GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast

This episode is a crossover episode from Redefining Energy. We hope you enjoy listening to this discussion of the energy crisis from a European perspective.

 

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Live from Brussels, on the 20th of June 2023, we were invited to interview Leonard Birnbaum. Since he came last on Redefining Energy (Ep50), the whole Energy Sector has been through hell with Russia invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent near-death experience of 2022.

 

Leonard Birnbaum is the CEO of the giant German Utility E.ON and also president of Eurelectric, the sector association which represents the common interests of the electricity industry at pan-European level.

 

We have a very lively debate about how E.ON survived the energy crisis. What changes he had to be undertaken, how luck played its part, but also the “need for speed”.

 

Other key lessons were the end of tolerance for weaknesses, the acceleration of digitization and total engagement with their customers. We then moved the conversation to the proposed reform of the Energy Market that regulators are keen to put in place. Is it too little too late or, on the opposite, a solution in search of a problem.

Debra Smith, the General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light, interviews Mike Hummel after his recent retirement as general manager and CEO of Salt River Project. They reflect on how the industry has changed during his career and look ahead to the exciting advancements SRP will make to provide clean, reliable energy to its customers. Mike shares about his career including some of his proudest accomplishments, lessons learned along the journey, and keys to leading others well.

On this episode Grid Forward Advisor and guest host Ann McCabe, commissioner with the Illinois Commerce Commission, interviews Audrey Zibelman, former market operator in Australia, former regulator in NY, former investor at Google X, now an advisor to clean tech companies and organizations. They discuss how the industry can prepare the grid for future flexibility, while also protecting the interests of consumers. As higher levels of renewable energy sources are integrated into the power grid, the need for grid flexibility becomes more urgent. Consumers are showing that they will drive much of the clean energy transition, with or without government and utility incentives. Therefore, the grid must be ready for the transition as consumers decide to electrify their homes, vehicles and more. How can regulators and other key grid stakeholders keep up with the demands on the system? Listen in to learn more. 

How do we modernize the grid when fast-moving technology innovation hits the seemingly glacial pace of change in regulated markets like energy? To explore that quandary we gathered  the CEOs of an earlier stage, a growth stage and a later stage innovative grid solutions companies. Kaitlyn Albertoli of Buzz Solutions, Bill Burke of Virtual Peaker and Josh Wong of GE Digital. Listen in as they dive into market barriers, utility adoption cycle, culture of innovation, funding landscape and more. Can utilities break through the ‘death by pilot’ dilemma? Can promising solutions companies navigate complex approvals processes? How do solutions scale to meaningful commercial levels? We cover the key issues related to what it takes for game-changing solutions to come onto the electric grid. 

In this edition we explore the role of small modular nuclears (SMRs) in the energy system by talking with two industry veterans. Clayton Scott is EVP at NuScale Power, the first SMR company to receive Nuclear Regulatory Commission design approval. Ben Porath is COO at Dairyland Power Cooperative, a Midwest co-op looking to deploy SMRs on its grid. The two discuss the promise of modular nuclear power, how these systems fit into a changing energy mix, cost, safety, grid resiliency, system flexibility and more. Will SMRs play a significant role on the grid in the next 10 years? Listen in to decide for yourself. This episode hosted by Virtual Peaker.

The Evergreen State has long pioneered efforts to advance the energy system. In this episode we talk with the U.S.’s longest standing governor, Jay Inslee of the state of Washington. Gov. Inslee is truly a leader on issues related to energy and the grid. We discuss the priorities for the state’s energy system, how the federal resources will impact the grid in the state, the role of state regulators, the importance of innovation, economic development opportunities and more. All of the efforts for the governor align to make sure states can do their part to progress climate action — progress he is confident we can achieve together.

To start season 4 of the Grid Forward Chats podcast, we sit down with Jon Creyts, the new CEO of RMI. He discusses how to ensure the energy system aligns to the requirements for the climate in light of roughly $110 billion a year coming into the system over the next five to ten years thanks to recent federal legislation combined with peak oil demand occurring in regions across the world. From virtual power and decarbonized heavy industry to hydrogen and transmission, listen in to this wide-ranging discussion on the key pillars of the energy transition in the near to mid-term. This transition requires various stakeholders row in the same direction, and Jon lays out his thoughts regarding the central role that the grid plays. For more resources on recent RMI efforts, check out:

 

Launch of VP3 https://vp3.io

Tracking overall energy investments: https://rmi.org/peaking-the-series/

The promise of green jobs: https://rmi.org/insight/realizing-the-green-jobs-promise/

The need for a more resilient power system in California, and locations across the country, is evident. In the recent past, wildfires, storms, extreme heat, and other threats have all wreaked havoc on the energy grid. Communities of the largest utility in America in Northern and Central California know this all too well. Patricia K. Poppe, Chief Executive Officer of PG&E Corporation, joined the podcast to discuss how Pacific Gas & Electric is working diligently to improve the resiliency of California’s grid and to serve their customers better. No magical solution exists that will address every issue, but with a combination of various improvements, and we cover a lot in this session, PG&E is aggressively working to leverage modern capabilities to manage their grid effectively. Grid Forward chats is supported by Itron visit Itron.com to learn more. 

Success for the energy sector will not come overnight but through small, meaningful steps that move the industry forward in its goal of a sustainable future. Paula Gold-Williams and Jackie Flowers joined the show to discuss the challenges facing the electric industry as it seeks to evolve with the various dynamics that are currently in motion. With more visibility to the end state and less clarity on the path to get there, they discuss why innovation is critical and how a diverse workforce is needed who can think creatively, problem solve and embrace new solutions.

 

Paula Gold-Williams recently retired after serving as the President and CEO of CPS Energy, and is now serving in various Board and Advisory roles including on the DOE Secretary Energy Advisory Board. Jackie Flowers is the director & CEO at Tacoma Public Utilities and Board Chair of Grid Forward.

Over the past decade, Green Mountain Power (GMP) has prioritized finding solutions that address the climate crisis. The company holds one of the nations most aggressive goals to provide 100% renewable energy by 2030. Advancements in technology not only make this ambitious goal possible, but also provide an opportunity for reliability and resiliency improvements. Mari McClure, president and CEO, discusses the company’s distributed resource programs and grid optimization technologies that they are leading the way deploying now and working to bring to Vermont in near future. This session is supported by Virtual Peaker.