SunCast Media

There’s a new way to define what a “solar tech” actually does.

For decades, solar O&M has operated without a universal standard.

No clear technician levels.
No shared skill definitions.
No training roadmap.

⚡ Those days are over. ⚡

The ANSI/SEIA 301 Standard is the industry’s first nationally recognized framework for solar operations and maintenance careers.

Built by 60+ companies.

Published through Solar Energy Industries Association and ANSI.

And now... it’s being implemented at scale by The AES Corporation.

On this week’s SunCast 🎙️, Amanda Bybee (Amicus O&M Cooperative) and Karo Fernandez (AES Clean Energy) share:

➡️ Why defining tech levels helps everyone—HR, field ops, and the techs themselves
➡️ How AES is translating the standard into practical training tools
➡️ What “operationalizing” training really looks like in the field
➡️ Why standardization helps reduce wage inflation and boost retention

This isn’t just a framework—it’s a future-proof career ladder for the workforce that keeps these assets online and optimized.

And it might just solve one of clean energy’s biggest bottlenecks.

Or tell us: Does your org have a training standard yet?

What’s killing your projects??

→ It’s not just permitting delays or lack of capital.

It’s the way you’re communicating your product’s value.

Amanda Foley, CEO of Kiterocket, sees it every day:

👉 Solar projects getting canceled due to community opposition
👉 Engineers running marketing (is that so wrong?)
👉 Founders whose messaging strategy stops at the website’s intro paragraph

In this new SunCast episode, Amanda breaks down:

✅ When it’s time for CEOs to let go of marketing
✅ The #1 messaging mistake most clean tech startups make
✅ How the media landscape has shifted (hello, Creator Economy)
✅ Why your press release quotes are probably garbage

If you’re serious about scaling your clean energy business…

This is a must-listen.