Part 1: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Proposal

In this first episode of Probably True Solar Stories, 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 builder by day and a guy with an international solar
problem that can only be solved by Mazz. Will they come to a
deal? Or will their neighborly relationship become...
awkward?

All Probably True Solar Stories are fiction. If this episode
sounds familiar to your experience in the solar industry, get
help.

True solar takeaways:


The solar installation industry is made up of residential,
commercial, and utility-scale installers. They're very different.

Many high-quality solar panels are imported from China. Some
are made ethically, and others are made with forced labor.
There's a 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. That's just the start. 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. That's a lot. BUT... It's also being reported
that the confiscated panels are being shipped back to China,
not shredded.. It's another reason why we call this podcast
"Probably True Solar Stories."  The facts are a little
different from reality, but the made-up bits make for a good
story!



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