Podcasts about battery storage

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha's top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Why battery makers and investors are pivoting from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe; a look at Lukas Walton-backed S2G investments following its $1 billion; and, the reasons that the world cup is a sportswashing bonanza.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠.This week's stories:“Battery makers and investors pivot from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe,” by Danielle Rossingh.“G is for growth after $1 billion raise for Lukas Walton-backed S2G Investments,” by Erik Stein“A ‘sportswashing' bonanza, brought to you by Saudi Aramco,” by Dmitriy Ioselevich

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha's top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Why battery makers and investors are pivoting from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe; a look at Lukas Walton-backed S2G investments following its $1 billion; and, the reasons that the world cup is a sportswashing bonanza.To try ImpactAlpha Edge, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.This week's stories:“⁠Battery makers and investors pivot from EVs to grid storage for renewable energy in Europe⁠,” by Danielle Rossingh.“⁠G is for growth after $1 billion raise for Lukas Walton-backed S2G Investments⁠,” by Erik Stein“⁠A ‘sportswashing' bonanza, brought to you by Saudi Aramco⁠,” by Dmitriy Ioselevich

It's hard to overstate how fast the battery energy storage industry is growing, and the impact that's having on the power sector. In 2025, US utilities and independent developers added 17.75 gigawatts of large-scale battery storage capacity, up 52% from 2024. Multiple forecasts suggest another 100 GW or more of large-scale battery capacity will come online in the US through 2030.   To the extent utilities and power producers can meet the electricity demand projected to surge in coming years, batteries are going to be critical to the solution, supporting data centers, electric vehicles, domestic factories and other sources of increased load.  In this episode, Dan Testa digs into these trends with Noah Roberts, executive director of the Energy Storage Coalition, and Mateo Jaramillo, CEO of Form Energy, a company building and deploying long-duration batteries using innovative iron air technology. 

It's hard to overstate how fast the battery energy storage industry is growing, and the impact that's having on the power sector. In 2025, US utilities and independent developers added 17.75 gigawatts of large-scale battery storage capacity, up 52% from 2024. Multiple forecasts suggest another 100 GW or more of large-scale battery capacity will come online in the US through 2030.   To the extent utilities and power producers can meet the electricity demand projected to surge in coming years, batteries are going to be critical to the solution, supporting data centers, electric vehicles, domestic factories and other sources of increased load.  In this episode, Dan Testa digs into these trends with Noah Roberts, executive director of the Energy Storage Coalition, and Mateo Jaramillo, CEO of Form Energy, a company building and deploying long-duration batteries using innovative iron air technology. 

In this episode of the Solar Maverick Podcast, Benoy Thanjan speaks with Russell Laplante, Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States. Russ shares his nearly two-decade journey in renewable energy from his Goldman Sachs training program to becoming the first employee at wind startup Own Energy in 2007, through utility-scale solar at Tradewind Energy and Savion, and now leading the financial strategy at Convergent's distributed and utility-scale battery storage platform. The conversation covers Convergent's business model working with commercial and industrial customers on behind-the-meter battery and solar-plus-storage projects, how they save C&I customers up to 40% on their energy bills, and how batteries help utilities defer costly transmission and distribution upgrades. The episode dives deep into the financing of battery storage, including tax equity, portfolio debt financing, partnership flip structures, and why distributed generation requires a fundamentally different capital strategy than utility-scale projects. Russ also shares his perspective on the massive opportunity around data centers, AI-driven load growth, speed to grid, the Big Beautiful Bill, ITC extension for storage, and what Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) compliance means for the battery supply chain. Biographies Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $50 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions. Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla's Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market. As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm's renewable portfolio. Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund. Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.   Guest Information Russell Laplante Russell Laplante is the Chief Financial Officer of Convergent Energy and Power, one of the leading battery storage developers and operators in the United States, with over $1 billion deployed and 800 megawatts of projects operational, under construction, or in development. Russ has nearly two decades of experience in renewable energy. He began his career at Goldman Sachs before joining Own Energy in 2007 as its first employee, where he worked hands-on in utility-scale wind development across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. He later joined Tradewind Energy in an origination role before leading M&A for the solar platform that eventually became Savion. After Shell acquired Savion in 2021, Russ served as Chief Investment Officer before joining Convergent in 2025 as CFO. At Convergent, Russ oversees capital markets strategy, debt and tax equity financing, and the company's portfolio approach to distributed energy storage across commercial, industrial, and utility customers. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-laplante-cfa-42353510   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/   Convergent Energy and Power  Website: https://www.convergentep.com Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/convergent-energy-power/   Summer Solstice Fundraiser Benoy is hosting the Summer Solstice Fundraiser on June 4th in Jersey City at Hudson Hall, bringing together the clean energy community for an evening of networking and impact. The event supports Let's Share the Sun, a nonprofit delivering solar and energy storage solutions to underserved communities in Puerto Rico, including families with critical 24 hour energy needs. The event will run from 6 PM to 10 PM and includes food, networking, and a special program at 8 PM featuring insights from the Let's Share the Sun team, delegation participants, and event sponsors.  This will be Benoy's third delegation in the past year, and he highlights the importance of meeting beneficiaries firsthand and seeing how solar is transforming lives. Those interested in attending or sponsoring are encouraged to reach out directly or register here:  https://luma.com/jl734ggi   Please provide 5 star reviews      If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.    Reneu Energy Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets. Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Best Dam Podcast Exclusive: Inside the Data Center Debate - Part I with Ned Thomas - In this episode of The Best Dam Podcast, Jill sits down with Ned Thomas, the City Manager of Boulder City, to discuss the ongoing community conversations surrounding data centers. Moving past the rumors, Ned pulls back the curtain on the multi-step "gatekeeping" process of land management, the reality of local control versus federal intervention, and what a potential data center could actually mean for the community.Ned explores the complex nature of modern high-tech infrastructure, highlighting how the city evaluates potential land uses while balancing economic diversification with the protection of Boulder City's historic, small-town character. With a focus on transparent municipal processes, professional due diligence, and strict regulatory standards, Ned provides an insightful look at the dedication required to ensure community assets are maximized for the direct benefit of local residents and utility ratepayers.DISCUSSIONThe Multi-Step Gatekeeping Process: Ned emphasizes that a data center is far from a "done deal," explaining that the city's unique Land Management Process requires multiple public hearings before the planning commission and city council just to place the land use on a potential list.Local Landlord Control vs. Federal Intervention: If a data center is built on city-owned property, Boulder City dictates the parameters, design, and operator; if rejected, the developer has indicated they may move the project to neighboring federal BLM land, stripping the city of local oversight and lease revenue.The Reality of the Skyler Lease Option: The applicant currently holds a lease option strictly for battery storage and solar on an 88-acre site. To build a data center, they would have to let that option expire and restart a highly competitive public bidding process.Grid Isolation and Ratepayer Protection: Unlike issues seen in other national markets, the proposed data center would be completely isolated from the local Boulder City power grid, purchasing its power independently from separate transmission sources.The Financial Benefit of Wheeling Charges: Because the project sits within city utility territory, the city can apply a "wheeling charge" meter to their power transmission, generating revenue that directly funds and benefits local utility ratepayers.Environmental & Tech Adaptations in the Desert: Ned addresses key environmental anxieties by noting that modern data centers use advanced, water-efficient cooling technologies that differ significantly from older, high-consumption infrastructure.Lessons from the El Dorado Valley Battery Fire: Following a recent incident, Ned highlights how the city's proactive "tabletop exercises" prepared the fire department, while subsequent debriefs have improved future roadway access and emergency signage.The November Ballot Question Demystified: Ned clarifies that the upcoming November vote is separate from the current 88-acre Townsite Two discussion; it asks voters whether the city should explore future data center diversification in the distinct El Dorado Valley Transfer Area.Sanctity of the Conservation Easement: The discussion reinforces that the 87,000-acre multi-species habitat conservation easement remains completely protected and untouched by any future energy or data center developments.LEARN MORECity of Boulder City Official Website: The primary portal for residents to access official data center information, municipal codes, land management maps, and upcoming public hearing agendas. https://www.bcnv.org/1170/Data-CentersThe Land Management Process: Information regarding the specific regulatory "gates," zoning text amendments, and public bidding procedures required for new land use approvals in Boulder City.El Dorado Valley Transfer Area Map: A visual breakdown available via city resources detailing the distinct boundaries between energy zones, the dry lake bed, and the protected desert tortoise conservation easement.Supplemental Resource: This resource was created to deepen your knowledge of the Data Center Debate, both nationall, in Nevada, and specificially, in Boulder City - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/yrwaeiofl3knjtrmc2cvc/Data-Centers-in-Boulder-City-NV.pdf?rlkey=kyy2cvatvc9erf1brfg02h36j&st=7gefy2kq&dl=0KEYWORDSNed Thomas, Boulder City, Data Centers, The Best Dam Podcast, Land Management Process, Local Control, Grid Isolation, Wheeling Charge, El Dorado Valley Transfer Area, Battery Storage, Solar Energy, Bureau of Land Management #NedThomas #BoulderCity #DataCenters #TheBestDamPodcast #LocalGovernment #LandManagement #UtilityRates #ElDoradoValley

Battery storage is becoming one of the most complicated sales conversations in residential solar.Installers are now navigating different sizing requirements, shifting homeowner expectations, changing utility rate structures, evolving battery chemistries, and a flood of new products entering the market at wildly different price points.And underneath all of it is a harder question:Who can you actually trust to still be standing behind these systems years from now?Sam Buffington, Business Development Manager at Pylontech, joins Nico Johnson for a deeply practical conversation about what installers should actually be paying attention to as batteries become a core part of the residential energy system.Sam has worked across modules, distribution, and storage, and he's even built his own off-grid home by hand. That gives him a rare perspective on how solar-plus-storage systems behave in the real world and where installers most often create long-term problems for themselves.Expect to learn:

Germany sits at the centre of Europe's energy transition: over 800 distribution networks, deep intraday markets, and a flexibility gap roughly 40 times its battery fleet. But the real question isn't whether the market is big - it's whether it saturates as battery capacity grows, or scales for years yet.Philipp Man is co-founder and CEO of Terralayr. He joins Ed Porter to unpack the operational reality of building Germany battery storage at scale, the regulatory tension around grid fees, and the contrarian view that Germany's flexibility market is structurally larger than most forecasts suggest.They cover:- Why operating Germany battery storage is harder than capital alone can solve.- Why Germany's TSOs are positive on BESS, why DSOs are nervous and what regulators need to fix.- What the Bundesnetzagentur grid-fee review means for the BESS exemption running to August 2029.- How splitting merchant capacity across multiple optimisers outperforms single-optimiser tolls.- Why flexibility revenues are convex, dominated by tail events, and structurally larger than forecasts predict.Want to track Germany's battery storage pipeline, grid-fee changes, or flexibility market data? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast_apps&utm_campaign=philipp_man&utm_content=ko_signupTranscript available here: ⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction01:01 What everyone gets wrong about Germany battery storage04:50 Inside Terralayr's 8 GW pipeline07:00 German grid fees and the 2029 BESS exemption11:00 Why DSOs are nervous about battery storage14:30 Nodal pricing, FCAs and the one-price-zone problem18:30 How layer's virtual battery auction works24:30 Will Germany's BESS market saturate35:30 Markets outside Germany — UK, Spain, Nordics37:00 Advice for new entrants and the coming consolidation40:30 Contrarian view: flexibility revenues are convex`You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.Music licensed via Artlist.

Germany sits at the centre of Europe's energy transition: over 800 distribution networks, deep intraday markets, and a flexibility gap roughly 40 times its battery fleet. But the real question isn't whether the market is big - it's whether it saturates as battery capacity grows, or scales for years yet.Philipp Man is co-founder and CEO of Terralayr. He joins Ed Porter to unpack the operational reality of building Germany battery storage at scale, the regulatory tension around grid fees, and the contrarian view that Germany's flexibility market is structurally larger than most forecasts suggest.They cover:- Why operating Germany battery storage is harder than capital alone can solve.- Why Germany's TSOs are positive on BESS, why DSOs are nervous and what regulators need to fix.- What the Bundesnetzagentur grid-fee review means for the BESS exemption running to August 2029.- How splitting merchant capacity across multiple optimisers outperforms single-optimiser tolls.- Why flexibility revenues are convex, dominated by tail events, and structurally larger than forecasts predict.Want to track Germany's battery storage pipeline, grid-fee changes, or flexibility market data? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast_apps&utm_campaign=philipp_man&utm_content=ko_signupTranscript available here: ⏱ CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction01:01 What everyone gets wrong about Germany battery storage04:50 Inside Terralayr's 8 GW pipeline07:00 German grid fees and the 2029 BESS exemption11:00 Why DSOs are nervous about battery storage14:30 Nodal pricing, FCAs and the one-price-zone problem18:30 How layer's virtual battery auction works24:30 Will Germany's BESS market saturate35:30 Markets outside Germany — UK, Spain, Nordics37:00 Advice for new entrants and the coming consolidation40:30 Contrarian view: flexibility revenues are convex`You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.Music licensed via Artlist.

New Leaf Energy is bypassing Santa Cruz County in its effort to seek approval for a new battery energy storage facility in Watsonville. For Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church, who represents Moss Landing, that's the worst-case scenario.

Eddy Chiang is Co-founder and CEO of Moment Energy, a company building commercial-scale energy storage systems from repurposed electric vehicle batteries. By testing, certifying, and remanufacturing second-life battery modules, Moment Energy is creating lower-cost alternatives to new lithium-ion storage while extending battery lifespans by decades. In this episode of Inevitable, Chiang explains how a growing wave of retired EV batteries is reshaping the energy storage market—making recycling alone economically unviable. The conversation covers the technical and regulatory challenges of certifying second-life systems, how Moment Energy became the first company to achieve full UL certification, and why safety, not cost, is the real barrier to adoption.  We also explore how distributed battery systems can replace traditional grid upgrades, why hyperscaler demand is accelerating deployment, and how Moment Energy is positioning storage not just as a product, but as long-term infrastructure designed to last 100 years. MCJ is a three-time investor in Moment Energy. The company just closed a $40M Series B co-led by Evok Innovations and the Canadian Growth Fund — with the participation of Amazon, Liberty Mutual, Voyager and our fund.  Episode recorded on April 14, 2026 (Published on May 5, 2026). In this episode, we cover:  (0:00) An overview of Moment Energy (2:47) Moment Energy's market evolution (6:37) What certification means and why it's the hardest part (10:22) Are second-life batteries actually safe? (12:15) Hardware + software: how Moment Energy builds safe systems (15:39) Moment Energy's product: modular, distributed battery systems (19:06) Batteries vs grid upgrades: the core economic tradeoff (25:35) Repurposed batteries and domestic supply chains (29:49) The second life of EV batteries and why most still have value (35:20) Designing battery systems to last 100 years (42:53) Demands for AI, hyperscalers, and distributed storage (47:55) Working with Amazon and scaling deployment Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@mcj.vc.Connect with MCJ:Cody Simms on LinkedInVisit mcj.vcSubscribe to the MCJ Newsletter*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Developing battery storage in emerging markets isn't a technology problem - it's a regulatory, offtake, and capital problem. The frameworks, offtake structures, and capital mandates weren't built for storage and that gap is exactly where the risk sits.Hassen Bali, co-founder and director at Ion Ventures, joins Ed Porter to discuss what it actually takes to develop battery storage projects across markets at very different stages of maturity, from the UK to Southeast Asia.They cover:- Why battery storage development demands a different approach to solar or wind and why you have to decide your commercial endpoint before you break ground, not after.- How project conversion rates in the UK BESS market have dropped from 30–40% in the early days to roughly 10–15% today, and how that affects pipeline management and investor communications.- Why early-stage BESS markets like Malaysia and the Philippines are still reliant on bilateral offtake and what that means for project bankability.- Why FCA-regulated investors face hard legal barriers to project finance in sub-investment-grade countries and what that means for who can actually back early-stage BESS projects.- Hassen's contrarian view: that reform of merit order and legacy thermal contracts is the most direct lever for accelerating energy transition globally even if it means unwinding agreements that investors consider bulletproof.Want to model BESS revenue across different market structures? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Want to model BESS revenue across different market structures? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up here.Transcript available here: Chapters:0:00 Introduction0:53 What People Get Wrong About Developing Battery Storage Projects2:41 BESS Project Development Pipeline: How to Manage Investors and Conversion Rates5:58 Why Ion Ventures Expanded Into Southeast Asia7:34 BESS Market Readiness in Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei8:32 Replacing Coal and Diesel: What Southeast Asian Grids Look Like Today11:35 BESS Project Success Rates in Emerging Markets vs the UK12:39 Why Bilateral Offtake Models Dominate Early-Stage BESS Markets15:17 Why Long-Term Contracts Can Actually Help Battery Storage Bankability16:05 Why Country Risk and OECD Classification Block Capital From Emerging BESS Markets21:02 Can Emerging Markets Leapfrog to Grid 2.0? The Telco Analogy Explained22:59 How to Build a Battery Storage Roadmap for a Nascent Grid: Lessons from Bangladesh30:06 How to Avoid Grid Congestion When Scaling Renewables in Emerging Markets32:17 Contrarian View: Should Merit Order Reform Unwind Legacy Thermal Contracts?You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

Developing battery storage in emerging markets isn't a technology problem - it's a regulatory, offtake, and capital problem. The frameworks, offtake structures, and capital mandates weren't built for storage and that gap is exactly where the risk sits.Hassen Bali, co-founder and director at Ion Ventures, joins Ed Porter to discuss what it actually takes to develop battery storage projects across markets at very different stages of maturity, from the UK to Southeast Asia.They cover:- Why battery storage development demands a different approach to solar or wind and why you have to decide your commercial endpoint before you break ground, not after.- How project conversion rates in the UK BESS market have dropped from 30–40% in the early days to roughly 10–15% today, and how that affects pipeline management and investor communications.- Why early-stage BESS markets like Malaysia and the Philippines are still reliant on bilateral offtake and what that means for project bankability.- Why FCA-regulated investors face hard legal barriers to project finance in sub-investment-grade countries and what that means for who can actually back early-stage BESS projects.- Hassen's contrarian view: that reform of merit order and legacy thermal contracts is the most direct lever for accelerating energy transition globally even if it means unwinding agreements that investors consider bulletproof.Want to model BESS revenue across different market structures? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up here.Transcript available here: Chapters:0:00 Introduction0:53 What People Get Wrong About Developing Battery Storage Projects2:41 BESS Project Development Pipeline: How to Manage Investors and Conversion Rates5:58 Why Ion Ventures Expanded Into Southeast Asia7:34 BESS Market Readiness in Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei8:32 Replacing Coal and Diesel: What Southeast Asian Grids Look Like Today11:35 BESS Project Success Rates in Emerging Markets vs the UK12:39 Why Bilateral Offtake Models Dominate Early-Stage BESS Markets15:17 Why Long-Term Contracts Can Actually Help Battery Storage Bankability16:05 Why Country Risk and OECD Classification Block Capital From Emerging BESS Markets21:02 Can Emerging Markets Leapfrog to Grid 2.0? The Telco Analogy Explained22:59 How to Build a Battery Storage Roadmap for a Nascent Grid: Lessons from Bangladesh30:06 How to Avoid Grid Congestion When Scaling Renewables in Emerging Markets32:17 Contrarian View: Should Merit Order Reform Unwind Legacy Thermal Contracts?You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

Russell Reading is joined by clean tech consultant Tristan Dorman to break down why commercial battery storage is surging: covering energy price volatility, grid reliability, falling system costs, and maturing tech. They explore how batteries unlock value through self-consumption of solar, peak shaving, off‑peak arbitrage, and participation in flexibility/capacity markets, plus what businesses should evaluate before investing (including approvals and future load growth). The episode closes with a look ahead at batteries becoming “standard,” rising demand (including from AI/data centers), and improvements in battery chemistry and deployment models.

Spirit Airlines announced its closure after over thirty years of providing budget airfare; its last flight to Los Angeles touched down last night. Residents across the San Gabriel Valley rallied today against a battery storage project in the City of Industry. Former Snapchat buildings on the Venice Boardwalk is now a pop-up art space. Plus, more. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors extends a moratorium on battery energy storage systems. And, advocates fear federal policy will hurt undocumented people with California driver's licenses.

Hour 3 - We wrap up a Tuesday with a look at business news with Wichita Business Journal Editor Kirk Seminoff.

IREI editors convene to discuss issues of the day, and you're invited to listen in. Joining the discussion is Loretta Clodfelter, the organization's editorial director; Mike Consol, editor of Real Assets Adviser; Andrea Zander, editor of Institutional Real Estate Americas; and Marek Handzel, editor of Institutional Real Estate Europe. (04/2026)

IREI editors convene to discuss issues of the day, and you're invited to listen in. Joining the discussion is Loretta Clodfelter, the organization's editorial director; Mike Consol, editor of Real Assets Adviser; Andrea Zander, editor of Institutional Real Estate Americas; and Marek Handzel, editor of Institutional Real Estate Europe. (04/2026)

IREI editors convene to discuss issues of the day, and you're invited to listen in. Joining the discussion is Loretta Clodfelter, the organization's editorial director; Mike Consol, editor of Real Assets Adviser; Andrea Zander, editor of Institutional Real Estate Americas; and Marek Handzel, editor of Institutional Real Estate Europe. (04/2026)

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if fossil fuels aren't energy security at all, but exposure dressed up as realism?This war is making that harder and harder to ignore.In this bonus episode of Climate Confident+, I unpack why the US and Israel's war against Iran is forcing a faster rethink of fossil fuels, renewables, EVs, and electrification. This is a solo episode with me, Tom Raftery, and the stakes couldn't be clearer: if your economy, business, or household still depends on fuels whose supply and price are hostage to geopolitics, then your energy security is far shakier than most politicians care to admit.You'll hear why I argue that fossil fuel dependence is not just an emissions problem, but an exposure problem. We dig into how war-driven shocks hit shipping, transport costs, inflation, industrial margins, and policy. And you might be surprised to learn why renewables, storage, grids, and EVs are starting to look less like climate tech talking points and more like strategic infrastructure for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, and real resilience.I also break down the numbers from IRENA and the IEA, including the cost advantage of new renewable power, the scale of clean energy investment, and the growing impact of electric vehicles on oil demand. Plus, I share a personal story from the Iberian blackout that brought home just how practical electrification can be in a crisis.

Battery storage looks simple - a steel box that charges when prices are low and discharges when they're high. But financing a BESS project in Europe means underwriting a trading position: convex revenues, volatile returns, and a growing menu of contractual choices that each shift the risk profile in a different direction.Lisa McDermott, Managing Director and Head of Energy Transition Project Financing at ABN AMRO, has been structuring BESS deals across Europe since 2023*. In this episode, she opens up the credit committee. What gets a project over the line, and what quietly stops it.Covered:- Why battery storage finance is fundamentally different from solar or wind and why contracting it away doesn't change the underlying risk when the contract ends.- From physical tolls to day-ahead swaps, Lisa breaks down which offtake structures are gaining traction in Europe and why the day-ahead swap is the hardest to bank.- Too much merchant exposure, insufficient sponsor equity, weak technical track record and why pushing too many levers at once is the fastest way to stop a deal.- How battery warranties have evolved from 8 to 20 years and why coverage beyond the debt tenor is a bankability requirement, not a nice-to-have.- Germany's grid fee reform has created financing uncertainty at COD, while the Netherlands' congestion model is, counter-intuitively, better for bankability.Want to model battery revenue stacks or stress-test tolling structures for a specific market? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://help.modo.energy/en/articles/13335470-ko-your-ai-analyst?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=lisa_mcdermottTranscript available here: https://modoenergy.com/transmission-podcast/e2b12f17-f7b4-49d3-9d85-e4cc822695f6────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction - Is financing battery storage the same as financing solar?2:32 Why a battery is financing a trader, not an infrastructure asset5:14 Financing across technology types - TRL 8 vs TRL 910:43 What stops a BESS deal in credit committee15:53 Comfort zone: from fully merchant to fully contracted18:43 The growing offtake menu, physical tolls, virtual tolls, and floors24:43 Day-ahead swaps explained and why they introduce basis risk31:59 Gearing: the sliding scale from 30% merchant to 85% fully tolled34:37 European market comparison: Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany40:23 Final question ────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter — Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.*Correction: The intro incorrectly states that Lisa McDermott has been financing batteries since 2020. She has been doing so since 2023. We apologise for the error.

Battery storage looks simple - a steel box that charges when prices are low and discharges when they're high. But financing a BESS project in Europe means underwriting a trading position: convex revenues, volatile returns, and a growing menu of contractual choices that each shift the risk profile in a different direction.Lisa McDermott, Managing Director and Head of Energy Transition Project Financing at ABN AMRO, has been structuring BESS deals across Europe since 2023*. In this episode, she opens up the credit committee. What gets a project over the line, and what quietly stops it.Covered:- Why battery storage finance is fundamentally different from solar or wind and why contracting it away doesn't change the underlying risk when the contract ends.- From physical tolls to day-ahead swaps, Lisa breaks down which offtake structures are gaining traction in Europe and why the day-ahead swap is the hardest to bank.- Too much merchant exposure, insufficient sponsor equity, weak technical track record and why pushing too many levers at once is the fastest way to stop a deal.- How battery warranties have evolved from 8 to 20 years and why coverage beyond the debt tenor is a bankability requirement, not a nice-to-have.- Germany's grid fee reform has created financing uncertainty at COD, while the Netherlands' congestion model is, counter-intuitively, better for bankability.Want to model battery revenue stacks or stress-test tolling structures for a specific market? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://help.modo.energy/en/articles/13335470-ko-your-ai-analyst?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=lisa_mcdermottTranscript available here: https://modoenergy.com/transmission-podcast/e2b12f17-f7b4-49d3-9d85-e4cc822695f6────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction - Is financing battery storage the same as financing solar?2:32 Why a battery is financing a trader, not an infrastructure asset5:14 Financing across technology types - TRL 8 vs TRL 910:43 What stops a BESS deal in credit committee15:53 Comfort zone: from fully merchant to fully contracted18:43 The growing offtake menu, physical tolls, virtual tolls, and floors24:43 Day-ahead swaps explained and why they introduce basis risk31:59 Gearing: the sliding scale from 30% merchant to 85% fully tolled34:37 European market comparison: Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany40:23 Final question ────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter — Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.*Correction: The intro incorrectly states that Lisa McDermott has been financing batteries since 2020. She has been doing so since 2023. We apologise for the error.

The battery storage gold rush is over in most major markets. What's replaced it is more complex, more competitive, and if you're not careful with your contracts - potentially more exposed than the merchant era ever was. It is often thought that offtake deals like tolls de-risk a battery project, but that might be one of the biggest misconceptions in BESS right now.The market is maturing fast, but the players who thrive won't be the ones who got in first - they'll be the ones who understood the complexity earliest.Sam Harden is Global Director at Enfinity Global, joins Ed to challenge conventional thinking on BESS contracts, market maturity, and what it actually takes to build and operate storage assets at scale.They cover:- Why BESS tolls redistribute risk rather than remove it and how availability penalties can cost you more than lost merchant revenue.- The MACSE auction in Italy: what 15-year fixed-revenue contracts mean for asset owners, and why the incumbent utility won the majority of the first round.- Whether the battery storage gold rush is truly over and why the market is maturing into an asset class, not saturating.- How Enfinity Global is futureproofing project design for duration augmentation, grid-forming inverters, and services like inertia and voltage control.- Why the biggest bottleneck to Europe's 50GW battery buildout isn't technology or capital - it's qualified people.Want to track BESS revenues, tolling structures, and market dynamics across Europe and beyond? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=sam_hardenTranscript available here: https://modoenergy.com/transmission-podcast/3f4cebb7-8b40-4ffb-80dd-717002c5747d────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:50 Are tolls a silver bullet for BESS risk management?5:15 Italy's MACSE auction explained6:05 Is the battery gold rush over?10:30 From scarcity trade to operational excellence13:00 Battery storage as a maturing asset class — good or bad?16:40 How to develop BESS sites for the future19:38 Battery augmentation and energy density gains21:28 Will the battery sector consolidate?25:13 How to position for above-infrastructure returns26:25 Operational risk: what spreadsheets can't capture28:00 Warranties vs. real-world asset management30:13 Supply chain and talent: the hidden bottleneck33:12 One change to accelerate European battery rollout34:49 Wrap-up────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

The battery storage gold rush is over in most major markets. What's replaced it is more complex, more competitive, and if you're not careful with your contracts - potentially more exposed than the merchant era ever was. It is often thought that offtake deals like tolls de-risk a battery project, but that might be one of the biggest misconceptions in BESS right now.The market is maturing fast, but the players who thrive won't be the ones who got in first -they'll be the ones who understood the complexity earliest.Sam Harden is Global Director at Enfinity Global, joins Ed to challenge conventional thinking on BESS contracts, market maturity, and what it actually takes to build and operate storage assets at scale.They cover:- Why BESS tolls redistribute risk rather than remove it and how availability penalties can cost you more than lost merchant revenue.- The MACSE auction in Italy: what 15-year fixed-revenue contracts mean for asset owners, and why the incumbent utility won the majority of the first round.- Whether the battery storage gold rush is truly over and why the market is maturing into an asset class, not saturating.- How Enfinity Global is futureproofing project design for duration augmentation, grid-forming inverters, and services like inertia and voltage control.- Why the biggest bottleneck to Europe's 50GW battery buildout isn't technology or capital - it's qualified people.Want to track BESS revenues, tolling structures, and market dynamics across Europe and beyond? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=sam_hardenTranscript available here: https://modoenergy.com/transmission-podcast/3f4cebb7-8b40-4ffb-80dd-717002c5747d────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction0:50 Are tolls a silver bullet for BESS risk management?5:15 Italy's MACSE auction explained6:05 Is the battery gold rush over?10:30 From scarcity trade to operational excellence13:00 Battery storage as a maturing asset class — good or bad?16:40 How to develop BESS sites for the future19:38 Battery augmentation and energy density gains21:28 Will the battery sector consolidate?25:13 How to position for above-infrastructure returns26:25 Operational risk: what spreadsheets can't capture28:00 Warranties vs. real-world asset management30:13 Supply chain and talent: the hidden bottleneck33:12 One change to accelerate European battery rollout34:49 Wrap-up────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday. Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

A lithium-ion battery storage project in Escondido is no longer moving forward. Plus, the official tall ship for the city of Chula Vista will stay docked for now. And, the new push to let voters decide the fate of paid parking at Balboa Park. NBC 7's Dana Williams has these stories and more, including meteorologist Brooke Martell's forecast for Sunday, April 5, 2026. 

Send me a messageWhat if fossil fuels aren't just polluting, but a standing threat to economic stability?This episode makes the case that the energy transition is now as much about security and cost as it is about climate.In this solo Climate Confident+ episode, I dig into a brutal truth too many policymakers and business leaders still avoid: fossil fuels don't merely drive emissions, they drive volatility, fragility, and geopolitical risk. At a moment when war, price shocks, and supply disruption are once again rattling global markets, I unpack why this matters for climate tech, decarbonisation, and the wider energy transition.You'll hear why fossil dependence acts like “instability in a bottle”, and why renewables, storage, EVs, heat pumps, and grid upgrades are increasingly the smarter response, not just environmentally, but economically. We dig into how fuel shocks ripple through inflation, trade, competitiveness, and public finances. And you might be shocked to learn just how much fossil import dependence is still costing countries, businesses, and households, even before you count the pollution, health damage, and wider social harm.This is also a clear-eyed episode. I'm not pretending renewables solve everything by magic. We need grids, storage, flexibility, better policy, and faster deployment. But that's precisely the point: those are infrastructure challenges we can solve. Perpetual exposure to volatile fossil fuels is not a strategy. It's a liability.

South African Investment Conference: Seithati Bolipombo The Clement Manyathela Show is broadcast on 702, a Johannesburg based talk radio station, weekdays from 09:00 to 12:00 (SA Time). Clement Manyathela starts his show each weekday on 702 at 9 am taking your calls and voice notes on his Open Line. In the second hour of his show, he unpacks, explains, and makes sense of the news of the day. Clement has several features in his third hour from 11 am that provide you with information to help and guide you through your daily life. As your morning friend, he tackles the serious as well as the light-hearted, on your behalf. Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Clement Manyathela Show. Listen live on Primedia+ weekdays from 09:00 and 12:00 (SA Time) to The Clement Manyathela Show broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj For more from the show go to https://buff.ly/XijPLtJ or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/p0gWuPE Subscribe to the 702 Daily and Weekly Newsletters https://buff.ly/v5mfetc Follow us on social media: 702 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/Radio702 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Battery storage in Africa is one of the most misunderstood opportunities in global energy. Only 8% of the continent's hydro power has been tapped. In Malawi, just 14% of the population is connected to the grid. Africa needs to add an estimated 100 GW of capacity in the next decade and the fastest way is with renewables and storage. Michael Cupit develops BESS projects in Malawi and Kenya, and he's spent years working inside the gap between how these markets look from the outside and how they actually operate on the ground.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter sits down with Michael to break down the real risk picture in Sub-Saharan Africa: why mid-to-high-teen IRRs are the reality, how 20-year capacity payment contracts compare to merchant BESS in Europe, and what it actually takes to get a project from bare earth to operational - a journey that took eight years in Malawi.They cover:The two biggest misconceptions about doing business in AfricaHow South Africa, Malawi, and Kenya's grids differ and where batteries fit in eachThe role of DFIs, MIGA guarantees, and multilateral risk wrappers in making projects bankableChina's declining role in African infrastructure and what's replacing itThe O&M challenge: building operational capability from scratch in frontier marketsWhy winning the argument for renewables means making the commercial case - not just the climate oneWant to track battery storage capacity and market trends across Africa and beyond? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=michael_cupitSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@modoenergy────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction1:08 The two biggest misconceptions about Africa4:30 IRRs, risk and contracted vs merchant returns8:00 Why Africa is skipping the fossil fuel grid model9:40 South Africa: load shedding, rooftop solar and grid constraints13:00 Battery use cases: the transmission line problem17:00 Malawi's grid: run-of-river hydro and the diesel spread19:00 Kenya: geothermal, 10 GW buildout and hyperscaler demand22:30 Rare earth mining and the electrification push in Malawi26:30 Financing: DFIs, MIGA, project finance and currency risk31:45 How long does it really take? The 8-year development journey33:10 China's role in African infrastructure - myth vs reality33:45 Engineering talent, local capacity and the O&M challenge36:55 What success looks like in 5 years────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

Battery storage in Africa is one of the most misunderstood opportunities in global energy. Only 8% of the continent's hydro power has been tapped. In Malawi, just 14% of the population is connected to the grid. Africa needs to add an estimated 100 GW of capacity in the next decade and the fastest way is with renewables and storage. Michael Cupit develops BESS projects in Malawi and Kenya, and he's spent years working inside the gap between how these markets look from the outside and how they actually operate on the ground.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter sits down with Michael to break down the real risk picture in Sub-Saharan Africa: why mid-to-high-teen IRRs are the reality, how 20-year capacity payment contracts compare to merchant BESS in Europe, and what it actually takes to get a project from bare earth to operational - a journey that took eight years in Malawi.They cover:The two biggest misconceptions about doing business in AfricaHow South Africa, Malawi, and Kenya's grids differ and where batteries fit in eachThe role of DFIs, MIGA guarantees, and multilateral risk wrappers in making projects bankableChina's declining role in African infrastructure and what's replacing itThe O&M challenge: building operational capability from scratch in frontier marketsWhy winning the argument for renewables means making the commercial case - not just the climate oneWant to track battery storage capacity and market trends across Africa and beyond? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, is built for exactly these questions. Free sign up: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast_apps&utm_medium=podcast&utm_id=michael_cupitSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@modoenergy────────────────────────────⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Introduction1:08 The two biggest misconceptions about Africa4:30 IRRs, risk and contracted vs merchant returns8:00 Why Africa is skipping the fossil fuel grid model9:40 South Africa: load shedding, rooftop solar and grid constraints13:00 Battery use cases: the transmission line problem17:00 Malawi's grid: run-of-river hydro and the diesel spread19:00 Kenya: geothermal, 10 GW buildout and hyperscaler demand22:30 Rare earth mining and the electrification push in Malawi26:30 Financing: DFIs, MIGA, project finance and currency risk31:45 How long does it really take? The 8-year development journey33:10 China's role in African infrastructure - myth vs reality33:45 Engineering talent, local capacity and the O&M challenge36:55 What success looks like in 5 years────────────────────────────You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

The goal is to store excess wind and solar energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

(Mar 19, 2026) New York State needs more power. Some developers want to build battery storage sites in the Adirondacks, but they're facing pushback. Plus, today's North Country at Work story is about a common profession - sales - and a salesman in Schroon Lake who's selling something pretty uncommon — medical devices for mice and rats. And, local kiddos have a new space to play and learn about the North Country. The Children's Museum in Potsdam recently added a whole new floor. We check out the new interactive activities about daily Amish life, Akwesasne Mohawk music, and community theater. 

Shoot us a Text.Episode #1296: GM and LG retool for energy storage as EV demand cools, VinFast restarts its North Carolina factory with a fraction of the jobs promised, and Nvidia adds four major automakers to its autonomous driving platform.Show Notes with links:GM and LG are retooling their Tennessee Ultium Cells joint venture plant for energy storage batteries, and recalling 700 laid-off workers to make it happen. The facility was originally built to supply EV batteries, but slower-than-expected adoption changed the math.The Ultium Cells joint venture will shift to lithium-iron phosphate battery production starting in Q2, targeting the booming energy storage market.AI data centers are driving massive electricity demand, making grid storage one of the fastest-growing battery opportunities right now."Right now, the demand exceeds supply tremendously, and it's going to continue to exceed it for the next several years." — Kurt Kelty, GM VP of Battery, Propulsion and SustainabilityVinFast is restarting construction on its North Carolina factory after a year-long pause, now targeting a 2028 launch. The original vision has shrunk considerably, and the company's finances aren't making the story any easier to tell.The plant's projected workforce dropped from 7,500 to 1,400 jobs, putting $315M in state and local incentives at serious risk.VinFast must either invest $500M or hit 1,750 jobs by end of 2026, or North Carolina can trigger a site repurchase option.Q4 losses widened 15% year-over-year to $1.3B, even as deliveries more than doubled and full-year revenue doubled as well.North American EV sales are forecast to drop 16% this year, adding headwinds to an already uphill U.S. market entry.VinFast said it "remains focused on executing the project responsibly," but declined to comment on the incentive and job-count implications.At its GTC conference this week, Nvidia revealed that Hyundai, Nissan, BYD, and Geely are building Level 4-capable autonomous vehicles on its Drive Hyperion platform, joining Mercedes, Toyota, and GM.Drive Hyperion is Nvidia's reference architecture for autonomous vehicles, combining its computing platform with cameras, radar, and lidar so automakers aren't starting from scratch.Level 4 autonomy means the vehicle can drive itself in certain conditions with no human intervention required.Nvidia's GPU dominance in gaming and data centers has quietly made it the backbone of the autonomous vehicle industry as well.Today's show is brought to you by HeyGreenlight. HeyGreenlight's Wingman gives your sales and BDC team live, real-time guidance so they consistently say the right things, at the right time, on every call.Join Paul J Daly and Kyle Mountsier every morning for the Automotive State of the Union podcast  as they connect the dots across car dealerships, retail trends, emerging tech like AI, and cultural shifts—bringing clarity, speed, and people-first insight to automotive leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry.Get the Daily Push Back email at https://www.asotu.com/JOIN the conversation on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/asotu/

(Mar 18, 2026) Energy storage is becoming an increasingly important part of an electric grid that can help slow the effects of climate change. In the Adirondacks, there's been pushback to battery storage sites, even though they're safer than ever. Also: Saranac Lake voters will cast their ballots today for mayor and two seats on the village board of trustees.

In this episode, Stewart Alsop III sits down with Tom Faye — experimenter, author of The 90 Day Client Acquisition Code, and founder of Carbon Credits Marketplace — to talk about solar energy, off-grid living, and the solarpunk vision of a technology-powered utopia. They cover everything from perovskite solar cells and portable container-based solar systems, to carbon credits, ESG investing, and blockchain verification of clean energy output. The conversation also winds through AI training data, business automation, and the data labeling industry before circling back to some bigger questions about human nature, geopolitics, and what genuine self-reliance looks like in 2025. You can find Tom and his work at Carbon Credits Marketplace on LinkedIn and his energy consumption data visualization is also shared there. His book The 90 Day Client Acquisition Code is available for those looking to explore business automation further.Timestamps00:00 Introduction to Tom Fay and his work01:03 Understanding Solar Punk: Utopian Tech and Culture02:15 Current State of Solar Technology and Storage03:45 Living Off-Grid: Solar, Batteries, and Remote Work06:11 Solar Energy in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities12:21 Powering Communities with Mobile Solar Solutions16:50 The Vision of Solar Punk: Self-Sufficient Communities22:54 Existing Examples: Great Barrier Island and Others26:06 Overfishing, Environmental Challenges, and Technological Solutions28:34 Using Technology to Address Second-Order Environmental Problems36:35 Data, AI, and the Future of Energy Management43:13 Carbon Credits, Blockchain, and ESG Reporting45:27 The Geopolitics of Green Energy and Resource Control46:53 How to Connect with Tom Fay and Future ProjectsKey InsightsSolarpunk represents a genuine near-future possibility, not just an aesthetic. As solar panels and lithium batteries become cheaper and more efficient, the vision of abundant, decentralized clean energy is becoming a practical reality rather than a utopian fantasy.Perovskite solar cells are pushing efficiency roughly 22% beyond conventional panels, and the bigger revolution happening right now is on the storage side — cheaper, higher-capacity batteries are what will truly unlock solar's potential at scale.Africa may leapfrog the West on solar adoption, just as it leapfrogged landlines with mobile phones. People in energy-scarce countries viscerally understand the value of clean power in a way that people in the West, accustomed to reliable grids, simply don't.Portable solar container units — self-contained, deployable systems — already exist and are making off-grid energy viable for farms, mines, remote lodges, and even data centers, with a roughly five-to-one solar-to-load footprint required.Carbon credits generated from verified solar output, tracked via IoT smart meters and stamped on blockchain, represent a long-term business opportunity that survives political shifts because institutional investors and banks operate on independent ESG mandates.AI training data is a present and real economic opportunity, but a shrinking one. The window for humans — especially lawyers, scientists, and specialists — to get paid for their expertise is closing fast as labs pivot toward synthetic data generation.True self-reliance comes down to four things: food, water, power, and transportation. With solar and Starlink, the gap between remote wilderness and connected civilization has essentially collapsed — something unimaginable even a generation ago.

What are the top five priorities for the Great Lakes? The Michigan Clean Water Corps is looking for volunteers. Midland Township and eight other communities will host solar power and battery storage projects to advance clean energy. For more information: https://mrgreatlakes.com/ Support this podcast: https://www.deltapublicmedia.org/donate/

Chaiel Schaffel reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Jan 23, 2026) The Adirondack Park Agency approved a battery storage site near Great Sacandaga Lake at its meeting yesterday; Clarkson University has owned a historic portrait of George Washington for decades, and it's being sold at auction today; and we'll get a preview of a storytelling event in Canton this weekend, hosted by NCPR and the Adirondack Center for Writing.

Send me a messageEurope doesn't have a clean energy problem. It has a grid problem.Solar is cheap. Batteries are scaling. Demand is exploding. The system in the middle is cracking.In this episode, I'm joined by Rob Stait, Managing Director of Alight's behind-the-meter business, to unpack why the energy transition is now being held back less by technology and more by infrastructure, regulation, and outdated thinking. Alight develops and owns onsite solar and battery systems for large energy users across Europe, using long-term PPAs to lock in savings, cut emissions, and build resilience.We dig into why waiting for cheaper solar or batteries is often the wrong call, and why businesses that move early gain a structural advantage. You'll hear how behind-the-meter solar and battery storage bypass grid bottlenecks entirely, why blaming renewables for blackouts misses the real issue, and how decentralised generation is reshaping energy security, affordability, and decarbonisation all at once.We also explore the uncomfortable reality facing Europe's grids, the growing role of data centres and electrification, and why microgrids are starting to look less like an edge case and more like the logical endgame of the energy transition. This is a grounded conversation about climate tech that works, emissions reduction that scales, and why net zero will be built through economics as much as policy.

Today's podcast is the second in our four part series in proud partnership with Enfinity Global.Enfinity is one of Europe's leading IPPs and the winner of inspiratia's 2025 Developer of the Year and Financial Structure of the Year awards. In our series together, we explore the challenges, opportunities, and key decisions that European developers are faced with today and take a deep dive into understanding Enfinity's approach to navigating - and shaping - the continent's energy future.  In this episode, our reporter Leonard Müller is joined by Sam Harden, Global Director of Energy Storage at Enfinity Global, and Ed Porter, VP of Insights at Modo Energy, to unpack how battery storage is scaling across global power markets and what separates the countries that are moving fast from those still struggling to unlock flexibility.The discussion ranges from the role of policy and grid design to evolving revenue models, connection bottlenecks, and the growing importance of long duration storage.This episode is hosted and edited by Leonard Müller, Reporter at inspiratia.This episode is sponsored by Enfinity Global.Reach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratia For tickets to our events email conferences@inspiratia.com or buy them directly on our website. Listen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

Battery energy storage is being called the overlooked backbone of the energy transition. Greg Falzon, partner and co-head of investments at AIP Management, joins i3 editor Kali Arevalo to talk about why BESS is moving from a niche flexibility solution to a core component of grid stability and system planning. (01/2026)

The Democrats in last year 's elections won all six Council seats in Troy. City Council President Sue Steele discusses the Council's plans for the upcoming year with Mark Dunlea for Hudson Mohawk Magazine. Issues discussed include increasing public input; Good Cause eviction; City Hall; and a proposed moratorium on Battery Storage.

Home battery storage sits at less than 1% market penetration in America. The solar industry spent years focused on small urban systems while whole-home backup solutions remained out of reach for most homeowners. Tim Montague sits down with James Showalter, founder and CEO of EG4 Electronics, to discuss whole-home backup solutions that provide true energy independence. James shares his journey from installing off-grid systems at age 15 to building one of America's fastest-growing solar and battery companies. EG4 Electronics is a premier solar manufacturer based in Texas, dedicated to delivering high-quality, affordable, and reliable energy solutions. EG4 is committed to empowering homes and businesses with energy independence.KEY DISCUSSION POINTS:Battery storage adoption remains below 1% of American homes, with James predicting a majority will have batteries in his lifetime, as costs decline and whole-home solutions become viable across broader geographic marketsIndustry concentration on small urban residential systems left whole-home backup opportunities underserved in suburban and rural markets EG4's product strategy offers installers a choice between different battery configurations, letting them select the right solution for each customer's needs and budget constraintsWhole home backup requires different economics than partial backup systems popular in dense urban areas, driving EG4's focus on affordability and power capacity for homes with higher energy loadsPartnership approach with LG Energy Solutions provides one path for installers needing domestic content compliance, while maintaining imported options for projects where upfront cost determines feasibilityThe residential battery market hasn't scratched the surface. Current adoption sits below 1%. The solar industry concentrated on one narrow segment while whole-home storage opportunities in broader markets went largely unaddressed. EG4's approach focuses on those overlooked opportunities.Connect with James Showalter, EG4 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-showalter-9a0599156/Website: https://eg4electronics.com/ Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

In this episode Leonard speaks with Ahmad El Mokadem from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about how energy storage is becoming bankable in Central and Eastern Europe.Both explores how the EBRD has shifted from post communist market building to scaling renewables, grids and battery storage, and why confidence, regulation and revenue certainty now matter more than technology.Ahmed shares insights on storage financing, private capital mobilisation, energy security after the war in Ukraine, and what the next phase of the Central and Eastern European energy transition could look like over the coming years.This episode is hosted, produced and edited by Leonard Müller.Reach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratia Interested in tickets for one of our events? Email conferences@inspiratia.com or buy them directly on our website.Listen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

There are warnings that an increase in the amount of sugar cane that can be imported into the UK tariff-free will impact British sugar beet farmers, who are already getting a lower price for their produce because of an oversupply of sugar. The government has announced that 325 thousand tonnes of raw cane sugar, sourced from anywhere in the world, will be tariff-free from 1st January 2026. That's a 25% increase by volume on previous years. Campaigners have warned a huge oversupply of battery storage sites for renewable energy is threatening to blight Scotland's countryside. The charity Action to Protect Rural Scotland, or APRS, says a study it's publishing today shows there is four times as much battery storage planned as we are likely to need for the transition to green energy. That, it says, means unnecessary damage, planning blight and lost farmland across the country.And we attend the sale of an unrivalled collection of vintage farm wagons and horse drawn carts - amassed over 40 years - which went under the hammer at an auction in Dorset. Presented by Anna Hill and produced by Sally Challoner.

Gianni Kovacevic reveals battery metals opportunities with a “20-bagger future” in this MSE episode. Gianni is a copper and lithium speculator with deep insights into battery metals. Gianni shares his perspectives on the future of electric metals, focusing on the importance of lithium, phosphoric acid in LFP batteries, and emerging technologies like direct lithium extraction (DLE). He discusses his portfolio's heavy weighting in battery metals and provides a detailed analysis of why lithium and phosphate are poised for significant growth. Gianni also touches on his approach to speculation, the importance of thorough research, and learning from past investment mistakes. He concludes by offering his thoughts on the timeline for these emerging technologies and the potential for substantial returns. 00:00 Intro 00:26 Deep Dive into Battery Metals 01:51 The Future of Phosphate in Batteries 04:46 Speculating on First Phosphate 05:53 Macro Trends and Micro Opportunities 08:05 Lithium Market Insights 11:46 Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) Technology 18:12 Cobalt and Other Battery Metals 22:05 China's Energy Market and Future Projections 23:55 China's Energy Transformation 24:53 The Role of Copper and Aluminum 25:35 Battery Storage and Lithium Demand 27:03 Traceability of Electric Metals 31:09 Speculation in the Mining Industry 40:22 Lessons from Past Mistakes 45:20 Final Thoughts and Advice https://twitter.com/GianniKov https://kovacevic.com/ Sign up for our free newsletter and receive interview transcripts, stock profiles and investment ideas: http://eepurl.com/cHxJ39 This interview was not sponsored. Mining Stock Education (MSE) offers informational content based on available data but it does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. It may not be appropriate for all situations or objectives. Readers and listeners should seek professional advice, make independent investigations and assessments before investing. MSE does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of its content and should not be solely relied upon for investment decisions. MSE and its owner may hold financial interests in the companies discussed and can trade such securities without notice. If you buy stock in a company featured on MSE, for your own protection, you should assume that it is MSE's owner personally selling you that stock. MSE is biased towards its advertising sponsors which make this platform possible. MSE is not liable for representations, warranties, or omissions in its content. By accessing MSE content, users agree that MSE and its affiliates bear no liability related to the information provided or the investment decisions you make. Full disclaimer: https://www.miningstockeducation.com/disclaimer/

In this episode of Climate Positive, Gil Jenkins speaks with Bill McKibben: author, educator, and one of the most acclaimed environmental voices of our time. His latest book, Here Comes the Sun, traces the rise of abundant, inexpensive solar power and argues that if we keep accelerating, we have a real chance not only to limit climate damage, but also to reorder the world on saner and more humane grounds. We dig into the data, the politics, and the people driving the global shift to solar, and Bill also opens up about the role of faith in his work and how he views the environmental movement's trajectory today.Links:Bill McKibben WebsitePurchase Bill's Book - Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for CivilizationBook Excerpt: 4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment – The New Yorker, July 9, 2025Substack: The Crucial Years - Bill's ongoing essays on climate, energy, and activismSun Day WebsiteThird Act WebsiteArticle: Sunday Was Also Sun Day - The New York Times, Sept. 20, 2025Episode recorded on October 20, 2025 About Bill:Bill McKibben is founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 for action on climate and justice. His 1989 book The End of Nature is regarded as the first book for a general audience about climate change, and has appeared in 24 languages. He's gone on to write 20 books, and his work appears regularly in periodicals from the New Yorker to Rolling Stone. He serves as the Schumann Distinguished Scholar in Environmental Studies at Middlebury College, as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he has won the Gandhi Peace Prize as well as honorary degrees from 20 colleges and universities. He was awarded the Right Livelihood Award, sometimes called the alternative Nobel, in the Swedish Parliament. Foreign Policy named him to its inaugural list of the world's 100 most important global thinkers. McKibben helped found 350.org, the first global grassroots climate campaign, which has organized protests on every continent, including Antarctica, for climate action. He played a leading role in launching the opposition to big oil pipeline projects like Keystone XL, and the fossil fuel divestment campaign, which has become the biggest anti-corporate campaign in history, with endowments worth more than $40 trillion stepping back from oil, gas and coal. He stepped down as board chair of 350 in 2015, and left the board and stepped down from his volunteer role as senior adviser in 2020, accepting emeritus status. He lives in the mountains above Lake Champlain with his wife, the writer Sue Halpern, where he spends as much time as possible outdoors. In 2014, biologists credited his career by naming a new species of woodland gnat—Megophthalmidia mckibbeni–in his honor.Book Blurb:From the acclaimed environmentalist, a call to harness the power of the sun and rewrite our scientific, economic, and political future. Our climate, and our democracy, are melting down. But Bill McKibben, one of the first to sound the alarm about the climate crisis, insists the moment is also full of possibility. Energy from the sun and wind is suddenly the cheapest power on the planet and growing faster than any energy source in history—if we can keep accelerating the pace, we have a chance. Here Comes the Sun tells the story of the sudden spike in power from the sun and wind—and the desperate fight of the fossil fuel industry and their politicians to hold this new power at bay. From the everyday citizens who installed solar panels equal to a third of Pakistan's electric grid in a year to the world's sixth-largest economy—California—nearly halving its use of natural gas in the last two years, Bill McKibben traces the arrival of plentiful, inexpensive solar energy. And he shows how solar power is more than just a path out of the climate crisis: it is a chance to reorder the world on saner and more humane grounds. You can't hoard solar energy or hold it in reserves—it's available to all.There's no guarantee we can make this change in time, but there is a hope—in McKibben's eyes, our best hope for a new civilization: one that looks up to the sun, every day, as the star that fuels our world. Email your feedback to Chad, Gil, Hilary, and Guy at climatepositive@hasi.com.

#320Today on the Clean Power Hour, Brandon Wagoner, Vice President of Strategy at Middle Tennessee Electric, explains how the second largest cooperative in America manages explosive EV adoption, deploys 32 megawatts of battery storage, and builds 113 megawatts of solar arrays while keeping rates low. His secret weapon: load factor optimization.Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) serves 350,000 meters south and east of Nashville and leads Tennessee utilities in electric vehicle adoption. As the largest co-op in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service territory, MTE operates through strategic partnerships rather than vertical integration, working directly with TVA to solve generation and distribution challenges together.Key Discussion Points:• Load factor optimization as the primary metric for grid infrastructure decisions and rate management• 32 megawatts of two-hour battery storage deployment scheduled for Q1 2026 across their service territory• 3.25 MW tracking solar array operational, with 110 MW TVA solar project launching in 2028• Night Flex rate program incentivizing EV charging during six six-hour overnight windows• Community solar programs serving renters and members without rooftop installation options• Pro Solar advisory team provides trusted third-party guidance for members evaluating solar developers• Strategic approach to serving diverse demographics from high-income first adopters to conservative rural members• Co-op structure enables focus on member service rather than shareholder profits• Partnership model with TVA replaces traditional utility customer relationship• Programmatic rebates, including $50 EV charger installation incentivesConnect with Brandon WagonerWebsite: https://mte.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/midtnelectric/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-brandon-wagoner-pe-2822146/ Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.com Corporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com

Earlier this month, Minnesota-based Xcel Energy announced it wants to double the amount of lithium battery storage it already planned to install next to its Sherco coal-fired power plant in central Minnesota. The batteries would allow Xcel to store energy produced at its wind, solar, nuclear and natural gas plants across the Upper Midwest.MPR News reporter Kirsti Marohn has been covering how batteries that store electricity on demand are becoming an increasingly important part of the transition to clean energy. She joined MPR News host Nina Moini to share more about her reporting as part of a weekly check in with MPR News reporters based in greater Minnesota.

In this episode of Climate Positive, Guy Van Syckle and Gil Jenkins sit down with Caroline Spears, Executive Director of Climate Cabinet, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting clean energy and climate policy leaders at state and local levels. These often-forgotten races are sometimes decided by a couple hundred votes and can also decide the fate of billions of dollars of decarbonization investment. Caroline explains how Climate Cabinet strategically identifies target candidates through data science and political expertise, aiming to elect climate champions with the highest potential ability to shape positive change. Through real-world examples, she demonstrates the organization's effectiveness in close political races and the tangible difference their support can make.LinksClimate Cabinet Website Sign up for a monthly donation to help Climate Cabinet find and elect the highest ROI clean energy champions in state and local elections across the U.S. Caroline Spears on LinkedInEpisode recorded on October 2, 2025   Email your feedback to Chad, Gil, Hilary, and Guy at climatepositive@hasi.com.