In this episode of the Energy Changemakers podcast, host Elisa Wood talks to three big thinkers in the electric power industry: Lorenzo Kristov, Kay Aikin, and Mark Paterson, who explain what it will take to create a democratized electric grid. Our guests also take on common grid fictions, such as the belief that virtual power plants provide an “easy button” to manage distributed energy. They offer a vision for a decentralized grid and describe programs in Colorado, Maine, and Australia paving the way.
00:00 Introduction to the Energy Changemakers Podcast
00:35 Understanding Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)
01:00 The Role of VPPs in the Energy Grid
02:45 Contrarian Views on VPPs and Distributed Energy
03:23 Introducing the Expert Panel
06:22 Lorenzo Kristov's Vision for a Decentralized Grid
13:29 Kay Aikin's Critique of Virtual Power Plants
17:29 Mark Paterson's Insights from Australia
30:40 Harnessing Rooftop Solar Potential
31:32 Challenges in Large-Scale Energy Transformation
33:39 Market Structures and DERs
35:08 Strategic Transformation Processes
37:55 Performance-Based Regulation and Dynamic Pricing
39:05 Promising Jurisdictions and Examples
42:20 Localized Valuing and Monetization of DERs
44:20 Reforming Distribution Utilities
53:51 The Value Proposition of DERs
55:54 Concluding Thoughts and Future Discussions
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