Krista Simicich
Digital Editor
Inside The Hub: Conversations That Powered Intersolar & Energy Storage North America 2025
At the heart of the exhibit hall during IESNA 2025, the Hub served as a dynamic space to learn, connect, and explore innovation. As the only open-access educational area on the show floor, the Hub welcomed all attendees to take a seat, recharge, and engage with 30-minute sessions that delivered real-world applications, product perspectives, and candid industry conversations.
From February 25–27, 2025, the Hub buzzed with energy as thought leaders, solution providers, and top associations shared their knowledge live—and we’re excited to bring that experience to you.
We will be releasing weekly collections of the podcast sessions recorded in the Hub. Each drop features standout recordings so you can catch up on the ideas, challenges, and forward-thinking solutions shaping the renewable energy industry.
Tune in, learn something new, and relive the momentum of the Hub—where the industry’s brightest voices came together.
2025 Events and Trends
Featuring: Wes Doane, VP of Intersolar & Energy Storage North America, and Nico Johnson, Founder of Suncast Media
In this recording, IESNA’s Wes Doane and Suncast Media’s Nico Johnson explore the current sentiment of the clean energy sector, noting that strong attendance indicates resilience despite economic and political uncertainties. Key areas of focus include domestic manufacturing and infrastructure challenges.
Topics include:
- How industry attendance at the event reflects optimism despite economic and political uncertainty
- Domestic manufacturing and infrastructure
- How IESNA is expanding regionally and improving attendee experience
Fireside Chat with Maria Robinson
Featuring: Maria Robinson, President and CEO of IREC, and Nico Johnson, Founder of Suncast Media
In this recording, Maria Robinson shares her experience as Director of the Office of Grid Deployment at the Department Of Energy (DOE). Her role involved infrastructure deployment through grants, focusing on transmission, distribution, and resilience. Now CEO of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), she aims to increase its brand recognition and impact on removing regulatory barriers for clean energy adoption at the state and local levels.
Topics include:
- Robinson’s DOE role and focus on grid upgrades and resilience funding
- How the DOE is now an infrastructure deployment agency alongside R&D
- How IREC works on regulatory issues to ease clean energy adoption
Industry Podcaster Roundup
Featuring: Joe Ordia, CEO of Solar Surge, Chris Cowell, Editor-in-Chief at Solar Builder, Sean White, Solar Instructor at Heatspring, and Nico Johnson, Founder of Suncast Media
In this recording, industry experts share insights on the evolving energy landscape, discussing innovative technologies like module-level storage and lightweight solar, the current uncertain industry sentiment, and emerging opportunities in battery storage and solar servicing amidst economic shifts.
Topics include:
- New solar and storage technologies, including module-level batteries and lightweight modules that garner attention for their innovative approaches
- How the industry is experiencing uncertainty and restructuring alongside emerging opportunities in service and battery sectors
- How policy shifts and economic conditions are creating both challenges and driving the need for adaptation
About The Hub
Located in the IESNA 2025 exhibit hall, the Hub stage is an educational space that included included insightful interviews with top product and solution providers as well as educational presentations describing real-world applications and takeaways. Learn more here.
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