Episode Details

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/

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