Navigating the electricity gauntlet

Catalyst · 17 Aug 2023 · 50m

What this episode covers

Andy Lubershane, partner and head of research at Energy Impact Partners, joins Shayle Khan to discuss the 'electricity gauntlet,' where surging power demand from data centers, battery manufacturing, and EV charging collides with supply chain bottlenecks and regulatory hurdles. They analyze how the flatlining of electricity demand over the past two decades is ending, driven by new industrial loads like green hydrogen and generative AI, which are straining utility capacity. The conversation highlights critical short-term challenges, including a severe shortage of electrical transformers, interconnection queues, and the need for microgrids and carbon-future-proofed gas generation to bridge the gap until renewable firming technologies scale.

Mentioned

Companies
Energy Impact Partners, Bloom Energy, Energy Hub, EPA, Plug Power
Also
IRA, Chips Act

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