Probably True Solar Stories tells urban legends and fairytales about solar people and the solar industry. Through short stories, consumers learn about solar, and solar pros get to feel more important than dragon slayers, who aren’t even real.
Series Story: "The Solar Heist or How I Got into the Solar Business"
Probably True Solar Stories has a long solar "mini-series." Listen to the Solar Heist series here. Then explore the other shorter stand-alone stories below.
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Sept. 28, 2022
Part 1: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Proposal
In this first episode of Probably True Solar Stories, two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop that specializes in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project builder by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz. Will they come to a deal? Or will their neighborly relationship become... awkward? All Probably True Solar Stories are fiction. If this episode sounds fa
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Oct. 5, 2022
Part 2: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The No-Good, Rotten Heist
In real life, you never hear about the perfect heist. That’s because when a real-life heist is perfect, there are no witnesses, the criminals disappear, and the case goes cold. Boring. Now, in a fictional heist story, something always goes wrong. It has to. It’s a story telling rule. So why should that change for a solar heist story? When we last left Mazz Botticelli in Part 1, he’d made a deal with his neighbor, Charlie Boston, to liberate some illegally imported solar panels from a U.S. Cust
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Nov. 30, 2022
Part 3: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Favor
In the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue the story of two neighbors who are part of the solar industry. Charlie is a large-scale utility solar developer while Mazz is a medium-scale thief who successfully "liberated" Charlie's solar panel shipment from a U.S. customs warehouse in Part 1 and Part 2. Now, in Part 3, it's a year later. Mazz has invested in a home solar company and trying to go legit. Meanwhile, Charlie's big solar project is almost complete... but there's a
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June 7, 2023
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 4: The Warning
Season 2's theme is "Solar Noir," and we start off with a darkly comedic Part 4 of our Solar Heist series. (Catch up to Parts 1-3 here.) In Part 4, Mazz and Charlie are forced by Richard Prout, a crime syndicate boss, to dig up some CATs (Certain Awful Things) under Charlie's solar project, which used to be a landfill. As Charlie and Mazz dig, an unexpected visitor arrives to give Charlie a dangerous pop quiz. Will Charlie pass the test? True Solar Takeaways Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Ac
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June 14, 2023
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 5: The Escape
After almost being shot by a crime syndicate enforcer, Charlie and Mazz go to confront Richard Prout about who really owns the utility solar project. But Richard won’t talk. Worse, he attempts a daring escape that frustrates the hell out of Mazz and Charlie and attempts to split them apart. True Solar Takeaways Brownfields and landfills are ideal locations for utility solar projects because they're near grid infrastructure. Brownfields and landfills are also ideal because they typically qualif
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Aug. 16, 2023
Part 6, The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: Trust
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we end our Solar Noir season where we began. We continue the ongoing story of "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." In this next chapter, it’s all about Trust. Charlie finally comes clean about who he is and what his goals are. But will Mazz help? Or will he run? Or worse. There's also another reveal at the end, so if you haven't listened to the previous Solar Hiest episodes, here's where you can catch up here: Part 1: The Proposal Pa
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Sept. 20, 2023
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Parts 1-6
For those solar fiction fans who prefer the longer formats, we've combined all six episodes of "The Solar Heist" into a single two-hour version, including chapter headings. Two neighbors meet unexpectedly at an Oakland, California coffee shop specializing in dark, rich coffee. Mazz owns a trucking business by day and is a thief at night. Charlie is a solar project developer by day and a guy with an international solar problem that can only be solved by Mazz. As the two grow to be friends, Mazz
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Jan. 24, 2024
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 7: Monsters
On the next episode of Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with Part 7 of The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business. When an intruder breaks in and holds a gun to the head of Mazz's wife, Mazz, Charlie, and Beth come to the rescue. But doing so risks blowing Charlie's cover and the entire DOE intelligence operation. Listen to the previous episode here: The Solar Heist, Part 6: Trust Listen to all six previous chapters in a single episode here: The Solar Heist, Parts 1-6 True So
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Jan. 31, 2024
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 8: Mrs. Prout
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, Sylvia Prout, the widow of Richard Prout, visits Mazz and Charlie looking for answers about her husband's apparent murder. After some intense questioning and bourbon Irish coffees, Sylvia asks Mazz and Charlie for a favor that they can't refuse. If you missed the earlier episodes with Richard Prout, listen to episodes 3, 4, 5, and 6. True Solar Takeaways PTO is a common utility solar acronym for Permission to Operate. It's the final go-ahead from the ut
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Feb. 7, 2024
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 9: Chico
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, "The Solar Heist" series continues. Charlie goes to Chico, California to hunt for "CATs," --certain awful things--buried at a landfill that’s about to become a new solar farm. Meanwhile, Mazz tries to calmly educate the solar farm’s opponents without doing ... certain awful things. To catch up with the previous episodes: Listen to Parts 1-6 here. Listen to Part 7 here. Listen to Part 8 here. True Solar Takeaways As part of the solar project developme
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Feb. 14, 2024
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 10: Timing
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we continue with Part 10 of "The Solar Heist" series. Mrs. Prout returns to Mazz and Charlie’s house to give them a warning. But Mazz and Charlie are already in Chico. Despite her efforts, it’s just bad timing for Sylvia, and really, for everyone... If you missed any of the previous Solar Heist episodes: Listen to Parts 1-6 here. Listen to Part 7 here. Listen to Part 8 here. Listen to Part 9 here. True Solar Takeaways (Careful! Spoilers!) Building solar
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Feb. 21, 2024
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 11: Rewind
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we conclude our limited series, "The Solar Heist, or How I Got Into the Solar Business." It's about two neighbors who unexpectedly form an odd friendship and work to uncover a solar energy crime syndicate. But arresting the syndicate’s leader turns out to be more complicated than they expected. Previous Solar Heist episodes: Listen to Part 1 here. Listen to Part 2 here. Listen to Part 3 here. Listen to Part 4 here. Listen to Part 5 here. Listen to Part 6
Recent Episodes
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April 4, 2025
Bonus Episode:REALLY True Solar Stories -- Live From RE+ 2024!
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we're going rogue for a midseason bonus episode! Instead of the strange and wonderful fictional solar stories that we usually tell, we're going to share some strange and wonderful REALLY True Solar Stories from actual solar workers and solar industry leaders. There are around 279,000 solar industry workers today. And about 40,000 of those came to the RE+ conference in Anaheim, California in September 2024. And about 100 of those attendees came to my annu
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June 19, 2024
A Murder of Solar Crows (Part 2)
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, we conclude "A Murder of Solar Crows." Four thieves have tried to strip two solar farms of their expensive copper wires, solar panels, and other equipment. But a brown tabby cat and her animal friends keep getting in their way. Will the gang finally beat her on their third and final job? True Solar Takeaways Listen to Part 1 here: https://www.probablytruesolar.com/murder-crows/ A line of crows on a tree limb or electrical wire is called "A murder of crow
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June 12, 2024
A Murder of Solar Crows (Part 1)
Four thieves break into three solar projects during long holiday weekends, trying to steal the solar panels, copper wire, and other equipment. But each time they try, a brown tabby cat stops them with deadly consequences. True Solar Takeaways A line of crows on a tree limb or electrical wire is called "A murder of crows." Kelptovoltaics is the term for the act of stealing solar equipment from a solar project. Theft of solar modules, inverters, copper cabling, and other valuable equipment from
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June 5, 2024
Bob, the Dog, and the Solar Vineyard (Encore)
Bob is a winemaker who is having a mid-life crisis. Trying to pull it together, he converts the oldest part of his vineyard into a solar farm, adopts a lost dog, and tries to make great wine. But nothing goes as planned, so he decides to take a psychedelic trip that takes him on a solar magical mystery tour that sparks joy in everyone—especially the dog. True Solar Takeaways Vineyards use a tremendous amount of energy for irrigation pumps, refrigeration, bottling operations, and resort energy c
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May 29, 2024
Rufus the Solar Guard Dog (Encore)
Rufus, a pet and mascot of a solar installer, is dognapped out of the installer's truck while on the job. A chase ensues, but we learn that the dog, the solar installer, and the dog napper aren't quite what they seem. True Solar Takeaways As of 2020, there are 20,000 military veterans in the solar industry, making up about 9% of the solar workforce. IREC, the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, supports veteran training programs. Get more information on these programs here.The Solar Ready Vet
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May 22, 2024
I'm Sorry, Ma'am, But You Can't Go Solar (Encore)
On the next Probably True Solar Stories, a feisty senior citizen is determined to haggle with a solar salesman to buy the solar system of her dreams. But her haggling plans fall through when an honest salesperson refuses to sell an installation at any price. Can they find the solar win-win? True Solar Takeaways Not every home is a good fit for solar. The home may have too many trees or other obstacles that block the sun--and solar production. The home may need a new roof. The home's wiring or
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Recent Blog Posts
Jan. 2, 2024
Why Is Solar Missing in Film and TV Today?
Image credit: stock image modified by the author. By Tor “Solar Fred” Valenza (originally published in Solar Today Magazine.) Think about the last time you saw solar energy in a fictional film or television show. Keep thinking. I’ll wait. If you…
Aug. 6, 2023
People ask me why I wrote a solar dragon story. Three reasons...
People ask me why I wrote a solar dragon story. Three reasons: First, like many stories, it's a metaphor. In this case, it's about our energy transition and the mistakes we made, and the challenges ahead. Second, dragons seem to be a popular story…
Nov. 2, 2022
Why does pop culture care more about dragon slayers than solar installers?
Why does pop culture care more about dragon slayers than solar installers? Dragons don't exist, and if they did, one Stealth fighter would end the dragon war pretty quickly. But solar people, we're changing the world today. We deserve to be on Net…
About the Host
Tor "Solar Fred" Valenza
Author and Narrator
Probably True Solar Stories is written and read by Tor “Solar Fred” Valenza. Tor is a former film and TV writer (Stargate SG-1, Dharma & Greg, The Dead Zone) and current chief solar public relations geek at UnThink Solar, a solar PR and communications firm.
Ironically, Tor shares true solar news stories every day on Twitter and to the media. But... they’re mostly boring. So, subscribe to Probably True Stories and follow Tor at @SolarFred or @ProbTrueSolar on Twitter to be the first to know about all the strange and wonderful solar stories that Tor makes up. What’s your solar story?