The year is only half over, but it’s safe to say that 2020 is already one for the record books within the utility sector. With the year already starting off to be hectic for utilities among an energy transition, fluctuating energy markets, grid modernizations, and more, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was just another screwball the industry was forced to adapt to on the fly. But adapt it has, and, as you’ll hear in this episode, it’s been the public power utilities who have been in many ways setting the standard for how utilities should prepare before a crisis, react to it, and adjust to it as time goes on.

In this riveting episode, Jason Price and Matt Chester are joined in the podcast booth by Joy Ditto, who recently became the CEO of the American Public Power Association. Joy takes us through what public power utilities across the country have had to do to react to an everchanging landscape, while simultaneously keeping an eye forward on potential for innovation, transition, and more. You won’t want to miss this episode to learn what the community-owned difference is in the utility sector and what lessons can be learned across the wider energy industry.

Key Links:

Joy Ditto’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/238361/about

The Community-owned Difference: Lessons for Maintaining a Customer Focus: https://energycentral.com/c/cc/community-owned-difference-lessons-maintaining-customer-focus

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with Podcast Transcript: https://energycentral.com/c/um/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-16-%E2%80%98how-public-power-leading

While California has long been considered the leader in clean energy development, New York has in recent years staked its claim as the major renewable energy hub east of the Mississippi River and with recent policy developments may be giving California a run for its money as the most ambitious state for cleaning up the energy sector. In many ways, state-level policy is seen as more impactful and important for these issues, so to learn more about what New York State is doing right (including the recently passed Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act) Jason Price and Matt Chester are joined by Noah Shaw, Partner and Co-Chair of the Renewable energy Practice at Hodgson Russ LLP.

Noah has an impressive legal background when it comes to the energy sector, including stops at NYSERDA and the United States Department of Energy before landing at Hodgson Russ. In this episode of the Energy Power Perspectives™ Podcast, he brings that experience to explain what the immediate future for the Empire State looks like when it comes to renewable energy and how other states across the country may be able to follow the New York roadmap.

Key Links:

Noah Shaw’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/255067

Not Just Section 94-c: New York’s Budget Creates Major Renewable Energy Initiatives: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/not-just-section-94-c-new-york%E2%80%99s-budget-creates-major-renewable-energy

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-15-%E2%80%98navigating-empire-state-renewable-energy

The continued shift towards electric vehicles has long presented logistical and technological challenges for utilities that are needed to provide charging power, infrastructure, and support to the future of transportation. These challenges also present great opportunities, in the view of this week’s guest on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, Benoit Marcoux. Benoit is an Executive Advisor at ChargeHub, so he has a front-row seat to the EV revolution and he kindly shares his insights with host DW Keefer and Producer Matt Chester in this episode.

If you’re interested in the future of electric vehicles, the potential transformation that will bring to utilities, and how customers will adjust their relationship with power providers as a result, you won’t want to miss this episode.

Key Links:

Benoit Marcoux’s profile on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/32511

EV Charging Enables Stronger Customer Engagement: https://energycentral.com/c/um/ev-charging-enables-stronger-customer-engagement

The Electric Cars in the Future of Utilities: https://energycentral.com/c/um/electric-cars-future-utilities

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/gr/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-special-edition-impact-ev-revolution

This week, Energy Central brings you a special conversation about the digitalization of the utility sector and the imperative role that digital twin technology will play in this industry evolution. Host DW Keefer and Producer Matt Chester are joined in the podcast booth by Brent Jensen, Sales Engagement Director with Bentley Systems, and Wayne Dias, U.S. Product Manager for PSS Sincal from Siemens. Through this engaging and spirited conversation, Brent and Wayne detail the inevitable changes that utility leaders must recognize are going on and argue for why digital twin should be a core focus for all areas of these power providers moving forward.

Brent and Wayne break down this complex topic to make their compelling arguments in a way that allows all to understand the importance, whether this is the first you’re hearing of the digital twin or if you’re knee-deep in the digitalization process. By the end of this episode, you’ll be eagerly seeking out the decision-makers at your organization to pass on the argument for digital twins yourself.

A special thanks to Bentley Systems for supporting this edition of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast.

Key Links:

Brent Jensen’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/256068

Wayne Dias’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/256215/about

Bentley Systems on Energy Central: https://energycentral.com/o/bentley

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-special-edition-digital-twins-critical

The latest episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast sees Jason Price and Matt Chester joined by Will Gorman, a graduate student researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, to discuss a recently published paper that studied the motivations and installation trends of hybrid generation-plus-battery projects across the U.S. grid system. Battery prices have been steadily decreasing and new “hybrid” power plants have been taking advantage by adding on-site energy storage to new and existing wind and solar energy installations.

This trend is being seen across the country, so there’s no doubt that the popularity of such hybrid power plants is growing, but what Will and his cohorts at LBNL were eager to analyze was why these power plants were popping up more and more. Was this a case of technology becoming viable and solving a problem? Were the availability of investment tax credits (ITCs) artificially making these projects appealing? And will co-locating batteries and generating units continue to be seen as a potentially optimal and efficient solution? Listen to this engaging conversation with Will to learn the answers to some of these questions and more on this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast!

Key Links:

Will Gorman’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/238776

Motivations and options for deploying hybrid generator-plus-battery projects within the bulk power system: https://energycentral.com/c/gn/motivations-and-options-deploying-hybrid-generator-plus-battery-projects-within

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/gn/power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-14-%E2%80%98hybrid-generation-storage-key-efficiency

On this week’s episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, Jason Price and Matt Chester welcome to the show John Armstrong, Head of City Energy at E.ON. John’s experience in the utility industry and his passion for decarbonizing the energy sector brought him to Energy Central where he’s shared many insightful and compelling posts on the future of energy. While many may focus on the generation of power in a clean way, John has pushed forward some intriguing ideas about creating the green fuels of tomorrow.

Specifically, John’s recent article on ammonia as the clean fuel of the future generated immense interest within the Energy Central community. While hydrogen is often discussed as the futuristic fuel type and energy storage method that can help decarbonize our energy and heating systems, John argues that taking it a step further to green ammonia can really open up a new plethora of doors for the energy transition. John’s vast experience and clear explanation of otherwise complex topics make him a stellar podcast guest, so you won’t want to miss this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast!

Key Links:

John Armstrong’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/236301/about

Could ‘dirty’ Ammonia be the clean fuel of the future? https://energycentral.com/c/ec/could-%E2%80%98dirty%E2%80%99-ammonia-be-clean-fuel-future

Hydrogen may be a bit like Marmite – but love it or hate it..it’s probably going to happen: https://energycentral.com/c/um/hydrogen-may-be-bit-marmite-%E2%80%93-love-it-or-hate-it-its-probably-going-happen

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-13-%E2%80%98can-green-hydrogen-lead-us-green-ammonia%E2%80%99

This week on the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, Jason Price and Matt Chester is joined in the booth by Bill Meehan, Director of Utility Solutions at Esri. Bill is well-known to the regular Energy Central readers for his frequent posts on all things geographic information systems (GIS) and his clear drive to optimize the operations of the utility industry. In this episode, Bill shares numerous stories about how he’s seen the energy sector use GIS in new and compelling ways, as well as tales where GIS may have prevented headaches from utility executives should such solutions have been properly implemented.

In Bill’s 15 years with Esri, he’s been a clear thought leader and innovator in the field, having even authored multiple definitive books that are must-haves for the bookshelf of any GIS professional. No matter your experience level with GIS, Bill’s charismatic storytelling style will help you see the light when it comes to how powerful these technical solutions can be, so he was a no brainer as a guest on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast!

Key Links:

Bill Meehan’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/360/about

Asset Management Starts with Great Data: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/asset-management-starts-great-data

Stanley’s Leaning Pole: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/stanley%E2%80%99s-leaning-pole

Shred All Those Paper Maps: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/shread-all-those-old-paper-maps

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: https://energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-12-%E2%80%98-unlock-modern-utility-gis

For our latest episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, we had the pleasure of being joined by Mitchell Beer, Managing Editor of The Energy Mix. Mitchell curates and writes on climate, energy, and the shift to a post-carbon future via this Canadian-based e-newsletter. Clearly passionate about shepherding in the types of global changes needed to meet the IPCC carbon reduction goals via individual action, political support, and international activism, Mitchell shares with us his views on everything climate. In this conversation, he helps us compare and contrast the U.S. government and Canadian government responses to pending issues, assesses how the utility industry can and should be making moves today, and breaks down what individuals can and should do in their own right.

Mitchell keeps the Energy Central and subscribers to The Energy Mix up to date on the most relevant news of the day, which keeps him rather busy, but we’re thankful he found the time to join as a guest on the Power Perspectives™ Podcast, kicking off with a question to make us step back and think outside the box when it comes to climate action: what if we’re not asking the right question regarding climate change? Dive in and listen to his compelling takes!

Note: This episode was recorded before the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we did not get a chance to discuss with Mitchell the change in priorities and overall impacts this brings about with regard to energy and climate. But if our listeners want to hear Mitchell come back as a guest to discuss these timely topics then let us know!

Key Links:

The Energy Mix’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/223551

Mitchell Beer’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/214104

Mitchell’s Tedx Talk “Climate Change: What If We’re Asking the Wrong Question?”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rkDTXEOpEM

Keystone XL to Start Construction with $8 Billion in Financial Aid from Alberta: https://energycentral.com/c/ec/keystone-xl-start-construction-8-billion-financial-aid-alberta

New U.S. Energy Legislation Backs Solar, Wind and Storage, Misses Out on Efficiency, Pushes Fracked Gas Exports: https://energycentral.com/c/ec/new-us-energy-legislation-backs-solar-wind-and-storage-misses-out-efficiency

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: www.energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/ec/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-11-%E2%80%98tackling-climate-change

Marking the 10th episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, we are joined by Pat Hohl, the Director of Electric Industry Solutions at Esri. Pat is a prolific writer and contributor to the Energy Central community, and he shares with us how even though distribution circuits are beloved—even revered—in the utility business, the future of these building blocks of the grid are undergoing some long awaited evolution. We also hear from Pat how Esri is pushing the boundaries with geographic information systems (GIS) to open up a new world of energy industry data, as well as empowering an even wider spectrum of businesses to streamline operations, sastisfy customers, and even help track and address the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pat brings with him over three decades of experience in business and is considered to be a pioneer in leveraging GIS technology for the electric utilities. It’s no wonder his writing is so popular on Energy Central, so we knew we had to bring him in for an episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast!

Key Links:

Pat Hohl’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/204983/about

Three Ways Distribution Circuits Will Disappoint You - Part 1: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/three-ways-distribution-circuits-will-disappoint-you-part-1

Three Ways Distribution Circuits Will Disappoint You - Part 2: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/three-ways-distribution-circuits-will-disappoint-you-part-2

Three Ways Distribution Circuits Will Disappoint You - Part 3: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/three-ways-distribution-circuits-will-disappoint-you-part-3

Esri’s ArcGIS for COVID-19: https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: www.energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-10-%E2%80%98-past-future-circuits-how

On this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast, we are joined by Charles Bayless. Charles Bayless is retired after a long and esteemed career in the utility industry that took him from Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to the Climate Institute to E Source to Pike Electric and many other stops in between. But just because he’s retired doesn’t mean Charles hasn’t stayed busy, and in fact he’s taken to the Energy Central community to share his wisdom and insights on the climate crisis and what we need to do collectively to tackle this largest of challenges.

Charles shares his views on transportation, on nuclear energy, on VARS technology, and what it will take to decarbonize utilities and society generally, and his decades of experience carry much weight with them. Listen in as Charles imparts his wisdom about how it takes unreasonable people to truly change the world!

Key Links:

Charles Bayless’s Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/235468/about

Why Economics makes it so hard to solve Climate Change: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/why-economics-makes-it-so-hard-solve-climate-change

Ocean Acidification – The Evil Twin: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/ocean-acidification-evil-twin

Nuclear Energy – Our best weapon against Climate Change: https://energycentral.com/c/pip/nuclear-energy-our-best-weapon-against-clliamte-change

Climate Change – Physics 101: https://energycentral.com/c/cp/climate-change-physics-101

Link to register as a member of the Energy Central community: www.energycentral.com/user/register

Energy Central Post with More Details: https://energycentral.com/c/ec/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-9-transportation-nuclear-and