Shows
Clean Power HourBatteries Now #1 Morning Power Source in CaliforniaFor the first time, batteries and solar powered California around the clock, with batteries running as the number one morning electricity source at nearly 6,000 megawatts. Tim Montague and John Weaver break down this milestone and a packed week of clean energy news, from a Supreme Court ruling striking down global tariffs to a Republican push to reinstate the 30% solar ITC. EPISODE HIGHLIGHTSCalifornia achieved 24/7 solar and battery power for the first time. Batteries discharged through the night and morning, charged on near-free midday solar, then discharged again in the evening. (PV Magazine)Republican House member Brian F...
2026-02-2444 min
Clean Power HourHow Clean Energy Companies Can Get Real ROI from AI #330Most businesses are stuck in AI demo mode, watching impressive one-off showcases that never become daily operations. In this episode, Tim Montague welcomes Josh Huston from Agents Anywhere to break down the three categories of AI opportunity: apps, agents, and automations. Josh has spent over three years helping companies turn AI from buzzword into working business infrastructure.Key Discussion Points:Why AI is an accelerator for working workflows, not a fix for broken processesThe three AI opportunity categories: apps (custom interfaces), agents (goal-driven LLMs with tool access), and automations (background workflows)How data ownership...
2026-01-2235 min
Clean Power HourThe Global Team Strategy That's SLASHING Solar Project Costs#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...
2025-11-0646 min
Clean Power HourMasdar 5.2GW Solar Plus 19GWh Storage: World's First 24/7 Solar PlantIn the latest Clean Power Hour Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver discuss major developments in clean energy markets. Learn about the world's largest solar plus storage project breaking ground in Abu Dhabi, how silver prices are transforming solar panel economics, and why residential batteries are creating a feedback loop that drives more solar installations. Tim shares insights from his recent visit to the TenneSEIA market, where LightWave Solar and other installers are building community-scale projects and expanding into battery storage.Episode Highlights:Silver prices exceeded $50 per ounce, making older solar panels worth $30 or more for...
2025-11-0450 min
Clean Power HourInside Look at Canada's Booming Solar Market with CPS's Ross Wickenheiser | EP286Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Ross Wickenheiser, Head of Sales for Canada at CPS (Chint Power Systems), from the floor of Intersolar San Diego. Ross shares valuable insights into Canada's rapidly expanding solar market, particularly highlighting the substantial growth in utility-scale projects across the western provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta.Ross details how Canada's federal Clean Investment Tax Credit is driving significant new solar development, creating a financially attractive environment for investors alongside the naturally advantageous topography and sunlight conditions in western Canada. The conversation reveals the impressive scale of these developments...
2025-05-0809 min
Clean Power HourSingle-Axis Trackers: How Array Technologies is Tackling Solar Efficiency | EP285Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague talks with Aaron Gabelnick, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Technology Officer at Array Technologies, about the evolving landscape of solar tracking systems and how they're reducing the cost of renewable energy.Aaron explains how he transitioned from working in traditional energy to join Array Technologies, drawn by the company's mission of "generating energy with integrity for a sustainable world." He details Array's innovative approach to solar tracking, including their unique passive stow mechanism that allows solar arrays to automatically position themselves safely during high winds while maximizing energy production.
2025-05-0140 min
Clean Power HourUnderstand Domestic Solar Manufacturing with Chris Lettman | EP281Today’s episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague welcomes back Chris Lettman, US Sales Director for Imperial Star Solar, to dive deep into the world of domestic content in solar panel manufacturing. As the US approaches 50 gigawatts of solar panel manufacturing capacity, Chris brings his 16+ years of industry experience to clarify the often misunderstood requirements for domestic content qualification.Chris explains the critical distinction between modules assembled in the US versus those that truly qualify for the 10% ITC domestic content adder, which requires US-manufactured solar cells. With only about 5 gigawatts of the current 50 gigawatts of pa...
2025-04-1731 min
Clean Power HourSolving the Multifamily EV Charging Challenge with Aubrey Gunnels of 3V Infrastructure | EP273Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague delves into the critical yet often overlooked aspect of electrification: EV charging infrastructure for multifamily housing. Tim welcomes Aubrey Gunnels, CEO and co-founder of 3V Infrastructure, a company that's tackling the significant gap in EV charging accessibility for the 31% of Americans living in multifamily buildings.Aubrey explains how 3V's business model works – they provide all capital expenditure and operational costs while installing Level 2 chargers at multifamily properties at zero cost to property owners. The company generates revenue by charging drivers a premium on electricity rates, creating a sustainable business mo...
2025-04-0131 min
Clean Power HourSolar Innovation and Energy Resilience with Peter Oprysko| EP269Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Peter Oprysko, Key Accounts Manager at CPS America, the nation's leading three-phase string inverter manufacturer. Peter shares valuable insights on how string inverter technology is revolutionizing the renewable energy landscape across diverse applications - from community solar and commercial rooftops to data centers and utility-scale projects.Peter discusses CPS America's commitment to customer service and collaborative partnerships, emphasizing how this approach helps drive innovation in product development. The conversation explores the rapidly expanding market for energy storage solutions, with Peter detailing CPS's comprehensive battery offerings...
2025-03-2021 min
Clean Power HourSolar's Growing Pains: Tariffs, Utah's Balcony Solar, and Commercial Project UpdatesIn this insightful episode of Clean Power Hour, hosts Tim Montague and John Weaver dive into the latest developments shaking up the renewable energy landscape. They discuss the immediate impacts of newly announced tariffs on Canadian and Mexican solar equipment, with John sharing how his commercial projects are already seeing price increases on critical components like neutral ground reactors. (Link)The conversation shifts to exciting innovations in the solar space, including Utah's groundbreaking unanimous legislation allowing plug-in balcony solar systems and a unique vertical solar cell mounting system from Norway. (Story Link) John and Tim a...
2025-03-1438 minClean Power HourThe State of Solar: Record Installations, California Grid Breakthroughs, and IRA UncertaintyIn this engaging bi-weekly news roundup, host Tim Montague welcomes back John Weaver, "the commercial solar guy," to discuss major developments in the renewable energy sector. The episode highlights Bloomberg NEF's report of nearly 50 gigawatts of solar deployed in the US in 2024, a significant increase from the previous year that demonstrates solar's growing dominance over wind in capacity additions.John shares his analysis of California's impressive clean energy progress, where solar generation is up 34% year-over-year and recently achieved the milestone of meeting 100% of the state's electricity demand - remarkably in February. They discuss how battery storage deployment...
2025-02-2637 min
Clean Power HourThe Future of Home Solar: Battery Storage, EV Integration, and Installation Trends with Joe Ordia | EP262In this illuminating episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Joe Ordia, the creator of Solar Surge on YouTube, to explore the rapidly evolving landscape of residential solar technology. With 13 years of industry experience, Joe shares invaluable insights on the transformation of home solar and battery storage solutions, from early "science experiment" setups to today's sleek, integrated systems.The conversation delves deep into the current state of residential solar technology, examining the pros and cons of leading brands like Tesla, Franklin, Enphase, and SolarEdge. Joe and Tim discuss the shifting dynamics of...
2025-02-2537 min
Clean Power HourSolar PV Training, Trends, and Technology with Sean White | EP248Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague is joined by Sean White, a renowned NABCEP-certified trainer, solar educator, and author. Sean is a global leader in the solar energy industry, known for his engaging training sessions and dedication to advancing the field.The discussion begins with a reference to their recent experiences at the Oregon Solar Conference, where they participated in unique activities like goat yoga, blending humor with insights about the event's focus on dedicated solar professionals and the local market's surprisingly favorable payback periods for commercial and industrial solar installations.As the...
2024-12-1046 min
Clean Power HourSun'Agri: Bringing European Agrivoltaic Innovation to the US | EP231In this fascinating episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Chuck Schwartz, head of business development at Sun'Agri, to explore the cutting-edge world of agrivoltaics. Chuck shares his journey from engineering to entrepreneurship, ultimately leading him to the forefront of solar technology in agriculture.The conversation delves into Sun'Agri's innovative software platform, which intelligently steers solar panels to optimize both crop growth and energy production. Chuck explains how their technology can help farmers mitigate climate change challenges, such as drought and frost damage, while still generating significant solar power. He discusses the...
2024-09-0327 min
Clean Power HourRobotic Solar Farm Vegetation Management with Tim Lichti | EP229In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Tim Lichti, founder and CEO of Swap Robotics, to discuss innovative solar farm vegetation management solutions. Lichti shares insights into how his company is tackling one of the most significant ongoing expenses in solar farm operations - vegetation control.Swap Robotics has developed a fleet of custom-built, all-electric robots designed to maintain large-scale solar installations. These machines feature unique capabilities such as offsettable cutting decks that can reach under solar panels and specialized attachments for trimming around I-beams. Lichti explains how these robots are...
2024-08-2019 min
Clean Power HourBuilding the Solar Workforce: Union Labor's Role in the Energy Transition | EP221In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Dane Simpson, Director of LECET (Laborers' and Employers' Cooperation and Education Trust), to explore the vital role of labor unions in constructing the gigawatts of solar needed for the energy transition. Dane elucidates how organizations like LECET and LIUNA (Laborers' International Union of North America) are fostering the growth of the solar industry in the Midwest. The conversation delves into the significance of project labor agreements and apprenticeship programs, highlighting how union contractors can benefit from ready access to skilled labor and valuable industry connections.
2024-07-2337 min
Clean Power HourNavigating the Clean Energy Transition: Insights from Clean Capital's Thomas Byrne | EP219In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Thomas Byrne, CEO and co-founder of Clean Capital, to discuss the evolving landscape of clean energy investment and development. Byrne shares insights from his journey in the industry, from his beginnings as a project finance lawyer to founding Clean Capital in 2016.The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by the ongoing energy transition. Byrne and Montague explore the unexpected surge in electricity demand due to the rise of data centers and artificial intelligence (AI), and how this impacts the push for...
2024-07-1638 min
Clean Power HourRevolutionizing the Grid: Smart Technology and Energy Storage Solutions with Dr. Zhehan Yi | EP217In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague welcomes Dr. Zhehan Yi, Utility and ESS Product Solutions Director at CPS America, for an in-depth exploration of cutting-edge utility-scale energy storage solutions. Dr. Yi shares his journey from electrical engineering to becoming a key player in the renewable energy sector, offering unique insights into the evolving landscape of energy storage technology.The conversation centers around CPS America's groundbreaking 5 megawatt-hour battery storage container solution, a game-changer in the utility-scale storage market. Dr. Yi explains the innovative string structure approach employed by CPS, drawing parallels with their...
2024-07-0243 min
Clean Power HourCrops, Critters and Conservation: The Solar Farm Summit with Dan French | EP215In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague interviews Dan French, the founder of the Solar Farm Summit, an event dedicated to promoting and advancing agrivoltaic solar (also known as dual-use solar or solar grazing). Dan shares his background, starting from his work as an attorney for BP Oil, then making his mark in brownfield solar development to his current focus on agrivoltaics and agrisolar.Dan French is Founder and Executive Producer of Brightfield Productions, which produces the Solar Farm Summit, North America's Agrivoltaics Expo, in Chicago, IL as well as the Virginia Solar Summit...
2024-06-1823 min
Clean Power HourLandfill Solar: Community Solar Success Story with Scott Tess, City of Urbana, IL | EP210In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague is joined by Scott Tess, the Sustainability and Resilience Officer for the City of Urbana, Illinois. They discuss the 5.3 megawatt community solar project that was developed on the city’s closed municipal solid waste landfill in Urbana Illinois in Central Illinois (home of the University of Illinois). This episode holds a special place in Montague’s heart because the landfill was the very first solar project he walked back in 2016 when he we just getting into the PV industry full-time.Scott provides an in-depth overview of the...
2024-05-2143 minClean Power HourClean Power Hour LIVE Feb 23, 2024 w/ John Weaver & Tim MontagueStay up to date with the latest solar, wind, and energy storage news and analysis. Join co-hosts Tim Montague, solar & storage expert, and John Weaver, PV Magazine journalist, as they reflect on the latest tools, technologies, and trends driving the energy transition forward. With a strong commitment to decarbonizing the economy and building a safer, healthier future for humanity, this show is a must-watch for any energy professional looking to stay ahead of the game. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, rate and review us on Apple or Spotify, and join us live every Thursday at 12 noon...
2024-02-231h 01
Clean Power HourUnlocking the Value Stack of Solar + Storage in PJM with David Braun | EP195Earn, save, protect - energy storage is revolutionizing the way we think about and utilize electricity. Batteries are no longer just backup power sources - they have become assets capable of providing a multitude of services to the grid and customers. Earn - you can turn a battery into a cash machine by providing ‘ancillary services’ to the grid operator with your battery. Save - you can reduce demand and capacity charges by using the battery to discharge during peak load hours/days. Protect - you can use a battery as a source of backup power during grid outages. Toge...
2024-02-2042 min
Clean Power HourCreating a Customer-Centric Organization in Technology Sales | Kelly Shamblen, CPS | EP193The solar industry is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and mounting competition forcing companies to adapt or be left behind. On this week's Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Kelly Shamblen, Regional Sales Manager West for Chint Power Systems (CPS America), the leading three-phase string inverter manufacturer in North America.Kelly has been with CPS for six years which is a testament to the company’s ability to recruit and retain top talent. She has a somewhat unconventional background in the solar industry but Kelly has made an indelible mark on CPS during her tenure. Th...
2024-02-1333 min
Clean Power HourWhy Illinois is a Solar Market to Watch with Lewis Butler, Nelnet Renewable Energy | EP188The solar industry is constantly evolving. With new technologies, regulations, and business models emerging every year, it can be challenging for solar companies to keep up. That's where joining your state's solar energy association can make all the difference. In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague talks with Lewis Butler, head of sales and business development at Nelnet Renewable Energy and board member of the Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA). He discusses his journey in the industry, including how he first got involved with ISEA.Want to learn more about working in the Illinois...
2024-01-2327 min
Clean Power HourNavigating IRA Incentives and Rebates with Jamie Skaar | EP187The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides major incentives and tax credits to accelerate the clean energy transition in the United States. But how can solar, storage, and electrification companies take advantage of the IRA? In this episode, Tim Montague talks with Jamie Skaar, founder and CEO of Luna Energy, about the opportunities and challenges in implementing the IRA.Jamie explains how solar installers can expand their businesses by adding energy storage, heat pumps, building upgrades, and other electrification technologies. He advises thinking through your local market - the demographics, income levels, and available incentives - rather than...
2024-01-1641 minClean Power HourClean Power Hour LIVE January 4, 2024 w/ John Weaver & Tim MontagueStay up to date with the latest solar, wind, and energy storage news and analysis. Join co-hosts Tim Montague, solar & storage expert, and John Weaver, PV Magazine journalist, as they reflect on the latest tools, technologies, and trends driving the energy transition forward. With a strong commitment to decarbonizing the economy and building a safer, healthier future for humanity, this show is a must-watch for any energy professional looking to stay ahead of the game. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, rate and review us on Apple or Spotify, and join us live every Thursday at 12 noon...
2024-01-051h 00
Clean Power HourConnecting Veterans to Clean Energy Careers with Jana Toner, ACP | EP184Happy New Year Folks. The clean energy industry is booming, with projections to double by 2030. This rapid growth represents an immense opportunity for the over 200,000 service members transitioning from the military to civilian life every year. Helping veterans translate their skills and find purposeful work is crucial, and this week's Clean Power Hour dives into how.On this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague speaks with Jana Toner, Senior Vice President at American Corporate Partners (ACP), a nonprofit that helps veterans transition to civilian careers.They discuss the challenges veterans face when...
2024-01-0235 min
Clean Power HourGetting Involved with ISEA with Brian Haug | EP183The Illinois solar market has exploded in recent years thanks to favorable state policies, turning the state into a national leader in renewable energy. Today on the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague talks with Brian Haug, President of Continental Energy Solutions. Brian is a past President of the board of ISEA, the Illinois Solar Energy Association, and an early adopter of solar in Illinois since 2008. We discuss the growth he has witnessed in Illinois Solar and why it is crucial for industry players to engage with the Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA). We discuss how policies...
2023-12-2618 min