The Grid Modernization Problem That's About to Get Worse

The Grid Modernization Problem That's About to Get Worse America's electric grid wasn't built for AI, electric vehicles, battery storage, or the rapid expansion of renewable energy. So how do we modernize a system that was originally built 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, one of the nation's leading community solar developers, to explore the future of community solar, battery storage, grid modernization, and why policy certainty is essential for building a cleaner, more reliable, and more affordable energy system. Operating across 19 states, Nexamp has become a leader in community solar, distributed generation, utility-scale solar, and battery storage. The conversation focuses on the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) and Illinois' landmark energy storage legislation, which targets 3,000 MW of energy storage by 2030. With the first procurement round beginning in August 2026, followed by additional rounds in 2027 and 2028, Ashai explains why this policy could become a model for other states. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why America's electric grid urgently 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 battery storage unlocks additional generation capacity without requiring major transmission and distribution upgrades • What a Massachusetts ISO study revealed about grid expansion when storage is excluded from planning • Why Illinois requires 14% of a participating project's workforce to be equity-eligible • How Nexamp's Renewable Energy Fellowship with City Colleges of Chicago has grown from 20 students toward a projected 80 participants by year-end • Why predictable regulation is essential for affordable clean energy investment • How flexible interconnection and strategic curtailment can unlock more capacity on the existing grid • Which states—including Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania—are poised for the next wave of community solar and energy storage growth Whether you work in solar, battery storage, utilities, project development, renewable energy investing, or energy policy, this episode provides practical insights into where the industry is headed and what comes next. Illinois currently holds the only B grade on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance's Community Power Scorecard, ranking ahead of New York, Massachusetts, and California at a time when federal support for clean energy programs is becoming less certain. For developers, utilities, policymakers, and investors, Illinois has emerged as one of the country's most important case studies for balancing affordability, reliability, and equity in the clean energy transition. Connect with Zaid Ashai LinkedIn:   / zaid-ahmad-ashai-aa1683   Nexamp:https://www.nexamp.com/ Topics Covered Community Solar | Battery Storage | Grid Modernization | Renewable Energy | Distributed Energy Resources | Utility-Scale Solar | Energy Storage | Illinois Energy Policy | Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act | Clean Energy | Solar Industry | Smart Grid | Virtual Power Plants | Energy Infrastructure | Nexamp 📘 Read Tim's book: Wired for Sun: The Commercial Solar Playbook A practical guide for commercial solar professionals looking to sell smarter and lead the clean energy transition. https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/book 📅 Book a free consultation with Tim Montague: https://calendly.com/tim-montague/coa... 👕 Clean Power Hour merchandise: https://cleanpowerhour.merchyme.com/ 🤝 Sponsor the show: Reach thousands of solar and energy professionals every week—including decision-makers, engineers, EPCs, installers, developers, and asset owners. https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/p/medi... About Our Sponsor: CPS America The Clean Power Hour is proudly brought to you by CPS America, North America's leading provider of three-phase string inverters, holding the 1 market share for 9 of the last 10 years, with more than 10 GW installed across 30,000+ sites nationwide. Serving commercial, industrial, utility-scale solar, and energy storage markets, CPS America offers: • Three-phase string inverters from 25 kW to 350 kW • Gonzo, an all-in-one commercial & industrial battery storage solution • CPS FlexOM, a remote monitoring and control platform https://www.chintpowersystems.com/ 🔔 Subscribe to Clean Power Hour:    / @cleanpowerhour   🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4QpRZoi... 🌐 Website: https://cleanpowerhour.com/ 𝕏 Twitter/X:   / tgmontague   💼 LinkedIn:   / cleanpowerhour