The Power Connect (Fred Davis)

You have to start somewhere with a new podcast, and we found a great way to kick off the new show with veteran Texas energy attorney Jonathan Grammer. The former Landman was at GridNEXT Lubbock to discuss Carbon Capture and his newest venture, US Carbon Capture. A recent CleanTX Board Member addition, Grammer tells us what he wants out of a good conference, why energy is a patriotic initiative and why joining CleanTX made so much sense.

There’s folks who tout the Energy Transition and then there’s Jane Stricker. The 20-year BP vet spent the last 15 years of her time with the Oil and Gas giant in Houston before retiring and taking a role leading the Energy Transition charge for the Greater Houston Partnership in January. In the six months since all she’s done is lead the comprehensive effort to establish Houston as not just an oil and gas town - but the premier destination for all things Energy Transition - not just in the US but the globe. In our episode, Jane shares the challenges Houston faces yet discusses the headway the Bayou City continues to make, the importance of the second Forum for Global Energy taking place June 28-30 and why Houston has to be a hub for clean energy investment, workforce development and more. It’s a great listen from a professional who has seen several sides of the Energy Transition and is dedicated to making sure all hands are on deck to position Houston as the true Energy Capital of the World.

No need to jinx anything and say we’re out of the pandemic - but let’s call it what it is - life has shifted back into normal and thus the folks at CleanTX, namely Co-Chair Melissa Miller and longtime Board of Director Raina Hornaday shifted into CleanTX Promo mode and kicked off the month of June criss-crossing the state from Lubbock to Austin to Dallas and back to kick off the Summer of CleanTX and introduce the new chapter model. In addition to hearing from Melissa in this episode, earlier this month at GridNEXT Lubbock we chatted with the fellas at Lubbock Power and Light to discuss the incredible job they did with their ISO switch last year and the 30 percent of power that’s still left. We also caught up with Argenis Bilbao from GLEAMM and the great job his team did with co-hosting the event in Lubbock and finally we chatted with the man, the myth, the energy legend - Peter Kelly-Detwiler. If you’d like to know more about CleanTX and are interested in joining, go to the website today - CleanTX.org. Enjoy the show!

The second half of 2022 kicks off in grand fashion for The Power Connect as we welcome a lifelong entrepreneur, a trailblazer and a woman driven to help others - Mrs. Sonia Clayton, Founder and CEO of Virtual Intelligence Providers and Chairman of The Global Energy Transition Forum, a non-profit she started during Covid. In this conversation, Sonia details an incredible story about how a chance decision saved her life on 9/11; how she decided to start a remote IT company - 21 years ago - and how her faith and lessons she learned growing up in Venezuela have shaped her journey both personally and professionally. Tremendous lessons from a tremendous individual.

We take a dive into the consultancy world with our latest episode as David Braziel from RBN Energy LLC joins the program to cover a bevy of topics in a hot energy market right now. David, who has been in the energy business for nearly 20 years himself, discusses making the move to work for his dad, industry veteran and legend Rusty Braziel. He details how Covid put a dent in their business, but how they regrouped with learning and offering green energy information, how their blog has been a mainstay and why it’s tone and style continue to differentiate it from a very tried and true energy formula - and how RBN continues to separate itself in the market while providing information to the entire energy sector.

Learn more about the company at RBNenergy.com and follow them today on LinkedIn.

In the latest episode of the show I welcome to the program Silas Mahner, host of the ‘CleanTechies’ podcast that features interviews with leaders from the renewable and clean tech space. Equally as impressive is Silas’ work in the recruiting space, where he details the good, bad and ugly of recruiting in the blazing hot renewable and clean tech space but also dishes out some dimes for folks trying to make the move. He also shares a few stories and pitfalls that occur during the interview process.

Also, be sure to check out his podcast at Cleantechiespod.com and check out episodes 19 and 25 with Edi Demaj and Josh Santos respectively to get a flavor for Silas and his show.

Time to go international today as we venture over to the United Arab Emirates and check in with a budding star in the clean tech space there as Rana Hajirasouli joins the program. Hajirasouli gives insight into how sustainability and clean tech are still novel concepts in the middle east, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for innovation and investment as the region is quickly becoming a go-to for businesses across the world. Waste-To-Energy, hydrogen and the Circular Economy are all expanding and Hajirasouli’s own start-up, The Surpluss, is poised to capitalize on the burgeoning activity and she’s got a plan not just for the region, but she’s looking to make a global impact to get to Net Zero. It’s a fascinating conversation and peek into a region we know all too well for its oil and gas, and now it’s on its way to becoming a leader in green energy as well.

Learn more about The Surpluss.

Brand new feature alert folks - what better way to get your news fix on a Mon/Wed/Friday than with the latest from The Power Connect - where we’ll get you in and out in less than 10 minutes with news stories from across the world that affect - energy. And you can always find links to the story in the show notes as well to get the full story. So, without further adieu, enjoy today’s show, and do not miss our Three-Part Series starting Tuesday - What You Didn’t Know - About Competitive Markets - with Enerex CEO Nate Richards.

Climate Change Not Political Enough

Japan Fires Up Nine Nukes

Germany Going Green - Thanks to Ukraine

AAA says Americans warming up to EVs

Ever since Winter Storm Uri rocked Texas and ERCOT in the Winter of 2021, folks became better acquainted with the grid, winterization and asking questions as to how does an alleged energy powerhouse like the state of Texas go powerless for almost four days? And better yet, what role does a deregulated market play in what happened 18 months and have things improved at all with the sweltering temperatures cooking the state? It’s too much to answer in one podcast episode, so I sought out Nate Richards, CEO of Enerex, a retail energy software company that makes it easier to buy and sell power in competitive markets - to discuss with me the ins and outs of power markets. What does it mean to be regulated, deregulated, competitive, is it the same, are we arguing semantics here - and if deregulated is so great - then why did we have no power last year? Nate breaks down what a competitive market is in Part One and goes into great detail about the role markets’ played in last year’s Uri disaster.

Learn more about Enerex and Nate Richards.

Today on NYCU —>

Russia and Iran Make Billion Dollar Deal

Will he or won’t he? Biden on Climate Emergency

Heat wave envelops Europe - UK records hottest day

Steak or Fungi?

All New Blazer is just that - Blazin.

Be sure to follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify and check out Part Two of our Understanding Competitive Markets series with CEO Nate Richards which drops on Thursday and the finale airs this weekend.

After learning about the difference between a regulated and deregulated market, in today’s episode Nate takes on a trip to learn how commercial differs from residential - and it’s not just the amount of power they use that’s different. We also get into the role of the broker, why dispatachability is as important a factor as any and I ask Nate are the markets working right now given the extreme heat and the fluctuating prices that are resulting due to the demand.

Learn more about Nate Richards and Enerex.

It’s a Friday News You Can Use — we get into the following:

• Refiners Raking in the Profits

• China’s Solar Boom

• Ford Charged up on Batteries

• Tigers not named Woods making a comeback

As always, give us a follow on Apple and Spotify and if you’d like your news shared on News You Can Use or would like to partner with the power connect - contact us today.

After two incredible parts to kick off what’s been a truly informative and eye-opening look at how competitive markets work, we close it out with Nate Richards telling us about Enerex, the biggest misconception and the future of competitive markets. I can’t thank Nate and his team enough for facilitating the conversation and for taking time to educate the masses on a topic that’s both important and under-reported. Please check out Parts One and Two if you haven’t done so already.

Learn more about Enerex and Nate Richards.

Monday Edition of News You can use is here and this is what we’re kicking off your week with:

• Congo - Not our job to save the planet

• Five Year Droughts on the horizon

• Europe goes on a Solar installation tear

• Utilities actions and words not aligning on decarbing

As always, connect with Fred and The Power Connect to get featured or become a podcast partner.

What jumps out about the Zero Emission Transportation web site - aside from it’s sparkling appearance and seamless user experience, is the headline that ZETA is pushing for 100 percent EV sales by 2030. That’s certainly what caught my attention so I had to get ZETA Exec. Director Joe Britton on the show to discuss how the US is going to increase EV sales by 95 percent in the next eight years. And what I got - and what you’ll hear - is an EV education from Mr. Britton. An expert in the field, Britton breaks down infrastructure concerns, charging misnomers, why the gas station model isn’t the right example - and yeah - tell me about this 100 percent idea. It’s 30 of the best minutes you’ll spend on EV information.

Learn more about EVs and ZETA at ZETA2030.org.

Your Wednesday Edition of News You Can Use —>

• MISO’s $10B investment on transmission

• China says it’ll meet its carbon goals

• US clean projects Stalling

• Alien Cats are ruining biodiversity

Be sure to connect with us on LinkedIn and click here to learn about Utility API.

Friday is here meaning it’s time to celebrate both the weekend - and another edition of News You Can Use to get started —>

Stocks get a bump after clean energy bill announced

EV Tax credits for new AND USED cars

New Zealand fighting Oil and Gas permitting lawsuit

ESG a win-win according to new report

Be sure to connect with us here on ThePowerConnect.Net and check out our friends over at UtilityAPI as well.

Enjoy your weekend!

As dizzying as the climate crisis is when you look at the myriad of issues causing it, is the equally dizzying number of ways to fix the problem - if only they were affordable and scalable. Now enter Peter Fiekowsky and Carole Douglis and their latest book, ‘Climate Restoration - The Only Future That Will Sustain the Human Race.’ A tremendously researched piece of literature, Peter and Carole give readers four truly actionable items that can reduce carbon emissions - almost immediately. Even more impressive, it’s been done before, the cost isn’t astronomical and all four ideas are scalable. The only bugaboo? Most people don’t know about them. Go figure. Now you do. One of the more promising episodes we’ve done, Peter and Carole take us on a path to real Net Zero - and don’t break the bank doing it.

Learn more about Peter Fiekowsky and Carole Douglis.

Happy Monday to You and the rest of the Energy World and to the Power Connecters - Far and Wide — here’s what we have going on - on a Monday:

Kentucky Braces for More Flooding

China and Russia Going Dark

European ESG Rules Costing Billions

TSwift in Trouble for CO2 Emissions

As always, follow us here on The Power Connect and be sure to follow and learn more about our News You Can Use Sponsor today - UtilityAPI.

No one ever said regulatory meetings, no matter what the type, are what you would call entertaining. Dry and not particularly fast-moving, it’s the information inside these meetings that are important whether it’s ERCOT or a Public Utility Commission meeting. Enter Jim Curtin, Chief Product Officer of Grid Monitor. No he doesn’t make the meetings exciting, but what he and his do is make the widely available information in the meetings - widely accessible - and saves the user TIME with a data management system that brings thousands of hours of regulatory information to your fingertips in seconds. Curtin, no stranger to the SaaS world and a veteran of startup success stories, shares why Grid Monitor is so valuable and how the future of its capability goes far beyond capturing meeting data.

Find out more about Grid Monitor and Jim Curtin.

Another Wednesday in the World of Energy and we’ve got stories to inform you on the latest - including dipping our toe into the Bitcoin pool as one prominent believer of the energy-demanding cryptocurrency steps downs from his CEO post - but doubles down on Bitcoin anyway —>

Battery Storage Was Boomin’ in ‘21

Food Waste Gets Served

Bolt Rebate - With a Twist

Bitcoin Believer Steps Down as CEO - to focus more on Bitcoin

Be sure to follow the Power Connect and learn more today’s partner - Amperon.

Predicting the future can’t be that hard, right? Sean Kelly, a 20-year energy veteran with a winning track record as an energy trader decided to take the entrepreneurial plunge when he saw a hole in the energy trading space and connected with his co-founder, Abe Stanway. Their plan - to come up with a better way to forecast what power grids were going to do - in the future.

“He told me if I could sell it, he could build it.” And in 2017 - Amperon was born.

Five years later, Amperon has doubled its revenue thus far in 2022 - from the previous four years combined. Yes, volatility has been good for the Amperon business. So what’s been the key ingredient besides volatility? We ask Sean about maintaining the same business model thanks to due diligence; having Houston as a homebase and its evolution as a tech and energy leader, and why asking for advice is better than asking for money. It’s a great conversation with a great young mind and leader in the energy space.

Learn more about Amperon and Sean Kelly.

It’s another Friday which means another News You can Use to close out your work week - for some of some of us anyway. It’s a Climate Bill aka Inflation Reduction Act kind vibe today - so here we go:

Senator Sinema gives her approval for Climate Bill

Princeton predicts big boom for Solar

EV Tax Credits too good to be true?

When BBQ Shark gets you in prison

Be sure to connect with The Power Connect on Apple and Spotify and learn more about our podcast partner this week - Amperon.

It was a busy news weekend in the Energy World as the Inflation Reduction Act took center stage with its passing on Sunday in the US Senate along party lines. But that was not the only big news as there are more concerns from automakers as you’ll find out about the act and whether the EV Tax credits are even viable for most of the electric vehicles in the United States and what that means for the EV goals by 2030. Plus extreme heat causing serious Grid issues in Iraq — Here are your stories - on a Monday:

Senate Passes Climate Bill - awaits House

EV Credits may not be creditable after all

Iraq grid fails in 125 degree heat

Vegas says good bye to grass

British brace for high winter bills

Be sure to check out our partner this week - Thirty To Net Zero.

It’s a Special Tuesday edition of News You Can Use and we get into the following:

Offshore wind ready to blow thanks to new climate bill

Oil Price dips amid talks with Iran

Rainwater is not safe to drink

Canada ready to tax emissions - on luxury items.

Follow our podcast partner 30 To Net Zero and make sure you’re connected with The Power Connect.

From removing mines to tackling a global subsurface utility problem - although both are big problems - the team at 4M has taken on the herculean task of identifying what’s underground. David Horesh, Director of Marketing for 4M, tells the story of how two former Israeli Special Forces members have taken what started out as a humanitarian mission and is now trying to become the ‘Google Earth of the Subsurface’ as David puts it. He details exactly how tall a task this company has taken on and highlights why it’s never been done before now. The Israeli company has taken up shop in Texas to start its US operations and so far has received rave reviews -not just with its platform - but with the astounding amount of time and money 4M is saving customers thanks to satellite technology and some of the best research and design in the world.

Find out more about the newest 4M platform here.

Rooftop solar isn’t just a hit in the United States as it’s booming in Europe too thanks to the likes of Andreas Thorsheim and his team at Otovo. Thinking e-Commerce meets Solar Energy, Thorsheim and his team have revolutionized the residential solar process while keeping tabs on what’s going on in the US market and abroad. Thorsheim also shares how the Russia-Ukraine crisis has affected business, why Norway was the perfect place to get started and would Otovo ever think about coming to the United States?

For more on Andreas Thorsheim and Otovo.

Not all recruiters are created equal and we learned that from a veteran in the business, Catherine McLean, CEO and founder of Dylan Green, a recruitment agency that specializes in the green and clean energy spaces. McLean details a little about her journey into recruiting, but then dishes on how she approaches including more diverse candidates, how a resume isn’t always a great indicator of the quality of candidate - and what a cover letter really showcases. Plus she let’s us know why she’s dedicated to being an entrepreneur and what keeps her going - plus what the Inflation Reduction Action means for green and clean energy recruitment. It’s a fun and informative listen with one of the best in her industry.

Plus, don’t miss out on the 2022 XPortCon Conference being held September 26 and 27 in Houston. Learn more about here and use Promo Code POWER10 to save immediately!

Click here for information on Dylan-Green and Catherine McLean.

What makes someone detour from acting to climate activism? We ask that of Aria McKenna, who spent years honing her craft as an actress but the pull to do improve the planet for her daughter was even more important so she combined both loves and is now both a climate activist and working to bring more green entertainment to the small and big screen. Aria shares her story and details what viewers will learn on her newest program, Becoming the Change, and she details how she’s trying to make climate a more prominent story line in entertainment without it always having to be doom or gloom or documentary style. It’s a marvelous story about making two passions work together.

Learn more about Becoming the Change and Aria McKenna.

Data collection leading to better energy efficiency? It’s one thing to suggest it and it’s another thing to demonstrate it. However UtilityAPI Founder and CTO Daniel Roesler and his team have uncovered that and more in the last eight years since they looked to streamline and improve the process in which companies acquired utility billing information and now UtilityAPI has become the go-to clean data collection company leading the energy transition. They’ve also become active in the data and consent regulatory space and are helping municipalities and companies alike achieve better energy efficiency - and - why Daniel says you won’t see UtilityAPI joining the analytics fray anytime soon.

Learn more about UtilityAPI and Daniel Roesler.

From defending his country as a Navy Pilot to now defending his country’s energy independence, Michael Eyman is leading the charge at Origis Services with doses of optimism, diligence and realism. In today’s episode, Eyman, the Managing Director for Origis Services, shares its genesis and why joining them made sense for him personally and professionally; why litigation isn’t always the answer; the need for more transparency in the solar industry and how the Inflation Reduction Act might make things a little more difficult before it gets better in the renewable sector. Eyman also shares the big Day Zero event happening at the Origis Operations Center in October that’s been postponed the last two years - thanks to you guessed it - Covid. Definitely one of the best Power Connect episodes yet - Eyman pulls no punches and makes it clear that Origis Services is ready to take the lead in solar and renewable operational excellence.

Learn more about Origis, Origis Services and Michael Eyman.

Sometimes you meet folks who look and sound exactly like their name - and Hawkins ‘Hawk’ Dunlap fits that bill. This 32-year Oilfield Veteran from Longview, Texas may not look like a global businessman and world traveler at first glance, but after a few minutes you realize this man has seen firsthand what oil and gas means to the global economy and the importance of investing in oil and gas wells. From West Texas to Singapore and hundreds of points in between, Dunlap shares how he got his start as as well control specialist; the causes of well fires across the globe; the mercenary nature of his job; how Nigeria is doing a better job than his home state at capping wells and how a Covid forced him back home - and a chance meeting with Sarah Stogner led him to helping out her campaign. It’s a helluva podcast debut from one of the more well-traveled oil and gas professionals in the world.

Learn more about Hawk Dunlap.

The Great Resignation was one of the effects of Covid and after 25 years working for a billion-dollar behemoth like Enterprise Rental Cars, Brett Frazee decided it was time to chart his own path as well, and took a plunge into the Venture Capital world. Now, the 50-something entrepreneur is using those skills that made him successful at Enterprise and transitioning into the mobility and micromobility space as a Partner with EFO Ventures. In today’s discussion, Brett tells us how a cross-country trip with his family spurred the bug to make a move; how crowded the sustainability and mobility space is right now for investing; how much going with your gut is the decision maker plus why incubation may be more important that the initial investment.

Learn more about EFO Ventures and Brett Frazee.

In a nearly 30 year career in the automotive industry, there’s not much when it comes to technology and performance that Don Wright hasn’t seen. That’s why when he talks about makes electric vehicles so appealing, he’s coming from a place of honesty and experience, and he breaks all that down in today’s episode. Wright discusses the challenges EV’s are facing when it comes to infrastructure and improving battery life and sourcing, but he also explains how the circular economy plays a vital role in the evolution of the EV moving forward. Plus, in this first part of back-to-back husband and wife episodes, Don shares how his wife’s love of the TV Show ‘Gilmore Girls’ inspired their current ‘99 Jeep Wrangler EV conversion experiment.

Learn more about Don Wright and his wife Veronica and their Jeep EV conversion.

A talented and determined entrepreneurial type makes their way to the United States from Austria and immediately makes an impact in the space and educates - and entertains - the masses along the way… Sound familiar? Of course it does and that’s the path Dr. Veronika Wright aka ‘Electrified Veronika’ has charted since her arrival in the United States less than two years ago and the Social Entrepreneur and Battery Expert is on her way to becoming a household name in the battery and electrification space. Author of the book, ‘The Drive to Electric,’ Wright has an inspiring story of love, dedication and the ‘Gilmore Girls’ that have led to her Electrified Veronika brand and the latest project she and her husband, Don, have taken up as they convert a ‘99 Jeep Wrangler to an EV.

Learn more about husband Don Wright and Veronika and their Jeep Conversion Journey.

I had to kick things up a notch for Episode 40 and did so in a big way with longtime writer, professor and celebrated author Robert Jensen. With 16 books to his credit, Jensen discusses what might be his most controversial piece, ‘An Inconvenient Apocalypse,’ which he co-wrote with another legendary scribe, Wes Jackson. In the book, Jensen and Jackson’s take an unpopular stance in terms of how the current global climate crisis will fare - that it’s not going to end well for civilization regardless of what measures are taken. In this episode, Jensen also shares the feedback he’s received on the book and how there is a growing contingent of folks who believe a societal collapse is inevitable and that it’s preparation on the other side of the collapse that’s most important. He details how crises of consumption and meaning are at the root of the impending calamity and that a societal fix isn’t likely. But this isn’t some doomsday prophecy and Jensen shares how love has fueled this project that’s been more than 40 years in the making.

Learn more about Robert Jensen and purchase his book here.

It’s easy to see why folks love working in the solar and renewables field when you meet people like Devin Paris. The Sales Director of Solar Foundations USA, Paris found his way into solar sales through a LinkedIn because he needed a gig and 13 years later he works for the premier solar racking company in the United States. A doting father to boot, Paris talks his journey in solar, how Made In America kept Solar Foundations USA one step ahead of its competition during the pandemic and with the ongoing supply chain issues and he dishes on what’s made him a better sales person over his career and more. It’s a fun conversation with a great person.

Learn more about Devin Paris and Solar Foundations USA.

A special live, on-location episode of The Power Connect this past weekend as we went to the Forward Party Kickoff Convention at the Bayou City Event Center on the southside of Houston. The event was headlined by Froward Party Founder Andrew Yang, former Presidential candidate who tells folks what the party is about and shares their thoughts on energy independence and what’s needed for the US to stay energy independent. Former NJ Governor and EPA Chairman Christine Todd Whitman is also part of the movement and talks climate change and whether the Inflation Reduction Act does enough and we round it out with local Houston politician Bill King who says the Forward Party isn’t planning on an immediate impact - but has something else in mind.

Fore more on the Forward Party.

Will the Hydrogen Revolution be televised? Who knows but you can bet that Magnus Thomassen and his team at Hystar will have a starring role in some capacity as they’re bringing energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption as part of their play with their additions to the Market. Joining us from his office in Norway, Thomassen, a long-time R&D guy, tells us about making the entrepreneurial plunge, what makes their Hydrogen Electrolysers different than what we’ve seen in the market thus far and why did the U.S. wait so long to get their renewable act together?

Learn more about Hystar and Magnus.

By far one of the most impressive people to join The Power Connect, entrepreneur and founder Ahmad Atwan shares a host of impressive insights, career moves and how he has drawn on a successful oil and gas career to fuel his current endeavors that are already making waves in the renewable industry. A veteran of BlackRock and Morgan Stanley, Atwan details getting to know James Baker, how to approach CEOs and his strategy to closing deals, why labor and the grid may be the two most overlooked aspects that could slow The Energy Transition, how he and his team are building the ‘Schlumberger’ of Renewable Services and the investments and approach he’s taking to Clean Tech and renewable investing through his Venture Capital Firm - VC Fuel. No matter what kind of podcasts or show you watch or listen to just stick out more than others cause of how good they are thanks to the guest — this is one of those episodes.

Learn more about Ahmad Atwan, Clean Energy Services and VC Fuel.

The EV rush, like pretty much everything with the Energy Transition right now, is in demand yet the consistent knock against the cars themselves is the hefty price tag that’s attached to so many of the new electric car models. Enter the Tightwad. In today’s episode, we welcome the Author of ‘How to Buy an Affordable Electric Car : A Tightwad’s Guide to EV Ownership,’ Matt Delorenzo. Now, Delorenzo is a self-described tightwad so frugalists can relax for a bit, but not only he is economically meticulous, he also happens to be one of the most prolific automotive scribes of his generation as he’s written about cars for the last 45 years. Delorenzo noticed a huge gap in the amount of and accessibility to quality EV information, but more importantly, Delorenzo, who lives in EV-friendly California, also surmised there was no one covering where to find inexpensive electric cars - or asking the bigger question - Do they exist? And boy do they. Delorenzo takes prospective EV buyers - for a ride - to not only educate them on what inexpensive EVs exist, but shares the ins and outs of the EVs when it comes to range, options, city v. highway driving, the used car market and we talk Tax Credits of course. It’s an EV Buying 101 course that breaks down the EV segment better than anyone.

For more on the book please go here and for more on Matt, click here.

We head to BMore aka Baltimore to chat with two rising stars in the Energy Space, Jason Schwartzberg and Phil Croskey of MD Energy Advisors. Along with their third partner, Paul Clary, these three visionaries took a leap of faith 12 years ago with no experience in the energy space because they wanted to help people save money on their electric bills. Now, several pivots, a pandemic and a 350 percentage in employee size later, the MD Energy Advisor Team is widely recognized as one of the premier shops not just in Maryland, but across the United States. Their focus has grown to utility, commercial and financing solutions concentrated in energy efficiency, renewable projects and old school natural gas and electricity brokering. But it’s not just their incredible growth and suite of services that impresses most - it’s the culture they’ve built and fostered that has facilitated this explosive growth and demonstrates why MD Energy Advisors Energy is as abundant internally as it is with its clients.

For more on MD Energy Advisors.

There’s no guess work with Andrejka Bernatova. This brilliant energy mind has deliberately carved out her path since she was a child when she fundraised $6k dollars to fulfill her dream of coming to the United States from her native Czechoslovakia. Not only did she make it, but she’s crisscrossed the globe since, worked for some of the most prestigious institutions - and attended - in the world and now sits on several boards in both the clean tech and oil and gas industries. She’s currently running the SPAC ESGEN and discusses her selection criteria and how she has been relentless in not only researching clean tech, but how her own experience and network has her supremely positioned to excel in a rapidly-evolving market.

For more on Andrejka Bernatova.

A Jack-of-All trades on a mission for mastery - John Belizaire has a knack for starting businesses in some of the most difficult and cut-throat industries in American business - and thriving. The native New Yorker has been a serial entrepreneur in the insurance and finance spaces and then at the behest of a mentor and investor colleague, took his knack for solving problems to the energy space and is now running one of the fastest-growing companies in energy - Soluna. Determined to show the world how computing can help solve the energy gap, they’re taking unused energy that would normally get wasted and monetizing it for its clients. He also runs The CEO Playbook, an insightful blog where Belizaire shares his notes, thoughts and input on what makes CEOs tick and how they can continue to evolve and improve because as he puts it - it’s a flashy job, but it’s a lonely one as well.

Learn more about Soluna and John Belizaire here.

Finally, The Power Connect is brought to you by the webinar ‘Getting into a Rhythm - Forecasting and Innovating in a Renewable Age.’ This timely discussion focuses on what companies are doing for their short-term and long-term forecasting needs and how renewables are playing a vital part in adding to grid complexity. Join Innowatts’ Chief Innovation Officer Krishnan Kasiviswanathan and Rhythm Energy’s Roozbeh Amirazodi on Nov. 10th at 1p et / Noon Ct and come ready with questions and comments - we’ll see you Nov. 10th.

Jaime Andres Diez is fighting an uphill battle but it wouldn’t be the first time he’s come from nowhere to posing a legitimate political challenge, albeit this time on a much larger stage. The 26-year-old Libertarian candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission seat is battling against Republican incumbent Wayne Christian and upstart Democratic candidate Luke Warford. Diez is not necessarily a political neophyte, having taken second in a school board race in his native Brownsville. However the stakes are much different at the state level, he’s running as a third party candidate and he’s lacking in one major category compared to the other two in the race — Money. Diez isn’t flinching and in today’s episode discusses why he chose the Libertarian party, or perhaps why they chose him, his disenchantment with political groups that claim to help Hispanic candidates, his platform for Railroad Commission, fixing the state’s renewable transmission problems and whether he has a viable shot at winning - or at the very least affecting the race.

Learn more about Jaime Andres Diez.

We celebrate the half century mark of the podcast with one of the best minds and pioneers of the Clean Tech space - the incomparable Mr. Neal Dikeman. One the most colorful characters in the energy space, Neal, a proud Texas A&M Aggie (haven’t met one that isn’t yet in fairness), shares how he couldn’t get a job out of college to how he found his way to Silicon Valley and now uses a lot of the same principles and processes today as he’s one part of the Clean Tech Venture Capital Firm - Energy Transition Ventures - alongside Craig Lawrence. In this first part of our two-part interview, the never dull Dikeman details his 270 day process when evaluating startups, why history matters, speed kills and living in a cul-de-sac— in the start-up world - can be a death knell. Whether you’re in energy, clean tech or have the greatest widget idea that no one’s ever heard of - today’s discussion with Neal is a Mini-Masterclass in Startup Founding 101.

For more on Neal Dikeman and Energy Transition Ventures.

And don’t miss the webinar ‘Finding a Rhythm - Forecasting and Innovating in a Renewable Age’ with podcast partner Innowatts - this Thursday, 1p EDT. Sign Up here Today.

We continue on with all things Neal Dikeman in the second part of our conversation with the long-time entrepreneur, CleanTech veteran and political upstart. You can catch Part One here. We may not see the political upstart aspect anytime soon, we’ll let Neal tell you about that, but in today’s episode he dives into the origins of CleanTech, why Silicon Valley and Houston need to communicate more and how the two very different ecosystems complement each other well. Neal gives us insight into what he tells startups, what he looks for in a pitch, why networking is always important and why you have to have your own to tap into - and finally - why the Inflation Reduction Act was not necessary.

Learn more about Neal here.

Check out our podcast partner Innowatts’ latest webinar - “Finding a Rhythm: Forecasting and Innovating in a Renewable Age.”

There’s a reason former athletes often go on to great business careers thanks to years of training and mental preparation. Buck Martinez is no exception as the former college baseball player carved out a 35-year career as an executive with Florida Power & Light and helped usher in an era of renewables for the utility giant before they were widely accepted as they are now. Martinez dishes on what made the change at FPL so dramatic, how bringing in non-energy professionals helped change the culture and maintaining a singular focus brought huge results. But it might be his post FPL career that Buck is most proud of as the Founder of Student ACES, a high school program in South Florida that has grown from a classroom of students nearly a decade ago to now schools from all over the state and country are interested in what Buck and his team are doing to educate kids through empowerment, education, athletics and group training. It’s an incredible story of an old school athlete with a huge heart who is working to help kids navigate their own lives in a rapidly changing society.

For more on Buck Martinez and Student ACES.

While nicknames are the norm in Sports Radio - energy podcasting doesn’t quite lend itself to coining the movers and shakers in the energy space - but we did that with our guest today - the Godfather of the PPA in Europe - Dr. Harald Overholm - the found and CEO of Alight Energy. The leader in PPAs in Europe, Overholm tells us how he’s always been destined to make moves in clean energy, why the United States has the best entrepreneurs in the world, whether or not Alight will ever venture into the US market and how a chance comment in a Cambridge University cafeteria led to him connecting with Jigar Shah.

Learn more about Dr. Harald Overholm and Alight Energy.

While money was already flowing into the clean tech and renewable spaces even before the Government dumped another $394 Billy in tax breaks and new money — the stage is being set for who survives, who won’t make the cut and perhaps most importantly - who will stand out and lead in their sector. Well, if you’re taking bets - put some action on Electrada and their CEO Kevin Kushman. A 25-year veteran of the data, analytics and clean tech and DER space, Kushman is leading a savvy group of energy professionals who are using Charging-As-A-Service and have created their ‘Mobile Microutility’ model and are redefining how fleet electrification will be done by working with Commercial fleets, utilities and investing into the tech and infrastructure of how the charging gets done. It’s a brilliant strategy and after you listen to Kushman, it’ll make sense why he’s the man leading the way.

For more on Kevin Kushman and Electrada.

The future of forecasting is here and Innowatts comprehensive digital energy platform isn’t just helping retailer energy providers with accurate forecasting, but their enhancing their profitability and reducing their carbon footprint - all at the same time. Contact Innowatts for a demo to get started today.

It’s the biggest company you’ve heard of but didn’t know they exactly how important they are — 30-year Schneider Veteran Brad Wills stopped by The Power Connect to break down the next great conquest for the Electric Giant. Wills, Schneider’s Director for Strategic Customers and Programs, talks about how the traditional B2B company is taking its expertise in that market and venturing into the B2C market and is primed to ‘explode.’ Working with the Top 100 Builders in the United States, Wills discusses how their newest features, including the Weiser Energy Solution, The Energy Center and the groundbreaking ‘Grid-to-Plug’ Feature, are following the latest trend of the home being the new Energy Hub, except Schneider wants to give the homeowner access and control to better energy efficiency, understanding and operation - all from an easy-to-use App. It’s an amazing development from a company that according to Wills, was not only named the most sustainable company in the world - they also claim 80 percent of all electrons in the US run through Schneider Equipment.

For more on Schneider Electric and Brad Wills.

The Bedding and Sleepwear industry will never be the same. Climate Tech and sustainability is invading the textile space as well and entrepreneurs Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey have teamed up with a clean take on bamboo fabric that’s both good for the environment and remarkably comfortable with their Eco-friendly with an attitude bedding and sleepwear company - Ettitude. The two paired up nearly five years ago as Yu was looking for a US partner and met marketing guru and veteran startup founder Dey. The stars aligned - literally - and Yu, based in Australia, knew she found the right partner and the two got to work marketing their sustainably made bamboo sheets and sleepwear. Slowed but not stopped by Covid, they’re now looking to get into retailers after having gone direct-to-consumer and have an obscenely low return rate and have raised more than $1.7M to date. Phoebe breaks down what makes their fabric so special - and comfy - and what’s next for the burgeoning retailer.

Just in time for Christmas and the holidays - go to Ettitude and enter Promo Code ‘Power Connect’ for 10 percent off!

Learn more about Phoebe Yu and Kat Dey.

The Power Connect is back and we’re taking you to the EV Charging Summit and Expo where Fred Davis will host, MC and interview as part of the three-day affair in Las Vegas from March 29-31. As a lead up to the Summit - we’re sitting down with different speakers from the event who have established themselves as key voices and operators in the EV Charging sector. We start with Irina Filippova, Chief Operating Officer from Electrada. Irina gives us a quick glimpse at the state of Fleet EV Charging, the culture Electrada is building and how its team is one of the fastest moving and forward-thinking companies in the clean energy industry and Irina gives us a hot Las Vegas take to close out the discussion - and what we can expect from her panel on March 30th.

For more info on the Summit - go to their site here and save 50 percent off registration by entering the promo code EVCS2023.

The Bruce Springsteen of the Energy Biz makes his way to The Power Connect podcast to talk all things Energy Marketing Conference and the state of the energy markets as we welcome the incomparable Jack Doueck to the program. A 20+ year veteran of energy and entrepreneur who runs and invests in businesses across the energy landscape, Jack details how this current power market compares to the most volatile he’s ever seen, the state of renewables and their place in the power market and why the theme for EMC - Surviving and Thriving - was a no-brainer.

Learn more about EMC 19 here.

To get 20 percent off your registration at EMC 20 — apply the promo code INNOWATTS20.

We continue our EV Charging Summit and Expo Series and welcome Charlotte Fagan from National Grid. A dynamic speaker with an impressive - and global - background in sustainability, Charlotte details:

How National Grid is thinking both near and long term when it comes to EV Charging Infrastructure

The importance of Transmission and Distribution and its impact

The difference between East Coast and West Coast Sustainability attitudes and policies

What the rest of the country can learn from Vegas - and no - it’s not gambling or food related!

It’s a great bit of information from Charlotte - plus she shares her panel Creating The Ultimate Stakeholder System - that you can attend on Day 2 - March 31st. And if that’s not enough, Charlotte is also an MC of the event as well - She’s everywhere!

Be sure to visit here to learn more.

And enter the Promo Code EVCS2023 for 50 percent off of the event — Mar. 29-31 at The Mirage in Vegas.

Thanks to a nudge from his big brother, Joachim Lohse and his team at Ampcontrol are changing the way fleets are electrifying. The German-born Lohse shares his exceptional story that will resonate with current and wannabe entrepreneurs on how Ampcontrol came to be - and will be on display at this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo in Las Vegas Mar. 29-31. Lohse gets into how Ampcontrol manages EV Charging loads and more for fleets, the evolution of the company and how different it is now versus when he started it in NYC back in 2018, plus he details how to educate the masses outside of the EV space and tells the audience how he and his team at Ampcontrol are doing just that.

It’s a wonderful conversation with an impressive business mind and even better human being.

For more on Jochim Lohse and Ampcontrol.

And be sure to stop by the Ampcontrol exhibit at this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — enter the Promo Code EVCS2023 for 50 percent off of the event — Mar. 29-31 at The Mirage in Vegas.

No Risk, No Reward. That axiom remains true in business and life but for John Doran, the risk was especially great considering he was walking away from a stable teaching career, tenure, benefits and a six-figure salary - with two kids. The Native New Yorker and Owner of Plugin Station Online (PISO) not only took the leap, but now runs one of the most successful EV Charging Station installation companies in the Northeast and will share his knowledge at this year’s EV Charging Summit. Doran talks about starting out when there were next to no EVs on the road, the challenge of going from teaching to being an entrepreneur and how the EV market has changed rapidly in the last few years and why PISO is positioned to scale - strategically - while still employing the best service in the industry. It’s a wonderful story of dedication and perseverance.

For more on J0hn Doran and PISO.

Do not miss this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — enter the Promo Code EVCS2023 for 50 percent off of the event — Mar. 29-31 at The Mirage in Vegas.

The goals are ambitious but it’s not surprising coming from one of the largest and most iconic energy companies in the world. Shell Recharge Solutions, a subsidiary of Shell, is poised to add nearly half-a-million EV Chargers globally in the next 2 years — and the man behind it says that’s just the start. Andreas Lips, CEO of Shell Recharge Solutions, will be on the Keynote Panel on Thursday, March 30th at the EV Charging Summit in Vegas. As part of our Speaker Series with EVCS, Lips gives listeners a peek behind the curtain on their patented Shell Sky technology, how the Shell gas station imprint is a huge factor in knowing and understanding consumer behavior, how Shell continues to expand its EV footprint through acquisitions and the one basic element that all consumers want in their EV Charger.

For more on Andreas Lips and Shell ReCharge Solutions.

Do not miss this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — enter the Promo Code EVCS2023 for 50 percent off of the event — Mar. 29-31 at The Mirage in Vegas.

Bigger than the Beatles? Depends on your metrics. Josh Aviv can say for one night he was bigger than arguably the greatest band of all time as the Founder and CEO of mobile EV charging startup Sparkcharge pitched his company on the powerhouse show ‘Shark Tank’ and outdrew a Beatles documentary that ran that same night.

But let’s not bury the lede as Aviv, a Syracuse graduate who started Sparkcharge in his dorm room, now boasts more than 60 employees and is one of the fastest-growing mobile charging companies in the country. Not only are they providing thousands of miles of range a day for its customers, but the ease of use of Sparkcharge along with its products and services make it a fundamental gamechanger in the EV Charging space, and you’ll hear about it in today’s episode.

Josh, as part of our EVCS Series, is also a panelist at the Summit and can be heard on Friday, as part of the Smart Fleets: Charging Software Integration panel.

For more on Josh Aviv and Spark Charge.

Do not miss this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — enter the Promo Code EVCS2023 for 50 percent off of the event — Mar. 29-31 at The Mirage in Vegas..

She’s been working on this conference aka Summit for nearly a year and the culmination of her work is almost here as Merill Morse joins the program to talk behind the scenes of this year’s EV Charging Summit and Expo. This is the second installment of the event but it’s the first time in person and Morse and her team have done an incredible job putting together the most important EV Charging event of the year together - and it’s in Las Vegas. More details why they chose Vegas, why the event is so expansive from a knowledge and industry perspective and she shares some of the hidden gems in this year’s event.

For more on Merill Morse and EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — you’ll have to wait til next year - as this year’s event is officially sold out. However it will be available online later this year.

With some of the most iconic shopping centers under its belt, Simon Property Group has staked its claim as one of the premier shopping destinations in the United States thanks to ‘billions of dollars’ spent upgrading and enhancing the shopping experience in recent years. For Daniel Segal, VP Of Business Development at Simon Property Group, that now includes adding EV Charging to that mix and across their expansive real estate holdings. Segal details some of the players they’ve teamed up with including Tesla, Rivian, EVGo and Electrify America as part of their EV Charging partnerships. He also explains why making Simon locations a trusted and safe destination spot for consumers is very important as well. Finally, he shares what feedback he’s received from the chargers Simon has already installed and he gives us a glimpse into his panel, ‘Navigating the complexities of the Next Value Real Estate Asset’ on Friday.

For more on Daniel Segal and EV Charging Summit and Expo — and if you haven’t purchased a ticket yet — you’ll have to wait til next year - as this year’s event is officially sold out. However it will be available online later this year.

The Air BnB of EV Charging… If that’s not an audacious enough goal, then Pieter Waller wouldn’t be here on the latest episode of The Power Connect. We caught up with the Dutch Entrepreneur and Founder of Chargetrip, a range prediction and EV routing platform that has dominated Europe’s EV scene and is poised to do the same here in the United States.

Waller, who ran a consulting firm and had started several tech and online businesses prior to Chargetrip, was at the EV Charging Summit and Expo last week in Las Vegas as he and his team, including Ms. Cecile Post, who helped make this podcast possible, are taking Chargetrip international.

In this episode, Waller details the conversation of when his close friend told him why he wouldn’t take his EV on long-distance trips - and the two knew they needed to provide a solution. Thus the AirBnB of EV charging was born. From there, Waller tells us how the business came together, why it was important to be ‘more than an app,’ fearing they were ‘too late’ to the EV charging game and then realizing after their network crashed early in the process that they were on to something.

Finally, and perhaps most intriguing, is when Waller recognized the Fleet application for Chargetrip during a trip to Long Beach, California last year. While the consumer side of Chargetrip is growing, it’s the Fleet side that may be the true game changer in all of it.

For more on Pieter Waller and Chargetrip.