S01:E07
For the past decade, solar has often been sold backwards.
Not as critical energy infrastructure but as a financial product wrapped in tax incentives, accelerated depreciation, and performance assumptions that rarely get stress-tested in the field.
In this episode, I break down a hard truth that many asset owners, developers, and investors are only now confronting:
Solar is energy first. And energy systems have lifecycles, failure modes, and operational risk whether the spreadsheet acknowledges them or not.
Drawing from real-world experience inspecting and maintaining commercial solar systems in dense urban environments like New York City, we explore what happens after the install is complete, the EPC has demobilized, and the tax benefits have already been captured.
This episode covers:
• Why installed capacity (kW) is often mistaken for actual performance (kWh) • How systems can appear “online” while quietly under-delivering for years • The gap between modeled performance and field reality • Why deferred maintenance becomes invisible until it’s expensive • How ownership changes and documentation gaps amplify long-term risk • The difference between a solar system that works and one that remains profitable
We also examine why aging commercial solar assets, especially those installed between 2010 and 2021, are entering a high-risk phase: out of warranty, lightly maintained, and often misunderstood by current owners.
This isn’t an anti-solar conversation.
It’s a pro-reality one.
Because when solar is treated like infrastructure inspected, maintained, and managed with the same seriousness as other building systems it performs. When it’s treated like a one-time financial transaction, the problems don’t disappear. They just show up later.
Usually when someone else is holding the asset.
If you’re an asset owner, operator, investor, or decision-maker responsible for long-term performance, this episode is a reminder that the real value of solar isn’t unlocked at commissioning it’s protected over time.