What’s Up with Kate: Solar After OB3—Reality Check + Opportunities

Описание: If you’ve felt the tremors from the “one big beautiful bill (OB3)” and the post-IRA whiplash, this episode is for you. Emmitt sits down with Kate Collardson (Denver, CO)—20-year PV veteran—to talk about layoffs, “orphaned” systems, why U.S. residential solar is so pricey, and the practical paths forward: carport PV, service/O&M, and virtual power plants (VPPs). There’s plenty here for new entrants, seasoned pros, and anyone wondering where the industry goes next.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome, subscribe & where to listen
01:06 Meet Kate (20 years in PV)
03:29 OB3 / “one big beautiful bill”: immediate impacts
06:01 “Overqualified” hiring & career pivots
08:45 Scale vs. quality in residential installs
10:57 The orphaned-systems goldmine (service & O&M)
12:24 Grassroots playbook to start a solar service biz
13:39 Rooftop work is tough—careers beyond the roof
14:50 Roles: PM, design, interconnection, tech support
15:04 Midwest rates rising; storage & resilience
17:40 VPPs 101—faster than peaker plants
19:19 Solar under attack + speed of deployment
21:26 Solar as the new “river”; carports everywhere
23:35 Heat islands and parking-lot PV
25:02 Magic wand: policy & crushing soft costs
26:17 Why U.S. $/W is high (sales stacks & dealer fees)
27:22 Incentives then vs. now (history lesson)
29:08 Fossil subsidies vs. new tech
30:05 Solar as jobs engine: the real list
31:54 Training pathways & local workforce
32:45 Why a 2026 reset is coming
34:10 Tax liability, PPAs & who gets the credit
36:00 Breaking in today: training + local shops
37:59 Women in solar: confidence, competence, persistence
39:31 Teaser: post-COVID workforce (next episode)
40:30 Sign-off: “The sun never sends a bill.”

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🌐 Training & consumer education: solarenergyforconsumers.com
🌐 Fractional training & O&M consulting: sepowerconsulting.com
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