Clean Coalition’s Craig Lewis on Microgrids, VPPs, and the Resilience Gap – 2 June 2026
This podcast episode of The Clean Power Hour welcomes Craig Lewis, Founder and Executive Director of the Clean Coalition, to discuss California's Microgrid Incentive Program and the highly valuable energy resilience provided by community microgrids.
Clean Coalition’s Craig Lewis on Microgrids, VPPs, and the Resilience Gap
2 June 2026
The Clean Power Hour podcast episode “Clean Coalition’s Craig Lewis on Microgrids, VPPs, and the Resilience Gap” features Craig Lewis, Founder and Executive Director of the Clean Coalition, to discuss California’s Microgrid Incentive Program and the highly valuable energy resilience provided by community microgrids.
Community microgrids and virtual power plants are two of the most misunderstood concepts in clean energy, and the gap between them is where billions of dollars in grid value are being left on the table. Craig Lewis returns to The Clean Power Hour to break down how community-scale microgrids and VPPs actually work, where the money is, and why the current policy window in California matters to every energy professional in the country.
California’s Microgrid Incentive Program funds up to $18 million per community microgrid project, covering 100% of upfront costs for front-of-meter solar and storage, grid upgrades, and interconnection. Craig explains the Clean Coalition’s methodology for sizing solar and storage, calculating the minimum state of charge required for resilience, and building a value stack through wholesale markets, bilateral agreements with load-serving entities, and PURPA qualified facility status.