# How Base Power plans to use its fresh $1B [re-published]

- Show: [Catalyst](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst)
- Published: 2026-04-16
- Length: 39m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published

## Summary

Zach Dell, CEO and co-founder of Base Power, explains how the company plans to use its $1 billion Series C funding to scale its vertical integration strategy, aiming to deliver residential battery storage cheaper and faster than utility-scale alternatives. Dell details Base's 'gentailer' business model in ERCOT, where they own and operate large residential batteries (25-50 kWh) to provide affordable backup power while earning revenue through retail electricity sales and grid arbitrage. He also discusses the company's expansion into regulated markets, where they sell capacity directly to utilities, leveraging their vertically integrated hardware and installation processes to lower costs and improve deployment speed.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=7) Introduction and Base Power Overview
- [4:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=263) The Gentailer Business Model in ERCOT
- [12:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=762) Vertical Integration and Cost Advantages
- [21:12](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=1272) Designing for Installation Efficiency
- [24:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=1478) Managing Workforce and Demand Spikes
- [28:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=1687) Customer Churn and Product Value
- [31:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=1870) ERCOT Volatility and Risk Management
- [33:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published#t=2033) Expansion into Regulated Markets

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Base Power (company)
- Tesla (company)
- EnergyHub (company)
- Sunrun (company)
- SolarCity (company)
- ERCOT (other)
- Powerwall (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [10x Grid Storage: How Mesh Batteries Are Revolutionizing Home Energy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-05-08-10x-grid-storage-how-mesh-batteries-are-revolutionizing-home-energy) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [Like a steam engine in your house](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2025-04-15-like-a-steam-engine-in-your-house) (The Amp Hour)
- [Smart Electrical Panels: Avoiding $25K Upgrades to Enable Home Electrification with Arch Rao](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2025-10-16-smart-electrical-panels-avoiding-25k-upgrades-to-enable-home-electrification-wit) (Hardware to Save a Planet)
- [HIBT Lab! BlocPower: Donnel Baird](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-07-07-hibt-lab-blocpower-donnel-baird) (How I Built This)
- [Reinvesting in our cities with renewable energy with Donnel Baird of BlocPower (2022)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-06-22-reinvesting-in-our-cities-with-renewable-energy-with-donnel-baird-of-blocpower-2) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2026-04-16-how-base-power-plans-to-use-its-fresh-1b-re-published. 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.