Tim Montague

Utility Microgrids Value Stack: 8 Revenue Streams Explained

#EP324 Microgrids offer utilities eight distinct value stacks (or streams), yet most still treat them as experimental pilots. Today on the Clean Power Hour, we reveal how microgrids are strategic network assets that deliver value every single day, not just when the grid fails.  Martin Szczepanik is Director of Energy and Resources at Baringa, a…

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Energy Projects Just Got Faster With AI

#EP323 Building clean energy projects faster starts with better tools. Maryssa Barron, Founder and CEO of BuildQ, joins Tim Montague to discuss how AI transforms energy project development.  Maryssa Barron is the founder and CEO of BuildQ, the enterprise AI platform purpose-built for clean energy project teams to accelerate development, financing, and asset management. She…

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America Crushes 40GW Storage Goal Set in 2017: Supply Can’t Keep Up

This week on Clean Power Hour Live, Tim Montague and John Weaver break down the biggest solar and storage headlines shaping the industry right now. The US reached 40 gigawatts of grid storage in 2025, beating the 35 gigawatt goal set in 2017. But supply chains are struggling to keep up. 100 amp-hour battery cells…

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AI is REVOLUTIONIZING Clean Energy Permits

#EP322  Today on the Clean Power Hour, we dive into one of the biggest bottlenecks strangling the clean energy transition: the slow, messy world of zoning, permitting, and early-stage development. Our guests are Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal, co-founders of Spark AI, a Y Combinator-backed platform that has ingested and summarized nearly every zoning code,…

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Solving NYC’s Energy Crisis: 30-Year Battery Tech for Urban Grids

#321 Today on the Clean Power Hour, we explore energy storage as a service for some of the toughest markets in the country. Tim Montague sits down with Christian Farivar, founder of Karh, to discuss how his company is tackling grid congestion, load pockets, and resilience challenges in Urban Areas like New York City with…

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How Electric Co-ops Drive Tennessee Solar + Battery Storage Growth

#320 Today on the Clean Power Hour, Brandon Wagoner, Vice President of Strategy at Middle Tennessee Electric, explains how the second largest cooperative in America manages explosive EV adoption, deploys 32 megawatts of battery storage, and builds 113 megawatts of solar arrays while keeping rates low. His secret weapon: load factor optimization. Middle Tennessee Electric…

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CATL Signs Record 200 GWh Battery Deal: What It Means for Storage

On this week’s Clean Power Hour Live, Tim and John discuss Illinois legislation bringing 3 gigawatts of battery storage to IL, the public health impacts of solar tariffs, and global energy storage market trends that are reshaping the grid. Episode Highlights: CATL signs 200 gigawatt hour energy storage deal with Beijing HyperStrong, representing nearly 60%…

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AI Energy Forecasting: How Machine Learning is Transforming the Grid

#319  The modern power grid faces an existential challenge: integrating massive amounts of renewable energy while keeping the lights on. Sean Kelly, CEO and Founder of Amperon, explains how artificial intelligence and machine learning are replacing outdated forecasting methods to predict energy supply and demand with precision. This conversation explores battery optimization, demand response programs,…

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

#318 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…

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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…

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