Technologies, companies and business models in the solar industry come and go. But even in the relatively new solar industry, history repeats itself. Disappearing tax credits and incentives, financing scams, unreliable technology, societal doom (Y2k) and gloom (nuclear winter) -- it’s all happened before. We can learn a lot about building a sustainable solar businesses by talking to the solar contractors who have witnessed several of these boom and bust cycles over the past 20+ years.

My guest on this week’s Energy Show on Renewable Energy World is Pat Redgate, CEO of Ameco Solar. Pat has been installing solar thermal and solar PV systems at Ameco since 1974. Having successfully ridden the “solar coaster” for 40+ years, he has some terrific advice for solar customers (both residential and commercial) and solar installers who want to get into the business for the long term.

Please join me as Pat talks about the first wave of solar in the 70s and 80s, what happened when the tax credits disappeared, how he selects equipment to install for his customers, and his suggestions for running a successful local solar thermal and PV business.