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The Solar Industry's Dirty Secrets—and How PVCA is Cleaning Them Up | Luke Pollinger (PVCA)
What happens when solar becomes a get-rich-quick scheme? Luke Pollinger, founder of PVCA (Photovoltaics California), has spent the last 20+ years fixing the mess others leave behind. From abandoned utility projects to broken microgrids, PVCA steps in where others walk away. In this episode, we break down how the industry lost its way—and what it’ll take to bring trust and technical excellence back to the forefront of clean energy.
You’ll hear about:
- Why Luke left residential solar behind
- What’s really going on with “Solar Bros” and fly-by-night installers
- How PVCA became the go-to company for recommissioning disaster sites
- His take on AI, monitoring, and the future of energy systems
- Why service—not shiny new installs—should be your solar priority
🛠️ Whether you’re a commercial property owner, facility manager, or just someone curious about how solar should be done—this one’s a must-listen.
🔗 Learn more about PVCA: https://pvca.com 🌐 Powered by JPM Media: www.jpmmedia.ca 🎥 More episodes here: http://www.youtube.com/@yarekmatacz
⏱️ Show Notes + Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro to Luke Pollinger & PVCA
01:00 – Why he left residential solar for commercial and utility 02:00 – "Solar Bros," scams, and the flood of bad installs
04:30 – What shady sales tactics are doing to solar’s reputation
06:00 – PVCA’s business model: 70% service, 30% new installs
07:30 – Taking on the jobs no one else will touch
09:00 – The Palm Springs project: 5% production to 100%
10:30 – Heat, wind, stress—and fixing a system no one thought could be fixed
12:00 – The power of trust in solar and how one client helped him launch
14:00 – What tech actually moves the needle (and what doesn’t)
17:00 – Why newer isn’t always better in solar hardware
18:00 – Panasonic vs everyone else (and why warranty matters)
19:00 – Real-world use cases for AI in solar 21:00 – How PVCA does sales (hint: no ads, no cold calls) 24:00 – Educating clients that service beats full replacement
27:00 – Empowering clients to self-maintain and save
29:00 – Why service work should pay for itself—or you’re doing it wrong
30:00 – What’s next: PVCA’s new monitoring system & buying broken solar sites
33:00 – Ending the subscription trap and owning solar performance
34:00 – Luke’s final thoughts on long-term trust in solar
View all episodes
By Yarek MataczWhat happens when solar becomes a get-rich-quick scheme? Luke Pollinger, founder of PVCA (Photovoltaics California), has spent the last 20+ years fixing the mess others leave behind. From abandoned utility projects to broken microgrids, PVCA steps in where others walk away. In this episode, we break down how the industry lost its way—and what it’ll take to bring trust and technical excellence back to the forefront of clean energy.
You’ll hear about:
- Why Luke left residential solar behind
- What’s really going on with “Solar Bros” and fly-by-night installers
- How PVCA became the go-to company for recommissioning disaster sites
- His take on AI, monitoring, and the future of energy systems
- Why service—not shiny new installs—should be your solar priority
🛠️ Whether you’re a commercial property owner, facility manager, or just someone curious about how solar should be done—this one’s a must-listen.
🔗 Learn more about PVCA: https://pvca.com 🌐 Powered by JPM Media: www.jpmmedia.ca 🎥 More episodes here: http://www.youtube.com/@yarekmatacz
⏱️ Show Notes + Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro to Luke Pollinger & PVCA
01:00 – Why he left residential solar for commercial and utility 02:00 – "Solar Bros," scams, and the flood of bad installs
04:30 – What shady sales tactics are doing to solar’s reputation
06:00 – PVCA’s business model: 70% service, 30% new installs
07:30 – Taking on the jobs no one else will touch
09:00 – The Palm Springs project: 5% production to 100%
10:30 – Heat, wind, stress—and fixing a system no one thought could be fixed
12:00 – The power of trust in solar and how one client helped him launch
14:00 – What tech actually moves the needle (and what doesn’t)
17:00 – Why newer isn’t always better in solar hardware
18:00 – Panasonic vs everyone else (and why warranty matters)
19:00 – Real-world use cases for AI in solar 21:00 – How PVCA does sales (hint: no ads, no cold calls) 24:00 – Educating clients that service beats full replacement
27:00 – Empowering clients to self-maintain and save
29:00 – Why service work should pay for itself—or you’re doing it wrong
30:00 – What’s next: PVCA’s new monitoring system & buying broken solar sites
33:00 – Ending the subscription trap and owning solar performance
34:00 – Luke’s final thoughts on long-term trust in solar