GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast

Епизоди

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  How Enhanced Geothermal Can Deliver Clean, "Always On" Power for Rising Energy Demands 07.07.2026 27мин

  As electricity demand continues to climb, geothermal energy is emerging as a key source of reliable, around-the-clock clean power. In this episode of GridPulse, Bryce Yonker sits down with Sarah Jewett, chief operating officer at Fervo Energy, to discuss how the company is scaling the next generation of geothermal power. Sarah explains how Fervo is applying technologies pioneered in the oil and gas sector to reduce costs and accelerate deployment. They also explore locational factors, timelines, permitting, and how enhanced geothermal is poised to play a major role in the future of the electric grid. Don't miss this excellent discussion of how next-generation geothermal can help shape a clean, reliable energy grid.
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  Energy Affordability and the Grid: What Recent Research Reveals About Causes and Potential Solutions 18.06.2026 37мин

  Energy affordability is a growing problem across the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors. In this episode, Christopher Knittel of MIT and Ryan Hledick of The Brattle Group turn to recent research to unpack the many factors pushing up electricity prices, including infrastructure replacement, climate change impact, fast-growing demand and evolving energy policies. They then lay out potential solutions using grid flexibility and energy pricing to help manage costs while advancing a reliable, capable grid. You won't find a better up-to-date explanation of the dynamic between energy affordability and grid modernization. Listen in! 
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  Don't Rebuild! Reconductor for Twice the Grid Capacity on Existing Corridors 21.05.2026 31мин

  The ability to double grid capacity is here today, ready to work in existing transmission corridors. Get grounded in advanced reconductoring options in this episode with Zach Zimmerman from the AMP Coalition and Theodore Paradise, Chief Policy and Grid Strategy Office at CTC Global. They explain how advanced conductors can move more energy using existing poles and corridors or boost capacity of new projects. Utilities and grid operators can reduce grid expansion timelines, lower costs compared with new transmission builds, and even improve affordability. Listen in to this "technology whose time has come." 
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  From Demand Response to Dispatchable Capacity: The Rise of Storage-Led Virtual Power Plants 05.05.2026 35мин

  Virtual power plants (VPPs) are entering a new phase. Utilities and regulators are moving beyond pilot programs and enrollment metrics toward dispatchable distributed capacity that can reliably support the grid. At the same time, new policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and technology capabilities are accelerating deployment. In this episode, leaders from Tesla (Kevin Joyce), Virtual Peaker (Jeff Quigley) and Ohm Analytics (Madeline Turner) explore how DERs, and especially storage, are being deployed at scale to provide fast, flexible capacity. They discuss the way these systems are already reducing pressures on costs, improving reliability and helping utilities respond to quickly shifting conditions.
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  The Grid is Not a Lab: How Avista Drives Innovation Across the Utility 21.04.2026 29мин

  As the energy landscape grows more complex, utilities see new  technologies as critical to making electricity more clean, affordable and reliable. Yet how can they nurture innovation in a historically conservative industry? In this episode, Avista CEO Heather Rosentrater shares the ways her team is embedding innovation across the organization, not just within a single team, to navigating rising operational risks. Avista is empowering employees to rethink how work gets done, optimize business operations, and communicate with communities. If you're looking for inspiration for how to make innovation integral to your organization, listen to Heather's experience at Avista.
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  Why Tech Giants Must Build Trust as Well as Tools to Advance the Grid 15.04.2026 34мин

  As energy demand surges, tech giants are stepping up as key partners to utilities navigating a rapidly changing grid. At CERAWeek 2026, Bryce Yonker explored this topic speaking with Hannah Green, Global Operations & GTM Leader for Energy & Resources at Microsoft, and Rayford Smith, Global Head of Power and Energy for Cloud at Google. They detailed how digital infrastructure, the cloud and AI are reshaping how utilities plan and operate the grid. From faster forecasting to smarter operations, these technologies are unlocking new efficiencies. But as new tech become embedded in critical infrastructure, building trust through strong governance, transparency and accountability is increasingly essential. Listen in to understand the evolving dynamic between these two mission-critical industries and the path to "getting it right."
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  The Unexplored and Unknown: How ARPA-E Is Advancing Energy Innovation 03.04.2026 20мин

  As energy demand surges, how is the U.S. Department of Energy supporting breakthrough technologies to strengthen grid resilience? ARPA-E Director Conor Prochaska shares how the agency is identifying and advancing high-impact solutions, including fusion (which he thinks is getting closer), advanced nuclear, next-generation geothermal, long duration storage and more to help meet growing demand. But technology alone isn’t enough. Prochaska also highlights the critical role of public-private partnerships and faster commercialization pathways in bringing these innovations to scale. We recorded this live at CeraWeek in Houston and will be joining the ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit next week. Hope to see you in San Diego. 
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  Electric Co-ops Meet the Moment as Technology Advances and Demand Surges 24.03.2026 31мин

  What does it take to power rural America in a time of fast-changing technologies and rising demand and costs? Jim Matheson of NRECA shares insights into how electric cooperatives are adapting to meet supply chain pressures, infrastructure needs, and the rapid growth fueled by data centers and other energy demands. He also discusses the importance of federal financing and the cooperative model to maintain affordability and reliability on the rural grid. How well are U.S. co-ops suited to meet the day? Tune in to listen to our lively conversation. 
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  Balancing Growth and Affordability While Building the Grid We Need Today 11.03.2026 33мин

  On the season opener of GridPulse, Virginia Commissioner Jehmal Hudson joins the podcast to discuss the national and local drivers behind rising energy demand and what they mean for grid planning and regulation. He explores the need for smarter transmission utilization, meeting the demand for accelerating data center facilities, thoughtful rate design for large loads, and updated regulatory processes that take innovation into account without sacrificing public accountability. As the energy landscape evolves, Judge Hudson emphasizes that affordability must remain a core outcome, and not a restraint, as decision-makers work to modernize the grid for the demands of today as well as the future.
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  Season 6 Finale — The Benefits of AI Technologies on Grid Modernization 11.11.2025 39мин

  In this season 6 finale, Luis D’Acosta, CEO of Uplight, recaps this season’s driving issues with a rapid-fire discussion with Bryce. They cover a wide range of topics:  Applying AI-driven technologies to run the grid more effectively Mitigating wildfire risks by integrating digital and advanced monitoring solutions Ongoing effects of the federal agencies’ changing priorities on grid modernization The importance of scaling new technologies quickly and broadly across the grid to help curb rate increases Optimizing the Demand Stack to enable more grid flexibility Listen in to this expert recap of an exciting and challenging year for advancing the electric grid. And thank you for listening to this season of GridForward Forum!
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  AI Impacts for a Resilient Grid with Duke Energy, NextEra and PG&E 05.11.2025 47мин

  On the first day of the GridFWD 2025 event, leadership from some of the nation’s largest and most AI-engaged utilities joined a panel to tell our audience about their acceleration of AI use cases. Jason Glickman (EVP Engineering, Planning and Strategy, PG&E), Bonnie Titone (Senior VP and Chief Administrative Officer, Duke Energy) and Petter Skantze (Senior VP of Infrastructure Development, NextEra Energy Resources) discuss how utilities and infrastructure developers can leverage AI for their own use and accommodate the added demand from large load customers, while ensuring that their systems remain resilient.
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  Utilizing Dynamic Line Rating to Increase Reliability and Reduce Costs 06.10.2025 22мин

  Dynamic line rating (DLR) is a Grid Enhancing Technology (GET) that measures the impact of ambient conditions on the carrying capacity of a grid. When DLR is employed network wide, it improves asset utilization, reliability, resilience, and confidence in investments. Guest host Julia Selker of Grid Strategies and Vishal Kapadia, CEO of LineVision, discuss how the successful implementation of DLR can save millions of dollars, identify grid weaknesses, and help meet the need for increased capacity. 
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  Weighing Solutions to Increase Flexibility on the Grid 04.09.2025 38мин

  Increasing flexibility on the electric grid is necessary as demand and capacity requirements rapidly rise. Diversifying generation portfolios with emerging technologies is a good start, and significant T&D investments in innovations like virtual power plants can help match supply with demand. Cost, construction, and timing are often challenges to increasing flexibility; therefore, what solutions are going to make the most impact to help meet energy needs? Joining us to discuss these important topics about flexibility are Dr. William (Bill) Burke, CEO at Virtual Peaker, Jessica Matlock, CEO at PNGC Power, and Darren Murtaugh, Director of Electric Distribution Strategy at ICF.
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  Analyzing Data Center Flexibility to Meet Growing Power Demands 25.08.2025 39мин

  Power demand from data centers is clearly increasing faster than current electric infrastructure and markets can accommodate. Therefore, data centers and grid operators are exploring one workaround: flexing data center loads during peak demand times. Brian Janous, of Cloverleaf Infrastructure, and Chris Pennington, of Iron Mountain Data Centers, discuss the current opportunities and challenges to data center flexibility. For example, there are options for moving workloads among facilities and leveraging the improving capabilities of battery storage. On the other hand, demand response is not a major business driver. The industry needs to define relatively simple solutions that can be deployed at scale to meet market demand.
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  Powering Texas: Grid Growth, Resilience & Innovation 01.08.2025 35мин

  In this episode of Grid Forward Forum, host Bryce Yonker speaks with Rudy Garza (CPS Energy) and David Naylor (Rayburn Electric Cooperative) about the urgent challenges and innovations in the Texas energy sector. They explore topics like grid modernization, the impact of Winter Storm Uri, growing demand from data centers, and how Texas utilities are going to have to invest billions to keep up while working to maintain affordability and reliability. Please join us in helping provide disaster relief for the communities impacted by recent flooding in Kerr County by contributing to the Salvation Army Kerrville and the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund.
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  How State Energy Offices Are Tackling Load Growth, Affordability and Resilience on the Grid 11.07.2025 34мин

  State energy offices have a delicate balancing act in leading policy, tracking market signals, and encouraging economic development. All that is harder now that load growth is accelerating. David Terry, the president of National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) , discusses trends within state energy offices to help get energy onto the grid quickly to grow the economy while meeting community concerns. David and Bryce discuss how new approaches such as grid enhancing technologies, automated load management and long-duration energy storage provide new pathways. Listen in to this insider perspective on how the state energy offices are learning more, planning better and adjusting to new federal energy priorities.
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  Supply Chain Constraints on the Grid - And What Needs to Improve 27.06.2025 37мин

  Since 2020, supply chain shortages have delayed the progress of necessary grid infrastructure improvements. Consolidation in the industry means fewer vendors are available which drives up prices, extends lead times and limits capacity, especially as worldwide demand increases. Will Perrich and Stephen White of POWER Engineers provide an insider's view to current constraints on the market and what needs to be done to alleviate them. Their answers cover the gamut from standardization of key components (regionally or nationally) to changing how utilities retain inventory and plan projects. The discussion ends with a rapid fire round of rating how difficult it is to procure different grid components.
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  Scientific Discovery and Commercial Acceleration of Advanced Grid Solutions at PNNL 18.06.2025 34мин

  Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) draws on signature fundamental capabilities to advance scientific discovery, improve energy resiliency, and enhance national security.  On this podcast episode, Laboratory Director Steven Ashby, Ph.D., discusses key drivers and challenges that are steering the lab’s important work regarding grid resiliency and affordability. Ashby also tells our listeners about the new Grid Storage Launchpad, a one-of-a-kind Department of Energy facility to develop and test novel battery concepts at scale in a safe environment. Of course, with all these emerging technologies, there are inherent risks—wildfires, and cyberattacks to name a few. Ashby discusses these risks and the ways PNNL is working together with the industry (including by leveraging novel AI capabilities) to quantify and combat problems that can be addressed by advancing the grid.
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  Hardening America’s Electric Grid—An Overview of the 2025 ASCE Infrastructure Report 19.05.2025 30мин

  Energy infrastructure received a grade of D+ in the 2025 Report for America’s Infrastructure, published by American Society of Civil Engineers. Bryce Yonker discusses why the energy sector received a low rating with Michael Miller, vice president of technical services at Exo and a member of ASCE. Miller says the four main factors that contributed to the grade include higher load growth, systems operating closer to limits, challenges to distribution grids, and the public’s lower tolerance for power outages. Miller discusses best practices for asset inspections, the need to have a national standards, and how state legislatures can have a positive impact on hardening America’s energy infrastructure. You can read the full report here.
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  The Pace of Grid Innovation Quickens in Co-op Utilities 29.04.2025 41мин

  With consumer needs and capabilities rapidly evolving, many electric co-ops are quickly pushing grid advancements to meet current and future demands. On this podcast episode, Bryan Hannegan, president/CEO of Holy Cross Energy, and Mark Gabriel, president/CEO of United Power REC, discuss how they prioritize tasks as leaders of their respective utilities during a time of transition from a hub-and-spoke business model to one more like a distributed system operator. Hear how they are using battery storage, demand flexibility, satellite data, AI, drones and other new techniques to expand flexibility, improve service and keep costs down. With the energy landscape rapidly changing, Bryan and Mark are building cultures of innovation and creativity that attract new talent and provide a greater return of investment for all their members.