Clean Power Hour – Details, episodes & analysis

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Clean Power Hour

Tim Montague, John Weaver

Technology

News

Business

Frequency: 1 episode/4d. Total Eps: 434

The Clean Power Hour podcast is speeding the clean energy transition. Tim Montague and John Weaver highlight clean energy innovations shaping the next generation of renewable energy sources. We discuss the latest solar PV, battery storage, wind, water, wave, and other low-carbon technologies. We answer the question: How can we decarbonize the economy? We promote the economic opportunity of electrifying everything - transportation, energy, industry, and the built environment. Let's speed up the clean energy transition together. Join the movement - www.CleanPowerHour.com

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Apple Podcasts

🇺🇸 USA - technology
21/08/2026
#75
🇺🇸 USA - technology
20/08/2026
#51
🇺🇸 USA - technology
19/08/2026
#63
🇺🇸 USA - technology
18/08/2026
#82
🇺🇸 USA - technology
17/08/2026
#54
🇺🇸 USA - technology
16/08/2026
#44
🇺🇸 USA - technology
15/08/2026
#54
🇺🇸 USA - technology
14/08/2026
#66
🇺🇸 USA - technology
13/08/2026
#81
🇺🇸 USA - technology
12/08/2026
#90

Spotify

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Shared links between episodes and podcasts

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http://www.chintpowersystems.com/
438 shares
http://www.cleanpowerhour.com/
436 shares
https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/
435 shares

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleanpowerhour/
18 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryanwagner/
5 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/billnussey/
4 shares

https://apple.co/3rM6gyf
458 shares
https://apple.co/3HbuZ4G
2 shares

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Score global : 48%

Publication history

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Community Microgrids Are Proven. So Why Aren’t They Everywhere? #342

Thursday, April 2, 2026 • Duration 44:45

Billion-dollar weather emergencies hit the United States every 19 days. In the 1980s, they came every 90 days. The grid is still running, but communities are paying the price when it fails. Elisa Wood, founder of Energy Changemakers and host of the Energy Changemakers podcast, joins Tim Montague on The Clean Power Hour to explain why community microgrids are the missing layer in grid resilience, where they are actually working, and what is stopping most communities from building them.

In this Episode:

You will learn exactly how a community microgrid differs from standard solar and storage, specifically the islanding capability that keeps critical services running when the main grid fails.
You will understand why the "over the fence" rule blocks most community microgrid projects and how California is beginning to create exceptions that other states could follow.
You will learn why resilience has no assigned dollar value in today's grid market, and why that missing valuation is the root cause of the community microgrid funding problem.
You will hear which states are leading on community microgrid development right now and why federal funding cuts have made state and local action the only real path forward.
You will learn why utilities have a structural reason to resist community microgrids and what financial incentive changes could shift that dynamic.
You will take away a community engagement lesson from Cascadia Renewables in Washington State, showing that talking to residents before doing engineering studies is what determines whether a project wins local support or stalls.

With federal support retreating and extreme weather intensifying, the window for state-level action on community microgrids is narrow. The case studies in this episode show that community microgrids save lives, reduce economic losses from outages, and create local energy wealth. Clean energy professionals who want to move these projects forward need to understand the regulatory barriers, the funding gaps, and the community engagement strategies that separate successful projects from stalled ones.

Connect with Elisa Wood

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisawood/

Website: https://energychangemakers.com/

Support the show

Connect with Tim

Clean Power Hour
Clean Power Hour on YouTube
Tim on Twitter
Tim on LinkedIn

Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com

Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/

The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

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Old Solar Panels Are a Gold Mine (Here's the Math) #341

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 • Duration 40:07

Revenue from aging solar assets can now more than double through redevelopment. Matt Murphy, CEO of Flux Energy, joins Tim Montague on the Clean Power Hour to explain how. Murphy, a 20-year solar industry veteran and former Greenbacker executive, launched Flux Energy to focus on repowering and redeveloping existing solar farms, adding energy storage, renegotiating contracts, and replacing outdated panels with modern technology. His claim: deploying capital into operating assets delivers returns as good or better than building new projects from scratch.

With SREC 1 and SREC 2 programs expiring in Massachusetts and solar panels from the early 2010s producing a fraction of what today's 750-watt modules deliver, the opportunity for solar asset redevelopment is growing fast.

Here's what you'll learn in this conversation about repowering and redeveloping aging solar assets:

Learn how Murphy's "redevelopment" strategy stacks new revenue streams on existing solar farms by adding battery storage, repowering with modern panels, and renegotiating offtake agreements.
Understand the scale of the efficiency gap: panels installed a decade ago were 120-watt modules, while today's range from 600 to 800 watts. A repowered site on the same acreage produces up to four or five times the energy output.
Find out why Flux Energy prefers DC-coupled battery storage.
You'll hear how Murphy restores EBITDA to peak incentive levels, then connects sellers with IPP buyers in what he calls "solar house flipping."
Learn why about 50% of the decommissioned panels Flux has evaluated so far have secondary market value at a few cents per watt.

As the ITC phases down and a rush to complete new projects dominates industry attention, a parallel opportunity is emerging in the existing fleet. With state incentive programs expiring and aging assets underperforming, companies like Flux Energy represent a new segment of the solar industry focused on extracting maximum value from what has already been built.

Connect with Matt Murphy, Flux Energy

Matt’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-murphy-b900877a/

Flux Energy Website:

Your Solar Asset Is Underperforming. Here's Why. #335

Thursday, February 19, 2026 • Duration 19:53

Most solar asset owners still manage performance data the same way they did 10 years ago. Dan Leary, founder of Denowatts, says that needs to change. In this episode, recorded live at RE+ Northeast in Boston, Tim Montague sits down with Leary and Doug Macmillan of Portside Systems to explore energy accounting, a method for identifying exactly where solar production losses occur and what owners and operators should do about them. Denowatts is collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories to build what Leary calls "GAAP for solar," a common standard for reporting and benchmarking solar asset performance. If you manage solar assets or invest in solar projects, this conversation explains how better data practices lead to more predictable returns.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Dan Leary explains that most solar operators still manage data the way they did a decade ago, despite significant advances in monitoring and analysis tools. Denowatts built a smarter weather station (the Deno) and a real-time analytics platform to close that gap.
Denowatts breaks down solar production losses into four categories: climate-related issues, modeling errors, external factors beyond anyone's control, and problems within the commercial boundary that owners and operators are able to fix. This framework gives asset managers clear direction on where to focus recovery efforts.
Doug Macmillan explains Portside's role as the system integrator for the Denowatts platform on distributed generation sites. Portside handles design, equipment fabrication, delivery, and commissioning, working from their UL 508 panel shop.

This episode is for solar asset managers, project developers, EPCs, and clean energy investors who want more from their performance data. With Denowatts and Sandia Labs working toward a common reporting standard, the solar industry is moving closer to the kind of financial transparency that attracts long-term capital. If you own or operate solar assets, the time to modernize your data strategy is now.

Connect with Dan Leary and Doug Macmillan

Dan Leary

Denowatts

Engineering the Future of Community Solar with Patrick Canning | EP267

Tuesday, March 18, 2025 • Duration 10:07

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Patrick Canning, Principal Engineer and founder of Canning Engineering, at the RE+ Northeast conference in Boston. Patrick shares his journey from traditional civil engineering to becoming a specialized solar design expert, culminating in launching his own engineering firm focused on community and utility-scale solar projects.

Patrick reveals how his experience leading engineering and interconnection teams at prominent companies like Nexamp provided the foundation for his current work. His firm, though small, delivers high-value engineering solutions primarily for 1-5 MW ground-mount community solar installations across the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Illinois markets.

The conversation delves into what truly differentiates specialized, local engineering services from commoditized alternatives. Patrick emphasizes the critical importance of having engineers who can physically visit project sites, especially for complex installations involving brownfields, battery storage, or challenging utility requirements. His team's ability to provide hands-on expertise and responsive service for projects requiring nuanced attention has become their competitive advantage.

Listeners will gain valuable insights into the full spectrum of services offered by Canning Engineering, from complete IFC (Issued for Construction) documentation to energy modeling and interconnection support. This episode offers a window into how specialized engineering expertise continues to play a vital role in advancing community solar deployments across multiple states.

Whether you're a solar developer, EPC contractor, or industry professional interested in the technical challenges of community solar, this episode provides a compelling look at the engineering expertise driving clean energy projects forward. Listen now to discover how local engineering talent is helping to grow solar in the Northeast and beyond.

Social Media Handles

Patrick Canning LinkedIn

Solar's Growing Pains: Tariffs, Utah's Balcony Solar, and Commercial Project Updates

Friday, March 14, 2025 • Duration 38:35

In this insightful episode of Clean Power Hour, hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver dive into the latest developments shaking up the renewable energy landscape. They discuss the immediate impacts of newly announced tariffs on Canadian and Mexican solar equipment, with John sharing how his commercial projects are already seeing price increases on critical components like neutral ground reactors. (Link)

The conversation shifts to exciting innovations in the solar space, including Utah's groundbreaking unanimous legislation allowing plug-in balcony solar systems and a unique vertical solar cell mounting system from Norway. (Story Link)

John and Tim also analyze recent data showing solar generation up 27% nationwide, now accounting for 6.8% of all U.S. electricity, while examining the stark differences in renewable adoption between states. (Story Link)

The hosts round out the episode with a behind-the-scenes look at a commercial solar carport project, detailing the engineering considerations involved in these increasingly popular installations. (Story Link)

Tune in for an essential update on the rapidly evolving clean energy sector and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Support the show

Connect with Tim

Clean Power Hour
Clean Power Hour on YouTube

The Future of Solar Power Electronics with Bryan Wagner of CPS America | EP266

Thursday, March 13, 2025 • Duration 14:12

Today on the Clean Power Hour recorded at RE+ Northeast in Boston, Tim Montague sits down with Bryan Wagner, President of CPS America, to discuss the latest developments in solar power electronics and energy storage. Wagner shares insights from his recent overseas trip to China, where he explored Chint's global manufacturing capabilities and strategy for the North American market.

The conversation delves into Chint's impressive portfolio as a diversified global energy company, including their expansion into high-voltage transformers for solar substations, innovative inverter products with enhanced safety features like the 250 and 350 models, and their exciting new energy storage product called "Gonzo." Wagner explains how Chint's engineering expertise allows them to create complex power equipment designed to last through the 20-40 year lifespan of modern solar installations.

Wagner also reveals CPS America's launch of a new service brand called CSPs (Chint Smart Power Services), leveraging Chint's extensive experience in operating and maintaining 20 gigawatts of solar globally. The discussion highlights the importance of RE+ Northeast as a platform for industry growth and networking, with Wagner noting how electrification trends and AI-driven data centers are significantly increasing power demand—potentially doubling or tripling New York State's capacity needs in the next decade.

Bryan also mentions that their Innovation Day event is growing significantly, with attendance increasing from around 300 people last year to an expected 500 this year, and he invites listeners to connect with them via the Chint Power Systems website or by emailing events@ChintPower.com to learn more. Check out CPS Product Innovation Day 2025: https://loom.ly/Ll19EVk

Social Media

Bryan Wagner

CPS America

CPS America Innovation Day

Your All-In-One Solar Ecosystem with Parker Schram | EP265

Tuesday, March 11, 2025 • Duration 39:22

In today’s episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Parker Schram, the founder of EnergyScape Renewables, a company aiming to revolutionize the solar industry by offering an all-in-one ecosystem for solar enterprises. Parker shares his journey from renewable engineering to building a company that handles everything from site surveys and sales proposals to engineering, design, and even permitting.

EnergyScape's vision is to allow EPCs and solar installers to focus on sales and installations while they take care of all the behind-the-scenes business operations. Parker dives into the services they offer, including site surveys, CRM software, project management tools, plan sets, structural and electrical engineering, interconnection, permitting, and utility application processes. With a presence in all states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands, EnergyScape is equipped to support solar projects nationwide.

Parker discusses the benefits of outsourcing versus scaling in-house, highlighting the cost savings and access to specialized expertise that EnergyScape provides. He also addresses common issues EPCs face and how EnergyScape's solutions can help streamline operations and avoid bottlenecks. Whether you're a seasoned solar professional or new to the industry, this episode offers valuable insights into the future of solar project management and the potential of comprehensive service platforms.

Tune in to learn how EnergyScape Renewables is transforming the solar landscape and how their innovative approach can benefit your solar business. Don't miss this opportunity to discover the power of an all-in-one ecosystem for solar enterprises!

Social Media

Parker Schram

EnergyScape Renewables

Support the show

Connect with Tim

Navigating the Solar O&M Landscape: Challenges, Opportunities, and Workforce Solutions with Chris Grablutz | EP264

Thursday, March 6, 2025 • Duration 09:30

The solar energy industry is booming, but maintaining and optimizing solar installations is an evolving challenge. Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Chris Grablutz at RE+ Northeast in Boston. Chris is the founder of Triforce Energy and an alum of PurePower Engineering. We explore the world of solar operations and maintenance (O&M)—a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the industry.

Chris shares insights into how the O&M sector is maturing, the growing demand for skilled technicians, and why solar maintenance is far from a "set it and forget it" system. They discuss the challenges of a shrinking skilled workforce, the importance of vocational training and internships, and innovative ways companies like Triforce Energy are nurturing the next generation of solar technicians.

The episode also touches on Chint Power Systems (CPS) and why their strong customer support and reliable inverter technology make a difference in the field. If you're in the solar industry—whether you're a developer, asset owner, technician, or just passionate about renewable energy—this episode will give you valuable insights into the future of solar maintenance and workforce development.

Tune in now to learn how we can all contribute to growing and strengthening the solar industry!

Social Media

Chris Grablutz

Tri-Force Energy

Support the show

Connect with Tim

Clean Power Hour
Clean Power Hour on YouTube
Tim on Twitter
Tim on LinkedIn

Cutting the Cost of Solar by Half with Andrew Birch of OpenSolar | EP263

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 • Duration 51:03

Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Andrew Birch, the founder and CEO of OpenSolar, to explore the stark differences between solar markets around the world and what the U.S. can learn from countries like Australia and Europe. With over 20 years of experience in the solar industry, Birchy shares his insights on why Australia has achieved an impressive 33% solar penetration, while the U.S. lags behind at just 5%.

The conversation dives into the key factors driving Australia's success, including streamlined permitting processes, lower costs, and efficient customer adoption. Birchy explains how the U.S. solar market is bogged down by complex regulations, high permitting costs, and lengthy installation timelines, which make solar three times more expensive than in Australia. He also discusses the potential of initiatives like SolarAPP+ to simplify permitting and reduce costs, which could revolutionize the U.S. solar industry.

Birchy also shares his journey with Sungevity, one of the leading U.S. solar companies, and how the company's challenges with financing and policy changes ultimately led to its downfall. He offers valuable advice for solar installers on how to grow sustainable businesses in a challenging market, emphasizing the importance of simplifying processes and advocating for policy changes.

The episode also touches on the role of storage in solar adoption, the future of commercial solar, and the potential for solar to dominate global energy markets by 2035. Birch’s optimism about the future of solar is contagious, and his call to action for the industry to rally around solutions like SolarAPP+ is both inspiring and urgent.

If you're in the solar industry, a policy maker, or simply interested in the future of clean energy, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in to learn how we can accelerate solar adoption, reduce costs, and create a more sustainable energy future.

Social Media Handles

Andrew Birch LinkedIn

OpenSolar

The State of Solar: Record Installations, California Grid Breakthroughs, and IRA Uncertainty

Wednesday, February 26, 2025 • Duration 37:02

In this engaging bi-weekly news roundup, host Tim Montague welcomes back John Weaver, "the commercial solar guy," to discuss major developments in the renewable energy sector. The episode highlights Bloomberg NEF's report of nearly 50 gigawatts of solar deployed in the US in 2024, a significant increase from the previous year that demonstrates solar's growing dominance over wind in capacity additions.

John shares his analysis of California's impressive clean energy progress, where solar generation is up 34% year-over-year and recently achieved the milestone of meeting 100% of the state's electricity demand - remarkably in February. They discuss how battery storage deployment is revolutionizing California's grid stability and enabling more solar integration.

The conversation takes a serious turn examining the Trump administration's executive order pausing IRA funding and its implications for domestic manufacturing, including the news that Freyr Battery (now T1 Energy) has canceled its planned US battery factory. Join Tim and John for this informative discussion on the triumphs and challenges facing the clean energy transition.

Story Links
Almost 50 GW of solar deployed in the USA in 2024 - go to Page 22
https://bcse.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/2025-Sustainable-Energy-in-America-Factbook.pdf

Associated - California clean energy growth booming, solar way up:
https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/02/21/california-off-to-a-strong-clean-electricity-start-with-solar-up-33-8/

Project of the Week - 270 kWdc rooftop in downtown New Bedford - installed while wind chill near zero
https://bsky.app/profile/commercialsolarguy.com/post/3lik32v2zfc2l

Trump challenges to the IRA, including multiple pauseshttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/01/21/trump-orders-pause-to-ira-funding/Freyr Battery rebrands as T1 Energy and really doubles down on the US Solar and Storage Markethttps://t1energy.com/#t1-overview

Clean Power Hour – Details, episodes & analysis

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Clean Power Hour – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Apple Podcasts

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