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896: The Solar Industry’s Unfinished Business | with Suvi Sharma, SolarCycle
Episode 89630th January 2026 • SunCast • Nico Johnson
00:00:00 01:04:51

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The solar industry scaled faster than almost anyone expected. But in the rush to deploy, one part of the system never fully got built.

In this episode, Nico Johnson sits down with Suvi Sharma, founder of Solaria and now co-founder and CEO of SolarCycle, to talk about what happens after solar works. Suvi explains why end-of-life planning, repowering, and material recovery are no longer edge cases - they’re becoming core infrastructure challenges for the industry.

This conversation goes beyond recycling. It’s about maturity. About what it means for solar to grow up as an industry, and how decisions made twenty years ago are shaping today’s constraints - from glass durability to supply chains to capital planning.

Suvi shares why he came out of “retirement” to start another company, how he’s building a system designed for scale, and what developers, operators, and policymakers are still underestimating.

If you work anywhere near solar deployment, ownership, or manufacturing, this episode may change how you think about the full lifecycle.

You made it this far — hit play.

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.

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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.

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