#EP304
The solar industry faces a wake-up call. Despite becoming the dominant source of new electricity generation globally, clean energy companies spend 20 times less on political power than oil and gas while investing double their capital expenditure.

In this episode, Jigar Shah, former Director of the DOE Loan Programs Office and clean energy pioneer, delivers hard truths about what the industry must do to survive and thrive. JIgar argues that the recent OBBB exposed critical political fragilities and that the time for staying under the radar is over.

He discusses the distributed capacity procurement (DCP) model pioneered in Minnesota that's becoming a template for utilities nationwide. This approach allows utilities to strategically deploy batteries where needed most, reducing interconnection times from 3 years to 6 months while solving grid constraints.

Key topics covered:
Why 85% of new grid capacity will still be solar, wind, and batteries despite policy changes
The massive political spending gap between clean energy and fossil fuels
How virtual power plants could shift 20% of peak load by 2030
The Minnesota DCP model and why it's spreading to other states
Why retrofitting batteries to existing solar systems could reduce electricity rates by 20%
The urgent need for industry pride and community engagement
How one in six American households now struggle with electricity bills

Jigar challenges the industry to move beyond random customer acquisition to strategic grid planning partnerships with utilities. He emphasizes that as solar becomes the dominant energy, it bears responsibility for the entire system's success.

This conversation reveals why political power building and utility collaboration are essential for solar's next growth phase. Shah provides actionable strategies for industry professionals to engage politically and operationally at state and local levels.

Press play to hear why Shah believes the clean energy industry must fundamentally change its approach to succeed in this new era.

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00:00 Introduction to Clean Energy
02:48 Special Guest: Jigar Shah
03:31 Current State of the Solar Industry
06:39 Impact of the IRA and OBBB
08:10 Domestic Manufacturing and Supply Chains
14:02 Political Power in Clean Energy
27:05 Battery Solutions for Affordable Electricity
28:04 Texas Co-op's Innovative Battery Program
28:37 Challenges with Utility Coordination
30:56 Distributed Capacity Procurement Model
31:52 The Need for Business Model Change in Solar Industry
34:17 Political Influence and Solar Advocacy
36:26 The Need for Data Sharing and Collaboration
42:35 Political Influence and Solar Industry's Role
50:16 Call to Action for Solar Installers
54:29 Conclusion and Final Thoughts