Watts Up Solar Podcast
Watts Up in Solar is your go-to weekly podcast for everything solar—from rooftop installs to remote troubleshooting and everything in between.
Hosted by Emmitt Muckles—solar trainer, consultant, and all-around energy expert—this show breaks down the tech, talks real-world solar issues, and helps you stay plugged into what matters most in solar energy.
Whether you’re a homeowner thinking about going solar or a solar pro looking to sharpen your skills, each episode delivers something for you:
- Plain-English breakdowns of solar tech, from inverters to batteries
- Real talk on home energy efficiency and utility bills
- Tips for avoiding solar scams and shady sales pitches
- Live field stories, installer insights, and industry interviews
- Weekly “Watt’s New” solar headlines and commentary
It’s solar knowledge for the real world. No fluff. Just facts.
Episodes
17 episodes
Off-Grid Truths with Rebekah Carpenter: 25 Years of Solar, DIY Myths & Battery Reality
Rebekah Carpenter didn’t just “get into” solar—she jumped on a plane to Mali to install an off-grid system after teaching herself the trade. Two decades later, she’s still providing results and calling BS where needed. We cover the early net-me...
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50:01
Startups, Soft Hands & Solar: Ziwen Deng on Training the Next Energy Workforce with SureStep
In this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, I sit down with Ziwen Deng, a startup founder, innovator, and renewable energy trailblazer. We get real about the challenges of immigrant grit, the future of skilled trades, and why the re...
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43:58
Cesar Barbosa: Building an Elite Solar Workforce Reinventing Solar
In this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, Emmitt Muckles sits down with Cesar Barbosa, founder of New Life Power, for an unfiltered conversation about leadership, grit, and the evolving landscape of solar energy.From pulling panels...
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37:05
Codes, Standards & Solar Passion: David Compaan on Quality, Training & PV Growth
In this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, Emmitt Muckles sits down with solar veteran and quality engineering manager David Compaan of IGS Solar. David has inspected over 3,000 PV systems and holds NABCEP PVIP and PV System I...
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Season 1
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41:04
Clayton Hanks C. H. Eletrical
In this honest and wide-ranging episode, solar installer Clayton Hanks of CH Electrical joins host Emmitt Muckles to reveal what it’s really like installing solar in Southern Illinois.From fighting misleading PPA contracts and edu...
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38:44
Solar, Surfing & Storytelling: Aaron Nichols on Changing the Industry One Truth at a Time
Aaron Nichols' solar story is unlike anything you’ve heard. From Peace Corps dreams cut short to meeting circus girls on an Ecuadorian beach, Aaron’s path into clean energy is fueled by passion, missteps, and purpose.Join host Emm...
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52:22
Residential Clean Energy Credit Abrupt Termination and Impact
The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," enacted on July 4, 2025, has dramatically and abruptly eliminated the Residential Clean Energy Credit (RCEC) for homeowner-owned systems after December 31, 2025. This legislative action starkly contrasts with t...
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15:50
Brick Maier on AI, LMS Tools & Empowering Solar Learners at HeatSpring
Join Emmitt Muckles on the Watts Up Solar Podcast as he talks with Brick Maier of HeatSpring, a media-savvy L&D expert revolutionizing solar education. They dive deep into how AI and LMS platforms are transforming training for sola...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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54:04
Digital Twins & Solar Truths: How Wattch.io is Redefining Monitoring with Alex Heller
In this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, host Emmitt Muckles sits down with Alex Heller, Head of Sales and Business Development at Wattch, to explore how data and digital twin technology are transformi...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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48:15
Solar Generators, Second-Life Panels & Building Solar-Powered Communities w/ Adam C. Powers
In this inspiring episode, Emmitt Muckles interviews Adam C. Powers, solar educator, data management expert, and community leader, about how to bring solar equity and sustainability to under-resourced communities.Adam shares his journey ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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31:52
Beyond the Install: A Conversation with Derek "The Solar Boi" Mast
Join us on the What's Up Solar Podcast for an illuminating conversation with Derek "The Solar Boi" Mast! Starting in 2014 with a background in electrical work, Derek quickly found his niche in troubleshooting and maintaining aging sol...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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53:53
Solar Truths & Training Tales with Greg Smith (Tigo Energy, Author of The Battery-Powered Home)
In this powerful and fun episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, host Emmitt Muckles sits down with Greg Smith—a solar training legend, Navy veteran, and author of The Battery-Powered Home—to unpack the truth about sola...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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39:24
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Marketing Solar Smarter: Jacob Lundy on ROI-Driven Strategy for Clean Energy Companies
In this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, host Emmitt Muckles chats with Jacob Lundy, founder of Marketergy, a marketing firm specializing in clean energy and climate tech. With over a decade of experience and $5 million saved in ad spend ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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28:38
Enphase’s Commercial Microinverter Strategy Is a Game-Changer IQ83P Microinverter– with Chad Bodmer
In this electrifying episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, host Emmitt Muckles interviews Chad Bodmer, a licensed electrician and NABCEP PV Installation Professional with over 12 years in the solar industry. Chad shares his journey from field ...
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36:38
From Solar Roots to Wind Energy Heights: Ari Simmons
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/xwtKGcNVpNsWelcome to the What’s Up Solar Podcast with your host Emmitt Muckles, solar educator, trainer, and advocate for the sun! In this epi...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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43:33
AgriVoltaics, Carbon Sinks, and the Future of Sustainable Solar | Tyler Kanczuzewski - Inovateus Solar
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_fD-8I-q-ioIn this episode of the Watts Up Solar Podcast, host Emmitt Muckles sits down with Tyler Kanczuzewski, VP of Sustai...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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45:04
Welcome to the Watts Up Solar Podcast | Meet Emmitt Muckles, Your Solar Guide
Welcome to the Watts Up Solar Podcast, where sun meets strategy I’m your host, Emmitt Muckles — solar educator, consultant, and lifelong STEM nerd turned solar advocate. In this very first episode, I get personal and...
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Season 1
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Episode 1
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8:01