In 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 whe...

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague interviews Adib Nasle, the co-founder and CEO of Xendee, a company that provides a software platform to design and optimize complex on-site energy systems. The discussion revolves around Xendee's unique approach to addressing the complexities and uncertainties associated with distributed energy systems.Nasle explains that the core problem they aimed to solve was the lack of a practical way to "test drive" on-site energy systems before comm...

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague hosts a special live webinar with Austin Carr, founder and president of Greenlink Energy Solutions, and Jim Keeling, a business attorney and partner at Hinshaw law, both based in Rockford, Illinois.They discuss the opportunities and challenges of behind-the-meter solar PV installations for churches and universities in Northern Illinois. Austin and Jim share insights from their recent successful solar projects at Our Savior Lutheran Church ...

The hydrogen economy is all the rage, with billions in government funding and skyrocketing private investment. But should we buy into the hype? Energy and utility guru Peter Kelly-Detwiler joins Tim Montague to separate fact from fiction about the promises and perils of the hydrogen economy. They discuss the existing hydrogen economy, which is largely centered around industrial processes like refining and fertilizer production, and the potential for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors li...

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague talks with Nate Owen, founder and CEO of Ampion, about the evolution and future of community solar. Key topics and takeaways include:- How community solar is moving beyond its roots in state-specific programs to more flexible models that can scale rapidly. Nate discusses "Community Solar 2.0" - applying the shared solar concept to larger projects over 5 MW with diverse corporate and institutional offtakers.- The huge pent-up demand fr...

Solar trackers have swept the utility-scale solar industry in recent years, with single-axis trackers now deployed on a staggering 94% of large-scale projects. While a few big names dominate the tracker market, one company - Nevados Solar - has carved out a distinct niche with its unique all-terrain tracking technology. In this episode, host Tim Montague chats with Nevados founder and CEO Yezin Taha about how their innovative segmented torque tube design is helping developers tackle more chal...

The solar industry has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade, with string inverters playing a pivotal role in this evolution. In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with John Drummond, the Senior Applications Engineer at CPS America, to explore the advancements in string inverter technology and how they are shaping the future of the solar industry. Drummond shares his extensive experience, tracing his career journey from the early days of...

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Aviv Shalgi, CEO and co-founder of Solar Simplified, to discuss the growing and important niche of community solar. Aviv shares his journey into entrepreneurship, starting in the advertising industry before finding his passion in the energy transition. He explains how Solar Simplified was founded in 2020 with the goal of helping people save money during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and how the team identified community solar...

In this episode, Tim Montague sits down with Francois Byrne, CEO of Hybrid Power Solutions, to discuss the company's innovative approach to decarbonizing mobile power and construction. Francois shares his journey from working on hybrid race cars to developing cutting-edge battery and solar hybrid systems that eliminate the need for diesel generators. Hybrid Power Solutions offers a range of rugged, plug-and-play products that combine batteries, solar panels, and (optionally) diesel...

In this episode of The Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague interviews Alex Nussey, co-founder and CEO of Wattch, a cutting-edge solar monitoring and asset management platform trusted by top installers, developers, and utilities. Nussey shares the origin story of Wattch, which began as a college project building IV curve testers for a solar car racing team. Nussey explains how Wattch differentiates itself as a data-first company by creating precise digital twins of solar assets to model their...

In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague is joined by Brian Baxter, Director of Sales East at CPS America, to discuss the rapid evolution of the solar and storage industry. As string inverter technologies gain traction in the utility-scale segment, CPS America is at the forefront of this trend with their innovative three-phase string inverters and battery storage products. Brian shares his unique background, transitioning from engineering roles at GE to sales leadership at...

America's thousands of closed landfills represent a massive untapped opportunity to generate clean solar power. These unused brownfield sites, which are often seen as burdens on their local communities, have the potential to be transformed into renewable energy assets that provide a range of benefits. In this episode, Tim Montague explores the possibilities and challenges of developing solar farms on retired landfills with guest Annika Colston, founder and president of AC Power. Annika...

In this expert panel webinar, Tim Montague hosts Monroe Jett, CEO and founder of Title Leader, and Mike Koehler, Director of Solar Development at Azimuth Renewables, to discuss how solar developers can accelerate project timelines and boost ROI by modernizing the often overlooked bottleneck of land title search and management.  Key discussion points include: - How siloed, decentralized title workflows cost developers time and money at critical project junctures - The risks of relying on...

The solar industry has come a long way since its early days of small off-grid systems. With utility-scale solar farms now measured in the 100s of megawatts, grid penetration rising fast, and batteries no longer a novelty but a necessity, there's a world of knowledge required to be successful in solar + BESS. To help make sense of the current solar and storage landscape, we're joined today on the Clean Power Hour by expert Ryan Mayfield, CEO of Mayfield Renewables. With over 20 years of...

Solar PPAs are a popular way to finance commercial solar projects, but the process remains nebulous to many installers and developers. In this illuminating webinar, host Tim Montague gets candid insights from two solar financing experts - Marc Palmer of Conductor Solar and Nick Perugini of Solaris Energy. With decades of combined experience structuring, financing, and closing commercial solar PPAs between investors, developers, and host customers, they shed light on real-world best...

Imagine a world where anyone, from a 10-year-old child to a seasoned professional, can access top-notch training in clean energy technologies like solar, batteries, and energy efficiency – all from the comfort of their living room. That's the vision behind Heatspring, an online learning platform co-founded by Brian Hayden back in 2007. In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague interviews Brian Hayden, the co-founder and Managing Partner of Heatspring, an online learning platform...

Stay 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...

Earn, 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...

Austin Carr, founder of Greenlink Energy Solutions, joins us to discuss his journey from military service to clean energy entrepreneur. We cover electrifying homes and buildings in a 360-degree approach - improving energy efficiency, upgrading mechanical systems, and adding solar and storage. Solar installers take note - this is the future of the solar company, a 360-degree approach to making the built environment more efficient and low carbon.  Key Takeaways Austin's early exposure to solar...

The 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...

Solar developers know that securing site control is mission-critical. But painstaking manual title search processes bog down developers every day, wasting valuable time across dozens of projects. What if you could centralize and streamline title management, gain visibility into individual workloads, and never miss a beat when team members are out? That’s exactly what Monroe Jett envisioned when he launched Title Leader. After 35 years in banking and title services, Monroe saw firsthand the...

In this episode, Tim Montague interviews Marc Palmer, CEO and Co-Founder of Conductor Solar, a platform that aims to accelerate commercial and community solar deals by connecting solar developers and investors to streamline project financing.  Marc is a repeat guest on the show and one of the nicest people in solar. He cut his teeth on the solar industry working for Invenergy in Chicago - one of the US's largest wind and solar developers. NOTE that there is a Clean Power Hour LIVE event...

The solar industry in Illinois has come a long way over the past decade, but its continued growth relies on overcoming legislative and regulatory challenges. In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague talks with Michelle Knox, owner of Wind Solar USA and former Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) board member, about the organization's crucial role in protecting and advancing rooftop solar across the state. Michelle has been in the solar industry since 2008, starting her...

The Inflation Reduction Act has supercharged clean energy investment in the US through generous tax credits for renewable energy projects. But monetizing those credits can be cumbersome, especially for smaller project developers. My guests today are working to change that. In this episode of The Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague speaks with Erik Underwood and Derek Silverman, co-founders of Basis Climate, about their new platform designed to help streamline and democratize tax credit transfers...