#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/

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The Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com

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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

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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/

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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/

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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

#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 days
• Why one developer uses BuildQ instead of hiring 15 new employees
• AI frameworks that analyze interconnection queues and permitting data
• The role of human expertise in AI-assisted energy development
• How law firms and conservative industries are adopting AI tools
• China's 10X infrastructure buildout advantage and U.S. national security implications
• Behind-the-meter solutions and data center co-location trends
• Early adoption benefits in the energy sector

The 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

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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

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 are sold out through 2026 as demand surges across residential, commercial, and utility projects.

John discusses his company's expansion into Illinois, where new legislation adds 873 megawatts of solar and 3 gigawatts of storage over the next few years. The state is also unlocking VPP programs, giving distributed batteries a bigger role in grid operations.

Episode Highlights:

• US grid storage installations reached 40 gigawatts in 2025, exceeding the 35 gigawatt goal set in 2017 (Energy Storage Association via Canary Media)
• Illinois passes new legislation adding 873 megawatts of solar and 3 gigawatts of storage, enabling VPP programs
• Battery cell shortage intensifies as 100 amp hour cells sell out through 2026 due to demand across residential and utility sectors (PV Magazine)
• Electric freight vehicles and delivery trucks show explosive growth in China, with EVs approaching 50% of all vehicle sales (John Hanger via Blue Sky)
• Natural gas prices spike above $5, expected to drive electricity rate increases in 2026 through utility cost recapture mechanisms (Bloomberg)
• US extends tariff exclusions for solar manufacturing equipment, including silicon growth furnaces and wire saws (PV Magazine)

The discussion explores why battery adoption creates a flywheel effect for solar installations, how state incentives are driving developer interest, and what supply chain pressures mean for project timelines in 2026.

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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

#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, ordinance, and permitting pathway in the United States.

Julia Wu is CEO and co-founder of Spark AI. She's a software engineer who cut her teeth at Microsoft, Apple (working on Siri), and Brex before founding Spark. Her background spans AI, natural language processing, and financial technology.

Anuj Saigal is the co-founder of Spark AI and a veteran of the energy sector since 2010. He worked at the Department of Energy Loan Programs Office during the Obama administration, then moved through SunEdison, EVgo, and Natto (a video AI telematics company). Anuj has been a developer of utility-scale and distributed generation projects and understands the pain points of permitting and interconnection firsthand.

Key Discussion Points:

• Spark AI uses large language models to aggregate zoning regulations, permitting requirements, local sentiment, and news articles for every jurisdiction in America
• Three core use cases: early-stage greenfield site selection, monitoring projects in development for regulatory changes, and rapid acquisition due diligence
• Standard Solar (Brookfield-owned) reduced acquisition diligence from months to one week, cutting time by 75%
• Dynamic Energy accelerated site screening while improving community sentiment risk assessment
• UGE used Spark to assess a massive portfolio acquisition, determining which parcels had viable zoning paths
• The platform is LLM-neutral, easily swapping between OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepSeek, and other models to optimize for accuracy and speed
• Unlike off-the-shelf AI tools, Spark delivers consistency, accuracy, and citations developers need for trust-but-verify workflows

Connect with Anuj and Julia

Julia Wu: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wu-julia/

Anuj Saigal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujsaigal/

Spark AI Website: https://www.sparkhq.ai/

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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

#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 next-generation battery technology designed for a 30-year asset life.

Christian brings a unique background to energy storage. After a successful career in the music industry, he pivoted to engineering and energy, eventually earning a degree from Harvard University. His journey led him to found Karh around 2020, right when FERC Order 2222 opened doors for distributed energy resources to participate in wholesale markets.

Key Discussion Points:

• The challenge of deploying large-scale energy storage in dense urban environments like New York City
• Why load pockets in major cities need localized battery solutions to relieve transmission constraints
• How Karh is developing chemistry-agnostic battery systems with 30-year asset life expectations
• The economics of energy storage: achieving unit economics of $45-50 per megawatt-hour
• Running 12X more profitably than existing battery systems through advanced AI optimization
• Plans for a 90 megawatt-hour test project in NYC by 2027, scaling to 350+ megawatt-hour systems
• Integration with EV charging, frequency regulation, and distributed energy resources
• Why building electrification and edge AI data centers create massive demand spikes that require nearby capacity

If you're building a battery that lasts 30 years in the world's toughest energy market, you're not just solving today's problems. You're building infrastructure for the next generation grid.

Connect with Christian Farivar

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianfarivar/?originalSubdomain=ca

Website: https://karh.energy/#home

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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