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About the Episode:

What does it take to build a 100-year business? How does one expand beyond integration of off-the-shelf products to branding power plants as a unique identifiable product? What does it take to secure an entire City’s rooftops…like Atlanta? 

Michael Chanin, the CEO and founder of Cherry Street Energy, is bringing this ambitious vision to fruition. Chanin's team is embracing the power of renewables for transforming our infrastructure, and my meeting with him left me inspired. Chanin is not your typical investment-banker-turned-renewable-energy-entrepreneur.  How this Macon, GA native found his way to banking is in itself an unlikely turn in his career. So, when he decided to leave Wall Street for Main Street, it was in many ways a return to his roots as a social anthropologist and activist at heart.

Chanin found his calling in the clean energy sector through his banking work with early financial pioneers like Vivint who were leveraging public markets to bring solar to neighborhoods around the country.  But, he saw a gap (Opportunity) beyond the residential solar revolution in how these products (power plants) could benefit municipalities, universities, and communities writ large.  What he built as a delivery mechanism, Cherry Street Energy, has quickly become Georgia’s foremost non-utility provider of renewable power!  And, with over 1000 projects in the queue, Michael and the Cherry Street team are just getting started.

In this episode, discover:

• Cherry Street Energy’s unique approach to finance and deploy distributed energy resources.
• Culture, collaboration, kindness, and a long-term vision as essential ingredients to success.
• How Warren Buffett changed Michael’s career prospects
• Their Shine On program for workforce development “from blue collar to new collar”
• The operational fabric supporting Cherry Street Energy's progress.

Hit play to learn how Cherry Street Energy is paving the way for a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Helpful RESOURCES:

Connect with Michael Chanin:

• LinkedIn | email

Check out Cherry Street Energy:

• Website | LinkedIn |  Instagram

Resources:

• From the rooftops: Savannah set to double solar power capacity at city-owned sites

• Chanin, Cherry Street set to ‘Energize’ Temple Sinai
• Partnership Highlight: Michael Chanin, CEO of Cherry Street Energy
• Savannah to add new solar panels on 14 city buildings, projected to save $1.4 million over 25 years

NOTEWORTHY QUOTEs:

“Energy is a right. It’s why we created the utility monopolies so that everyone has equitable access to reliable power.”

— Michael Chanin

“We have this idea that we’re elevating and lifting up our customers, helping them achieve their goals. We have these incredible partners and customers that say we want to not only incorporate sustainability in our mission, but we have these major goals of equity and inclusion. How can we create a diverse workforce? How can we get the benefits of the renewable energy economy to shine on everyone?”

— Michael Chanin

Thanks again to this week's sponsor, helping keep the podcast FREE to you!

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is Chint Power Systems America!

CPS America is the #1 supplier of 3-phase string inverters for Commercial & Industrial and Utility-Scale projects with more than 8 gigawatts of inverters installed on 20,000+ sites around the nation!

Visit https://www.mysuncast.com/cps

We are grateful for our GOLD sponsor:

Speed up PV installations for lower LCOE with TrinaTracker and improve overall system value with optimized compatibility using Trina Solar’s industry-leading modules and the TrinaPro utility-scale or C&I Solutions. Please visit https://www.mysuncast.com/trina

ABOUT THE HOST OF SUNCAST:

Nico Johnson is the creator and host of SunCast, consistently rated a top solar podcast in the clean energy sector. The content of the show is geared towards listeners looking for insights on where the markets are headed, how to position themselves or their companies, and what today's market leaders do to stay ahead of the pack.

Nico is an Investor, Executive Coach, and 16-year veteran of the solar industry, having led development in the US and Latin America for global companies like Trina Solar and Conergy.

You can connect with Nico Johnson on Twitter, LinkedIn or email.

If you’ve been second-guessing your work decisions or maybe trying to reconsider how you "fit" in the renewable energy industry -> grab 15 minutes on Nico's calendar and discuss whether having him as Your personal coach might be the right next step.