HBAC #150: w/ Jake Trubiano of Gold Path Solar

All jokes aside…* Milestone episode (No. 150) and recap of recent studio activity, including filming a documentary segment with Nicolette Jaworski on our Data Center reporting. Her team recently produced a documentary short on another Ohio story.* We then kick off the episode proper with the return of local super guest Jake Trubiano!Gold Path Solar* Performance and visibility impact of the Westwood Fieldhouse and Junction solar installations in Hilliard* Recognition as 2025-2026 Ohio Installer of the Year and growth in residential solar business* Sharp shift in demand due to expiration of the 30% residential solar tax credit* Current installation volume, crew structure, and balancing residential vs. commercial workloads* Industry contraction, including major company failures, and resulting surge in his own brand’s service/repair work* Quality control issues in third-party installations (e.g., improper roof attachments/footers)* Internal business model: profit sharing, family and friends-based workforce, and how operational cohesionConditions in the Wider Industry* Importance of early-stage design coordination to optimize solar placement in new construction.* Lack of “solar-ready” considerations in most residential builds despite low implementation cost.* Policy and market tensions: anti-renewable state politics vs. rising electricity prices driving demand.* Tariffs, domestic manufacturing constraints, and disruption of solar supply chains post-Inflation Reduction Act. Fumbling the ball as China accelerates.* Future outlook: increased role of battery storage, grid age concerns, and status of net metering in Ohio.We thank Jake for stopping by and we thank you our listeners!The Hilliard Beacon is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hilliardbeacon.substack.com/subscribe