Show notes
RE+ 2026 is almost here! Your calendar is filling up, the industry is getting ready to descend on Las Vegas, and it's time to make your game plan.How do you make the most of three days packed with meetings, new technology, old friends, and opportunities you might not even know exist yet?For our annual SunCast Know Before You Go special, I've invited seven friends from across the clean energy industry to share how they're preparing for RE+ and what they're most excited to discover.Bryan Wagner (CPS America), Abby Hopper (GEM Advisory), Aaron Nichols (This Week in Solar), Ardes Johnson (NeoVolta), Ann Will (Groundwork Renewables), Daniel Dus (Clean Tech Industry Resources), and Chris Felkamp (Forgent) bring perspectives ranging from first-time attendee enthusiasm to decades of trade show experience.Expect to learn:🔹 How industry veterans prepare their teams and calendars to make every day count🔹 Why one meaningful relationship can be worth more than hundreds of business cards🔹 Which conversations to watch, from permitting and plug-in solar to domestic manufacturing, storage, and project deployment🔹 How to manage your energy, make valuable connections, and turn conference conversations into lasting opportunitiesWhether this is your first RE+ or your fifteenth, you'll walk away with practical ideas, new people to meet, and plenty of reasons to get excited about the show.Hit play, build your game plan, and show up ready!And while you're there, come say hello to the SunCast crew at our live studio in Central Hall, booth 4459. See you in Vegas!!Are there other technologies you’ve scouted on the frontlines of the Clean Energy Revolution that you think we should be covering here on SunCast?Hit us up - [email protected] with your feedback & recommendations.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 950 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.We'd love if you'd leave us a 5 ⭐ rating & review and it's never been easier: https://www.ratethispodcast.com/suncastSubscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus(00:00) Maximizing RE+ 2026: Know Before You Go(03:04) Bryan Wagner on Team Alignment and Preparation(07:37) Intentional Networking and Managing Trade Show Energy(11:10) Geopolitical Headwinds: Tariffs, FEOC, and Inverter Compliance(13:30) Abby Hopper on Market Disruption and Execution(18:37) Federal Permitting Reform Dominating Show Floor Conversations(22:55) Aaron Nichols on the Plug-In Solar Disruption(31:53) Ardes Johnson on Storage TPOs and Onshoring(35:12) Leadership Agility and Navigating Policy Uncertainty(40:08) Ann Will on Factory-to-Field Module Quality Assurance(43:59) Curating Executive Connections and Client Dinners(49:15) The Industry Mission Behind Solar Fight Night(51:46) Rigorous Schedule Management and Team Logistics(57:32) Speed to Power and the 2027 C&I Sprint(1:03:18) Chris Felkamp on Sales Strategy and F1