On the next Probably True Solar Stories, twenty homes on the same cul de sac decide to go solar on the day after a Halloween night blackout. It’s a simple story, but when a young reporter looks into it, he gets the Halloween scoop of his short lifetime.True Solar TakeawaysGoing solar is "contagious." That is, several studies have shown that when one person in a neighborhood goes solar, nearby homes follow.Blackouts often happen during a heatwave when energy-intensive air conditioning overwhelms the grid.In 2023, most solar homes need to add batteries to be cost-effective and to get a payback in 7 to 10 years.Whole-home backup is expensive and rare. Most of the time, solar + storage systems are tied to batteries with a critical loads panel. This critical loads subpanel will automatically switch on when there's a blackout. This panel is designed to keep on lights, the internet, the refrigerator, and other critical loads during a grid outage.When switching from off-grid to on-grid power--or visa-versa-- there may be a brief interruption of service. Most of the time, the switch is seamless.Turning on air conditioning, EV charging, and other high-intensity appliances will quickly drain a home battery's capacity. That's why air conditioners are rarely included in the critical loads panel. Listen to last year's Halloween story called, "We didn't know our solar house was haunted until we got a text from the ghost.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

For those solar fiction fans who prefer the longer formats, we've combined all six episodes of "The Solar Heist" into a single two-hour version, including chapter headings. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop specializing in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project developer by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz. As the two grow to be friends, Mazz realizes that Charlie may also have a dangerous side gig that jeopardizes their friendship and their lives...True Solar TakeawaysThe solar installation industry is made up of residential, commercial, and utility-scale installers. There's a U.S. law against importing solar panels made with forced labor.Some solar developers hire quality assurance companies to monitor the supply chains and factories.All solar installations, regardless of size, can now receive a  U.S. 30% tax credit. Big developers can also receive other tax incentives.Chinese solar panels still have import tariffs, as of 2022."Procurement" means sourcing, purchasing, and delivering equipment.Generally, large solar asset owners hire an experienced solar developer to take care of building the product. The solar developer may in turn hire an "EPC," which stands for engineering, procurement, and construction.Large-scale developers typically only buy solar panels that are on a "Tier 1" list that's sold by Bloomberg. Even if the Tier 1 solar manufacturer is financially sound and honors the warranty, if you have a huge project, the replacement time and cost will be huge. With the passage of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022), all solar projects, regardless of size, receive a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) if they pay prevailing wages.Solar projects that are built on landfills, brownfields, and EPA superfund sites can get bonus ITCs.AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) are the permitting authorities that review and approve the building of solar projectsSee all The True Solar Takeaways in the show notes of the original episodes:Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5Part 6  Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Today's Probably True Solar Stories mini-story is about one solar installer's expectations. It's also tangentially about a moose...("The Story Behind the Solar Panel" is a new Prbably True Solar Stories mini-story series that is supported by sponsors. The stories are still fun and original fictional solar stories, but they're shorter and written in collaboration with the episode's sponsors.) True Solar TakeawaysLearn more about Maxeon Solar Technologies' solar panels.If you're a solar installer, learn about Maxeon's partner program.Visit Maxeon's booth at RE+ in Las Vegas at Booth 3368.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Today's Probably True Solar Stories episode is about a solar superhero that you may already know...("The Story Behind the Solar Panel" is a new Prbably True Solar Stories mini-story series that is supported by sponsors. The stories are still fun and original fictional solar stories, but they're shorter and written in collaboration with the episode's sponsors.) True Solar TakeawaysLearn more about Maxeon Solar Technologies' solar panels.If you're a solar installer, learn about Maxeon's partner program.Visit Maxeon's booth at RE+ in Las Vegas at Booth 3368.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we’re bringing together our previously published solar dragon story, "The Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon." It’s the same Season 2 story, but instead of three 20-minute episodes, we’re telling this dragon tale in a single hour-long version for those who prefer a longer audio-novella version. --Once upon a time, there were honest and friendly dragons who heated the boilers for steam-powered electric turbines. The dragons enjoyed the job and were paid good union wages. However, due to the high cost of dragon energy, the King decided that the dragons needed to be replaced, sparking a bloody dragon war that led to the invention of solar power. True Solar TakeawaysFossil fuel-based generators work by burning fossil fuels, which boil water to high temperatures. The boiled, high-pressure water produces steam that spins an electric turbine, generating electricity.Unionized labor dominates the energy industry, including solar.  All utilities contract or own stand-by power plants known as "spinning reserves" or "Peaker plants." Peaker plants run 24/7 to provide backup power for when the grid is overloaded--typically when it's a hot summer day and more homes and buildings are using air conditioning.Utilities, states, and kingdoms pay a significantly higher price for Peaker Plant energy. The photovoltaic effect is how solar power is produced. When sunlight shines on a special semiconductor material, the sunlight excites electrons and creates a flow of electricity into a direct current. Tandem perovskite solar cells are coming soon. They promise higher solar cell efficiencies (more generated solar power) at a lower price, but as of July 2023, they haven't been commercialized yet.Wind power is one of the least expensive forms of energy today.Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries are increasingly gaining market share for backing up solar power. Energy wonks often refer to the cost of energy over time as the "Levelized Cost of Energy" or LCOE. It allows them to compare the total cost of a solar plant to, say, a gas or coal plant. Today, solar has the lowest LCOE. For all the True Solar Takeaways in this dragon story, read the episode notes of Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we end our Solar Noir season where we began. We continue the ongoing story of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." In this next chapter, it’s all about Trust. Charlie finally comes clean about who he is and what his goals are. But will Mazz help? Or will he run? Or worse. There's also another reveal at the end, so if you haven't listened to the previous Solar Hiest episodes, here's where you can catch up here:Part 1: The Proposal Part 2: The No-Good, Rotten Heist  Part 3: The Favor You can also listen to all of the above in one episode. Part 4: The WarningPart 5: The EscapePart 6: Trust (Press play on this episode.)True Solar Takeaways in Part 6Yes, the Italian mafia was caught laundering $1.7 Billion through solar and wind projects. Yes, there is a US  intelligence agency called the Department of Energy Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence.A Feed-In-Tariff or "FIT" is a government solar incentive that was popularized in Europe. It paid solar owners a certain amount for every kilowatt-hour generated for a set number of years. So many people signed up for the European programs that the programs quickly ran out of money, causing governments to significantly cut down the price per kilowatt-hour.  There are only a few active FITs in the U.S. today.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we conclude the Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon. The evil King Maxwell and his Red Knight, Goran, have started the Second Dragon War, trying to replace the moody, but docile energy dragons with fossil fuels. The dragons fight back with their fire breath. But can they win the war without the help of solar power? True Solar TakeawaysThe world needs more solar and clean energy workers. Transitioning to clean energy will create more jobs than the jobs lost from winding down fossil fuels. In fact, The World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that the clean energy transition is expected to create 10.3 million net new jobs by 2030, which will offset the 2.7 million expected to be lost in the fossil fuel industry.Yes, converting the world to 100% solar and renewables has some challenges. As mentioned, they include the need for:More batteries for short and especially long-duration storageNew transmission lines and related infrastructure, and new utility interconnection infrastructure must be built. Excessive and non-standard permitting regulations increase costs and are slowing down the solar and wind deployment.The Duck Curve, which is actually an energy wonk graph. It shows that as solar becomes more dominant on the grid, its share of grid power goes down dramatically as the sun sets. As a result, the need for batteries or other power ramps up dramatically from 4pm to 10pm. Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with part 2 of The Red Knight and the Dawn of the Solar Dragon. Gorin, The Red Knight has invented a technology to replace dragon power with short-sighted fossil fuel power. But can Gorin quietly replace hundreds of fire-breathing dragons without getting burned and starting a Second Dragon War? Maybe not...True Solar TakeawaysUnions are truly a part of our utility energy operations and construction. They bargain for good prevailing wages and benefits, and they can also get involved in energy politics. For example, utility unions largely oppose rooftop solar and will lobby for legislation and regulations that support large-scale solar (and their members). They also support legislation and regulations that disincentivizes rooftop solar. Why? Because small installation companies aren't part of the union and because they fear that rooftop solar will decrease utility solar jobs. In fact, we need both rooftop and utility solar in order to fight climate change.Likewise, coal, gas, and oil unions oppose solar because they also know that their jobs will decrease. But the clean energy writing is on the wall and their leadership understands that they will eventually need to support retraining their workers for clean energy and other industries.Energy wonks often refer to the cost of energy over time as the "Levelized Cost of Energy" or LCOE. It allows them to compare the total cost of a solar plant to, say, a gas or coal plant. Today, solar has the lowest LCOE. Milanium is an imaginary rare-earth metal. However, solar and clean energy is in great need of many rare-earth metals and not-so-are minerals. These include silicon, the base element for making solar cells for solar panels, and lithium for making rechargeable batteries. Peaker power plants are always on standby, so the cost to use them is very expensive. Utilities use speakers for backup power on hot days when more people are running their air conditioners.Solar technology is now mature and reliable. There are over 4 million solar installations in the U.S. and millions more around the world. PERC and TopCon are the current leading solar panel technologies. Perovskite solar panels haven't been commercialized yet, but they're close. Once commercialized, they will make solar panels less expensive and generate more power per square inch.Lithium-iron phosphate batteries are becoming more popular for home backup power.  However, most home batteries use Lithium-ion chemistries.The chemistry formulas for iron-air batteries are now being commercialized, allowing for affordable and long-lasting storage of solar and wind power. These batteries can provide several days' worth of stored energy, rather than just a few hours.Wind power is already an inexpensive and reliable renewable power.Geothermal energy is a promising new source of renewable energy. It harnesses heat from the Earth to create steam that powers electric turbines. Geothermal power plants currently exist in Iceland and Sonoma, CaVisit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Once upon a time, there were honest and friendly dragons who heated the boilers for steam-powered electric turbines. The dragons enjoyed the job and were paid good union wages. But due to the high cost of dragon energy, the King decided that the dragons needed to be replaced and sparked a bloody dragon war that led to the invention of solar power...FYI, this is a three-part episode. True Solar TakeawaysFossil fuel-based generators work by burning fossil fuels, which boil water to high temperatures. The boiled, high-pressure water produces steam that spins an electric turbine, generating electricity.Unionized labor dominates the energy industry, including solar.  All utilities contract or own stand-by power plants known as "spinning reserves" or "Peaker plants." Peaker plants run 24/7 to provide backup power for when the grid is overloaded--typically when it's a hot summer day and more homes and buildings are using air conditioning.Utilities, states, and kingdoms pay a significantly higher price for Peaker Plant energy. The photovoltaic effect is how solar power is produced. When sunlight shines on a special semiconductor material, the sunlight excites electrons and creates a flow of electricity into a direct current. Tandem perovskite solar cells are coming soon. They promise higher solar cell efficiencies (more generated solar power) at a lower price, but as of July 2023, they haven't been commercialized yet.Wind power is one of the least expensive forms of energy today.Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries are increasingly gaining market share for backing up solar power. Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Rufus, the pet and mascot of a solar installer, is dognapped out of the installer's truck while on the job.  A chase ensues, but we learn that the dog, the solar installer, and the dog napper aren't quite what they seem. True Solar TakeawaysAs of 2020, there are 20,000 military veterans in the solar industry, making up about 9% of the solar workforce.IREC, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, supports veteran training programs. Get more information on these programs here.The Solar Ready Vets Fellowship connects mid-to-senior level transitioning service members with on-the-job training in leadership and management roles in the civilian solar workforce.The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has more information for solar veterans.GRID Alternatives is another solar job training organization that supports both veterans and non-veterans.The U.S. Department of Energy also has job training information and programs for military veterans.Here's a photo of the original Rufus with my real cat--for size comparison.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

A solar installer thinks he hears a gunshot while performing a drone solar site survey. The shot--if it was a shot--came from the ranch house of his ex-fiancé. Can the solar installer’s drone footage solve the gunshot mystery? And even if it does, will anyone believe him? True Solar TakeawaysDrones are an increasingly common tool for inspecting and designing residential solar systems.A "POI" is an acronym for a drone circling program. It stands for "Point of Interest."Solar design software incorporates drone footage and photos. The software then sizes and designs the solar system and a visual sales proposal.When preparing a solar design, the installer will gather information about your electric service panel and sometimes inspect your roof's rafters from your attic.As mentioned, this episode incorporated characters from a 10-minute play that Tor wrote, called "Harrison's Choice." It's part of an anthology of 10-minute plays that Tor published in 2008 called "Just Give Me 10 Minutes."Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Bob is a winemaker who is having a mid-life crisis. Trying to pull it together, he converts the oldest part of his vineyard into a solar farm, adopts a lost dog, and tries to make great wine. But nothing goes as planned, so he decides to take a psychedelic trip that takes him on a solar magical mystery tour that sparks joy in everyone—especially the dog. True Solar TakeawaysVineyards use a tremendous amount of energy for irrigation pumps, refrigeration, bottling operations, and resort energy costs. Consequently, many wine companies are now converting a part of their acreage to a solar farm that reduces the energy costs of the vineyard's operations.1 MW of solar can be installed on about 5 acres of land.Solar trackers can be installed on a vineyard's rolling hillsides and use AI to precisely track the sun and generate the most energy throughout the year.The acreage will always be cleared of vegetation, so a vine would not survive, even a hardy one. But this is a fairy tale, so please roll with it."Piles" are the posts that support the trackers.While it's true that solar panels don't talk, inverters are like "solar energy translators." They convert the solar's direct current (DC) energy into alternating current (AC) that is used by homes and businesses in the U.S.Here are some solar-powered vineyards. If you drink enough wine and use your imagination, you might taste a bit of the sun! Cheers.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Happy July 4th. I decided to do a quick, Probably True Solar Story by asking ChatGPT to write a version of the Declaration of Independence for solar power. The result was pretty good, so I wanted to share it. "When in the course of human development, it becomes necessary for individuals and communities to break free from the dependence on unsustainable and finite sources of energy, and to embrace the abundance of renewable solar power, a respect for the laws of nature and sustainability requires that they should declare the reasons.For this transition, we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all individuals and communities have the right to access and generate energy from the sun, the ultimate source of light and life on our planet..." (listen to the full episode).Thanks for listening. If you agree with this declaration, make a commitment to only vote for politicians that support the rapid deployment of residential, commercial, and utility solar power.Tomorrow, July 5th, 2023. We returned to our regularly scheduled probably true solar story. See you then. Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Two teenagers are having a private moment in the hills above a utility substation when suddenly they happen upon a terrorist intent on bringing down their local grid. Will the teens escape and defeat the terrorist? Yes, but only with the help of some very modern and very real solar and smart electric resources.True Solar TakeawaysTerrorists have been attempting to disrupt the grid by firing rifle shots at the transformers of utility substations. Here are some news clips about these incidents:FBI thwarts neo-Nazi plot to attack Baltimore Gas & Electric substations, ‘completely destroy’ city Mass power outage in North Carolina caused by gunfire, repairs could take daysAttacking the gridYes, indeed. There is a "Smart Summon" mode on your Tesla, but you need to be close by. Behold. The smart homes of the future are here, not in the future. There are many, many companies that offer app connections that can control just about anything in your house through wifi and smart plugs, including the coffee maker, the TV,  lights, stereos, and of course garage door openers. Pretty much everything. If you've only installed solar on your roof, you will generally not be able to use the solar generation, even if the blackout occurs when the sun is shining. That's because your solar power will back feed into the grid and endanger the line-people who are fixing transmission wires, so your inverter will cut off your solar production. There are a few inverters that will "island" and route power to your home and not the grid. Check with your installer.If you want your solar power to back you up, day or night, you'll need to install a battery. However, whole home backup is rare--and expensive. Instead, you can tell your solar+battery installer about the "critical loads" that will be available during a blackout, and he'll configure your battery to keep those things running. Typically, it's the lights, refrigerator, and other small appliances. The size of your battery will partly determine how many hours those things will stay on. Of course, the more things you use during a blackout, the fewer hours of backup battery usage you'll have. Also, if you include high-intensity loads like air conditioning or a pool pump, you'll quickly use up your battery power in very few hours.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

On the next Probably True  Solar Stories, a semi-sweet retired teacher gets inspired by Greta Thunberg to advocate for solar energy. But when her neighbors make excuses for not getting a solar quote, she starts a radical social media campaign that almost gets her arrested by the local sheriff... who happens to be her grandson.True Solar TakeawaysThis story is fiction, but Greta Thunberg is very real and a true climate action activist. You can follow her on Twitter and on Instagram, and you can follow her campaign here. Here's a link to her "How Dare You" speech. Here's a link to her "Blah, blah, blah" speech, which includes "words that sound great, but led to no action."It's very, very simple to get a solar quote today. You can search the web for solar installers in your area, but please compare prices. Get three estimates and compare online reviews. As The Naked Solar Lady says in this story, if solar doesn't make financial sense for you, don't do it.  At least you now know what it costs today and you'll be able to benchmark for another set of solar quotes in another year or two. It just takes an hour of your time. And if it does work, what are you waiting for?There are also several websites that will compare three online quotes for you after inputting some information about your home and energy usage. While it's true that solar does not work by itself at night, that's okay. Almost every solar home remains connected to the local grid to keep the lights and fridge on at night.Despite some recent blackouts and brownouts in California and Texas, the grid rarely goes down. In 2018, the latest data available, the entire U.S. grid was up and running 94% of the time, but that's in specific areas. Your utility may be more stable than others. If you're concerned about being without power for a few hours or, at most, a day or two, then you can install batteries with your solar panels.Batteries have other advantages besides rarely used backup power. In certain places like California, Hawaii, and other states, batteries can be used to save more money by storing your extra solar power for use later when evening and nighttime utility rates are higher. As mentioned earlier, get three solar+battery quotes from three qualified and well-reviewed installers. They'll let you know if installing a battery makes financial sense for you.  Perhaps it makes sense to only install a small battery that will be programmed for energy savings and not backup power. Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

After almost being shot by a crime syndicate enforcer, Charlie and Mazz go to confront Richard Prout about who really owns the utility solar project. But Richard won’t talk. Worse, he attempts a daring escape that frustrates the hell out of Mazz and Charlie and attempts to split them apart.True Solar TakeawaysBrownfields and landfills are ideal locations for utility solar projects because they're near grid infrastructure. Brownfields and landfills are also ideal because they typically qualify for a bonus 10%  investment tax credit (ITC.) The standard solar investment tax credit is 30%.Ownership of a solar project is complicated. Often, the solar project developer is leasing the land from a landowner, but sometimes the land is bought. Also, as with many corporations, a solar project can have numerous investors who collect revenue from the solar power generated and sold to a utility, plus benefit from tax credits and other tax incentives.This story is fiction, but there has been at least one incident of the Italian mafia owning solar projects. Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

Season 2's theme is "Solar Noir," and we start off with a darkly comedic Part 4 of our Solar Heist series.  (Catch up to Parts 1-3 here.)  In Part 4, Mazz and Charlie are forced by Richard Prout, a crime syndicate boss, to dig up some CATs  (Certain Awful Things) under Charlie's solar project, which used to be a landfill.  As Charlie and Mazz dig, an unexpected visitor arrives to give Charlie a dangerous pop quiz. Will Charlie pass the test?True Solar TakeawaysThanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) solar project owners receive a 30% investment tax credit (ITC) from the IRS.If a solar project is built on a former landfill and a disadvantaged community, the owner can get a 20% bonus tax credit. In fact, under certain conditions, the IRA includes a delicious and profitable layer cake of bonus tax credits that could pay for up to 70% of the upfront cost of building a solar project. FYI: A tax credit is like an IRS gift card that can be used towards paying owed taxes. Consequently, banks and other profitable companies love to invest in solar projects because the tax credits can reduce their IRS tax bills, often by millions of dollars.  Solar project owners also make money by selling their generated solar power to utilities. Utilities pay the solar owner 3 to 5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) generated over a long-term contract, typically 25 to 30 years.Learn more about solar tax credits.Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

We're back for Season 2 of Probably True Solar Stories. This season, the theme is "Solar Noir." You know, like film noir, except our twisted thrillers, murder, mysteries, and petty crime stories will all have something to do with solar energy.   Why solar noir? Well, when I look at today's hit TV shows and films, many are thrillers and murder mysteries. And since our main goal for creating the podcast is to get solar into mainstream pop culture, there's no reason why fictional solar stories can't also be thrillers, murder mysteries--and even dragon stories. As long as you don't mind a few vague spoilers about the next 10 episodes, listen now to Season 2's Solar Noir preview!Visit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

In preparation for launching Season 2 of Probably True Solar Stories, we've combined all three parts of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business" into a single 53-minute episode. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop that specializes in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project developer by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz.After a somewhat successful solar panel heist, the two neighbors become friends. Inspired by Charlie, Mazz opens a legitimate residential solar business while Charlie builds his large-scale solar project. But when Mazz unexpectedly sees that Charlie is working for an underworld acquaintance, Mazz realizes that Charlie may be more of a threat than a friend.True Solar TakeawaysThe solar installation industry is made up of residential, commercial, and utility-scale installers. There's a U.S. law against importing solar panels made with forced labor.Some solar developers hire quality assurance companies to monitor the supply chains and factories.All solar installations, regardless of size, can now receive a  U.S. 30% tax credit. Big developers can also receive other tax incentives.Chinese solar panels still have import tariffs, as of 2022."Procurement" means sourcing, purchasing, and delivering equipment.Generally, large solar asset owners hire an experienced solar developer to take care of building the product. The solar developer may in turn hire an "EPC," which stands for engineering, procurement, and construction.After the writing of this story, it was reported that the U.S. government has confiscated gigawatts (GWs) of solar panel shipments. Large-scale developers typically only buy solar panels that are on a "Tier 1" list that's sold by Bloomberg. Even if the Tier 1 solar manufacturer is financially sound and honors the warranty, if you have a huge project, the replacement time and cost will be huge. With the passage of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022), all solar projects, regardless of size, receive a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) if they pay prevailing wages.Solar projects that are built on landfills, brownfields, and EPA superfund sites can get bonus ITCs.The solar industry is filled with acronyms and jargon. AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) are the permitting authorities that review and approve the building of solar projectsPTO (Permission to Operate) is the official utility permission to start generating solar power on the utility's grid. PUC (or in California, the CPUC) stands for Public Utility Commission. The PUC regulates utilities and approves or modifies utility rates and sets policies for a state's public utilities.Single Axis Trackers (SATs) are used in most large solar projects today. Solar project owners are paid by utilities for eveVisit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!

In the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue the story of two neighbors who are part of the solar industry. Charlie is a large-scale utility solar developer while Mazz is a medium-scale thief who successfully "liberated" Charlie's solar panel shipment from a U.S. customs warehouse in Part 1 and Part 2. Now,  in Part 3, it's a year later. Mazz has invested in a home solar company and trying to go legit. Meanwhile, Charlie's big solar project is almost complete... but there's a complication. Somebody knows about the solar panel heist. And that somebody now wants a favor that Charlie and Mazz can't refuse. True Solar TakeawaysWith the passage of the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act of 2022), all solar projects, regardless of size, receive a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC).Solar projects that are built on landfills, brownfields, and EPA superfund sites receive an extra 10% bonus ITC. There are other ITC bonuses that could net the solar owner as much as 70%. The solar industry is filled with acronyms and jargon. AHJ (Authorities Having Jurisdiction) are the permitting authorities that review and approve the building of solar projectsPTO (Permission to Operate) is the official utility permission to start generating solar power on the utility's grid. PUC (or in California, the CPUC) stands for Public Utility Commission. The PUC regulates utilities and approves or modifies utility rates and sets policies for a state's public utilities.20% efficient solar panels are considered high efficiency and cost more. Efficiency means that solar panel converts 20% of the sunlight that hits it into electricity. That means that 80% of the power gets reflected. So, the higher the efficiency, the more solar you'll generate with fewer panels. High-efficiency panels are more expensive than panels in the 17% range, but they produce more energy on small rooftops and reduce the number of panels needed.Single Axis Trackers (SATs) are used in most large solar projects today. Like high-efficiency panels, they're more expensive than fixed-tilt racks. But because they automatically track the sun throughout the day, they generate more power.Solar project owners are paid by utilities for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) generated by the solar farm. So their goal is to keep projects online and pumping out as much solar in a day for 30 years or longer.  There are maintenance costs, but if a project is well maintained, it's a very steady revenue stream. That's why they often use trackers with high-efficiency solar panels. So, even a tiny boost of 2% efficiency can generate more power--and more profits over a 30-year contract. Solar project owners don't always own the land. Landowners often lease theirVisit ProbablyTrueSolar.com to sign up for the newsletter to learn about new episodes and live solar storytelling events.Support the show by visiting the merch store and buying a tee shirt! Learn how sponsors can be a part of Probably True Solar Stories and tell their own creative stories. Follow @SolarFred and/or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to discuss episodesDon't forget to:Subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast streaming serviceRateReview, and Share!