Guillaume Burstert (Sunwise) on Containerized Solar, Supply Chains, and Lighting Up 300M Lives

On this episode of the Soliverse Podcast, Peter sits down with Guillaume Burstert, founder of Sunwise, who’s on a mission to replace diesel generators with plug-and-play solar containers—and bring power to over 300 million people across Africa.

From sourcing solar components in China to scaling containerized mini-grids in Senegal and Tanzania, Guillaume shares how manufacturing clusters, local networks, and relentless iteration are helping build the future of energy—one village at a time.

They discuss:

⚡ Why “economies don’t grow in the dark”—and energy is the key to prosperity

📦 How containerized solar can leapfrog Africa’s energy infrastructure

🇨🇳 What it’s like sourcing from China’s solar clusters

🌍 Why Africa might skip the grid—like it skipped landlines

📉 What most people get wrong about Tier 1 suppliers

💰 How mini-grids get financed—and why blended finance is the future

🛠️ Why logistics and local labor matter more than you think

📚 Books that shaped his thinking: Clockwork, Culture Map, 4-Hour Workweek

Connect with Guillaume / Sunwise

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guillaumeburstert/

📨 Search “The Container Guy” on LinkedIn

Connect with Soliverse:

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6C2HVmlEcsFXJqzxlfT9uA

🌐 Website: https://soliverse.energy

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/soliversepodcast

🔗 Peter Pongracz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterpongraczsaas/