Tom Poteet with Mesa Natural Gas Solutions

Scott MacKenzie interviews Tom Poteet, Senior VP of Corporate Development at Mesa Solutions, at Power Gen in Dallas, Texas. Mesa Solutions, celebrating its 11-year anniversary, specializes in natural gas generators for oil and gas sites, capable of running on unrefined gas and switching to propane without power interruption. Their generators can handle a wide BTU range, ensuring steady power output. Poteet discusses their expansion into commercial and industrial applications, including data centers, and their new venture with Modern Hydrogen to develop hydrogen-powered generators. Mesa Solutions is vertically integrated, with manufacturing facilities in Colorado and Wyoming.

Action Items

• [ ] Explore Mesa Solutions' natural gas and hydrogen-powered generator offerings for potential applications in the power generation industry.
• [ ] Reach out to Thomas Poteet, Senior VP of Corporate Development at Mesa Solutions, on LinkedIn.

Outline

Introduction and Welcome to Industrial Talk Podcast

• Scott MacKenzie introduces the Industrial Talk Podcast, emphasizing its focus on industry professionals and their innovations.
• Scott highlights the importance of industry professionals in solving problems and collaborating.
• The podcast is broadcasting from Power Gen in Dallas, Texas, showcasing a collection of problem solvers and solutions.
• Scott introduces Tom Poteet, Senior VP of Corporate Development at Mesa Solutions, as the guest for the episode.

Tom Poteet's Background and Company Overview

• Tom Poteet shares that his company, Mesa Solutions, celebrated its 10-year anniversary last spring and is coming up on 11 years.
• Mesa Solutions specializes in making generators that run off natural gas, primarily for production oil and gas sites.
• The company's generators can run on prime power using unrefined gas, making them unique in the market.
• Tom explains the innovation of their generators, which can switch from natural gas to propane without dropping the load, avoiding power interruptions.

Technical Details and Market Applications

• Scott inquires about the business reasons behind using both natural gas and propane.
• Tom explains that their engine can run on a wide BTU range, making it suitable for varying fuel qualities.
• The engine's control system rapidly reads the fuel composition, ensuring steady power output and preventing mechanical damage.
• Tom discusses the reliability and high service levels required in the oil field, which has led to their success in other industrial and commercial applications.

Expansion into Commercial and Industrial Applications

• Tom mentions that their generators are now used in commercial and industrial sites, including retail markets and data centers.
• Scott and Tom discuss the growing demand for power in data centers and the potential for large-scale energy solutions.
• Tom explains the concept of "swarm resilience," where multiple generators can be paralleled to maintain power even if one fails.
• The conversation touches on the scalability of their generators, which can be used in projects involving hundreds of generators.

Manufacturing and Supply Chain

• Tom provides details about Mesa Solutions' manufacturing facilities in Loveland, Colorado, and Casper, Wyoming.
• The company has recently opened a new 200,000 square foot assembly center in San Antonio and plans to expand further.
• Mesa Solutions sources long engine blocks from Doosan Corporation in South Korea, which they then assemble and market.
• The company's ability to handle a wide range of fuels and their innovative control systems have positioned them well in the market.

Future Innovations and Market Trends

• Tom announces a new relationship with Modern Hydrogen, which has developed an engine that runs on 100% hydrogen.
• The company plans to integrate this engine into their generators, expanding their fuel options.
• Tom discusses the potential for using hydrogen as a dispatchable, carbon-free power source for data centers and other applications.
• The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities in handling and utilizing hydrogen as a fuel source.

Conclusion and Contact Information

• Scott thanks Tom for the insightful discussion and encourages listeners to reach out to him for further conversations.
• Scott emphasizes the importance of companies like Mesa Solutions in addressing the increasing demand for power.
• The podcast concludes with a reminder to check out next year's Power Gen event and to stay tuned for more episodes.
• Scott provides contact information for Tom Poteet and encourages listeners to visit the Industrial Talk website for more resources.