# With Great Power: What other industries can teach utilities about innovation

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2023-08-04
- Length: 28m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation

## Summary

Raiford Smith, former Google global head of energy and current chief innovation officer at AES, discusses transforming utilities from conservative 'railroads' into innovative 'telecoms.' He details Google's 24/7 carbon-free energy strategy, which required advanced analytics and flexible asset portfolios, and explains how AI and distributed analytics can modernize grid operations. Smith argues that utilities must overcome regulatory lag and integrate diverse technical skills, such as data science and cybersecurity, to manage the accelerating pace of the energy transition.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=0) Introduction: Raiford Smith and the crossover from Google to AES
- [2:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=153) Google's 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Strategy and Analytics
- [6:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=377) Innovation at Google X and the Role of AI/ML
- [9:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=582) Distributed Analytics and the Future Grid
- [11:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=684) Hiring Diverse Talent: Data Science and Cybersecurity
- [13:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=810) Tech-Utility Partnerships and Dynamic Load Shifting
- [17:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=1029) AES's Clean Energy Strategy and Bellfield Solar Plus Storage
- [18:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=1097) Utilities as Railroads vs. Telecoms
- [19:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=1190) Regulatory Lag and Business Model Mismatch
- [24:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation#t=1464) Grid Interconnection Backlog and Scaling Speed

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- AES (company)
- Google (company)
- Duke Energy (company)
- CPS (company)
- Entergy (company)
- Southern Company (company)
- Enron (company)
- NRG (company)
- X (company)
- Bellfield solar plus storage project (product)
- GridX (company)
- Post Script Media (company)
- Canary Media (company)
- Antenna Group (company)
- RE+ (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Aligning Passion With Purpose: A Journey to Electrification and Sustainability](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2025-06-17-aligning-passion-with-purpose-a-journey-to-electrification-and-sustainability) (Moore's Lobby)
- [Managing Energy At The Edge: Navigating The Modern Grid With Itron](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2024-09-05-managing-energy-at-the-edge-navigating-the-modern-grid-with-itron) (Over the Air)
- [Industrial Digital Transformation with Aravind Yarlagadda, Chief Digital Officer at Eaton](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/over-the-air/2023-08-17-industrial-digital-transformation-with-aravind-yarlagadda-chief-digital-officer) (Over the Air)
- [Decentralizing the Energy Grid | Evergen's Nick McGrath | Internet of Things Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/iot-for-all-podcast/2022-11-15-decentralizing-the-energy-grid-evergens-nick-mcgrath-internet-of-things-podcast) (IoT For All Podcast)
- [Smart Grid](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/ee-times-current/2018-09-21-smart-grid) (EE Times Current)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-08-04-with-great-power-what-other-industries-can-teach-utilities-about-innovation. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Catalyst.