Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition - Taking Charge: Can Battery Energy Storage Systems Unlock the Full Potential of Renewable Energy?

Taking Charge: Can Battery Energy Storage Systems Unlock the Full Potential of Renewable Energy?

11/18/24 • 34 min

Accelerating Energy: Powering Business Through the Energy Transition

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.

Previous Episode

Tackling EV Infrastructure. Why Truck Manufacturers Are in for the Long Haul.

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.

Next Episode

Sustainable Success: How Utility Companies Can Thrive in Turbulent Times

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.