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Clean Power Hour

Clean Power Hour

Di: Tim Montague John Weaver
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The Clean Power Hour podcast is speeding the clean energy transition. Tim Montague and John Weaver highlight clean energy innovations shaping the next generation of renewable energy sources. We discuss the latest solar PV, battery storage, wind, water, wave, and other low-carbon technologies. We answer the question: How can we decarbonize the economy? We promote the economic opportunity of electrifying everything - transportation, energy, industry, and the built environment. Let's speed up the clean energy transition together. Join the movement - www.CleanPowerHour.com

© 2026 Clean Power Hour Economia Gestione e leadership Leadership Politica e governo
Episodi
  • The Business of Solar EPC: Profitability, Policy Risks, and Project Delivery #376

    The Business of Solar EPC: Profitability, Policy Risks, and Project Delivery #376
    Oct 15 2026

    Solar EPCs face growing pressure to deliver projects on time, manage costs, secure financing, and navigate changing energy policies. So how can smaller companies grow while protecting their profitability and reputation?

    In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Forrest Cohn, co-founder of Utopian Power, to discuss building a reliable solar and battery storage business in a changing market.

    Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Utopian Power develops renewable energy projects. It provides engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) services for municipalities, municipally owned utilities, rural electric cooperatives, and other project developers. The company focuses primarily on projects under 10 MW, with experience across the Midwest and other US markets.

    Whether you're a solar developer, EPC contractor, project owner, or clean energy professional, this episode offers practical insights into growing a solar business without compromising on project delivery.

    IN THIS EPISODE

    • How Utopian Power grew from a startup founded in 2020 into a renewable energy developer and EPC contractor.
    • Why municipalities and smaller utilities can create opportunities for solar developers.
    • How EPC companies can partner with developers to deliver community solar projects.
    • Why bonding capacity matters when pursuing larger construction contracts.
    • How financial discipline and responsible project selection help protect profitability.
    • How Utopian Power approaches hiring, project pipelines, and business growth amid market uncertainty.
    • How tariffs, equipment restrictions, and changing federal tax credit policies affect solar project costs.
    • Why state policies and utility programs remain important to commercial solar deployment.
    • What solar companies can do to build trust and strengthen the industry's reputation.


    Connect with Forrest Cohn, Utopian Power

    Forrest Cohn | LinkedIn
    Utopian Power

    Support the show

    Connect with Tim

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

    Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com

    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: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com

    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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    30 min
  • How to Make Affordable Housing Solar Work | Resonant Energy #375

    How to Make Affordable Housing Solar Work | Resonant Energy #375
    Oct 13 2026
    A 100 kW rooftop can be a meaningful source of energy savings—and a difficult project to finance. How do you make solar work for affordable housing, churches, and nonprofits?In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Ben Underwood and Isaac Baker, founders of Massachusetts-based Resonant Energy, to discuss how they built a solar development business around nonprofits, houses of worship, and low-income multifamily housing.Ben and Isaac explain how a portfolio approach brings buying power and financing to smaller projects, why their business pivoted toward affordable housing, and what developers and installation partners can learn from that model.In the interview, Ben puts completed projects at roughly 5 MW, with about 15 MW in the pipeline. Behind those numbers is years of work aligning customer demand, installation partners, capital, and policy.A central question: do the savings actually reach residents? The conversation distinguishes direct utility-bill benefits from savings that support building operations and improvements, and explores the Connecticut approach described by Isaac. They also discuss changing federal incentives, battery deployment barriers, and the potential of peak-demand compensation.In this episode, you'll hear about:• Why Resonant Energy shifted from anaerobic digestion into community solar and small commercial projects• How the company used community networks to bring solar to churches, nonprofits, and other organizations that struggled to access conventional project finance• Why bundling smaller solar projects into portfolios can make them more attractive to investors• How Resonant Energy moved into affordable multifamily housing after COVID disrupted its faith-based customer base• The role of Massachusetts' net metering and SMART incentive programs in making low-income solar projects viable• How the Inflation Reduction Act helped accelerate Resonant Energy's growth• How solar is becoming increasingly important for all-electric affordable housing developments as electricity costs rise• What a typical 40-unit multifamily solar project looks like, including 75 to 150 kW behind-the-meter systems• How Connecticut's affordable housing solar policy creates a direct benefit for residents• The challenges of deploying batteries on small commercial properties, from local fire codes to federal sourcing requirements• Why rate design and peak-demand compensation matter as federal solar incentives change• Why urban and suburban rooftops and parking canopies could play a much larger role in America's future energy systemFor developers, EPCs, and affordable housing owners, the takeaway is practical: smaller projects can become a meaningful market when financing, delivery, and resident benefits are designed together.Connect with GuestsBen Underwood | LinkedIn Isaac Baker | LinkedIn Resonant Energy Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com 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: CleanPowerHour@gmail.comCorporate 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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    57 min
  • TVA’s Grid Is Under Pressure. Solar, Storage and Microgrids Could Be the Answer #374

    TVA’s Grid Is Under Pressure. Solar, Storage and Microgrids Could Be the Answer #374
    Oct 8 2026

    Rising electricity demand and prolonged outages are pushing the Tennessee Valley to rethink how it builds and operates the grid. Where do solar, batteries, and community-scale microgrids fit?

    In episode 374 of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague welcomes Gil Hough, Executive Director of the Tennessee Solar Energy Industries Association (TenneSEIA), for a conversation following the organization’s 2026 conference.

    Gil explains how the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) shapes this distinctive public-power market—and why municipal utilities and electric cooperatives are becoming a source of innovation in solar, storage, and distributed energy.

    Tim and Gil discuss:

    • How TVA’s federal public-power structure shapes opportunities for solar and storage developers

    • Why TVA’s new Integrated Resource Plan includes a distributed-energy strategy alongside utility-scale solar, storage, and other generation

    • How annual requests for proposals are changing TVA’s approach to large-scale solar and storage procurement

    • What the invitation-only Resource Solicitation Cluster means for project selection and interconnection studies

    • How generation flexibility gives local power companies room to develop solar, storage, and virtual power plants

    • What recent storm outages reveal about the need for local resilience and community-scale microgrids

    • How TVA’s decision-making and funding model differs from the investor-owned utility model

    • How TenneSEIA’s committees and utility relationships help developers, manufacturers, and local power companies collaborate

    For developers and energy professionals, the conversation highlights two routes into the market: TVA’s utility-scale procurement process and partnerships with local power companies pursuing distributed resources.

    Gil argues that solar, storage, and better load management can help utilities use their infrastructure more effectively and mitigate cost pressures. Tim explores his vision of a grid of community-scale microgrids, with substations serving as hubs for nearby generation and storage.

    Listen for a practical look at how procurement, utility partnerships, economics, and resilience are shaping the next phase of clean energy in the Tennessee Valley.

    MEET TIM AT ILREC 2026

    Tim Montague will be at the Illinois Renewable Energy Conference (ILREC), October 19-20, 2026, at the Bloomington-Normal Marriott and Conference Center in Normal, Illinois.

    ILREC brings together leaders from across Illinois' renewable energy industry to discuss the policies, technologies, market trends, and business challenges shaping the state's clean energy future.

    Learn more and register at https://illinoisrenewableenergyconference.org/

    Connect with Gil Hough

    TenneSEIA website: https://tenneseiasolar.com/

    Gil Hough LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilhough

    Support the show

    Connect with Tim

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

    Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com

    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: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com

    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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    37 min
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