Complex, outdated, expensive: concentrating solar power used to be a clunky way of harnessing the sun. What’s changed to now make it viable?
Concentrating Solar Power, or CSP, takes energy from the sun, converts it to heat, and uses it to drive a turbine to provide renewable electricity. It has more moving parts than photovoltaic (PV) solar – which has non ... Show More
Mar 17
A power producer’s view of keeping the lights on. What does rising electricity demand from data centers mean for the US grid?
Energy bills are rising, data centers are multiplying, and the grid is straining to keep up. What happens next? For two decades, electricity prices in the United States barely moved. Demand was flat, natural gas was cheap, and the system was largely stable. That era is over. A su ... Show More
1h 10m
Mar 10
The war with Iran: what does the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz mean for global energy?
Tanker traffic dries up, oil, gas and fertilizer prices soar, and the world holds its breathThe Strait of Hormuz has long been discussed as one of the single greatest vulnerabilities in global energy supply. Now the risk has become reality. Host Ed Crooks is joined by Amy Myers J ... Show More
1h 11m
Mar 3
Are VPPs really a viable solution for easing strain on the grid? Tesla say yes, and they have big plans
VPPs – virtual power plants – continue to spark heated debate. Are they genuinely a fast, affordable way to add capacity to the grid? Or are they an overhyped concept that falls apart when electricity systems are under stress? To find out, host Ed Crooks welcomes Colby Hastings, ... Show More
57m 58s
Nov 2024
Glint Solar grabs $8M to help accelerate solar energy adoption across Europe
Solar energy is booming, which is good news for Glint Solar. The Norwegian software-as-a-service startup has built a platform that’s helping energy giants and large solar developers such as E.ON, Recurrent Energy, and Statkraft cut the time it takes to plan and pre-design solar i ... Show More
6m 49s
Jul 2024
804: AI x Solar Power = Abundant Energy
Solar power now provides 6% of the world's electricity, thanks to rapid growth. Host Jon Krohn discusses the factors driving this rise, the challenges ahead, and how AI and data science are optimizing solar technologies. Tune in for insights on the future of solar power, and don' ... Show More
13m 57s
Jun 2019
Ep65: The Solar Market: Today and Tomorrow
Tom Buttgenbach, CEO and president of 8minute Solar Energy, one of the most successful developers of utility-scale solar projects in the United States, joins us to discuss what he sees in store for the solar market. We get into how solar technology has affected the energy industr ... Show More
24m 27s