Clean Power Hour

Thurs April 6, 2023, we are joined by Thomas Hickey of Sandbox Solar and developer of SPADE Agrivoltaic Design platform (https://www.agrivoltaic.design/)

Bringing you the latest in solar, wind, and energy storage news and views. Co-hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver (Commercial Solar Guy and PV Magazine journalist) break down the tools, technologies, and trends that are speeding the energy transition. We are on a mission to decarbonize the economy and create a safer healthier future for humanity. Give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Reach out to us: [email protected] | www.CleanPowerHour.com Join us LIVE each Thursday at 12 noon EST / 9 AM Pacific

The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, the maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the U.S. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters ranging from 25kW to 275kW. Their flagship inverter, the CPS 250/275kW inverter is designed to work with solar plants ranging from 2MW to 2GW. The 250/275kW pairs well with CPS America’s exceptional data communication and controls and energy storage solutions. Go to chintpowersystems.com to find out more.

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Check out the Clean Power Hour podcast - your source for the latest cleantech and clean energy news, thought leaders, and innovators! Our mission is to accelerate the Energy Transition with knowledge, insights, and conversations. 

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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

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! Today we celebrate Chint Product Innovation Day with Bryan Wagner, President; James Oswald, Service Director; and Anton Patton, Products and Applications Engineering Director. Central inverters have dominated the large-scale PV market as far back as the 1980s. But with recent innovations in semiconductor technology, high-power three-phase string inverters are now a viable alternative for solar projects up to the gigawatt scale. As a market leader in commercial three-phase string inverters for seven of the past eight years, CPS America is positioned to facilitate the industry’s transition away from bulky, expensive central inverters toward modular string-based designs.

On this episode, we gathered at the 2023 Chint Innovation Day at CPS’ Dallas HQ to discuss how CPS is creating jobs, growing the industry, providing excellent customer service, and rolling out string inverters that are now displacing central inverters on 100 MW+ projects across North America. 

Highlights:

Managing growth - CPS has doubled its headcount in the past 18 months and will double again in the next 12-18 months;

Customer service - CPS has over 500 customers including developers, IPPs, and installers, across North America;

Their flagship 250/275 kW inverter is being installed in 100+ MW projects and the company just announced a 20% price cut on these inverters;

String inverters are the future for utility-scale solar projects;

CPS is staffing up at all three of their locations: Dallas TX (HQ), Pleasanton CA (Engineering), and Somerville NJ;

String vs. Central - string inverters are smaller, lighter, and easier to install and service; In more mature markets like Asia and Europe, string inverters have an 80 percent market share in utility-scale solar projects;

CPS products are installed in over 15,000 projects (>110,000 products installed) in North America;

Their Thailand factory is cranking out 5-6 GW of inverters per year; 

Supply chain woes, the war in Ukraine, and commodity prices of copper, steel, and aluminum impact the solar industry but CPS has over a GW of product on hand in the US. 

CPS Service - 24-hour turnaround for replacement parts;

CPS Customers and customer experience;

Solar + storage;

What future employees should know about Chint;

Solar industry growth trajectory: 10X growth by 2050

CPS America

Connect with Bryan Wagner 

Connect with James Oswald

Connect with Anton Patton

Follow CPS America on LinkedIn

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Bringing you the latest in solar, wind and energy storage news and views. Co-hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver (Commercial Solar Guy and PV Magazine journalist) break down the tools, technologies and trends that are speeding the energy transition. We are on a mission to decarbonize the economy and create a safer healthier future for humanity. Give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Reach out to us: [email protected] | www.CleanPowerHour.com
Join us LIVE each Thursday at 12 noon EST / 9 AM Pacific.

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! On today’s show we are joined by Robin Laine, CEO of Transect. Transect empowers solar and wind energy developers to take control of the environmental permitting process, delivering due diligence in minutes - not weeks or months. 

Robin Laine is the CEO, and Founder of Transect, Inc., a SaaS-based software platform. She is an environmental subject matter expert with decades of national experience managing natural resources compliance and permitting projects.

Robin served as a field biologist, project manager, division director, and national program manager for local, regional, and national environmental consulting firms. In addition to advising her clients on environmental requirements, Robin established in-house natural resource compliance processes for numerous enterprise energy companies. She gave presentations across the U.S. educating various industries on managing federal and state environmental regulations. 

She currently leads Transect and its mission to accelerate how we consume environmental data now and into the future. Robin earned a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin and a business certificate from the McCombs School of Business.

Today Robin joins Tim Montague to discuss the importance of environmental permitting and conducting due diligence before starting a project, Robin’s history that led her to co-founding Transect, what Transect does, and how they automate due diligence to reduce the wait time from weeks to just a few minutes, the advantage of using Transect over using the public database to conduct due diligence and much more.

Key Takeaways

1. How Robin came to the Clean Energy Industry and co-founding Transect
2.  The importance of environmental permitting and conducting your due diligence before starting a project
3. What Transect does and how they are able to automate the due diligence to reduce the wait time from weeks to just a few minutes
4. The advantage of using Transect over using the public database to conduct due diligence

Connect with Robin Laine

Transect

Follow Transect on LinkedIn

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Today on the Clean Power Hour we are joined by Pete Berthelsen, Executive Director of the Bee and Butterfly Habitat Fund to discuss their Solar Synergy program that helps utility scale solar developers install pollinator friendly vegetation on solar farms and fields. The BBHF has been working with solar developers since 2019 to deliver multiple benefits on renewable energy projects by establishing NextGen Conservation habitat on solar sites.​

Subscribe: https://bit.ly/cph-sub 

Join us LIVE each Thursday at 12 noon EST / 11 Central / 10 Mountain / 9 AM Pacific. Bringing you the latest in solar, wind and energy storage news and views. Co-hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver (Commercial Solar Guy and PV Magazine journalist) break down the tools, technologies and trends that are speeding the energy transition. We are on a mission to decarbonize the economy and create a safer healthier future for humanity. Give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Reach out to us: [email protected] | www.CleanPowerHour.com

The podcast is available on YouTube and audio platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon. We bring you interviews with cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, and energy professionals weekly. 

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! On today’s show, we are joined by Russ Bates, CEO and Founder of  NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions. NXTGEN is a one-stop-shop, for solar, battery, and EV charging infrastructure development and consulting. NXTGEN provides consultation, project development, Engineering/Procurement/Construction partner relationships, and investor relationships to their clients. 

Russ has worked in the power industry for over 28 years, with a focus in recent years on renewable energy. He transitioned from a long career in the fossil fuel power generation industry to the clean energy sector in 2015 and founded NXTGEN in 2021.

Today Russ joins Tim Montague to discuss how and why he transitioned from fossil fuels industry to the clean energy industry, how a solar or solar and battery micro grids impact the bottom line of a facility owner, what his approach is to becoming a successful developer.

Key Takeaways

1. Why and How Russ Bates transitioned from fossil fuels industry to the clean energy industry?
2. How a solar or solar and battery microgrid impacts the bottom line of a facility owner?
3. What his approach is to becoming a successful developer
4. The difference between sustainability versus bottom dollar
5. Russ’s thoughts on the CNI industry

NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions
Connect with Russ Bates
Follow NXTGEN Clean Energy Solutions

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Today on the Clean Power Hour we are joined by Matt Ferrell of Undecided. Matt is well known in the green technology space as a prosumer who installed solar on his home. Now he’s built a full fledged Net Zero / Passive House using prefab (Unity Homes). We’ll be exploring how solar contractors and the solar industry can do better by residents. And is green building worth the extra cost? 

Join us LIVE each Thursday at 12 noon EST / 9 AM Pacific. Bringing you the latest in solar, wind and energy storage news and views. Co-hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver (Commercial Solar Guy and PV Magazine journalist) break down the tools, technologies and trends that are speeding the energy transition. We are on a mission to decarbonize the economy and create a safer healthier future for humanity. Give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify and subscribe to our Youtube channel. Reach out to us: [email protected] | www.CleanPowerHour.com

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! On today’s show, we are joined by Nate Kirchhofer, CEO of BioZen Batteries a company that makes Bio-inspired batteries for a green energy grid. 

Nate Kirchhofer completed his PhD in 2016 the Materials Department at UC Santa Barbara with a focus in Physical Electrochemistry, tailoring biologically-inspired electronic reactions towards sustainable energy conversion technologies. Prior to that, he studied Physics and Mathematics at the University of Colorado (2008) and worked at the biofuels startup OPXBIO. Nate then joined Oxford Instruments Asylum Research to develop, produce, and sell advanced nano-electrochemical scanning probe microscopy techniques. Now, he is pursuing truly-sustainable, bio-inspired large-scale long-duration energy storage with BioZen Batteries. 

Today Nate joins Tim Montague to discuss the energy storage landscape, why Nate thinks there is space for Organic Flow Battery, the difference between the BioZen Organic Flow Battery and Vanadium Flow Batteries, how BioZen Batteries are produced and work, the BioZen technology and their path to commercialization, Nate’s vision for the energy storage, how you can be part of the BioZen Batteries process and much more.

Key Takeaways

1. How Nate got interested in Energy Storage?
2. What the Energy Storage Industry looks like?
3. Why Nate thinks there is room for Organic Flow Battery?
4. The difference between Organic Flow Battery and Vanadium Flow Battery
5. The production process for the BioZen batteries
6. The path for Commercialization for BioZen Batteries
7. Nate’s vision for the Energy Storage Landscape
8. How to be part of the BioZen Batteries process

BioZen Batteries

Connect with Nate Kirchhofer

Follow BioZen Battery on LinkedIn

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

🔥Stay up to date with the latest in solar, wind, and energy storage news with Tim Montague and John Weaver (Commercial Solar Guy)! 🤩 We break down the tools, technologies, and trends that are speeding the energy transition. Tune in LIVE on Thursdays at 12 noon EST/ 9 AM Pacific/ 11 Central/ 10 Mountain and give us a rating and review on Apple or Spotify. 📝 Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel too! If you have any questions or feedback, reach out to us at [email protected] or visit our website www.cleanpowerhour.com.🔌 🔋 💡

This week John Weaver and I discuss,
1. Meyer Burger is shifting to glass modules - and it's cool because these modules will be 90% of the original output in fifty years
2. Recap of the RE+ Event
3. Agrivoltaics Discussion and shoutout to Spade/Alexis Pascaris
4. Faux paux of the week - placing construction gear on top of a solar panel setup on a roof
5. Four large powerlines moving forward in the USA worth $13 billion in total
6. A Tesla Semi delivering potato chips on the highway
7. 100% wind-powered mine in Australia
8. 100 LG batteries stolen from California BESS project while awaiting recycling
9. Analysis of the UK carbon Emissions Report

Subscribe: https://bit.ly/cph-sub 

The podcast is available on YouTube and audio platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon. We bring you interviews with cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, and energy professionals weekly. 
What technologies are trending? 
Why are we excited about agrivoltaics or dual-use solar? 
What are the challenges and opportunities for renewable energy, electrification of transportation, and decarbonizing the economy? 

Listen, like, comment, and share! Get all our content at www.CleanPowerHour.com and reach out to Tim Montague @tgmontague on Twitter or Gmail. 

Subscribe: https://bit.ly/cph-sub 

The podcast is available on YouTube and audio platforms like Spotify, Apple, Google, and Amazon. We bring you interviews with cleantech entrepreneurs, investors, manufacturers, and energy professionals weekly. 
What technologies are trending? 
Why are we excited about agrivoltaics or dual-use solar? 
What are the challenges and opportunities for renewable energy, electrification of transportation, and decarbonizing the economy? 

Listen, like, comment, and share! Get all our content at www.CleanPowerHour.com and reach out to Tim Montague @tgmontague on Twitter or Gmail.

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! On today’s show, we are joined by Kelly Roache, Director of Policy & Community Solar at Renewable Properties. Renewable Properties is a team of solar project developers working on community solar and utility-scale solar development in the 1-20 megawatt range. 

Kelly Roache is the Director of Policy & Community Solar for Renewable Properties. Kelly’s responsibilities include identifying, monitoring, and entering key energy markets across the US, as well as, executing and managing Renewable Properties’ community solar strategy. 

Kelly has been in the renewable energy space for seven years and joined Renewable Properties in 2021. Prior to joining the team, she worked as the Director of Inclusion for Solstice Initiative where she led policy efforts, financial innovation, and pilot projects to increase low-to-moderate income access to community solar, in collaboration with solar developer, finance, governmental, utility, and community partners. 

Kelly also worked as a Research and Communications Specialist for the Energy and Policy Institute where she exposed attacks on renewable energy and countered misinformation by fossil fuel and utility interests. She earned both her Bachelor of Arts cum laude and Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.

Today Kelly joins Tim Montague to talk about her extensive background in Clean Energy, her responsibilities at Renewable Properties, why California has struggled with Community Solar, the story around AB 2316 the new California Solar Bill, the future of community solar and how it can be improved upon and much more. 

Key Takeaways

1. Kelly Roache’s background in Clean Energy, position and role at Renewable Properties
2. Why California has struggled with Community Solar
3. The AB 2316 California Solar Bill
4. Importance of storage when it comes to community solar and solar in general
5. What makes the New York solar market different from other markets in the US
6. The future of community solar and how can it be improved upon

Renewable Properties
Follow Renewable Properties on LinkedIn
Connect with Kelly Roache

Support the show

Connect with Tim  

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

Email [email protected] 

Review Clean Power Hour on Apple Podcasts

The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email:  [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