Buckle up for the Solarcoaster Ride: In this episode, Micah and Jared are joined by Erik Holvik and Spencer Fields of EnergySage, the country's largest online marketplace for clean energy comparison shopping. Erik and Spencer take you on a journey through the ups and downs of the solar market, commonly referred to by those in the industry as the "solarcoaster." We’ll take you on an exploration of the ever-changing landscape of Solar, discussing the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the renewable energy marketplace.

Micah and Jared go deep with industry veteran Chris Roscoe, a former Solar State OG now working at SolarEdge. Chris, an engineer, shares his journey from starting his own solar company to his current role as a Technical Account Manager at SolarEdge. Discussed: the evolution of solar technology, the shift in industry dynamics from a small-scale, DIY approach to a streamlined, large-scale operation, the significant reduction in solar installation costs over the years, the integration of solar energy with other aspects of home and business ecosystems (highlighting the role of batteries and energy management in modern installations), and the emergence of new technologies like bidirectional EV chargers.

Jared and Micah address the top solar industry myths in 2023. Are you a solar myth? Then you're about to be.....BUSTED! 

We install a Lumin smart panel with 80% of our Tesla Powerwalls. Wow! Why?! What's a smart panel, anyway?

Phil and Stephen from Lumin, "the market leader for responsive load control",  joined Micah and Jared to talk system SMARTS, and what the future might hold to take your home's IQ even HIGHER! 

Learn more about Lumin at https://www.luminsmart.com/

"I don't know if a smile can be captured on a podcast, but I'm beaming from ear to ear." - Ameen Akbar in episode 38. Ameen is an old friend. He joined us to talk his journey from YouthBuild PHL to becoming the Chief Mission Officer at Philly Youth Basketball. YouthBuild PHL is one of our solar education partners. Learn more about YouthBuildPHL: https://www.youthbuildphilly.org/

Philly Youth Basketball: https://www.phillyyouthbasketball.org/

Ameen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameen-akbar-419449195/

Solar States' Isaiah "Zay" Smith (born and raised in Philly) shares his journey from Philly public schools, to the Energy Coordinating Agency's training program, to Solar States, where he started in Operations & Maintenence and evolved into a master solar designer. Jay-Z and a Philly Brazilian steakhouse are also mentioned...

Micah and Jared sit down with Solar States’ own operations manager, Ryan Kerr. Ryan talks about his longstanding relationship with energy stemming back to his childhood, chopping wood for his stove, to now being at the forefront of renewable energy here in Philadelphia. Ryan reflects on his time working in the oil and gas industry and the challenges that came along with it and compares it to the work he does now.

This week Jared and Micah sit down with Laurie Mazer and discuss her work in solar advocacy and utility scale solar development. Laurie talks about her start in renewable energy and some of the amazing projects she has worked on. Laurie dives into concepts like virtual power purchase agreements and  many more bits of insider solar knowledge.

Micah and Jared talk to David Bellamy, a Solar States customer, about his experience with solar and volunteer work with The Philadelphia Project. David talks about his process of going solar and how by utilizing his system and battery wall he has been able save money and have net zero emissions.

Micah and Jared sit down to speak with Solar States customer and sustainable builder Ralph Loielo. Ralph tells about some of his current green construction projects and his background in architecture and sustainable design. Ralph explains the processes of making “passive houses,” which aim to be air tight and utilize solar and batteries to minimize their energy consumption.