Hardware Podcasts

The rise of grid power electronics with Drew Baglino

Catalyst · 19 Feb 2026 · 50m

What this episode covers

Drew Baglino, founder and CEO of Heron Power and former Tesla energy leader, explains how solid-state transformers (SSTs) use silicon carbide power electronics to replace aging, passive grid infrastructure. He details the severe transformer shortage driven by data center demand and regulatory uncertainty, and outlines how Heron’s SSTs simplify solar/battery interconnections and enable direct DC power distribution in data centers, removing 70% of traditional electrical equipment. Baglino argues that SSTs offer a pathway to grid affordability by increasing the utilization of existing wires through dynamic control.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Heron Power, Tesla, Wolfspeed, Fineon, SMA, Huawei, Sungrow, EnergyHub
Products
Solid State Transformer, Heron Link
Materials
Silicon Carbide, Gallium Nitride

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