The grid is fragile. Is distributed energy the answer?

02/06/23 • 63 min

Our grid is vulnerable to disruption and even failure. Wildfires, floods, and more frequent extreme weather events routinely highlight the imperative of adding distributed energy not just for resiliency, but to reach our climate goals.
But incumbents, purposefully or not, are delaying the transition. And markets still don't fully value the qualities of distributed energy resources. Will we come to embrace DER's myriad benefits before it's too late?
Episode 34 of the Factor This! podcast features Tim Hade, the co-founder and COO of Scale Microgrid Solutions.
This wide-ranging conversation covered the role of distributed energy for the grid of the future, the perils of scaling a climate tech hardware company, and what's holding back the Inflation Reduction Act.
Hade shared how his time in the military mobilized him to fight climate change, why he's so optimistic that DERs will one day breakthrough, and his five tips for anyone starting a clean energy company. Spoiler alert: get smart on tax equity. Or find someone who is.
That's all next on Factor This!
Factor This! is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing [email protected]

Tell us what you think of the show!

Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing [email protected]

Previous Episode

Community solar: Can California get it right this time?

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California is a leader in the energy transition. There's no doubt about it.
But even the most mature solar market in the country hasn't always gotten it right.
A community solar program implemented in 2013 never really panned out. And while the community solar sector grew rapidly in other states, California watched as few projects got built.
Episode 33 of the Factor This! podcast features Aaron Halimi, president and founder of the California-based community solar developer Renewable Properties. Halimi breaks down the state of community solar, the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, and California's second attempt to craft a successful program.
Can they get it right this time?
That's all next on Factor This!
About the sponsor:
This episode of Factor This! is sponsored by Heila Technologies, a Kohler Company.
Heila is changing the way complex microgrids are managed and operated with its EDGE control and optimization platform, which makes each asset in a system smarter while making the whole microgrid more efficient and resilient.
The EDGE helps EPCs and developers simplify microgrid deployment through a flexible approach that ensures systems operate reliably while unlocking new revenue streams.
Heila is a proud sponsor of the 2023 GridTech Connect Forum. Register now at www.gridtechconnect.com to learn more about Heila and the EDGE platform.
Factor This! is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing [email protected]

Next Episode

Talking energy storage with Yann Brandt

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It's time that we talk about energy storage.
Not just because solar-plus-storage is a natural fit, but more and more developers will soon be branching out into the world of batteries, emboldened by new federal incentives.
That transition could be overwhelming for some. Energy storage deployment comes with its own unique set of nuances and challenges.
What differentiates one energy storage company from another? How do investors view the nascent sector? What are some of the risks to avoid?
Yann Brandt, CCO of the energy storage solution provider FlexGen, joined Episode 35 of the Factor This! podcast to answer those questions and more.
If you've worked in solar long enough, you probably know Yann— either from his various stops throughout the industry or SolarWakeup, his must-read daily newsletter that has become a staple for industry insiders.
Fresh off his election as the first-ever chair of the Energy Storage division at the Solar Energy Industries Association, Yann answers your burning questions about energy storage.
That's all next on Factor This!
Factor This! is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.