# Soliverse

> Soliverse is a B2B solar and renewable energy podcast plus solar consulting practice,
> covering EU and US utility-scale solar, battery energy storage (BESS), grid and
> interconnection issues, energy policy and go-to-market strategy for solar startups.

Full, human-readable transcripts are published for episodes that have them, in the page
markup at each episode URL (no JavaScript required). Each episode page also carries
show notes, chapter timecodes and PodcastEpisode JSON-LD.

Host: Peter Pongracz. Contact: peter@soliverse.energy

## Discovery keywords

Utility-Scale Solar, BESS, Software, AI, Financing, Policy, Material Science, Recycling

## Core topics covered

- Battery energy storage systems (BESS): revenue stacking, flexibility markets, co-location
- EU solar policy and regulation: Net-Zero Industry Act, grid connection queues, permitting
- US solar policy and soft costs: interconnection, rooftop permitting, tax credits
- Utility-scale solar development: land use, mounting structures, EPC and construction practice
- Solar design and simulation software: PVsyst, Helioscope, RatedPower, pvX, 3D and drone modeling
- AI and geospatial tooling for solar developers: site selection, permitting automation, asset management
- AgriVoltaics, vertical PV, floating and building-integrated solar
- Grid bottlenecks, curtailment, interconnection and flexibility services
- Renewable energy finance: project finance, M&A, gate fees, PPA structures
- Solar material science and recycling: photovoltaic materials, circularity, recovery and reuse
- Go-to-market and sales strategy for solar and cleantech startups

## Key pages

- [Home](https://www.soliverse.energy/): what Soliverse is and the latest episode
- [Episodes & transcripts](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes): index of every full episode
- [About](https://www.soliverse.energy/about): mission and editorial focus
- [Collaboration](https://www.soliverse.energy/partner): partnering and sponsorship
- [Appearances](https://www.soliverse.energy/appearances): guest and speaking appearances
- [Contact](https://www.soliverse.energy/contact): get in touch
- [Privacy](https://www.soliverse.energy/privacy): privacy policy

## Episodes

- [The Cheapest Project Is the One You Kill in Week One ft. Even Kvelland | Soliverse Ep. 48](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/48-the-cheapest-project-is-the-one-you-kill-in-week-one-ft-even-kvelland-soliverse-ep-48) (full transcript)
- [A PVsyst Report Is Not True by Default ft. Orçun Başlak | Soliverse Ep. 47](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/47-a-pvsyst-report-is-not-true-by-default-ft-orcun-baslak-soliverse-ep-47) (full transcript)
- [Europe’s Battery Storage Boom Explained ft. Julian Jansen | Soliverse Ep. 46](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/46-europe-s-battery-storage-boom-explained-ft-julian-jansen-soliverse-ep-46) (full transcript)
- [Why Solar Developers Pay a Gate Fee When They Could Profit Instead ft. Dr. Jan-Philipp Mai | Soliverse Ep. 45](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/45-why-solar-developers-pay-a-gate-fee-when-they-could-profit-instead-ft-dr-jan-philipp-mai-s) (full transcript)
- [The Hidden Cost of Too Many Tools in Solar Development Today ft. Douglas Geist | Soliverse Ep. 44](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/44-the-hidden-cost-of-too-many-tools-in-solar-development-today-ft-douglas-geist-soliverse-ep) (full transcript)
- [The Soft Costs and Permits Keeping US Rooftop Solar Unaffordable | Soliverse Ep. 43](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/43-the-soft-costs-and-permits-keeping-us-rooftop-solar-unaffordable-soliverse-ep-43) (full transcript)
- [Your Electricity Supplier Knows What You're Watching on TV | Soliverse Ep. 42](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/42-your-electricity-supplier-knows-what-you-re-watching-on-tv-soliverse-ep-42) (full transcript)
- [How Sand Batteries Are Quietly Solving Industrial Heat Emissions | Soliverse Ep. 41](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/41-how-sand-batteries-are-quietly-solving-industrial-heat-emissions-soliverse-ep-41) (full transcript)
- [How Robots and AI Are Rebuilding Solar Construction From Scratch | Soliverse Ep. 40](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/40-how-robots-and-ai-are-rebuilding-solar-construction-from-scratch-soliverse-ep-40) (full transcript)
- [Why Simplicity May Be Solar’s Biggest Advantage Right Now ft. Aaron Nichols & Jacob Yang | Soliverse Ep. 39](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/39-why-simplicity-may-be-solar-s-biggest-advantage-right-now-ft-aaron-nichols-and-jacob-yang) (full transcript)
- [Understanding How Regulation, Politics, & Markets Actually Impact Solar and BESS Projects in the EU | Soliverse Ep. 38](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/38-understanding-how-regulation-politics-and-markets-actually-impact-solar-and-bess-projects) (full transcript)
- [What Happens When Energy Policy Ignores Storage ft. Dr. Radovan Kopecek | Soliverse Ep. 37](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/37-what-happens-when-energy-policy-ignores-storage-ft-dr-radovan-kopecek-soliverse-ep-37) (full transcript)
- [Navigating EU vs. US Solar Regulation ft. Benoy Thanjan | Soliverse Ep. 36](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/36-navigating-eu-vs-us-solar-regulation-ft-benoy-thanjan-soliverse-ep-36) (full transcript)
- [How Top Solar Teams Handle Red Tape | Soliverse Ep. 35](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/35-how-top-solar-teams-handle-red-tape-soliverse-ep-35) (full transcript)
- [How Romania is Beating Western Europe on Solar & Storage](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/34-how-romania-is-beating-western-europe-on-solar-and-storage) (full transcript)
- [David Spieldenner on PVsyst, 3D Modeling, and What It Really Takes to Scale Solar](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/33-david-spieldenner-on-pvsyst-3d-modeling-and-what-it-really-takes-to-scale-solar) (full transcript)
- [15 Years in EPC: Andreas Bach on Solar Construction Mistakes, MC4 & Grid Bottlenecks...](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/32-15-years-in-epc-andreas-bach-on-solar-construction-mistakes-mc4-and-grid-bottlenecks)
- [Geospatial AI for Solar Developers: Planno.io's Blueprint for Smarter C&I Pipelines with Daniel Domingues](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/31-geospatial-ai-for-solar-developers-planno-io-s-blueprint-for-smarter-c-and-i-pipelines-wit)
- [Joshua Feinberg on Sales, AI, Talent in Clean Infrastructure and Data Centers](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/30-joshua-feinberg-on-sales-ai-talent-in-clean-infrastructure-and-data-centers)
- [Genna Boyle of Gridcog.com on Flexibility, Grid Chaos, and the Future of Energy Modeling](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/29-genna-boyle-of-gridcog-com-on-flexibility-grid-chaos-and-the-future-of-energy-modeling)
- [Dr. Marek Kubik on BESS, AI, and Scaling a Billion-Dollar Energy Company](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/28-dr-marek-kubik-on-bess-ai-and-scaling-a-billion-dollar-energy-company)
- [Tim Montague on AI, Solar Economics, and Why Batteries Are Just the Beginning](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/27-tim-montague-on-ai-solar-economics-and-why-batteries-are-just-the-beginning)
- [Joachim Rupp on Scale, Storage, and Solar’s Missing Link: Systems Thinking](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/26-joachim-rupp-on-scale-storage-and-solar-s-missing-link-systems-thinking)
- [Guillaume Burstert (Sunwise) on Containerized Solar, Supply Chains, and Lighting Up 300M Lives](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/25-guillaume-burstert-sunwise-on-containerized-solar-supply-chains-and-lighting-up-300m-lives)
- [Martin Lips (Fusebox) on Flexibility, Grid Chaos, and Building the Software Layer Europe Desperately Needs](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/24-martin-lips-fusebox-on-flexibility-grid-chaos-and-building-the-software-layer-europe-despe)
- [Julia Wu & Anuj Saigal (SparkHQ.ai) on AI, Permitting Bottlenecks, and the Next Wave of Solar Development](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/23-julia-wu-and-anuj-saigal-sparkhq-ai-on-ai-permitting-bottlenecks-and-the-next-wave-of-sola)
- [Trygve Mongstad from Over Easy Solar on Vertical PV, Green Roofs, and the Rooftop Revolution](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/22-trygve-mongstad-from-over-easy-solar-on-vertical-pv-green-roofs-and-the-rooftop-revolution)
- [How Joachim Reinhardt and Variate.Energy are Redesigning Solar with Hybrid Data, Storage, and Smart Demand Matching?](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/21-how-joachim-reinhardt-and-variate-energy-are-redesigning-solar-with-hybrid-data-storage-an)
- [Advantage Capital’s Tom Bitting on Financing Solar, Storage, and the AI-Powered Energy Transition](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/20-advantage-capital-s-tom-bitting-on-financing-solar-storage-and-the-ai-powered-energy-trans)
- [SolarPower Europe’s Bethany Meban on the Future of Solar: Storage, Policy, and the Net-Zero Industry Act](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/19-solarpower-europe-s-bethany-meban-on-the-future-of-solar-storage-policy-and-the-net-zero-i)
- [How Roofit.Solar and CEO Andres Anijalg Are Transforming Metal Roofing into High-Performance Solar Energy Systems](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/18-how-roofit-solar-and-ceo-andres-anijalg-are-transforming-metal-roofing-into-high-performan)
- [Shaping the Future of Solar: Tech, Industry & Policy Insights with Dr. Rado Kopecek, Co-Founder of ISC Konstanz](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/17-shaping-the-future-of-solar-tech-industry-and-policy-insights-with-dr-rado-kopecek-co-foun)
- [Feasibility-First Solar + Battery Modeling Software with James Allston, Co-Founder & Head of Growth at Orkestra](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/16-feasibility-first-solar-battery-modeling-software-with-james-allston-co-founder-and-head-o)
- [AI and Self-Design: The Future of Residential Solar Sales with Surya Potharaju, CEO of Arka Energy (Arka360)](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/15-ai-and-self-design-the-future-of-residential-solar-sales-with-surya-potharaju-ceo-of-arka)
- [AgriVoltaics & Dynamic Solar Land‑Use Strategies with Mo Horowitz, CCO of Solargik](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/14-agrivoltaics-and-dynamic-solar-land-use-strategies-with-mo-horowitz-cco-of-solargik)
- [Reinventing PV Structures for Utility-Scale Projects with Maksim Markevich, Co-Founder of PVFarm & Sunbim](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/13-reinventing-pv-structures-for-utility-scale-projects-with-maksim-markevich-co-founder-of-p)
- [Monthly recap - May - Enerdatics, SolidClouds, RatedPower](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/12-monthly-recap-may-enerdatics-solidclouds-ratedpower)
- [Designing Smarter PV & AI‑Driven Solar Projects with Carla Coghen, Director at RatedPower](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/11-designing-smarter-pv-and-ai-driven-solar-projects-with-carla-coghen-director-at-ratedpower)
- [3D Drone Modeling and Point-Cloud Tech in Solar Design with Jordan, CEO of Solidclouds](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/10-3d-drone-modeling-and-point-cloud-tech-in-solar-design-with-jordan-ceo-of-solidclouds)
- [AI-Driven Clean Energy Intelligence with Mohit Kaul, Founder of Enerdatics](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/9-ai-driven-clean-energy-intelligence-with-mohit-kaul-founder-of-enerdatics)
- [Monthly recap - April - nTeaser, PVComplete, Helioscope](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/8-monthly-recap-april-nteaser-pvcomplete-helioscope)
- [Paul Grana on Building Helioscope, Solar Software Growth, and the Aurora Solar Acquisition](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/7-paul-grana-on-building-helioscope-solar-software-growth-and-the-aurora-solar-acquisition)
- [Fixing Solar Engineering with Automated PV Design Tools with Shane Lebow, CEO of PVComplete](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/6-fixing-solar-engineering-with-automated-pv-design-tools-with-shane-lebow-ceo-of-pvcomplete)
- [Bridging Renewable Energy Financing & M&A with Miguel Galatas, Co-Founder of nTeaser](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/5-bridging-renewable-energy-financing-and-m-and-a-with-miguel-galatas-co-founder-of-nteaser)
- [Monthly recap - March - Heliokraft, Sitemark, pvX](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/4-monthly-recap-march-heliokraft-sitemark-pvx)
- [AI and Drone Tech in Solar Asset Management with Stanislas van den Vaeren from Sitemark.com](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/3-ai-and-drone-tech-in-solar-asset-management-with-stanislas-van-den-vaeren-from-sitemark-co)
- [Simplifying Solar PV Design with pvX Software with Orçun Başlak](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/2-simplifying-solar-pv-design-with-pvx-software-with-orcun-baslak)
- [Heliokraft’s 360° Solar & Thermal Energy Solutions with Michael Zapf](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/1-heliokraft-s-360-solar-and-thermal-energy-solutions-with-michael-zapf)
- [Pilot - Where it all began?](https://www.soliverse.energy/episodes/pilot-where-it-all-began)