Changing Energy

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria get into data disaggregation! The episode opens with banter, where Kirk reveals how much mileage his four-wheelers acquire. Then the gang gets into some timely news articles, including an article about a co-op on Kaua‘i island handling the threat of a potential tsunami and what that would have meant for their island and co-op. Don discusses an interesti...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria cover a recent news story that got international attention out of Spain. The episode opens with Kirk giving a big research update regarding his prize idea: the lightning box. For news, Shawn covers an article that discusses the growth of renewable energy in Australia. Don then introduces the main topic and main news article regarding the widespread powe...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria discuss a literal hot topic in the utility space - wildfires! The episode opens with banter about what the hosts have been busy doing, including Don's experience seeing self-driving cars in the wild. Later, they are joined by special guests Corey Parr, Vice President of Safety and Loss Prevention and Jason Springs, Safety and Loss Prevention Consultant...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria return with a special collaboration on cybersecurity! The hosts kick things off by touching on the unprecedented cold weather we experienced in January. For the main topic, the team explores how IT and cybersecurity have become essential pillars in the electric utility industry—so essential that they’ve brought in three experts to shed light on it all!...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria discuss the hot topic of the moment: nuclear energy. The hosts open the episode by reflecting on their respective Thanksgiving holiday experiences. The team reviews news articles covering topics such as sci-fi billionaires' climate change efforts, underground battery storage, and renewable energy legislation related to hog waste. The main article focuse...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria have a live studio audience! Live from the Youngsville Boardroom, Changing Energy welcomes the RAMblings Podcast Club from Franklinton High School. Don discusses an interesting article concerning researchers harnessing the power of lightning to help stop erosion on the California coastline. Special guest Jim House from FMI Consulting, shares his experti...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria focus on the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina and the monumental recovery efforts that followed. The hosts discussed the power of cooperative mutual aid as Wake Electric sent linemen to assist one of our sister co-ops in the mountains. Special guest Joe Everett, Wake Electric’s Right-of-Way Supervisor and Journeyman Linem...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn talk about how they miss Maria as she vacations in Europe and plans to see Taylor Swift in concert. This sparks further discussions about the sustainability of rock concerts before diving into an article about the current challenges of the grid. Maria rejoins the group as we introduce our summer data science intern, Manuella Kwawu. Manuella talks about her exp...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria are ready for the 4th of July. The impact of the Tesla Cybertruck continues! Don banters about his experience driving it around town and people’s reactions to it. Kirk and Maria talk about hosting an EV Truck event in June as well as an employee appreciation event. Shawn talks about how busy dispatch has been with wildlife incidents. The hosts discuss m...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria are thrilled to be back after a long break! The hosts banter about their busy schedules during the unintended hiatus, sharing stories from attending various conferences and being busy at the co-op. They also discuss the arrival of the new Tesla Cybertruck and the splash that the electric vehicle is making. Don talks about his drive out west and how that...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria celebrate the upcoming eclipse! Everyone banters about the Annual Meeting that just occurred and talk about new safety procedures for dispatchers, as well as a conference where Don talks (again) about microgrids. Don, with assistance from Shawn, goes through a list of 10 Interesting Eclipse Facts to get everyone excited about the eclipse on April 8th! T...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria begin by explaining their long absence. The hosts have been busy wrangling Cybertrucks, hosting MAC meetings, attending cool technology conferences, and gearing up for their annual meeting. Don and Kirk discuss TechAdvantage and the interesting panels they attended, covering generational differences in the workforce, drones, EVs, data analytics, and AI....

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria celebrate the first episode of the new year! Everyone discusses their hopes for 2024 and what is coming up for the cooperative in the new year. Chief among those plans is a project involving cooperative-wide meter inspection for the first time in over ten years. The news segment covers everything from the best-selling EVs of 2023 to grant money used in...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria open up the show with some holiday-themed banter! Kirk talks about his recent trip to Las Vegas and shares news about Nevada's "Greenlink" project and the Sphere. Shawn preps everyone for New Year's with an article discussing the evolution of the Times Square ball drop. Maria delves into the history of Christmas tree lights. Don discus...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria begin by bantering about Kirk's recent shocking electric bill, Spotify Wrapped, and the drain of Christmas lights on the grid. The gang dives into some interesting news articles, starting with a new EV that will hit the market in 2025, involving solar panels, called the Lightyear 2. The hosts then talk about a concert powered by a Ford F-150 Lightni...

In this special Halloween episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn and Maria speak about blockchain, cryptocurrency and AI and the impact it has from an energy perspective. Because it's a Halloween episode, the group talks about energy vampires that may be draining your power bill. The group welcomes special guest Bill Jordan, Vice President of Planning, System Studies and Distribution Automation at Booth &a...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria provide a sneak peek at some upcoming topics to be featured on the podcast. The podcast opens with everyone stating how thrilled they are that Shawn is back! The hosts also discuss what they've been busy with since the last episode: attending conferences, working on budgets, and organizing WEMC's upcoming MAC meeting. The team then delves into a...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Maria (sadly without Shawn) delve into a collection of listener questions that have built up over the weeks. The group explores the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing infrastructure grant funds to establish EV charging stations in the region. They dive into the responsibilities of cooperatives in terms of data ownership and managing EV load on the grid, while...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, Shawn, and Maria discuss a hot topic in the utility space – EV telematics! The episode opens with some banter and a discussion about the most recent storm that affected the Wake Electric territory. Later, the group welcomes this episode’s special guest, Will Stein, Account Executive at WeaveGrid, who breaks down the importance of telematics programs and the effects they...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn formally welcome last week's guest host, Maria, to the podcast as their fourth host. The group dives into some banter about Don's recent Hawaii trip and a visit to the new Knightdale substation. They talk through two articles: one regarding California's transmission roadmap plan and another about what experts believe needs to happen so Biden's...

In this Season 2 premiere episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn sit down to talk about the progression of communications in the utility space. The group welcomes special guest and Changing Energy super-fan, Kristie Aldridge, Vice President of Strategic Communications & Marketing at North Carolina's Electric Cooperatives. Maria, Wake Electric's Communications Assistant, joins in to help intervi...

In this extra special episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn come together to celebrate the 20th episode of their podcast. They take a trip down memory lane, reflecting on the past 19 episodes and the memorable moments they've shared. The guys treat their listeners to a highlight reel, featuring some of the most special and beloved moments from their interviews and discussions. Join in as they relive f...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn open up the podcast by discussing new and exciting NHL energy initiatives. Later they discuss the main topic of microgrids with this week’s guest Erik Hall, the Director of Energy Services and Technology at the North Carolina Electric Cooperatives. The group takes some listener questions at the end of the podcast concerning thermostats as well as EV incentives...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn discuss reliability and the software technology that utilities are using to track that important parameter. Also, the group discusses the EPA and Goldman Sachs predictions of EV adoption within the next 15 years. The main topic includes a guest interview with Fred Keller, a long-time utility employee in Customer Service and Legislative Affairs. The group talks...

In this episode, Don, Kirk, and Shawn discuss how Disney manages their electric grid and how that system compares to Wake Electric’s system. The group talked with Jim Musilek, VP of Innovation and Business Development of North Carolina EMC about Beneficial Electrification and its goals of saving money and reducing greenhouse gases. They end with answering a question from Wake’s Annual Meeting abou...