We’re in the midst of summer and we know that power outages can happen more frequently during this season due to higher temperatures and an increased demand for electricity. A couple years ago we sat down with Ram Rajagopal, an expert in the future of electrical power. He shared a few ways our existing system of massive power plants is slowly but surely giving way to a much leaner, decentralized system of small-scale power generation. Ram refers to this as a move from an “infrastructure-centric” model to a “human-centric” grid — one that will be much smarter, more inclusive and better able to adapt to the needs of individual users. It’s a topic that impacts all of us and we hope you’ll tune in again for a refresher on how the electric grid works and how it’s evolving.

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Episode Reference Links:

• Stanford Profile: Ram Rajagopal

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• Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Ram Rajagopal, a professor of engineering at Stanford University.

(00:03:47) What is Powernet?

Outline of Powernet—a decentralized, user-focused power grid vision.

(00:05:34) Behind-the-Meter Intelligence

Aiming to align supply and demand by understanding consumer needs.

(00:07:58) Smart Dimmers & Data Privacy

Balancing energy efficiency with privacy concerns in home automation.

(00:10:05) Aggregators & Local Control

Future energy sharing may rely on local devices and trusted middlemen.

(00:11:50) Human Motivation & Energy Behavior

Why both ethics and cost will drive user participation in energy decisions.

(00:14:02) Teaching Energy Awareness

A program teaching middle-schoolers to analyze home energy use.

(00:16:17) Automating Energy Use

Behavioral and systems changes to help align wellness with grid needs.

(00:18:58) Grid Shift: Renewables & Storage

How evolving the grid demands real-time monitoring and local resilience.

(00:19:57) Sensors & Operational Safety

The sensing technology that ensures transformers and lines stay within limits.

(00:21:27) Smart Dairy: Cooling Cows with AI

How smart fans and storage reduced a dairy farm’s energy output.

(00:23:28) Building Trust with Farmers

The collaborative process behind deploying the grid tech at the farm.

(00:25:01) Smart Ventilation at Scale

Scaling the ventilation tech tested on farms to improve public health spaces.

(00:26:06) Equity in the Human-Centered Grid

How price signals risk overburdening the most vulnerable communities.

(00:28:22) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook