Japhet Koteen

Excited to be heading to Aggie Square tomorrow for the MIX event and to be part of a conversation about what resilient, community-focused energy actually looks like in practice. In my recent post, I dove into why the microgrid market is set to nearly triple and why utilities and communities are starting to view microgrids as complete energy alternatives, not just temporary stopgaps—looking forward to carrying that discussion into the room with founders, policymakers, and partners who are building what comes next. BoxPower #Batteryenergystorage #Reliableenergy #Microgrids #Sacramento

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One of the biggest reason why solar providers are losing the consumer and public support? No care for consumers or appreciation for customer service. Data point? Solar PPA portfolio owners sell their portfolio of distributed solar while providing little to no notice to the site hosts which include public agencies such as K-12 school districts and city governments in California. Energy transition is not just about the technology. A key part of the energy transition which needs more coverage is how we use the technology to create value for consumers of power. When value is driven and defined by tax credits and incentives, then the customers are private and public capital allocators. This has been the main driver for solar developments. That is fine. But along the way solar providers need to also take care of the consumers. When value is defined by electric bill savings and resilient buildings, then the customers are the consumers of power i.e., buyers of the electricity produced from solar building owners and operators. This is where we need the industry to get to soon. --- Looking forward to working with the team at Madison Energy Infrastructure to serve our public agency clients in California. From the early interactions, they are a team that values customer service and commitment.

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Most developers lose weeks before they even start permitting. That’s what Bithenergy was facing—until they used REplace to flip their land sourcing workflow. 🚀 We just published the full breakdown of their process in this case study >> https://bit.ly/bithenergy

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A new #solar and #energystorge #microgrid has transformed a popular community center on #OrcasIsland in Washington into a #resiliencyhub. The project was developed by Cascadia Renewables. ELM Companies' Fieldsight microgrid controller coordinates the #renewable resources as well as a propane backup generator and #EVcharging equipment. Rod Walton Microgrid Knowledge https://lnkd.in/gtYmRNjK

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Insightful - to see the USA/CA perspective - post “Net Electricity Metering” thinking. Not sure I agree though that grid defection is an option let alone an objective. We need a better more efficient distribution networks (and not lumbered with monopoly integrated [actual or synthetic] vertically integrated utilities!! It’s the “Consumers’ Grid”‼️ “There’s a very clear price signal to homeowners that they should invest in clean energy in a way that sets them up to either defect or cooperate with the grid,” Krause added, explaining that net billing has accelerated this utility death spiral that makes self-consumption of solar energy more economical.”

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Big News for Energy Resilience in California! ⚡ The California Public Utilities Commission just unlocked $200 million in funding through the Microgrid Incentive Program — aimed at helping vulnerable, tribal, and local communities build resilient energy systems. This is a game-changing opportunity for Indigenous Nations and underserved areas to take control of their power future and benefit directly from clean energy. 🛠️ Funding supports community-led microgrid projects 🌎 Designed for resilience, reliability, and local impact 💰 Limited budget — early action is key 🔗 Learn more from the CPUC: https://lnkd.in/fuzZPHM 📘 Explore how Indigenous Nations can benefit: https://lnkd.in/gQmeVsa5

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Funding Announcement: Grid Resilience Grant Opportunity The third round of funding for Colorado’s Grid Hardening and Advanced Grid Monitoring Programs are now open! Grid resilience projects help protect communities' access to electricity in the face of wildfires, extreme weather, and other disruptive events. Apply to secure your portion of the $1.9 million available across both programs through November 3, 2025. This round will prioritize projects that: - Strengthen grid infrastructure - Improve grid visibility and response - Increase energy resilience for vulnerable communities Learn more and register for our informational webinar, happening September 11: https://bit.ly/4oZ4g2q #GridResilience #InfrastructureInvestment #ColoradoEnergy #CleanEnergy

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A recent AP News article highlights a growing trend in utility-scale solar: using sheep to manage vegetation beneath and around panels. What’s happening in Texas reflects something we’re seeing across the country — solar sites are increasingly being designed and managed as working landscapes, not just energy infrastructure. At MNL, this approach is familiar. We work with our own flock of sheep and with collaborators all over the Midwest to graze agrivoltaic solar sites. Some would call us pioneers in this space - we were one of the first companies in Minnesota to offer sheep grazing to utility-scale energy producers to manage fuel-load on their solar sites. There was skepticism, but the results speak for themselves: happier plants, fewer inputs and soil that regenerates itself. And let's face it, if it were more expensive or less effective than mechanical mowers, we wouldn't have been able to offer this growing-in-demand service for the last decade. When grazing is thoughtfully planned and monitored, it can reduce reliance on mechanical mowing, lower emissions, and support more resilient plant communities, all while meeting the operational needs of solar facilities. Grazing also helps ease tensions between local farmers and ranchers and energy developers, giving access to critical jobs on these sites that would otherwise shut them out. Local residents are more likely to support grazing on prairies between the panels than turf that needs to be constantly mowed and treated with pesticide. Sheep grazing on solar sites isn’t greenwashing. It’s an opportunity to integrate ecological restoration principles into renewable energy development. Sheep grazing balances fuel-load management, plant community resilience, soil health, and long-term site function. Doing this well requires attention to stocking rates, timing, species selection (both in the seed mix design and the type of sheep we employ), and ongoing monitoring, especially in systems where traditional restoration tools are constrained by infrastructure design and the realities of fire risk. As solar continues to expand as a land use, we see agrivoltaics as a meaningful way to align energy production with ecological stewardship. The work raises important questions about how we define success on these sites and how restoration science can inform their design and management over time. And we're not sheepish about it. We’re glad to see broader attention on this topic and to be part of a community working to make renewable energy landscapes productive, resilient, and grounded in nature-based solutions. We need clean energy for the future of humankind, and all living things we share this planet with. That doesn't mean we can't also Heal the Earth while we're at it. Article link in the comments ⬇️

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