Energy Central

The utility sector is undoubtedly among the most tightly monitored and regulated industries across the economy, and with great reason. Reliable and affordable availability of power is not something that customers can go without, and with increasingly present goals like sustainability and equity the intricacies of how regulations interact with the energy industry the challenges are only growing deeper. Luckily for the rest of us, a number of notable leaders continue to step up to provide the type of guidance and expertise needed to continually evaluate utility regulation and ensure the health of the sector remains strong. One such leader joins the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast this week, and her name is Brooke Trammell, the Regional Vice President of Regulatory and Pricing at Xcel Energy. In this episode, Brooke shares with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester the intricacies of utility policy, the regulatory landscape, and its impact on the power sector. In this conversation, listeners will hear about Brooke's journey into the world of utility regulation and how today Xcel Energy is navigating the challenges and opportunities presented by the clean energy transition, electrification of transportation, and other modern tools shaping the power sector. Listen in as Brooke shares her experience and guidance as it relates to the upcoming decisive decade for the power sector. Key Links: Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-128-exploring-complexities-utility-regulation-brooke-trammel-vp Brooke Trammell's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/brooke-trammell-0 Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

As most major utilities set their sites to net zero carbon goals in the coming decades, the myriad of tools available mean that no two power companies are taking exactly the same road map to decarbonization. But in recent years, the fervor behind nuclear energy as being a key part of that equation has been growing rapidly. From small modular reactors nearing commercialization to the recent breakthroughs in fusion to the general public acceptance of nuclear energy as a safe and reliable power source, the industry is trending in the right direction. Entergy has been among the major utility companies leading the way in this regard, which means the organization's nuclear leader has a lot to say. In this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester welcome Kimberly Cook-Nelson, Executive Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer of Entergy, to discuss the state of the U.S. nuclear sector today and the pathway she sees it taking moving forward. With growing public support for nuclear power as a clean and reliable energy source, Kimberly shares how nuclear energy is essential in achieving Entergy's commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. She also highlights the unique position nuclear is in to do so while maintaining grid reliability, addressing price volatility, and increasing sustainability. Listen in as Kimberly emphasizes the importance of nuclear safety and dispelling misconceptions through education and community engagement. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-127-resurgence-nuclear-utility-decarbonization-pathway-kimberly-cook Kimberly Cook-Nelson's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/kimberly-cook-nelson Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Energy equity is a critical issue that is increasingly demanding our attention, as access to reliable and affordable energy remains unevenly distributed across the globe. Even in the United States where we expect that everyone is connected to the grid, marginalized communities still often face challenges in affording their utility bills and see advanced tools like IoT devices, EVs, solar and storage, and more being out of financial reach. To shed light on the world of energy equity and highlight the critical work being done today to advance energy opportunities to low and medium income (LMI) communities, Larry Glover joins host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester in this episode. Larry, the CEO of the Glover Group, shares his personal experiences and insights, illustrating the profound effects that energy disparities can have on marginalized communities. In highlighting the importance of bridging these gaps and empowering all individuals to access affordable, clean, and reliable energy resources, listen in as Larry draws from real-world examples and success stories informed by his previous career in the world of marketing. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-126-traversing-utility-esg-journey-christine-waller-vice-president Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

Episode #124: 'Exploring the Intersection of Biogas and Municipal Waste Management in Gator Country' with Eric Neihaus, Planning Engineer at Gainsville Regional Utility [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast] The pursuit of cleaner energy solutions expands beyond the typical solar and wind energy installations and stretches in finding unique opportunities for energy production that are commonly going wasted. At the municipal level, this crosses conveniently over with another key government role: municipal waste management. When explored in tandem, the opportunity to turn waste management into clean biogas production creates new opportunities that can be particularly impactful for smaller utilities. To discuss the pursuit of such biogas projects in his municipal power provider, the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast welcomes Eric Neihaus, Planning Engineer at Gainesville Regional Utility. Listen is as Eric shares with host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester how a waste-to-energy project elsewhere in Florida piqued his curiosity and led to his mission to bring such a clean energy project to Gainesville. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-124-exploring-intersection-biogas-and-municipal-waste-management-gator Eric Neihaus's Energy Central Profile: energycentral.com/member/profile/eric-neihaus Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

The pursuit of a decarbonized and clean energy future is quite often positioned as a battle between renewable energy technologies and fossil fuels, but the reality remains that many applications of oil and gas are not yet ready or suitable to be replaced completely with electricity. Further, those in the natural gas sector have highlighted the ability for the fuel to be a key partner for renewable power in the years to come, enabling greater pursuit of low and no carbon energy. To help explain these ideas that may run counter to some of the common narratives, the latest episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast welcomes in Suzanne Ogle, the President and CEO of Southern Gas Association (SGA). In this conversation, Suzanne discusses with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester the role of SGA, the opportunities that gas present to proliferate decarbonized energy, and the outlook for the industry in the years to come. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-123-exploring-role-gas-decarbonization-journey-suzanne-ogle-president-and Suzanne Ogle's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/suzanne-ogle/about Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

In making sure that the grid remains reliable and flexible, an overlooked opportunities comes in the area of substations within the transmission and distribution sector. Specifically, the trend towards smarter and more digitalized solutions create opportunities that bring new security and robustness to the common substation. To highlight the latest movement in this area, this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast welcomes John Bettler, a power and protection engineer at ComEd. John leads ComEd's Digital Smart Substation Program, which uses the IEC 61850 GOOSE messaging for protection. In this conversation with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester, John provides a detailed explanation of what a digital smart substation is and its importance in the power industry. John also talks about the many aspects of a digital smart substation, such as smart HMIs, monitoring systems, fault locating, and SCADA and network, as well as a discussion on what the related regulations mean for utilities and their capabilities and requirements moving forwards. Key Links: Full Energy Central Post with Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-122-preparing-utilities-tomorrow-digital-smart-substations-john-bettler John Bettler's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/john-bettler Register for EnergyCentral.com: energycentral.com/user/register Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

The march towards a more robust hydrogen energy economy seems inevitable, but what's left to be written is the timeframe and the manner in which that journey plays out. As a decarbonization option, an alternative fuel opportunity, and more, hydrogen will play a key role in our energy systems of tomorrow. But as those developments play out in the future, critical to today is continuing to advance safety measures to ensure that process moves along smoothly. Today's episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast is the final installment in our series with H2scan diving into the world of hydrogen detecting and monitoring through all aspects of energy. This episode features Michael Nofal, H2scan's Vice President of Global Sales and Business Development, and Gid Herman, Director of Sales and Business Development, with this dynamic duo leading the way when it comes to ensuring hydrogen detection technology advances to keep pace with the hydrogen economy to ensure safety issues are never a concern or impediment to the future of hydrogen. Listen in as Michael and Gid chat with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester on what energy leaders should be doing today and in the years to come with regard to hydrogen monitoring technologies and safety measures. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-121-looking-future-safety-hydrogen-energy-michael-nofal-and-gid-herman First Episode in the H2scan series, Episode #116: 'Detecting Hydrogen Gas to Extend Transformer Health' with Bill Whitehead and Leon White of H2scan [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-116-detecting-hydrogen-gas-extend-transformer-health-bill-whitehead-and Second Episode in the H2scan series, Episode #119: 'Upholding Safety in Power with Hydrogen Gas Detection' with Jeff Donato of H2scan [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-119-upholding-safety-power-hydrogen-gas-detection-jeff-donato-h2scan Michael Nofal's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/michael-nofal Gid Herman's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/gid-herman Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

In the modern utility landscape, rapid response and thorough follow ups are key when major events occur, and that requires the teaming up of various corners of the industry. To assist in that process, the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council (ESCC) serves as the primary liaison between the federal government and the electric power industry in preparing for and responding to national-level disasters or threats to critical infrastructure. The ESCC may fly under the radar but the impact of its work surely does not. In this episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, Kevin Wailes, CEO of Lincoln Electric Systems and member of the ESCC joins to discuss the evolution of the ESCC, its priorities, and actions in response to the changing landscape of the power industry. Listen in as Kevin shares with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester some of the most pressing issues facing power providers today, including cybersecurity and physical security, supply chain issues, and the importance of federal cooperation. Key Links: Full Energy Central post with episode transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-120-electricity-subsector-coordinating-council-and-utility-role-power Kevin Wailes's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/kevin-wailes Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

While the role of the utility has evolved over time, and especially in recently years, one area of concern has been atop the priorities for the industry's entire history: safety. When dealing with powerful equipment, potentially volatile fuels, and a grid infrastructure that is ubiquitous, ensuring that none of this leads to unnecessary risks or outcomes to people, property, and the environment is paramount. The tools required to ensure a top-tier level of safety in the power sector can be extensive, but detecting the presence of hydrogen gas where it's not supposed to be has been critical for many years, whether utility professionals actively recognized such monitoring was taking place. In this second installment in the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast series with H2scan, Jeff Donato joins the podcast booth to discuss the importance of and trends in hydrogen detection for safety. As H2scan's Sales Director of Safety Products, Jeff shares with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester the ins and outs of this essential but too often overlooked measure of utility safety. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-119-upholding-safety-power-hydrogen-gas-detection-jeff-donato-h2scan First Episode in the H2scan series, Episode #116: 'Detecting Hydrogen Gas to Extend Transformer Health' with Bill Whitehead and Leon White of H2scan [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-116-detecting-hydrogen-gas-extend-transformer-health-bill-whitehead-and Jeff Donato's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/jeffrey-donato Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': https://blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

While the growth in sales of electric vehicles (EVs) remains a steady climb in the United States as consumers must still tangle with high costs, range anxiety, and other challenges, the utility sector has recognized that the explosive growth and further penetration of EVs is inevitable. This realization is why utilities across the country are constantly talking about grid preparedness, making sure they have enough generation and transmission capacity to charge potential EVs where and when that electricity is needed. As we approach Earth Day, the electrification of the transportation sector is one of the most important and highly-watched ways of decarbonizing the economy, and again it brings together the automotive industry with the power sector, as well as other stakeholders. Ensuring these different players are being informed by the same accurate and timely information and forward-looking models is critical, which is where the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and its Vehicle Electrification work comes in. In this supercharged episode of the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, Timothy Pennington, the Research Group of Vehicle Electrification of INL, highlights the work this crown jewel under the U.S. Department of Energy is doing to plan for the EV charging of the future to be intelligent, responsive, flexible, and nuanced. Listen in as Timothy shares with podcast host Jason Price and producer Matt Chester the role INL plays and how utility leaders should be planning smarter for the EV charging grid of the future. Key Links: Episode post on Energy Central with Full Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-118-building-charging-intelligence-ev-future-timothy-pennington-research Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/