EnergyTech Podcast

Industrial automation can’t be run like it’s 2014. In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast (presented by OpSite Energy), Jeff and Mike sit down with Bill Bane and Jerry Reeves from Neeve to explain why “the box” mindset is holding OT back and why a managed, continuously updated OT ecosystem is the path forward. We cover: - Why OT needs to move past static hardware and rip/replace cycles - “Ecos...

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Energy Tech Podcast’s Control Room Management (CRM) mini-series. In this episode, Mike Flores and Daniel Nieto (VP Regulatory, OpSite Energy) focus on one core objective: Eliminate confusion in the control room. PHMSA expects roles, authority, and responsibilities to be explicit—especially during abnormal operating conditions (AOCCs) and emergencies. This episode breaks...

Cybersecurity isn’t just growing—spend and complexity are rising fast, and OT teams are being asked to do more with the same (or fewer) resources. In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast (presented by OpSite Energy), Jeff and Mike Flores continue the Neeve series with Bill Bane and Jerry Reeves, focusing on what OT security needs going into 2026. We break down why SASE (Secure Access Service Ed...

Welcome to Part I of the Energy Tech Podcast Control Room Management (CRM) mini-series. In this kickoff episode, Mike Flores and Daniel Nieto (Regulatory Compliance VP at OpSite Energy) break down the scope and applicability of PHMSA Control Room Management—so you can answer the most important first question: - Does CRM apply to your operation? - This episode lays the foundation for your entire CR...

Industrial OT is evolving fast: more sensors, more data, more edge compute, and far more pressure to do remote work securely. In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, Mike Flores sits down in the OpSite Energy Control Center (Canonsburg, PA) with Bill Bane and Jerry Reeves from Neeve to unpack why the traditional VPN-based remote access model is breaking and what replaces it. We dive into how S...

Welcome back to the Energy Tech Podcast — Jeff and Mike are in the OpSite Energy Control Room for a 2025 year-end review and a 2026 industrial technology outlook. We break down what changed in 2025 (and what actually mattered): the shift from “chatting with data” to acting on data, the rising reality of power + compute constraints, and why most AI projects stall when data governance, lineage, and...

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, we’re live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento with Matt Steel, Senior SCADA Engineer at Primoris Renewable Energy. Matt shares a practitioner’s view of how Ignition is becoming the de-facto SCADA platform for utility-scale solar and battery storage projects—and what Ignition 8.3 unlocks for scalability, DevOps, and long-term fleet operations. We dive into: - Ho...

Live from Ignition Community Conference (ICC) 2025, Mike Flores sits down with Al Caceres, Business Development Manager at Avadine, to unpack what real-world digital transformation actually looks like across oil & gas, water, wastewater, agriculture, and manufacturing. In this conversation, Al explains why Avadine operates as a true “dot connector”—bridging SCADA, custom software, databases, A...

Live from Ignition Community Conference (ICC) 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Dave Eifert of Phoenix Contact to break down how PLCnext is reshaping edge computing, open automation, and energy data integration. Phoenix Contact has long been known as a staple inside the control cabinet — but today, they’re moving decisively beyond the panel. In this episode, we explore how PLCnext acts as a tru...

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, Mike Flores sits down with Austin Blake — Director of Data at CNX Resources — for one of our deepest, most comprehensive conversations yet on data quality, machine learning, edge computing, anomaly detection, and what real digital transformation looks like inside a major upstream operator. This conversation pulls back the curtain on how CNX is rebuilding...

Live from Ignition ICC 2025 in Sacramento! In this episode, we sit down with Rene Gamero, Industry 4.0 Executive at Opto 22, to unpack what modern edge computing really looks like across energy, distributed generation, and industrial operations. We dig into Opto 22’s long relationship with Inductive Automation, what makes Groov EPIC a true IPC + PLC + HMI platform, and why energy operators—from oi...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento: Greg Sloyer (Industry Principal, Manufacturing at Snowflake) joins the Energy Tech Podcast to break down how OT data from Ignition can flow—with context—into Snowflake using IoT Bridge, MQTT/Sparkplug, and Snowpipe Streaming, then combine with ERP/CRM data for real business outcomes. We dig into Cortex (semantic layer, NLQ, search over manuals/service records), Da...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, Mike Flores sits down with Esteban Nunes of NV Technologies to talk about what it really looks like to be an Ignition distributor and evangelist across Central and Latin America. They dig into NV's family-business roots in Costa Rica, the decision to move from “comfortable” system integration to full-on Ignition distribution, and the realities of driving digital t...

Recorded live at Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Magnus McHune (HiveMQ) to unpack what it really takes to scale MQTT, build a unified namespace (UNS) that sticks, and bridge the OT/IT divide without blowing up cost or complexity. We dig into HiveMQ’s roots in connected vehicles, why manufacturers are standardizing on MQTT + UNS, what “leveling up” looks like with Ig...

In this episode, Flexware Innovation’s Eric Mormon joins us on the show floor in Sacramento to talk Ignition 8.3, Spark MES, edge architectures, UNS/MQTT, real-world DataOps, and where AI/ML/MCP actually create value in manufacturing. If you care about turning plant data into competitive advantage—without locking yourself into a black box—this one’s for you. Guest Eric Mormon — Solutions Architect...

Live from Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in Sacramento, Mike sits down with Mark La Liberte (HMS Networks) to unpack why Red Lion’s DA50/DA70 and FlexEdge have become go-to edge gateways for energy, water/wastewater, and data centers. We dig into store-and-forward, Sparkplug B / MQTT, OPC UA, DNP3, ruggedization, and how Crimson® 3.2 collapses multiple boxes (edge gateway + router/firewall + HMI...

In this episode, co-hosts Jeff Perry and Mike Flores are joined by Daniel Netto (VP of Compliance at Opsite Energy) to dive deep into how data & AI are being used to understand the pipeline regulatory audit landscape — using real audit data from the Texas Railroad Commission (RRC) and focusing on how these insights can drive better control-room operations, compliance and training. You'll learn...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Jonathan Huddle of Electron Automation—long-time oil & gas practitioner, electrician, and core member of the Ignition Oil & Gas Collective (IOGC). Jonathan walks through 25+ years in OT/SCADA and the hard-won patterns that actually scale: why UDTs and a clean tag model / unified namespace are non-negotiable, how and when to move from Visio...

Recorded live from Inductive Automation’s ICC 2025 in Sacramento, host Mike Flores sits down with Jap Johal from QCA to discuss how Ignition is transforming bulk handling, terminal automation, and the next generation of industrial data systems. Jap shares insights into: - QCA’s work as a software architecture and integration firm specializing in bulk terminals and automation - How Ignition’s partn...

Live from Ignition Community Conference 2025 in Sacramento, the Energy Tech Podcast sits down with Bryan Fosmark, IT & Automation Director at Sagepoint Energy, to explore how they’re transforming renewable natural gas (RNG) operations with Ignition 8.3, cloud deployment, and seamless IT/OT convergence. Brian shares how Sagepoint leverages centralized Ignition servers, Perspective projects for...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, the Energy Tech Podcast sits down with Amy Williams, Solutions Architect at Skellig Automation. We dig into why culture (not tools) is the first domino in digital transformation, how Ignition 8.3 signals a true Industry 4.0 platform, and why empowering frontline operators beats top-down “model → action” thinking. Amy breaks down an edge-first approach, vendor open...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, the Energy Tech Podcast sits down with Zach Scriven—longtime Ignition community leader and UNS evangelist—to talk Level Up, Ignition 8.3, the Prove It wave, and how to actually execute digital transformation (beyond buzzwords). We dig into Unified Namespace (UNS), MQTT/Sparkplug, agile delivery with integrators, and why a top-down digital strategy plus bottom-up e...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Bhavnesh Patel, Go-to-Market lead at RL Core, to unpack how reinforcement learning (RL) is moving from labs to real-world OT/SCADA. We cover RL Core’s agent-based approach (observe → recommend → limited control → scale), where it fits alongside Ignition 8.3, OPC UA, and control systems, and why continuous processes (water/wastewater, solar + stora...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, Mike chats with systems engineer Adrian Harvey about why this year’s conference feels different—new venue, the Ignition 8.3 release, and a “Prove It” momentum. Adrian walks through a clever Maker Edition inventory app at home (inspired by warehouse projects) and then dives into real-world industrial wins: migrating a fully proprietary RNG plant to Ignition without...

Live from ICC 2025 in Sacramento, we sit down with Andrew Hines, Senior Manager of Digital Operations at Autosol. With decades of experience in edge networks and SCADA data collection, Andrew shares how Autosol is helping operators simplify architectures, bridge legacy systems, and enable AI/ML at the edge. In this episode: • Autosol’s role in SCADA polling, OPC UA, MQTT & edge compute • Why I...