Will energy storage save the grid? How batteries and the software behind them are reshaping reliability in the age of AI demand

11 snips

Nov 4, 2025

Joanna Martin Ziegenfuss, General Manager for Strategic Market Development at Wärtsilä Energy Storage, and Ruchira Shah, General Manager of Software Product Management, share insights on the role of energy storage in stabilizing the US grid. They discuss how advanced battery technologies and software optimization enhance flexibility for future grid demands. The duo explores the challenges posed by AI data centers and the need for updated market policies that reward rapid responses. Together, they highlight optimistic trends in storage technology and its potential in a decarbonized energy landscape.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Storage Is A Multifunctional Grid Asset

Batteries are multifunctional assets that capture, store and release energy on demand to provide unique grid flexibility.
Joanna Martin Ziegenfuss argues this flexibility creates diverse monetization paths and makes storage critical for grid reliability.

INSIGHT

Synthetic Inertia Replaces Spinning Mass

Spinning turbines provide natural inertia that slows system changes and stabilizes frequency.
Ruchira Shah explains batteries can provide the same protection via software-controlled synthetic inertia.

INSIGHT

Load Growth And Volatility Are Twin Challenges

Demand is rising and peak capacity requirements are increasing due to electrification and data centers.
Ruchira Shah highlights growing load volatility that forces supply to both quickly ramp up and down.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Electrification is surging, AI data centres are multiplying, and volatility is rising on both sides of the meter. Can storage step in as the flexible backbone the US grid now needs?

Host Sylvia Leyva Martinez is joined by Joanna Martin Ziegenfuss, General Manager for Strategic Market Development (North America), and Ruchira Shah, General Manager of Software Product Management at Wärtsilä Energy Storage. Together they unpack how high-performance hardware paired with sophisticated control software delivers real-time flexibility, from synthetic inertia and fast frequency response to price arbitrage and microgrid operation.

The conversation tracks the shift from treating storage as a bolt-on to renewables to viewing it as a core reliability asset. Sylvia, Joanna and Ruchi explore how AI-driven load growth and volatile demand profiles change planning assumptions; why interconnection queues are pushing some data centres toward on-site generation plus batteries; and how market rules and policy must evolve to reward flexibility and sub-second response. They also dig into software’s role in future-proofing assets as grid requirements tighten, and where innovators are already meeting new performance thresholds.

If you’re navigating project economics, market design or grid operations in a fast-changing landscape, this episode offers a pragmatic look at what’s working, what’s missing, and why storage is set to anchor a resilient, decarbonised grid.

This episode is brought to you by Wärtsilä Energy Storage – Wärtsilä delivers high performing, large-scale energy storage systems by combining sophisticated software, robust safety, and long‑term reliability—empowering utility, IPP, and data center customers to maximize energy value and investment returns. To learn more, visit: https://www.wartsila.com/energy/energy-storage?utm_source=woodmac&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=energy_storage_saving_the_grid&utm_content=host

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.