Podcasts about ercot

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribeTypically, AI data centers are large, inflexible loads that the grid has to build around, which is one reason utilities take so long to connect them. Emerald AI has designed a “digital brain” that can ramp down, move, or delay computing jobs in a data center on demand, making a data center a flexible asset to the grid. I talk with CEO Varun Sivaram about how the software works, what flexibility costs the compute, why it beats just installing batteries, whether utilities can enforce it, and what it would mean for clean energy.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction03:05 – Temporal, spatial, and resource flexibility06:26 – What Emerald Conductor touches on site08:35 – Who decides which workloads can flex10:55 – Who is liable when a job slows down13:45 – Who actually signs the contract14:49 – Larger and faster grid connections18:02 – Enforcing the flexibility promise19:05 – What broke in the demos, from bad nodes to slow telemetry26:41 – What flexing costs the compute jobs29:21 – Why not just use batteries, and the demand merit order35:44 – Training, inference, and substation-scale data centers40:23 – PJM, ERCOT, and legal enforceability44:50 – Renewables, gas, and consumer bills

In Episode 53 of The League, Benoy Thanjan and David Magid discuss how the solar industry is becoming more complex as policy uncertainty, storage, cybersecurity, and grid constraints reshape project development. They look at growing concerns around inverter supply chains and national security, as well as the impact of changing rules on financing and project timelines. The conversation also covers Massachusetts' latest energy storage solicitation and the rising costs of permitting, interconnection, and network upgrades. They also discuss ERCOT's massive queue of large-load applications driven by data centers and the increasing scrutiny around grid and resource impacts. The episode highlights why success in clean energy now requires understanding far more than just solar panels. Host Bio: 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 $45 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. Connect with Benoy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benoythanjan/ Learn more:  https://reneuenergy.com https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com   Host Bio: David Magid David Magid is a seasoned renewable energy executive with deep expertise in solar development, financing, and operations. He has worked across the clean energy value chain, leading teams that deliver distributed generation and community solar projects. David is widely recognized for his strategic insights on interconnection, market economics, and policy trends shaping the U.S. solar industry. Connect with David on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmagid/ If you have any questions or comments, you can email us at info@reneuenergy.com.   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.    

Adam Butcher joins Brian Nichols to reveal what's actually driving your electricity bill higher and why blaming data centers and AI misses the real story about America's energy supply.Everybody's pointing at the data centers. Adam isn't.He's the President and Managing Partner of Basin Ventures. He's managed over $1.25 billion in oil and gas projects for more than 50 players in the industry and deployed over $500 million into minerals and royalties. He's a land guy - leases, title, ownership - which means he sees the part of this story nobody on cable news covers.And he came on with a number that stopped me cold. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since 1983. Roughly 35 days of cover. Draining every single week. Adam's take? Cheap oil is a mirage... and we've been hiding that with artificial levers instead of taking our medicine.So I brought him the stat sheet. Retail electricity up 7% in 2025. Up roughly 40% since 2021. Utilities requested $31 billion in rate hikes in 2025 versus $15 billion the year before. Another $9.4 billion in Q1 of 2026 alone. Virginia has 663 data centers, Texas has 405, together over a quarter of every data center in the country.And Adam looked at all of it and called data centers the new boogeyman.We get into Venezuela and why 2028 is the real timeline. We get into why he says he's always made more money under Democrats than Republicans. We get into the LNG export shutdown, ERCOT's grid math, Zuckerberg's city-sized facility outside Shreveport, and why he moved his fund to 50/50 oil and gas betting on a 2027 boom.Meet people where they're at. Most folks don't care about megawatts... they care about the number at the bottom of the envelope. So that's where we started.CHAPTERS00:00 Somebody's Paying For The Wires02:26 Billy Bob Made Us Famous03:35 The $60 Call He Made In June04:05 Cheap Oil Is A Mirage08:03 Venezuela Won't Save Us Until 202811:48 I Make More Money Under Democrats13:23 The LNG Shutdown Nobody Talks About15:24 The Snake Problem18:27 What Oil Should Actually Cost22:11 We Have To Take Our Medicine22:46 Your Bill Went Up 40 Percent25:05 Data Centers Are The New Boogeyman29:15 Texas Needs 5X Its Power31:06 Final ThoughtsCONNECT WITH ADAM BUTCHERBasin Ventures: https://www.basinventures.comAdam's bio: https://www.basinventures.com/team/adam-butcherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwbutcherSUPPORT THE SHOWCardio Miracle - https://cardiomiracle.com/TBNS - use code TBNS for 15% offCONNECT WITH BRIANhttps://www.briannicholsshow.combrian@briannicholsshow.comX, Facebook, Instagram: @BNicholsLibertyRecorded at Cardio Miracle Studios in eastern Indiana. New episodes Thursdays.Educated. Enlightened. Informed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Butcher joins Brian Nichols to reveal what's actually driving your electricity bill higher and why blaming data centers and AI misses the real story about America's energy supply.Everybody's pointing at the data centers. Adam isn't.He's the President and Managing Partner of Basin Ventures. He's managed over $1.25 billion in oil and gas projects for more than 50 players in the industry and deployed over $500 million into minerals and royalties. He's a land guy - leases, title, ownership - which means he sees the part of this story nobody on cable news covers.And he came on with a number that stopped me cold. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since 1983. Roughly 35 days of cover. Draining every single week. Adam's take? Cheap oil is a mirage... and we've been hiding that with artificial levers instead of taking our medicine.So I brought him the stat sheet. Retail electricity up 7% in 2025. Up roughly 40% since 2021. Utilities requested $31 billion in rate hikes in 2025 versus $15 billion the year before. Another $9.4 billion in Q1 of 2026 alone. Virginia has 663 data centers, Texas has 405, together over a quarter of every data center in the country.And Adam looked at all of it and called data centers the new boogeyman.We get into Venezuela and why 2028 is the real timeline. We get into why he says he's always made more money under Democrats than Republicans. We get into the LNG export shutdown, ERCOT's grid math, Zuckerberg's city-sized facility outside Shreveport, and why he moved his fund to 50/50 oil and gas betting on a 2027 boom.Meet people where they're at. Most folks don't care about megawatts... they care about the number at the bottom of the envelope. So that's where we started.CHAPTERS00:00 Somebody's Paying For The Wires02:26 Billy Bob Made Us Famous03:35 The $60 Call He Made In June04:05 Cheap Oil Is A Mirage08:03 Venezuela Won't Save Us Until 202811:48 I Make More Money Under Democrats13:23 The LNG Shutdown Nobody Talks About15:24 The Snake Problem18:27 What Oil Should Actually Cost22:11 We Have To Take Our Medicine22:46 Your Bill Went Up 40 Percent25:05 Data Centers Are The New Boogeyman29:15 Texas Needs 5X Its Power31:06 Final ThoughtsCONNECT WITH ADAM BUTCHERBasin Ventures: https://www.basinventures.comAdam's bio: https://www.basinventures.com/team/adam-butcherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwbutcherSUPPORT THE SHOWCardio Miracle - https://cardiomiracle.com/TBNS - use code TBNS for 15% offCONNECT WITH BRIANhttps://www.briannicholsshow.combrian@briannicholsshow.comX, Facebook, Instagram: @BNicholsLibertyRecorded at Cardio Miracle Studios in eastern Indiana. New episodes Thursdays.Educated. Enlightened. Informed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Butcher joins Brian Nichols to reveal what's actually driving your electricity bill higher and why blaming data centers and AI misses the real story about America's energy supply. Everybody's pointing at the data centers. Adam isn't. He's the President and Managing Partner of Basin Ventures. He's managed over $1.25 billion in oil and gas projects for more than 50 players in the industry and deployed over $500 million into minerals and royalties. He's a land guy - leases, title, ownership - which means he sees the part of this story nobody on cable news covers. And he came on with a number that stopped me cold. The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is at its lowest level since 1983. Roughly 35 days of cover. Draining every single week. Adam's take? Cheap oil is a mirage... and we've been hiding that with artificial levers instead of taking our medicine. So I brought him the stat sheet. Retail electricity up 7% in 2025. Up roughly 40% since 2021. Utilities requested $31 billion in rate hikes in 2025 versus $15 billion the year before. Another $9.4 billion in Q1 of 2026 alone. Virginia has 663 data centers, Texas has 405, together over a quarter of every data center in the country. And Adam looked at all of it and called data centers the new boogeyman. We get into Venezuela and why 2028 is the real timeline. We get into why he says he's always made more money under Democrats than Republicans. We get into the LNG export shutdown, ERCOT's grid math, Zuckerberg's city-sized facility outside Shreveport, and why he moved his fund to 50/50 oil and gas betting on a 2027 boom. Meet people where they're at. Most folks don't care about megawatts... they care about the number at the bottom of the envelope. So that's where we started. CHAPTERS 00:00 Somebody's Paying For The Wires 02:26 Billy Bob Made Us Famous 03:35 The $60 Call He Made In June 04:05 Cheap Oil Is A Mirage 08:03 Venezuela Won't Save Us Until 2028 11:48 I Make More Money Under Democrats 13:23 The LNG Shutdown Nobody Talks About 15:24 The Snake Problem 18:27 What Oil Should Actually Cost 22:11 We Have To Take Our Medicine 22:46 Your Bill Went Up 40 Percent 25:05 Data Centers Are The New Boogeyman 29:15 Texas Needs 5X Its Power 31:06 Final Thoughts CONNECT WITH ADAM BUTCHER Basin Ventures: https://www.basinventures.com Adam's bio: https://www.basinventures.com/team/adam-butcher LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamwbutcher SUPPORT THE SHOW Cardio Miracle - https://cardiomiracle.com/TBNS - use code TBNS for 15% off CONNECT WITH BRIAN https://www.briannicholsshow.com brian@briannicholsshow.com X, Facebook, Instagram: @BNicholsLiberty Recorded at Cardio Miracle Studios in eastern Indiana. New episodes Thursdays. Educated. Enlightened. Informed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tell us what you think of the show! It's been a rough summer for soft serve ice cream cone enthusiasts. In most parts of the United States, hot and humid weather has visited and overstayed its welcome, which is no treat for the power grid, either. Elevated temperatures mean increased electricity consumption and accompanying higher prices, the cherry on top amidst a nationwide surge in demand fueled by data centers, manufacturing, and mass electrification.So far, we've seen grid operators issue a few alerts and calls for conservation, particularly in constrained PJM Interconnection territory, where emergency conservation measures kept electricity demand ​from eclipsing an all-time high set in 2006. Down in Texas, the record book is being rewritten this summer. ERCOT has shattered its all-time demand mark more than once, but has also thus far kept power prices reasonable by leveraging an influx of renewables and battery energy storage to break generation records, too.In general, serving peak demand is extremely expensive, and the peakier the system, the pricier it is for the average ratepayer. As most of the country copes with higher electricity bills, finding ways to curb costs is paramount. Thankfully, utilities have a variety of tools at their disposal to improve grid utilization and peak load management, including flexible home electrical equipment, smart electric vehicle charging, and managing distributed energy resources through virtual power plants. And since transmission and distribution system infrastructure is designed to accommodate the few hours of the year when the system is taken to its limits, there is almost always spare capacity on power lines, which can be leveraged via advanced transmission technologies, as we discussed in the previous episode of the Factor This Policycast.This edition of the podcast, presented in partnership with Advanced Energy United, explores demand-side solutions for surviving summer peaks. Host Paul Gerke leads a discussion highlighting the tools available to keep the lights on and bills manageable, and how utilities can use them to get more out of our existing grid without investing in costly, time-consuming infrastructure upgrades. Richard Caperton, vice president for public policy at SPAN, and Sarah Steinberg, managing director at Advanced Energy United, outline the metrics that matter, share how early legislation is leaning, and explain why demand-side solutions work for utilities.Energy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

Greg Foss is back. After stepping away from Twitter and spending time on Nostr, the veteran credit analyst explains what pulled him back: young people reaching for socialism, and credit markets he sees as far less healthy than equities. The credit default swap thesis. Foss walks through his method: take the CDS spread on U.S. government debt, multiply by total obligations including unfunded liabilities, then compare that to Bitcoin's market cap. He flagged his spread number as from memory. Why insurance, not a risk asset. Most holdings are short volatility: when volatility rises, they fall. Foss argues Bitcoin should do the opposite, and credits BlackRock's Larry Fink as one of the few in traditional finance framing it that way. The rate the Fed does not control. Warsh has suggested AI productivity gains leave room to cut. Foss points instead to the 10-year Treasury, set in the open market, which could rise if investors demand more for U.S. credit risk. Credit markets are flashing before equities. A listener asked about widening CDS spreads across AI infrastructure names. Foss compared NVIDIA's vendor financing to Nortel and Lucent in 2000, and pointed to CoreWeave's tight debt service covenant. Banking is a leveraged business. From inside an insolvent Bank of Boston in 1992, Foss saw the math up close: roughly $5 of equity behind every $100 loaned. He argues Bitcoin can act as a safety net against that fragility. Bitcoin mining versus AI data centers. Miners can switch off in seconds and chase stranded energy; AI workloads cannot. Suze raised UK curtailment spending and ERCOT's grid balancing record, and asked whether mining gets built into AI sites. What the ETFs changed. Foss says a Wall Street wrapper was necessary for institutional allocation, while raising the paper Bitcoin question. He runs a 5% of global assets thought experiment, stressing he is not certain it happens. Treasury companies as an evolution, not an endpoint. Foss says he admires Michael Saylor without admiring every lever pulled, notes the premium to underlying Bitcoin has collapsed toward parity, and expects these vehicles to matter less over time. Bitcoin as collateral, and pensions inching in. Foss calls Bitcoin pristine collateral and a natural extension of lending. Dom described recommending it to pension boards years ago and pointed to a Michigan 13F filing adding to its position.

In this follow-up episode, Bracewell attorneys Jared Berg and Bryan Clark rejoin NPM's Heerea Rikhraj to discuss how Texas' data center interconnection process has been thrown into uncertainty after Governor Abbott ordered an audit of projects seeking ERCOT grid connections, prompting a pause of the Batch Zero process.Berg and Clark also discuss the implications for developers, financing, deposit refundability, and the growing interest in on-site power generation.NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community.Download our mobile app.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribeState legislatures are writing data center rules faster than they can verify the demand forecasts underneath them. Fifteen states accounted for 80 percent of data center electricity demand in 2023, a single hyperscale campus can arrive as 15 to 20 percent of a utility's demand, and the transmission to serve it takes five to 15 years to build. On this episode of Volts, David Roberts works through Climate Cabinet's Taming Data Center Turmoil series with Saleem Chapman, who leads the group's electricity affordability policy work, on why Georgia's regulated utility, PJM's capacity market, and ERCOT's competitive market each left ratepayers holding the risk, and what a state can require before it approves a project, while the facility operates, and after the deal is done.Chapters:00:00 – Introduction02:49 – How Climate Cabinet came to the data center fight03:58 – Three things that make hyperscalers unlike past industrial loads07:51 – Warning signals: forecast opacity, gas dependency, unconditional subsidies13:44 – Siting near overburdened communities and the Memphis case15:34 – State preemption versus local control18:31 – The same failure pattern in Georgia, PJM, and ERCOT23:52 – Why not just ban data centers outright28:07 – The framework, and what to require before approval34:54 – While operating: real cost pricing and on-call load flexibility37:39 – Scenario-based planning and the utility incentive problem39:37 – After the deal: new and matched clean energy43:48 – Siting standards and performance-tied incentives50:27 – Existing facilities and the threat to build elsewhere55:41 – Which states are ahead, and step one for lawmakers

In a rapidly shifting global energy landscape, the stakes have never been higher. From Texas governors taking unprecedented action on data centers to Houthi attacks disrupting critical shipping lanes, from Europe's plummeting LNG reserves to the fundamental clash between net zero policies and energy reality, this episode of the Energy News Beat cuts through the noise to deliver eight critical stories that will reshape how you think about energy security, grid stability, and economic resilience. Whether you're an industry professional, policymaker, or simply someone concerned about the reliability of the power grid and the affordability of energy, this conversation exposes the hard truths behind the headlines—including why demand destruction is coming, why coal consumption is hitting record highs despite net zero mandates, and why 2027 could be a pivotal year for American energy independence. Buckle up: this is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand where energy markets are headed and what it means for your wallet and your future.1. Data Center Regulation & Energy ImpactTexas Governor Abbott has halted new data center connections to the ERCOT grid pending a comprehensive audit. This follows New York's similar moratorium. The host emphasizes concerns about data centers' massive water consumption and energy demands, noting ERCOT has over 1,800 projects (474 gigawatts) in its interconnection queue.2. Global Energy Market VolatilityThe podcast covers extreme volatility in global energy markets driven by geopolitical tensions, security concerns, and climate-related disruptions. Oil prices fluctuate between $75-$114 per barrel, with significant disparities between paper and physical delivery prices.3. Red Sea & Houthi AttacksOngoing attacks by Houthis on shipping in the Red Sea and Bab-El-Mendeb Strait are disrupting oil and LNG supply chains. Recent cargo ship sinkings and attacks on Aramco facilities are constraining global energy supplies.4. European Energy CrisisEurope faces severe drought conditions affecting the Rhine and Danube rivers, preventing barge transport of fuel. LNG inventories have dropped dramatically (from 85.2% to 57.1% in one year), creating critical supply shortages.5. Refinery Capacity & Demand DestructionGlobal refineries are running at full capacity as buffers dwindle. The host predicts demand destruction will eventually reduce fuel prices, but warns of short-term price increases and supply constraints.6. Net Zero Policy CritiqueThe host argues that net zero policies lead to de-industrialization and fiscal collapse. He contends that increased wind and solar investment paradoxically increases fossil fuel consumption due to manufacturing and grid support needs.7. Coal Demand & Bank of England PolicyDespite the Bank of England cutting support for thermal coal, global coal consumption is at record highs and projected to continue rising through 2027, contradicting net zero objectives.8. U.S. Power Grid VulnerabilitiesNew York City's aging power barges pose blackout risks. The host criticizes energy policy decisions, including reliance on Canadian hydroelectric imports, and warns of grid instability due to renewable energy integration challenges.9. Williams Companies AcquisitionWilliams Companies announced a $5.5 billion deal to acquire Momentum Midstream, demonstrating continued investment in midstream infrastructure.10. Preparedness & Backup Power SolutionsThe host emphasizes the need for personal preparedness with backup power solutions like solar panels and battery storage units, predicting increased grid instability in 2027.A shout-out to Steve Reese and the Reese Energy Consulting group for sponsoring the Podcast https://reeseenergyconsulting.com/.Data2 if you have any business systems, can you trust A? Well, they have the patent on validation. . https://data2.zoholandingpage.com/energyAnd we have WellDatabase rolling in as a new sponsor. https://welldatabase.com/

In this episode, Bracewell partners Bryan Clark and Jared Berg join NPM's Heerea Rikhraj to discuss ERCOT's new Batch Zero large load interconnection process and its implications for Texas data center development. They explore interconnection challenges, financing trends, private credit's growing role, regulatory uncertainty, and infrastructure bottlenecks. The conversation highlights the risks and opportunities shaping the next wave of AI and data center growth.NPM is a leading data, intelligence & events company providing business development-led coverage of the global power, storage & data centre markets for the development, finance, M&A and corporate community.Download our mobile app.

Editor: We're giving billions in sales tax breaks to an industry draining our electric grid and water, while taxing the homeowners and businesses actually helping solve the problem. Since 2013, Texas has given qualifying data centers a sales tax exemption. The cost has exploded from .6 million in 2014-15 to a projected .3 billion in 2028-29. In return, Texans get higher strain on the ERCOT grid, costly new transmission lines, and heavy water use for cooling in a drought-prone state. These facilities create load, not lasting jobs. The state should end the data center tax break and use that capacity... Article Link

Editor: We're giving billions in sales tax breaks to an industry draining our electric grid and water, while taxing the homeowners and businesses actually helping solve the problem. Since 2013, Texas has given qualifying data centers a sales tax exemption. The cost has exploded from .6 million in 2014-15 to a projected .3 billion in 2028-29. In return, Texans get higher strain on the ERCOT grid, costly new transmission lines, and heavy water use for cooling in a drought-prone state. These facilities create load, not lasting jobs. The state should end the data center tax break and use that capacity... Article Link

It's EV News Briefly for Friday 31 July 2026, everything you need to know in less than 5 minutes if you haven't got time for the full show.Patreon supporters fund this show, get the episodes ad free, as soon as they're ready and are part of the EV News Daily Community. You can be like them by clicking here: https://www.patreon.com/EVNewsDailyMERCEDES LAUNCHES ELECTRIC GLA FIRSTMercedes unveiled the all-electric GLA in Warsaw, breaking from its usual pattern by launching three battery-electric versions first in November, with hybrids following in early 2027. Built on the 800-volt MMA platform, the GLA offers up to 657 km WLTP range, 320 kW charging, and starts at €48,599 as Mercedes' cheapest electric SUV.FERRARI LUCE BEATS 2026 SALES TARGETFerrari's electric Luce hit its 2026 sales target of nearly 500 units within two months of its May launch, despite public backlash, an 8% share price drop, and the departure of marketing chief Enrico Galliera. Demand proved strongest in China, where its 88-unit allocation sold out at roughly $589,000, with Ferrari targeting 2,500 total Luce sales by 2030.RENAULT PROFITS BEAT ON EVS AND CUTSRenault posted a 5.2% operating margin and 9.5% revenue growth in the first half of 2026, beating forecasts through cost cuts and a stronger EV lineup, outperforming Audi and Mercedes-Benz margins for the period. CEO Francois Provost is pushing cheaper EVs like the €19,490 Twingo and €25,000 R5 to defend market share against BYD, Opel and Citroën, while targeting €400 in annual per-vehicle cost savings.WALMART BUILDS OUT US FAST CHARGINGWalmart has opened about 46 high-speed public charging stations with 380 cords across roughly 326 of its 4,600 US stores, ranking second only to Tesla in network expansion during the second quarter. The retailer is leaning on its vast footprint—90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a store—to combine charging dwell time with shopping, potentially lifting store sales by about 5%.CANADA'S FAST CHARGERS OUTPACE DEMANDCanada's DC fast-charger utilization fell to just 9.5% in Q2 2026, down from 11.3% in Q1 and well below the 15-20% operators typically need to break even, trailing the US average of 15.8%. Paren's data, covering nearly 10,000 ports, shows profitability is highly site-specific, prompting calls for demand-led charger siting and better reliability.FORMER VW ENGINEERS CHARGED OVER RIVIAN DEAL TRADESProsecutors charged former Volkswagen engineers Michael Stamp and Michael Plank with insider trading ahead of VW's $5 billion Rivian joint venture announcement in June 2024, which sent Rivian shares up 23%. Stamp allegedly made $250,000 and Plank $50,000, with Plank also accused of tipping a family member who made $12,000, while incriminating searches about insider trading laws feature in the case.IONIQ 3 OPENS UK AND EUROPE ORDERSHyundai's new IONIQ 3 electric hatchback has drawn more customer interest than any previous Hyundai launch, debuting at Goodwood with UK pricing expected under £25,000 and offering up to 308 miles of range from a 61 kWh battery. Built on the E-GMP platform for the European market, the compact IONIQ 3 is not planned for a US launch.KIA COMMITS $649 MILLION TO MEXICO EVSKia will invest $649 million in its Pesquería, Mexico plant to begin producing the EV3 compact SUV starting August 4, marking its first EV production in the country. The move, tied to Mexico's Plan México initiative, is expected to create 500 jobs this year and 1,500 by 2030, while helping Kia navigate USMCA trade rules and tariffs.V2G COULD DWARF MANAGED CHARGING VALUEA General Motors-commissioned E3 study found vehicle-to-grid technology could deliver five to 15 times more value per EV than one-way managed charging, totaling roughly $7 billion nationwide by 2030, with the strongest returns in California, ERCOT, and the Pacific Northwest. GM already has 250,000 bidirectional-capable vehicles on the road and is pushing utilities to speed up V2G tariffs and approvals, including a plan to use 52,000 vehicles to balance PG&E's grid by 2030.SC01 SET FOR UK ARRIVAL IN 2027Small Sports Car Company will bring its China-built SC01 lightweight electric sportscar to the UK, featuring 429 bhp, a 1,365 kg curb weight, a 2.9-second 0-62 mph time, and a 500 km CLTC range. UK demonstration cars arrive in Q4 2026, with right-hand-drive customer cars following from April 2027, though pricing has not yet been announced.

The Cowboys hold their first practice in Oxnard, so is Jerry feeling some added pressure???

The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) last month approved changes to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas' (ERCOT) process for evaluating requests from data centers and other large power users seeking to connect to the Texas grid. The new process more effectively manages the rapid growth in grid interconnection requests while ensuring electric reliability for Texas homes and businesses. The changes followed Gov. Greg Abbott's direction June 10 for ERCOT and the PUCT to take immediate steps to protect residential ratepayers from the costs of data center expansion. A record number of large electric users are lining up to... Article Link

Can Texas' electric grid keep up with the explosive growth of AI, data centers, and a rapidly expanding population? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Mark Bell, President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas (AECT), to discuss the future of the Texas electric grid, the unprecedented demand for electricity, and how the state is preparing for the next generation of economic growth. Bell explains why Texas has become one of the nation's leading destinations for new industry, how AI-driven data centers are changing long-term electricity planning, and what lawmakers, regulators, and utilities are doing to ensure the grid remains reliable and affordable. The conversation covers: Texas' rapid electricity demand and population growth AI data centers and their impact on the electric grid ERCOT's long-term planning and transmission expansion Senate Bill 6 and new rules for large energy users Who pays for new grid infrastructure? Nuclear energy, batteries, renewables, and natural gas Why Texas remains one of the nation's most affordable electricity markets The discussion also explores how competitive electricity markets work, why new transmission lines are needed regardless of data center growth, and how Texas utilities are preparing to meet future demand while protecting residential ratepayers. 00:00 — Texas' exploding electricity demand 00:22 — Intro & Meet Mark Bell 03:22 — Why the grid conversation has changed 06:04 — AI data centers and future demand 11:16 — ERCOT's interconnection queue explained 16:15 — Building the next generation of power 20:11 — Who pays for grid expansion? 28:22 — Senate Bill 6 and new grid rules 30:55 — Local concerns about data centers 34:03 — What comes next for the Texas grid? 38:03 — Closing thoughts Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks Follow us on social mediaX: @Texas_DispatchInstagram: thetexasdispatchLinkedIn: The Texas DispatchTikTok: texas_talks_podcast Find more at The Texas DispatchYour source for state news, policy, and investigative journalism.https://thetexasdispatch.com

Tell us what you think of the show! Generator interconnection, the process by which power plants like large solar arrays, wind farms, and utility-scale batteries connect to the electrical grid, continues to be one of the biggest barriers to project development. Despite gradual improvement in some parts of the United States since the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) passed Order No. 2023 three years ago, messy, complicated, and sometimes outdated policies are still preventing electrons from reaching end customers at a time of skyrocketing electricity demand. Grid operators have made meaningful strides in reducing interconnection queue backlogs and improving planning processes, but significant challenges remain, as detailed in a new progress report from Grid Strategies and The Brattle Group, on behalf of Advanced Energy United, that evaluates how grid operators are progressing since an initial 2024 assessment.On this episode of the Factor This Policycast, recorded live-to-tape at the 2026 Infocast Transmission & Interconnection Summit, Caitlin Marquis, managing director at Advanced Energy United, and Rob Gramlich, president of Grid Strategies, outline how each major regional transmission organization (RTO) and independent system operator (ISO) is approaching generator interconnection reform, criss-crossing the country and touching on progress in PJM, ERCOT, SPP, MISO, CAISO, ISO-NE, and NYISO. Marquis and Gramlich also share policy suggestions and discuss the recent show-cause orders issued by FERC to each of the six regional grid operators within its jurisdiction, directing them to either justify or reform the rules governing how large energy users, such as data centers, connect to the electric grid.More episodes of Factor This PolicycastMore episodes of Factor This Policycast

On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Robert Montoya, investigative reporter for the Texas Scorecard.

Rikki è stato invitato al Festival of the Sun organizzato dall'iconico producer Rick Rubin, un evento dove, tra musica, cultura e tecnologia, Bitcoin è stato raccontato come cardine indispensabile per la nostra società.Inoltre: il parlamento europeo compie il primo passo verso l'euro digitale, Bukele usa la repressione finanziaria contro i suoi avversari, raccontiamo il modello di business dello sviluppo open source, cos'è BitGo, il mining in Texas incentiva i datacenter, e l'Oman introduce la prima mining pool di stato.It's Showtime!

On this episode of the Renewable Roundup, Russell Reading speaks with Kenny Schoolcraft of Zeigo Network about “Powered Land” — land that comes bundled with grid access or interconnection privilege. Kenny explains what Powered Land means, why it's suddenly in high demand, and how it shortens development timelines and reduces execution risk for data centers, renewables and investors. They discuss how market differences (ERCOT, PJM, MISO, CAISO, etc.) shape the value of powered land, why transmission and interconnection queues are the current bottleneck, and how hyperscalers and corporates are adapting their strategies to secure quick, reliable power.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, but the giant datacenters being built across Texas finally got Mitch's attention.What began as a simple question—what exactly is a datacenter?—quickly turned into something much bigger.Why are companies spending billions of dollars building AI infrastructure in places like Abilene, Texas? Why do these facilities require so much land, power, and investment? And what do some of the smartest and wealthiest people in the world believe is waiting on the other side of this massive bet?Along the way, Mitch explores the Stargate project, the Texas power grid, the history of Spindletop, and the wildcatters who helped shape the Lone Star State.Are we witnessing the beginning of the next great technological revolution?Or just another speculative boom?Nobody knows yet.But it's an interesting question.Mitch Wonders is where Texas porch talk meets life's big questions. Each episode, Mitch — a cranky but curious Texan — takes a plainspoken look at today's world with humor, humility, and a shot of wisdom you can actually swallow.Catch up on all episodes, see pics. of recent guests, YouTube clips, BBQ and whiskey reviews, subscribe, and visit the Merch Store athttps://mitchwonders.com/ . Got feedback? Hit Mitch up at https://tinyurl.com/kc2e4wu3  and...thank you!

In this episode of The Right Idea, Derek Cohen sits down with Carson Clayton, TPPF Life Powered Campaign Director, to break down the controversial 765 KV transmission lines (Strategic Transmission Expansion Plan / STEP).Texas lawmakers and activists are sounding the alarm over a $33 billion plan to build massive ultra-high voltage transmission lines across the state — cutting through pristine Hill Country and farmland — instead of addressing the root cause: Texas' broken energy market that over-subsidizes intermittent wind and solar while under-building reliable dispatchable power.Featuring powerful clips from Senator Kevin Sparks and Representative Brad Buckley.Key Topics:Why the Permian Basin — one of the most energy-rich regions in the world — needs power imported from Central TexasHow federal subsidies, ESG pressure, and ERCOT's energy-only market are distorting investmentThe massive cost to ratepayers and landownersWhat real market reform looks like to prevent blackouts and unnecessary transmission boondogglesTimestamps:00:00 - Welcome & Introduction to the 765 Lines Controversy01:23 - What Are the 765 KV Transmission Lines?02:41 - Senator Kevin Sparks on the Permian Basin Plan04:40 - Why Wind & Solar Boom Created a Reliability Crisis08:37 - Senator Sparks on ERCOT Market Failures & Subsidies09:39 - How the Energy-Only Market Rewards Unreliable Power12:19 - Federal Policy, ESG, and Renewable Credits Driving the Problem15:12 - Rep. Brad Buckley: Pause the Project & Reform the Market17:02 - Proposed Market Reforms (SB 715 & Reliability Standards)20:01 - The Coming Reliability Cliff & Why Transmission Is Just a Band-Aid21:22 - How Much Gas Generation Would Make the 765 Lines Unnecessary?If you care about Texas energy independence, affordable electricity, property rights, and keeping the lights on, this is a must-watch.

In Episode 330 of The Green Insider, host Mike Nemer sits down with Chris Dorow to explore how AI-driven data center growth is reshaping electricity demand, why battery storage has become a critical tool in ERCOT, and what today's market signals say about the future of solar, wind, natural gas, and nuclear power. Their conversation covers grid reliability, energy pricing, infrastructure bottlenecks, and the challenge of building enough generation to meet rising demand. In this episode, you'll learn: How AI and data center expansion are driving major load growth forecasts across Texas and the broader power market. Why battery energy storage systems are playing a bigger role in price stability and evening peak management in ERCOT. What curtailment, turbine delivery delays, and rising project costs mean for new solar, wind, and natural gas development. Why a diversified energy mix—including renewables, storage, nuclear, and dispatchable generation—remains essential for reliability. How energy infrastructure constraints, fuel markets, and geopolitical events could influence natural gas and power prices in the years ahead. Be sure to subscribe to The Green Insider, powered by eRENEWABLE, wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five-star rating and share it with someone working in energy, infrastructure, or sustainability. #TheGreenInsider #EnergyPodcast #AI #DataCenters #BatteryStorage #ERCOT #EnergyMarkets #GridReliability #RenewableEnergy #FutureOfEnergy The post Inside the New Energy Market: AI, Storage, and Reliability appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Most high performers don't get passed over because of what they know. They get passed over because of how they lead. In this episode, Dr. Bushra Khan makes the case that emotional intelligence isn't a soft skill, it's the strategic operating system every leader needs right now, especially as AI reshapes what work looks like. In this conversation, she breaks down: Why 'be more strategic' on a performance review usually means something specific and fixable. How influence actually works in the brain, and why title alone won't get people to go above and beyond. A concrete KPI approach for measuring emotional intelligence that most organizations aren't tracking yet. Timestamps [00:00:42] Emotional intelligence as the operating system for the future of work [00:02:30] Why 'soft skills' is out — and 'strategic skills' is in [00:03:10] How technical experts plateau: the real meaning of 'not strategic enough' [00:05:47] What 'be more strategic' is actually code for [00:07:26] Micromanagement as a symptom of not knowing how to teach others [00:09:09] The Peter Principle in action: when great individual contributors struggle to lead [00:12:19] Why title doesn't equal influence — and what builds rapport instead [00:16:55] Integrity in leadership: what it looks like when leaders actually walk the walk [00:17:15] How to give feedback that makes people better, not defensive [00:19:57] Measuring emotional intelligence: the KPI framework most orgs are missing Guest Bio: Dr. Bushra Khan is a founder, educator, and leadership expert with over 15 years of experience in organizational development and adult learning. With a doctorate in Educational Leadership, deep research in emotional intelligence alongside global experts, and the creation of a top-rated executive leadership program (clients include Google, Government of Canada, and ERCOT), her impact is both measurable and deeply human. Dr. Khan helps high-performing professionals strengthen their strategic capabilities, lead with integrity, turn their expertise into meaningful influence, and shape their leadership philosophy. She describes her work as a calm, compelling signal in the noise — a space where leaders come for clarity, rising professionals see possibility, and organizations recognize that emotional intelligence isn't a nice-to-have: it's the operating system for the future of work. Brought to You by Paylocity Paylocity is the fastest growing unified platform for HR, Finance, and IT. Paylocity brings your people, processes, and data together in one place so HR leaders can spend less time managing systems and more time doing the work that actually moves their organizations forward. Learn more at paylocity.com Keywords: emotional intelligence, EQ, leadership, strategic skills, soft skills, HR leadership, performance management, people management, coaching, micromanagement, influence, integrity, feedback, AI and leadership, KPIs, organizational culture, future of work, Dr. Bushra Khan, HR Mixtape, Paylocity

On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Brent Bennett, Ph.D., is the policy director for Life: Powered, an initiative of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to raise America's energy IQ and promote human flourishing through energy freedom. Dr. Bennett is responsible for Life: Powered's research and policy development, leading efforts to roll back electricity subsidies, end electric vehicle subsidies and mandates, stop discrimination against responsible energy producers, and promote grid reliability.

What a day on the EnergyNews Beat News Desk, we have 10 big stories for you, and as we were filming this, President Trump calls off the plans - wow, changed everything. David Blackmon's Energy Additions Stops by the Energy News Beat Stand Up as we used one of his stories on blackmon.substack.com.Make no mistakes, this war will end in one of two ways. World War III, or the Venezuelan-style controls on Iran, as they have shown themselves to be an untrustworthy neighbor and have murdered tens of thousands of their own citizens.As David and I were signing on to film the podcast, President Trump called off the strikes to take Kharg Island, and I am hoping this is to reposition assets and give some surprise to their capture. The oil markets dropped to $87. 94 for WTI, and this brings up the Paper trading versus the Physical delivery price of $140.1. Iran Geopolitical Crisis & Military StrategyThe hosts extensively discuss U.S.-Iran tensions, focusing on President Trump's shifting positions on military strikes and seizing Cargo Island. They analyze three phases of military action: (1) stabilizing oil prices by moving ships through the Strait of Hormuz, (2) degrading Iran's military capabilities, and (3) direct action inside Iran. A key point is that without “Venezuelan-style controls” on Iran's oil exports, hostile actors could profit significantly.2. Oil Markets & Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)The podcast explores why physical oil prices exceed $140 while futures trade below $100. Key factors include China's reduced crude imports (4 million barrels/day reduction), alternative export routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz (7-10 million barrels/day), and tanker truck alternatives. Critically, they warn that the U.S. SPR is dangerously low—only 6.1 weeks away from the safe operational level of 300 million barrels.3. Global Energy Infrastructure & Pipeline DevelopmentMultiple countries are building alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz to reduce Iran's leverage. Kuwait is negotiating pipelines with Saudi Arabia and UAE. Japan signed a major LNG deal. This reflects a broader theme: the world is reducing dependence on chokepoints Iran controls.4. U.S. Energy Policy & Data CentersGovernor Abbott's directive requires data centers in Texas to fund their own electrical infrastructure, protecting the grid. Texas is becoming the data center capital (second only to Virginia), with massive natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin to support expansion.5. Natural Gas Pipeline ExpansionKendra Morgan's Gulf Express pipeline expansion will come online soon, preventing flaring and enabling 4.5 BCF of new Permian outbound capacity by 2026—a significant development for energy markets.6. Banking & Investment in Fossil FuelsThe world's 65 largest banks invested $906 billion in fossil fuels in 2025, with the Iran conflict expected to escalate exploration, production, and energy security spending. The ordering of 250 supertankers signals long-term confidence in oil demand.7. Political Concerns & Congressional DysfunctionWe express frustration with President Trump's inconsistent messaging on Iran policy and criticize Congress for its lack of support, calling for primary challenges against most incumbents.All of these stories are on the Energy News Beat website - the World's Best Podcast Show Notes. 1.Trump: US Will 'Assume Total Control' Of Iran's Oil Infrastructure2.President Trump Announces Plans to Strike Iran Again and Take Control of Kharg Island, Echoing Venezuelan-Style Oil Controls3.Why Oil Is Still Below $100 a Barrel When Physical Oil Is Over $1404.The Tale of Two SPRs and Different Uses: US and China Navigate the Iran War Supply Shock5.Full Story on the Downed Apache – Part of Getting 22 Tankers through the Gulf6.Kuwait Oil Chief Seeks Pipeline Alternatives to Skirt Hormuz7.Japan Inks Major LNG Deal as Energy Markets Focus Away from Hormuz8.Texas Gov. Abbott Directs PUC and ERCOT to Shield Texans from Data Center and Infrastructure Costs9.Kinder Morgan's Gulf Coast Express Expansion About to Come On Line – And It Will Impact More Than Natural Gas Prices10.World's 65 Biggest Banks Pumped $906 Billion Into Fossil Fuels in 2025. The Iran War will escalate exploration and production, pipelines, and energy security spending and financing.Check out the Energy News Beat SubStack https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/A shout-out to Steve Reese and the Reese Energy Consulting group for sponsoring the Podcast https://reeseenergyconsulting.com/.Data2 if you have any business systems, can you trust A? Well, they have the patent on validation. . https://data2.zoholandingpage.com/energyAnd we have WellDatabase rolling in as a new sponsor. https://welldatabase.com/

While cities and counties across the state debate moratoriums on data center growth, Governor Abbott calls for more regulations on them as he directed the public utility commission and ERCOT to to require data centers to add power generation to the grid, to require them to pay their own infrastructure costs and to lower residential ratepayer costs, the shakeup continues in Texas education as public school enrollment is on the decline, and numbers showing that charter school enrollment is down too, while at the same time, the trend of home schooling is outpacing both, the prosecutor in the Karmelo Anthony murder trial is speaking out, saying this was one of the most unique cases he has ever worked on and says in all his years he has never seen as much mis information and intentional dis information put out into social media platforms… that's why he agreed with the decision not to allow cameras or audio into the courtroom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The Green Insider Podcast, Mike Nemer sits down with Rob Cantrell, CEO of Atlantic Energy, to talk about branding, growth, and the future of energy in Texas. Rob shares why the Alamo remains a timeless branding lesson, reflects on Atlantic Energy's rapid expansion through acquisitions, and discusses how the industry is balancing traditional power, green products, and rising demand from AI data centers. In episode 329, we cover: Why the Alamo is a powerful case study in lasting brand identity Atlantic Energy's 2025 growth, including three acquisitions and major scale expansion How customer demand is shaping traditional and 100% green power offerings The evolving role of deregulated markets for commercial, industrial, and residential customers What AI data centers could mean for ERCOT, grid stability, and demand response in Texas How sustainable energy progress has shifted across political and market cycles Listen for insights on: branding that creates emotion and action, the realities of scaling an energy business through M&A, and where renewable and data center demand may take the Texas power market next. Connect with Green Insider Podcast Follow the show for more conversations on energy, sustainability, and the trends shaping the market. #GreenInsiderPodcast #EnergyPodcast #TexasEnergy #AtlanticEnergy #RobCantrell #MikeNemer #EnergyIndustry #RenewableEnergy #GreenEnergy #Sustainability #ERCOT #AIdatacenters #EnergyMarket #DeregulatedEnergy #PowerGrid #EnergyInnovation #BrandStrategy #BusinessGrowth #Acquisitions #TexasBusiness The post Energy Growth, Green Power, and AI Data Centers with Rob Cantrell appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Solar & storage pioneers Solar Design Associates share 50 years of firsts on the Clean Power Hour. They put solar on the White House in 1979 and built the first community solar garden in America. Haskell Werlin and Steven Strong trace solar's fall from $16 to $1 per watt, explain why the battery cost curve is following the same path, and break down what the ITC-free era means for developers.Solar and storage pioneers Solar Design Associates have been designing solar energy systems since 1974, accumulating firsts from the Carter-era White House installation to the first true community solar garden in the United States. Haskell Werlin, Vice President of Business Development, and Steven Strong, Founder and President, join Tim Montague on the Clean Power Hour to trace 50 years of solar industry evolution. Solar pricing fell from $16 per watt for satellites to $1 per watt for ground mounts today, and Haskell confirms the battery cost curve is now following the same downward path, with Texas leading the country in solar and battery installations. This episode covers landmark projects, including the Bullit Center in Seattle and the Harvard community solar garden, alongside a direct assessment of what the residential ITC removal means for project economics through 2028 and beyond.Here is what you will learn from this conversation about 50 years of solar storage pioneers and the battery transition ahead:You will learn why Haskell argues Texas, not Hawaii, is now leading the country in solar and battery installations after transforming the ERCOT grid from fossil fuel dependency to firm base load power.Find out how the first true community solar garden in the US, a 542-kilowatt ground mount in Harvard, Massachusetts required a statewide home rule petition to resolve a property tax classification dispute with the local assessor.Understand how the Bullit Center in Seattle, described by the New York Times Architectural Review as the “Most sustainable commercial building in America,” achieved 100% energy offset in one of the least sunny major cities in the US.Find out how Solar Design Associates put solar on the White House under President Carter in 1979, with Steven Strong on the roof for the dedication ceremony, and were called back under President George W. Bush in 2006 to install solar on the pool and cabana, spanning two administrations and three decades. Find out how Solar Design Associates has never exceeded 20 employees in 50 years, why hiring graduates with no prior solar experience is a deliberate strategy, and what Haskell says about the companies growing fast and falling hard.Fifty years ago solar panels powered satellites because nothing else could reach them, and the technology now costs $1 per watt for ground mounts, a cost collapse driven by German feed-in tariffs, and Chinese manufacturing scale. The battery industry is now following the same path solar took from satellite technology to mass market infrastructure, with the same forces of policy, manufacturing scale, and early adopter projects already in motion. Professionals watching this episode are standing at the same inflection point the solar pioneers of 1974 stood at, with the advantage of knowing exactly how this story ends.Connect Steven Strong, Haskell Werlin Haskell Werlin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haskell-werlin-1a21383/Steven Strong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-strong-3309894/Solar Design Associates: https://solardesign.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.comCorporate 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

On Tuesday's show: Information from ERCOT shows there are some hot spots in Texas where more large data centers want to open and join the state's power grid. We take a closer look at Houston Chronicle reporting on that story and find out where many of these new data centers hope to be.Also this hour: We consider the factors that lead to youth homelessness in Greater Houston and how to address the problem.Then, we revisit a conversation about the challenges of teaching civics in schools amid our polarized political climate.And we chat with organizers of the Sin Muros festival, which features readings, workshops, and celebrations by and for Latino playwrights, poets, and performers.Watch

The energy transition conversation focuses on what connects to the grid. Far less attention goes to whether anyone is coordinating what those assets do once connected. AI training runs swing hundreds of megawatts in seconds as GPUs checkpoint and restart a profile that looks like a generator tripping offline. At distribution level, millions of inverter-based resources create localised variability that overwhelms individual circuits even when aggregate models look healthy. The planning tools in use today were designed for neither problem.Host Bridget van Dorsten is joined by Kay Aikin, CEO and Founder of Dynamic Grid, energy engineer, grid architecture advisor to the DOE-supported GridWise Architecture Council, and contributor to the UN Environmental Program's building decarbonisation work. Kay unpacks what an AI training facility actually does to the grid with full GPU load for hours or days, then a drop to ten percent in seconds during checkpointing. She talks about how at the scale now planned, the Stargate project in Texas alone could represent ten percent of ERCOT disappearing in four seconds. The behaviour is stochastic and cannot be modelled with traditional statistical tools. At distribution level, virtual power plants responding to wholesale signals without circuit-level visibility can create competing oscillations, the kind of emergent dynamics that contributed to the Spanish grid failure.The proposed fix is an AI controller at the substation, sending price-based signals and flexible operating envelopes to large assets and VPP operators, giving them twenty-four-hour forecasts and real-time circuit visibility. Total cost: under a hundred thousand dollars installed. The reason it isn't everywhere is cost-of-service regulation. Utilities earn returns on deployed capital, so a million-dollar transformer replacement is more profitable than software that eliminates the need for it.Without new approaches, rebuilding the US distribution grid could cost up to ten trillion dollars by 2040. Kay is developing grid utilisation metrics with regulators in Maine, Virginia, and Maryland to incentivise extracting more from existing infrastructure. The episode closes on the need for distribution system operators and the affordability death spiral that looms if the structural incentives don't shift. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Kilowatt, host Bodie clears out a massive news queue before heading into a well-deserved family break. We dive deep into Tesla's self-certification of Level 4 autonomous vehicles in Texas, its dedicated new Robotaxi hub, and the real data behind its actual fleet size. Meanwhile, BYD announces a groundbreaking policy to accept full crash liability when its "God's Eye" driver-assist system is active, and Waymo officially begins testing its next-gen, purpose-built Ojai robotaxis in the US.  Support the Show Support Kilowatt Other Podcasts: Beyond the Post YouTube Beyond the Post Podcast Shuffle Playlist 918Digital Website News Links: InsideEVs: Lucid Is Recalling Its Cheapest EV Because It May Lose Power While Driving Electrek: Texas adds another huge solar farm as ERCOT grid demand soars CleanTechnica: BYD Takes On Crash Liability When Its Driver-Assist System Is Active! Electrek: BYD will pay for crashes on its FSD competitor, something Tesla never has Not a Tesla App: Tesla Launches Official Retractable Sunshade for the Model Y Teslarati: Tesla teases going Plaid Mode with the Model 3 Teslarati: Tesla Full Self-Driving expansion in Europe continues with new addition Electrek: Tesla's ‘Full Self-Driving' fraud lawsuit gets first hearing in China — 10 owners seek $583K Electrek: This Tesla owner won $10k in court for Tesla's FSD lies CleanTechnica: Oracle Exec Sues Tesla Over Full Self Driving Promises And Wins $10,600 InsideEVs: Rivian Says Fight Over Apple CarPlay Is 'Completely Obsolete' Thanks To AI The Verge: Rivian's software chief thinks you don't need CarPlay or buttons Teslarati: Tesla's Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality Not a Tesla App: Tesla Self-Certifies Level 4 Autonomous Vehicles in Texas InsideEVs: Elon Musk Promised 1,000 Texas Robotaxis Last Year. It's Nowhere Near That Electrek: Tesla ‘Robotaxi' fleet is actually shrinking, not growing, new data shows Not a Tesla App: Tesla is Planning a Dedicated Robotaxi Hub in Texas Electrek: Rivian R2 matches Tesla Model Y efficiency despite bigger, heavier body Not a Tesla App: Tesla Model Y Competitor, the Rivian R2 Launches on June 9th InsideEVs: It's Official: Rivian Will Start Delivering R2s In Two Weeks Electrek: Rivian R2 officially launches June 9 – order invites, first deliveries, demo drives InsideEVs: Orders For Slate's Sub-$30K Bare-Bones EV Truck Finally Open On June 24—But There's A Catch Electrek: Revel and Voltera are building a big EV charging network for robotaxis InsideEVs: Waymo Says Its Next-Gen Ojai Robotaxis Are Ready For Prime Time The Verge: Waymo to begin passenger rides in its new Ojai robotaxi Electrek: Waymo starts offering rides in new Ojai robotaxi with 6th-gen Driver InsideEVs: Tesla Was Supposed To Be Losing Europe. The Data Says Otherwise Electrek: One of North America's largest solar farms just came online in Texas Ars Technica Cars: Volvo gets US government approval to bypass Chinese connected-car ban InsideEVs: Jeep's Parent Company Is Considering Building Chinese EVs In North America CleanTechnica: XPENG Starts Producing Robotaxis Not a Tesla App: Tesla Relaxes Driver Monitoring With FSD v14.3.3 Electrek: Tesla (TSLA) officially abandons India factory after years of broken promises *Show Art Created By Gemini and ChatGPT Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, Chris sits down with John McQueeney, State Representative for House District 97 in Tarrant County, Texas and member of the State Affairs Committee covering power grid and electric policy. In the last six weeks alone, John's committee has run three interim data center hearings. He is also drafting the Data Center Responsibility Act for the January 2027 session - the bill that will set the framework for how Texas handles the data center build-out for a generation. Texas has 440 gigawatts of applications in the queue against roughly 110 gigawatts of current peak capacity. Someone has to sort out what's real, what's speculative, and who pays for the grid when it all comes online. John is one of the people doing that work. They discuss: Why the data center industry is losing a PR battle it should be winning The tax story hyperscalers haven't been telling How the large load approval process works in Texas, end to end - from TSP submission to ERCOT study to Approved to Energize What's real vs. speculative in the 440 GW pipeline Behind-the-meter data centers as grid stabilizers What the Data Center Responsibility Act will cover The railroad analogy: why communities that miss this build-out will fall behind for decades Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:27) Why Data Centers Are a "12 Out of 10" for Texas(08:17) A Day Without a Data Center(09:34) Inside Stargate: Lancium, Crusoe, Oracle & OpenAI(14:34) When One Data Center Funds 30% of a City's Budget(17:03) The Vicious Restudy Cycle & the Batch Zero Fix(28:55) 440 GW of Applications Chasing 105 GW of Capacity(35:53) The 75 MW Threshold & Going Behind the Meter(48:36) Drafting the Data Center Responsibility Act(54:19) North Texas's Hidden Risk in Batch Zero(01:08:35) Who Actually Pays for the Grid Buildout?(01:14:32) Data Centers Are a National Security Issue(01:18:12) Data Centers in Space & the Long Arc ----- Presented by Airshare: Trusted across the country for fractional ownership, jet cards, charter, and aircraft management, Airshare gives you a smarter way to fly private - over 25 years of experience, operating their own fleet, with the top safety ratings in the industry. Drive up to the FBO, walk on, and go. Go to flyairshare.com to learn more. ----- Sponsored by Collateral Partners: Collateral Partners builds institutional-grade investor materials for private credit, private equity, real estate, and family office firms - the kind of marketing collateral that helps you close capital. Learn more at collateral.com/fort. ----- Chris on Social Media: X: https://x.com/fortworthchris Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepowerspodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispowersjr/ Visit our website: https://www.powerspod.com/Leave a review on Apple: https://bit.ly/45crFD0Leave a review on Spotify: https://bit.ly/3Krl9jO

Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne joins The Right Idea to discuss some of the biggest issues shaping Texas and America: border security, immigration enforcement, H1B visa fraud, AI-driven energy demand, data centers, and the rise of the creator economy.Hosts Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen also break down the latest Senate race developments, GOP turnout questions, and why Texas continues to lead the nation in economic growth and energy production.Congresswoman Van Duyne explains why Texas stepped in during the Biden-era border crisis, discusses the fight over SB 4 and state sovereignty, details allegations of H1B visa fraud in North Texas, and shares why she launched the Congressional Creators Caucus to support digital creators, podcasters, YouTubers, and independent media entrepreneurs.01:11 - Hot Take: Texas Primary Election turnout03:35 – Introducing Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne04:30 – SB 4, border security & states' rights08:48 – Immigration enforcement under Trump vs. Biden12:05 – How Congress can codify border security reforms15:00 – Investigating alleged H1B visa fraud in North Texas17:20 – Texas energy dominance & economic growth18:15 – AI, data centers & ERCOT's energy strategy21:50 – The Congressional Creators Caucus explained24:15 – AI content theft & protecting creators26:00 – The future of independent media & influencers

Kise Shannon is VP of Business Development at Gridmatic, an AI-first power company helping Bitcoin miners and other flexible loads turn energy market volatility into opportunity. Drawing on more than 20 years in the US energy industry – starting in Texas the moment the state deregulated – Kise has built her career across both global energy majors and startups, and now leads Gridmatic's push into the Bitcoin mining vertical from her base in Houston. Why you should listen Most retail electricity providers evolved out of legacy utilities, and it shows: slow innovation, rigid contracts, and pricing models that punish flexibility. Gridmatic was built differently. The company applies foundational AI models – the same forecasting and optimization engine that powers its wholesale trading desk and its battery storage business across ERCOT and CAISO – to the question every miner is trying to answer in real time: when do I run, when do I curtail, and what is my true effective rate? Kise walks Andy through how that AI layer ingests hundreds of thousands of data points to forecast prices down to specific nodal locations, automating the financial trading between day-ahead and real-time markets while the miner stays focused on operations. It's a clear-eyed look at what "AI-powered energy optimization" actually means once you strip away the buzzwords. The conversation then turns to one of the most underdiscussed problems in mining economics: collateral. New mining LLCs have no trade history, which means traditional retail suppliers demand large upfront deposits at exactly the moment a miner is bleeding cash on land, interconnect, containers, and ASICs. Gridmatic has solved this through partnerships with OBM, Synota, and Satoshi Energy's Bitcurrent platform, all of which enable daily settlement in place of monthly invoices. Layer in Strike for Bitcoin-to-USD conversion and miners can effectively pay their power bill in BTC each day without parking working capital as collateral. Kise also explains why contractual flexibility matters more than ever as miners blend ASIC and AI compute on the same site – two very different load profiles requiring very different energy strategies. Kise makes a strong case for why Texas remains the best home for flexible mining despite tightening competition for interconnects. Abundant land, a state government that has actively welcomed the industry, deep renewable penetration, and natural synergies with the oil and gas sector all combine to make ERCOT uniquely suited to flexible loads. More importantly, Bitcoin miners are not just consumers of Texas power – they are critical grid resources, capable of fully shutting down when supply tightens in a way AI data centers (which often demand five-nines uptime) simply cannot. On the AI-versus-Bitcoin debate, Kise sees coexistence rather than replacement: miners with land and interconnects are partnering with AI customers, and new flexible load is still arriving in Texas. The hot take round closes things out with thoughts on a 10-year vision of Gridmatic as "the power company of the future," why every professional should be using AI now rather than fearing it, and a fitting May the 4th nod to The Martian. Supporting links Stabull Finance Gridmatic Andy on Twitter  Brave New Coin on Twitter Brave New Coin If you enjoyed the show please subscribe to the Crypto Conversation and give us a 5-star rating and a positive review in whatever podcast app you are using.

A judge has ordered the release of a family held in a South Texas detention center for 10 months. We'll have a look at the case and what’s next.Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is leading a Religious Liberty Commission for President Trump. Patrick’s recent comments denying a separation between church and state could tell us […] The post ERCOT forecast raises new questions about Texas power demand appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores one of the most critical challenges facing the state's future: building an electric grid that can keep up with rapid growth while remaining reliable and affordable. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this program are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Texas 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors. Host Brad Swail is joined by Pablo Vegas, President and CEO of ERCOT, and Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy at Texas 2036, for a deep dive into how Texas is preparing its power grid for the next decade. The conversation examines how Texas operates one of the most unique deregulated electricity markets in the country — and why that system is being tested by population growth, extreme weather, and rising demand from data centers and new industries. Vegas explains how ERCOT manages supply and demand in real time while forecasting long-term growth, while Mazur breaks down the policy shifts that followed Winter Storm Uri and how lawmakers are approaching reliability and infrastructure. The discussion covers: • How Texas' deregulated electricity market works • Generation, transmission, and retail explained • Post-Uri reforms and reliability focus • Supply chain and permitting challenges • Growth of solar, wind, and battery storage • The need for a more balanced energy mix • Water's role in energy reliability • Data center-driven demand growth • Who pays for new infrastructure • What drives electricity prices • Limits of current market incentives • Distributed energy and future grid innovation The episode also highlights a key policy shift: large energy users like data centers may be required to reduce demand first during grid emergencies — protecting residential consumers and critical services. Looking ahead, the conversation underscores a central challenge: Texas must not only build more power, but build the right mix of power to ensure long-term reliability and affordability. 00:00 — Intro + Future of Texas series overview 00:21 — Meet Pablo Vegas (ERCOT) & Jeremy Mazur (Texas 2036) 01:21 — Why Texas' electric grid matters more than ever 02:02 — Winter Storm Uri: what changed since 2021 03:09 — How Texas' electricity market works (3-part system) 05:03 — Policy changes and focus on grid reliability 06:20 — Texas growth and rising electricity demand 07:22 — ERCOT's role: balancing supply and demand 08:09 — Forecasting future demand and infrastructure needs 08:56 — Why power plants take years to build 10:22 — Supply chain issues and energy development delays 11:18 — How incentives shaped solar, wind, and battery growth 13:10 — Water's critical role in energy reliability 14:10 — Drought risks and power generation challenges 15:31 — Are we building enough power for the future? 16:55 — The imbalance in today's energy mix 18:48 — Why Texas needs a balanced portfolio of energy sources 19:08 — Legislative efforts to expand nuclear & geothermal 20:14 — Why renewables helped during extreme heat events 21:00 — The future of nuclear, geothermal, and new tech 22:05 — Market design flaws: not all electricity is valued equally 24:02 — Why reliability isn't priced into the system 25:26 — Data centers: massive demand growth explained 29:18 — Will all proposed data centers actually get built? 31:09 — Who pays for grid expansion? 33:00 — Transmission costs and rate impacts 34:43 — Ensuring fair cost allocation for consumers 35:28 — Can Texas handle future demand growth? 36:13 — Data centers as part of the energy solution 38:23 — New rules: data centers shut off first in emergencies 40:19 — Behind-the-meter energy (self-powered facilities) 41:23 — What will happen to electricity prices? 43:50 — Why Texas still has relatively low power costs 46:05 — Post-Uri reforms and grid resilience improvements 48:20 — Preparing for extreme weather in the future 49:54 — The future: distributed energy and grid innovation 51:30 — Final thoughts + Texas 2036 outlook Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

[This episode is a re-run from October 2025. Look out for a new episode of Catalyst on Thursday, April 23.] Yesterday, Base Power announced a ⁠$1 billion series C⁠, giving the residential battery company an eye-popping $4 billion post-money valuation. Base manufactures, installs, owns, and operates residential batteries — a vertical integration strategy that CEO ⁠Zach Dell⁠ says is the “magic” to beating utility-scale batteries on CapEx. The company also acts as an electricity retailer and sells generation capacity. So how does Base's business model work? And what will it do with its new fundraise?  In this episode, Shayle talks to Zach about Base's business model, the vertical integration strategy, and the challenges ahead. They cover topics like: The customer value proposition: how customers pay for backup power and Base uses the batteries for grid services Bases's “gentailer” business model in ERCOT, earning revenue from monthly customer fees, retail electricity sales, and battery arbitrage The regulated market approach, where Base sells capacity directly to utilities Base's vertical integration strategy: from ground-mounted designs to decoupled installation processes Challenges like managing a fixed workforce amid fluctuating demand and the declining price volatility in ERCOT Resources: ⁠New York Times⁠: Base Power, a Battery-Focused Power Company, Raises $1 Billion ⁠Open Circuit⁠: Is this moment for distributed energy different?   ⁠Catalyst⁠: Is now the time for DERs to scale?  Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Daniel Woldorff. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor.  Catalyst is brought to you by FischTank PR, an award-winning climate and energy tech, renewables, and sustainability-focused PR firm dedicated to elevating the work of both early-stage and established companies. Learn more about their PR approach and how they can support your company's messaging by visiting ⁠fischtankpr.com⁠. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting ⁠energyhub.com⁠.

On this Salcedo Storm Podcast:Robert Montoya, investigative reporter Texas Scorecard.

West Dallas residents along Singleton Boulevard have long pushed to reduce industrial sites in their neighborhood. Now the city is working with them to rezone the area. In other news, If you're a single 20- or 30-something in Dallas County, you need about $48,500 a year before taxes to cover basic needs, MIT's Living Wage Institute estimates; American Airlines Center officials have opened an internal investigation after a video emerged on social media Tuesday of Dallas Stars fans doing what appears to be the Nazi salute at a game in December; the size of ERCOT's large load interconnection requests soared by nearly 150 gigawatts to 410 gigawatts in just two weeks, a symptom of Texas becoming a hub for data centers and other high-tech industries; and the mother of Dallas police Officer Darron Burks has sued the parents of the man accused of killing him in late August 2024, along with a north Oak Cliff pawn shop she alleges sold the handgun. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Industrial Talk is onsite at PowerGen and talking to Bridget Youngs, Founder at Terminus Industrials about "Disrupting the transformer manufacturing market". Bridget Youngs, founder of Terminus, discussed her company's innovative approach to transformer manufacturing. Terminus aims to reduce production time from months to under two weeks by automating processes and using AI and robotics. They focus on 138-34.5 kV transformers, a critical need in the ERCOT territory. Bridget highlighted the challenges of standardizing equipment across 1,700 utilities and the inefficiencies in current manufacturing. Terminus plans to launch products in Q3 2027, leveraging a team with expertise from companies like GE and Tesla to streamline design and manufacturing. Outline Introduction and Welcome to Industrial Talk Scott introduces the episode of Industrial Talk, sponsored by the Propane Education and Research Council, focusing on safety, training, and innovative propane power technology.Scott thanks listeners for joining the top industrial podcast, celebrating industry professionals who solve problems daily.The podcast is broadcasting live from Power Gen in San Antonio, focusing on asset management and power generation. Introduction of Bridget Youngs Scott introduces Bridget Youngs, who is in the "hot seat" to discuss transformers.Bridget thanks Scott for having her and mentions the presence of many interested buyers and sellers at the event.Bridget shares her background in power development, including 10 years in oil and gas, renewables, and working for the federal government.She explains her decision to start Terminus, a company manufacturing large power transformers. Challenges and Opportunities in Transformer Manufacturing Bridget discusses the long lead times for interconnection with utilities, which can take 2 to 5 years.She highlights the shift in the longest lead time item from bureaucratic processes to equipment availability, particularly power transformers.Bridget explains her work on automating shipbuilding and how similar principles can be applied to power transformers.Terminus is focused on retooling and engineering equipment to quickly manufacture dynamic assets, reducing labor costs and production time. Specifics of Terminus' Transformer Manufacturing Bridget details the size range of transformers Terminus is focusing on, starting with 138 to 34.5 KV.She explains the demand for these transformers in the ERCOT territory, which has the longest 138 KV line.Bridget discusses the challenges of standardizing transmission voltage and the variations among different utility territories.She emphasizes the need for engineering order due to the different standards and safety measures required for equipment. Manufacturing Process and Innovations Bridget outlines the five major steps in transformer manufacturing: cutting and stacking cores, winding coils, drying in an autoclave, assembling the tank, and testing.She describes Terminus' approach to setting up a manufacturing line that can handle different sizes of transformers efficiently.Bridget highlights the team's mix of experienced engineers and robotics experts from companies like Tesla and John Deere.She discusses the importance of iterating quickly and carefully to avoid catastrophic failures in the deployed assets. Future Plans and Market Impact Bridget mentions that Terminus plans to start rolling out products in Q3 2027, primarily focusing on 138 to 34.5 KV transformers.She explains the design process, which involves pairing experienced engineers with software engineers to streamline the design and manufacturing process.Bridget emphasizes the importance of automation in reducing downtime and costs, despite higher labor and material costs in the US.She highlights the potential for delivering cheaper, safer, and more reliable assets to users on the grid and developers. Conclusion and Call to Action Scott praises Bridget's innovative approach to transformer manufacturing and the potential impact on the market.Bridget provides contact information for Terminus, encouraging listeners to reach out on LinkedIn or through the company's website.Scott encourages listeners to connect with Bridget and other problem solvers at events like Power Gen.The podcast concludes with a call to be bold, brave, and disruptive in the industry, inspired by Bridget's story. If interested in being on the Industrial Talk show, simply contact us and let's have a quick conversation. Finally, get your exclusive free access to the Industrial Academy and a series on “Why You Need To Podcast” for Greater Success in 2026. All links designed for keeping you current in this rapidly changing Industrial Market. Learn! Grow! Enjoy! BRIDGET YOUNGS' CONTACT INFORMATION: Personal LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-youngs/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/terminusindustrials/ Company Website: https://www.terminusindustrials.com/ PODCAST VIDEO: https://youtu.be/eMBfz5peKU0 THE STRATEGIC REASON "WHY YOU NEED TO PODCAST": OTHER GREAT INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES: NEOM: https://www.neom.com/en-us Hexagon: https://hexagon.com/ Arduino: https://www.arduino.cc/ Fictiv: https://www.fictiv.com/ Hitachi Vantara: https://www.hitachivantara.com/en-us/home.html Industrial Marketing Solutions:  https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-marketing/ Industrial Academy: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial-academy/ Industrial Dojo: https://industrialtalk.com/industrial_dojo/ We the 15: https://www.wethe15.org/ YOUR INDUSTRIAL DIGITAL TOOLBOX: LifterLMS: Get One Month Free for $1 – https://lifterlms.com/ Active Campaign: Active Campaign Link Social Jukebox: https://www.socialjukebox.com/ Industrial Academy (One Month Free Access And One Free License For Future Industrial Leader): Business Beatitude the Book Do you desire a more joy-filled, deeply-enduring sense of accomplishment and success? 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As demand for data center power skyrockets, available options to provide that power have dwindled. And cohesive frameworks for finding sustainable generation remain few and far between. In this episode, Shayle speaks with Jake Elder, senior vice president of research and innovation at Energy Impact Partners. The two colleagues dig into the four main generation solutions — on grid, off grid, on edge, and off planet – and consider the viability of each in the years to come. Shayle and Jake explore topics like: A ten year forecast: Jake's prediction for how the global "compute pie" will get split up between these four pathways Jake's skepticism around whether a shift towards on-device compute can scale effectively The worsening bottleneck facing on-grid connection Building “shock absorbers” into the infrastructure of off-grid data centers that enable them to maintain “five nines[a][b][c]” of reliability The feasibility of making orbital data centers affordable The logistics behind creating radiators “the size of a small town” to dissipate heat from orbital data centers Resources: Catalyst: PJM and ERCOT are navigating a capacity rollercoaster Catalyst: Will inference move to the edge? Catalyst: Who benefits from the AI power bottleneck? Open Circuit: Are investors losing faith in the AI infrastructure frenzy? Open Circuit: The White House AI power pledge: Political theater or policy? Latitude Media: The data center boom is a diesel generator boom Latitude Media: How Hitachi became a speed-to-power company Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson, Anne Bailey, and Sean Marquand. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by Uplight. Uplight activates energy customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy—improving grid resilience and energy affordability while accelerating decarbonization. Learn how Uplight is helping utilities unlock flexible load at scale at uplight.com.  Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.

We just had a historic 14% difficulty adjustment, weather-driven hash rate curtailments, and the groundbreaking Bitcoin-backed bond from Ledn. Get your tickets to OPNEXT 2026 before prices increase! Join us on April 16 in NYC for technical discussions, investor talks, and intimate conversation with the brightest minds in Bitcoin. Matt from CoinShares, Kaan from Luxor, and Jay from Lygos join us to talk about the massive 14.7% Bitcoin difficulty adjustment and the impact of the recent Arctic blast on North American miners. We dive deep into Luxor's 21-month mining analysis, showing why hedging has outperformed spot mining since the 2024 halving. Finally, we discuss Ledn's historic Triple B-rated Bitcoin-backed bond and how institutional investors are beginning to view Bitcoin as high-quality collateral compared to traditional assets. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: • Bitcoin difficulty spikes +14.73 • Hashprice drops to all-time low of $30/PH/day. • ERCOT uneconomic hours rose over 900%. • Ledn bond rated Triple B- by S&P Global. • Hedging outperformed spot mining in 2025 Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:56 Bombshell difficulty adjustment!!! 20:08 Ledn's $188M Bitcoin-Backed Bond Securitization 31:03 Nakamoto acquires Bitcoin Conference & UTXO Mgmt 38:24 Datacenter cry corner/culture corner

Last year, the PJM capacity crunch became a focal point for an entire industry struggling to navigate the explosive growth of hyperscaler data centers. Yet even in the first two months of 2026, capacity prices have continued to skyrocket, and the economics of energy generation have only become more tenuous.  In this episode, Shayle Kann talks to Paul Segal, the CEO of LS Power. A major player in the space, LS Power owns a diverse portfolio of generation, storage, and transmission assets across the U.S. Shayle and Paul dive into the volatility currently defining the two most talked-about power markets in the country: PJM and ERCOT. They cover topics like: How PJM flipped nearly overnight from a state of "stasis" to a capacity shortage The federal government's emergency order to make large data centers "pay their way"  Why 10 gigawatts of expected load failed to show up during the recent Texas winter storm Why Paul sees ERCOT as a “cyclical” market that is currently difficult for new gas generation, despite massive load growth Paul's strategy for ensuring sufficient “bridge” generation before new large-scale projects come online Resources Catalyst: PJM and the capacity crunch Latitude Media: PJM's $178 billion fork in the road Catalyst: The potential for flexible data centers Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by Uplight. Uplight activates energy customers and their connected devices to generate, shift, and save energy—improving grid resilience and energy affordability while accelerating decarbonization. Learn how Uplight is helping utilities unlock flexible load at scale at uplight.com.  Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the public relations and strategic marketing agency of choice for climate, energy, and infrastructure leaders. If you're a startup, investor, or global corporation that's looking to tell your climate story, demonstrate your impact, or accelerate your growth, Antenna Group's team of industry insiders is ready to help. Learn more at antennagroup.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. EnergyHub helps utilities build next-generation virtual power plants that unlock reliable flexibility at every level of the grid. See how EnergyHub helps unlock the power of flexibility at scale, and deliver more value through cross-DER dispatch with their leading Edge DERMS platform, by visiting energyhub.com.

Today, we discuss the importance of energy, what the growing demand for energy means, and how hard it can be to deliver that energy. To demonstrate that, we are using Texas as a microcosm. Texas produces the greatest amount of energy in the US.  Its mix of energy spans renewables, nuclear, natural gas, coal, and yet its citizens pay some of the highest prices in the Southern States. At the same time, it's ground zero for hyper-scalers and is the epicenter of fracking yielding epochal volumes of hydrocarbon. To discuss all this and more is one of the leading lights in the Texas energy sector, Mike Howard, Founder and CEO of Howard Energy Partners, the largest privately owned mid-streamer in the US. Beyond his business ventures, Mike is a key advocate for energy's role in society and the importance of getting it right, in technology, in physics, in legislation and in investment. www.hcgroup.globalwww.hyperionsearch.com

As Texas battles another bout of bitterly cold weather, Energy Gang looks at the lessons that one generation and transmission electric co-operative learned from Winter Storm Uri in 2021. The freeze and subsequent shock to energy prices showed providers how dangerous it can be to rely on the market alone.For Rayburn Electric, a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative, incurring years of power costs in just days was a catalyst for a fundamental reset of its approach to risk and resilience.Host Ed Crooks is joined by Rayburn's President & CEO David Naylor, and General Counsel Chris Anderson, to hear the story of how they rethought how the co-op could best serve its members, and implemented its new strategy. The crucial steps included a first-of-its-kind securitization for a co-op, to spread costs over decades, and a strategic pivot toward owning generation as a natural hedge for its electricity sales. The co-op bought a power plant, now called the Rayburn Energy Station, and has RES 2 in the works, to meet reliability needs amid rapid load growth. David and Chris share what changedinside the organization too, driven by the principle that ‘status quo is not company policy.' Operating exclusively within ERCOT, Rayburn provides power to approximately 625,000 Texans across sixteen counties, working collaboratively with four local distribution co-ops. Its infrastructure includes more than 265 miles of transmission lines and more than 1,000 MW of owned generation capacity, including the Rayburn Energy Station, a combined-cycle natural gas plant added to strengthen reliability after Winter Storm Uri.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ERCOT is overhauling how it processes and approves large load interconnections. Here are the changes that are under consideration. Subscribe to the Blockspace newsletter! Welcome back to The Blockspace Podcast! Today, Tom Kleckner, a veteran energy correspondent at RTO Insider, joins us to talk about how ERCOT is overhauling the Texas grid to handle the unprecedented AI boom. We dive into the massive 233GW interconnection queue, the impact of Senate Bill 6 on transmission costs, and new reliability measures like DRRS. Tom breaks down the "batch process" for large loads and whether Bitcoin miners or AI data centers are better at balancing the grid. We also touch on the future of Texas energy, from gas plants to small modular nuclear reactors. Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: * 70% demand jump to 145GW by 2031. * Interconnection queue reached 233GW. * SB6 shifts transmission costs to large loads. * Large loads defined as 75MW or greater. * Texas Energy Fund has $10 billion available. * 73% of queue requests from data centers. Timestamps: 00:00 Start 01:51 Interconnection queue changes 06:46 Kill switch 08:50 Batch system 11:22 What's DRRS? 13:39 Is DRRS an ancillary service? 16:13 Storage (battery) 18:22 4CP 22:00 Rate of change 24:18 Current state of changes 26:24 Timeline 27:33 Baseload & ghost loads

Jeffy is back … but how well is he? Very cold weather on the way for most of the nation. "Exploding" trees? Minnesota officials subpoenaed by the Trump Department of Justice. President Trump lays out his 365 wins in 365 days. MrBeast has no money? The future is here. The mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, admits she's in the country illegally. The attorney general of Minnesota, Keith Ellison, doesn't know the law he talks about. Several pregnancies around the White House … where's Elon Musk? Jeffy tip: How to fly below the criminal radar. Pam Grier talks about witnessing a lynching during her childhood, but the timeline is suspect. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick lays out the truth in Davos. WEF describes the future of artificial intelligence and how it relates to humans. At least another month before the Supreme Court ruling on tariffs. Interesting candidate for U.S. Senate out of Minnesota. 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED! 00:14 Jeff Fisher Returns...Again! 04:50 ERCOT is Ready for the Winter 05:07 Exploding Trees in North America? 06:51 Subpoenas for Minnesota 08:39 Is America Heading Towards a National Divorce? 13:32 President Trump Holds Up 365 Accomplishments 14:02 President Trump Discusses Who is being Arrested in Minnesota 18:25 President Trump on the Economy 20:16 President Trump Jobs In America 23:01 President Trump Calls Don Lemon a Loser 24:29 President Trump on Immigration in America 26:52 FLASHBACK: Presidents Discussing Illegal Immigration in America 31:07 Chewing the Fat 45:53 Discussing President Trump's Accomplishments 49:12 New Technology in China 56:20 Kaohly Her on St. Paul Church Protest 1:00:05 Keith Ellison & Don Lemon on the FACE Act & KKK Act 1:05:45 MAGA Baby Boom 1:08:20 Zohran Mamdani Continues to Lie about ICE 1:12:41 Sea Captain in Trouble 1:15:20 Pam Grier on 'Lynching in America' 1:23:37 Howard Lutnick on "America First" 1:26:46 Yuval Noah Harari on the Rise of AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Galaxy Digital landed a 830 MW approval from ERCOT, and MrBeast gets a $200M investment from BitMine. Subscribe to the Blockspace newsletter! Welcome back to The Blockspace Podcast! Today, Colin and Charlie dig into Galaxy's 830 MW ERCOT approval for its Helios site, CleanSpark's latest land acquisition in Texas, BitGo's $1.96B IPO prospectus, Semler shareholders voting yes on the merger with Strive, and the first change to Bitcoin's BIP process in 9 years. Finally, for this week's (truly odd) cry corner: BitMine is investing $200M into YouTuber MrBeast (yes, really). Subscribe to the newsletter! https://newsletter.blockspacemedia.com Notes: * Galaxy Helios: 830MW approved * Clean Spark: 447 acres acquired * BitGo IPO: $1.96B valuation aim * BitMine: $200M to Beast Industries * Bitcoin Price: $97,000 recorded * Hash Price: Above $40/PH/Day Timestamps: 00:00 Start 02:17 Difficulty Report by Luxor 06:42 Galaxy 830 MW approval 10:30 CLSK land acquisition 15:37 BitGo IPO 19:00 ASST - SMLR deal approved 21:32 New BIP, who dis? 25:39 Cry corner: BMNR invests in MrBeast