Sponsored by: EDF Renewables

When it comes to the utility-scale and residential solar sectors in the US, Daniel Cruise, partner at Lium Research, says current trends tell a tale of two markets. While research from the team at Lium points to a booming utility-scale market that is enjoying record construction starts, the residential market is struggling in California and beyond. Other highlights from our conversation include:

• With sourcing of solar modules a hot topic in the news, Cruise notes that NextEra is switching to Indian suppliers for many of its large scale solar projects.
• Cruise predicts 40 gigawatts of new solar will be interconnected to the grid in 2024, with an additional 50 gigawatts to follow in 2025.
• Noting a decline in the fervor surrounding overall renewables markets in the last year or two, Cruise shares his insights on suspected causes ... and possible remedies.

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables

Rob Gramlich, the founder and president of Grid Strategies, discusses the challenges faced by the US grid in accommodating increasing demand for renewable energy sources, including power demand growth, limited grid capacity, and constraints in the interconnection process. Rob highlights the importance of building transmission infrastructure and leveraging battery storage to ease grid stress during peak summer hours. Rob also shares his perspectives on the Inflation Reduction Act's impact on clean energy, including the significance of storage tax credits and the need for transmission cost allocation policies to develop the grid. Finally, Rob emphasizes the importance of maximizing clean energy sources and leveraging energy storage to provide value in the system.

More resources from EDF Renewables
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With the American Clean Power Association’s brand new RECHARGE conference taking place this week in Portland, Oregon, we decided to bring on a guest who is the leader of a battery energy storage company that just so happens to be headquartered in The Rose City. Chris Taylor, the CEO of GridStor, has been in the renewables industry for a long time, so he joins the show to discuss the origins of GridStor and how the battery sector has grown in recent years. Ahead of his appearance on the "A View From the Top - Energy Storage Leadership Fireside Chat" panel discussion at the RECHARGE conference, Chris also shares his insights about the state of the marketplace and how factors like the Inflation Reduction Act and growth in energy storage procurement among utilities and corporations are driving big interest in batteries.

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables.

Leaders from across the renewable energy industry are gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this week for the CLEANPOWER conference. This annual gathering, hosted by the American Clean Power Association, is always a great chance to check in on the key issues and trends that are driving the energy transition. Adam Bernardi, director of renewables sales and strategy at Burns & McDonnell, joins the show to talk about what he's hearing at CLEANPOWER and out in the marketplace. Key topics from our conversation include:

• The recent filing of Anti-Dumping/Countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) petitions on U.S. imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells
• Concerns about breakers being in short supply
• Aspects of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that are and aren't working well
• Robot technology at solar sites
• Workforce and apprenticeship initiatives
• Domestic content
• Shared lessons learned from Burns & McDonnell's projects
• Pop culture references to "Robocop," the Kevin Kline movie "Dave," the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs and ... yes ... Taylor Swift.

More resources from EDF Renewables
Who we serve

More resources from Burns & McDonnell
How to Drive Predictable Results With an Integrated EPC Team

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This episode is sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG:
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals

It's tax season, so it's time to once again hear from Lauren Collins, a partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins. Lauren has become a regular guest on this podcast as she stops by about once a year to share her insights on all the tax issues related to the Inflation Reduction Act. During our conversation, Lauren touches on an array of specific topics, including:

• Domestic content credits
• Direct pay
• Transferable tax credits
• Energy community credits
• Credits related to hydrogen production
• And much more...

If you want to learn more about which tax aspects of the IRA are off to a great ... and which aspects might be stumbling out of the starting block, give this episode a listen.

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We can produce all the renewable energy we want, but the march to net zero will take an unnecessarily long time if all that power is being used in inefficient buildings. Buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy related carbon emissions around the world. That means any conversation about reducing emissions and achieving net-zero goals will have to feature insights about the efficient construction and – perhaps more importantly – operation of buildings.

Mark Reinbold, vice president of Global Sustainable Infrastructure at Johnson Controls, joins the show to discuss what he gleaned from attending COP28 in Dubai about how business executives and other experts are factoring infrastructure into their sustainability strategies. Mark shares some of the key findings from research Johnson Controls conducted with Forrester Consulting about smart building trends and outlines the role technologies like artificial intelligence are playing amid the expansion of the concept of net zero buildings-as-a-service.

Highlights from Mark Reinbold

Conversations about sustainability with global leaders - (2:08)
Common roadblocks to more sustainable infrastructure - (6:39)
Have global gatherings like COP and Davos 'jumped the shark'? - (8:19)
Any deal follow-up from COP28 - (10:26)
Expanding Net Zero-as-a-Service - (13:10)
Key takeaways from Forrester Research on smart building trends - (16:20)
Examples of artificial intelligence delivering for smart buildings - (19:16)
Showcase project: University of North Dakota - (23:41)
How renewable energy is factoring into projects - (26:16)

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The battery energy storage sector was already in a strong position before the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, the industry is charging up for a boom.

Mike Wietecki, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Powin, joins the show to share his insights on the technology and trends that are driving energy storage growth. Mike does a deep dive on how the Inflation Reduction Act is providing additional momentum for the sector, including how investment tax credits related to labor, location and domestic content are having a big impact on manufacturing.

Mike also delves into the jobs-related politics of renewables and the IRA; and how Powin is working with companies like IKEA to create a blueprint for the expansion of the battery energy storage market.

Highlights from Mike Wietecki

Basics about battery energy storage - (2:41)
Powin's current customer base - (7:15)
Common questions from customers about energy storage - (8:34)
How Powin keeps the lights on in Sydney, Australia - (11:10)
How the Inflation Reduction Act has supercharged the battery sector - (13:20)
The importance of IRA guidance related to domestic content - (15:41)
Powin's current manufacturing footprint - (19:43)
The crucial role the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office - (21:05)
Untangling supply chain issues - (22:14)
Political headwinds - (25:00)
Why speed is key for IRA projects - (27:22)
Creating a battery blueprint with coporate partners like IKEA - (29:25)
Batteries boosting grid resiliency in places like Texas and Califronia - (32:20)
Mike's bold predicitons - (33:54)
Biden administration's risky IRA politics - (34:30)
Will we see a government pricing scheme for carbon? - (36:35)

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Sponsored by: KPMG

The Statistical Review of World Energy, which is compiled by the Energy Institute, offers a comprehensive look at global energy production, consumption, trade and emissions. Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth joins the show to discuss some of the key takeaways from the most recent edition of the review, including region- and country-specific growth of renewables and how the industry is navigating a 'Triple Crises' spawned by the pandemic and geopolitics. Wayth also outlines the progress on the energy transition that he hopes will materialize at COP28.

More resources from KPMG
Energy Institute 2023 Statistical Review of World Energy
The Hydrogen Horizon
Energy & Chemicals

Highlights from Nick Wayth
Background info about the Energy Institute - (2:47)
The history of the Statistical Review of World Energy - (3:47)
Key takeaways from this year's review - (4:59)
Specifics about the growth of renewables - (6:34)
Data related to key minerals - (10:05)
Headwinds for offshore wind - (12:34)
Geopolitics and the 'Triple Crises' - (15:34)
Under-the-radar nuggets of info from the review - (19:07)
The regional outlook for Africa - (22:43)
What to expect from COP28 - (28:33)
Nick's bold predictions about changes to the energy landscape - (30:03)

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