Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy Podcast

• From the Roof to the Classroom: How Schools Are Sparking the Future of Solar

  In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, Wes Ashworth sits down with Meghan Milo, Director of Energy Solutions, Curriculum and Instruction at Madison Energy Infrastructure, to explore how solar energy is transforming far more than just rooftops. From budget relief to career readiness, schools across the country are discovering that solar can power a whole new vision of what's possible in education.Drawing from her unique background, Meghan shares how Madison’s work with school districts is delivering triple-impact results: lower energy costs, stronger sustainability leadership, and hands-on student learning. But this isn’t just about kilowatt-hours or curriculum standards, it’s about community, opportunity, and inspiring the next generation of clean energy leaders.Whether you're a district decision-maker, a workforce strategist, or simply passionate about renewable energy's future, this episode delivers a front-row seat to how public schools are becoming unlikely champions of the clean energy transition.In This Episode, You'll Learn:How solar is saving school districts millions, without upfront costsWhy price certainty is a game-changer for public institutionsHow solar installations are fueling workforce development from kindergarten through graduationWhat makes solar education stick and how it’s reshaping student career pathsThe surprising power of real-time dashboards, hands-on experiments, and simple questions like: “What do you notice?”Why the "Solar Empowered Schools" initiative is gaining momentum in communities large and smallHow even one passionate teacher, student, or facilities leader can catalyze district-wide changeAbout Meghan MiloMeghan brings a rare combination of classroom experience and energy expertise to her role at Madison Energy Infrastructure. With nearly a decade of teaching under her belt and a prior career in energy analysis and curriculum development, she now leads efforts to integrate solar energy education into K–12 systems nationwide. Her work connects clean energy infrastructure to real-world learning, creating a bridge between today’s school buildings and tomorrow’s energy workforce.Links: Solar Empowered Schools - Take ActionSolar Empowered Schools - Classroom ResourcesMadison Energy Infrastructure's WebsiteMeghan Milo on LinkedInEpisode 39 with Kimberlee CenteraWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Brad Stutzman: Thriving on the Solar Coaster and Shaping Tomorrow’s Energy

  The renewable energy industry has never been a smooth ride. Policy swings, financing hurdles, shifting market sentiment, what many call the “solar coaster.”Few leaders know this rollercoaster better than Brad Stutzman, CEO of O3 Energy, a Dallas-based company pioneering commercial and industrial solar solutions.Since founding O3 Energy in 2011, Brad has helped the company evolve from financing projects in a shaky middle market to launching innovations like the Solar Split model and O3 Asset Care, while expanding into international markets like Mexico. Along the way, he’s navigated gut-wrenching pivots, including shutting down O3’s residential division, and emerged with a philosophy that blends endurance, realism, and optimism: the industry will always find a way.In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth and Brad explore:The early days of O3 Energy and why Brad saw opportunity in commercial solar when others overlooked it.The Solar Split model — how property owners can now share solar savings directly with tenants.Why asset management is renewables’ hidden weak link — and how O3 Asset Care helps prevent millions in lost revenue.Lessons from Mexico’s energy crisis and what it signals about U.S. policy risk.What today’s transition has in common with past revolutions like electrification, automobiles, and the dawn of credit cards.Leadership through volatility — making tough calls, staying steady, and keeping purpose front and center.Brad’s journey is a masterclass in resilience and innovation for anyone navigating renewable energy’s wild ride. Whether you’re an investor, developer, or industry leader, this conversation offers clarity on where solar is headed and how to thrive through the ups and downs.Links: Brad Stutzman on LinkedInO3 Energy's websiteWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• From Uncertainty to Optimism: REC Solar’s Scott Therien on the Next Era of Clean Energy

  In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, Wes Ashworth sits down with Scott Therien, Director of Strategic Partnerships at REC Solar, to explore what long-term success really looks like in commercial solar.Scott isn’t just a veteran of the solar coaster. He’s a grounded, clear-thinking voice who has helped REC Solar evolve from a contractor into a national independent power producer. Over the past 15 years, he’s seen policies change, markets swing, and companies rise and fall. Through it all, he has remained focused on one thing: building systems that last.This conversation isn’t about hype. It is about pragmatic optimism, the kind that only comes from hard-won experience.In this episode, we unpack:Why staying power beats speed in solar development, and how to build for the long haulHow financial models become trust models, and why long-term alignment is non-negotiableThe evolving role of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in the age of direct pay and IRA incentivesWhat most procurement teams get wrong about buying solar, and how to reframe the value conversationThe hidden risks of system ownership, and how poor design decisions haunt projects for decadesHow structured finance is raising the bar on system quality, operations, and accountabilityThe real meaning of “resiliency,” and why it requires more than just batteriesWhy a post-ITC solar market could unlock new flexibility and cost savingsScott’s advice to clean energy professionals feeling overwhelmed by policy shifts or market uncertaintyFrom microgrids to mission-critical campuses, from bad roof installs to investor-backed trust, this episode offers a grounded, inside look at how the solar industry is maturing and what it means for developers, buyers, and operators alike.If you work in solar project development, public sector energy procurement, or renewable infrastructure investment, this episode is packed with insight on how to navigate the next chapter.Links:Scott Therien on LinkedInREC Solar's websiteWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• How Vinnie Campo and Haven Energy Are Reinventing Residential Battery Storage

  Home energy storage is often misunderstood, expensive, and out of reach for most, until now.In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, Wes Ashworth sits down with Vinnie Campo, Co-Founder and CEO of Haven Energy, to explore how his team is flipping the traditional model of battery ownership on its head. Drawing from his experience scaling tech and energy companies like Uber and Bulb, Vinnie is building a platform that makes resilient, decentralized power available to the masses, often with no upfront cost to the homeowner.This isn’t just about backup power. It’s about grid stability, market transformation, and a bold vision for distributed energy. Haven’s battery-as-a-service model is giving utilities access to flexible capacity, homeowners access to resilience, and the broader market a blueprint for how storage can scale equitably.You’ll learn how Vinnie and the Haven team are:Making batteries accessible in underserved communities through utility partnershipsTurning residential batteries into dispatchable grid assets via VPPsBuilding a scalable business at the intersection of regulated markets, hardware, and softwareApplying lessons from high-growth companies to real-world energy challengesNavigating regulatory volatility and rising electricity demand with speed and strategyIf you're in energy, cleantech, or just curious about what the grid of 2035 could look like, this conversation is packed with insight. Vinnie breaks down how residential storage is shifting from a luxury to an infrastructure essential and what it takes to lead that change.Links:Vinnie Campo on LinkedInHaven Energy's Website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Unlocking Solar for Multifamily: Owen Barrett on Turning Roofs into Revenue

  In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Owen Barrett, clean tech entrepreneur, investor, and Founder & President of Shine to talk about the overlooked frontier in renewable energy: multifamily housing.With over a decade of hands-on experience deploying solar PV, energy storage, LED lighting, and HVAC optimization, Owen has scaled multiple ventures from idea to eight-figure revenue. He’s seen the clean energy industry from the inside, as a Fortune 500 Global Energy Manager implementing $60M in projects, as the founder of Lumio, as the driving force behind ZNE Capital’s $75M in decarbonized apartments, and now as the leader of Shine, a company purpose-built to make solar profitable for apartment owners nationwide.Owen shares why the biggest bottleneck in clean tech isn’t inventing new technology, it’s deploying what already works. He breaks down the unique barriers holding back solar in the multifamily sector, from the “split incentive problem” to the lack of billing and monitoring tools for individually metered properties. You’ll hear how Shine’s software platform and turnkey installation approach solve these problems, shifting the financial upside from tenants to property owners and making solar a true value-add in real estate deals.Other highlights include:Why Owen believes sustainability teams must break out of their silos to accelerate adoptionThe dangers of chasing “low bid” in solar contracting and how quality contractors win on reputationThe skilled trades shortage, and how the industry can attract the next generationWhy Owen says sustainability degrees should be minors paired with high-value majorsHis take on AI’s impact on clean energy demand and the coming labor crunchThe data points that give him long-term optimism, even in turbulent policy environmentsWhether you’re a renewable energy professional, a multifamily real estate investor, or just curious about how clean tech scales in the real world, this episode delivers candid insights, financial clarity, and an optimistic roadmap for the future.Links: Owen on LinkedInShine's websiteWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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