In 2008, Fluence installed one of the first lithium-ion battery systems ever connected to the U.S. grid. Back then, the idea of a domestic battery supply chain felt distant—almost theoretical.

Today, it’s real.

John Zahurancik, now President of Fluence Americas, has spent nearly two decades pushing the storage industry from “interesting pilot projects” to critical grid infrastructure. The last time he was on SunCast, he said domestic content would happen.

This year, Fluence started shipping it.

In this episode, John breaks down how storage has quietly become the backbone of the power system—independent of renewables—and why the next wave of deployments will be bigger, faster, and more strategically important than anything we’ve seen.

We dig into:

🔹 What true U.S.-made battery content means for developers and grid operators

🔹 How AI and hyperscale data centers are reshaping grid architecture

🔹 The fire-safety testing Fluence spearheaded that is now industry standard

🔹 Why batteries are becoming the “shock absorbers” of the modern grid

If you care about project execution, energy security, or the future of grid reliability, this conversation is essential.

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!

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

Most solar projects are still built the hard way—treating structure, electrical, and software as separate scopes that have to be stitched together in the field. But the teams delivering gigawatts today know something different: solar plants work best when they’re designed as systems, not parts.

In this Tactical Tuesday, Nico sits down with three of the people shaping that shift inside Nextpower:

Jake Morin (Chief Product Officer),

Ryan Schofield (VP of Electrical Systems), and

Jyoti Jain (Head of Software Product Management).

Together, they break down what actually changes when you integrate structure, eBOS, data, and software upstream—and why EPCs, developers, and owners are turning toward system-level thinking to reduce rework, prevent failures, and build faster.

Expect practical insights like:

🔹 Why early electrical integration eliminates jumpers and avoids 80% of DC field failures

🔹 How integrated tracker + foundation design removes entire construction steps

🔹 How tools like NX Pulse speed up commissioning by 50%

🔹 How robotics and fleet data are reshaping hardware design

🔹 Why “internalizing complexity” at the OEM level is becoming a competitive advantage for builders

If you're trying to build smarter and reduce surprises, this episode gives you the playbook the most experienced teams are using right now.

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!

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 850 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

Batteries aren’t just supporting the grid anymore, they are defending the grid.

Chris Finley, CCO of TruGrid, joins Nico on stage at PowerUp Live to explain how battery storage has shifted from a “nice-to-have” to a mission-critical asset class. Whether it’s enabling arbitrage in ERCOT or powering hyperscale data centers, battery systems are now leading the charge, literally.

From the complexities of supply chains to the myths about lithium tech, Chris shares a practical, from-the-field perspective on what it takes to deliver large-scale battery projects in today’s challenging market. He also breaks down how policy shifts and interconnection delays are forcing EPCs to rethink how they plan and execute storage projects.

Expect to learn:

🔹 What developers get wrong about battery risk profiles

🔹 How TruGrid streamlines integration from EMS to commissioning

🔹 The hidden economics behind data center battery deployment

🔹 Why project standardization remains elusive, and what to do about it

Today’s convo is must-listen material if you’re building in the battery sector.

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!

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 850 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