“This is not an offensive play. It’s a defensive play. It’s a must win.”

That’s how Sheldon Kimber describes AI for companies like Google.

If your business depends on organizing and serving information, AI isn’t optional. It’s existential.

And if AI is existential, power becomes strategic.

In this conversation — recorded before Google’s acquisition of Intersect Power — Sheldon lays out the durable thesis that led here:

The U.S. grid isn’t collapsing.

It just can’t scale.

Transmission is stalled.

Business models are misaligned.

Permitting reform won’t arrive in time.

So instead of waiting for the grid to be fixed, Intersect built around it.

Gigawatt-scale co-location.

Wind, solar, batteries.

Flexible gas.

Control systems designed to act as one asset.

The result? A hybrid solution that can deliver four-nines reliability - potentially more reliable than the grid itself.

This isn’t about chasing incentives.

It’s about building a better product.

In this episode:

🔹 Why AI is a defensive must-win moment for hyperscalers

🔹 Why the grid’s structural limits created opportunity

🔹 How hybrid plants can outperform traditional baseload

🔹 Where the real moat lives: optimization and control

🔹 What “win the win” means for clean energy

Google didn’t acquire Intersect as a climate statement.

It acquired it because reliable, controllable power is now strategic infrastructure.

Press play and decide for yourself.

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 - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

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!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

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 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe 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/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

T.J. Rodgers has built — and rebuilt — billion-dollar companies across semiconductors, energy, storage, and manufacturing.

In this 2.5-hour Episode 900 deep dive, he walks through the operating principles behind that track record — in detail.

This isn’t a surface-level conversation. It’s a masterclass in how durable companies are actually constructed.

We unpack:

🔹 The mental models he uses to evaluate technologies and markets

🔹 The acquisition and integration process he’s deployed dozens of times

🔹 Why revenue per employee tells the truth — and what most CEOs hide behind

🔹 What “quality is free” really means in practice

🔹 How ownership, incentives, and culture get reinforced — not just talked about

🔹 Why most solar companies fail, and some survive

If you’re a founder, operator, investor, or executive building in a hard industry, this episode will challenge how you think about metrics, structure, and leadership.

It’s long. It’s dense. And it’s worth your time.

This is not a fluffy discussion about climate optimism.

It is about discipline. Incentives. Quality. And the brutal honesty of markets.

Episode 900 feels like the right moment for a conversation like this.

Listen in.

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 - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

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!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

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 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe 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/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

Conference season is back, and if you are heading to Intersolar and Energy Storage North America 2026, this episode is your unfair advantage.

Nico Johnson sits down with the people who know the show better than anyone. Event Director Beckie Kier, Solar Games mastermind Shannon Twombly, and Conference Chair Gene Hunt. Together, they break down how to get the most value from your time in San Diego, whether this is your first Intersolar or your tenth.

This is more than a show preview, it’s a snapshot of where the clean energy industry stands right now. From the rapid rise of energy storage and domestic manufacturing to the growing importance of grid flexibility, DERs, and ultra long duration batteries, Intersolar 2026 reflects an industry that is evolving fast and learning in real time.

You will also hear how the show floor itself reflects the strategy. Solar Games installer competitions, virtual reality activations, mini golf networking, and the always buzzing Hub Stage are all designed to spark real conversations, not just badge scans.

Expect to learn:

🔹 How the Intersolar audience is shifting toward integrated solar and storage solutions

🔹 Why energy storage has moved from side topic to center stage

🔹 What Solar Games reveals about installer quality, safety, and best practices

🔹 How state leadership, supply chains, and long duration storage shape the 2026 outlook

👉 Listen or watch now to walk into Intersolar prepared, focused, and ready to make the connections that matter.

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 - team@suncast.me with your feedback & recommendations.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

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!

SunCast is also sponsored by Nextpower!

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 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe 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/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus