workers of all kinds, and at a rate never before seen. But with all that great power comes great responsibility, specifically to create valuable outcomes beyond clean, reliable energy generation. To help achieve those outcomes, Silicon Ranch teams up with regenerative ranchers across the country to deliver Regenerative Energy®, a design and land management platform that can be measured, verified, and reported. In this episode, host Jim Bausell sits down with Tyler Huber, an Agrivoltaic Technician at Silicon Ranch, and Bridget Hogan, our partner at White Oaks Pastures, to discuss their roles and farming practices that focus on regenerative land management, humane animal husbandry, and the support of rural communities while providing completely new job opportunities across the country.