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Volts is a podcast about leaving fossil fuels behind. I've been reporting on and explaining clean-energy topics for almost 20 years, and I love talking to politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world's most important fight. (Volts is entirely subscriber-supported. Sign up!) www.volts.wtf
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A podcast highlighting the latest research and news from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as we work to achieve the laboratory's vision of a clean energy future for the world.
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The Clean Power Hour podcast is speeding the clean energy transition. Tim Montague and John Weaver highlight clean energy innovations shaping the next generation of renewable energy sources. We discuss the latest solar PV, battery storage, wind, water, wave, and other low-carbon technologies. We answer the question: How can we decarbonize the economy? We promote the economic opportunity of electrifying everything - transportation, energy, industry, and the built environment. Let's speed up t ...
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Finally...An Energy Podcast about Energy
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Perovskites in a Circular Economy, Clean Hydrogen From Offshore Wind, and Hydrogen Transportation Infrastructure Modeling
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In this episode, our hosts discuss: 1. Revolutionizing Solar Energy with Perovskites As we develop technology to produce renewable energy, it’s important that our materials don’t cause problems for future generations! Discover how NREL researchers are advancing perovskite solar technology, which promises a leap forward in solar energy efficiency. T…
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How Perovskite Technology is Reshaping the Solar Industry with Scott Graybeal | EP223
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux, to explore the exciting world of perovskite solar technology. Graybeal reveals how his company is on the cusp of revolutionizing the solar industry with their innovative perovskite-based coatings for traditional solar panels. Graybeal dispels the myt…
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For years, perovskite solar cells have been the Next Big Thing in solar. In this episode, Joel Jean, co-founder and CEO of Swift Solar, explains what exactly perovskites are, the performance and weight advantages they promise, the challenges they face, and when they might actually reach market. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript) Text transcript: …
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Access to charging is a barrier to EV adoption for folks without a driveway or a garage, but what if charging your car in an urban area was as easy as charging your phone? Enter startup Itselectric, which has developed curbside level-2 chargers that connect to building electric panels, making installation quick and efficient. In this episode, co-fo…
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Access to charging is a barrier to EV adoption for folks without a driveway or a garage, but what if charging your car in an urban area was as easy as charging your phone? Enter startup Itselectric, which has developed curbside level-2 chargers that connect to building electric panels, making installation quick and efficient. In this episode, co-fo…
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Agrivoltaics: Progress and Potential with Jordan Macknick, NREL | EP230
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Jordan Macknick, a senior researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), to explore the fascinating world of agrivoltaics. With over a decade of experience in the field, Macknick offers a comprehensive look at the intersection of solar energy and agriculture, shedd…
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How is new clean-energy manufacturing affecting red & purple states?
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Through the passage of IRA and CHIPS, the Biden administration has invested billions of dollars and created more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs in purple and red districts that have been hard-hit by globalization and disinvestment. In this episode, Julian Spector of Canary Media, reporting from these communities, shares about local reactions to th…
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Through the passage of IRA and CHIPS, the Biden administration has invested billions of dollars and created more than 100,000 manufacturing jobs in purple and red districts that have been hard-hit by globalization and disinvestment. In this episode, Julian Spector of Canary Media, reporting from these communities, shares about local reactions to th…
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In this episode, our hosts discuss: Carbon-Negative Concrete – Learn about the BUILD'EM project, which aims to replace traditional cement with a low-carbon alternative made from lignin and other innovative materials. This new concrete not only reduces emissions but also promises to be cost-competitive and environmentally friendly. Discover how thes…
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Robotic Solar Farm Vegetation Management with Tim Lichti | EP229
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Tim Lichti, founder and CEO of Swap Robotics, to discuss innovative solar farm vegetation management solutions. Lichti shares insights into how his company is tackling one of the most significant ongoing expenses in solar farm operations - vegetation control. Swap Robotics has dev…
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This is your monthly opportunity to share! Use the comments section in this community thread to: CLIMATE JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES: Share climate jobs/opportunities SHARE WORK, ASK FOR HELP, FIND COLLABORATORS: Share your climate-related work, ask for help, or find collaborators CLIMATE EVENTS & MEETUPS: Share climate-related events and meetups EVERYTHI…
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Episode 18: Glassy gels exhibit numerous mechanical properties
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In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Sophia Chen interviews Michael Dickey of North Carolina State University about the discovery and mechanical properties of glassy gels. Dicky credits his postdoc Meixiang Wang who, while studying ionic liquids, created the first glassy gel. Dicky’s group found that the mechanical properties of their glassy gel…
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Monetizing Solar Tax Credits: Opportunities in the DG Space with John Carson |EP228
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with John Carson, managing partner at Armagh Capital, to explore the world of tax credit finance for distributed generation solar projects. John shares his expertise on how companies can monetize solar tax credits, particularly focusing on projects ranging from 0.5 to 40 megawatts…
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After decades of talk about offshore wind, California seems closer than ever to actually supporting an industry. But to meet the state’s goal of five gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, a lot of as-yet-nascent pieces need to fall into place. In this episode, Adam Stern of Offshore Wind California and Jocelyn Brown-Saracino of the US Departmen…
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The prospects for offshore wind in California
1:09:30
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After decades of talk about offshore wind, California seems closer than ever to actually supporting an industry. But to meet the state’s goal of five gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, a lot of as-yet-nascent pieces need to fall into place. In this episode, Adam Stern of Offshore Wind California and Jocelyn Brown-Saracino of the US Departmen…
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Dual-Use Solar: Exploring the Synergy of Crops and Clean Energy | EP227
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Greg Barron-Gafford, a professor at the University of Arizona and a pioneer in the field of agrivoltaics. Recorded at the Solar Farm Summit, this conversation dives deep into the exciting world of dual-use solar, where crops and solar panels coexist in mutually beneficial arrangem…
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Episode 17: Metamaterial tailors thermal emission
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In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Laura Leay interviews Coskun Kocabas from The University of Manchester in the UK about his development of a metamaterial that can tailor thermal emission. Rather than using a periodic system, which most topological materials employ, his research team borrowed a concept from laser design and created an optical…
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Hey Volties, I’m recording a live podcast at MT2030’s annual Climate Solutions Summit in Jackson, Wyoming on Oct 15-16, and I have 4 free summit tickets to give to the Volts family! Looks like there will be lots of interesting conversations, keynotes and breakout sessions focusing on “accelerating climate action in mountain, resort, and rural commu…
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Most electricity ratepayers in the US have a smart meter generating real-time data about their power usage, which could theoretically be used to reduce consumption and save money, but in most cases, utilities have locked up the information in inaccessible formats. In this episode, Michael Murray, leader of business coalition Mission:data, describes…
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Most electricity ratepayers in the US have a smart meter generating real-time data about their power usage, which could theoretically be used to reduce consumption and save money, but in most cases, utilities have locked up the information in inaccessible formats. In this episode, Michael Murray, leader of business coalition Mission:data, describes…
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Agrivoltaics and Community-Centric Solar with Iain Ward |EP226
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague sits down with Iain Ward, founder of Solar Agricultural Services (SolAg), to explore the exciting world of agrivoltaics - the practice of combining solar energy production with agriculture. Ward, with his background in conservation planning and environmental science, shares insights on how the s…
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Over the past five years, Colorado’s Democratic trifecta has produced a cascade of legislation on climate, energy, housing, and land use (among other things). In this episode, we dive into some of these achievements and the politics behind them with Gov. Jared Polis and his top climate policy advisor (and previous Volts guest) Will Toor. (PDF trans…
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Colorado governor Jared Polis on recent climate, energy, & housing wins
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Over the past five years, Colorado’s Democratic trifecta has produced a cascade of legislation on climate, energy, housing, and land use (among other things). In this episode, we dive into some of these achievements and the politics behind them with Gov. Jared Polis and his top climate policy advisor (and previous Volts guest) Will Toor. This is a …
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Episode 16: Researchers fabricate monolithic selenium/silicon tandem solar cell
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In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Laura Leay interviews Rasmus Neilsen from the Technical University of Denmark about his fabrication of a monolithic selenium/silicon tandem solar cell. The selenium forms the top cell of the tandem device, with silicon used as the bottom cell. Selenium-based single-junction solar cells have traditionally used…
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Rapid Shutdown, Large Modules, and Storage: Trends Shaping C&I Solar with Steve Schwerd | EP225
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour host Tim Montague sits down with Steve Schwerd of Schwerd Consulting to discuss the state of commercial, industrial, and small-scale utility solar and storage engineering. Steve shares his journey from electrical engineer to solar industry expert, highlighting the evolution of sustainable design and the growi…
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NYC’s Revel is trying to build urban EV fast chargers and demand for those chargers (in the form of its own EV rideshare network) simultaneously. In this episode, Revel’s Tobias Lescht discusses the challenges of urban fast charging and the company’s plans to expand beyond NYC. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript) Text transcript: David Roberts The…
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How to cram EV fast chargers into tight urban spaces
1:11:09
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NYC’s Revel is trying to build urban EV fast chargers and demand for those chargers (in the form of its own EV rideshare network) simultaneously. In this episode, Revel’s Tobias Lescht discusses the challenges of urban fast charging and the company’s plans to expand beyond NYC. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subs…
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Exploring Agrivoltaics with American Farmland Trust | EP224
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Ethan Winter and Austin Kinzer from American Farmland Trust (AFT) to explore the world of agrivoltaics. We discuss AFT's "Smart Solar" program, which aims to balance the acceleration of clean energy with the preservation of thriving farms. We explore the challenges and opport…
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What's the deal with perovskite solar?
1:00:49
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For years, perovskite solar cells have been the Next Big Thing in solar. In this episode, Joel Jean, co-founder and CEO of Swift Solar, explains what exactly perovskites are, the performance and weight advantages they promise, the challenges they face, and when they might actually reach market. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss thi…
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Agrivoltaics is Transforming Solar Development with Lucy Bullock-Sieger | EP222
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Agrivoltaics may be the biggest innovation in solar since the invention of the solar tracker. Today on the Clean Power Hour, we dive into the future of solar and farming with Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Vice President of Strategy at Lightstar Renewables. Discover how agrivoltaics is revolutionizing the solar industry and helping rural communities realize …
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An enormous amount of wood is harvested from forests in the southern US to be burned in Europe as “renewable energy.” Now the industry wants to open more wood-pellet facilities in the Pacific Northwest. In this episode, Rita Frost of NRDC and Brenna Bell of 350 PDX explain why that’s a bad idea and why wood pellets aren’t as renewable as they look.…
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What's the deal with burning wood pellets for energy?
1:01:14
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An enormous amount of wood is harvested from forests in the southern US to be burned in Europe as “renewable energy.” Now the industry wants to open more wood-pellet facilities in the Pacific Northwest. In this episode, Rita Frost of NRDC and Brenna Bell of 350 PDX explain why that’s a bad idea and why wood pellets aren’t as renewable as they look.…
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1
Renewable Tech Projections and Opportunities To Power Research in the South Pole
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In this episode, our hosts discuss two recent stories from NREL: The recent release of this year’s Electricity Annual Technology Baseline (ATB): a valuable resource for utility planners and grid operators to understand and tackle new challenges in the ever-changing power landscape. For the last 10 years, researchers, led by NREL, have released this…
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Building the Solar Workforce: Union Labor's Role in the Energy Transition | EP221
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Dane Simpson, Director of LECET (Laborers' and Employers' Cooperation and Education Trust), to explore the vital role of labor unions in constructing the gigawatts of solar needed for the energy transition. Dane elucidates how organizations like LECET and LIUNA (Laborers' Int…
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In this episode, Beverly Craig of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center discusses what passive house building principles entail, the benefits they generate for building occupants and the grid, and what it would take to persuade more US builders and policymakers to adopt them. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript) Text transcript: David Roberts Peopl…
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What's the deal with Passive House?
1:01:07
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In this episode, Beverly Craig of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center discusses what passive house building principles entail, the benefits they generate for building occupants and the grid, and what it would take to persuade more US builders and policymakers to adopt them. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscr…
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Solar Sheep: The Future of Sustainable Vegetation Control in Renewable Energy | EP220
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague interviews JR Howard, owner of Texas Solar Sheep, about the growing industry of solar grazing. JR shares his journey into solar grazing, which began three years ago when a friend recommended exploring this unique intersection of agriculture and renewable energy. From a small pilot project, …
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EVs are great for people with garages to charge them in, but what about everyone else? In this episode, Gabe Klein of DOE’s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation talks us through new approaches to EV charging for people in multifamily residences in urban settings, including new business models, new technologies, and even new vehicles. (PDF tran…
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EVs are great for people with garages to charge them in, but what about everyone else? In this episode, Gabe Klein of DOE’s Joint Office of Energy and Transportation talks us through new approaches to EV charging for people in multifamily residences in urban settings, including new business models, new technologies, and even new vehicles. This is a…
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Navigating the Clean Energy Transition: Insights from Clean Capital's Thomas Byrne | EP219
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Thomas Byrne, CEO and co-founder of Clean Capital, to discuss the evolving landscape of clean energy investment and development. Byrne shares insights from his journey in the industry, from his beginnings as a project finance lawyer to founding Clean Capital in 2016. The conv…
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In this episode, David Wooley and Ed Carr, lead authors of recent papers outlining policy and technology options for reducing emissions in the shipping industry, discuss the fuels (and batteries?) that could power ships of the future, the policies needed to move forward, and California's pivotal role. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript) Text trans…
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How are we going to decarbonize shipping?
1:02:26
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In this episode, David Wooley and Ed Carr, lead authors of recent papers outlining policy and technology options for reducing emissions in the shipping industry, discuss the fuels (and batteries?) that could power ships of the future, the policies needed to move forward, and California's pivotal role. This is a public episode. If you’d like to disc…
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A startup called Mattiq is using a combination of nanotechnology, AI, and electrolysis to produce novel materials that could eventually substitute for carbon-intensive materials in sectors from chemicals to plastics to fuels. In this episode, CEO Jeff Erhardt and I dig into the technological and business details. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript…
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A startup called Mattiq is using a combination of nanotechnology, AI, and electrolysis to produce novel materials that could eventually substitute for carbon-intensive materials in sectors from chemicals to plastics to fuels. In this episode, CEO Jeff Erhardt and I dig into the technological and business details. This is a public episode. If you’d …
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1
Education Initiatives To Empower Future Innovators
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Hosts Kerrin Jeromin and Taylor Mankle discuss NREL’s impactful and comprehensive approach to education initiatives aimed at cultivating the next generation of clean energy leaders, emphasizing the importance of cultivating STEM identity and fostering diversity and inclusion. Through initiatives like the Stories and STEaM series, NREL not only inte…
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Grid-Enhancing Technologies with Alexina Jackson, AES | EP218
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In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, host Tim Montague sits down with Alexina Jackson, Vice President of Strategic Development at AES, to discuss the future of the electrical grid and the implementation of grid-enhancing technologies (GETs). Alexina shares her insights on the transformation of the grid from an analog system to a more digital, d…
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In this episode, CEO Siyu Huang of Factorial Energy talks through recent advancements in solid-state batteries, which promise significant improvements in energy density and safety and are paving the way for electric vehicles with substantially increased range to hit the market within the next few years. (PDF transcript) (Active transcript) Text tra…
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In this episode, CEO Siyu Huang of Factorial Energy talks through recent advancements in solid-state batteries, which promise significant improvements in energy density and safety and are paving the way for electric vehicles with substantially increased range to hit the market within the next few years. This is a public episode. If you’d like to di…
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A new startup called Base Power aims to bring more stability to the volatile Texas grid by selling customers oversized home batteries at minimal costs and then using the excess capacity to trade on the market. In this episode, co-founders Zach Dell and Justin Lopas discuss their innovative business model and its potential impact in Texas and beyond…
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1
A clever new way to distribute storage on the grid
1:12:47
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A new startup called Base Power aims to bring more stability to the volatile Texas grid by selling customers oversized home batteries at minimal costs and then using the excess capacity to trade on the market. In this episode, co-founders Zach Dell and Justin Lopas discuss their innovative business model and its potential impact in Texas and beyond…
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