821: AI and Solar Power: Making Renewable Energy Available 24/7 | Martin Hermann of BrigthNight Power

SunCast

Content provided by Nico Johnson. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Nico Johnson or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://staging.podcastplayer.com/legal.

5d ago 1:02:30

MP3•Episode home

What if a renewable energy power plant could achieve capacity factors above 70%? Wouldn’t that make it, finally, FIRM baseload power, dispatchable and “reliable” for the grid?

Can ai help? What else is required?

The simple answer is hybridization, but a long-time industry pioneer is here to tell us more.

Martin Hermann has spent the last 2 decades pioneering the future of utility-scale solar. From founding 8minutenergy, one of the first to bring Utility-scale solar parks to the US, to launching BrightNight, focused now on making solar dispatchable, Martin’s mission has stayed consistent: make renewables not just clean—but reliable.

In the latest episode of SunCast, you’ll hear how BrightNight is rethinking the way we build power plants, why Martin deliberately didn’t hire solar industry veterans, and how AI is changing the way utilities plan for grid stability.

This isn’t about adding more megawatts—it’s about turning renewables into baseload power, with capacity factors north of 70%.

Martin shares how he’s using hybridization (wind + solar + batteries + market integration) to unlock grid value, and what it takes to design dispatchable renewables from the ground up.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why utility-scale solar must escape the “real estate developer” mindset

🔹 How BrightNight’s software optimizes entire systems—not just individual tech stacks

🔹 The future of long-duration storage and why multi-day batteries are on the verge

🔹 Why AI could become the most important tool in designing next-gen power plants

Ready to rethink solar's role in the power stack? Hit play.

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

831 episodes