Clean Power Hour

• Why Alaska Is Crushing the Microgrid Game (And What We Learn)

  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 competitiveAlaska 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/ Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email [email protected] Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe 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

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• The 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 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/danielrdusWebsite: cleantechindustryresources.comSolar Fight Night: www.solarfightnight.org/ Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email [email protected] Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe 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

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• Masdar 5.2GW Solar Plus 19GWh Storage: World's First 24/7 Solar Plant

  In 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 recyclers and adding $7 to $15 in material costs to new modules (Link)Masdar breaks ground on 5.2GW solar with 19GWh storage in Abu Dhabi, delivering 1GW of baseload power around the clock starting in 2027 (PV Tech)Australia's residential battery installations tripled after new energy storage incentives launched, requiring VPP compatibility (Link)Tennessee Valley Authority (TenneSEIA) market shows growth in utility-scale solar through Silicon Ranch and community solar projects, with Light Wave Solar leading residential installations since 2006FlexGen announces hybrid OS software platform to manage both batteries and solar assets, expanding to 25GWh of battery capacity under management (PV Magazine)Residential battery demand creates a shortage of smaller 100Ah cells as manufacturers shift to larger utility-scale formats (PV Magazine)The clean energy sector shows strong momentum across multiple fronts. Large-scale storage projects like Masdar's 5.2GW plant demonstrate the path to 24/7 solar baseload power. Meanwhile, residential battery incentives in markets like Australia prove how energy storage dri Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email [email protected] Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe 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

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• Solar Grazing Saves Failing Farms: The Agri-Energy Revolution

  #316 Rebekah Pierce runs a regenerative sheep farm in upstate New York and has cracked the code on making solar farms work for agriculture. Her new book "Agri Energy" reveals how combining solar panels with farming creates a win for developers, farmers, and rural communities.The land use math is stunning. The US dedicates 30 million acres to growing corn for ethanol fuel. Solar panels are 100 times more efficient at converting land into energy. We need just 1% of US land (23 million acres) to supply all our electricity with solar alone. Converting those ethanol acres to dual-use solar could power 100% of electricity needs AND a nationwide EV fleet.Rebekah Pierce is the author of "Agri Energy" (Island Press, November 2025) and owner of JR Pierce Family Farm in Clinton County, New York. She started with backyard chickens in 2015 and now grazes sheep across half a dozen solar projects in three counties. She writes about regenerative agriculture, solar grazing, and the intersection of farming and renewable energy.Key Discussion Points:Why corn-to-ethanol uses massive land area with terrible efficiency (100 to 200x worse than solar)How solar grazing cuts O&M costs for developers while creating farmer incomeThe real threat to farmland: urbanization takes far more land than solar ever will100,000 farms lost between 2011-2018 as average farmer age hits 58Technical requirements: water access, secure fencing, interior paddocks for rotational grazingTopsoil loss: one pound per bushel of corn producedResources: American Solar Grazing Association (ASGA) and REFA (Renewable Energy Farmers of America)The book covers far more than sheep and solar. Rebekah researched all the ways agriculture and renewables intersect, from wind farms to battery storage to elevated tracking systems for larger livestock.Connect with Rebekah Pierce Website: www.jrpiercefamilyfarm.com/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rebekah-pierce-writer/Book: "Agri Energy" available November 2025 on Amazon and Island Presshttps://islandpress.org/books/agri-energy#desc Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email [email protected] Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe 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

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• Why Industrial Real Estate is the KEY to Unlocking a Cleaner Future

  In this week's Clean Power Hour live, Tim Montague and co-host John Weaver were joined by Wes Hersche, Director of Enterprise Sustainability at Prologis, to explore how the world's largest logistics real estate company is transforming 1.3 billion square feet of rooftop space into clean energy assets. They discuss Prologis' ambitious push toward their first gigawatt of solar, innovative approaches to enterprise sustainability including microgrids and geothermal solutions, and how on-site generation remains compelling despite regulatory headwinds.Episode highlights:Prologis is nearing their first gigawatt of on-site solar installations across their 1.3 billion square feet of logistics real estate in 20 countriesThe company is targeting 2 gigawatts of solar by 2030 while expanding into battery storage, EV charging infrastructure, and microgrids for major clients like Amazon and WalmartCommunity solar developments are being explored as a way to serve customers who can't install on-site solar due to structural or operational constraintsGeothermal solutions including deep geothermal (4,000-15,000 feet) and ground-source heat pumps from companies like Bedrock Energy are being evaluated for heating and cooling optimizationTheir EV depot project in Torrance, CA, serves as a model for freight electrification, enabling 96 trucks to charge concurrently, supported by 18 MWh of backup storage. (Source: Prologis)With their "power as a platform" approach, Prologis is not just installing solar panels on warehouse rooftops; they're creating comprehensive energy ecosystems that include battery storage, EV charging, microgrids, and emerging technologies like geothermal and non-combustive generators. Wes Hersche's insights reveal that despite industry headwinds and regulatory uncertainty, the fundamental economics of on-site generation remain compelling for enterprise customers pursuing sustainability goals. Connect with Wes HerscheLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/herche/Website: www.prologis.com/ Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email [email protected] Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe 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

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