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.
Part 1: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Pr…
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....
Part 2: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The No…
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, somethi...
Part 3: The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business: The Fa…
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 successfu...
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 4: The Wa…
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 d...
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 5: The Es…
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 ...
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. Charl...
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, Calif...
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 7: Monste…
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 ...
The Solar Heist, or How I Got into the Solar Business, Part 8: Mrs. P…
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, Syl...
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. Meanwhil...
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 effo...
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 en...
Recent Episodes
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 REAL...
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 h...
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. Tru...
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 h...
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 S...
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 s...
Listen On
Recent Blog Posts
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&rsquo…
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…
Why does pop culture care more about dragon slayers than solar instal…
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?