#EP308

What if you could slash your community's electricity costs by 40% while achieving true energy independence?

AJ Perkins transformed from business executive to renewable energy pioneer, building 3.8 gigawatts of microgrid projects worldwide. In this Clean Power Hour episode, he reveals how community-scale solar and battery systems are revolutionizing energy economics.

The breakthrough: AJ's team reduced payback periods from 7-11 years to just 18 months by combining solar, batteries, and grid services revenue. This creates a financial model that makes renewable energy irresistible to entire communities.

Real-world results include:

• A 3,000-home Hawaii development using the "Utility Light" model where communities own their energy infrastructure
• An Orange County mobile home park cutting electricity costs from 38¢ to 24¢ per kWh while adding AC for just 2¢ per kWh
• Why thinking in clusters of 50-1,000+ homes creates economies of scale impossible with individual installations

Tim and AJ explore the convergence of microgrids, Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), and infrastructure-as-a-service models that solve multiple municipal challenges simultaneously. They discuss California's public safety power shutoffs, utility partnerships, manufacturing reshoring, and practical strategies for scaling community energy projects.

Key insight: Instead of protecting one family, AJ protects entire communities. His approach prevents the dangerous scenario where only one house has power during blackouts while neighbors remain in the dark.

Whether you're a solar installer, utility professional, community leader, or clean energy investor, this episode provides actionable insights for building distributed energy infrastructure. AJ shares his complete playbook and offers to help others replicate these community-scale successes.

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AJ Perkins

Instant ON

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

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

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

The electric grid faces its biggest transformation in decades. Data center demand is set to triple in five years, capacity prices in PJM just hit $329 per megawatt-day, and grid operators are scrambling to prevent blackouts as massive AI facilities pull offline during disturbances.

Today on the Clean Power Hour, grid expert Peter Kelly-Detwiler reveals how microgrids and artificial intelligence are creating a "fractal grid" that could solve our mounting reliability crisis. Peter explains the critical difference between traditional microgrids and the emerging "macrogrids" - 500+ megawatt data center installations that function like inverse power plants.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why NERC is concerned about data centers causing grid failures
• The Dominion Virginia incident, where 1,500MW of data center load was instantly disconnected
• How PJM capacity prices jumped from $30 to $329 per megawatt-day
• AI-driven grid controls and their role in managing thousands of distributed resources
• Virtual power plants dispatching 535MW from 100,000+ home batteries in California
• The economics of microgrids in high-cost regions like PJM and California
• Brooklyn/Queens Demand Management Project: $150M solution vs $1.2B infrastructure upgrade
• State incentive programs driving storage deployment
• The "bring your own capacity" trend accelerating data center interconnections

Peter Kelly-Detwiler, author of "Energy Switch" and principal at Northbridge Energy Partners, provides insider analysis on where developers should focus their efforts and how utilities can leverage microgrids to avoid costly infrastructure upgrades.

Whether you're an energy professional, developer, or simply curious about the future of electricity, this episode reveals why microgrids are no longer optional, they're essential infrastructure for our digital economy.

Connect with Peter Kelly-Detwiler

Website: https://www.peterkellydetwiler.com/

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

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

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

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

#EP306

Texas has quietly become America's renewable energy powerhouse, with solar and wind now generating over 70 gigawatts of capacity. Raina Hornaday, founder and CEO of Caprock Renewables, reveals how this transformation happened and why rural communities are driving the next wave of clean energy growth.

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, we explore the explosive growth of Texas renewables, where solar and wind now exceed 70 gigawatts of capacity. Raina takes us through her family's history with the first utility-scale wind project in New Mexico and reveals how Texas has become America's renewable energy powerhouse.

Key topics covered include

• The fascinating ERCOT dashboard showing real-time energy generation
• The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Alliance (TREIA) is celebrating its 40th anniversary
• The emerging agrivoltaics revolution that is helping farmers add revenue streams while maintaining agricultural productivity.
• The recent legislative battles, where over 100 renewable advocates testified against anti-renewable bills
• The growing role of battery storage in grid stability
• How oil and gas companies are increasingly turning to renewables for their operations.

Raina also discusses her work with American Farmland Trust on educating farmers about agrivoltaics, the importance of responsible development in rural communities, and why microgrids are becoming essential for energy independence.

Whether you're interested in renewable energy development, agricultural innovation, or Texas energy policy, this episode offers valuable insights from someone who's been at the forefront of the industry for over a decade.

Connect with Raina Tillman Hornaday

Raina Tillman LinkedIn

Caprock Renewables

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

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

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

The Clean Power Hour LIVE is back with the latest in solar, wind, and storage. Tim Montague and John Weaver dive into the most important stories shaping clean energy today. The hosts also discuss their upcoming RE+ booth visits, hardware purchasing strategies, and the evolving landscape of energy consultancy beyond traditional solar installation.

Episode Highlights

• German researchers at Fraunhofer develop aesthetic solar facades with 80% efficiency for building-integrated PV (Interesting Engineering).
• China launches the world’s largest perovskite project, a 5 MW demonstration plant pushing tandem solar forward (Perovskite-Info).
• Ørsted tests drone deliveries for offshore wind farms, moving equipment and supplies 75 miles offshore (Renews Biz).
• New ultra-low-cost underground battery solution priced at $53/kWh unveiled in Shanghai, sparking industry discussion (Energy Storage News).
• T1 Energy, formerly FREYR, sells out 2025 solar module capacity after a 437 MW deal, signaling strong US demand (Taiyang News).
• Fraunhofer ISC establishes a US TopCon solar cell pilot line, targeting a 4 GW factory in Houston (Solar Global).
• New Mexico utility chooses distributed batteries over gas peakers, retrofitting storage into existing PV sites (Energy Storage News).
• Understanding FEOC compliance: layers of verification create an “onion” of complexity for tax credit financing (PV Magazine).

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

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

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

#EP305

Batteries are no longer an afterthought in solar, they are the future.

Pete Sarelas, founder and CEO of Source Solar in Chicago, joins Tim Montague to reveal how adding battery storage can eliminate your electric bill entirely and even push it into negative territory. Pete shares his journey from door-knocking solar sales in California to building a multi-million dollar solar and battery financing business in Illinois, now the 4th largest solar market in the country. He explains how Illinois has become a top five solar state, but more importantly, why customers are demanding storage to protect themselves from outages, manage costs, and gain energy independence.

What You'll Learn:

• Why solar alone only reduces 50-75% of your electric bill (and what the other 25-50% actually is)
• How commercial battery systems can cost $2-3 million but pay for themselves through capacity charge elimination
• The "Earn, Save, Protect" model that makes batteries cash flow positive from day one
• Pete's zero-down PPA financing model that removes the capital barrier for businesses
• Why the ITC phase-out makes battery storage the survival strategy for solar companies
• Real case study: Church drops monthly bills from $2,500 to double digits with battery addition
• How time-of-use rates and virtual power plants create multiple revenue streams

Pete explains the three-pronged value proposition: earn money through grid services like frequency regulation, save money by attacking capacity charges during peak hours, and protect your facility with backup power during outages. He breaks down how his SOCAP financing division makes million-dollar battery installations accessible to businesses without the upfront capital.

Whether you're a solar installer looking to survive the post-ITC world, a business owner tired of rising electric bills, or just curious about the future of distributed energy, this episode reveals the financial strategies making battery storage the next solar gold rush.

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Pete Sarelas

Source Solar

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

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

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

The solar industry faces a wake-up call. Despite becoming the dominant source of new electricity generation globally, clean energy companies spend 20 times less on political power than oil and gas while investing double their capital expenditure.

In this episode, Jigar Shah, former Director of the DOE Loan Programs Office and clean energy pioneer, delivers hard truths about what the industry must do to survive and thrive. JIgar argues that the recent OBBB exposed critical political fragilities and that the time for staying under the radar is over.

He discusses the distributed capacity procurement (DCP) model pioneered in Minnesota that's becoming a template for utilities nationwide. This approach allows utilities to strategically deploy batteries where needed most, reducing interconnection times from 3 years to 6 months while solving grid constraints.

Key topics covered:

• Why 85% of new grid capacity will still be solar, wind, and batteries despite policy changes
• The massive political spending gap between clean energy and fossil fuels
• How virtual power plants could shift 20% of peak load by 2030
• The Minnesota DCP model and why it's spreading to other states
• Why retrofitting batteries to existing solar systems could reduce electricity rates by 20%
• The urgent need for industry pride and community engagement
• How one in six American households now struggle with electricity bills

Jigar challenges the industry to move beyond random customer acquisition to strategic grid planning partnerships with utilities. He emphasizes that as solar becomes the dominant energy, it bears responsibility for the entire system's success.

This conversation reveals why political power building and utility collaboration are essential for solar's next growth phase. Shah provides actionable strategies for industry professionals to engage politically and operationally at state and local levels.

Press play to hear why Shah believes the clean energy industry must fundamentally change its approach to succeed in this new era.

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

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

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

What if battery storage systems simply couldn't catch fire?

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Matt Ward, President of Etica AG, to explore a revolutionary battery technology that's changing the game for fire safety in battery energy storage (BESS). Matt discusses their patented immersion cooling technology that uses dielectric fluid to completely surround battery cells, preventing thermal runaway and eliminating fire risks.

Key topics covered:

• How immersion cooling technology works and why it's superior to traditional air or liquid cooling
• The challenge of getting UL 9540A certification when your batteries won't burn during testing
• Why major cities like New York are perfect markets for non-flammable battery storage
• The growing demand for battery storage, driven by data centers, EV charging, and grid stability needs
• Navigating Foreign Entities of Concern (FEOC) regulations and supply chain challenges
• The "earn, save, protect" value stack of battery storage systems
• Why fire safety is becoming the key differentiator in urban energy storage projects

Matt shares insights from his transition from founding SolMicrogrid (acquired by Morgan Stanley) to joining Etica AG. He explains how this technology could unlock battery installations in locations previously considered too risky - including rooftops and inside buildings in major metropolitan areas.

Whether you're a developer, asset owner, or simply interested in the future of energy storage, this episode reveals how immersion cooling could be the next generation of battery technology that makes fire-safe energy storage a reality.

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Matt Ward

Etica AG

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

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

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

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague and John Weaver unpack the latest developments shaping the clean energy landscape. From federal treasury guidance on safe harbor rules to Africa’s record solar imports, Indonesia’s massive microgrid project, EV tax credit updates, prefab solar carports, and lessons learned from hurricane-tested solar arrays, the conversation explores how solar, wind, and storage are transforming global energy markets.

Episode Highlights

• New federal treasury guidance on safe harbor shifts rules for large-scale projects, moving from a 5% spend requirement to continuous construction (PV Magazine).
• Installers must diversify, with batteries, EV infrastructure, and heat pumps becoming essential parts of the business model.
• EV buyers can lock in the $7,500 tax credit through 2026 with a down payment and contract today (IRS).
• Africa set a record with 1.6 GW of Chinese solar panel imports in May 2024, with countries like Chad leapfrogging traditional infrastructure (Wired Magazine).
• Indonesia is launching one of the world’s largest distributed energy projects, targeting 80,000 villages with 1 MW solar and 4 MWh battery microgrids. (PV Magazine)
• A 250 kW prefab solar carport was installed overnight in Australia, demonstrating 3x faster productivity than traditional methods (PV Magazine Australia)
• US developers report that nearly half of new electric generating capacity this year comes from solar, with record installations nearing 70 GW (US EIA).
• Hurricane-tested solar arrays show that through-bolting and stronger module frames are key to survival in high-wind regions (PV Magazine, RMI report).

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

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

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