Spark Tank! How Do We Solve the Energy Storage Problem?

Jun 30, 2022

Dr. Leah Stokes and Shayle Kann discuss energy storage solutions including pumped hydro, compressed air, and molten salts. They explore innovative technologies, investments, and the challenges of transitioning to renewable energy sources, making the topic engaging and informative.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

The Future of Energy Storage

01:43 • 4min

Spark Tank Innovation Competition

05:19 • 3min

Innovative Energy Storage Solutions and Investments

08:24 • 7min

Exploring Energy Storage Technologies

14:59 • 15min

Exploring the Power of Molten Salts for Energy Storage

29:46 • 7min

Deliberating Energy Storage Solutions with $10 Million Investment

36:39 • 2min

Investing in Energy Storage Solutions

38:37 • 6min

Storage!

...Exciting, right? Ok, we’ll prove it to you. Each day, more and more of our electricity comes from intermittent renewables like wind and solar. To balance out our electric grid in the future, we’ll need new ways of storing extra energy, so we can still turn on our lights when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining. This week, with help from Dr. Leah Stokes and Shayle Kann, we explore the wild world of energy storage, from a hidden underground lair to a piping hot thermos full of poison. And did we mention it’s a gameshow?

Guests

Dr. Leah Stokes, Professor of Climate and Energy Policy at University of California, Santa Barbara
Shayle Kann, Climate Tech Investor at Energy Impact Partners
Len Greene, Director of Government Affairs and Communications, FirstLight Power
Curtis VanWalleghem, CEO of Hydrostor
Dr. Cristina Prieto, Professor of Engineering at the University of Seville

Calls to Action

Learn more about energy storage
Pumped Hydro
Compressed Air
Molten Salts
And for a really wild one: check out Energy Vault
Learn more about our electric grid, with our episodes How We Got our Grid and How We Get a Better One and Party Like It’s 2035
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Check out our Calls to Action archive for all of the actions we've recommended on the show. Send us your ideas or feedback with our Listener Mail Form. Sign up for our newsletter here. And follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

This episode of How to Save a Planet was produced by Daniel Ackerman. The rest of our reporting and producing team includes Kendra Pierre-Louis, Rachel Waldholz and Anna Ladd. Our supervising producer is Matthew Shilts. Our editor is Caitlin Kenney. Our intern is Janae Morris. Sound design and mixing by Peter Leonard with original music from Emma Munger. Our fact checker for this episode was James Gaines.

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