Solar Power World

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner¸ solar tracker supplier Soltec has found success in cutting supply chain delays by having a global manufacturing footprint. Colin Caufield, sales vice president at Soltec, discusses how the company has successfully navigated trade roadblocks like steel tariffs and supply chain delays, and what that means for the U.S. utility-scale solar market.

In this month's Contractor's Corner podcast, C&I EPC Got Electric tells SPW how the company has managed to grow in times of economic downturn. Sponsored by WAGO and Scanifly.

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner, longtime photovoltaic panel manufacturer Jinko Solar discusses why the company has entered the storage market. Adam Detrick, U.S. director of product management and technical services at Jinko Solar, talks about how Jinko is standing out in a crowded storage market and the company reaching a major milestone in panel sales.

In this episode, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) talks about the work it’s doing to build solar apprenticeships in the U.S. Sponsored by Scanifly, American Wire Group and DCE Solar. Note: To collaborate with IREC on the Solar Installer apprenticeship standard development process, fill out this form: https://bit.ly/solar-apprenticeships

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner, mounting manufacturer K2 Systems dispels the myth of “flashing-free” solar rooftop mounts and covers the latest in installing solar on tile roofs. K2 Systems is a global mounting provider, and Johan Alfsen, senior director of training, talks through the company’s latest innovation in flashing technology — butyl.

In this special edition of Contractor’s Corner, Scott Francis, technical sales manager for Westex: A Milliken Brand, talks through the latest in industry-relevant safety codes that should inform the personal protective equipment selection process and the steps to selecting PPE for an industry like photovoltaic solar. Since 1941, Westex has produced flame-resistant and arc-rated fabrics used in PPE across many industries.

In this special edition of Contractor's Corner, Tim Matus, founder and CEO of autonomous vegetation maintenance provider Renu Robotics, discusses the growing landscaping needs of an expanding utility-scale solar market, and how remote robotic lawn care can benefit large-scale solar developers.

In this month's Contractor's Corner podcast, utility-scale EPC Knobelsdorff Enterprises (KE) tells SPW about the challenges of installing solar in Minnesota, navigating the current module shortage and how the company is teaching students from Kindergarten on up about the prospect of a solar career. Sponsored by Aptos Solar and Scanifly.

In this episode of the Contractor’s Corner podcast, we talk to Green Lantern Solar about the Vermont developer's dual-use and brownfield projects, including one on a former Cold War-era missile base. An edited portion of the interview is below, but be sure to listen to the full podcast for more insight on the company’s hopes for solar recycling breakthroughs and continued dual-use development. Thank you to this month’s sponsors, Scanifly and CompanyCam. With CompanyCam, every photo and video your workers take at a job is automatically organized by location and instantly synced from the field to wherever you are. Learn more at companycam.com. And Scanifly is the only drone-based solar software focused on automating the survey and design stages of your solar project's life. Learn more at scanifly.com. https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/03/contractors-corner-green-lantern-solar/

Magill Farms in Illinois is home to a barn that was manufactured in 1878. The building is still mostly original, with some updates to roofing and siding. This century-and-a-half old barn is also host to a 25.5-kW solar array. In the sixth episode of The Case for Solar, associate editor Billy Ludt narrates his case study written for the March 2022 issue of Solar Power World. Read the case study here: solarpowerworldonline.com MUSIC "Himalayas" by Mona Wonderlick — bit.ly/youtube-monawonderlick Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free download: bit.ly/himalayas-download

SunLight Solar started in 2003 as a residential installer, but has now expanded to also serve commercial clients from its headquarters in Orlando, Florida. Although the company is growing and now installing solar from the Florida Panhandle to Key West, listen to this episode to hear how supply chain constraints and interconnection headaches are holding up faster progress. Thank you to this month’s sponsors, Scanifly and CompanyCam. With CompanyCam, every photo and video your workers take at a job is automatically organized by location and instantly synced from the field to wherever you are. Learn more at companycam.com. And Scanifly is the only drone-based solar software focused on automating the survey and design stages of your solar project's life. Learn more at scanifly.com.

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, solar sales and design software provider Aurora Solar talks about the rights, the wrongs and the needed transparency in solar sales.

Long Island, New York is a peninsula stretching for many miles into the Atlantic Ocean. The narrow landmass doesn't have much space for solar on the ground, however, solar installer SUNation Solar Systems managed to build a 1.78-MW array atop a manufacturing facility in the region. In the fifth episode of The Case for Solar, associate editor Billy Ludt narrates his case study written for the January 2021 issue of Solar Power World. Read the case study here: solarpowerworldonline.com MUSIC "Himalayas" by Mona Wonderlick — bit.ly/youtube-monawonderlick Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free download: bit.ly/himalayas-download

Happy New Year! We're starting 2022 with a new Contractor's Corner host — editor Kelsey Misbrener is in the interview seat in this new chapter. In her first Contractor’s Corner interview, she talks to Southern California commercial subcontractor Sean Bright, president of New Era Electric. Bright took a big risk to start New Era Electric in 2020 amidst a constrained labor market, but found his niche in the small C&I market. Thank you to this month’s sponsors, Scanifly and CompanyCam. With CompanyCam, every photo and video your workers take at a job is automatically organized by location and instantly synced from the field to wherever you are. Learn more at companycam.com. And Scanifly is the only drone-based solar software focused on automating the survey and design stages of your solar project's life. Learn more at scanifly.com. www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2022/01/contractors-corner-new-era-electric

It’s the end of an era. After more than 75 interviews over six years, Solar Power World editor-in-chief Kelly Pickerel is passing the Contractor’s Corner podcast torch to managing editor Kelsey Misbrener. And since there is a wide collection of episodes to reflect on, Pickerel has pulled together some of her favorite interviews during her tenure as podcast host. While some themes weave throughout — permitting woes are still annoying — it’s nice to remember the hot-button issues of yesteryear and realize just how far the solar industry has come. Interview clips included in today's episode: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2019/06/contractors-corner-peak-view-solar/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2018/10/contractors-corner-sun-light-and-power/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/03/contractors-corner-paradise-energy-solutions/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/01/contractors-corner-proving-solar-viable-even-darkest-alaskan-communities/ https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2020/08/

In this special edition of Contractors Corner, solar mounting and balance of system products manufacturer, Gibraltar, talks about the benefits of working with the newly consolidated company through the entire lifecycle of a solar project.

If you've driven through the American Rust Belt, you've likely seen abandoned steel mills. They're a common sight — some might say a sore one — and often remain untouched and undeveloped once shuttered. However, Scalo Solar Solutions helped reinvigorate a long-abandoned steel mill in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that's shedding new light on the redevelopment potential of these sites. In the fourth episode of The Case for Solar, associate editor Billy Ludt narrates his case study written for the November 2021 issue of Solar Power World. Read the case study here: solarpowerworldonline.com MUSIC "Himalayas" by Mona Wonderlick — bit.ly/youtube-monawonderlick Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free download: bit.ly/himalayas-download

Heyo! We have our first repeat interview within KP's Contractor's Corner run. We hope you enjoy today's interview with George Hershman, president of SOLV Energy, the new name of Swinerton Renewable Energy. Today we talk about the industry's top solar installation company and its new name, and so much more, including the recklessness right now around suggested tariffs, what's needed to boost domestic manufacturing and how the big guys are dealing with supply chain disruptions. Check out project photos here: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/11/contractors-corner-solv-energy/ Interested in the OG 2016 interview? Check it out: https://soundcloud.com/solarpowerworld/contractors-corner-swinerton-renewable-energy

Aurora Energy has established a name for itself in the Washington, D.C., area as a risk-taking, ahead-of-the-curve solar installer. The company has evolved over the last three decades and sees its specialty in commercial projects that may need a little custom engineering. In this episode of the Contractor's Corner podcast Aurora talks about the company's desire to take care of its customers seeking all the financial and environmental benefits that come with installing solar. This has led Aurora Energy to branch out into community solar and take on more unique projects like green roofs. We also talk tariffs and price increases happening right now. Find the story: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/09/contractors-corner-aurora-energy/

Fulfilling development tasks, arranging an interconnection agreement and designing and then building a solar array is no simple task. But Oakland, California-based solar developer Adapture Renewables did it 10 times over when it acquired a portfolio of projects planned for Western Oregon. In the third episode of The Case for Solar, associate editor Billy Ludt narrates his case study written for the September 2021 issue of Solar Power World. Read the case study here: solarpowerworldonline.com MUSIC "Himalayas" by Mona Wonderlick — bit.ly/youtube-monawonderlick Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free download: bit.ly/himalayas-download