The rise of grid power electronics with Drew Baglino

41 snips

Feb 19, 2026

Drew Baglino, founder and CEO of Heron Power and ex-Tesla energy and powertrain lead, explains the rise of solid-state transformers. He traces power transistor evolution. He discusses replacing legacy transformers, solving the transformer shortage, enabling major infrastructure reductions at data centers, and how SSTs could make the grid more intelligent and efficient.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Power Semiconductors Spark A Second Revolution

Power semiconductors advanced like transistors, improving blocking voltage, current density, thermal conductivity, and switching speed over decades.
Modern devices (SiC, GaN) enable millisecond-to-nanosecond control of power flow and dynamic grid decoupling.

ANECDOTE

Tesla Used SiC To Shrink Onboard Chargers

At Tesla Drew integrated silicon carbide into the onboard charger to shrink size and cut costs while increasing power density.
That change justified higher transistor cost by saving substantially more in battery capacity and efficiency.

INSIGHT

Grid Still Runs On 1970s Hardware

The grid still relies on slow mechanical switches and passive transformers that offer little real-time control.
That legacy design prevents dynamic voltage, frequency, and power-factor control at millisecond timescales.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

For decades, the physical equipment underpinning the electric grid has remained largely unchanged: passive, "dumb" devices installed as far back as the 1970s that lack much real-time control. But today, in the face of skyrocketing energy demand, a new class of technologies has emerged.

In this episode, Drew Baglino, the founder and CEO of Heron Power, returns to the show to discuss his company’s new generation of solid-state transformers, or SSTs. After a 17-year career at Tesla — where he led energy and powertrain development — Drew is now focused on replacing the grid’s aging infrastructure with these advanced power electronics.

Shayle and Drew take a deep dive into the history of the power transistor, and then explore how the SST has the potential to transform the grid into a highly optimized and intelligent machine. They cover topics like:

The evolution of power electronics
Why we still haven’t fixed the transformer shortage
How Heron Power’s SSTs remove legacy transformers and switches to create a substantial uplift for project developers
The potential to remove 70% of traditional electrical equipment at data centers by distributing power directly to the rack
Why Drew thinks SSTs offer a "pathway toward affordability"

Resources

Catalyst: Drew Baglino on Tesla’s master plan
Latitude Media: Inside Heron Power’s plan to transform the grid
Catalyst: Understanding the electric transformer shortage
Open Circuit: The grid resilience dilemma
Latitude Media: These Autogrid alums want to change how data centers use power

Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.

Catalyst is brought to you by Uplight. Uplight activates energy customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy—improving grid resilience and energy affordability while accelerating decarbonization. Learn how Uplight is helping utilities unlock flexible load at scale at uplight.com.

Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com.

Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.