GridPulse, a Grid Forward podcast

The recent U.S. election has raised a lot of questions about future directions for grid-related policies and programs. We reached out to people with a good view on the new administration for their perspectives. In this first special episode, Bryce chats with Kellie Donnelly, Executive Vice President & General Counsel of Lot Sixteen and a long time lead staff person for the Senate Energy and Na...

In this season finale, Ruth Gratzke, President of Siemens Smart Infrastructure in the United States, looks back at the state of the grid in 2024 and how the industry should be planning for future needs. In rapid-fire fashion, Bryce asks Ruth about topics from each of the podcast’s episodes in Season 5 to discuss: The importance of federal funding in moving modernization forward Improving market st...

The digital economy, and especially data centers, have become integral to our lives. And with that digital growth comes increased energy demand. Google’s Briana Kobor joins the podcast to discuss how Google’s significant energy demand can increasingly be served effectively by clean energy offerings. Briana discusses the Clean Transition Tariff (CTT) and how important it is for large energy-consumi...

By nature, utilities are risk adverse. Because of this, some are hesitant to accept innovative solutions to grid modernization. Strong efforts are needed to publicize the positive benefits of rate changes, data sharing and integrated planning. Part two of this discussion with Rich Sedano of RAP and Danielle Sass Byrnett of NARUC focuses on how state commissions and stakeholders can work together t...

Using performance-based regulatory incentives for energy efficiency proved to be successful. Should similar incentives be created for reliability? In part one of this discussion, Rich Sedano, of Regulatory Assistance Project, and Danielle Sass Byrnett, of NARUC, discuss how performance-based incentives set by state commissions may accelerate innovation and provide clearer direction to utilities fo...

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is determined to offer 100% carbon-free energy by 2030, while maintaining world-class reliability at an affordable rate. To achieve this ambitious goal, SMUD is working with both a number of innovators to advance carbon-free energy technologies, while also asking their customers to partner with them in advanced flexibility solutions. SMUD’s CEO & Ge...

This episode dives into Ford’s approach to the future of mobility through electrification and grid connectivity. We examine the company's recent initiatives, including new electric models, investment in EV infrastructure, and partnerships aimed at accelerating the transition to electric vehicles. Learn about the innovations Ford is bringing to the market and how they plan to meet the increasing de...

Pairing batteries with sophisticated grid controls offers the flexibility to provide multiple sources of value depending on where the battery is located and how it is utilized. Tim Allen, president and CEO of PXiSE Energy Solutions, joined Bryce on the podcast to discuss how advanced controls and markets for energy storage can overcome barriers to an efficient, decarbonized grid. Battery capacity,...

David Crane , Under Secretary for Infrastructure at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), joined Bryce Yonker on the podcast to discuss how DOE is supporting the advancement of grid infrastructure. David discusses DOE financial and manufacturing incentives to support commercialization that is spurring progress in the industry and across the clean energy ecosystem. To help the scale up of the clean...

Regulatory requirements for cybersecurity are a top priority; however, regulations only cover a minimum level of security needed. Compliance to regulations does not equal security because each organization’s risks differ. On this episode guest host Steven Parker of EnergySec and Jim Schultz of Black & Veatch discuss frameworks that organizations can use to help protect themselves against the t...

Maintaining a flexible energy grid is critical to modern day power. Decarbonation goals, policy changes and a migration of people due to the pandemic have all drastically changed the landscape of power supply needs in recent years. On top of that, consumers are adopting distributive energy resources, or DERS, causing the grid to no longer be a one-way system from generation to load. Instead, power...

Artificial Intelligence has the potential to accelerate innovation in the energy grid in terms of resiliency, decarbonization and security. AI has already shown how it can analyze vast amounts of data to help grid operators make near-real-time decisions. As the grid digitizes, AI can help the industry make full use of all its energy resources and infrastructure. However, change is hard, and not ev...

Demand for electricity has exploded over the past several years, and nowhere more so than at Arizona Public Service Company. Grid hardening, storage solutions, flexible rates, transmission projects, federal investments — all of these are part of the solution to make the grid ready for escalating demand. Yet progress needs to be scalable and affordable to meet the needs in the west and across the c...

The National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA) represents the interests of utility consumers before state and federal regulators and in the courts. David Springe, Executive Director of NASUCA, discusses how modernizing the grid impacts affordability for the consumer. As infrastructure ages and electrification needs change, modernizing the grid is mandatory. However, these ch...

On this episode, we have three leaders from organized energy markets to address the shifting dynamics within the industry. They discuss which technologies are being developed in their various regions and how those assets are impacting the energy market. Bryce also asks our guests what they are doing to combat volatilities due to peak loads often being met. Of course, the impact of policy and regul...

To kick off this podcast season we have Whitney Muse, Senior Policy Advisor at the White House in the Office of Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation for a conversation about the federal toolkit of resources that are in place to help advance the grid. This includes billions of dollars from grants, tax credits, loans and financing for infrastructure expansion, resilience, and the clean energy...

Even though Exelon is the largest energy delivery company in America, the company is committed to investing in local communities and helping all of their operating utilities achieve their goals. CEO Calvin Butler discusses how Exelon turns government policies into action and how it has also applied for $700 million in federal funding for infrastructure projects to address the needs of individual c...

What are the barriers to building transmission infrastructure? We know them well as planning, permitting, and paying. Rob Gramlich (founder and president of Grid Strategies LLC, executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid and executive director of the WATT Coalition) joins the former chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Rich Glick to unpack the complexities behind these...

This special episode of Grid Forward Chats starts with a conversation with Katherine Blunt, a reporter from the Wall Street Journal. Katherine recently published book California Burning which has been widely read and details PG&E in regard to the devastating California wildfires.  Katherine and Bryce talk about lessons that grid stakeholders are learning as wildfires have increasing impact on...

Henry Sanderson, Executive Director of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and author Volt Rush, wrote the book after he became aware of the scale of the resources needed for the clean energy transition. For the supply chain to provide the materials necessary for next-generation batteries, sourcing needs to be diversified to decrease risk. Geopolitical issues must also be considered when creating a sta...

This episode is a crossover episode from Redefining Energy. We hope you enjoy listening to this discussion of the energy crisis from a European perspective.   --------------------   Live from Brussels, on the 20th of June 2023, we were invited to interview Leonard Birnbaum. Since he came last on Redefining Energy (Ep50), the whole Energy Sector has been through hell with Russia invasion of Ukraine...

Debra Smith, the General Manager and CEO of Seattle City Light, interviews Mike Hummel after his recent retirement as general manager and CEO of Salt River Project. They reflect on how the industry has changed during his career and look ahead to the exciting advancements SRP will make to provide clean, reliable energy to its customers. Mike shares about his career including some of his proudest ac...

On this episode Grid Forward Advisor and guest host Ann McCabe, commissioner with the Illinois Commerce Commission, interviews Audrey Zibelman, former market operator in Australia, former regulator in NY, former investor at Google X, now an advisor to clean tech companies and organizations. They discuss how the industry can prepare the grid for future flexibility, while also protecting the interes...

How do we modernize the grid when fast-moving technology innovation hits the seemingly glacial pace of change in regulated markets like energy? To explore that quandary we gathered  the CEOs of an earlier stage, a growth stage and a later stage innovative grid solutions companies. Kaitlyn Albertoli of Buzz Solutions, Bill Burke of Virtual Peaker and Josh Wong of GE Digital. Listen in as they dive...

In this edition we explore the role of small modular nuclears (SMRs) in the energy system by talking with two industry veterans. Clayton Scott is EVP at NuScale Power, the first SMR company to receive Nuclear Regulatory Commission design approval. Ben Porath is COO at Dairyland Power Cooperative, a Midwest co-op looking to deploy SMRs on its grid. The two discuss the promise of modular nuclear pow...