Microgrids offer utilities eight distinct value stacks (or streams), yet most still treat them as experimental pilots. Today on the Clean Power Hour, we reveal how microgrids are strategic network assets that deliver value every single day, not just when the grid fails. 

Martin Szczepanik is Director of Energy and Resources at Baringa, a global energy consultancy. He brings 11 years of utility strategy experience, including work with SolarCity, major West Coast utilities, and renewable energy developers. Baringa recently released a white paper called "From Pilots to Portfolios: Scaling the Rollout of Utility Microgrids."

Key Discussion Points:

• The complete microgrid value stack: resilience, distribution capacity deferral, transmission capacity deferral, ancillary services, energy arbitrage, generation capacity deferral, avoided emissions, and avoided public safety power shutoffs (PSPS)

• Why resilience differs from reliability: climate-driven extreme weather events versus age and condition-driven outages

• How billion-dollar natural disasters increased from once every 90 days in the 1980s to once every 19 days today, which necessitates the increased need for microgrids

• Distribution and transmission capacity deferral: using microgrids to avoid $5-10 million infrastructure upgrades

• Energy arbitrage opportunities: charging batteries when solar floods the grid, discharging during peak demand

• FERC 2222 enabling distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale markets and earn revenue

• California wildfires and PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoffs) events: how microgrids reduce the cost of de-energizing lines

• Why utilities need to assess microgrids in distribution planning instead of defaulting to substations and reconductoring

Connect with Martin Szczepanik, Baringa 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/martinszczepanik/

Website: www.baringa.com/en/about/regions/north-america/microgrids/

Whitepaper: www.baringa.com/en/insights/digitising-the-energy-system/scaling-microgrids/

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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: [email protected]

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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

#EP323 Building clean energy projects faster starts with better tools. Maryssa Barron, Founder and CEO of BuildQ, joins Tim Montague to discuss how AI transforms energy project development. 

Maryssa Barron is the founder and CEO of BuildQ, the enterprise AI platform purpose-built for clean energy project teams to accelerate development, financing, and asset management. She brings cross-disciplinary expertise in renewable energy, project finance, and law, with experience spanning the full project lifecycle. 

Before founding BuildQ, Maryssa advised Fortune 50 companies and leading developers on renewable energy procurement at Edison Energy and LevelTen Energy. She also served as Chief Operating Officer of a global solar company, where she oversaw project development, financing, and operations across international markets. 

Key Highlights:

• How BuildQ reduces project analysis time from 3 weeks to 3 days
• Why one developer uses BuildQ instead of hiring 15 new employees
• AI frameworks that analyze interconnection queues and permitting data
• The role of human expertise in AI-assisted energy development
• How law firms and conservative industries are adopting AI tools
• China's 10X infrastructure buildout advantage and U.S. national security implications
• Behind-the-meter solutions and data center co-location trends
• Early adoption benefits in the energy sector

The energy sector needs speed and scale. AI tools like BuildQ make both possible.

Connect with Maryssa Barron, BuildQ 

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maryssa-barron/

Website: buildq.ai

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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

This week on Clean Power Hour Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the biggest solar and storage headlines shaping the industry right now.

The US reached 40 gigawatts of grid storage in 2025, beating the 35 gigawatt goal set in 2017. But supply chains are struggling to keep up. 100 amp-hour battery cells are sold out through 2026 as demand surges across residential, commercial, and utility projects.

John discusses his company's expansion into Illinois, where new legislation adds 873 megawatts of solar and 3 gigawatts of storage over the next few years. The state is also unlocking VPP programs, giving distributed batteries a bigger role in grid operations.

Episode Highlights:

• US grid storage installations reached 40 gigawatts in 2025, exceeding the 35 gigawatt goal set in 2017 (Energy Storage Association via Canary Media)
• Illinois passes new legislation adding 873 megawatts of solar and 3 gigawatts of storage, enabling VPP programs 
• Battery cell shortage intensifies as 100 amp hour cells sell out through 2026 due to demand across residential and utility sectors (PV Magazine)
• Electric freight vehicles and delivery trucks show explosive growth in China, with EVs approaching 50% of all vehicle sales (John Hanger via Blue Sky)
• Natural gas prices spike above $5, expected to drive electricity rate increases in 2026 through utility cost recapture mechanisms (Bloomberg)
• US extends tariff exclusions for solar manufacturing equipment, including silicon growth furnaces and wire saws (PV Magazine)

The discussion explores why battery adoption creates a flywheel effect for solar installations, how state incentives are driving developer interest, and what supply chain pressures mean for project timelines in 2026.

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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: [email protected]

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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

#EP322 

Today on the Clean Power Hour, we dive into one of the biggest bottlenecks strangling the clean energy transition: the slow, messy world of zoning, permitting, and early-stage development. Our guests are Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal, co-founders of Spark AI, a Y Combinator-backed platform that has ingested and summarized nearly every zoning code, ordinance, and permitting pathway in the United States.

Julia Wu is CEO and co-founder of Spark AI. She's a software engineer who cut her teeth at Microsoft, Apple (working on Siri), and Brex before founding Spark. Her background spans AI, natural language processing, and financial technology.

Anuj Saigal is the co-founder of Spark AI and a veteran of the energy sector since 2010. He worked at the Department of Energy Loan Programs Office during the Obama administration, then moved through SunEdison, EVgo, and Natto (a video AI telematics company). Anuj has been a developer of utility-scale and distributed generation projects and understands the pain points of permitting and interconnection firsthand.

Key Discussion Points:

• Spark AI uses large language models to aggregate zoning regulations, permitting requirements, local sentiment, and news articles for every jurisdiction in America
• Three core use cases: early-stage greenfield site selection, monitoring projects in development for regulatory changes, and rapid acquisition due diligence
• Standard Solar (Brookfield-owned) reduced acquisition diligence from months to one week, cutting time by 75%
• Dynamic Energy accelerated site screening while improving community sentiment risk assessment
• UGE used Spark to assess a massive portfolio acquisition, determining which parcels had viable zoning paths
• The platform is LLM-neutral, easily swapping between OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, and other models to optimize for accuracy and speed
• Unlike off-the-shelf AI tools, Spark delivers consistency, accuracy, and citations developers need for trust-but-verify workflows

Connect with Anuj and Julia 

Julia Wu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wu-julia/

Anuj Saigal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujsaigal/

Spark AI Website: https://www.sparkhq.ai/

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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: [email protected]

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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

#321 Today on the Clean Power Hour, we explore energy storage as a service for some of the toughest markets in the country. Tim Montague sits down with Christian Farivar, founder of Karh, to discuss how his company is tackling grid congestion, load pockets, and resilience challenges in Urban Areas like New York City with next-generation battery technology designed for a 30-year asset life.

Christian brings a unique background to energy storage. After a successful career in the music industry, he pivoted to engineering and energy, eventually earning a degree from Harvard University. His journey led him to found Karh around 2020, right when FERC Order 2222 opened doors for distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale markets.

Key Discussion Points:

• The challenge of deploying large-scale energy storage in dense urban environments like New York City
• Why load pockets in major cities need localized battery solutions to relieve transmission constraints
• How Karh is developing chemistry-agnostic battery systems with 30-year asset life expectations
• The economics of energy storage: achieving unit economics of $45-50 per megawatt-hour
• Running 12X more profitably than existing battery systems through advanced AI optimization
• Plans for a 90 megawatt-hour test project in NYC by 2027, scaling to 350+ megawatt-hour systems
• Integration with EV charging, frequency regulation, and distributed energy resources
• Why building electrification and edge AI data centers create massive demand spikes that require nearby capacity

If you're building a battery that lasts 30 years in the world's toughest energy market, you're not just solving today's problems. You're building infrastructure for the next generation grid.

Connect with Christian Farivar 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianfarivar/?originalSubdomain=ca

Website: https://karh.energy/#home

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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: [email protected]

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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

#320

Today on the Clean Power Hour, Brandon Wagoner, Vice President of Strategy at Middle Tennessee Electric, explains how the second largest cooperative in America manages explosive EV adoption, deploys 32 megawatts of battery storage, and builds 113 megawatts of solar arrays while keeping rates low. His secret weapon: load factor optimization.

Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) serves 350,000 meters south and east of Nashville and leads Tennessee utilities in electric vehicle adoption. As the largest co-op in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service territory, MTE operates through strategic partnerships rather than vertical integration, working directly with TVA to solve generation and distribution challenges together.

Key Discussion Points:

• Load factor optimization as the primary metric for grid infrastructure decisions and rate management

• 32 megawatts of two-hour battery storage deployment scheduled for Q1 2026 across their service territory

• 3.25 MW tracking solar array operational, with 110 MW TVA solar project launching in 2028

• Night Flex rate program incentivizing EV charging during six six-hour overnight windows

• Community solar programs serving renters and members without rooftop installation options

• Pro Solar advisory team provides trusted third-party guidance for members evaluating solar developers

• Strategic approach to serving diverse demographics from high-income first adopters to conservative rural members

• Co-op structure enables focus on member service rather than shareholder profits

• Partnership model with TVA replaces traditional utility customer relationship

• Programmatic rebates, including $50 EV charger installation incentives

Connect with Brandon Wagoner

Website: https://mte.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midtnelectric/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brandon-wagoner-pe-2822146/

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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: [email protected]

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

On this week’s Clean Power Hour Live, Tim and John discuss Illinois legislation bringing 3 gigawatts of battery storage to IL, the public health impacts of solar tariffs, and global energy storage market trends that are reshaping the grid.

Episode Highlights:

• CATL signs 200 gigawatt hour energy storage deal with Beijing HyperStrong, representing nearly 60% of projected annual global capacity (Bloomberg)
• New research shows solar tariffs killed an estimated 105 Americans in 2022 alone by preventing installation of 10.5 GW of solar capacity (PV Magazine)
• Wind farms increase local property values by 3% and improve school funding with $800 more per pupil, according to Australian study (Renew Economy)
• Germany deploys innovative curbside EV chargers built directly into sidewalk curbs consumers (Reddit)
• Australia considers policy requiring utilities to offer three hours of free midday electricity due to solar overgeneration
• Global grid storage projected to reach 340 gigawatt hours in 2025, representing 20% of total battery market growth (Commercial Solar Guy)

This episode covers the accelerating clean energy transition across multiple continents, from policy wins in Illinois to infrastructure innovations in Germany and market dynamics in Australia. The data shows renewable energy saves lives, creates economic value for communities, and continues to scale globally despite policy headwinds.

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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: [email protected]

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

#319 

The modern power grid faces an existential challenge: integrating massive amounts of renewable energy while keeping the lights on. Sean Kelly, CEO and Founder of Amperon, explains how artificial intelligence and machine learning are replacing outdated forecasting methods to predict energy supply and demand with precision. This conversation explores battery optimization, demand response programs, and why traditional grid models no longer work in a world of extreme weather and distributed generation.

Sean Kelly leads Amperon, a company providing AI-driven energy forecasting platforms for grid operators, battery owners, and energy traders. With nearly 20 years of experience in energy trading and risk management, Kelly has worked for major energy firms such as Tenaska, Lehman, EDF, and E.ON, where he led significant trading desk developments and transitions, including bringing nuclear power plants into new markets. 

Key Discussion Points:

• Traditional forecasting models look backward. AI models look forward and learn in real time, adapting to grid changes as they happen.
• Battery storage is exploding. ERCOT expects 40% more storage in the next 5 years. Texas batteries run 1-2 hours, California runs 4-hour batteries, and companies like Form Energy are developing 100+ hour systems.
• The critical hours are 6pm to 9pm. When solar goes down at sunset and wind drops simultaneously, batteries become essential. Amperon's platform tells operators exactly when to charge and discharge for maximum profit.
• The grid needs 6 terawatt hours of energy storage but we're only one-tenth of the way there. Developers should build all projects battery-ready or include storage today.
• Demand response works like insurance. Grid operators pay large customers to reduce load during peak times. Penalties are severe for non-compliance, ensuring the system works when needed.
• Forecasting is no longer optional. Sean calls it "the operating system of the modern grid." Historical averages won't keep the lights on anymore.
• Data centers and large industrial loads play a critical role in grid flexibility, backing down from 20 megawatts to 10 megawatts when grid operators need relief.

Connect with Sean Kelly 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-kelly-0792626/

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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: [email protected]

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

#318 Peter Asmus, microgrid expert and author of the upcoming book "Alaska Microgrid Innovators," breaks down the current state of microgrids and battery storage. He explains why Alaska leads in microgrid innovation and what the rest of the U.S. needs to learn from remote communities.

Peter Asmus brings over 15 years of experience covering the microgrid sector. He has authored five books on energy and provides consulting through his website https://www.peterasmus.com/. His latest work focuses on Alaska's pioneering role in developing community-scale microgrids for remote, off-grid locations.

Key Discussion Points

• Alaska leads microgrid innovation due to remote communities, high diesel costs, and military installations needing reliable power

• Data centers now drive microgrid growth because utilities cannot provide power fast enough for AI infrastructure

• Microgrid controllers have advanced significantly with AI integration, allowing different manufacturers' equipment to work together

• Energy as a service models eliminate upfront costs. Peter's solar and battery system reduced his utility bill to under $10 per year

• Community microgrids require utility involvement and experimentation with different ownership models rather than a one-size-fits-all approach

• Open standards prevent vendor lock-in. The industry moved away from proprietary systems like early Apple iPhone models

• Technology exists today for large-scale microgrid deployment. The main challenge is calculating the economic value of resilience

• Utility costs in the U.S. increased 30% over the last three years, making distributed energy more economically competitive

Alaska shows us the future of microgrids. The lessons from remote communities apply everywhere resilience matters.

Connect with Peter Asmus 

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

Website: https://www.peterasmus.com/

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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: [email protected]

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

#EP317 The solar industry faces a defining moment in Q4 2025. While regulatory challenges create uncertainty, well-capitalized players treat this period as a buying opportunity. Daniel Dus, CEO and founder of Cleantech Industry Resources (CIR), breaks down the market dynamics and explains how his company's global expertise positions it to thrive during industry consolidation.

Daniel Dus founded CIR to provide development, construction, and operations services for solar and battery storage projects. His team of 140 professionals across three offices in India and the United States brings proven experience from building some of the world's largest solar installations, including work with Adani Green Energy as it scaled from startup to 16 gigawatts in operation.

Key Discussion Points:

The current solar market has split into thirds: one-third undercapitalized and struggling, one-third in wait-and-see mode, and one-third aggressively acquiring projects with strong capital backing - creating opportunities for companies like CIR that can execute complex transactions.

CIR serves 150 clients across the solar value chain, providing everything from interconnection studies and permit-ready planset packages to full EPC services, with particular expertise in rescuing distressed projects and navigating complex utility requirements.

CIR's competitive advantage comes from its India-based technical teams, who have worked on massive international projects, bringing world-class expertise at competitive rates to US developers who struggle with margin compression.

Solar Fight Night, Dus's passion project since 2008, has raised nearly $2 million for clean energy nonprofits through 24+ events. The 2025 event at Las Vegas's Zouk Nightclub drew over 3,300 attendees, the largest crowd in the event's history.

Tim Montague is an affiliate of CIR and welcomes developers and EPCs to contact him for more information about working with CIR. [Book here: https://calendly.com/tim-montague/30min]

Connect with Daniel Dus, CIR 

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/danielrdus

Website: cleantechindustryresources.com

Solar Fight Night: www.solarfightnight.org/

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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: [email protected]

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