Most businesses are stuck in AI demo mode, watching impressive one-off showcases that never become daily operations. In this episode, Tim Montague welcomes Josh Huston from Agents Anywhere to break down the three categories of AI opportunity: apps, agents, and automations. Josh has spent over three years helping companies turn AI from buzzword into working business infrastructure.

Key Discussion Points:

• Why AI is an accelerator for working workflows, not a fix for broken processes
• The three AI opportunity categories: apps (custom interfaces), agents (goal-driven LLMs with tool access), and automations (background workflows)
• How data ownership shifts when you build custom applications instead of relying on third-party tools
• Real-world example: proposal generation workflow reduced from hours to minutes using AI agents
• Pilot project framework: $15K-$25K investments targeting high-impact workflows with measurable ROI
• Cost structure for AI agents: service fees, token usage (as low as 2 cents per process), and platform licensing

This episode gives clean energy operators a practical framework for AI adoption. The message is clear: stop accumulating tools and start building strategic workflows. Josh and Tim walk through the entire process from identifying friction points to scaling successful pilots across your organization.

If you run a solar EPC, energy storage company, or any cleantech operation feeling pressure to "do something with AI," this conversation provides the roadmap. The approach is simple: find what works, accelerate it with AI, measure ROI, then expand intentionally.

Book a strategy call today: https://calendly.com/tim-montague/ai-consulting#/

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

Energy storage is not a green technology. It's grid infrastructure.

That reframe from Shawn Shaw, CEO of Camelot Energy Group and author of "Energy Storage Systems," challenges how we talk about batteries in the energy transition. With 22 years in solar and storage and 1.2 GWh of projects commissioned in late 2025, Shaw brings practical insight into why storage matters for grid operators regardless of your views on renewables. China installed 65 GWh of storage in December 2025 alone. The US installed 40-50 GWh for the entire year. This conversation explains why that gap matters.

Key Discussion Points

• Why energy storage is a grid resource like transformers and substations, not just a companion to renewables. Loads are more dynamic than ever, and batteries provide the controllability grid operators need.
• How storage transforms predictable renewables into dispatchable assets. A 100kW solar project might earn only 10kW capacity credit alone, but pairing it with batteries captures significantly more value.
• The real data on battery safety: Commercial and utility-scale systems catch fire at 0.3% per year, the same rate as residential homes. NFPA 855 2026 now requires active ventilation and separate fire and explosion testing.
• Hot storage markets in 2026: Massachusetts 83E procurement, New York's index storage credit, Illinois CRGA legislation, and why Texas requires nodal-level analysis to avoid 50% revenue swings.
• Why utility interconnection delays are pushing developers toward microgrids. Google acquired Intersect Power for $4.75 billion to self-develop solar and storage near data centers.
• FEOC compliance economics: Chinese DC blocks at $100-125/kWh vs Tesla at $300-500/kWh. Developers may want FEOC free but the economics of built in America may drive business as usual for BESS procurement. The devil is in the details!

This episode offers a clear-eyed view of where the industry stands and what it takes to move faster.

Connect with Shawn Shaw

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnshawpe/

Website: https://www.camelotenergygroup.com/

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

#EP328 Federal funding for tribal clean energy projects has been rescinded. Tribes that invested millions in solar and microgrid projects now face stalled construction, lost jobs, and broken promises. David Harper, CEO of Huurav, is stepping in with bridge loans to keep these projects alive.

David Harper is a tribal member from the Colorado River Indian Tribes on the Arizona-California border. He started his solar career fighting developers who disturbed sacred artifacts and human remains on tribal lands. Today, he runs Huurav, a company providing bridge financing for the 575 federally recognized tribes across the United States. His sister company, 7 Skyline, provides electrical engineering consulting to 80-90 tribes nationwide.

Episode Highlights:

• The 2021 Infrastructure Bill allocated $10-15 billion for tribal energy projects. Much of that funding has been clawed back.
• Tribes that invested their own money now have stalled projects with no path to completion.
• Huurav provides 2-6 year bridge loans that allow tribes to continue construction while securing permanent financing.
• Capital stacking allows multiple funders (CDFIs, philanthropy, financial institutions, etc) to share risk on larger projects.
• Case study: Guidiville Rancheria in Mendocino County received a $1M bridge loan for a 500kW solar plus 1.5MW battery storage microgrid serving 44 homes.
• Huurav has 22 projects in its pipeline with more tribes requesting support.
• Tribal communities often suffer brownouts and blackouts because they sit at the end of utility lines. Microgrids offer energy independence.

David Harper's story captures what happens when federal promises disappear overnight. Tribes that did everything right, completed feasibility studies, hired workers, and approved scopes of work, are left holding the bill.

Huurav fills that gap with bridge loans sized to what tribes can pay back. This model builds credit history, creates jobs, and moves the 22 projects in their pipeline toward completion.

Connect with David Harper

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-harper-ab6b762b5/

Huurav: https://www.huurav.com/

7Skyline: https://www.7skyline.com/

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

In this week's Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague and co-host John Weaver examine the widening gap between China and the United States in clean energy deployment. The hosts analyze new data from Stanford Professor Mark Jacobson showing China is on track for a clean economy by 2050, while the US lags a century behind. They discuss record battery installations, solar manufacturing shifts, and what these trends mean for energy independence and economic competitiveness.

Episode Highlights:

• China projected to reach a clean economy by 2050, US not until 2148 at current pace (PV Magazine)
• China installed 65 gigawatt hours of battery storage in December alone, exceeding the US total for the entire 2025 (Benchmark)
• Longi joins push to reduce silver content in solar panel production to cut costs by 10-20 percent (Bloomberg)
• US solar panel manufacturing reaches 65 gigawatts annual capacity in 2025 (Bloomberg)
• Discussion of Dan Wang's book "Breakneck" exploring why China builds infrastructure faster than the US
• Analysis of energy independence as a national security strategy in the context of global oil conflicts
• First Solar, Qcells, Heliene, and other domestic manufacturers lead US solar production growth

The data shows China moving at unprecedented speed in clean energy deployment, while the US faces a critical choice about accelerating its transition. Energy independence through solar, wind, and storage is both an economic opportunity and a national security imperative. Share your thoughts on how the US can close this gap in the comments below.

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

#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 2050
• Localized ocean iron fertilization targets only 1% of the ocean using downwelling eddies
• The Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption in 1991 caused global CO2 to flatline for two years
• Total 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 methods
• Robotic ships could distribute iron pellets without crew costs
• The Foundation's "million sponsor" campaign aims to demonstrate public demand for climate restoration

The 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 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

#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 Shah

• 85% of new grid capacity will be solar, wind, and batteries
• Fossil fuels outspend clean energy 10:1 on political lobbying
• VPPs could shift 20% of peak load by 2030
• 20% of Americans struggle to afford their electricity bills

Episode 274 - Ryan Mayfield and Jayson Smith

• CPS America's Gonzo containerized battery (125-256 kWh)
• 20-millisecond switchover for grid-forming capability
• Daisy chain up to 12 units for megawatt-scale deployments
• 60% of CPS workforce dedicated to service

Episode 307 - Peter Kelly-Detwiler

• 1,500 MW of data center load disconnected in Virginia incident
• PJM capacity prices jumped from $30 to $329 per MW-day
• California VPPs dispatched 535 MW from 100,000 homes

Episode 310 - Jeff St. John (Canary Media)

• 93% of new U.S. grid additions were solar, batteries, and wind
• Texas ERCOT grid now 50% solar, wind, and batteries
• California VPPs show 2:1 cost-benefit ratio
• Texas allocated $1.8B for microgrids after Winter Storm Uri

Episode 322 - Julia Wu and Anuj Saigal (Spark AI)

• Platform compresses 4-10 hours of research to seconds
• Standard Solar reduced acquisition diligence from months to one week
• Three core use cases: site selection, regulatory monitoring, acquisition due diligence

Bonus: Episode 296 - Mark Palmer (Conductor Solar)

• Most listened to and shared episode on Spotify
• Covers PPAs, project finance, and tax credit swapping
• Discusses tariffs, supply chain pressures, and state policy importance

Episodes Mentioned
Ep 304 - https://youtu.be/lGv6NoDlf70
Ep 274 - https://youtu.be/QxLIzBSM-lQ
Ep 307 - https://youtu.be/apMrWUz7TV8
Ep 310 - https://youtu.be/76PDeZ7ZGps
Ep 322 - https://youtu.be/B3t0cpvTT-Y
Ep 296 - https://youtu.be/aj_zNnpAUk8

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

#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 markets
• Industry 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 constraints
• Whole 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 loads
• Partnership approach with LG Energy Solutions provides one path for installers needing domestic content compliance, while maintaining imported options for projects where upfront cost determines feasibility

The 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 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

#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 reconductoring

Connect 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 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