In this episode of What Solar Installers Need to Know, Hervé Billiet sits down with Sam Evans-Brown, Executive Director of Clean Energy New Hampshire, to break down how solar policy actually gets made and why it matters to installers on the ground.

Sam shares how the organization evolved into a serious clean energy trade and policy group, why utilities and co-ops are increasingly aligned with solar, and the real reasons behind pain points like interconnection delays, net metering battles, labor shortages, and slow permitting. It’s a practical conversation about engaging policymakers, choosing the right associations, and explaining solar in plain language to build long-term stability for the industry.

This episode takes a sharp left turn from spreadsheets and installs...and honestly, that’s the point. Luis Arreaza, Founder & Advisor in Total Human Development, opens up about time spent alone in the desert and how stepping away from noise, titles, and expectations can force you to confront who you actually are. It’s a raw conversation about identity beyond work, why success doesn’t always equal fulfillment, and how practices like mindfulness, coaching, and meditation can change how you lead, live, and show up every day.

Hervé sits down with Barrett Silver, a 20-year solar industry veteran, for a candid look back at what it really takes to build (and survive) a solar business. Fresh off retirement, Barrett shares his journey from founding Silver Lining Solar to navigating the chaos of COVID, along with hard-earned lessons on sales, marketing, and setting honest expectations with customers. What follows is a practical, relationship-driven playbook on growth, trust, and using innovative PPA structures to scale without losing your footing.

In this episode, Hervè speaks with Erik Holvik, Director of Corporate Development and Strategy at EnergySage, about how the solar market is evolving and what installers need to do to keep up. Erik breaks down EnergySage’s role in connecting homeowners with contractors, why diversifying into heat pumps and other energy solutions matters, the real challenges contractors face as the market shifts, and more.

In this episode, Joe Marhamati sits down with Tim Montague, host of Clean Power Hour, for a wide-ranging conversation on where the solar industry is headed and what installers need to understand to stay ahead. Tim shares his journey into solar and offers a clear-eyed look at today’s market challenges, from margin pressure to shifting customer expectations. Together, they unpack why battery storage is becoming central to solar economics, how rising electricity prices may accelerate adoption, what recent lessons from Texas and Florida reveal about grid resilience and market dynamics, and more.

In this standout episode, Joe Marhamati sits down with Boaz Sofier (one of the real veterans of the solar industry) for a conversation every solar CEO should hear. Boaz walks through his path from the wild Y2K days to running major solar organizations, and why he ultimately shifted his focus to fixing the one thing that makes or breaks an installation company: culture. What follows is part solar origin story, part executive masterclass, and a surprisingly honest look at how leaders, teams, and companies actually grow — and why the hardest work in solar has nothing to do with the hardware.

Neil Mitchell, Managing Director at HSEnergy, jumps on to chat about what it’s really like building a solar company in the UK right now. He talks about why accurate surveys and staying close to your customers make all the difference (and how battery tech is evolving fast). They also get into energy trading, market shifts, and how changing government policies are shaping what’s next for UK solar.

Clinton O’Neill jumps in to unpack what Virtual Power Plants actually are and why they matter. He breaks down how VPPs connect solar, storage, and software to make the grid smarter and more reliable, and why this shift opens big doors for installers. If you’re not already thinking about how to partner with utilities and play in this space, this episode might just change that.