[3/5] How cheap can solar really get? Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

[3/5] How cheap can solar really get? Andy Lubershane (Energy Impact Partners)

Author: Hugo Rauch April 3, 2026 Duration: 33:58

Subscribe to the newsletter:

New Wave | Hugo Rauch | Substack

****

🌊 Crazy Cheap Renewables

What if solar becomes the cheapest energy source on Earth?

We’re joined by Andy Lubershane, Partner at Energy Impact Partners and author of Steel For Fuel.

In this episode, we dive into the future of ultra-cheap solar, and unpack what it really takes to push renewables into a new cost paradigm that reshapes global energy systems.

In our conversation, we covered:

→ Why solar’s cost curve has been one of the biggest success stories of the energy transition

→ What “crazy cheap” actually means (hint: ~50% cheaper than today)

→ Why cost of capital is now solar’s biggest bottleneck

→ The real constraints: land, transmission, and grid infrastructure

→ Why efficiency gains (not cheaper panels) are the next big unlock

→ The rise of tandem cells and perovskites as a potential step change

→ Why installation and labor are now major cost drivers

→ The surprising reality: solar costs have recently increased in some markets

→ Why wind likely won’t reach the same scalability as solar

This is episode three of a five part series. Subscribe to receive every episode.



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 89

New Wave.
Podcast Episodes
Jessica Burley (Planet A): Funding the Physical World in Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:57
Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, fin…
Erik Engellau (Norrsken Launcher): How To Commercialize Science [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:52
Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, fin…
AI for Materials: Breakthrough or Illusion? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:28
Sign up to New Wave's newsletter. ***This week on New Wave Weekly:👉 AI won’t magically invent new materialsAlphaFold worked because biology had great data. Inorganic materials don’t. Sparse datasets, missing thermodynami…
Anna Finizio: Inside Europe’s Largest LP (EIF) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:03
Thank you to this week’s sponsor:Accelerating Impact - a non-profit advancing impact finance by mobilizing capital and running free accelerator programs for emerging fund managers. Join for expert coaching, training, fin…
Marion Schuppe: Makesense Announces €25M Pre-Seed Impact Fund [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:56
Makesense just closed its €25M pre-seed fund:So we sat down with Marion Schuppe to unpack what it really takes to build an impact-first VC from a nonprofit DNA.👉 Fundraising: fun, exciting.. exhaustingWhat does it take f…