
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
Sidley Austin LLP
Welcome to Accelerating Energy, a new podcast powered by Sidley Austin LLP. Join us as we drill down on critical, and late-breaking, energy transition topics from all corners of industry. Each episode will introduce you to guests with unique perspectives as we investigate the business, legal, and policy concerns of this fast-evolving landscape.
Accelerating Energy is hosted by Ken Irvin and Cliff Vrielink, partners in Sidley’s global Energy practice.
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Top 10 Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Investing in Tomorrow: How Innovative Investments Will Begin Fueling the Energy Transition
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
04/21/25 • 25 min
All of a sudden there’s a new landscape for energy transition. The new administration is reducing the workforce of several federal agencies, including the EPA, where administrator Lee Zeldin is committed to eliminating 65 percent of what he calls the agency’s wasteful spending, and President Trump just signed four executive orders that direct different agencies of the federal government to revive American coal. State governments, businesses, and financial stakeholders will need to navigate all of this agency change to meet their existing energy mandates. Will there be a new way forward for battery, wind, and solar energy technologies? And are there long-term investment strategies and out-of-the-box energy opportunities for investors to support the ongoing energy transition?
In the sixth episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin, speaks with John Skrinar, a partner at Cresta Fund Management, a company dedicated to assisting stakeholders and funding businesses to achieve a strong return on their investments, while creating a more sustainable future. Together, they discuss how investors can drive the energy transition forward through finding innovative investment opportunities which utilize proven technologies but also balance out the bottom line for stakeholders.
Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

Are Tax Incentives Enough to Spur the U.S. Energy Transition Forward?
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
01/25/24 • 27 min
The United States government is authorizing millions of dollars in grants to electric cooperatives in the hopes of promoting grid resiliency and alternative energy adoption. Will grants and other incentives entice businesses to adopt clean energy? Or will political uncertainty in this election year tamp down these efforts?
In the second episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin, speaks with Robin Lunt, Chief Commercial Officer at Guzman Energy, a wholesale power provider dedicated to helping communities seeking affordable and reliable energy. Together, they discuss what businesses need to know about adopting clean energy and infrastructure amid legislative and regulatory uncertainty.
Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

How Energy Transmission Can Save the Grid – and Electrify the U.S. Economy
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
11/20/23 • 32 min
U.S. energy regulators warn that elevated threats of outages from storms and prolonged cold snaps will continue to impact our electric grid and the economy. The Biden administration recently announced $3.5 billion in grants to fund clean energy projects that combat climate change and promote renewable energy; but mounting costs, development snags, and regulatory roadblocks threaten to impede progress.
In this introductory episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin, speaks with Larry Gasteiger, Executive Director of WIRES, a nonprofit trade association that promotes investment in the North American electric transmission system. Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities of energy transmission as the U.S. works to electrify our economy and enhance the resilience of our grid.
Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

Tackling EV Infrastructure. Why Truck Manufacturers Are in for the Long Haul.
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
04/03/24 • 36 min
The future of commercial transportation is zero-emission. More than one million medium- and heavy-duty trucks are expected to hit the highways by 2031. But as the fleet of commercial zero-emission vehicles begins to grow, the infrastructure needed to power these trucks is struggling to keep up. In response to this reality, a coalition of major truck manufacturers have launched an initiative to help speed the deployment of charging stations nationwide.
In the third episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin, speaks with Dawn Fenton, Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs at Volvo Group North America, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer committed to shaping the future of sustainability transport and infrastructure solutions. Together, they discuss what businesses should know about the nascent zero-emission commercial transportation industry and what Volvo Group North America and its partners are doing to accelerate electric-charging infrastructure development.
Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.

Taking Charge: Can Battery Energy Storage Systems Unlock the Full Potential of Renewable Energy?
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
11/18/24 • 34 min
Renewable energy can be intermittent, making it a challenging power source for power grid operators to manage. But the burgeoning technology of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is poised to help fill those critical gaps. BESS is expected to quintuple in capacity by the end of this decade. These systems play a crucial role in the renewable energy life cycle, ensuring a stable supply of electricity to customers, data centers, the national grid, and energy needs worldwide. But the installation costs for some large-scale systems are high, along with a number of maintenance and environmental issues to consider.
In the fourth episode of Accelerating Energy, Pat Wood, CEO of Hunt Energy Network, a developer and operator of distributed energy resources in Texas, talks with host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin. Pat, the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under President George W. Bush and of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, discusses what’s in store for battery energy storage systems and how industry stakeholders can offset the barriers to their wider use.

Sustainable Success: How Utility Companies Can Thrive in Turbulent Times
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition
02/21/25 • 27 min
The countdown has begun on statewide zero-emission mandates. Blue state governors have created strict timelines for implementing their renewable energy objectives. And these mandates will significantly impact operations for utility companies and the United States power grid. Will power-hungry data centers and extreme weather events impede success for these goals? And what will be the impact of the Trump administration, which has just declared an “energy emergency,” and is promising to increase drilling and end support for electric vehicles? How likely is the nation to meet its long-term energy requirements?
In the fifth episode of Accelerating Energy, host and Sidley partner, Ken Irvin, speaks with Tom Vaccaro, Clean Energy Development Director at National Grid, a company that has ties to both the U.S. and European energy sectors and finds solutions to keep energy systems clean, fair, and affordable. Together, they discuss the ins and outs of energy consumption and how utility companies are navigating the energy transition and a rapidly evolving grid.
Executive Producer: John Metaxas, WallStreetNorth Communications, Inc.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition have?
Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition currently has 6 episodes available.
What topics does Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition cover?
The podcast is about Energy, Podcasts, Clean Energy and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition?
The episode title 'Are Tax Incentives Enough to Spur the U.S. Energy Transition Forward?' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition?
The average episode length on Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition is 31 minutes.
How often are episodes of Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition released?
Episodes of Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition are typically released every 69 days, 5 hours.
When was the first episode of Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition?
The first episode of Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition was released on Nov 20, 2023.
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