# The Role of Energy Storage Systems in Combating Climate Change with Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESS

- Show: [Hardware to Save a Planet](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet)
- Published: 2024-05-09
- Length: 53m
- Episode: 52
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck
- Listen: https://podcasts.fame.so/e/1n20zljn-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-mike-wietecki-and-john-thomas

## Summary

Mike Wietecki of Powin and John Thomas of ESS discuss the scaling of battery energy storage systems to combat climate change. They compare lithium iron phosphate chemistry, which dominates short-duration applications, with ESS's iron flow batteries designed for long-duration storage. The panel highlights critical industry challenges, including interconnection queues, transformer shortages, and the need for clearer domestic content rules under the Inflation Reduction Act.

## Chapters

- [0:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=4) Introduction and Company Overviews
- [3:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=214) Battery Chemistries and Duration
- [12:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=773) Grid Economics and Intermittency
- [22:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=1324) Scaling Challenges and Supply Chain
- [27:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=1634) Impact of the Inflation Reduction Act
- [32:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=1972) Market Mechanisms and Regulation
- [35:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=2126) Oregon Ecosystem and Talent
- [40:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck#t=2415) Hybrid Systems and End-of-Life Recycling

## Topics

- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Powin (company)
- ESS (company)
- Tesla (company)
- Model S (product)
- Redwood (company)
- Siemens (company)
- Intel (company)
- Daimler (company)
- Green Lane (company)
- EPRI (company)
- Department of Energy (company)
- Lithium Iron Phosphate (material)
- Iron Flow Battery (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Four ways to store sunlight](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-05-25-four-ways-to-store-sunlight) (Catalyst)
- [What do you do with a 100-hour battery?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2023-12-14-what-do-you-do-with-a-100-hour-battery) (Catalyst)
- [Road trip to the deep space network](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-04-17-road-trip-to-the-deep-space-network) (The Amp Hour)
- [How to Save a Planet: Spark Tank! How Do We Solve the Energy Storage Problem?](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2022-07-01-how-to-save-a-planet-spark-tank-how-do-we-solve-the-energy-storage-problem) (Catalyst)
- [Repurposing EV batteries for grid storage](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/catalyst/2025-07-24-repurposing-ev-batteries-for-grid-storage) (Catalyst)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hardware-to-save-a-planet/2024-05-09-the-role-of-energy-storage-systems-in-combating-climate-change-with-mike-wieteck. 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 Hardware to Save a Planet.