Explore every episode of the podcast Clean Power Hour
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batteries vs. Gas Peakers, China's Solar Export Restrictions, and the Future of Clean Energy | 20 Oct 2026 | 00:55:53 | |
Solar and battery storage are reshaping the energy industry, but policy uncertainty, grid constraints, manufacturing challenges, and equipment reliability remain major issues. In this episode of Clean Power Hour Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the latest developments in solar, energy storage, and the evolving power grid. They discuss new research showing that four-hour battery storage is becoming cost-competitive with gas peaker plants, China's restrictions on solar manufacturing technologies, U.S. solar deployment forecasts, and the growing challenges of connecting data centers to the grid. The conversation also explores solar project quality, the financial impact of equipment failures, and why reliable operations and maintenance will become increasingly important as more developers transition into asset ownership. Key Highlights • 4-Hour Batteries Challenge Gas Peaker Economics: New research suggests that four-hour battery storage is now less expensive than open-cycle gas turbines across all 43 markets included in the comparison. (Solar Power World Online) • The Next Frontier for Battery Storage: As batteries increasingly serve evening peak demand, the hosts consider how storage could reshape other periods of electricity demand and what role wind and other technologies might play. (Ember reports) • Solar Manufacturing and a Patent Dispute: The hosts examine a dispute involving an American company based in Rochester and a Chinese supplier over patents related to photovoltaic crystal-growing machinery. • U.S. Solar Deployment and the Tax Credit Cliff: BloombergNEF projections point to several years of strong U.S. solar additions before growth potentially slows as clean energy tax credits phase out. (Bloomberg) • China's Solar Market Slows While Other Markets Grow: The hosts discuss projections that China's solar installations could decline by 29% in 2026 while installations elsewhere increase by 15%. (PV Magazine) • China Restricts Exports of Solar Manufacturing Technologies: China is reportedly limiting exports of 12 photovoltaic-related technologies, including technologies associated with perovskite-silicon modules and polysilicon production. (Bloomberg report) • FERC Rejects Most of PJM's Large-Load Interconnection Proposal: Tim explains why the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's decision could add uncertainty to the process of connecting large electricity consumers, including data centers. (Utility Drive) • Project of the Week: A Nearly 2 MW Rooftop Solar Installation: John shares progress on a commercial rooftop solar project with approximately 1.8 MW of DC capacity and 990 kW of AC capacity. (John Weaver's LinkedIn) • Solar Quality Issues Could Increase LCOE by More Than 20%: The hosts review research showing how component failures, inverter downtime, and other system issues can increase the levelized cost of electricity. (PV Tech) What You'll Learn • Why four-hour battery storage is becoming competitive with gas peaker plants. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The Business of Solar EPC: Profitability, Policy Risks, and Project Delivery #376 | 15 Oct 2026 | 00:30:22 | |
Solar EPCs face growing pressure to deliver projects on time, manage costs, secure financing, and navigate changing energy policies. So how can smaller companies grow while protecting their profitability and reputation? In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Forrest Cohn, co-founder of Utopian Power, to discuss building a reliable solar and battery storage business in a changing market. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Utopian Power develops renewable energy projects. It provides engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for municipalities, municipally owned utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and other project developers. The company focuses primarily on projects under 10 MW, with experience across the Midwest and other US markets. Whether you're a solar developer, EPC contractor, project owner, or clean energy professional, this episode offers practical insights into growing a solar business without compromising on project delivery. IN THIS EPISODE • How Utopian Power grew from a startup founded in 2020 into a renewable energy developer and EPC contractor. Connect with Forrest Cohn, Utopian Power Forrest Cohn | LinkedIn Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How to Make Affordable Housing Solar Work | Resonant Energy #375 | 13 Oct 2026 | 00:57:19 | |
A 100 kW rooftop can be a meaningful source of energy savings—and a difficult project to finance. How do you make solar work for affordable housing, churches, and nonprofits? In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Ben Underwood and Isaac Baker, founders of Massachusetts-based Resonant Energy, to discuss how they built a solar development business around nonprofits, houses of worship, and low-income multifamily housing. Ben and Isaac explain how a portfolio approach brings buying power and financing to smaller projects, why their business pivoted toward affordable housing, and what developers and installation partners can learn from that model. In the interview, Ben puts completed projects at roughly 5 MW, with about 15 MW in the pipeline. Behind those numbers is years of work aligning customer demand, installation partners, capital, and policy. A central question: do the savings actually reach residents? The conversation distinguishes direct utility-bill benefits from savings that support building operations and improvements, and explores the Connecticut approach described by Isaac. They also discuss changing federal incentives, battery deployment barriers, and the potential of peak-demand compensation. In this episode, you'll hear about: • Why Resonant Energy shifted from anaerobic digestion into community solar and small commercial projects • How the company used community networks to bring solar to churches, nonprofits, and other organizations that struggled to access conventional project finance • Why bundling smaller solar projects into portfolios can make them more attractive to investors • How Resonant Energy moved into affordable multifamily housing after COVID disrupted its faith-based customer base • The role of Massachusetts' net metering and SMART incentive programs in making low-income solar projects viable • How the Inflation Reduction Act helped accelerate Resonant Energy's growth • How solar is becoming increasingly important for all-electric affordable housing developments as electricity costs rise • What a typical 40-unit multifamily solar project looks like, including 75 to 150 kW behind-the-meter systems • How Connecticut's affordable housing solar policy creates a direct benefit for residents • The challenges of deploying batteries on small commercial properties, from local fire codes to federal sourcing requirements • Why rate design and peak-demand compensation matter as federal solar incentives change • Why urban and suburban rooftops and parking canopies could play a much larger role in America's future energy system For developers, EPCs, and affordable housing owners, the takeaway is practical: smaller projects can become a meaningful market when financing, delivery, and resident benefits are designed together. Connect with Guests Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| TVA’s Grid Is Under Pressure. Solar, Storage and Microgrids Could Be the Answer #374 | 08 Oct 2026 | 00:37:20 | |
Rising electricity demand and prolonged outages are pushing the Tennessee Valley to rethink how it builds and operates the grid. Where do solar, batteries, and community-scale microgrids fit? In episode 374 of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague welcomes Gil Hough, Executive Director of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA), for a conversation following the organization’s 2026 conference. Gil explains how the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) shapes this distinctive public-power market—and why municipal utilities and electric cooperatives are becoming a source of innovation in solar, storage, and distributed energy. Tim and Gil discuss: • How TVA’s federal public-power structure shapes opportunities for solar and storage developers • Why TVA’s new Integrated Resource Plan includes a distributed-energy strategy alongside utility-scale solar, storage, and other generation • How annual requests for proposals are changing TVA’s approach to large-scale solar and storage procurement • What the invitation-only Resource Solicitation Cluster means for project selection and interconnection studies • How generation flexibility gives local power companies room to develop solar, storage, and virtual power plants • What recent storm outages reveal about the need for local resilience and community-scale microgrids • How TVA’s decision-making and funding model differs from the investor-owned utility model • How TenneSEIA’s committees and utility relationships help developers, manufacturers, and local power companies collaborate For developers and energy professionals, the conversation highlights two routes into the market: TVA’s utility-scale procurement process and partnerships with local power companies pursuing distributed resources. Gil argues that solar, storage, and better load management can help utilities use their infrastructure more effectively and mitigate cost pressures. Tim explores his vision of a grid of community-scale microgrids, with substations serving as hubs for nearby generation and storage. Listen for a practical look at how procurement, utility partnerships, economics, and resilience are shaping the next phase of clean energy in the Tennessee Valley. MEET TIM AT ILREC 2026 Tim Montague will be at the Illinois Renewable Energy Conference (ILREC), October 19-20, 2026, at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott and Conference Center in Normal, Illinois. ILREC brings together leaders from across Illinois' renewable energy industry to discuss the policies, technologies, market trends, and business challenges shaping the state's clean energy future. Learn more and register at https://illinoisrenewableenergyconference.org/ Connect with Gil Hough TenneSEIA website: https://tenneseiasolar.com/ Gil Hough LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilhough Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| California Just Changed the Game for Solar & Batteries | 06 Oct 2026 | 00:47:37 | |
Solar and storage are moving into a new phase, and this week's Clean Power Hour Live covers the technologies, policies, and market shifts shaping that transition. Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the latest developments across solar, batteries, wind, grid infrastructure, and electrification. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation supporting virtual power plants and making plug-in solar officially legal. The hosts discuss what these changes could mean for distributed energy, grid flexibility, consumers, and the future of behind-the-meter solar. They also cover US solar manufacturer ratings, a Google pilot for hourly carbon accounting with battery storage, solar repowering, UK grid interconnectors, the world's tallest wind turbine, and the 45X tax credit. These stories land as California utilities report record profits and power costs in the state run twice the US average. Episode Highlights:
This episode suits solar professionals, battery storage professionals, project developers, policy watchers, and clean energy investors. California's new VPP and plug-in solar laws, the 45X tax credit debate, and the growth of solar repowering all affect project decisions right now. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why Batteries Are the Key Technology Behind the Next Energy Economy with Simon Engelke #373 | 01 Oct 2026 | 00:44:04 | |
A battery only earns its keep when it can connect to the grid and get to work. What does it take to turn better battery technology into a viable energy project? In episode 373 of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Dr. Simon Engelke, founder of Battery Associates and Battery MBA and host of the Battery Insiders podcast. They explore the technology, economics, and expertise needed to scale storage across the grid, transportation, and emerging industries. Drawing on his Cambridge PhD in lithium-ion batteries and his work advising and training industry professionals, Simon explains why chemistry is only part of the story. Utilization, manufacturing scale, maintenance, investor confidence, and grid access all shape whether a battery project succeeds. Tim and Simon discuss: • Stationary storage and mobility: where Simon sees demand growing and how vehicle-to-grid programs can put parked EV batteries to work • Battery technology explained: LFP and NMC cathodes, silicon anodes, sodium-ion batteries, and what changes when the electrolyte becomes solid • Manufacturing scale: why increasing production can drive battery costs down through learning and process improvements • Vanadium flow batteries: Tim raises G&W Electric's experience, while Simon discusses pump and seal failures he has encountered and the challenge of proving a bankable business case • Project economics: why cycling, utilization, operating reliability, and a track record matter to developers and investors • Interconnection bottlenecks: Simon describes investors in Germany ready to deploy batteries that cannot yet connect, leaving assets idle while they continue to age • U.S. manufacturing: Simon's view that repurposing automotive battery factories could temporarily expand stationary storage supply, with EV demand changing that equation • New applications: how data centers, drones, humanoid robots, and electric aviation are expanding the conversation beyond solar and EVs • Battery careers: why engineers, solar professionals, business leaders, and people from other disciplines need to understand the full battery value chain • Inside Battery MBA: a 12-week online program built around live industry experts, office hours, and collaborative case studies, with group enrollment options for employers Simon also shares a Battery MBA case study exploring how a data center battery could serve both as backup power and as storage for an island grid. His message to professionals: start with the skills you enjoy using, then look for where they can contribute to the battery industry. For solar, storage, and microgrid professionals, this conversation connects battery innovation with the practical decisions behind project deployment, workforce development, and long-term business strategy. Learn more about Simon Engelke: Battery Associates | Training, Consulting & Insights BatteryMBA | CPD-Accredited Battery Course All Battery Insiders podcast episodes Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The Battery Boom Is Moving Beyond EVs | 29 Sep 2026 | 00:49:57 | |
Grid storage is growing faster than the industry expected. EVs accounted for more than 70% of global battery deployment in 2025, down from almost 80% in 2024, according to the IEA. On this CPH Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver unpack stationary battery storage growth and follow the batteries to two places: 230 GW of data center interconnection requests and a solar plus storage copper mine in Congo. They also cover China clean tech investment, EV charging costs, and agrivoltaics. These stories show where new batteries are going and why. Episode Highlights:
This episode serves battery storage professionals, solar developers, clean energy investors, and policy watchers. Data center load, gas price spikes, and shifting battery demand all affect project economics right now. Tim and John give you the numbers and more. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Inside a 365 kW Commercial Solar Project: First Solar Series 7 + Custom Racking #372 | 24 Sep 2026 | 00:50:50 | |
How do you take a 365 kW commercial solar project from a customer conversation to steel in the ground? In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague goes behind the scenes of a 365 kW commercial solar project for Griffin Beverage in West Branch, Michigan, with Jordan Rhyne of Countryside Energy and Kyle Sinclair of Sinclair Designs & Engineering. The project brought together domestic-content solar modules, custom racking engineering, structural analysis, field installation lessons, and a challenging interconnection process with Consumers Energy. Jordan and Kyle walk through what it took to make the project work, including why the customer wanted a truly domestic solar system, how First Solar Series 7 modules changed the racking design, and what the team learned from taking the system from engineering drawings into the field. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How Countryside Energy identified Griffin Beverage as a strong commercial solar customer The 365 kW system was designed to offset 110% of the facility's load, the maximum allowed by Consumers Energy for the project. The team also had to coordinate an upgrade of the site's service transformer from 250 kVA to 500 kVA before the system could be energized. Connect with Guests Jordan Rhyne | LinkedIn Learn more about Sinclair Designs & Engineering: Learn more about Countryside Energy: Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| This Startup Pays You to Run AI on Your Solar Power #371 | 22 Sep 2026 | 00:42:18 | |
What if your solar system could earn far more by powering AI compute than by selling electricity back to the grid? In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague talks with Karl Andersen, founder and CEO of Lektra, about a different approach to the growing power demands of AI. Lektra places GPU servers alongside distributed energy resources such as solar and batteries, turning homes, businesses, and other energy sites into small-scale data centers. Instead of exporting excess solar to the grid, an energy host can use that electricity to power GPU workloads and earn revenue from the compute generated. Karl says Lektra typically gives energy hosts 80% of the resulting revenue while retaining 20% for providing the compute marketplace and infrastructure. The conversation explores why rapidly growing AI demand is exposing limitations in today's electric grid, and whether distributed energy, microgrids, batteries, and edge computing could form part of a more decentralized Grid 2.0. In this episode, Tim and Karl discuss: • Why AI is creating a new market for distributed energy • How Lektra turns solar and other energy assets into edge-scale data centers • The economics of selling compute instead of electricity • How Lektra's 80/20 revenue-sharing model works • Why edge computing could benefit autonomous vehicles, robotics, logistics, and physical AI • How distributed compute could help address data-center grid constraints • Lektra's approach to data sovereignty and on-premises AI • What a more decentralized energy system could look like over the next several decades The future of AI will require enormous amounts of energy. This conversation explores whether some of that demand can be met where energy is already being generated, and whether compute can provide the economic incentive to build a more distributed and resilient energy system. Connect with Karl Andersen, Lektra Lektra - Powering Intelligence Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The U.S. Needs 230 GW of New Power. Where Will It Come From? #370 | 17 Sep 2026 | 00:54:22 | |
America may need more than 230 GW of new power capacity through 2030. Regulated utilities are expected to deliver only about 93 GW. So where does the rest come from? Tim Montague takes that question to Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Director of North America Utility-Scale Solar at Wood Mackenzie, on a crossover with her show Interchange Recharged. They work the gap from opposite ends of the industry: utility-scale generation versus C&I, community solar, storage, and microgrids. They cover safe harbor strategy under the ITC phase-out, how projects get financed, and how the AI data center boom reshapes demand. Tim makes his case that distributed energy deploys faster than the interconnection queue allows, and lands on his thesis that the future grid is a grid of microgrids. Tim and Sylvia work the gap between what the U.S. needs and what utilities will build:
Links Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Solar, Vanadium Flow and a Flywheel: Inside G&W's Microgrid #369 | 15 Sep 2026 | 00:42:29 | |
G&W Electric's vanadium flow + flywheel microgrid matched a full year of frequency regulation revenue in under three months Vanadium flow batteries rarely anchor a commercial microgrid, but G&W Electric built one around a solar, battery, and flywheel system at its Bolingbrook, Illinois headquarters. John Gounaris, VP of Global Marketing, and John Pederson, Principal Staff Engineer and the project's manager, walk Tim Montague through the build. G&W Electric manufactures switches, reclosers, and grid automation gear used across US utility grids, and its 121-year-old campus needed resilient power to protect production. The project runs on Intelligent Generation's earn, save, protect framework: earn through frequency regulation, save on capacity charges, protect with backup power. Tim presses the guests on capex, opex, and why they skipped lithium-ion. The conversation covers real storm performance in 2026, revenue swings, and how domestic vanadium sourcing shaped the battery choice. Gounaris and Pederson explain the choices behind one of the few flywheel microgrids in operation:
Connect with Guests G&W Electric | Innovative Power Grid Solutions & Electrical Systems Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How Do You Get 20 MW When the Utility Offers 7? #368 | 10 Sep 2026 | 00:32:54 | |
Speed to power: Bala Ramamurthy of Critical Loop on cutting grid connection from years to days with modular microgrids. Speed to power is the problem Critical Loop was built to solve. Bala Ramamurthy is the founder and CEO of Critical Loop, a California modular microgrid company that brings megawatts to industrial facilities and data centers when a utility interconnection is years away. Before energy, Bala spent 12 years at SpaceX as chief engineer on the first human spaceflight mission, and he applies that same high-reliability systems thinking to the grid. This conversation covers how their Cygnus controller orchestrates batteries and on-site generation to close the gap between what a utility can deliver and what a site needs. Tim pushes Bala on the hard questions: whether Critical Loop competes for scarce batteries, and why a site like San Diego International Airport needs them at all. It matters now because load growth is outpacing what the grid can build. Here is what this conversation reveals about closing the gap between grid capacity and industrial demand:
Critical Loop is betting that the fastest way to add power is not to build more grid, but to orchestrate what a site already has. Bala Ramamurthy makes the case that a controller, batteries, and on-site generation can close the gap between what a utility delivers and what a factory or data center needs, turning a years-long interconnection wait into weeks. For anyone building, financing, or powering industrial load right now, this conversation is a look at how speed to power becomes a business. Connect with Guest: Balachandar Ramamurthy | LinkedIn Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Section 232 Is a Price Floor, Not a Tariff: Solar Module Prices Explained. | 08 Sep 2026 | 00:53:49 | |
Section 232 tariffs are reshaping solar module pricing across the United States. Tim Montague and co-host John Weaver sit down with returning guest Chris Lettman, a solar module supply chain and technology expert with Imperial Star Solar. Chris explains why the new policy works as a price floor, not a simple tariff, setting a minimum import price plus a 15 percent tax on cells, wafers, and modules. The three break down domestic cell shortages, First Solar litigation, and how developers hedge against monthly price hikes. Anyone buying solar panels before the December 4 deadline needs this pricing and procurement picture. Chris Lettman answers the pricing questions every solar buyer is asking before December 4:
Section 232 changes the math for every solar buyer heading into 2027. The tariffs raise prices across all three module tiers and close the gap between imported and domestic panels, with fully imported modules near 45 cents per watt and fully domestic near 53. Imports look set to stop around December 4, domestic cell supply stays tight behind ES Foundry and Saniva, and buyers like John Weaver are stockpiling now to beat monthly price hikes. Tim, John, and Chris disagree on whether the policy drives real U.S. manufacturing or adds cost and friction, but they agree on the takeaway: know your pricing tiers, lock in supply early, and plan procurement through 2027 before the next increase hits. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Derek Hansen on what makes a solar company great, not just good #367 | 01 Sep 2026 | 00:46:57 | |
Clean energy company culture is what separates good solar EPCs from great ones, and Mynt CEO Derek Hansen has a name for how he builds it: inspire, empower, support. Company culture in the solar and storage industry gets talked about far less than it should, and this episode makes the case for why that needs to change. Derek Hansen is CEO and co-founder of Mynt, a vertically integrated development, engineering, and construction firm that builds solar and battery storage projects for commercial real estate owners and other solar developers. Tim Montague hosts this conversation, framing it around a question that gets skipped in the industry: what actually separates a good company from a great one. In this episode, you'll learn:
If you work in solar, storage, microgrids, or the broader energy transition, this conversation offers practical insights into building stronger teams, creating meaningful company cultures, and preparing for the next phase of distributed energy. Connect with Derek Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| What does it take to build solar that lasts 30+ years? #366 | 27 Aug 2026 | 00:59:19 | |
Solar asset management inside a 35-year ownership model: CJ Colavito and Jay Smith of Standard Solar explain what it actually takes to own distributed generation projects for decades, from evaluating tracker and inverter reliability to redesigning inverter specs around eventual failure. In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with CJ Colavito, General Manager of Integrated Project Teams, and Jay Smith, VP of Operations and Maintenance and Asset Management, to discuss what they have learned from developing, building, owning, and operating commercial and community solar projects. The conversation goes deep on one of the biggest challenges facing the solar industry: how to balance cost, performance, reliability, and long-term asset value. Tim, CJ, and Jay also discuss: • Why thorough project diligence can reduce delays, change orders, and budget overruns • Standard Solar's integrated project team model and its focus on execution excellence • The challenges of rooftop solar and why project scale matters • Connector reliability, wire management, and lessons from thermal events • What Standard Solar looks for when selecting tracker technology • Tracker reliability, maintenance, snow shedding, and hail protection • Standard Solar's approach to inverter selection and long-term reliability • Why inverter failures can have a much greater financial impact than the initial equipment cost • The importance of manufacturer support and warranties over the life of a project • How changing supply-chain and foreign entity requirements are affecting equipment decisions • Adding AC-coupled batteries to existing community solar projects • How Standard Solar is adapting its business as the solar market and technology continue to evolve The episode comes at an important moment for the industry. As solar portfolios grow and assets age, the focus is increasingly shifting from simply adding megawatts to ensuring those assets can perform reliably over the long term. Listen to the full conversation for an inside look at how an experienced solar owner-operator thinks about technology, reliability, O&M, project execution, and the future of distributed solar. Connect with Guest Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Foreign Inverter Ban Hits US Solar: Here's What Changes | 25 Aug 2026 | 00:55:04 | |
The Federal Communications Commission's new ban on foreign-produced solar inverters left the industry without clear answers on warehoused stock, firmware updates, and grid cybersecurity risk. On this episode of The Clean Power Hour Live, hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the foreign inverter ban alongside new Section 232 solar tariffs that set a 38 cent per watt minimum price on modules. They also cover a Reuters report on Chinese electric truck exports climbing as diesel prices spike across Southeast Asia, a 30% efficient perovskite-silicon solar panel from Tandem PV headed to market this fall, and a phishing scam using fake zoning invoices to target solar contractors. Recorded live on August 21, 2026, this episode covers solar policy, battery storage, and grid security in one sitting. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
This episode is built for solar installers, project developers, and policy watchers tracking how tariffs and cybersecurity rules are reshaping equipment sourcing. With Section 232 tariffs taking effect in December and the FCC inverter ban already in force, procurement decisions made this fall carry real cost and timeline consequences. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How to Build a Great Solar Company: Lessons from LightWave Solar CEO Chris Koczaja #365 | 21 Aug 2026 | 00:52:29 | |
Chris Koczaja grew LightWave Solar to 30 million dollars by refusing to chase every deal. This is the discipline that got him there. Chris Koczaja is the CEO of LightWave Solar, a residential and commercial solar and storage installer in Nashville, Tennessee, now in its 20th year in business. In this conversation, Tim Montague asks Koczaja what actually separates a good solar company from a great one: recruiting and retaining strong teams, planning so thoroughly that execution has no surprises, a philosophy Koczaja calls building boring solar, and never betting growth on a single revenue stream, a rule he calls three ways to win. They also cover why LightWave solar refuses to install unproven technology, how residential battery storage is changing the customer conversation, and what's shifting across the Tennessee Valley as utilities adjust to rising demand and changing federal incentives. In this episode:
The residential ITC phased out at the end of last year, and the commercial ITC begins phasing out through 2029, while the storage ITC runs through 2032, a gap Koczaja says is already changing how LightWave pairs solar with storage. TVA reserve margins are tightening as data center demand grows, pushing local power companies toward flexibility programs and local generation. For installers working with fewer incentives and a tighter grid, this conversation shows a Tennessee Valley strategy built for both. Chris and Tim will both be at the Tennessee Valley Solar and Storage Conference, September 2 and 3 in Chattanooga, hosted by TenneSEIA. Connect with Chris Koczaja Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How do we Remove 1.7 Trillion Tons of CO₂? #364 | 18 Aug 2026 | 00:37:13 | |
Enhanced rock weathering pulls carbon dioxide from the air using crushed rock. Jim Mann, CEO and founder of Undo, explains how the process works and why the technology scales fast. Undo turns rock dust into permanent carbon storage and sells credits to Microsoft and British Airways at $350 a ton, a price Mann expects to halve within years. The atmosphere holds 1.7 trillion tons of legacy CO2, and enhanced rock weathering ranks among the few carbon removal pathways built to pull carbon out for good. Jim Mann, CEO and founder of Undo, joins host Tim Montague to break down how his company spreads crushed basalt on farmland to speed up natural rock weathering by 50,000 to 100,000 times, turning atmospheric CO2 into bicarbonate that stays locked in the ocean for around 100,000 years. Undo counts Microsoft, Barclays, British Airways, and McLaren Racing among its customers, selling durable carbon removal credits at roughly $350 a ton today, with a path toward half that price as the company scales. Mann and Montague debate whether net zero targets go far enough, why the EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism forms the backbone of a real carbon market, and what enhanced rock weathering needs to move from thousands of tons a year to the gigaton scale the IPCC says the world needs. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about enhanced rock weathering and carbon removal economics:
The EU's carbon border adjustment mechanism now stands in force, and similar rules move through the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Regulators start linking carbon removal directly to emissions trading, moving today's voluntary carbon market toward a compliance market with real teeth. If you are trying to figure out where permanent carbon removal fits next to renewables and storage in your own project pipeline or client conversations, this episode gives you the numbers to start that conversation. Connect with Jim Mann, Undo Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How a 700kW Commercial Solar Project Saves $3M+ Over 25 Years #363 | 11 Aug 2026 | 00:37:56 | |
Dual-use solar financing in action: Sunrise Solar's Richard Stoltzfus built a 700 kW behind-the-meter array for Harbor Sales Company. The build stacks a USDA REAP grant with a Maryland MEA grant and drives the customer's levelized energy cost to near zero. A 700 kW behind-the-meter solar array now offsets 70 percent of the electric load at Harbor Sales Company, a plywood and sign-panel distributor that has run out of Sudlersville, Maryland since 1931. Richard Stoltzfus, CEO of Sunrise Solar, and Kendrick Tice, COO of Sunrise Solar, join host Tim Montague to walk through their Chestertown-based company's build for Harbor Sales. Montague and Stoltzfus dig into the mechanics of commercial solar incentives in Maryland, the sunset of the 30 percent federal ITC, and why rural electric cooperatives in the PJM region are capping new solar interconnections even as demand for grid capacity grows. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about dual-use solar and commercial solar incentives:
Maryland's grant-stacking model, layering a USDA REAP grant on top of a state MEA grant, offers a template for other states as the federal 30 percent ITC winds down. At the same time, rural cooperatives across the PJM footprint are capping new solar interconnections, a constraint Stoltzfus and Tice say is already blocking chicken farmers and dairy operations from going solar. Professionals financing behind-the-meter projects in cooperative territory will find the co-op discussion directly relevant to deals in the pipeline right now. Connect with Guests Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Georgia's Data Center Boom Is Straining the Grid. Here's How Solar Fits In #362 | 04 Aug 2026 | 00:41:01 | |
Georgia is the second-largest data center market in the country, and its grid is straining under load growth no one predicted five years ago. Michael Chanin, CEO of Cherry Street Energy, joins Tim to break down how behind-the-meter solar and storage are stepping in, why utilities need private capital to keep rates in check, and what a multi-gigawatt data center outside Savannah means for the region.
Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why 80% of Grid-Ready Devices Are Still Sitting on the Sidelines? #361 | 30 Jul 2026 | 00:39:49 | |
The U.S. needs 400 GW of new capacity over the next two decades. Michael Grasso, CEO and founder of Grid Rails, tells Tim Montague that roughly twice that much flexible capacity is already plugged in, and explains why only 20% of eligible devices are enrolled in virtual power plant programs today.
Grasso points to headlines warning that the largest utility in the country is signaling blackout risk as soon as 2027, and treats that as the pressure finally moving utilities toward orchestration. Tim comes at it as a customer, not an analyst: he does not have a battery yet, his own rate just jumped 25%, and he wants a number before he buys. That exchange is the heart of the episode. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Wildfire Smoke Cuts New England Solar Output by 40 Percent | 28 Jul 2026 | 00:43:17 | |
Wildfire smoke from Canada cut solar production across New England by as much as 40 percent, according to ISO New England, a loss of 2,500 megawatts at peak hours compared to the forecast. Tim Montague and John Weaver dig into that data, including John's own project numbers, on the Clean Power Hour Live. They also cover a massive BYD battery storage deal in Abu Dhabi, a new gas car ban in China, rising copper prices, and a wave of new battery products hitting the market. Whether you're an installer, developer, investor, or simply following the clean energy transition, this episode covers the trends you need to know. In this episode:
This episode fits solar developers, battery storage professionals, EPCs, and clean energy investors tracking both hardware innovation and real-world grid risk. The BYD deal and Octopus battery launch show where storage economics are heading, while the wildfire smoke data is a preview of a grid challenge more regions will face. Anyone pricing projects around copper costs or watching global EV policy will find useful detail here. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The Grid Can't Keep Up. Can Linear Generators Solve the Power Crisis? #360 | 21 Jul 2026 | 00:32:15 | |
Power generation is changing fast. As utilities struggle with interconnection delays and growing electricity demand, businesses are looking for faster, more reliable ways to secure power. In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Walt Jordan, Chief Revenue Officer at dGEN Energy Partners, to explore one of the least talked-about emerging technologies in distributed energy: linear generators. Unlike traditional generators, linear generators have no crankshaft, no spark plugs, no engine oil, and very few moving parts. They are designed to operate continuously, and they run on multiple fuel sources, including natural gas, propane, hydrogen, ammonia, and biogas. Combined with solar, battery storage, and microgrids, they may offer commercial and industrial facilities a new path to reliable, behind-the-meter power that can lower their LCOE. The conversation also explores why dGEN Energy is combining roofing, solar, battery storage, and distributed generation into integrated energy solutions that help businesses reduce costs, improve resilience, and avoid lengthy utility interconnection delays. Whether you work in commercial solar, microgrids, energy storage, EPC development, or distributed energy resources, this episode offers valuable insights into important technology options. In this episode, you'll learn: • What a linear generator is and how it differs from diesel generators As utilities struggle to keep pace with growing electricity demand and interconnection delays continue to slow new projects, businesses are being forced to rethink how they generate and manage power. This conversation with Walt Jordan explores why linear generators are emerging as a compelling option alongside solar, battery storage, and microgrids, especially for commercial and industrial facilities that cannot afford to wait years for grid upgrades. Whether linear generators become a mainstream technology or remain a specialized solution, the bigger story is clear. Speed to power, energy resilience, and flexible distributed generation are becoming just as important as the cost of electricity itself. Connect with Walt Jordan: Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The Grid Was Built Over a Century Ago. Here's How We Fix It. #359 | 16 Jul 2026 | 00:39:44 | |
America's electric grid wasn't built for AI, electric vehicles, battery storage, or the rapid growth of renewable energy. So how do we modernize a system that was built and started in the late 1800s and early 1900s, more than a century ago? In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp, the nation's largest community solar developer, to discuss community solar, battery storage, grid modernization, and why policy certainty is essential to building a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy system. Nexamp operates across 19 states and has become one of the leading developers of community solar, distributed generation, utility-scale solar, and battery storage. The conversation centers on the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, Illinois' new storage law that targets 3,000 megawatts of storage by the end of 2030, with the first procurement round set for August 2026 and two more rounds to follow in 2027 and 2028. Ashai lays out why In this episode, you'll learn:
If you work in solar, battery storage, utilities, project development, energy policy, grid modernization, or renewable energy investing, this episode offers practical insights into where the industry is headed next. The first Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) procurement round opens in August 2026, with two more rounds following in 2027 and 2028, so the pricing structure Ashai describes will shape Illinois storage economics for years. Illinois already holds the only B grade on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Community Power Scorecard, ahead of New York, Massachusetts, and California, at a moment when federal support for clean energy programs is pulling back. For developers and investors watching how states balance affordability, reliability, and equity, Illinois is currently the clearest test case in the country. About Zaid Ashai Zaid Ashai is the CEO of Nexamp, the largest community solar developer in the United States. Under his leadership, Nexamp has expanded into battery storage, utility-scale solar, and integrated clean energy solutions across 19 states. He is passionate about building an affordable, reliable, and equitable clean energy future through innovation, smart policy, and grid modernization. Connect with Zaid Ashai Zaid Ashai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaid-ahmad-ashai-aa1683/ Nexamp Website: https://www.nexamp.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Swift Solar's Plan to Close the 10x U.S. Solar Cell Gap | 14 Jul 2026 | 01:02:24 | |
What does it take to turn next-generation solar technology into a bankable commercial product? Swift Solar is closing the U.S. heterojunction and perovskite tandem solar cell gap. Dr. Gunter Erfurt, managing director at Swift Solar and former Meyer Burger CEO, joins Tim Montague and John Weaver to explain why U.S. module capacity sits near 50 gigawatts while domestic cell capacity trails at 5 gigawatts. Following Swift Solar's acquisition of Meyer Burger's technology, intellectual property, manufacturing equipment, and engineering team, Dr. Erfurt shares how the company plans to accelerate U.S. solar manufacturing while preparing for the future of perovskite tandem solar cells. John Weaver presses Erfurt throughout on tariffs and real project pricing, drawing on his own current commercial bid. The conversation explores why heterojunction (HJT) technology is the ideal foundation for perovskites, why bankability matters as much as efficiency, and how domestic solar manufacturing can strengthen energy security and supply chain resilience. Whether you're a solar developer, EPC, utility professional, investor, policymaker, or clean energy enthusiast, this episode offers valuable insights into where the solar industry is heading over the next decade. In this episode, you'll learn:
As electrification accelerates and global electricity demand climbs toward a projected tripling or quadrupling in the coming decades, the solar industry faces real pressure to build technology that is efficient, reliable, and ready to scale. This conversation with Dr. Gunter Erfurt, joined by Tim Montague and John Weaver, offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to move breakthrough innovations from the research lab into commercial production. From heterojunction technology and perovskite tandem cells to domestic manufacturing, bankability, and long-term reliability, this episode provides valuable insight into the engineering and business decisions that will shape the next generation of solar. Connect with Dr. Gunter Erfurt on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunter-erfurt-55103850?originalSubdomain=de Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Lives Saved: The Case for Community Microgrids #358 | 07 Jul 2026 | 00:27:25 | |
Community microgrids saved lives during a PG&E shutoff in Humboldt County. Lisa Cohn of Microgrid Knowledge has tracked every project getting built in America right now. She tells you what separates the ones that succeed from the ones that fail, and what you need to know before entering this market. Community microgrids are among the fastest-growing segments in solar and storage, and among the hardest to finance and build. Lisa Cohn is the co-founder of Microgrid Knowledge, a publication she has run for over a decade, covering every major microgrid deployment in the United States. In this episode, Lisa joins host Tim Montague to break down the funding models, utility partnerships, and regulatory frameworks that determine whether a community microgrid gets built or abandoned. The conversation covers California's shift from the restrictive CMEP program to the MIP, the rise of tribal microgrids, public power's structural advantage over investor-owned utilities, and the emerging model of networked microgrids that share power across adjacent communities. If you work in solar, storage, or clean energy development, this episode gives you a clear picture of where the community microgrid market stands today and where the openings are. Here is what you will learn from this conversation about community microgrids:
State legislation in Oregon is already moving community microgrids forward in wildfire-prone areas, and California's MIP program is enabling Clean Coalition to deploy microgrids that run 24/7 and sell grid services. At the same time, the DOE tribal funding program is producing deployments in states like Wisconsin that would not otherwise have the capital to build. The window for solar and storage professionals to get ahead of this market is open right now. Connect with Lisa Cohn Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Carport Solar Done Right: Engineering, Pricing, and Building for the Long Haul #357 | 02 Jul 2026 | 00:56:55 | |
Solar carport installation costs can swing by 12 cents per watt before a single panel goes up. Kyle Sinclair, CEO and co-founder of SDE (Sinclair Designs and Engineering), James Strizki, Project Manager and CFO of GenMounts and Renewable Energy Holdings, and Matt Boyce, a PE licensed in 27 states and Principal Engineer at Engineered Solutions, join Tim Montague to break down exactly how carport projects are won and lost. Between them, they have engineered, manufactured, reviewed, and installed hundreds of megawatts of solar structures. This webinar covers the full arc of a carport project from initial bid to commissioning, with a focus on where costs blow up and what to do before you break ground to prevent it. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about solar carport installation and commercial carport project execution:
With residential installers entering the commercial carport market in growing numbers, the gap between what a project looks like on paper and what crews find underground is widening. Kyle Sinclair notes that some EPCs entering this space are used to low-cost, high-volume, cookie-cutter projects and are now bidding work that is the complete opposite, large, expensive, heavily customized, and months in the making. If you are pricing carport work or planning to, the cost variability covered in this conversation is not theoretical. Connect with Guests James Strizki, P.E. | LinkedIn Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| CATL's Sodium Ion Battery Could Last 30 Years: Rebuild Your Storage Model Now | 30 Jun 2026 | 00:58:50 | |
CATL unveiled its TENER Sodium energy storage system at Intersolar Europe in Munich, rated for 15,000 cycles to 70 percent state of health at room temperature. CATL frames that as a 25 to 30 year service life, and it takes only 34 modules to stand up a one gigawatt-hour site. That single specification changes how commercial storage professionals price, propose, and finance battery projects. Tim Montague and John Weaver dig into what it means, alongside Illinois growing from about 80 megawatts of solar a decade ago to over 6,000 megawatts today under the new CRGA law, SunBallast ballasted racking and what module stacking tells you about install labor, UK bids for 16 and 18 hour long-duration storage, perovskite modules reaching the residential market, El Niño shifting solar output across the US, and silver falling more than 50 percent from its 2026 peak. Episode Highlights
This episode is essential for commercial solar installers, battery storage developers, community solar professionals, and clean energy policy watchers. The sodium ion story has direct and immediate implications for how professionals structure storage proposals, financial models, and customer conversations. Illinois developers will also want Tim's firsthand account of the CRGA storage procurement and the residential VPP pilot going live this summer. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The Engineering Gap Costing Solar Companies A Fortune #356 | 23 Jun 2026 | 00:44:47 | |
A single design error on a commercial solar project can cost $60,000 to $70,000 to fix. Scott Wyssling and Catherine Kelso of Wyssling Consulting explain what quality design actually looks like, why AI cannot replace a licensed engineer reviewing plans, and how battery integration really fits into commercial solar today. In this episode, Tim Montague sits down with Scott Wyssling, founder and principal at Wyssling Consulting, and Catherine Kelso, Director of Commercial Design and electrical engineer at the firm. Wyssling provides structural and electrical engineering and design for residential and commercial solar and storage projects across the United States. With 75 employees and an engineer-owned, engineer-led structure, the firm has built its reputation on quality control, fast turnaround, and a refusal to treat the PE seal as a formality. With the ITC safe harbor deadline pushing a construction boom through 2027, the pressure to move fast is real. Scott's point is direct: speed without engineering integrity creates liability that lands on the EPC and installer, not just the firm that signed the plans. What you'll learn in this conversation: Why a single design error on a commercial project can cost $60,000 to $70,000 to fix, and how $3,000 to $4,000 in better upfront engineering eliminates that risk entirely. How Wyssling's QAQC process actually works, including internal peer reviews and a 20% audit of already-delivered projects, and why that sets a different standard than automated or outsourced design. Why Catherine Kelso says battery integration is simpler than most EPCs expect, whether you're retrofitting storage onto an existing system or designing it in from day one, and what to watch for when choosing a manufacturer. Scott Wyssling's direct case against letting AI replace hands-on engineering review, and why a licensed PE needs eyes on the actual roof, the actual photos, and the actual electrical equipment. How 15 to 20 year old solar farms are creating a new engineering challenge as 600-volt inverters age out in a market now built around 1,000 and 1,500-volt equipment, and why this only grows from here. Quality control gets treated as optional right up until a six-figure correction lands on your desk. This episode gives you concrete criteria for telling a serious engineering partner from a shortcut operation before you sign anything. Connect with Guests Website: https://www.wysslingconsulting.com/ Scott LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-wyssling-5b2aa77/ Catherine LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-kelso-pe-997b014a/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Battery Storage Fires: Myths, Facts, and What Actually Happens #355 | 18 Jun 2026 | 00:51:30 | |
Battery energy storage fire safety is one of the most urgent permitting challenges facing solar and storage developers in 2026. Mike Nicholas, Energy Storage Specialist and Fire Consultant at Hiller Companies, brings a rare perspective: he built Kern County's entire BESS permitting program from scratch in 2019, when no national standards existed, and now travels the country helping developers, EPCs, and fire departments get these projects to yes. Kern County has the highest concentration of renewable energy and battery storage in California, including the largest active battery storage project in the world at roughly 3.2 GWh. Mike developed a 32-page submission guideline that standardized the permitting process and became a model other jurisdictions are now replicating. After retiring as a fire captain and assistant fire marshal in 2024, he joined Hiller, which represented about 85% of the battery storage clients that went through Kern County permitting. He now works with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development and American Clean Power to build reference documents and videos for fire safety standardization. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about battery energy storage fire safety:
With BESS developers racing to lock in safe harbor and stay ahead of tightening FEOC and material-assistance thresholds, permitting delays and moratoria are a real threat to project timelines. Mike describes a shift already happening in California: under General Order 167-C, the California Public Utilities Commission now requires ESS operators to file emergency response plans and produce annual testing and maintenance reports, and Kern County has introduced an annual operational permit tied to emergency contact updates. These requirements are likely to spread nationally. Connect with Mike Nicholas Hiller Companies: https://hillerfire.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Solar Safe Harbor Court Ruling: What Developers Need to Know Now | 16 Jun 2026 | 00:51:22 | |
A US federal court just ruled the IRS acted in an "arbitrary and capricious" manner on solar and wind safe harbor rules, shaking up project timelines for developers racing toward the July 4, 2026 deadline. Meanwhile, at the Shanghai Solar Show (SNEC), energy storage claimed more floor space than solar panels for the first time, signaling a major shift in where the industry is placing its bets. Tim and John dig into safe harbor court rulings, vertical integration in US module manufacturing, battery technology milestones, and agrivoltaics at the Vatican. Viewers get first-hand reporting from the Shanghai Solar Show floor alongside detailed discussion of what these stories mean for developers, installers, and investors. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
This episode is built for solar developers, commercial installers, battery storage professionals, and clean energy investors tracking policy and technology in 2026. The safe harbor ruling alone could affect capital decisions on projects above 1.5 MW AC before the July 3 deadline. Between the Shanghai show floor, the QCells factory update, and Australia's 8-hour battery milestone, this episode covers the week's most consequential moves in clean energy. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| They Put Solar on the White House. Here's What Solar Design Associates Learned #354 | 09 Jun 2026 | 00:30:20 | |
Solar & storage pioneers Solar Design Associates share 50 years of firsts on the Clean Power Hour. They put solar on the White House in 1979 and built the first community solar garden in America. Haskell Werlin and Steven Strong trace solar's fall from $16 to $1 per watt, explain why the battery cost curve is following the same path, and break down what the ITC-free era means for developers. Solar and storage pioneers Solar Design Associates have been designing solar energy systems since 1974, accumulating firsts from the Carter-era White House installation to the first true community solar garden in the United States. Haskell Werlin, Vice President of Business Development, and Steven Strong, Founder and President, join Tim Montague on the Clean Power Hour to trace 50 years of solar industry evolution. Solar pricing fell from $16 per watt for satellites to $1 per watt for ground mounts today, and Haskell confirms the battery cost curve is now following the same downward path, with Texas leading the country in solar and battery installations. This episode covers landmark projects, including the Bullit Center in Seattle and the Harvard community solar garden, alongside a direct assessment of what the residential ITC removal means for project economics through 2028 and beyond. Here is what you will learn from this conversation about 50 years of solar storage pioneers and the battery transition ahead:
Fifty years ago solar panels powered satellites because nothing else could reach them, and the technology now costs $1 per watt for ground mounts, a cost collapse driven by German feed-in tariffs, and Chinese manufacturing scale. The battery industry is now following the same path solar took from satellite technology to mass market infrastructure, with the same forces of policy, manufacturing scale, and early adopter projects already in motion. Professionals watching this episode are standing at the same inflection point the solar pioneers of 1974 stood at, with the advantage of knowing exactly how this story ends. Connect Steven Strong, Haskell Werlin Haskell Werlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haskell-werlin-1a21383/ Steven Strong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-strong-3309894/ Solar Design Associates: https://solardesign.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Clean Coalition's Craig Lewis on Microgrids, VPPs, and the Resilience Gap #353 | 02 Jun 2026 | 01:22:00 | |
Community microgrids and virtual power plants are two of the most misunderstood concepts in clean energy, and the gap between them is where billions of dollars in grid value are being left on the table. Craig Lewis, Founder and CEO of the Clean Coalition, returns to The Clean Power Hour to break down how community-scale microgrids and VPPs actually work, where the money is, and why the current policy window in California matters to every energy professional in the country. California's Microgrid Incentive Program funds up to $18 million per community microgrid project, covering 100% of upfront costs for front-of-meter solar and storage, grid upgrades, and interconnection. Craig explains the Clean Coalition's methodology for sizing solar and storage, calculating the minimum state of charge required for resilience, and building a value stack through wholesale markets, bilateral agreements with load-serving entities, and PURPA qualified facility status. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about community microgrids and virtual power plants: You will learn the difference between reliability and resilience, and why designing for resilience automatically gives you reliability, but not the other way around. Find out how California's Microgrid Incentive Program works, what the $18 million funding breakdown covers, and why the program is competitive enough that most applicants need deep grid analysis expertise to win. Understand the three ways to build a value stack for front-of-meter solar and storage assets: wholesale markets through CAISO, bilateral agreements with load-serving entities, and PURPA qualified facility status. You will hear why transmission costs, not energy prices, are the fastest-growing component of electricity bills in California, and how distributed energy resources close to load are the only structural fix. Learn how the Clean Coalition's VOR123 methodology tiers loads and facilities into critical, priority, and discretionary categories, and why tier-one facilities like hospitals and fire stations should be funded through public dollars. California's Microgrid Incentive Program is active and awarding projects now, with roughly 30 community microgrids expected to be funded as proof-of-concept demonstrations. At the same time, transmission costs continue rising with no policy mechanism anywhere in the US that compensates for provisioning energy resilience. For solar and storage professionals and clean energy investors, the window to build expertise in community microgrid development and front-of-meter value stacks is open today. Connect with Craig Lewis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-lewis-81b0521/ Website: https://clean-coalition.org/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Can Homeowners Finally Afford Whole Home Backup? #352 | 26 May 2026 | 00:53:32 | |
Energy resilience for homeowners is the mission behind Energy Access Innovations, a multi-brand clean energy company building an end-to-end ecosystem for solar and battery storage. Nicole Tomasin, Chief Commercial Officer at EAI, joins Tim Montague to explain how the company serves the consumers the rest of the industry ignores, including DIYers and rural markets. Battery storage and solar access for homeowners is moving beyond coastal markets and high-income consumers. Energy Access Innovations has built a multi-brand portfolio covering distribution, DIY support, installation, and financing under one mission: making energy resilience affordable for every American. Nicole walks Tim through how the company's sister brands, including EG4, Signature Solar, Outback Power, Solar 76, Sun Atlas Power, and EA365, work together to serve customers that most distributors and installers turn away. The company's new XR60 battery, 60 kWh with a 16 kW inverter for under $20,000, and its EA365 prepaid lease, which returns a 30% rebate directly to homeowners, are proof that affordability and transparency are not competing goals. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about residential battery storage affordability and energy resilience:
The residential ITC phase-out is compressing margins across the solar industry and pushing more customers toward third-party ownership models. Illinois is incentivizing 1.8 gigawatts of distributed batteries through its clean energy incentive program, and Texas has already surpassed California in storage deployment. Contractors who are not yet offering storage are running out of time to get positioned. Connect with Nicole Tomasin, Energy Access Innovations Nicole Tomasi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-santos-tomasin/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Perovskite Tandem Solar: Breaking the 30% Efficiency Limit #351 | 21 May 2026 | 00:47:28 | |
Silicon solar is approaching a hard physical efficiency ceiling at 30%. Perovskite tandem solar is the only proven path through it. Joel Jean, CEO of Swift Solar, explains the technology, what the Meyer Burger acquisition brings, and where tandems sit on the road to commercial scale. After seven decades, silicon solar is closing in on its physical efficiency limit, and no previous thin-film technology has been able to outperform it at competitive cost. Joel Jean, CEO and co-founder of Swift Solar, a tandem PV manufacturer based in California, joined Tim Montague on the Clean Power Hour to explain why perovskite-silicon tandems are different and how Swift is building toward commercial scale. Jean explains how Swift's approach of vertically integrating perovskite and silicon at the cell level differs from other tandem strategies, and what certifications and milestones a new module technology must clear before utility buyers and independent engineers will finance it. The conversation also covers the US position in the global solar race, perovskite degradation and lead-content concerns, and what a consistent industrial policy would mean for US solar manufacturers. Here is what you will learn in this conversation about perovskite tandem solar and the path to next-generation module efficiency: You'll understand why silicon solar cells are physically limited to around 30% efficiency, and how stacking a perovskite layer on silicon creates a two-junction cell with a path to 35-40%, with three junctions pushing toward 45% or more. Find out what Swift Solar gains from the Meyer Burger acquisition: a heterojunction product with 0.2% annual degradation, the lowest rate in the industry, and a bankable product to serve customers while the tandem completes its certification and field-proof timeline. Learn why Swift's approach of integrating perovskite and silicon at the cell level differs from other tandem strategies, including four-terminal approaches where perovskite is deposited on glass and stacked on a separate module. You'll hear Tim push back on two common concerns about perovskites: degradation and lead content. Joel explains Swift's cell-level stability progress and why perovskite panels contain less lead per square meter than the solder in a standard silicon module. With China installing solar 8.5 times faster than the US and having spent 15-20 years building a manufacturing and policy foundation, the US is still trying to rebuild. The window for US tandem solar companies to establish a position is narrowing. Swift Solar's acquisition of Meyer Burger assets is one of the few cases where a US perovskite tandem startup enters the market with a proven, bankable product already generating field data, rather than waiting years for the tandem to reach certification. For solar professionals evaluating next-generation module technology and investors tracking the US manufacturing pipeline, this conversation gives a clear picture of where tandem technology stands today and what the next two to three years need to deliver. Connect with Joel Jean, Swift Solar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeljean/ Swift Solar: https://www.swiftsolar.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| US Solar Has a Quality Problem: What Buyers Need to Know | 19 May 2026 | 00:45:33 | |
A new report from Clean Energy Associates found that some solar module factories in their first year of production are hitting yield rates as low as 30%. That means 70% of modules coming off certain lines require rework before they ship. The finding applies directly to US manufacturers, most of which are still in early ramp-up stages. In this week's Clean Power Hour Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver break down what the report means for solar developers sourcing modules right now, why newer factories in the US face the same challenges previously seen in India and Vietnam, and what due diligence steps developers should be taking before modules arrive on site. They also cover grid-forming battery validation, island microgrids, and a $14 billion Chinese renewable energy investment in Ethiopia. This episode covers battery storage technology, solar panel manufacturing quality, island microgrids, and large-scale renewable energy investment in Africa. These are the stories Tim and John break down this week:
Solar professionals, project developers, and clean energy investors will find this episode directly useful. The topics Tim and John cover, from US manufacturing quality to grid-forming battery validation to Africa's energy buildout, reflect decisions the industry is making right now. The Strait of Hormuz situation adds urgency to the energy transition conversation, and this episode puts all of it in context. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why Community Microgrids Are Illegal in Most of the US #350 | 14 May 2026 | 00:50:49 | |
Community microgrids are functionally illegal in most of the United States, yet climate-driven outages are getting worse. Cameron Brooks of Think Microgrid explains why wires laws block resilient grid solutions and what it costs us to keep burying lines instead. Burying power lines costs $4 million per mile in Colorado and up to $9 million per mile in California. That means every 20 to 25 feet of buried line costs as much as it would take to equip a home with a full battery backup system capable of riding through a 48-hour outage. Cameron Brooks, founder of Think Microgrid and E9 Insights, joins host Tim Montague to explain why that staggering opportunity cost keeps getting overlooked. This episode tackles the regulatory barriers that keep community microgrids illegal in most US territories, the structural incentives inside the utility model that favor capital investment over cost-effective distributed solutions, and the specific state-level reforms beginning to create new openings. Here is what you will learn in this conversation:
The combination of rising power prices, extreme weather, and growing electricity demand from data centers and transportation electrification is putting real pressure on the centralized grid model. States like Utah, Maine, and Colorado are already writing new rules. Connect with Cameron Brooks, Think Microgrid Cameron Brooks: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameron-brooks-/ Website: https://www.thinkmicrogrid.org/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why Utility-Scale Solar Is Quietly Failing in 2026? #349 | 12 May 2026 | 00:26:42 | |
American solar manufacturing is getting a reboot. Dean Solon, founder of Create Energy and formerly of Shoals Technologies, sold 1 GW of product in Q1 of this year alone. In this episode, he walks Tim Montague through his vertically integrated factory in Portland, Tennessee, and names exactly why utility-scale solar equipment is quietly failing at scale.
For any asset owner weighing supply chain decisions in 2025, this conversation is a direct look at what the American manufacturing alternative looks like on the ground. Connect with Dean Solon and Create LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-solon-b8876649/ Website: https://www.create.energy/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| SDE's Approach to Solar Racking: What DG Installers Need to Know #348 | 07 May 2026 | 00:44:48 | |
Solar racking is one of the lowest-cost line items on a DG project and one of the highest-risk failure points. Kyle Sinclair, Co-founder and CEO of SDE (Sinclair Designs and Engineering), joins Tim Montague to explain how USA-made steel and 4-day commercial engineering turnarounds are solving the lead time and logistics failures that slow commercial solar projects. SDE produces 3 megawatts of racking in a single 8-hour shift. On this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague speaks with Kyle about the full arc of SDE's product line, from the Skyrack 2.0 fixed-tilt ground-mount system to a new I-beam solution designed for rocky soil conditions in Texas and on the West Coast. They also cover the realities of solar carport installation, including foundation risk, soil testing, and why carport projects require a fundamentally different approach than ground mount racking. Here is what you will learn in this conversation:
Any EPC designing projects in the Midwest or expanding into new geographies need to hear Kyle's approach to engineering for conditions that historical data no longer predicts accurately. Connect with Kyle Sinclair, SDE Kyle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-sinclair-b9b60a62/ SDE Website: https://www.sinclair-designs.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| LG Energy Solution Targets 50 GWh With 5 US Battery Factories | 05 May 2026 | 00:44:40 | |
LG Energy Solution plans to bring over 50 gigawatt hours of annual battery manufacturing capacity online in the US by the end of 2026 across five facilities (MI, IL, AZ, OH, GA). The company also projects a 15% cost reduction on its next-generation cells by 2028. Tim Montague and John Weaver dig into that story and more in this May 1, 2026, edition of Clean Power Hour Live. Tim and John cover five stories this week, drawn from industry publications and their own active projects in the field.
The battery capacity numbers, perovskite efficiency milestones, and tariff developments covered here carry direct implications for procurement and project planning decisions in 2026 and beyond. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| This Microgrid Model Pays Businesses to Go Solar #347 | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:34:37 | |
San Diego pays the second-highest electricity rates in the United States, trailing only Hawaii, and peak-hour pricing from 4 pm to 9 pm runs up to triple morning rates. In this episode, Tim Montague sits down with Rod Matthews, President of Brevian Energy, a North County San Diego developer focused on solar, battery storage, and community microgrids. Brevian works with Community Choice Aggregators to deliver behind-the-meter solar and storage at no upfront cost to commercial property owners. Tim and Rod cover the Clean Energy Alliance Solar Plus Battery program, a 25-year power purchase agreement with a 1% annual escalator and lease payments to the host site. Here's what you'll learn in this conversation about California microgrids and community solar:
Energy prices are climbing as data center demand grows and natural gas prices spike on global tensions. California's duck curve makes evening storage the limiting factor for further solar adoption. This episode shows a working model for solving both problems at commercial scale and at the community level. Connect with Rod Matthews Rod Matthews: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodmatthews/ Brevian Energy: https://www.brevianenergy.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why Most Battery Developers Fail at Zoning? #346 | 23 Apr 2026 | 00:45:02 | |
Eighty-five towns across New York state sit under battery storage moratoriums right now, and two of three Westchester County towns where Joe Tassone Jr. built successful battery projects in 2020 have since banned the technology outright. In this episode, Tim Montague sits down with Joe Tassone Jr., partner at onCORE Origination, a site origination firm working in 25 states on solar, battery storage, data centers, and EV infrastructure. This episode covers the top three issues blocking battery development at the community level, why fire safety fears around lithium-ion storage miss the wider context, and what separates developers who close projects from those who waste millions. Here's what you'll learn in this conversation about battery development and site origination:
Joe's 30 years of site origination experience surfaces one clear lesson: developers who treat zoning as static codes and give up at the first denial lose tens of millions in project value every year. The industry needs to move from reactive to proactive, meeting with town and county associations before moratoriums pass instead of reacting after. Connect with Joe Tassone Jr Joe Tassone Jr. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-f-tassone-jr-a778a1190/ onCORE Origination Website: https://oncoreorig.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| California Batteries Just Killed Negative Daytime Solar Prices | 21 Apr 2026 | 00:44:35 | |
John Weaver calls California's daytime pricing shift the story of the year. Battery demand has pushed wholesale solar prices from negative five cents per kilowatt hour up by 4.2 cents, adding around $10,833 of revenue to solar asset owners in a single five-minute period. Tim Montague and John Weaver break down what this shift means for solar developers, plus community solar crossing 10 gigawatts, BYD's 14.5 megawatt-hour battery priced at 1.4 cents per kilowatt hour lifecycle cost, and Dean Solon's plan to build 50-year solar power plants in Tennessee. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
California is giving every solar market a preview of what saturated grids look like once batteries scale. The pricing data, BYD's 1.4 cent per kWh lifecycle cost, and India's 90% grid coverage research all point in the same direction: solar plus storage economics are entering a new phase. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Women in Solar Construction: Why the Industry Is Failing Them? #345 | 16 Apr 2026 | 00:41:26 | |
One large solar company reported less than 1% of its field employees were women. The solar industry overall sits at 25 to 30% women across all roles, but the construction side drops to an estimated 1 to 3%. Riley Neugebauer, founder of Solar for Women, joins Tim Montague on the Clean Power Hour to talk about why women are missing from solar installation and what the industry needs to do about it. Riley Neugebauer is the founder of Solar for Women, a nonprofit building a network of women in the solar trades. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS You will learn why girls outperform boys in STEM subjects through middle school but drop off by high school, and how socialization pushes women away from trades careers before they ever consider them. You will hear Riley describe how one employer told her she had no natural ability after a year of work, while hiring men around her for the field roles she wanted. That experience led her to start the Facebook group that became Solar for Women. Riley explains that companies need to do specific work: put women in visible roles, show diversity in marketing materials, create employee resource groups, offer mentorship, and allow schedule flexibility for parents. You will hear about organizations already training women in solar, including Grid Alternatives, Remote Energy, and the Solar Energy International (SEI) women's lab programs. Riley credits Grid Alternatives with producing many of the women she knows in the solar construction workforce. Tim and Riley discuss the broader U.S. trades shortage. The country needs a million new electricians, many are aging out, and K-12 education still steers students toward college rather than skilled trades. This episode matters because the solar industry faces a labor shortage while half the population remains almost entirely absent from its construction workforce. Riley Neugebauer and Solar for Women are working to change that by building community, advocating for workplace culture shifts, and connecting women to training resources. The opportunity is large and the barriers are solvable. Connect with Riley Neugebauer, Solar for Women LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riley-neugebauer-5a534a5/ Website: https://www.solarforwomen.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Why is USA Residential Solar So Expensive? The Real Reason U.S. Solar Is So Expensive #344 | 14 Apr 2026 | 00:44:37 | |
Solar modules once cost $8 per watt. Geoff Greenfield bought his first panels from a classified ad in Home Power magazine. Twenty-six years later, he leads an EPC division building 67 MW projects and negotiating 100 MW contracts. In this episode of The Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Greenfield to trace the full arc of the U.S. solar industry, from off-grid battery systems with lead-acid batteries to utility-scale construction backed by a multi-billion-dollar general contractor. They cover NABCEP's role in professional standards, why U.S. residential solar costs two to three times more than in Australia or Germany, and why the industry needs to prepare for a future without tax credits. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
This conversation provides a 26-year field perspective on what it took to grow from a one-person off-grid installer to a utility-scale EPC, and what comes next for companies facing the same transition. Connect with Geoff Greenfield, Kokosing Geoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoff-greenfield-595a406/ Kokosing Website: https://kokosingsolar.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| How AI Agents Are Reshaping the Solar Industry Right Now? #343 | 09 Apr 2026 | 00:46:47 | |
A 10-person, three-month estimating process. Compressed into 12 hours by a single AI agent. That is what Jesse Anglen, co-founder of Ruh AI, is building for construction and solar companies right now. In this episode of The Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Anglen to break down what a digital workforce actually looks like in practice, how solar contractors and EPCs can start using agentic AI today, and what it means when AI agents take over knowledge work at scale. Episode Highlights
Solar and EPC companies are already operating under margin pressure, competing on thin spreads while administrative overhead continues to grow. The tools Jesse Anglen describes are available today, at a price point that is lower than hiring a single full-time employee. The window to adopt these systems before competitors do is narrowing fast. Connect with Jesse Anglen Linked: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseanglen/ Website: https://www.ruh.ai/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| The $65/kWh Incentive Making US Batteries Compete with China | 07 Apr 2026 | 00:55:25 | |
US battery manufacturing capacity is set to hit 145 gigawatt hours by the end of 2026, enough to cover 100% of domestic grid storage demand. Tim Montague and John Weaver break down this milestone and seven more stories on this Clean Power Hour Live. This live episode covers battery manufacturing economics, solar panel technology shifts, offshore wind project costs, global installation records, grid stability regulation, and DIY plug-in solar. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Battery manufacturing economics, tariff math, and grid regulation changes are moving faster than most project timelines. If you develop, finance, or install clean energy systems, the numbers in this episode affect your next bid. Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Community Microgrids Are Proven. So Why Aren’t They Everywhere? #342 | 02 Apr 2026 | 00:44:45 | |
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:
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/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| Old Solar Panels Are a Gold Mine (Here's the Math) #341 | 31 Mar 2026 | 00:40:07 | |
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:
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: https://www.fluxenergy.com/ Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||
| LG Ditches EV Batteries for Grid Storage. Big Signal. | 24 Mar 2026 | 00:49:59 | |
LG Energy Solution and GM are converting their Tennessee EV battery plant to LFP production for the US grid storage market. The $70 million retooling signals a broader industry shift as EV demand in the US slows and grid storage demand accelerates. Tim Montague and John Weaver break down what this means for battery pricing, domestic manufacturing, and project developers on this week's Clean Power Hour Live. They also cover the natural gas supply disruption that sent European energy prices up 27%, balcony solar legislation advancing in 24 states, and the debut of robotic solar construction from Terabase Energy. Episode Highlights:
Connect with Tim Clean Power Hour Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/ | |||