918: Is Storage The Catalyst That Finally Unlocks C&I Solar? 4 Expert Opinions

About this episode

The episode discusses the potential growth of C&I solar and the role of battery storage in unlocking its scalability.

Every year, the industry says the same thing. “C&I solar is about to take off!” And yet, it never quite scales the way we expect. Could this year finally be the year? In this live panel from Intersolar, Nico Johnson sits down with Joe Ross (CPS America), Rob Smith (ABC Supply), Tim Montague (Clean Power Consulting), and Jim Wood (SEG Solar) to unpack what’s really happening in the commercial and industrial market. The opportunity is real—but it’s uneven, complex, and highly dependent on where you operate. Battery storage is starting to shift the conversation. Falling costs, rising electricity prices, and new incentives are making projects pencil in ways they didn’t before. But storage alone isn’t the answer. This discussion explores the full picture—from workforce challenges and customer education to capital competition and regional market dynamics. Expect to learn: 🔹 Why C&I solar is growing , but still not scaling across all markets 🔹 How storage is improving project economics—and where it actually works 🔹 What’s holding projects back, from education gaps to competing capital priorities 🔹 Why transitioning from residential to commercial is harder than it looks The…

People in this episode

Host: Nico Johnson

Guests: Joe Ross, Rob Smith, Tim Montague, Jim Wood

Topics covered

• C&I solar
• battery storage
• commercial market
• industrial market
• project economics

Keywords

• workforce challenges
• customer education
• capital competition
• regional market dynamics

Mentioned in this episode

Products: C&I Solar, OpenSolar OS 3.0, CPS America, ABC Supply, Clean Power Consulting, SEG Solar

More episodes of SunCast

• 939: Former EPA Chief Michael Regan on Clean Energy and Public Health · June 11, 2026 · 27 min
• 938: The Rare Earth Problem Nobody Talks About | Mark LaVerghetta · June 9, 2026 · 21 min
• 937: What a 4-Star General Knows About Risk That Most Leaders Don't | Gen. Robert Neller · June 4, 2026 · 21 min
• 936: Which Solar Risks Actually Matter? | Jason Kaminsky, kWh Analytics · June 2, 2026 · 37 min
• 935: How (and Why) Clean Energy Wins In Red States | Monika Gerhart · May 28, 2026 · 55 min
• 934: What Makes Companies Investable Now | David Kirkpatrick · May 26, 2026 · 20 min