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The power industry is experiencing unprecedented demand growth, driven largely by data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This surge is creating both opportunities and challenges for utilities, equipment manufacturers, and the broader power generation ecosystem. As a guest on The POWER Podcast, Seth Harris, growth director for Emerson's Power business in North America, discussed how the company is helping the industry navigate this transformative period. With 20 years at Emerson across various roles, Harris brings a comprehensive perspective on the evolving needs of power generation facilities. The Data Center Effect The conversation around power generation has fundamentally shifted. Data centers are forcing utilities to rethink everything. “I'm focused on the power markets, but I can't tell you the last time I was able to have a conversation about power without somehow referencing the data center aspect of it,” Harris said. This demand is affecting multiple stakeholders simultaneously. Manufacturers of turbines, heat recovery steam generators, control systems, valves, and instruments are all facing unprecedented orders. The challenge extends beyond simply meeting demand. Companies must rapidly scale up manufacturing capabilities and engineering resources that have been stagnant for years. Extending Plant Lifespans Among the things that must be rethought are decisions on existing plant operations. In some cases, power plants that were previously scheduled for retirement are now being extended. “The ability to deliver power as quickly as possible is certainly top of mind as this kind of race to deliver on the technology promises coming from AI and the various use cases for data centers has really put those existing assets in a place where they have to focus on driving the most efficiency and reliability they possibly can,” said Harris. However, many owners haven't been investing in these plants beyond the necessities, which means upgrades are often needed to keep the plants operating efficiently. “The technology has come a long way since those facilities were originally built,” Harris explained. Furthermore, operational expectations are changing. Rather than operating as baseload units, these legacy facilities may now only be called on to provide peaking or backup power, which means control systems may need upgrades to accommodate for that as well. Harris said retrofitting existing plants “has been a bit of a boom from an Emerson standpoint.”
Secretary Hegseth has proposed a new way for the Air Force to buy its most complicated systems. Former Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall joins us to break it down, and examines defense reform generally. And what's the latest with the Golden Dome missile defense project? We'll get answers from Dr. Tom Karako, Director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Plus a few headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
Bu bölümde fotoğrafçılık, LinkedIn kullanmanın önemi, Pluribus dizisi, Hit Makers kitabı ve Steam Machine üzerine sohbet ettik.Bizi dinlemekten keyif alıyorsanız, kahve ısmarlayarak bizi destekleyebilir ve Telegram grubumuza katılabilirsiniz. :)Yorumlarınızı, sorularınızı ya da sponsorluk tekliflerinizi info@farklidusun.net e-posta adresine iletebilirsiniz.Zaman damgaları:00:00 - Power Podcast Ödülleri06:45 - Hamburg Gezisi ve Franzbrötchen14:22 - İstanbul'daki Apple Etkinliği21:03 - Fotoğrafçılık43:33 - İzlediklerimiz, Pluribus (Spoiler'lı)1:07:48 - Okuduklarımız, Hit Makers1:20:38 - LinkedIn'in Önemi1:30:20 - Okuduklarımız Devam1:40:28 - Oynadıklarımız2:00:00 - Steam MachineBölüm linkleri:MonoforPower Podcast Ödüllerinde Oy Vermek İçinBölümde paylaşılan tüm linklerFatih'in Hamburg'ta Çektiği FotoğraflarPluribusMr. ScorseseRemnickHit Makers: How Things Become PopularKaybolan BağlarGlühweinCrush It!: Why Now Is the Time to Cash In on Your PassionJab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social WorldThe thank you economy1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year RoundSyberia - RemasteredARC RaidersSteam Machine
The first episode of our brand-new series was recorded at our annual Big Local conference Connects and highlights how community organisations are navigating the cost of living crisis. We discuss the support available through the Cost of Living Alliance, with Community Organisers CEO Nick Gardham: https://www.costofliving-alliance.org/ We also talk to James Austin from the Jo Cox Foundation and More in Common Network about The Great Get Together: https://www.moreincommon.network/the_great_get_together Then we chat to Harriet Sansom from Centre for Sustainable Energy about how their work can support communities through the cost of living and climate crisis: https://www.cse.org.uk/ Plus, James Goodman from Local Trust reflects on Common Vision's recent report on regenerative resilience, which he reflects on and links to in his recent blog: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/blog/regenerative-resilience-and-the-role-of-communities/ Thanks as well to our other guests: Emma Anker, L30's Million Mark Mitchell, Brinnington Big Local Visit our Voices of Big Local archive to find more inspiring Big Local stories: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/ The community power podcast is brought to you by Local Trust. It is hosted by Chris Allen and produced by Beth Lazenby.
Uncertain budgets. Acquisition reforms. Government shutdowns. What's an industrial base to do? Aerospace Industries Association CEO Eric Fanning, one of Washington's most astute observers of government, is right in the middle of that storm. He tells us about it all. And we have headlines from a wowza week in airpower. Powered by GE!
From supporting food services out of a bus to transforming an old police station into a community hub, there's a few things Eastern Sheppey Big Local know about creating valuable community spaces. In this episode of The community power podcast, we chat to Daniel Perriam and Emma Dunnicliffe about how they got involved with Eastern Sheppey Big Local, the impact their work has had on the community and the confidence boost they've got from being a part of Big Local. You can find out more about Big Local Eastern Sheppey's work here: https://www.biglocaleasternsheppey.com/ As always, the Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
For the last episode of series two of The community power podcast, we talk to the chair of Scotlands Bushbury Hill Big Local who was awarded an MBE last year for her outstanding service in and to the community. She chats to Chris about her 11-year Big Local journey, including the difference between what she imagined she and her community would be able to achieve when they started compared to where they are today. Read more about the work of Karen and her fellow 'pink ladies' here: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/the-pink-ladies-of-scotlands-and-bushbury-hill/ And for more resident-led Big Local stories, you can visit our website here: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
When Sue Merriman, worker at Brereton Million Big Local, first took their idea of a wellbeing campaign to the district council they weren't convinced it was possible. Two years later, they've worked together to launch a free health and wellbeing app which takes users through eight aspects of wellbeing and points them towards local providers that can support them. In this episode, Sue talks us through how the app came, as well as the more specific and dedicated work she's provided to support the wellbeing of young people in the community after losing local youth services. You can find our more and download the Cannock Chase CAN app here: https://cannockchasecan.co.uk/ And find out more about Brereton Million Big Local's work here: https://www.breretonmillion.co.uk/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
In this episode, we explore the unexpected power of pom poms with Dave Roberts and Shona Gilsenan, who are both workers at East Coseley Big Local. They tell us all about their simple and creative project Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness. On a mission to end loneliness, this project is creating impressive and far-reaching ripple effects - including an increasing amount of social prescribing referrals from local GPs. Follow Pom-Poms 4 Loneliness on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/pompoms4loneliness And find out more about East Coseley Big Local's work here: https://www.eastcoseleybiglocal.net/ The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
John went from writing fairy stories for his daughter, to being given homework at the age of 76 as part of a local writing group. Now, he's one of several locally published authors who've come through the Firs and Bromford Big Local writing group. We chat to John, author of 'It's been reported', and fellow author and leader of the writing club Phil, about sparking imaginations, the power of good friendships, and how simple it really is to make art accessible to everyone. John Brookes-Wiggitt and Phil Howkins are both partnership members of Firs & Bromford Big Local. You can order John's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ITS-BEEN-REPORTED-belly-laugh/dp/B0BHMP6H8X/ref=sr_1_fkmr3_1?crid=3S455WFYM26SD&keywords=it%27s+been+reported+john+brooks+wigget&qid=1678290731&s=books&sprefix=it+s+been+reported+john+brooks+wigget%2Cstripbooks%2C73&sr=1-1-fkmr3 The Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
In this episode, Northfleet Big Local resident Peter Scollard shares how his ability to talk to people and think in a resident-led way has enabled him to become a different type of local leader. From working the fruit and veg markets as a child, to being elected the Mayor of Gravesham, his journey is worth listening to. As always, the Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
In this epsiode, we are joined by SO18 Big Local chair Kim Ayling and Michelle McCarthy from the organisation NVR South. They share with us their personal experience of having challenging relationships with their children and how NVR training has dramatically helped them rebuild those relationships - a training programme they are now rolling out locally. You can find out more about SO18 Big Local's work here: https://so18biglocal.org.uk/ Visit NVR South's website here: https://nvrsouth.org.uk/ And find NVR training opportunities here: https://nvrpc.org.uk/ As always, the Community Power Podcast is brought to you by Local Trust, produced by Beth Lazenby and hosted by Chris Allen.
In this week's episode of The community power podcast, Laurie White from Noel Park Big Local shares how they've transformed a shipping container into a training hub that's already getting local young people into employment. You can find out more about Noel Park Big Local's activities here: http://www.noelparkbiglocal.co.uk/about-us/ And you can watch their video on the Changing Gears project here: https://youtu.be/QbMlZ-nDYhE The community power podcast is brought to you by Local Trust. It is hosted by Chris Allen and produced by Beth Lazenby.
In this week's episode we chat to George Hill from Creative Kingswood and Hazel Leys and Anna Francis from the Portland Inn Project - about their experience of being part of our sister programme, Creative Civic Change. Find out more about Creative Civic Change here: https://localtrust.org.uk/other-programmes/creative-civic-change/ Learn more about Creative KHL's projects here: https://madewithmany.org/tag/creative-kingswood-and-hazel-leys/ And the Portland Inn Project here: https://www.theportlandinnproject.com/about/ The community power podcast is brought to you by Local Trust. It is hosted by Chris Allen and produced by Beth Lazenby.
In this episode, we talk to Lawrence O'Halleron (Big Local chair) and Chris Folwell (Big Local worker) from Gateshead Big Local about their local cycling club, Teams Wheelers - and how it's opened up some opportunities for them to be part of an upcoming riverside regeneration scheme. You can find out more about Gateshead Big Local via their website here: https://www.blgateshead.org.uk/ Read about the Riverside regeneration scheme here: https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/article/20068/Gateshead-receives-largest-allocation-of-Community-Renewal-Fund-in-the-North-East Visit our Voices of Big Local archive to find more inspiring Big Local stories: localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories…es-of-big-local/ The community power podcast is brought to you by Local Trust. It is hosted by Chris Allen and produced by Beth Lazenby.
The first episode of our brand-new series was recorded at our annual Big Local conference Connects and highlights how community organisations are navigating the cost of living crisis. We discuss the support available through the Cost of Living Alliance, with Community Organisers CEO Nick Gardham: https://www.costofliving-alliance.org/ We also talk to James Austin from the Jo Cox Foundation and More in Common Network about The Great Get Together: https://www.moreincommon.network/the_great_get_together Then we chat to Harriet Sansom from Centre for Sustainable Energy about how their work can support communities through the cost of living and climate crisis: https://www.cse.org.uk/ Plus, James Goodman from Local Trust reflects on Common Vision's recent report on regenerative resilience, which he reflects on and links to in his recent blog: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/blog/regenerative-resilience-and-the-role-of-communities/ Thanks as well to our other guests: Emma Anker, L30's Million Mark Mitchell, Brinnington Big Local Visit our Voices of Big Local archive to find more inspiring Big Local stories: https://localtrust.org.uk/news-and-stories/voices-of-big-local/ The community power podcast is brought to you by Local Trust. It is hosted by Chris Allen and produced by Beth Lazenby.
Can automation actually replace pilots? A top general says one pilot is enough for lengthy global bomber missions. Bomber expert Mark Gunzinger of the Mitchell Institute looks at what the idea is and whether it's a good one, and covers other significant issues in the bomber force. And we have this week's airpower headlines. Powered by GE!
On Episode 55 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by TID Materials Management Department Manager, Jason Perez, to discuss materials management. Driving around our community it's impossible to miss TID equipment—from poles to transformers, vehicles, canals, irrigation gates, and everything in between. At TID, the Materials Management Department is tasked with procuring all of these items. But it's much more than that. As publicly-owned utility, TID has strict purchasing guidelines it has to meet and the Materials Management Department ensures that the District stays in compliance.On this episode we discuss the District's purchasing requirements, how we work with vendors and suppliers, and how we manage an inventory of thousands of pieces of equipment. Let's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
From CCA engines to hypersonics and basically everything in between, Rolls-Royce is building off a storied past with an eye on the future. John Kusnierek and Kaare Erickson, Senior Vice Presidents of their LibertyWorks technology operation and strategic campaigns respectively, tell us what they're doing and how they do it. And of course, this week's headlines in airpower. Powered by GE! (They make engines too.)
Major General Mark Mitchum has headed the Air Force's Integrated Capabilities Command (Provisional) since its inception. As the Air Force moves its duties to a new organization and MajGen Mitchum concludes his career, we'll look at what the effort to reform the Air Force has achieved, where it has yet to go, and what's next for one of the service's deeper thinkers. And this week's airpower headlines. Powered by GE!
GE Aerospace is on the cutting edge of commercial jet engines, but what are they up to in defense these days? Vice President of Defense & Systems Engineering Darin DiTommaso lifts the covers on how they work and some of the innovative engines for vehicles -- from CCA to hypersonic -- that are on the way. And this week's airpower headlines. Powered by GE!
Energy security represents one of Taiwan's most pressing challenges. With virtually no domestic fossil fuel resources and limited renewable energy potential relative to its needs, the island imports approximately 98% of its energy. The semiconductor fabrication plants that drive the economy are particularly energy-intensive, requiring uninterrupted power supplies to maintain their precision manufacturing processes. Any disruption in electricity can halt production lines worth billions of dollars, making grid stability and efficient power generation not merely infrastructure concerns but fundamental pillars of Taiwan's economic competitiveness. This reality has driven the island to pursue cutting-edge power generation technologies, including advanced combined cycle plants that can deliver maximum efficiency from imported natural gas. One such plant, the Sun Ba II facility, entered commercial operation in May 2025. It was recently recognized as a 2025 POWER Top Plant award winner. “That this project got recognized with your power plant award, I think this is really a nice story and a nice finish I would never have expected when I came here,” Thomas Ringmann, director of Business Development with Siemens Energy, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. Sun Ba II is a 2 x 1 multi-shaft configuration, which means there are two gas turbines and two heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) serving one steam turbine. The gas turbines and the steam turbine each have their own generators. “We have used in this project our latest and biggest gas turbine—the SGT-9000HL,” Ringmann explained. “The steam turbine is a SST-5000, so that's a triple-pressure steam turbine with a combined HP [high-pressure] and IP [intermediate-pressure] turbine, and a dual-flow LP [low-pressure] turbine. Also, we had an air-cooled condenser, condensing the steam from that steam turbine, and we had a three-pressure reheat HRSG, which was of Benson-type technology.” The project began at the peak of the COVID pandemic, which presented a large challenge. “Every project meeting, every design meeting, every coordination meeting were all done online,” Andy Chang, project manager with Siemens Energy, said. “Everything was done online, because nobody can travel. We just had to figure this out.” Effective collaboration among project partners was a key to success. “The collaboration is not only with our consortium partner—CTCI, an EPC [engineering, procurement, and construction] company—but actually with also the customer, Sun Ba Power,” Ewen Chi, sales manager with Siemens Energy, said. “Everybody has the same target, which is to bring power on grid as soon as possible. So, with this same-boat mentality—everybody sitting in the same boat and rowing toward the target—actually helped the project to be successful and to overcome many challenges.” Chang agreed that on-time completion was only possible with all parties maintaining a collaborative spirit. “This power plant right now is predominantly running on baseload operation,” Ringmann reported. “So, given that high grade of operations along with a high gas price, the efficiency of our turbines actually is a key contributor to an economic value of the customer.” Meanwhile, the lessons learned from this first deployment of HL technology in Taiwan are being applied to a new project. Siemens Energy and CTCI are now collaborating on the Kuo Kuang II power plant, which is under construction in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan. “Because we have this momentum and this mentality from Sun Ba II execution, now each side, they decided that they will keep their core team member from both sides, and they will continue to cherish this partnership with the next project,” Chang reported.
Aerospace's top analysts came together this week for a full day of presentations, discussions, and forecasting at the annual Aerospace Event. Our team, all of whom were on stage at the show, will break down what they heard and what it means. Plus AUSA highlights and this week's headlines in airpower, Powered by GE!
Public power utilities are community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities that deliver reliable, low-cost electricity to about 2,000 communities serving more than 55 million Americans. Among the cities served by public power utilities are Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles, California; Jacksonville, Florida; and Seattle, Washington. The Large Public Power Council (LPPC) is the voice of large public power in Washington, D.C. It advocates for policies that enable members to build critical energy infrastructure, power the growth of the economy, and provide affordable and reliable electricity to millions of Americans. The LPPC's members are 29 of the largest public power systems in the nation. Together, they serve 30.5 million consumers across 23 states and territories. Tom Falcone, president of the LPPC, noted that all power companies, whether publicly owned, cooperatives, or investor-owned utilities (IOUs), are in the same business, that is, to reliably deliver electricity to customers. The big difference is that public power companies are accountable at home. “We're publicly owned. We are not-for-profit. We are community oriented. We're mission oriented. And so, our real goal, and only goal in life, is reliable, affordable power—sustainable power—back home at the least cost to customers,” Falcone said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. “So, we're not necessarily looking to grow loads or grow earnings, unless that's favorable to our community, unless we're meeting the needs of our community or lowering costs for them.” Public power companies face many of the same concerns as co-ops and IOUs. One of the biggest challenges today is rapid load growth, driven by data centers, artificial intelligence (AI), and the increasing electrification of manufacturing and transportation. “The biggest thing is that the load is arriving faster and lumpier, and in a more concentrated fashion, than it has in the past,” explained Falcone. “Historically, when somebody new came to town, they wanted, you know, 5 MW, or maybe they were really large and they wanted 100 MW,” said Falcone. “But what we have today is folks who come to town and they want a GW, which is enough to power probably 600,000 homes, depending on what part of the country you're in.” Falcone said about half of LPPC's members are seeing this very, very rapid growth. “They could double over the next 10 years,” he said. While the demand for the energy is very immediate, utilities' ability to build infrastructure is not. “We have to go through the same permitting and public processes, and construction and supply chain, and it just doesn't allow us to build quite that fast,” Falcone reported.
AeroVironment has been making unconventional systems for decades. But now they have a new name and a new portfolio. What's it like to bring a legacy company into the new tech world? Chief Growth Officer Church Hutton has the answers. And we have this week's headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
On Episode 54 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by TID Senior Electrical Engineer, Janis Scott, to discuss substations. You may have seen TID substations in your neighborhood or while driving in our area, but you may not realize the important role they play within our system. Strategically placed throughout our electric service area, substations are critical for the transmission and distribution of reliable power to more than 240,000 people in the TID service territory. On this episode we discuss how substations work, the role they serve in TID's electrical system, and how we're upgrading substation infrastructure to maintain reliability for our customers. Let's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
We've heard the case for making the US Air Force bigger. But a couple of defense thinkers have a new report on how it can operate better. Do the ideas hold up? What gets cut? The Hudson Institute's Bryan Clark joins us to explain. And we'll have this week's headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
The AI vs. VA season of the Will Power Podcast comes to a close, and what a journey it has been! In this powerful finale, Will reflects on key takeaways from conversations with AI innovators, virtual assistant leaders, and practice owners who are navigating the future of healthcare and business.Discover why the real winner isn't AI or VA, but the fusion of both. From leveraging AI tools like Rita AI and Prediction Health to celebrating the heart, grit, and leadership of virtual assistants in the Philippines, this episode highlights the transformative potential of people and technology working together. In This Episode, You'll Learn:Why the AI vs. VA “score” (6–5) doesn't tell the full story.How delegation supercharges leadership and creates opportunities for growth.The future of healthcare staffing: AI front desk avatars and empowered VAs.Why hiring for heart and potential matters more than geography.Lessons from collegiate athletics on resilience and business ownership.Will's exclusive coaching experience with Alex Hormozi and what's next for the podcast.Looking Ahead:The podcast is evolving! Expect more live episodes, organic coaching sessions, and deep dives into leadership, business, and family. Three pillars that drive lasting impact.Whether you're a practice owner, entrepreneur, or leader seeking to balance people and technology, this finale sets the stage for what's possible when vision meets action.Send us a textVirtual Rockstars specialize in helping support or replace all non-clinical roles.Learn how a Virtual Rockstar can help scale your physical therapy practice.Subscribe here to our completely free Stress-Free PT Newsletter for your weekly dose of joy.
The Air and Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference is where airpower headlines come from. We get into the future of air mobility with Lockheed Martin, counter-UAS details with Honeywell, and more. Powered by GE!
What will USAF leadership say at the Air and Space Forces Association's Air, Space and Cyber Conference? What won't they? And just what is going on in the Air Force, anyway? We preview this year's show with Todd Harrison of the American Enterprise Institute and Air and Space Forces magazine's John Tirpak. Plus this week's airpower headlines. Powered by GE!
With a new Chief of Staff inbound for the US Air Force, we assembled a team of airpower experts to lay out a day one agenda for getting the service from today to tomorrow. And we'll have the latest from the world's largest defense exposition -- along with this week's headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
On Episode 53 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by TID Civil Engineering Department Manager, Bill Penney, to discuss the District's solar over canals pilot project, Project Nexus.Since 2022, TID and its partners on the project have been working on Project Nexus—an innovative pilot that covers portions of TID's irrigation canals with solar arrays. The project, a first in the state of California, has the potential to provide benefits including renewable energy generation, reduction in aquatic growth, and much more—but it's not without its challenges. On this episode we discuss the recently completed project, the challenges of constructing a first-of-its-kind pilot, and what's next for Project Nexus. Let's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
U.S. Naval aviation is rebuilding its decks. In a rollicking conversation, former Director of Air Warfare, Nimitz skipper, and current Tailhook Association chairman RAdm Mike “Nasty” Manazir gets into the details on F/A-XX, F-35, MQ-25, and the whole future of Naval aviation. It's fun and deeply informative. Powered by GE!
The Army's MV-75 tiltrotor has been moving fast -- quietly. Design is almost 90% complete, and a second generation is in the works. And how did they get to skip Milestone A? We take a newsy deep dive into that program with the Army program manager, Col. Jeff Poquette, and Bell vice president Ryan Ehinger. Powered by GE!
As the US Air Force gets ready for a new Chief of Staff, the Mitchell Institute is about to publish what they're calling the Mother of All Reports, laying out ways ahead for the service's readiness, operations, force mix, and more. It's author, retired colonel JV Venable, explains it all. And, yes, airpower headlines. All powered by GE!
Despite nuclear power's unmatched ability to produce reliable, carbon-free energy at scale, it is often dismissed by clean energy advocates in favor of renewable resources like wind and solar. Cost arguments and public misconceptions around safety and radioactive waste have kept it out of many mainstream climate strategies. But as Tim Gregory argues in his new book Going Nuclear: How Atomic Energy Will Save the World, this exclusion may be the greatest obstacle to achieving net zero goals. In fact, Gregory says in his book “net zero is impossible without nuclear power.” “Claiming renewables on their own are enough to replace fossil fuels is underestimating the challenge of achieving net zero,” Gregory said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. “Fossil fuels have basically defined the world order for the last couple of centuries, and to think that we can replace them with wind power and solar power, which are fundamentally tied to the whims of the weather, and the rotation of the planet in the case of solar, is really underestimating the scale of the challenge,” he said. “We need power that comes in enormous quantities exactly where we need it and when we need it,” Gregory continued. “I don't want to live in a world without solar panels or wind turbines, but to think that they can do it on their own, I think, is honestly naive. We need something that's reliable to compensate for the intermittence of renewables, and nuclear power would be absolutely perfect for that.” Notably, innovative companies and many government leaders around the world are backing nuclear power projects. “Big tech in North America has really cottoned on to these small modular reactors,” said Gregory. “Meta, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are all going to be using small modular reactors to power their data centers. … This isn't just a pipe dream—this is actually happening now in real time. … It's been very, very encouraging watching that unfold.” Public perceptions on nuclear power are also trending in a positive direction, and the movement seems to be bipartisan. “It's very, very encouraging that more than half of people in the UK either strongly support or tend to support nuclear power. Strong opposition to nuclear power, according to the latest poll, is actually below 10%,” Gregory reported. “As such, the two major political parties in the UK—that's the Labor Party, which is kind of our left leaning party, and the Conservative Party, which is our right leaning party—they both support the massive expansion of nuclear power, which is really, really nice actually. It's maybe something that both sides of the political spectrum can agree on.” The same is true in the U.S., where both Democrats and Republicans have gotten behind nuclear power. A case in point is the Accelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (ADVANCE) Act, which was signed into law in July 2024. It passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate with a vote of 88–2, and in the House of Representatives with a vote of 393–13. “If your politics has you more concerned with environmental stewardship, and climate change, and phasing out fossil fuels, and getting rid of oil from the energy system, then nuclear power is for you. But then at the same time, if your politics has you perhaps more leaning towards economic growth, and the economy, and prosperity, and all that kind of thing, then nuclear power is for you as well, because it provides the energy that enables that economic growth,” Gregory said. “And so, it's actually very, very encouraging to see that, at least in most countries, nuclear power is not a partisan issue, which is all too rare in the world these days.”
On Episode 52 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association, Malcolm Woolf, to discuss the state of hydropower.Hydropower is one of the oldest ways to generate electricity—and was how TID originally entered the retail electricity business more than 100 years ago. And still today, not only at TID—but across the nation—hydropower provides clean and reliable power generation to millions. On this episode we discuss NHA's work in advocating for hydropower, the current opportunities and challenges the industry is facing, and what the future has in store for hydropower.Celebrate National Hydropower Day with us on August 24! Read about the "Electric Biscuit" story mentioned in the episode here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/news/2020/03/triscuit-twitter-threadLet's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
Time to kick back and review where US airpower stands, especially the US Air Force. And it's air show season, so the perfect guest for both is Doug Birkey, Executive Director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, also a Collings Foundation insider and just back from Oshkosh. Plus headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!
More than 100 of the world's largest energy companies are betting that artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize how electricity gets made, moved, and managed. But they're not waiting for Silicon Valley to build it for them—they've taken matters into their own hands through an EPRI-led consortium. That initiative is the Open Power AI Consortium, which EPRI launched in March 2025 to drive the development and deployment of an open AI model tailored for the power sector. According to its mission statement, the Open Power AI Consortium “aims to evolve the electric sector by leveraging advanced AI technologies to innovate the way electricity is made, moved, and used by customers. By fostering collaboration among industry leaders, researchers, and technology providers, the consortium will drive the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiencies, increase resiliency and reliability, deploy emerging and sustainable technologies, and reduce costs while improving the customer experience.” “We're really looking at building an ecosystem to accelerate the development and deployment, and recognizing that, while AI is advancing rapidly, the energy industry has its own unique needs, especially around reliability, safety, regulatory compliance, and so forth. So, the consortium provides a collaborative platform to develop and maintain domain-specific AI models—think a ChatGPT tailored to the energy industry—as well as sharing best practices, testing innovative solutions in a secure environment, and long term, we believe this will help modernize the grid, improve customer experiences, and support global safe, affordable, and reliable energy for everyone,” Jeremy Renshaw, executive director for AI and Quantum with EPRI, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. Among the consortium's members are some of the largest energy companies in the world, including Constellation, Con Edison, Duke Energy, EDF, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), New York Power Authority (NYPA), Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E), Saudi Electricity Co., Southern Company, Southern California Edison, Taiwan Power Co., and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It also includes entities like Amazon Web Servies (AWS), Burns and McDonnell, GE Vernova, Google, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interconnection Authority, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Khalifa University, Microsoft, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), PJM, Rolls-Royce SMR, and Westinghouse Electric Co. “For many years, the power industry has been somewhat siloed, and there were not many touch points or communication between global utilities, technology companies, universities, and so forth. So, this consortium aims to facilitate making new connections between these important and impactful organizations to increase collaboration and information sharing that will benefit everyone,” Renshaw explained. EPRI, together with Articul8 and NVIDIA, has already developed the first set of domain-specific generative AI models for electric and power systems aimed at advancing the energy transformation. Although the technology has not been released publicly, it will be made available soon as an NVIDIA NIM microservice for early access. This development sets the foundation for more to come.
Electra is a fascinating company that straddles the line between traditional aviation and advanced air mobility. Their hybrid, quiet, ultra-short-takeoff aircraft are finding interest from the US military. We learn more from Donn Yates, their head of government markets. Powered by GE!
In a special edition of The POWER Podcast, released in collaboration with the McCrary Institute's Cyber Focus podcast, POWER's executive editor, Aaron Larson, and Frank Cilluffo, director of the McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security and Professor of Practice at Auburn University, discuss the evolving power grid and cybersecurity challenges. Specifically, they highlight the shift taking place from centralized power stations to more distributed energy resources, including solar farms and wind turbines. The conversation touches on the importance of a reliable power grid and the need to protect critical infrastructure. “From a national security standpoint, from an economic standpoint, from a public safety standpoint, if you don't have power, all these other systems are somewhat irrelevant,” Cilluffo said. “There's no infrastructure more critical than power.” Cilluffo noted that artificial intelligence (AI) is requiring increasingly more power, which can't be ignored. “If we want to be AI dominant, we can't do that if we're not energy dominant,” said Cilluffo. “The two are in inextricably interwoven—hand in glove. And if you start looking at where the country wants to be technologically, if we want to lead, we really need to continue to double down, triple down, and look at all sorts of sources of energy as well.” While renewables are clearly leading when it comes to new generation being added to the grid today, emerging technologies including small modular reactors, fusion power, deep dry-rock geothermal, and space-based solar power, are on the horizon, promising potentially game-changing energy options. “And not to put a fine point on it, but you mentioned so many different forms of energy, and I'm reminded of the old test, the A, B, C, or D, all of the above. This sounds like it is clearly an all of the above,” Cilluffo proposed. Meanwhile, the enormous energy buildout in China was discussed. China is not just leading, but truly dominating the world in the construction of wind, solar, nuclear, coal, and energy storage projects in 2025, both in terms of capacity and projects under development. This leadership is evident across all five sectors, frequently accounting for the majority, or at least a plurality, of new global construction and installation. “China is a primary focus of a lot of our [Cyber Focus] podcast discussion, but it's a race we cannot afford to lose, whether it's around AI, quantum. And, I think you're spot on; to get there, they recognize the need to really quadruple down on energy,” said Cilluffo. “I still think that we [the U.S.] want to be at the vanguard driving all of this.” And while it's widely known that cybersecurity is critically important to energy systems, it's often not prioritized the way it should be. “Everyone needs to be cyber aware, cyber informed,” Cilluffo said. “These are issues that we have to invest in. It can't be an afterthought. It has to be something that everyone thinks through. And the reality is, don't think it's someone else's problem: a) it's all of our problems, and b) don't think that it can be looked at after the balloon goes up—you need to be thinking all of this well in advance.”
What's the latest with the Golden Dome missile defense project? How has Ukraine's experience influenced US air defense thinking? And what is mesh sensing? We get answers to those questions from Dr. Tom Karako, director of the Missile Defense Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Plus this week's headlines in airpower, and the inside skinny from the Global Air and Space Chiefs' Conference. Powered by GE!
The name Mike Richter is well-known among hockey fans. Richter spent 15 years in the National Hockey League as a goalie for the New York Rangers, including in 1994 when he was a fixture in the net during the team's Stanley Cup winning season. Richter was also recognized as the most valuable player for the U.S.'s 1996 gold medal winning World Cup team, as well as a member of three U.S. Olympic teams, including in 2002 when the team won the silver medal. Richter was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008. But what is likely lesser known is that Richter is the current president of Brightcore Energy, a leading provider of integrated, end-to-end clean energy solutions to the commercial, institutional, and government markets. The Armonk, New York–headquartered company's services include high-efficiency geothermal-based heating and cooling systems for both new construction and existing building retrofits, among other things. Brightcore's turnkey, single-point solution encompasses all project development phases including preliminary modeling, feasibility and design, incentive and policy guidance, construction and implementation, and system performance monitoring. As a guest on The POWER Podcast, Richter noted that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for commercial, industrial, and municipal buildings consume an enormous amount of energy in a place like New York City. Furthermore, the emissions associated with these systems can be significant. “If you can address that, you're doing something important, and that's really where our focus has been, particularly the last few years,” he said. Geothermal Heating and Cooling Systems Traditional geothermal often requires significant open space for the geothermal borefield and can have material time implications in project development. Brightcore says its exclusive UrbanGeo solution combines proprietary geothermal drilling technology and techniques that increase the feasibility of geothermal heating and cooling applicability while reducing construction development timelines. “We typically go between 500 and 1,000 feet down,” Richter explained. “The ambient temperature of the ground about four feet down below our feet here in New York is 55 degrees [Fahrenheit] year-round.” The constant and stable underground temperature is the key to geothermal heating and cooling systems. Even when the air above ground is extremely hot or freezing cold, the earth's steady temperature provides a valuable heating or cooling resource. A geothermal system has pipes buried underground that fluid is circulated through, and a heat pump inside the building. In winter, the fluid in the pipes absorbs warmth from the earth and brings it inside. There, the heat pump “compresses” this heat, raising its temperature so it can warm the building air comfortably—even when it's icy cold outside. In summer, the system works in reverse. The heat pump pulls heat out of the building's air, sending it through the same underground pipes. Since the earth is cooler than the hot summer air, it acts like a giant heat sponge, soaking up unwanted heat from the building. This process cools the living space easily and efficiently, using a lot less energy than a regular air conditioner because the ground is always cooler than the hot outdoor air. So, whether it's heating or cooling, a geothermal system can keep buildings comfortable by moving heat between the building and the earth. “[It's] pretty straightforward and very, very efficient and effective, particularly—and this is key—at the extremes,” said Richter. “Air source heat pumps are excellent and they continue to get better,” he added.
With a fleet of 160 fighters, the French Air and Space Force maintains global presence while demands increase. How do they do it, and what's next? We get the answers – along with fascinating details of French space policy and activities – with France's fighter aviation chief, Brigadier General Pierre Gaudilliere. Plus top headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
It's a pretty sure bet that the future of airpower is increasingly uninhabited. Dr. Caitlin Lee of the RAND Corporation has six propositions to consider when trying to understand where we are with UAVs, and we'll go through them in detail. And a lot going on in this week's airpower headlines. Powered by GE!
On Episode 51 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we're joined by TID Civil Engineering Department Manager, Phil Govea, to discuss the modernization of our irrigation system. TID's irrigation system was built in the late-1890s and operates in much the same way as it was originally designed—flowing by gravity from La Grange Dam to and throughout our service territory. TID cares for our 130 year-old system through rigorous annual maintenance. However, regulatory mandates, more frequent extreme weather events, and changing customer expectations, requires that the District continue to update and modernize the irrigation system to meet today's needs and to be ready for the future.On this episode we discuss how TID's irrigation system works, what improvements have been made to the system over the years, and the long term plans for the system.Let's get social! Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockid Find out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast.
Welcome to Season 2 of the Will Power Podcast, the season that asks the question no one's asking, but every healthcare entrepreneur needs to answer:What truly frees you up? Artificial Intelligence or Virtual Assistants?This season is called “Free You Up” because that's what we're here to do. We're diving deep into what it really takes to scale your clinic, lead boldly, and reclaim your time without losing the soul of your business.In this special teaser, get a sneak peek of the game-changing insights from our powerful guest lineup:Michelle Bambenek on the cost of unclear delegationLance Gross on the mindset shift that changed everythingTim Spooner on why staying in treatment mode can burn you outAndre Dagoc on the real secret to global leadershipWill Humphreys on why YOU are the most important asset in your businessWhether you're a clinic owner, practice manager, or visionary healthcare leader, this season is your permission to finally let go and grow.Subscribe now to catch full episodes, dropping weekly.Send us a textVirtual Rockstars specialize in helping support or replace all non-clinical roles.Learn how a Virtual Rockstar can help scale your physical therapy practice.Subscribe here to our completely free Stress-Free PT Newsletter for your weekly dose of joy.
Just when people were saying the future of air power was small, distributed systems like UAVs, the US struck Iran's nuclear program infrastructure with an old-fashioned manned penetrating bombing raid. Which future is it? We ask two experts: retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the planner behind Operation Desert Storm, and Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn of the Center for a New American Security. Plus headlines in airpower. Powered by GE!
In the proverbial shadow of the Naughton Power Plant, a station in Kemmerer, Wyoming, that will stop burning coal at the end of this year, TerraPower is constructing what it calls “the only advanced, non-light-water reactor in the Western Hemisphere being built today.” The project represents more than just a new power source—it's a symbolic passing of the torch from fossil fuels to next-generation nuclear technology. “We call it the Natrium reactor because it is in a class of reactors we call sodium fast reactors,” Eric Williams, Chief Operating Officer for TerraPower, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. The Natrium design is a Generation IV reactor type, which is the most advanced class of reactors being developed today. “These designs have a greatly increased level of safety, performance, and economics,” Williams explained. Williams said the use of liquid metal coolant enhances safety. “Liquid metals are so excellent at transferring heat away from the reactor, both to exchange that heat into other systems to go generate the electricity or to remove the heat in an emergency situation,” he said. “For the Natrium reactor, we can do that heat removal directly to air if we want to, so that provides a very robust safety case for the reactor.” The design is also safer because it can run at low pressure. “The primary system is at atmospheric pressure; whereas, current pressurized water reactors have to pressurize the system to keep the liquid from boiling—to keep it in a liquid state,” Williams explained. “Liquid metal sodium doesn't boil until about 800 to 900 degrees Celsius, and the reactor operates down at 500 degrees Celsius, so that can remain a liquid and still be at a very high temperature without having to pressurize it.” The liquid metal coolant also provides performance benefits. “One of those is the ability to store the energy in the form of molten salt heat coming out of the nuclear island,” said Williams. “That is really giving us the ability to provide basically a grid-scale energy storage solution, and it really matches up well with the current needs of the modern electricity grid.” Meanwhile, the energy storage aspect also allows decoupling the electricity generation side of the plant—the energy island—from the reactor side of the plant, that is, the nuclear island. That allows the energy island to be classified as “non-safety-related” in the eyes of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). “That side of the plant has nothing to do with keeping the reactor safe, and that means the NRC oversight doesn't have to apply to the energy island side of the plant, so all of that equipment can be built to lower cost and different codes and standards,” Williams explained. Notably, this also permits the grid operator to dispatch electricity without changing anything on the nuclear island. “That allows a different kind of integrating with the grid for a nuclear plant that hasn't been achieved yet in the U.S.,” Williams said. “We're very excited about that—the safety, the performance, and economics—and it really gives us the ability to have a predictable schedule, and construction will be complete in 2030.” While there is clearly a lot that needs to be done, and first-of-a-kind projects rarely go off without a hitch, Williams seemed pleased with how the project was progressing. “We're really excited to be working in the state of Wyoming. It is just an outstanding state for developing any kind of energy project, including nuclear energy. The people in the community are really welcoming to us. The state legislators are always looking for ways to remove any obstacles and just explain to us how to get the permits we need and everything. So, the project has been going really well from that standpoint,” he said. In the end, Williams appeared confident that TerraPower would hit its current target for completion in 2030.
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics chief Greg Ulmer joins us with fresh insights on the futures of F-35 (Block 5!), NGAD (more!), F-55, airlift, and more. Plus airpower headlines, including fussin' up at the FCAS Ranch. Powered by GE!