Sungevity was founded in 2007 with a promise of revolutionizing solar sales through software. It sparked a move toward the "platform" approach to customer acquisition and sales.

Sungevity eventually built up its sales, procurement and financing in-house -- peaking as the No. 3 residential solar company in 2014. Over the years, the company's cash-burn rate increased and Sungevity started outsourcing more of its operations. This month, after failing to close bridge financing, the company declared bankruptcy and sold off its financing platform.

Would it have survived if it had simply stuck to lead generation?

On this week's podcast, we'll look at Sungevity's struggles. We'll compare the company's problems with other residential solar installers that have failed or faced challenges. 

We’re joined by Nicole Litvak, a senior analyst with GTM Research’s solar team, who will provide some insight into the sustainability of the national installation and sales model.

Then, Trump’s executive order on climate change is finally here. But it’s not changing the minds of any utilities. We’ll talk about what’s in it, and discuss the difference between political optics and reality. Jigar will also share his disdain for the America-versus-China narrative that often frames this topic.

This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.