Clean Power Consulting Group

06/13/2026

Are you a C&I installer looking to expand into energy storage?

C&I installers who build storage self development competency in 2026 aren't adding a product line.

They're becoming distributed energy infrastructure developers.

The ones who make the shift define their book of business for the next decade.

The rest will subcontract to them.

Make sure that your business is ready for energy storage growth. Read the article in Builder Magazine where I provide an overview of the forces driving the shift to storage and provide recommendations on how you can expand your business:
https://solarbuildermag.com/projects/ci-installers-battery-storage-playbook-for-2026/

One data point from the piece:

A 250 kW solar-only project in Rockford, Illinois had a 13% IRR and $216K in 15-year savings.

Adding a 530 kW battery pushed IRR to 21% and 15-year savings past $1M.

Same site. Same solar. The battery was the multiplier.

The article also covers the Earn/Save/Protect value stack, NFPA 855 / NFPA 69 / UL 9540A code changes, and why fire department engagement at concept stage is now non-negotiable.

Which part of this shift is hardest for your business right now?

11/01/2025

Rural communities are pushing back on solar development.

Developers face a new reality: projects take twice as long and cost twice as much because of local resistance. NIMBYism is killing project timelines.

The solution? Stop treating solar farms as extractive land use. Start integrating agriculture.

Rebekah Pierce runs a solar grazing operation in upstate New York and wrote the book "Agri Energy" to show the path forward. Dual-use solar addresses the core concern: farmland preservation. When you put sheep on solar sites, you're not taking land out of production. You're creating multiple revenue streams.

The economics work. Farmers triple their income through land lease payments. Developers cut O&M costs compared to mowing. Communities see agriculture continue alongside clean energy production.

Rebekah walks through the technical requirements: water access, secure fencing, interior paddocks for rotational grazing. She shares lessons from grazing projects across three counties and explains why planning for agriculture from day one saves headaches later.

If you're developing projects in farming communities, this conversation will change your approach.

Tune in to the full episode here: https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/solar-grazing-saves-failing-farms-the-agri-energy-revolution/

07/28/2025

Launching my book 📘

At long last, my book Wired for the Sun the Commercial Solar Playbook: from site assessment to sales strategy - a step by step guide for building profitable solar projects is available for pre-order on kindle. The paperback drops on August 1, 2025 (at Midnight 😎). https://lnkd.in/gRdCwdYF Zach Wi...

04/05/2023

Want to keep abreast of changes coming to the solar industry? Check out our interview with Chint Power Systems Americas where we dive into string inverter tech for C&I and Utility solar.

Welcome to the Clean Power Hour! Today we celebrate Chint Product Innovation Day with Bryan Wagner, President; James Oswald, Service Director; and Anton …

12/07/2022

11/29/2022

New Episode! "Behind the Meter Wind for Industrial Facilities with Jereme Kent, CEO One Energy Ep118"

Behind the meter, the wind has some vexing characteristics that until now have kept it largely off the playing field for large facility operators. One Energy has seemingly cracked the code by offering a bespoke, white-glove a...

Behind the meter, the wind has some vexing characteristics that until now have kept it largely off the playing field for large facility operators. One En…

11/23/2022

New Episode! "My Journey In the Solar Industry with James McWalter, CEO Pacers AI and Host of Carbotnic Podcast"

In this episode, I was interviewed by James McWalter, CEO of Paces AI and host of the Carbotnic Podcast where he has conversations with experts in cleantech. We discuss how I got into the solar industry, why I am a mission-dr...

In this episode, I was interviewed by James McWalter, CEO of Paces AI and host of the Carbotnic Podcast where he has conversations with experts in cleant…

11/22/2022

New Episode! "Long Term Energy Storage Using Advanced Compressed Air Technology with Curt VanWalleghem, CEO Hydrostor #117"

Long-term energy storage is vital for higher pe*******on of wind and solar that will clean the grid. Luckily, we have a variety of technologies at our fingertips that just need to be deployed for large-scale testing. Over the...

Long-term energy storage is vital for higher pe*******on of wind and solar that will clean the grid. Luckily, we have a variety of technologies at our fi…

11/17/2022

New Episode! "Clean Power Hour LIVE - November 17, 2022"

On the weekly clean power news and views, we bring you the latest cleantech and clean energy news, thought leaders, and innovators. Our motto is ‘Speeding the Energy Transition!’ This week John Weaver and I discuss, 1. Resi ...

On the weekly clean power news and views, we bring you the latest cleantech and clean energy news, thought leaders, and innovators. Our motto is ‘Speedi…