Shows
Energy Capital PodcastTexas Got Tested, Grid Stayed UprightTexas just got another winter gut-check—not on the level of the deadly 2021 freeze, but still with enough ice, outages, and anxious headlines to remind everyone how fast confidence can evaporate.In this episode, Matt Boms and Josh Rhodes unpack what they saw in real time. The biggest takeaways are simple: a lot has improved, and some of the hardest problems are still sitting right in the open.“There were a lot of questions… what has changed since Winter Storm Uri [in 2021]. The first part of that is absolutely the winterization efforts.”“Texas deserves a lot of cre...
2026-01-3132 min
Energy Capital PodcastIs Texas Ready for Winter Now? (with Will McAdams)In two weeks, Texas will observe the five-year anniversary of Winter Storm Uri — the devastating 2021 freeze that drove electricity demand to unprecedented heights, froze gas lines and plants, and triggered a blackout that darkened nearly half of the state.The anniversary will come just days after the latest arctic blast hits Texas; this coming weekend, people across the state will likely see lows well below freezing, as well as snow and freezing rain.It’s meaningful that state leaders expressed confidence this week that “there will be sufficient generation to meet demand this winter,” thanks both to...
2026-01-2139 min
Energy Capital PodcastMore Power that's Faster and Fairer — Roundtable DiscussionTexas is not short on energy.Texas is short on time.New load is arriving faster than the grid can plan, permit, and build, raising a question that will shape our state’s future: can Texas grow without sacrificing reliability or pushing costs onto the wrong people?That was the backdrop for our first Energy Capital roundtable with Matt Boms, Joshua Rhodes, and Micalah Spenrath.The Defining Story of 2025When we talked about the biggest energy story of 2025, everything circled back to load. Not just more demand, but uncertain de...
2026-01-0827 min
Energy Capital PodcastFlexibility Driving Reliability and Affordability with Matt BomsThis episode is a little different. As I wrote on Friday: this is both a transition and an expansion. Several folks will be stepping up to use this platform and I couldn’t be more excited to hear what comes next.A platform, now with more places to standArchimedes said: “Give me a place to stand and I will move the Earth.” This podcast will become a platform for more people to stand.The podcast is moving into a multi-host format, and one of those new voices is Matt Boms, Execut...
2025-12-1438 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow Much Are Texans' Power Bills Going Up? with TEPRI's Margo WeiszEveryone’s talking about the cost of power lately. But the Texas Energy Poverty Research Institute has been studying, talking, writing, and working to do something about it, for over a decade. In recent research, TEPRI found that 65 percent of low and moderate income Texans are cutting back on essential energy use, often turning off AC in extreme heat. But their demand reductions aren’t necessarily saving them much money or supporting the grid. Affordability is now a very high salience issue and there’s no one better to help us understand than TEPRI Executive Direct...
2025-12-1044 min
Energy Capital PodcastReplay: Using Wasted Energy to Power AI with Crusoe's Cully CavnessThanksgiving Week RepostThis episode originally aired in June 2024. We’re resurfacing it because the core idea discussed here were timely then and even more timely now.We’ve also refreshed the audio, with improved mixing and mastering for a clearer, smoother listen.Crusoe has scaled dramatically since this conversation, including major new funding and new projects in Texas. With so much energy news focused on problems, it felt right this week to highlight solutions in action.When most people see flares in the Permian, they wonder why all that energy is bein...
2025-11-2656 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow AI Data Centers Can Go From Villain to Hero with Varun Sivaram“Everyone hates data centers.”That was the subject line on the email newsletter from Heatmap Daily the day before I sat down with Dr. Varun Sivaram, co-founder and CEO of Emerald AI. Communities see huge new loads coming onto the grid, hear about billions in new infrastructure, and worry that their bills will go up.It doesn’t have to work that way.Varun argues there are two paths. On the villain path, AI data centers drive up power bills and increase the likelihood of outages. On the hero path, they become flexible grid a...
2025-11-1954 min
Energy Capital PodcastIt's Going to Happen First in Texas with Nat Bullard (Part 2)This is part 2 of my conversation with Nat Bullard. Check out Part 1 here:We talk a lot about the grid of the future. The truth is, that future is already showing up in Texas.Batteries are being built at record pace, data centers are chasing cheap and reliable power, and Texans are adding gigawatts worth of backup systems in homes, schools, and factories.I sat down with energy analyst Nat Bullard to ask a simple question: if we look at what is actually being built — not the rhetorical arguments happening online, but what is...
2025-11-1238 min
Energy Capital PodcastInformation Is Infrastructure with Nat Bullard (Part 1)This is Part 1 of my conversation with Nat. Part 2 will be out next Wednesday. The Video is Live on YouTubeTexas has plenty of energy stories. The harder part is finding the signal through the noise of endless filings. That is why Nat Bullard’s new venture, Halcyon, matters. It turns piles of ERCOT and PUC dockets into something manageable. It’s AI that makes dense regulatory filings sortable and understandable.Meanwhile, Nat’s annual presentation has become must-read material for anyone trying to understand what’s happening in the world of energy: the mark...
2025-11-0540 min
Energy Capital PodcastBuilding a Solar Supply Chain in Texas with T1's CEO Daniel BarceloThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comMost solar panels are imported from China which now has the ability to manufacture over a terawatt (1,000 gigawatts) of solar modules every year — roughly equal to the entire installed base of generation in the US inclusive from every energy source.America makes less than 1/20 of that amount and even less when it comes to the more difficult task of manufacturing cells. But Texas is known for manufacturing and T1 — short for Type 1 civilization — is building solar manufacturing in Tex...
2025-10-2920 min
Energy Capital PodcastInnovation and Investment in ERCOT: Recorded Live from GCPAThe full video is on YoutubeTexas isn’t just projecting future load growth; it’s happening now. Maura Yates of Mothership Innovations set the stage for our discussion at GCPA’s Fall conference earlier this month in Austin. “We are looking at meters that are 800 megawatts on a single meter… that’s crazy. We used to think 10 megawatts was a big deal…” She also cut through the headline noise: “The next three years are really critical… This is the them we are hearing at this conference: it’s a near term discussion...
2025-10-2241 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow Data Centers Can Strengthen the Texas Grid with Camus Energy CEO Astrid AtkinsonWatch the Conversation on YouTubeHeadlines warn that data centers are straining the Texas grid. The reality is more interesting: data centers — through their own flexibility and by supporting distributed flexibility markets — can strengthen the grid.I explored that topic and a lot more with Astrid Atkinson, CEO and co-founder of Camus Energy and former senior reliability engineer at Google. At Google, she led teams responsible for keeping the world’s search engine online, matching computing load to available capacity across continents. Her lessons from that experience translates well to the grid: reliability doesn’...
2025-10-151h 03
Energy Capital PodcastBeyond the Tax Credit Cliff with Freedom Solar CEO Bret BiggartThe federal 30% solar tax credit has driven demand for solar but it’s about to expire. And when it does, some worry the bottom will fall out of the market. But what’s actually emerging looks less like a collapse and more like a shift which could lead to bigger growth down the road.In this episode, Bret Biggart, CEO of Freedom Solar, offers a grounded look at how a major Texas-based installer is adapting in these uncertain times. Freedom Solar began in Austin and now operates across Texas, one of the fastest-growing residential markets in the coun...
2025-10-0857 min
Energy Capital PodcastNRG's Gigawatt VPP in Texas with Travis KavullaTexas load is rising fast, supply chains are tight, and the cheapest near-term resource is demand we shape intentionally. But are the right economic signals there to bring this resource to scale?Texas has a highly competitive power supply market, but the demand side is severely underdeveloped. In my conversation with Travis Kavulla, former Montana PSC Chairman and current leader in retail innovation, we explored how Texas can unlock the cheapest near-term resource by shaping demand on purpose.Retailers now have both the data and tools to automate flexibility in homes and small businesses. That’s...
2025-10-0257 min
Energy Capital PodcastAI, Outage Risks, and Market Opportunities with Lynne Kiesling (Part 2)In Part 1 of my conversation with economist Lynne Kiesling, we traced how monopoly utilities and central planning helped electrify the country. That model worked. Economies of scale and guaranteed returns brought capital into the system, and within a few decades, nearly every home had electricity.But the world has changed. Technologies are smaller, decentralized, and more flexible. Risks are more complex. Consumers expect more than just “the light turns on.” In some areas, the old model now creates perverse incentives: rewarding capital spending over performance, insulating utilities from risk, and slowing innovation.So the question is...
2025-09-2439 min
Energy Capital PodcastWhy the Old Utility Business Model Doesn’t Fit Anymore with Lynne Kiesling (Part 1)Over a hundred years ago, the monopoly business utility model emerged as the one that could attract sufficient capital to electrify everything.The monopoly utility business was championed by Thomas Edison’s protégé and early leader of ComEd in Chicago, Sam Insull.It worked. By mid-century, most Americans had power.But today, competition for generation and retail have shown that monopolies are not necessary. Texas is a poster child for for competition but even Texas has little competition on the distribution side — and the cost of distribution is skyrocketing with no ability for co...
2025-09-1743 min
Energy Capital PodcastWhy Are Energy Bills Rising So Fast? A Conversation with Charles HuaWatch the Full Conversation with Graphs on YouTube (Updated)Utility bills are rising faster than ever. In the first half of 2025 alone, utilities requested $29 billion in rate increases, already a record for any full year, with months still to go. That’s more than double the pace of 2024.If you’re wondering why, you’re not alone. I hear this question constantly: “If renewables lower costs, why is my bill going up?”The answer: transmission and distribution. The costs of poles, wires, substations, and local infrastructure that move electricity from plants to homes i...
2025-09-091h 10
Energy Capital PodcastWATCH: Texas Power RushThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comThis is my recent presentation on the latest trends in Texas energy and power for subscribers called the “Texas Power Rush,” followed by a Q&A.
2025-09-031h 04
Energy Capital Podcast"One of the Hottest Data Center Markets in the Country" with CPS Energy's CEO Rudy GarzaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comSan Antonio is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and have requests to interconnect AI infrastructure and data centers that would triple their size. With that growth comes a simple but daunting challenge: how do you keep the air conditioning on while growing the economy and keeping bills affordable?CPS Energy, the nation’s fifth largest municipally owned utility, sits at the center of this challenge. Rudy Garza, CPS’s president and CEO, has spent the last...
2025-08-2820 min
Energy Capital PodcastHere Comes the Sun: Bill McKibben on Solar’s Breakout MomentSometimes I get to bring you a conversation that really feels like a turning point.This week, I sat down with Bill McKibben, one of the most respected voices in climate and energy. His new book, Here Comes the Sun (out today! order it here), is different from his earlier work. Bill has long been known for sounding the alarm. But this time, he’s bringing something else: optimism.Why? Because solar and other clean technologies are no longer “someday.” They are scaling now — all around the world — faster than anyone predicted.Solar’s...
2025-08-1951 min
Energy Capital PodcastFlexibility as a Service with Octopus Energy US CEO Nick ChasetThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.com🎧 Listen to the first 15+ minutes for free, and if you’re a paid subscriber and want to listen in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, just connect your private Substack feed. Here is the a link with step-by-step instructions. You can also hear the full episode in Substack; just make sure you’re logged in with the email linked to your subscription.Texas’ retail electricity market was built to be a model for the world. When the state restructured its power...
2025-08-1318 min
Energy Capital PodcastShortcast: None of the AboveIn this week’s Energy Capital Podcast, I revisit my recent article, None of the Above, with added commentary. Please give it a listen and let me know what you think in the comments.All of the Above vs. None of the AboveFor years, U.S. energy policy has been framed as “all of the above.” No red or blue electrons, just building what works.The new budget bill flips that script and is leaving closer to none of the above. The administration’s preferred resources aren’t available at scale:* Nuclea...
2025-08-0618 min
Energy Capital PodcastTexas Businesses To Pay 54% More for PowerThis podcast is on YouTube with Graphs Congress’ new budget bill is an energy earthquake. It could wipe out tens of gigawatts of energy production, just as we’re experiencing load growth unlike anything since the 1960’s. It will drive power bills higher for families and factories, and give China the upper hand in the race for 21st century economic supremacy.To understand in more detail the impacts of the federal budget bill, this week on the Energy Capital Podcast, I talked with Dan O’Brien, senior modeling analyst at Energy Innovation. His team mod...
2025-07-3034 min
Energy Capital Podcast21st Century Fire: What Recent Wildfires Tell Us About Our FutureIn May 2016, a wildfire ripped through Fort McMurray, the heart of Canada’s tar sands and bitumen mining region, with a speed and intensity unlike anything firefighters had seen before. It created its own weather. And it triggered the largest evacuation in Canadian history, which had to happen within mere hours.But this fire wasn’t just a freak event. It was a warning of more to come. Since then, Texas experienced its biggest wildfire ever — the Smokehouse Creek Fire — in 2024. On the latest episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I talked with John Vaillant, author o...
2025-07-2454 min
Energy Capital PodcastEnergy ScarcityEither the Texas grid is highly reliable, or the sky is falling.Spoiler alert: bet against the latter.A June report from the Texas Reliability Entity (which has federal statutory responsibility to report on Texas’ grid risks) shows that the ERCOT grid is increasingly reliable. That’s mostly because of solar and battery storage additions to the state’s energy portfolio.It also directly contradicts a report from President Trump’s Department of Energy, released about a week later, which said Texas faces a severe and shocking likelihood of outages every year — including this year...
2025-07-1710 min
Energy Capital PodcastNuclear Goes Modular to Meet AI Demand with Aalo's Matt LoszakIn this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I sat down with Matt Loszak, co-founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, a startup based in Austin, Texas, that’s reimagining how we build nuclear energy. 🎧 Listen to the first 15+ minutes for free, and if you’re a paid subscriber and want to listen in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, just connect your private Substack … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.texasenergyandpower.com/subscribe
2025-07-1240 min
Energy Capital PodcastShape Load Perfectly, Inject Energy Optimally with Sonnen's Blake RichettaWe’re on the verge of one of the biggest energy shifts in decades: the increasing use of demand side resources.They’re often referred to as Virtual Power Plants, or VPPs. Add together thousands of rooftop solar installations and home batteries and you reach levels of power equal to medium sized power plants. They add power capacity, can provide key grid support in ancillary services, and give consumers uninterrupted power during outages of any kind.Unfortunately, the budget bill passed yesterday by the Senate would make this much harder. (We talked about the bill and...
2025-07-021h 08
Energy Capital PodcastShortcast: Solar Jobs Are Not "Fentanyl Jobs"Anti-energy crusaders have a lot of facts wrong. I’ll break that down in this video. They’re also personally insulting the hard-working men and women in the renewable energy industry, calling solar jobs “fentanyl jobs.” They should apologize to the hard-working Americans helping to make our grid stronger every day.The ERCOT CEO told the Board earlier this week that solar and storage has strengthened our grid. Our risk of an energy emergency went from 16% one year to ago to 0.5% this year “because of the contributions of new resources on the grid.” Those resour...
2025-06-2715 min
Energy Capital PodcastShortcast: "Energy Inflation"This is the read-aloud version of my June 26 article, now on YouTube & the Energy Capital PodcastI don’t usually record readings of my articles, but I made an exception for this one.If Congress passes the budget bill as is, it would spike energy costs for families and businesses and cause serious economic harm.So I sat down and read the piece aloud with a few added thoughts and commentary as I went.Watch on YouTubeRead the original article hereWhat you’ll get in the epis...
2025-06-2712 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe End of Solar & Battery Manufacturing in America?The U.S. was finally catching up.After decades of watching solar manufacturing develop overseas, mostly in China, the Inflation Reduction Act gave domestic producers a fighting chance. Texas responded in a big way. New factories broke ground. OCI and its sister company, Mission Solar, prepared to launch a full supply chain operation in San Antonio, including the rare addition of cell manufacturing, one of the most critical (and missing) links in our solar economy.Now? All of it hangs in the balance.I sat down with Sabah Bayatli, President of OCI Energy...
2025-06-251h 01
Energy Capital PodcastEconomic Eclipse: Congress Tries to Block the Sun with SEIA's Sean Gallagher & Daniel GieseTexas is adding solar at a faster pace than any other state. Solar and storage are powering Texas’ manufacturing renaissance, creating jobs, and lowering customers’ bills; even the state’s oil and gas sector is an eager consumer of solar power.And renewables are also pumping tens of billions of dollars into local — mostly rural — economies in the form of landowner payments and tax payments. We’re on track to add another 8-10 gigawatts in 2025, after adding about that much in 2024.In this week’s episode, I sat down with Sean Gallagher, Senior Vice President...
2025-06-1953 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Senate Should Not SurrenderOn Wednesday, I published Energy Submission, a piece on how the U.S. is at risk of abandoning the battle for 21st economic supremacy as China accelerates its energy dominance. I recorded this podcast episode to go a little deeper into the consequences of the House-passed reconciliation bill and what we risk losing if we dismantle the tools driving the energy future. It’s available on YouTube with full charts and visualsEnergy isn’t just one issue among many, it’s a foundational issue. In what the IEA has dubbed the Age of Ele...
2025-06-1324 min
Energy Capital Podcast"It's Easier to Build Here," Texas Energy After the 89th Legislature with Claire HaoThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comThe Texas legislative session just wrapped. As always, energy was front and center. And once again, there were sweeping efforts to pass bills that would limit energy development in Texas.🎧 Listen to the first 25+ minutes for free, and if you’re a paid subscriber and want to listen in Apple Podcasts or Spotify, just connect your private Substack feed. H…
2025-06-0428 min
Energy Capital PodcastSolutions Over Theatrics with Texas House Energy Resources Chairman Drew DarbyWith just ten days left in the legislative session, a lot of attention is (rightfully) focused on bad bills. But some lawmakers are pushing forward thoughtful, future-focused energy policy and Chairman Drew Darby is at the forefront.For this episode, I sat down with Chairman Darby, a West Texas Republican and Chairman of the House Energy Resources Committee, to talk about what an energy-secure Texas really looks like and how we get there.We covered a wide range of topics: from his 50-year career in oil and gas law, including getting started during the oil...
2025-05-2349 min
Energy Capital PodcastPowering the Next Texas Economic Miracle with Glenn HamerAI data centers. Semiconductor fabs. Oil and gas electrification. Desalination. Rising population. Texas is booming and it needs massive amounts of electricity to fuel that growth.We’re already using more power than ever. ERCOT projects demand will grow by 60,000 megawatts in just five years. That would be like adding the current peak demand of California on top of Texas. But instead of clearing the path for new energy development, some would slow it down — and slow down the economy with it.This week, I spoke with Glenn Hamer, President and CEO of the Texas Asso...
2025-05-2044 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Impact of Limiting Renewables in Texas with Olivier BeaufilsNote: The Podcast Recording with Graphs is Here.What would happen if Texas started turning away new wind and solar projects or even retiring some of the capacity we already have?That’s not merely a hypothetical. It’s what several bills that have passed the Texas Senate aim to do. And according to new modeling from Aurora Energy Research, the consequences could be severe: higher prices, increased risk of rolling outages, and weaker reliability at the very moment we need the grid to do more.I sat down with Olivier Beaufils, Head of U...
2025-05-1553 min
Energy Capital PodcastTexas' Renewable Energy Growth with Suncast's Nico JohnsonTexas has added more new power supply over the last four years than any other state and over 90% of it has been wind, solar, and storage. Today, renewable energy is no longer "alternative" in Texas. It is the backbone of our power grid.At this year’s Intersolar North America conference, I sat down with Nico Johnson, host of the excellent Suncast podcast, for a conversation about how the Texas energy market got here, where it’s headed, and what it means for the future of clean energy across the country.We talked about how Texa...
2025-05-0737 min
Energy Capital PodcastTexas' Load Growth Challenges – And Opportunities, with Arushi Sharma FrankLarge load growth is one of the most urgent challenges and opportunities for the grid.From data centers to factories to electrified oil and gas operations, demand on the ERCOT grid is expected to soar. If we don’t load forecasting and planning right, we risk higher costs, more outages, and a weaker grid. If we do it right, we can build a more resilient, affordable, and flexible system for decades to come.On this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I’m joined by Arushi Sharma Frank, energy policy expert, consultant, and Substack writer, for...
2025-05-011h 10
SunCastInside Texas’ Renewable Energy Boom—and the Policy Risks Ahead | Doug Lewin & Nico Johnson Texas: where oil and gas once reigned supreme—and now, renewables are rewriting the rules.In this special live episode recorded at Intersolar & Energy Storage North America 2025, Doug Lewin and Nico Johnson flip the script. Doug takes the mic to interview Nico about his biggest takeaways from the show, and the two dive deep into what’s fueling Texas' meteoric rise in solar, storage, and energy expansion.Expect a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about why Texas has become the unexpected juggernaut of clean energy—and what risks could upend that growth if policymakers aren't carefu...
2025-05-0142 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow Batteries Are Reshaping the Texas Grid with Suzanne LetaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comBattery technology continues to improve and costs continue to drop, opening up new opportunities and reshaping the grid. And at a time of rapid load growth and massive constraints on natural gas turbine availability, storage is surgingIn this episode, I talk with Suzanne Leta, VP of Policy at Fluence, one of the world’s largest energy storage developers…
2025-04-2412 min
Energy Capital PodcastDoes the Texas Legislature Still Believe in Market Competition?Last year, ERCOT stunned observers when it projected that electricity demand in Texas could double within five years. That announcement kicked off a wave of meetings, legislative hearings, and proposals. But now?ERCOT’s latest projections say we might need to triple our electric supply.The Texas Energy and Power Newsletter is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a paid subscriber.The driver? A massive wave of industrial electrification and data centers, including artificial intelligence and crypto operations.This is unprecedented growth. An...
2025-04-1808 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow Load Flexibility Could Unlock Energy Abundance with Tyler NorrisEveryone’s talking about the rise in electricity demand, especially from data centers. However, far too few are talking about what to do about it. In this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I sat down with Tyler Norris, a fellow at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute and co-author of a recent study Rethinking Load Growth.What Tyler and his team found is extraordinary: by curtailing just 0.25% to 1% of a data center’s annual load—primarily during the most stressed hours—Texas could add up to 15 gigawatts of new data center load in ERCOT without adding any new capaci...
2025-04-1759 min
Energy Capital PodcastRural Texans Speak Against Senate Bill 819If it passed, Senate Bill 819 would be one of the most damaging energy bills we’ve seen in years. It would slow down Texas’ economy, hitting rural areas the hardest. It’s a direct attack on Texas energy producers and a threat to consumers, landowners, and communities across the state. But don’t take it from me, listen to the witnesses from Armstrong, Nacogdoches, Schleicher, and Tom Green Counties.Two weeks ago, the Senate Business & Commerce Committee held a public hearing on the bill. I’ve watched hearings at the Texas Capitol for more than 20 years, and I’ve never...
2025-04-1122 min
Energy Capital PodcastGeothermal’s Moment with Jamie BeardWe recorded this episode in front of a packed room at Geothermal House during SXSW, and it couldn’t have been more timely. Energy demand is rising fast. Energy policy is fraught. And into this moment comes geothermal — a resource that’s clean, always-on, right beneath our feet, and dare I say, bipartisan.I sat down with Jamie Beard, the founder of Project InnerSpace, to talk about the opportunity geothermal represents and the unique chance we have to get it right from the start. Jamie is one of the most compelling voices in the energy space, and her me...
2025-04-1045 min
Energy Capital PodcastA Conservative Case for Clean Energy with John SzokaFor this episode, I talked with former North Carolina Representative and CEO of the Conservative Energy Network John Szoka. John’s a veteran, a conservative Republican, and businessman. He’s committed to clean energy not despite his conservative principles, but because of them.John is focused on helping policymakers and business leaders understand the economic and national security benefits of clean energy. John talks about renewable energy, batteries, and distributed energy resources in terms of competition, innovation, affordability, security, and local empowerment.We talked about how the United States needs to learn to build again. One...
2025-04-031h 04
Policy on PurposeUnpacking clean energy transition in Texas with LBJ School energy experts Doug Lewin, Emily Beagle and Joshua RhodesWhat does the future of clean energy in Texas look like? On January 28, 2025, the LBJ School partnered with Canary Media and David Roberts of Volts to host an afternoon of discussions about policies shaping the clean energy transition with top experts from academia, industry and media. LBJ faculty Doug Lewin and Webber Group […]
2025-03-311h 05
Policy on PurposeUnpacking clean energy transition in Texas with LBJ School energy experts Doug Lewin, Emily Beagle and Joshua RhodesWhat does the future of clean energy in Texas look like? On January 28, 2025, the LBJ School partnered with Canary Media and David Roberts of Volts to host an afternoon of discussions about policies shaping the clean energy transition with top experts from academia, industry and media. LBJ faculty Doug Lewin and Webber Group […]
2025-03-311h 05
Energy Capital PodcastNew Nuclear in Texas, with Doug Robison and Dr. Rusty TowellTexas has long been an energy powerhouse, but the grid is facing unprecedented challenges. Between surging demand from industrial electrification, hotter summers, and data centers and the retirement of aging power plants, we need more advanced firm power sources and we need them fast.In this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I sat down with Doug Robison, the founder and president of Natura Resources and former oil and gas executive, and Rusty Towell, founding director for Abilene Christian University's premiere research project called the NEXT (Nuclear Energy eXperimental Testing) Lab. Natura, in partnership with ACU, is...
2025-03-201h 01
Energy Capital PodcastDisconnected by Design with Mose BucheleEvery summer, we hear concerns about rolling blackouts. Every winter, we remember the failures of Winter Storm Uri. But how did we get here? What are the biggest risks, what has actually changed, and what still needs to happen?In this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I sat down with Mose Buchele, longtime energy and environment reporter at KUT and the host of The Disconnect, a podcast that has taken a deep dive into the history and politics behind the Texas grid.Mose’s reporting has helped shape how Texans understand energy, and in th...
2025-03-1359 min
Energy Capital PodcastUsing AI to Strengthen the Grid with Mary ClearyWhat if utilities could see infrastructure failures before they happen? What if grid operators, regulators, and energy companies could harness the power of artificial intelligence to prevent outages?Heat waves, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, and winter cold snaps are getting more extreme. But as their intensity ramps up, so does computing power, and particularly the capabilities of artificial intelligence.In this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke with Mary Cleary, VP, Marketing, Communications & Public Policy at Neara, a company pioneering AI-driven predictive modeling for utilities and grid planners and operators. Their technology is already...
2025-03-0648 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Energy System We Need with John ArnoldThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comNote: We had some minor audio issues in this episode—thanks for bearing with us. The conversation is still clear and well worth the listen. Appreciate your patience!John Arnold is one of the most successful energy traders of all time. He built his career by understanding how systems work, where inefficiencies exist, and how markets respond. Today, as a …
2025-02-2716 min
Future ForwardEp 34: The Future of The Electricity Grid (w/ Doug Lewin)sustainable energy, transmission grids, electricity demand, microgeneration, renewable energy, AI in energy, Texas grid, energy innovation, energy policy, energy efficiencysummaryIn this conversation, Reza and Doug Lewin explore the future of the energy grid, emphasizing the critical role of transmission grids in sustainable energy. Doug shares his journey from education to energy policy, highlighting the importance of modern electricity for quality of life. They discuss the increasing demand for electricity driven by AI and data centers, the potential of microgrids for resilience, and the political will needed to advance these technologies. Doug...
2025-02-2344 min
Energy Capital PodcastKnow Before You Go Solar with Sara DiNataleSolar energy has the potential to revolutionize Texas’ power grid, lower costs, and provide resilience in extreme weather. But what happens when some companies selling solar systems aren’t playing fair? In this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke with Sara DiNatale, an investigative reporter whose in-depth four-part series “In Broad Daylight” for the San Antonio Express-News uncovered disturbing scams from unethical and predatory companies. DiNatale was honored for her work on this series as one of only 15 out of 500 entries to win the George Polk Award for “intrepid, bold and influential” reporting.The series s...
2025-02-1953 min
Energy Capital PodcastA Time for ChoosingIn his State of the State speech this week, Governor Abbott acknowledged the obvious: “Our rapidly growing state also needs an increasing supply of electric power.”The Governor didn’t specify what types of energy we need, though he did give an implicit nod to an all-of- the-above approach, including renewables and storage:“We now provide more power than ever before. In the last four years, we increased power by 35%. As a result, Texas ranks No. 1 for electric power generation.”The fact check on this: it’s all true. Texas produces more power than any oth...
2025-02-0709 min
Energy Capital PodcastTexas’ Energy Future: A Conversation with Jimmy GlotfeltyThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comIn this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I had the pleasure of talking with Jimmy Glotfelty, commissioner at the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) from the summer of 2021 through the end of 2024. With decades of experience across the private and public sectors, Jimmy is the rare person who brings both a developer and a regulator’s perspecti…
2025-02-0613 min
Energy Capital PodcastWired for Change with Congressman Greg CasarIn this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke with Congressman Greg Casar about some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing Texas’ energy system. From addressing worker protections during extreme weather to rethinking Texas’ grid structure, our conversation explored a range of ideas championed by the Congressman, including* The Connect the Grid Act: Casar introduced the bill on the three year anniversary of Winter Storm Uri. The bill aims to improve grid reliability by interconnecting ERCOT with the national grid. We explored the positives and negatives of that proposal, including a recent MIT study that...
2025-01-3139 min
Energy Capital PodcastLeadership and Finding Middle Ground with Governor Rick PerryIn this episode, I had the privilege of sitting down with Governor Rick Perry, the longest-serving governor in Texas history and former U.S. Secretary of Energy. Governor Perry has played a pivotal role in shaping Texas’ energy mix and fostering innovation, and he shared his views both on the current state and on the future of energy.We explored his energy legacy, including the deregulated electric market, Texas’ leadership in wind and solar power, and the critical need for an “all-of-the-above” approach to energy. Governor Perry shared his strong support for nuclear energy, particularly the potential of Small...
2024-12-181h 06
Energy Capital PodcastA Consumer-Led Solar and Storage Revolution with Sunrun CEO Mary PowellThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comIn this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, host Doug Lewin speaks with Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun, about the evolving landscape of solar energy in Texas. They discuss the significant growth of solar and storage solutions, the impact of customer-led initiatives, and the importance of energy independence. Powell shares insights on the benefits of solar for both individual customers and the broader grid, addressing common misconceptions about energy storage and the cost shift debate. The conversation also touches on the...
2024-12-1312 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Tables Are Turned: Becky Klein Interviews Me at the Texas Energy SummitThis week’s episode is a bit different. I’m not hosting the podcast — I’m the guest. During the Texas Energy Summit, former Public Utility Commission Chair Becky Klein turned the tables and interviewed me live, right after a panel of legislators and a keynote from current PUC Chair Thomas Gleeson.In this fast-paced conversation, Becky and I covered a wide range of energy topics, including grid reliability, distributed energy resources, and the untapped potential of energy efficiency. We also discussed my personal journey in the energy field, from working on air quality issues at the legislat...
2024-12-0529 min
Energy Capital PodcastHow to Overcome Ideological Divides and the Climate of ContemptThis episode was recorded just three days after the U.S. presidential election. My guest, UT Law Professor David Spence, recently published an exceptional book Climate of Contempt: How to Rescue the U.S. Energy Transition from Voter Partisanship. I believe this book is perfect for this moment and one of the best I’ve read on climate policy—and I read a lot on climate policy.David and I dove into the roots and contributors of America’s current partisan and ideological divides which have grown rapidly over the past few decades. We discussed not only the ch...
2024-11-1450 min
Energy Capital PodcastInnovation at the Grid Edge with DOE's Ram NarayanamurthyMy guest this week is Ram Narayanamurthy, the Deputy Director of the Building Technologies Office at the Department of Energy (DOE) for the last two years. Before joining DOE, he led the buildings program at the Electric Power Research Institute, or EPRI, for a decade. He has 27 patents to his name and has worked extensively with builders, developers, and utilities to scale new technologies that can increase grid reliability, reduce emissions, improve human health, and lower costs.I spoke to Ram about his work on DOE’s Connected Communities program which funds projects to advance grid-interactive, energy-efficient bu...
2024-10-3149 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Power of Microgrids with Jana GerberThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comTexas is number one in the United States for many energy-related achievements: wind and solar generation, oil and gas production. But Texas is also the number one state for weather related outages, with nearly 50% more outages over the last 25 years than California. Just within the last four years Texans experienced Winter Storm Uri (2021), an ice storm in Central Texas (2023), and a derecho and Hurricane Beryl (2024). But the frequency and duration of power outages can be managed and reduced through many strategies.
2024-10-1014 min
Energy Capital PodcastResilience for All: Improving Disaster Response and Responsiveness with Dr. Sergio CastellanosWhen Hurricane Beryl hit, residents all across Harris County, from every economic status, educational attainment, and racial and ethnic background lost power. But even as the storm destabilized life for almost everyone in the region, the impacts of the storm — and the safety and wellbeing of Houstonians during and after it — have not impacted everyone the same. But it doesn’t have to be this way. The inequities in our disaster response – and our efforts to make communities and infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather – are the result of policy, regulatory, and business choices that can, and should, be changed.
2024-10-0342 min
Energy Capital PodcastSpecial Episode with the Chairman of the Texas PUC, Thomas GleesonToday's episode is a special one: an interview with Thomas Gleeson, the Chairman of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas, recorded live on September 20th at the SPEER Industry and Policy Workshop. The PUC oversees ERCOT and the transmission grid, fully regulates the monopoly transmission distribution utilities, and has power and authority over just about every part of the power grid. Chairman Gleeson was appointed Chairman in January; before that, he worked at the PUC for over 15 years, including as the Executive Director for about four years. I enjoyed talking with the Chairman, he’s t...
2024-09-271h 10
Energy Capital PodcastDeploy! Unlocking America's Energy and Economic Potential with Jigar ShahToday's episode is a special recording of my live interview on September 6th in Austin with Jigar Shah, Director of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO). Previous to LPO, Jigar founded SunEdison and served as president of Generate Capital. He also wrote a book called “Climate Wealth: Unlocking the Impact Economy,” and many of the book’s themes come up in this interview. Jigar also previously hosted the Energy Gang Podcast, which I learned a lot from, and recommend to folks to this day. I loved this conversation with one of the leading thinkers and doer...
2024-09-181h 00
Energy Capital PodcastIntegrating Distributed Energy Resilience Solutions with Arushi Sharma FrankThere aren't many grid strategies that increase reliability, resiliency, affordability, and sustainability. While many strategies may address one or two of these factors – perhaps even three – distributed energy resources uniquely check all four boxes. After Hurricane Beryl, Texans, including policymakers, were left questioning how such a disaster could happen again, especially so soon after Winter Storm Uri. The pain, suffering, and even loss of life were profound and, tragically, avoidable.My guest this week is Arushi Sharma Frank. Arushi is one of the smartest people on energy and energy policy, with a particularly deep expertise in distributed ener...
2024-09-041h 01
Energy Capital PodcastRooftop Revolution: John Berger on Scaling Distributed Solar in TexasThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comWhat steps do we need to take in Texas to foster growth in this important emerging market? To explore this question, there's no one better than John Berger, founder and CEO of Sunnova Energy. Headquartered in Houston, Sunnova is a leader in residential solar, battery storage and energy management technologies across the US John has been in the industry for about 30 years now, and he understands the value proposition and the barriers to renewable energy and distributed generation as well as...
2024-08-1515 min
Energy Capital PodcastScorched Earth: Understanding the Deadly Impact of Heat with Jeff GoodellI spoke with Jeff Goodell, the bestselling author of The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, on the dangers of heat waves, especially when in combination with other natural disasters.Timestamps4:12 - Physiological impacts of heat and how to stay safe9:13 - Scale of heat-related deaths and illness12:28 - What is a Hurricane Katrina of heat and how is heat a threat multiplier17:58 - Resilience solutions for heat and extreme weather 23:52 - Maintaining hope in the face of the realities of cl...
2024-08-091h 02
Energy Capital PodcastResilience Through the Storm with Enchanted Rock's Allan SchurrIn the wake of Hurricane Beryl, after millions of Houstonians lost power and at least 36 people died, many of them because they didn’t have AC in the heat following the storm, Texans were once again left with many of the same questions we’ve been asking for the past decade. How do we make sure that the power stays on when a storm hits or disaster strikes? How can our state, rich in all its energy resources, have its electric grid so badly pummeled by a Category 1 storm? When we are faced with the next storm, hurricane, or cold...
2024-08-0137 min
Energy Capital PodcastIncreasing Stability and Driving Savings: Battery Storage in Texas with Olivier BeaufilsDuring Winter Storm Heather this past year, battery storage reduced power costs in Texas by $750 million. This finding was only one of many in a report released by Aurora Energy Research this May, “The Role of Battery Energy Storage Systems in the ERCOT Market.” The report is one of the most in-depth analyses to date on the impact of battery storage, which has grown exponentially in Texas over the past decade, even surpassing growth in markets with major battery subsidies. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Olivier Beaufils, one of the report’s primary authors and the lead...
2024-07-1946 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Changing Shape of the Grid with Hala BallouzI speak to energy experts from all facets of the energy industry and the one thing that keeps coming through in these conversations these days is the need for better planning to deal with rising load growth, extreme weather, higher costs and emissions. As I think about these problems, I try to think of people who I can learn from and that will help my audience understand these issues as well.My guest on the podcast this week, Hala Ballouz, has as much experience with these challenges as anyone I know. She's the president and CEO of...
2024-06-261h 12
Energy Capital PodcastThe Past, Present, and Future of the Texas Energy Market with Former PUC Chair Becky Klein (reupload)This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comHi All: We initially distributed this episode on Wednesday. Unfortunately, due to technical issues with Substack, some of our subscribers did not receive it. If you've already downloaded the episode, there's no need to do so again. For those who have yet to receive it, we apologize for the delay and hope you enjoy the episode.To understand what's happening, you have to know how you got there. You need a sense of the history. That's one of the reasons I've...
2024-06-2216 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Past, Present, and Future of the Texas Energy Market with Former PUC Chair Becky KleinThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comTo understand what's happening, you have to know how you got there. You need a sense of the history. That's one of the reasons I've enjoyed interviewing past Commissioners and Chairs of the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC). At the Texas Power Podcast, I interviewed Pat Wood and Barry Smitherman, both former PUC Chairs. Here at Energy Capital, the very first episode I hosted Commissioner Will McAdams, who had just stepped down from the PUC a few weeks prior. These episodes...
2024-06-1916 min
Energy Capital PodcastTurning Waste Into Power: Crusoe's Cully Cavness on Revolutionizing Energy Use at Data CentersIn April, ERCOT's Regional Planning Group published projections that ERCOT's electricity demand may double by 2030 compared to 2021. Initially anticipating a peak demand of about 90 gigawatts by the end of the decade, ERCOT now expects a staggering 152 gigawatts, up from approximately 75 gigawatts at the beginning of the decade. This would mark the largest growth rate in the decade since the post-World War II era. There are many factors driving the surge, but one of the most significant is the rise of Bitcoin mining and AI data centers. The size and speed and scale of AI data center growth that has...
2024-06-0657 min
Energy Capital PodcastDrilling for Geothermal Power and Storage with Cindy TaffAs Texas navigates an era of rapidly rising energy demand, the quest for clean, reliable, and affordable energy sources becomes increasingly critical. Among the many options, there's one resource that hasn't received nearly enough attention: geothermal energy, specifically enhanced geothermal systems (EGS).EGS differs from conventional geothermal energy, which relies on specific geographic conditions found in places like Kenya, Iceland, or the Western United States. Instead, EGS creates permeability and a reservoir deep within the earth using advanced drilling and fracturing techniques. Texas, with its abundant heat and advanced drilling technology, is uniquely positioned to harness this...
2024-05-3055 min
Energy Capital PodcastMeasuring and Valuing Energy Efficiency and DERs with Carmen BestOne of the hardest things about energy efficiency is measuring it. It's difficult to do, but with increasingly sophisticated software platforms, it's getting easier and more precise. As homes and buildings begin to use more electricity for things like heat pumps and electric vehicles, and as solar and wind power continue to grow, there will be many times a day and most times of the year when it will actually be energy efficient to use more electricity. But at certain times and places, we'll need to use less or even send power from solar and storage, and even the...
2024-05-241h 06
Energy Capital PodcastCreating a Distributed Battery Network with Zach DellFor this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Zach Dell, who recently launched Base Power Company, the first and only retail electric provider in Texas to offer customers a home battery, monthly energy service, and installation all in one package. This episode demonstrates one of the things I most love about Texas’ competitive energy market. It has its flaws for sure, but we are seeing a lot of innovative offerings. And in that category, Base Power stands out. The goal of Base Power is to essentially operate as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). When th...
2024-05-1552 min
Energy Capital PodcastOil and Gas in the Energy Transition with Jane StrickerThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comIn 2020, at the Annual Meeting of the Greater Houston Partnership – the city’s powerful Chamber of Commerce and economic development organization with a heavy concentration of oil and gas companies – Bobby Tudor, the incoming Chairman of the Board, told the membership: “The oil and gas business is not likely to be the same engine for Houston’s growth over the next 25 years, that it’s been in the past 25 years.” He added further: “We can lead the energy transition. There is fantastic busine...
2024-05-0220 min
Energy Capital PodcastInduced Demand: Why Highways Slow Us Down with Megan KimbleMy guest for this week is Megan Kimble. Megan is an extremely talented writer and her new book entitled City Limits: Infrastructure, Inequality, and the Future of America's Highways is a must read for anyone interested in climate change, transportation, or just how cities came to be the way the are: How did we end up with massive, noisy, smelly, dirty highways right in the middle of every major city? Kimble unpacks an extremely complicated history in a page-turner of a book. She tells the stories of those impacted by highway construction and expansion in the past...
2024-04-261h 02
Energy Capital PodcastA Texas Power Promise with Senator Nathan JohnsonBefore you listen: I will be hosting a mailbag episode in the next couple of weeks and am asking listeners to submit questions. Please send an email to douglewin@substack.com or leave your questions in the comments for this episode. Following Winter Storm Uri, the Texas legislature worked to identify proposals that can increase the reliability of the ERCOT grid. In this week’s episode, State Senator Nathan Johnson, representing Senate District 16 in Dallas and a member of the Business and Commerce Committee overseeing ERCOT and the PUC, shares insights into the proposals that are reshaping Tex...
2024-04-111h 14
Energy Capital PodcastResistance is Still Futile: Exploring Heat Pumps with Eric WilsonDuring Winter Storm Uri, electric demand spiked to a record level. We don’t know exactly how high demand went, but ERCOT now estimates that next winter, in Uri-like conditions, demand would hit a whopping 92 gigawatts.One of the best ways to reduce risk of outages, and one of the only ways to save money while increasing reliability is to replace inefficient heating units with high efficiency heat pumps.That is just one of the reasons why I wanted to feature an entire episode on this amazing technology and what led me to invite Eric Wi...
2024-04-041h 02
Energy Capital PodcastSolar, Storage, and the Texas Grid with Andy BowmanThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comFor this week's episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Andy Bowman. Andy has been developing renewable energy projects around the US for 25 years, which puts him back to the 1990s and some of the earliest wind projects in Texas. And while he's developed all over the US, he says ERCOT and Texas are his favorite place to develop. And we got into why.Andy was the founder of Pioneer Green Energy and Renewable Generation Inc. and worked for...
2024-03-2918 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Future of Hydrogen in Texas with Dr. Emily BeagleElectrons and molecules don't usually mix. Power grid people and gas supply people don't talk to each other much, nor do they much understand each other's worlds, languages, or businesses. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) cited this lack of gas and electric coordination as one of the causes of the Winter Storm Uri outages.However, it's not just a problem for reliability and energy security. People who work in the power and gas industries need to communicate because their worlds are becoming increasingly and inextricably intertwined. As just one example of this, more and more, hydrogen...
2024-03-201h 00
Energy Capital Podcast"The Name of the Game is Flexibility," a Conversation with ERCOT's Pablo VegasIn this episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I had the opportunity to speak with Pablo Vegas, the President and CEO of ERCOT. There was a time when very few Texans knew what ERCOT was or what it did. Those days are long gone. Texans pay close attention to the grid following Winter Storm Uri and the ensuing outages. And the 13 conservation calls over the last nine months or so have kept ERCOT very top of mind.Vegas joined ERCOT in October 2022. Previously, he worked with NiSource, an electric and gas utility in Ohio, before...
2024-03-121h 12
Energy Capital PodcastElectric Co-Ops and Local Power with John PadalinoThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comAt a winter preparedness workshop at the PUC held in October of last year, Commissioners asked several presenters if they could bring more resources online by Christmas. Of course, you can't build a big power plant that fast, but small distributed energy resources (DERs) — batteries, demand response, solar, etc. — can be added quite quickly. Still, most presenters said there simply wasn't enough time.John Padalino of Bandera Electric Co-op, a member of the PUC's Aggregated Distributed Energy Resource (ADER) Task...
2024-03-0720 min
Energy Capital PodcastAchieving Environmental Justice, A Conversation with Dr. Robert BullardOne of the areas where we see the biggest injustices and the clearest manifestations of modern day racism is with pollution. Ports, refineries, fossil-fuel power plants, chemical manufacturing, landfills and more are, to this day, disproportionately cited in communities comprised mostly of Black, Latino, and/or Indigenous people. One of the very first researchers in the world on this topic is right here in Texas, Dr. Robert Bullard of Texas Southern University and the eponymous Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice. His groundbreaking research in the 1970s showed that over 80% of landfills in Houston were sited i...
2024-02-221h 06
Energy Capital PodcastDistributed Energy Resources and "all-of-the-above" energy solutions with CenterPoint's Jason RyanWhen Texas lawmakers restructured the electric markets in the late 1990s, they left one part of the business fully regulated: the poles and wires companies. In Texas, CenterPoint is the second largest of these entities and serves Houston and most of the surrounding area. They serve about one-fourth of the total peak demand even though they cover only 3% of Texas’ landmass. It’s been a theme on this podcast and will continue to be: who’s going to be the orchestrator of all the small sources of power on the distribution grid — who will be the distribution system o...
2024-02-161h 14
Energy Capital PodcastOpportunities From Dispatchable and Flexible DemandThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comThere are massive changes happening to electric grids around the world, including here in Texas. Millions of devices, appliances, and increasingly vehicles are grid connected and could, with the proper systems in place to receive price signals, make grids more reliable, bring down energy costs for consumers, and make electric markets more competitive. But it's early days and there's a long way to go. We need practical examples of distributed energy resources and efforts to reduce energy waste. And we can...
2024-02-0817 min
Energy Capital PodcastInterview with Energy Expert Dr. Michael WebberDr. Michael Webber is one of the best known energy experts in Texas. He’s the John J. McKetta Centennial Energy Chair at the University of Texas at Austin, an author of multiple books on energy, and the Chief Technology Officer of Energy Impact Partners, a cleantech venture fund. Michael has a way of explaining and breaking down even the most complex energy concepts and topics into terms that are understandable and engaging to novices and experts alike. We started the conversation with Michael’s views on common misconceptions about energy and what Michael sees as the...
2024-02-011h 16
Energy Capital PodcastAn Interview with Former ERCOT Independent Market Monitor Beth GarzaThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.texasenergyandpower.comFor the second episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke with Beth Garza the former Independent Market Monitor (IMM) for ERCOT and current Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute.Throughout the episode, Beth did a great job breaking down complex concepts to make them more easy to understand. We talked about the challenges of the changing supply and demand mix, and how the societal trauma Texans experienced during Uri complicates these problems even more.Beth...
2024-01-2512 min
Energy Capital PodcastThe Energy Capital Podcast, Episode 1 with Former PUC Commissioner Will McAdamsFor the inaugural episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke to Will McAdams, the former Commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) who left the Commission just a few weeks ago.We spoke about his appointment to the PUC in the immediate aftermath of Winter Storm Uri and the challenges he faced during that tumultuous period. He told me what he was proudest of from his time on the Commission, including his efforts to wintererize power plants and “hold the line” to ensure a stringent standard was adopted, a stance that likely paid big divi...
2024-01-171h 27
Energy Capital PodcastThe Energy Capital Podcast, Episode 1 with Former PUC Commissioner Will McAdamsFor the inaugural episode of the Energy Capital Podcast, I spoke to Will McAdams, the former Commissioner of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) who left the Commission just a few weeks ago.We spoke about his appointment to the PUC in the immediate aftermath of Winter Storm Uri and the challenges he faced during that tumultuous period. He told me what he was proudest of from his time on the Commission, including his efforts to wintererize power plants and “hold the line” to ensure a stringent standard was adopted, a stance that likely paid big divi...
2024-01-161h 27
Thinking GreenE22: Doug Lewin - The State of Today's Struggling Texas Electrical GridJoin Mo (@_modalla) as he sits down with Doug Lewin, a nationally recognized energy expert, to dive into the fascinating world of the electric grid, renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand response, utility regulation, and pollution reduction. 🌍⚡ Tune in for an enlightening conversation that explores the future of sustainable energy and the steps we can take towards a cleaner, greener world. 🌱 Don't miss out on this insightful episode - it's a must-listen for anyone passionate about the power of renewable energy! 🔋✨ To learn more about the Texas Electrical Grid Conditions and Solar Systems for your home or...
2023-07-1055 min
Hill Country Institute Live: Exploring Christ and CultureDoug Lewin Interviewed on Hill Country Institute LiveDoug Lewin, President of Stoic Energy, is a nationally recognized energy expert, particularly in the electric grid, renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand response, utility regulation, and pollution reduction. He is regularly featured in local, state, and national broadcasts and publications on energy issues. In this interview, Larry and Doug talk about the electric grid in Texas - the issues we face, what happened during Winter Storm Uri in 2021 and the winter storm of December 2022; the actions, and inaction, of the Texas Legislature, the PUC-Texas, and ERCOT that impact the affordability and reliability of electricity in Texas, and how our...
2023-05-1153 min
The Mining Pod | Blockspace MediaFixing Texas’ Energy Grid | Doug Lewin | The Mining PodToday we are joined by Doug Lewin, President of Stoic Energy. We discuss the recent winter snap in Texas, what ERCOT is doing to fix the energy grid and how Bitcoin miners and other flexible loads fit into the Texas market.
https://douglewin.substack.com/p/2022-cold-snap-shows-resistance-is
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Doug’s Podcast: https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/the-texas-power-podcast/
Doug Lewin: https://twitter.com/douglewinenergy
Will Foxley: https://twitter.com/wsfoxley
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2023-01-0348 min
The Stoic Negotiator™Removing Obstacles and Applying Pressure“You can apply pressure in the direction where you want people to go, or you can ask a very different question, which is: Why aren’t they going there by themselves?” —Daniel Kahneman Speaking on a March 2019 podcast with Sam Harris, professor, best-selling author, and Nobel Prize-winning economist and psychologist Kahneman discusses a key idea in behavioral psychology that is highly relevant in negotiation and mediation settings. There are two essential ways of changing human behavior. On the one hand, you can apply pressure, including promises, threats, and arguments; on the other, you can make choices easier for peop...
2021-08-2402 min
The Throwback League06 Cardinals v 75 RedsAlbert Pujols leads the upstart Cards into Riverfront Stadium for a 9-seed vs 1-seed battle. The Big Red Machine is loaded with Rose, Perez, Morgan, etc… but does Clay Kirby have enough to slow down Tony LaRussa’s underdogs? Reds’ backup infielder Doug Flynn provides his own memories from that ’75 championship season in Cincy, while Jon Miller walks us down memory lane in the pre-game show. Make sure you’re following along and checking box scores and brackets at the league website, TheThrowbackLeague.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
2020-06-2257 min
Texas Impact's Weekly WitnessEp. 92 Doug Lewin, RenewablesIn this week's episode, Scott is joined by Doug Lewin to discuss the future of renewable energy in Texas.
2020-02-2429 min
Popcorn Drink ComboThe Catcher Was a Spy (2018) | Paul Rudd | Moe Berg | Paul Giamatti | Sienna Miller | Mark Strong | Ben Lewin |The Catcher Was a Spy (2018) Directed by Ben Lewin. A Boston Red Sox player in search of a Nazi scientist in World War II.
2018-12-0310 min
America Adapts the Climate Change PodcastSpeak up for Science and for OceansNow on Spotify! In episode 38 of America Adapts, I talk with fellow podcaster Andrew Lewin of Speak Up For Blue! Andrew's podcast focuses on all things related to ocean conservation – he's 'speaking up' for the oceans! Andrew and I talk about the multitude of topics he covers and the diverse set of ocean experts he gets on the show. In the second half of the episode, Andrew, who's Canadian, walks us through their own War on Science that occurred under their previous Prime Minister. The timing is perfect, with the just completed March for Science reminding us the importance of...
2017-04-2450 min