Clean Power Hour

Georgia is the second-largest data center market in the country, and its grid is straining under load growth no one predicted five years ago. Michael Chanin, CEO of Cherry Street Energy, joins Tim to break down how behind-the-meter solar and storage are stepping in, why utilities need private capital to keep rates in check, and what a multi-gigawatt data center outside Savannah means for the region.

Tim sits down with Michael Chanin, CEO of Cherry Street Energy, a vertically integrated power company based in Georgia that develops, owns, and operates behind-the-meter solar and storage for commercial and industrial customers across the Southeast.

Georgia repealed its ban on third-party solar ownership in 2015, opening the door for "Solar Energy Procurement Agreements" (Georgia's version of a PPA). Since then, Cherry Street has built a customer base that includes Delta Air Lines, Porsche Cars North America, Gulfstream, and the City of Atlanta, offering no-cost, no-upfront-investment solar that cuts customers' energy bills and carbon footprint.

Chanin and Tim dig into what is driving unprecedented load growth in Georgia: the state is now the second-largest data center market in the US after Virginia, and OpenAI recently announced its "Project Camellia" data center campus near Savannah in Effingham County, a $20 billion, 3.2-gigawatt (3,200 MW) project built in partnership with Georgia Power. On the recording, Chanin describes the project as a joint Anthropic/OpenAI announcement and cites 4,000 megawatts of capacity; public reporting on this specific project ties it to OpenAI at roughly 3,200 MW, so that detail is worth a quick check with Chanin or Cherry Street before publishing.

Other topics covered:
How Cherry Street's economics pencil out: average customer electricity cost of 10-12 cents/kWh, build costs under $1.50/watt, and how real-time pricing has made solar competitive even against historically cheap fossil generation
Cherry Street's solar-plus-storage pilot with Georgia Power and the emerging value stack for behind-the-meter batteries (capacity payments, energy payments, demand management)
Georgia's Public Service Commission, including Chair Jason Shaw and newly elected Democratic commissioners Alicia Johnson and Peter Hubbard
Cherry Street's vertically integrated delivery model: in-house engineers, general contractors, and site supervisors that take a project from signed contract to energized system in under 100 days

Cherry Street Energy shows what happens when a state removes one legal barrier and lets the market do the rest. Georgia's 2015 shift on third-party ownership opened the door. Rising load growth from data centers and electrification is now forcing utilities, regulators, and private developers to work together on a scale nobody planned for a few years ago. Chanin's take is clear: solar and storage are not a side story in Georgia's power future. They are becoming part of how the state keeps the lights on and the bills manageable. Listen to the full conversation for the details on Cherry Street's build process, its storage pilot with Georgia Power, and what EPCs and developers should know before entering the Southeast market.

Connect with Michael Chanin, Cherry Street Energy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchanin/
Website: https://www.cherrystreet.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

The U.S. needs 400 GW of new capacity over the next two decades. Michael Grasso, CEO and founder of Grid Rails, tells Tim Montague that roughly twice that much flexible capacity is already plugged in, and explains why only 20% of eligible devices are enrolled in virtual power plant programs today.

Data centers, EVs, heat pumps, and new construction are pushing U.S. electricity demand up by roughly 50%, about 400 gigawatts over the next two decades. The reflex answer is to build more generation. Michael Grasso thinks we are solving the wrong problem.

Grasso is the CEO and founder of Grid Rails, and he spent 17 years getting to that conclusion. He helped deploy the first residential storage batteries at Sunrun, first on LG Chem hardware and then on Tesla, and he ran the largest residential storage virtual power plant in the country at Sunnova, supporting Luma's grid in Puerto Rico. His argument: the flexible capacity sitting inside the devices causing the load growth is close to double the load growth itself. What is missing is the orchestration and settlement layer that turns those EVs, batteries, thermostats, and water heaters into dispatchable grid capacity, and pays the consumer for it in real time instead of months later as a buried bill credit.

Thirty-four states now have some form of demand response or VPP program on the books, and by Grasso's numbers, only about 20% of eligible devices are actually enrolled. Tim pushes hard on why, and on whether any of this pencils for a homeowner who does not want one more app sending notifications.

What you will learn:
Why 80% of eligible devices are still on the sidelines, and why Grasso calls that a program design problem rather than a hardware problem
How real-time settlement changes consumer behavior, and what it unlocks for utilities beyond incentives: collateral, cost of capital, bad debt, and new products like prepaid or unlimited EV charging
Why Grid Rails is built for the moment a customer opts out, not for constant notifications, and how opt-out recovery keeps programs from quietly bleeding participants
The ERCOT math driving utility urgency: roughly $50 per MWh bought forward against spot exposure that can run to $5,000
What Grasso says a simple VPP application is worth to a household, around $500 a year in most markets and into the thousands in some, and why he thinks a more dynamic market leaves a lot more on the table
Why per-device budgets matter, from capping EV charging at $15 a week to holding air conditioning to 20% of the bill
Grasso points to headlines warning that the largest utility in the country is signaling blackout risk as soon as 2027, and treats that as the pressure finally moving utilities toward orchestration. Tim comes at it as a customer, not an analyst: he does not have a battery yet, his own rate just jumped 25%, and he wants a number before he buys. That exchange is the heart of the episode.

Connect with Michael Grasso, Grid Rails
Michael Grasso | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelpgrasso/
Grid Rails: https://gridrails.ai/
Email: hello@gridrails.ai
Support the show
Connect with Tim  
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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

Wildfire smoke from Canada cut solar production across New England by as much as 40 percent, according to ISO New England, a loss of 2,500 megawatts at peak hours compared to the forecast. 
Tim Montague and John Weaver dig into that data, including John's own project numbers, on the Clean Power Hour Live. They also cover a massive BYD battery storage deal in Abu Dhabi, a new gas car ban in China, rising copper prices, and a wave of new battery products hitting the market. 
Whether you're an installer, developer, investor, or simply following the clean energy transition, this episode covers the trends you need to know.
In this episode:
BYD secures an 11.275 GWh battery storage contract for one of the world's largest clean energy projects. (BYD Energy press release)
Wildfire smoke cuts solar production by up to 40% in parts of New England. (WBUR)
China's Hainan province set a 2030 deadline to ban new combustion engine car sales, with plans for new energy vehicles to reach 45 percent of the province's fleet. (Dialogue Earth)
Massachusetts expanded its vehicle-to-grid and virtual power plant programs through the ConnectedSolutions initiative (regional VPP program).
SEIA data shows utility-scale solar occupies just 0.07% of America's prime farmland. John Weaver corrects the math live, and SEIA's own figures show roughly 43 acres of abandoned prime farmland for every acre solar currently occupies. Tim and John debate the politics behind the farmland argument. (PV Magazine)
Octopus Energy launches the Nook Cube smart battery for renters. (Renewable Energy Magazine)
Copper prices continue climbing and what that means for future solar project costs. (BlueSky)
This episode fits solar developers, battery storage professionals, EPCs, and clean energy investors tracking both hardware innovation and real-world grid risk. The BYD deal and Octopus battery launch show where storage economics are heading, while the wildfire smoke data is a preview of a grid challenge more regions will face. Anyone pricing projects around copper costs or watching global EV policy will find useful detail here.
Support the show
Connect with Tim  
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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

Power generation is changing fast. As utilities struggle with interconnection delays and growing electricity demand, businesses are looking for faster, more reliable ways to secure power.
In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Walt Jordan, Chief Revenue Officer at dGEN Energy Partners, to explore one of the least talked-about emerging technologies in distributed energy: linear generators.
Unlike traditional generators, linear generators have no crankshaft, no spark plugs, no engine oil, and very few moving parts. They are designed to operate continuously, and they run on multiple fuel sources, including natural gas, propane, hydrogen, ammonia, and biogas. Combined with solar, battery storage, and microgrids, they may offer commercial and industrial facilities a new path to reliable, behind-the-meter power that can lower their LCOE.
The conversation also explores why dGEN  Energy is combining roofing, solar, battery storage, and distributed generation into integrated energy solutions that help businesses reduce costs, improve resilience, and avoid lengthy utility interconnection delays.
Whether you work in commercial solar, microgrids, energy storage, EPC development, or distributed energy resources, this episode offers valuable insights into important technology options.
In this episode, you'll learn:
• What a linear generator is and how it differs from diesel generators
• Why dGEN Energy believes linear generators can complement solar and battery storage
• How the technology operates without spark plugs, oil, or traditional engine components
• The fuels linear generators can use, including hydrogen, propane, natural gas, ammonia, and biogas
• How behind-the-meter generation is helping businesses overcome utility interconnection delays and rising energy costs
• Why "speed to power" is becoming a competitive advantage
• How commercial roofing and solar can be combined into a single engineered capital project
• Where batteries, microgrids, and linear generators work together
• The emissions profile and efficiency of modern linear generators
• Real-world commercial and industrial applications for distributed generation
• What EPCs, facility owners, and developers should know before adopting this technology
As utilities struggle to keep pace with growing electricity demand and interconnection delays continue to slow new projects, businesses are being forced to rethink how they generate and manage power. This conversation with Walt Jordan explores why linear generators are emerging as a compelling option alongside solar, battery storage, and microgrids, especially for commercial and industrial facilities that cannot afford to wait years for grid upgrades.
Whether linear generators become a mainstream technology or remain a specialized solution, the bigger story is clear. Speed to power, energy resilience, and flexible distributed generation are becoming just as important as the cost of electricity itself. 
Connect with Walt Jordan:
Walt Jordan | LinkedIn
Website: https://dGEN energy.com
Support the show
Connect with Tim  
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Tim on Twitter
Tim on LinkedIn 
Email tim@cleanpowerhour.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

America's electric grid wasn't built for AI, electric vehicles, battery storage, or the rapid growth of renewable energy.
So how do we modernize a system that was built and started in the late 1800s and early 1900s, more than a century ago?
In this episode of Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp, the nation's largest community solar developer, to discuss community solar, battery storage, grid modernization, and why policy certainty is essential to building a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy system.
Nexamp operates across 19 states and has become one of the leading developers of community solar, distributed generation, utility-scale solar, and battery storage. The conversation centers on the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, Illinois' new storage law that targets 3,000 megawatts of storage by the end of 2030, with the first procurement round set for August 2026 and two more rounds to follow in 2027 and 2028. Ashai lays out why 
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why America's electric grid needs modernization 
How community solar benefits homeowners, renters, businesses, and utilities 
Why the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act uses an indexed storage credit contract instead of a merchant revenue model 
How storage unlocks additional generation capacity without new transmission and distribution buildout 
What a Massachusetts ISO study found about grid size when storage is left out of the equation 
Why Illinois requires 14 percent of a participating project's workforce to be equity eligible 
How Nexamp's renewable energy fellowship with City Colleges of Chicago grew from 20 students toward a projected 80 by year-end 
Why affordable clean energy starts with predictable regulation 
How flexible interconnection and curtailment could unlock more capacity on the existing grid 
Which states Nexamp is watching next for community solar and storage growth, including Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania
If you work in solar, battery storage, utilities, project development, energy policy, grid modernization, or renewable energy investing, this episode offers practical insights into where the industry is headed next.
The first Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) procurement round opens in August 2026, with two more rounds following in 2027 and 2028, so the pricing structure Ashai describes will shape Illinois storage economics for years. 
Illinois already holds the only B grade on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance Community Power Scorecard, ahead of New York, Massachusetts, and California, at a moment when federal support for clean energy programs is pulling back. For developers and investors watching how states balance affordability, reliability, and equity, Illinois is currently the clearest test case in the country.
About Zaid Ashai
Zaid Ashai is the CEO of Nexamp, the largest community solar developer in the United States. Under his leadership, Nexamp has expanded into battery storage, utility-scale solar, and integrated clean energy solutions across 19 states. He is passionate about building an affordable, reliable, and equitable clean energy future through innovation, smart policy, and grid modernization.
Connect with Zaid Ashai 
Zaid Ashai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zaid-ahmad-ashai-aa1683/
Nexamp Website: https://www.nexamp.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