Hardware Podcasts

Introducing: With Great Power, a show about the people building the future grid

Catalyst · 18 Jan 2023 · 21m

What this episode covers

Brad Langley hosts Karl Popham, Manager of Electric Vehicles and Emerging Technologies at Austin Energy, to discuss how utilities can drive EV adoption through a dealership-centric approach. Popham explains that Austin Energy created an EV Buyers Guide to mimic the Tesla shopping experience and engaged local dealerships by focusing on salesperson profitability rather than just utility goals. He outlines a five-pillar strategy covering infrastructure, outreach, grid integration, equity, and fleets, arguing that EVs offer utilities a profitable revenue stream by utilizing off-peak capacity and providing reliable demand response.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Austin Energy, Gridex, Postscript Media
Products
With Great Power, Catalyst, Tesla, EV Buyers Guide

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • EE Times Current · 37m

    Solving a Renewables Problem with Electric Vehicles

    Ritesh Tyagi, head of product innovation and growth strategy at Infineon, explains that while power generation is sufficient, the electrical grid's 100-year-old infrastructure struggles with transmission and managing peak demand from renewables and EVs. He argues that Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology allows the massive battery capacity of EVs to act as distributed storage, stabilizing the grid. Tyagi emphasizes that modernizing the grid requires next-generation semiconductors like silicon carbide and gallium nitride, along with increased sensor integration and AI for intelligent load management.

    Energy & climate techWireless & RF
    7 chapters

  • Over the Air · 31m

    Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron

    Nick Tumilowicz, Director of Product Management at Itron, discusses the challenges of managing the aging electrical grid amid the energy transition, focusing on transformer capacity limits and the shift to underground infrastructure. He explains how Itron leverages its installed base of smart meters as edge compute devices to enable real-time, autonomous load management for distributed energy resources like EVs and solar. The conversation covers the long sales cycles in the utility sector, the cultural differences in grid adoption between the US and Europe, and the importance of balancing technological innovation with customer incentives.

    Energy & climate techConnected products & IoT
    8 chapters

  • IoT For All Podcast · 18m

    Preparing the Energy Grid for EVs with IoT | Itron's Nick Tumilowicz | Internet of Things Podcast

    Nick Tumilowicz, Director of Product Management at Itron, explains how IoT software and smart meters can manage the grid's capacity for electric vehicle (EV) charging. He details the risks of transformer overloads and the need for real-time data to optimize charging schedules without waiting for multi-year infrastructure upgrades. The discussion highlights the challenges of EV heterogeneity, proprietary protocols, and the business conflict between utilities and vehicle OEMs over customer ownership.

    Energy & climate techConnected products & IoT
    8 chapters

  • The Amp Hour · 1h 20m

    Renewable Energy Policy with Ari Gerstman

    Ari Gerstman, from the Department of Energy's Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP), discusses the transformative impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, which have allocated $100 billion to shift the US energy paradigm. He explains how massive electrification, driven by EVs and heat pumps, is creating unprecedented grid load, forcing utilities to choose between expensive infrastructure upgrades and distributed energy resources like microgrids and batteries. Gerstman highlights the regulatory challenges of investor-owned utilities, the importance of energy efficiency codes, and the social equity issues surrounding flat electricity rates for low-income residents.

    Policy, trade & tariffsEnergy & climate tech
    9 chapters

  • The Next Byte Podcast · 27m

    197. This Smart Charger = More EVs

    Georgia Tech researchers have developed a smart charging algorithm that optimizes EV charging times to reduce grid stress, lower costs, and prioritize renewable energy sources. The system considers grid load, electricity pricing, household usage patterns, and user preferences to schedule 'windowed charging' during off-peak hours. Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss how this technology, which can be licensed to automakers and charger manufacturers, addresses the potential 33% increase in home electricity demand from widespread EV adoption. They highlight the importance of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) in enabling universal smart charging solutions across different vehicle brands.

    Energy & climate techConnected products & IoT
    7 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Catalyst. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.