Interchange Recharged

We’ve got billions in the pot for renewables. The technology is there for wind, solar, hydrogen and nuclear, but there’s still a significant hurdle to overcome: the issue of storage.  Energy Vault is a company exploring innovative solutions to this problem. Using the science behind pumped hydro as inspiration, they created a gravity and kinetic-energy based system around massive composite blocks. Excess renewable energy lifts the blocks, then when the energy is needed again, it drops them and converts the kinetic energy into electricity.  The main problem with the grid is that it is designed as a ‘pre-generation’ storage solution, in that we simply convert fuel into energy. Post-generation storage, where we actual store the electricity, is lacking. The grid needs upgrading, and Energy Vault’s system is one solution. On the Interchange: Recharged, we are joined by Co-Founder and CEO Rob Piconi. Rob believes that the biggest step we need to take to decarbonise is solving our storage problems.  The discussion explores the technology behind Energy Vault, the every-present issue of the supply chain, and the future of investment for the company. Follow @InterchangeShow and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. View the landing page to find all episodes of The Interchange Recharged. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Examining the pioneering ways that smart infrastructures could drive efficiencies.The energy transition will put a huge pressure on the grid. In order to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, annual investment must increase from today's 1 trillion to 4 trillion by 2030. This will fund new technologies such as renewables and storage, but also upgrade the energy grid for transmission and distribution. Outdated power grids in urban areas are currently largely unable to integrate necessary renewable energy sources.   The technology to propel us through the energy transition already exists. The puzzle to solve is how to use it most efficiently. There's not a one size fits all solution to upgrading the grid, but data and smart infrastructure are emerging solutions that promise to drive efficiencies across the network. Every percentage point increase in energy efficiency or energy reduction moves the needle globally in tackling climate change.  On the Interchange: Recharged, we chair a panel discussion with three experts in grid innovation. Rachel Steinberg is Head of Mesa, an initiative from Google's Sidewalk Labs on a mission to drive energy efficiencies in buildings. Josh Chappell is Head of Engineering on the project and also joins us to discuss the technology behind it. The modernisation of the grid is crucial for the energy transition, so understanding these elements is key. To explore the policy reforms and investment driving the changes to the grid is Wood Mackenzie’s Sam Howe, Research Analyst in Building Decarbonisation.   Together, they examine the pioneering ways that clean electricity is directed to the right place.  Follow @InterchangeShow and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. View the landing page to find all episodes of The Interchange Recharged. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back at the start of December, leading industry experts and energy figures converged in Phoenix, Arizona, for the annual Grid Edge Innovation Summit.As we look ahead to this year’s Solar and Energy Storage event on 21-22 June in San Francisco, we thought we'd dip into the archives and release some of the best interviews and unheard content from last year's summit.Hear from Wood Mackenzie’s experts and representatives from the leading distribution utilities, software technology developers, public utility commissions (PUCs), and distributed generation players in North America addressing key issues affecting the sector, including the latest insights on grid modernization, distributed energy resources (DER) aggregation technologies and transportation and building electrification.  Featuring on this episode:Aimee Bailey, Director of Innovation and Portfolio Management, National Grid PartnersKathy Knoop, Manager, EV Stakeholder Solutions, General MotorsAnna J Siefken, Commercialization Executive, U.S. Department of EnergyFahimeh Kazempour, Head, Grid Modernization, Wood MackenzieGiri Iyer, Vice President, Business Development, Sentient Energy, a KES CompanyVince Faherty, Head of Energy Marketplace & Implementation Partnerships, GoogleTiya Gordon, Co-Founder, itselectricSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Interchange is back! As we near the end of January, the focus in the energy world is on viable alternatives to fossil fuels. Hydrogen has dominated the conversation in recent months, touted as the ‘silver bullet’ for tackling the climate crisis. But is that the case, or is it just hype?  In 2021, hydrogen production that was ‘green’ (produced from renewables) was at 1%. In 2022, that number has barely increased. Most of our current hydrogen production is from fossil fuels and used to produce other chemicals such as ammonia. All the focus in the industry, and the media, is on the green and the blue. These yield 11 million Google results, against 95,000 for grey and 49,000 for brown. Great news – we must be currently produced green hydrogen in the majority. Wrong. Only 0.04% of hydrogen produced is green. 96% is grey, or brown, produced for use in oil refineries and for manufacturing ammonia.  On the Interchange this week, we are joined by Luke Johnson, Managing Director and Founder of H2 Green. They’re a UK based company aiming to build green hydrogen production hubs across Europe, to produce and deliver hydrogen where needed. Luke is a serial entrepreneur with experience in energy and technology, across Australian, US, German and UK markets. Wood Mackenzie’s Melany Vargas also joins the show - she’s the Head of Hydrogen Consulting at Wood Mackenzie, and brings experience across the global energy value chain.  Together they look at the agenda of governments worldwide to turn this ship around. Do plans even exist to do so? Is the focus on green hydrogen production a distraction from the true industry practices? Can we rely on hydrogen as a viable alternative source of energy and can it be produced sustainably? At the moment, it’s not looking good.  Follow the Interchange: Recharged @InterchangeShow and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this special episode of The Interchange: Recharged, we highlight some of his favorite and most memorable moments on the podcast this year. It was a very eventful year in the world of energy, and we have been lucky enough to sit down with some of the CEOs and sustainability experts around the world who are finding innovative ways to help us reach our net-zero goals. We discussed policies and early-stage investments helping to support the energy transition. We took this podcast on the road and brought you live recaps throughout several days at the Wood Mackenzie’s Solar Energy and Storage Summit in San Diego, and The Grid Edge Innovation Summit in Phoenix. Listen in as we reflect on the year, and feature clips from interviews with Quaise Energy, KMX Technologies, Boom Supersonic, Maersk and more. Follow us on Twitter @InterchangeShowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wood Mackenzie’s Grid Edge Innovation Summit has wrapped, and we’re bringing you a full recap and some bonus content from the two-day conference. Listen in as we reflects on our time in Phoenix, where he had the pleasure of sitting down with experts and representatives leading the charge in grid data, energy efficiency, and innovative EV charging solutions. This episode includes interviews with:               •              Fahimeh Kazempour, Head, Grid Modernization, Wood Mackenzie               •              Giri Iyer, Vice President, Business Development, Sentient Energy, a KES Company               •              Vince Faherty, Head of Energy Marketplace & Implementation Partnerships, Google               •              Tiya Gordon, Co-Founder, itselectric               •              Carter Li, CEO, SWTCH Energy Inc. Follow us on Twitter @InterchangeShowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wood Mackenzie’s Grid Edge Innovation Summit is now on and we’re bringing you all the action from two days of talks right here on The Interchange Recharged. We are live in Phoenix, bringing you highlights from each day of the conference. On the second day, we talk to experts and representatives from the leading distribution utilities, automotive industry experts, software technology developers, public utility commissions and distributed generation players in North America.  We are joined by:                •             Scott Peattie, Director Business Development / Head of Grid Services, Sunrun Inc.               •              Amaiya Khardenavis, Research Analyst, EV Charging Infrastructure, Wood Mackenzie               •              Kathy Knoop, Manager, EV Stakeholder Solutions, General Motors               •              Adam Langton, Energy Services Manager, BMW of North America, LLC               •             Ken Schisler, Senior Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, CPower Energy Management               •             Anna J Siefken, Commercialization Executive, U.S. Department of Energy               •              Trudie Wang, VP of Product, Heila Technologies Follow us on Twitter @InterchangeShowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wood Mackenzie’s Grid Edge Innovation Summit is now on and we’ll be bringing you all the action from the two days of talks right here on The Interchange Recharged. Host David Banmiller is live in Phoenix, bringing you highlights from each day of the conference. Across the next three episodes, David talks to experts and representatives from the leading distribution utilities, software technology developers, public utility commissions and distributed generation players in North America.  On day one, David is joined by:Chris Seiple, Vice-Chairman, Energy Transition and Renewables, Wood MackenzieAimee Bailey, Director of Innovation and Portfolio Management, National Grid PartnersMartin Milani, CEO, Sunverge EnergyStephen Hendrickson, US Department of EnergyCrystal Stiles, Florida Power & LightMelissa Chan, Director of Grid Solutions and Strategic Partnerships, Fermata EnergyBen Hertz-Shargel, Global Head of Grid Edge, Wood Mackenzie.  Follow us on Twitter @InterchangeShowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The world is undergoing a slow but much needed transition. The need to phase out fossil fuels and transition to renewable sources of energy was a major theme at COP27. But with past efforts to reach certain goals falling short, what technologies are being developed to put us back on track?On this episode, we are joined by Fredrik Mowill, CEO at Hystar.Hystar is a high-tech company that specializes in PEM electrolysers to produce green hydrogen from water electrolysis. With their unique and patented technology, they hope to make the production of hydrogen from renewable electricity significantly more affordable and more accessible.Join them as they discuss how this technology works, what makes it unique, and what else can be done to further the energy transition.Remember to subscribe so you don’t miss a single show and let us know your thoughts and comments.   The Interchange podcast is brought to you by Schneider Electric.  Are you looking for more energy control but worry about the upfront costs of a microgrid and renewables? Schneider Electric have you covered. Schneider Electric offers Energy as a Service for customers like you who spend $40,000 or more each month on energy. With Energy as a Service, you get customized solutions to help you meet goals for sustainability, efficiency, and cost control —including a microgrid and adjacent energy infrastructure. They also handle every step of the process and assume financial and operational risks.  Upgraded electrical equipment. Reduced emissions. Predictable long-term pricing. Energy as a Service provides all this, and more.  Visit se.com/us/eaas to find out if Energy as a Service is right for you.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we publish this episode, COP27 is well underway. World leaders and policymakers are gathering in Egypt to formulate plans to tackle the climate crisis. Recent reports, notably a report from the UN in recent weeks, indicate that the current efforts being made by the world are not enough to restrict us to 1.5c of global heating. With the pledges made at COP26 a year ago still not being met, the focus is on the Western world and its responsibility to lead the charge, not least financially. It was proposed that $100b a year would be set aside for spending on climate action, but current figures put the actual amount as being far lower. On today’s episode, we are joined by Rick Saines, Managing Director at Pollination. They are a climate change advisory and investment firm which aims to deliver net zero, focusing on decarbonisation and nature-positive outcomes. They liaise with large NGOs, governments, and investment firms. They have a key focus on investment; advisory insights, as well as understanding trends and analysing the intersection between policy and investment. All of which lead to better decision-making in ESG investing. Transitioning to a zero-carbon economy is imperative. Through the noise of mid-term elections, and a cost of living crisis, the urgency to act on the climate must cut through. What needs to be changed on a global policy level, as time starts to run out? Join them as they take a markets-based look at how companies and governments are working toward net-zero, and what needs to be done to ensure governments are sticking to the promises they make. The Interchange podcast is brought to you by Schneider Electric.  Are you looking for more energy control but worry about the upfront costs of a microgrid and renewables? Schneider Electric have you covered. Schneider Electric offers Energy as a Service for customers like you who spend $40,000 or more each month on energy. With Energy as a Service, you get customized solutions to help you meet goals for sustainability, efficiency, and cost control —including a microgrid and adjacent energy infrastructure. They also handle every step of the process and assume financial and operational risks.  Upgraded electrical equipment. Reduced emissions. Predictable long-term pricing. Energy as a Service provides all this, and more. Visit se.com/us/eaas to find out if Energy as a Service is right for you.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.