Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy Podcast

In this episode of Green Giants, host Wes Ashworth welcomes Rob Gramlich, founder and president of Grid Strategies LLC. With decades of experience in renewable energy and grid policy, Rob dives deep into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the U.S. power grid.

Key Discussion Points:

1. The Grid’s Role in Renewable Energy Expansion:
   • Rob highlights how the grid is both a facilitator and a bottleneck for clean energy. As the energy landscape shifts towards higher renewable penetration, the need for smarter grid planning becomes more urgent.
2. Barriers to Grid Modernization: The Three P’s – Planning, Permitting, and Paying:
   • Planning: Coordinating transmission lines across multiple regions is complex and often lacks foresight.
   • Permitting: Linear infrastructure faces stiff resistance, both from local communities and bureaucratic hurdles.
   • Paying: With costs distributed across states, disagreements arise about who should bear the financial burden.
3. Grid Constraints and Interconnection Challenges:
   • Rob discusses the 2.6 terawatts of renewable energy waiting in interconnection queues, double the U.S.’s current capacity. He explains how outdated infrastructure limits clean energy integration and increases curtailments.
4. Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs):
   • Technologies like dynamic line ratings, topology optimization, and power flow control could unlock significant grid capacity by improving efficiency and reducing curtailments.
5. Utilities and Innovation Challenges:
   • The utility business model, which rewards large capital investments, sometimes discourages low-cost solutions like GETs. Rob underscores the need for regulatory incentives to push utilities toward adopting advanced technologies.
6. Legislative Updates and Policy Shifts:
   • With FERC initiatives like Order 1920 and potential permitting reforms in Congress, Rob remains hopeful for progress in grid expansion and modernization. He stresses the importance of bipartisan cooperation to achieve long-term energy goals.
7. Decentralized Energy Systems:
   • While microgrids provide resilience, Rob is skeptical about their potential for large-scale clean energy solutions, emphasizing the importance of macro-grid planning to handle high renewable penetration.
8. Outlook on Future Innovations:
   • High-voltage DC lines, advanced conductors, and clean firm power options like enhanced geothermal or long-duration storage are poised to shape the next phase of grid evolution.

Closing Thoughts:

Rob shares his optimism that national security concerns and economic development will drive bipartisan support for grid infrastructure. He encourages industry stakeholders to adopt innovative solutions and work collaboratively across sectors to overcome challenges.
Links:
Grid Strategies LLC
Rob Gramlich on LinkedIn

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

• Email: [email protected]
• https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/
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In this engaging episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Commissioner Tim Echols, Vice Chair of the Georgia Public Service Commission. Known for his pivotal role in Georgia's energy landscape, Tim shares the strategic moves that have turned the state into a renewable energy powerhouse. From pioneering solar projects to advancing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure and leveraging nuclear power, Tim has been at the forefront of innovation while keeping economic responsibility in focus.

Episode Highlights:

• Tim’s Unexpected Journey into Renewable Energy: Tim reveals the origins of his passion for clean energy, starting with his early work on solar thermal technology and his personal experiences that fueled his advocacy.
• Building a Reliable EV Infrastructure: Dive deep into the complexities of EV charger networks and why Tim believes Elon Musk’s approach set a standard that others struggle to match. Discover Tim’s insights on "charging deserts" and how strategic policies are filling these gaps in Georgia.
• Georgia’s Solar Boom: With solar power growing from just 3 megawatts to over 7,800 megawatts, Tim discusses the policies that made this possible. Learn how Georgia has leveraged federal incentives to boost solar energy while balancing economic impacts.
• Overcoming Energy Challenges with Innovation: Tim explores the pressing need for energy solutions that accommodate the demands of AI-driven data centers and the tech sector's expansion. Hear about future-proofing energy infrastructure with commitments from businesses and innovative policies.
• The Case for Nuclear Power: Addressing the controversy surrounding nuclear energy, Tim breaks down the financial and political barriers to expanding nuclear capacity and how the federal government can play a crucial role.
• Navigating Natural Gas Volatility: Tim explains the ripple effects of natural gas price fluctuations on Georgia residents and outlines potential measures to shield consumers from future shocks.
• Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology: Tim passionately advocates for vehicle-to-grid integration, detailing pilot programs that could revolutionize how electric school buses and personal EVs contribute to grid resilience.
• Making Renewable Energy Bipartisan: As a Republican who champions renewable energy, Tim discusses how to make sustainability appealing across party lines, focusing on economic benefits and practical solutions.

Why Listen?

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving energy landscape, particularly in how state-level policies can drive large-scale renewable adoption. Tim’s firsthand experiences and deep insights offer a unique perspective on balancing innovation with economic reality.

Links:
Tim Echols LinkedIn
Tim's Energy Matters Podcast
Clean Energy Roadshow
Teenpact

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

• Email: [email protected]
• https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/
• https://leegroupsearch.com/

Summary
In this episode, Wes Ashworth interviews Vidha Dixit and Martin Motta from EDPR North America. They discuss the innovation themes and programs at EDP Renewables, including internal and external innovation initiatives. They also talk about the importance of ESG goals and efforts at EDPR North America and how they integrate into the business model. The challenges and accomplishments in the renewable energy sector are highlighted, along with advice for professionals starting their careers in the industry. The episode concludes with a vision for the future of renewable energy and the role of collaboration in achieving sustainability goals. The conversation explores the initiatives and technologies that EDP Renewables North America and EDP Group are working on to achieve sustainability. They emphasize the importance of striking a balance and being able to sustain these efforts over an extended period of time. The guests also discuss the need for innovation and sustainability in all areas of their work.

Takeaways

• EDP Renewables focuses on optimizing the value of existing assets, building blocks for next-gen products, and investing in green tech.
• EDPR North America has internal innovation programs like UInnovate and external programs like Energy Starter and Free Electrons to collaborate with startups and drive innovation.
• EDPR North America has made strategic investments in companies like Captura to expand into carbon capture technology.
• ESG goals at EDPR North America include decarbonization, empowering communities, protecting the planet, and building a sustainable supply chain.
• Challenges in implementing ESG principles include talent recruitment, regulatory differences, and supply chain transparency.
• The future of renewable energy involves trends like comprehensive ESG practices, responsible sourcing, and partnerships for circularity and sustainability.
• Collaboration between the innovation and ESG departments at EDPR North America is crucial for achieving common goals.
• Professionals starting their careers in renewable energy should seek education and training opportunities and explore various roles within the industry.
• The vision for the future of renewable energy includes balance in generation resources, resilience of energy systems, and continued innovation and collaboration. Striking a balance is crucial for achieving sustainability in renewable energy.
• Getting involved in organizations and research in the renewable energy field can provide valuable opportunities and knowledge.
• Collaboration and partnerships are essential for growth and finding new perspectives.
• Sharing information and spreading awareness is key to advancing the renewable energy industry.

Links:
Vidha Dixit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidhadixit/
Martin Motta: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-motta/
Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/
EDPR NA: https://www.edpr.com/north-america/
Energy Starter: https://theenergystarter.com/
Free Electrons: https://freeelectrons.org/
Medium Article: https://medium.com/@joaomarquez.filipe/why-edp-invested-in-captura-88e9c73aa5e3
Women in Renewable Energy: https://womeninrenewableenergy.ca/
RISE: https://riserenewable.energy/
EPRI: https://www.epri.com/
NREL: https://www.nrel.gov/

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

• Email: [email protected]
• https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/
• https://leegroupsearch.com/

In this insightful episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Ana Quelhas, Managing Director for Hydrogen at EDP Renewables. Ana dives into the critical role of hydrogen in the global push for decarbonization, focusing on renewable hydrogen’s potential to transform the energy landscape.

Ana shares how EDP Renewables is leveraging hydrogen technology to phase out fossil fuels and fully transition to renewables by 2030. She explains the strategic repurposing of coal power plants into renewable hydrogen hubs, how EDP is leading innovative pilot projects in Brazil and Portugal, and the pivotal importance of infrastructure, policy, and regulation to scale hydrogen projects globally.

Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of hydrogen’s role in decarbonization, why it's crucial for hard-to-abate sectors like steelmaking and transportation, and why hydrogen should not be considered a “silver bullet” for all energy needs. Ana also touches on the need for policies that support both hydrogen production and demand, emphasizing the long-term vision required to make hydrogen a reality in the clean energy transition.

Tune in to hear Ana Quelhas' expert insights on renewable hydrogen’s promise, the challenges that remain, and how EDP Renewables is at the forefront of pioneering this crucial energy solution for a sustainable future.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The role of renewable hydrogen in decarbonizing industries like steel and aviation
• How EDP Renewables is repurposing coal plants into hydrogen hubs
• The importance of policy and infrastructure in scaling the hydrogen economy
• Differences between renewable (green) hydrogen and non-renewable (gray) hydrogen
• The global hydrogen market: challenges, opportunities, and future projections
• How EDP Renewables is leading innovative pilot projects in Brazil and Portugal
• Why hydrogen is essential for hard-to-electrify sectors but not a "silver bullet" for all energy needs

Keywords: hydrogen, renewable hydrogen, green hydrogen, decarbonization, energy transition, EDP Renewables, Ana Quelhas, fossil fuel replacement, clean energy, hydrogen infrastructure, policy and regulation, hydrogen economy, climate change, sustainable energy

Links & Resources:

• Learn more about EDP Renewables’ hydrogen initiatives
• Follow Ana Quelhas on LinkedIn

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

• Email: [email protected]
• https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/
• https://leegroupsearch.com/

Welcome to Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy! In this episode, we have an enlightening conversation with Matt Krayton, Founder and Principal of Publitics, a leading consultancy in public affairs, political strategy, and public relations for the digital era. Matt shares his journey from aspiring history teacher to prominent climate advocate, providing insights into the intersection of media, public opinion, and strategic communication.

As the communications lead at the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH-2), Matt delves into the nuances of hydrogen energy, detailing the importance of green, pink, and orange hydrogen. He shares how MACH-2 aims to revolutionize energy storage and decarbonize sectors like heavy industry, long-haul shipping, and aviation.

Matt also debunks common misconceptions about clean energy and highlights the pivotal role of proactive communication in promoting climate initiatives. He shares actionable steps individuals can take to support climate solutions, from enhancing home energy efficiency to backing large-scale renewable projects.

Join us for a compelling discussion on leveraging strategic communication to advance the renewable energy sector. Don’t miss Matt Krayton’s invaluable insights on fostering a sustainable future through effective messaging and public engagement.

Key Topics Covered:

• Matt Krayton’s Professional Journey and Founding of Publitics
• The Role of MACH-2 in the Hydrogen Energy Landscape
• Differences Between Green, Pink, and Orange Hydrogen
• Practical Steps Individuals Can Take to Combat Climate Change
• The Importance of Proactive Communication in Renewable Energy Advocacy
• Overcoming Common Misconceptions About Clean Energy
• How Public Opinion Shapes Climate Initiatives and the Energy Transition

Show Notes:

0:01 - Introduction to Matt Krayton and Publitics: Overview of Matt’s background and the mission of Publitics.

1:15 - Matt's Journey from Teaching to Public Affairs: Insights into Matt’s career shift and motivations.

3:18 - Why Focus on Communications Within the Renewable Energy Sector?: The significance of strategic communication in renewable energy.

5:25 - Overview of MACH-2 and Its Goals: Detailed look at MACH-2’s objectives and initiatives.

9:42 - Explanation of Hydrogen Colors: Green, Pink, and Orange: Breakdown of different hydrogen types and their roles.

14:54 - Common Misconceptions About Clean Energy and Hydrogen: Addressing and correcting myths about renewable energy.

19:32 - Challenges in Communicating Complex Climate Initiatives: Discussing the obstacles in climate communication and how to overcome them.

24:15 - Practical Steps for Individuals to Contribute to Climate Solutions: Simple yet effective actions individuals can take to help the environment.

28:09 - The Importance of Public Support for Renewable Projects: The impact of public engagement on the success of renewable projects.

33:54 - The Evolving Role of Communications in Achieving Environmental Goals: How communication strategies are adapting to meet environmental challenges.

38:50 - Final Thoughts: Optimism for the Future of Clean Energy: Matt’s hopeful outlook on the advancements in renewable energy.

Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/

• Email: [email protected]
• https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/
• https://leegroupsearch.com/