Clean Power Hour

#EP327 What if we could remove a trillion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere for $2 billion a year?Peter Fiekowsky, author of "Climate Restoration" and founder of the Foundation for Climate Restoration, returns to The Clean Power Hour with a solution most people have never heard of: localized ocean iron fertilization. An astrophysicist and semiconductor entrepreneur by training, Peter has spent over a decade researching methods to restore atmospheric CO2 to pre-industrial levels of 300 ppm. His work has taken him from the Vatican to the White House, and he now leads a growing movement to fund and deploy this proven natural process.KEY DISCUSSION POINTS:Why the energy transition alone will not prevent 450 ppm by 2050Localized ocean iron fertilization targets only 1% of the ocean using downwelling eddiesThe Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption in 1991 caused global CO2 to flatline for two yearsTotal cost: $1-2 billion per year (one penny per American per day)This approach removes 1,000 to 10,000 times more carbon than traditional ocean fertilization methodsRobotic ships could distribute iron pellets without crew costsThe Foundation's "million sponsor" campaign aims to demonstrate public demand for climate restorationThe wind, solar, and battery industries are doing essential work to eliminate 50 gigatons of annual emissions. That fight must continue. But stopping the bleeding is not the same as healing the wound. Peter Fiekowsky's research shows that nature has already solved this problem dozens of times through the Ice Age cycle. The question is whether humanity will choose to replicate what works. For the cost of a penny a day per American, we have the option to return atmospheric CO2 to safe levels within 25 years. The technology exists. The funding is achievable. The only missing ingredient is the collective decision to do it.Join the Movement: Be one of the million sponsors helping to restore CO2 to safe levels by 2050. Donate now: https://foundationforclimaterestoration.org/donate/Connect with Peter Fiekowsky Website: www.peterfiekowsky.com/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/pfiekowsky/ 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

#EP326 Happy Holidays! Today on the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague breaks down his top 5 episodes of 2025, featuring conversations that shaped how we think about solar, storage, virtual power plants, microgrids, and AI. From Jigar Shah's call for the industry to become a political force to Spark AI's permitting breakthroughs, these episodes capture where clean energy is headed.Key Episodes Covered:Episode 304 - Jigar Shah85% of new grid capacity will be solar, wind, and batteriesFossil fuels outspend clean energy 10:1 on political lobbyingVPPs could shift 20% of peak load by 203020% of Americans struggle to afford their electricity billsEpisode 274 - Ryan Mayfield and Jayson Smith CPS America's Gonzo containerized battery (125-256 kWh)20-millisecond switchover for grid-forming capabilityDaisy chain up to 12 units for megawatt-scale deployments60% of CPS workforce dedicated to serviceEpisode 307 - Peter Kelly-Detwiler 1,500 MW of data center load disconnected in Virginia incidentPJM capacity prices jumped from $30 to $329 per MW-dayCalifornia VPPs dispatched 535 MW from 100,000 homesEpisode 310 - Jeff St. John (Canary Media) 93% of new U.S. grid additions were solar, batteries, and windTexas ERCOT grid now 50% solar, wind, and batteriesCalifornia VPPs show 2:1 cost-benefit ratioTexas allocated $1.8B for microgrids after Winter Storm UriEpisode 322 - Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal (Spark AI) Platform compresses 4-10 hours of research to secondsStandard Solar reduced acquisition diligence from months to one weekThree core use cases: site selection, regulatory monitoring, acquisition due diligenceBonus: Episode 296 - Mark Palmer (Conductor Solar)Most listened to and shared episode on SpotifyCovers PPAs, project finance, and tax credit swappingDiscusses tariffs, supply chain pressures, and state policy importanceEpisodes MentionedEp 304 - https://youtu.be/lGv6NoDlf70Ep 274 - https://youtu.be/QxLIzBSM-lQEp 307 - https://youtu.be/apMrWUz7TV8Ep 310 - https://youtu.be/76PDeZ7ZGpsEp 322 - https://youtu.be/B3t0cpvTT-YEp 296 - https://youtu.be/aj_zNnpAUk8 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

#EP325 Home battery storage sits at less than 1% market penetration in America. The solar industry spent years focused on small urban systems while whole-home backup solutions remained out of reach for most homeowners. Tim Montague sits down with James Showalter, founder and CEO of EG4 Electronics, to discuss whole-home backup solutions that provide true energy independence. James shares his journey from installing off-grid systems at age 15 to building one of America's fastest-growing solar and battery companies. EG4 Electronics is a premier solar manufacturer based in Texas, dedicated to delivering high-quality, affordable, and reliable energy solutions. EG4 is committed to empowering homes and businesses with energy independence.KEY DISCUSSION POINTS:Battery storage adoption remains below 1% of American homes, with James predicting a majority will have batteries in his lifetime, as costs decline and whole-home solutions become viable across broader geographic marketsIndustry concentration on small urban residential systems left whole-home backup opportunities underserved in suburban and rural markets EG4's product strategy offers installers a choice between different battery configurations, letting them select the right solution for each customer's needs and budget constraintsWhole home backup requires different economics than partial backup systems popular in dense urban areas, driving EG4's focus on affordability and power capacity for homes with higher energy loadsPartnership approach with LG Energy Solutions provides one path for installers needing domestic content compliance, while maintaining imported options for projects where upfront cost determines feasibilityThe residential battery market hasn't scratched the surface. Current adoption sits below 1%. The solar industry concentrated on one narrow segment while whole-home storage opportunities in broader markets went largely unaddressed. EG4's approach focuses on those overlooked opportunities.Connect with James Showalter, EG4 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-showalter-9a0599156/Website: https://eg4electronics.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

#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 global energy consultancy. He brings 11 years of utility strategy experience, including work with SolarCity, major West Coast utilities, and renewable energy developers. Baringa recently released a white paper called "From Pilots to Portfolios: Scaling the Rollout of Utility Microgrids."Key Discussion Points:• The complete microgrid value stack: resilience, distribution capacity deferral, transmission capacity deferral, ancillary services, energy arbitrage, generation capacity deferral, avoided emissions, and avoided public safety power shutoffs (PSPS)• Why resilience differs from reliability: climate-driven extreme weather events versus age and condition-driven outages• How billion-dollar natural disasters increased from once every 90 days in the 1980s to once every 19 days today, which necessitates the increased need for microgrids• Distribution and transmission capacity deferral: using microgrids to avoid $5-10 million infrastructure upgrades• Energy arbitrage opportunities: charging batteries when solar floods the grid, discharging during peak demand• FERC 2222 enabling distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale markets and earn revenue• California wildfires and PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoffs) events: how microgrids reduce the cost of de-energizing lines• Why utilities need to assess microgrids in distribution planning instead of defaulting to substations and reconductoringConnect with Martin Szczepanik, Baringa LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/martinszczepanik/Website: www.baringa.com/en/about/regions/north-america/microgrids/Whitepaper: www.baringa.com/en/insights/digitising-the-energy-system/scaling-microgrids/ 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

#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 brings cross-disciplinary expertise in renewable energy, project finance, and law, with experience spanning the full project lifecycle. Before founding BuildQ, Maryssa advised Fortune 50 companies and leading developers on renewable energy procurement at Edison Energy and LevelTen Energy. She also served as Chief Operating Officer of a global solar company, where she oversaw project development, financing, and operations across international markets. Key Highlights:How BuildQ reduces project analysis time from 3 weeks to 3 daysWhy one developer uses BuildQ instead of hiring 15 new employeesAI frameworks that analyze interconnection queues and permitting dataThe role of human expertise in AI-assisted energy developmentHow law firms and conservative industries are adopting AI toolsChina's 10X infrastructure buildout advantage and U.S. national security implicationsBehind-the-meter solutions and data center co-location trendsEarly adoption benefits in the energy sectorThe energy sector needs speed and scale. AI tools like BuildQ make both possible.Connect with Maryssa Barron, BuildQ LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maryssa-barron/Website: buildq.ai 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