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The POWER Podcast

The POWER Podcast

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 The POWER Podcast provides listeners with insight into the latest news and technology that is poised to affect the power industry. POWER’s Executive Editor Aaron Larson conducts interviews with leading industry experts and gets updates from insiders at power-related conferences and events held around the world.All rights reserved
Episodios
  • 191. Modular Geothermal Power: Gradient’s Scalable Solution for Oil and Gas Sites

    191. Modular Geothermal Power: Gradient’s Scalable Solution for Oil and Gas Sites
    May 21 2025
    As the world transitions toward renewable energy sources, geothermal power has emerged as one of the most promising, yet underutilized, options in the clean energy portfolio. Unlike solar and wind, geothermal offers consistent baseload power generation capacity without intermittency challenges, making it an increasingly attractive component in the renewable energy mix. The geothermal sector has shown increasing potential in recent years, with technological innovations expanding its possible applications beyond traditional volcanic regions. These advances are creating opportunities to tap into moderate-temperature resources that were previously considered uneconomical, potentially unlocking gigawatts of clean, renewable power across the globe. It's within this expanding landscape that companies like Gradient Geothermal are pioneering new approaches. As a guest on The POWER Podcast, Ben Burke, CEO of Gradient Geothermal, outlined his company’s innovative approach to geothermal energy extraction that could transform how we think about energy recovery from oil and gas operations. Modular and Mobile Geothermal Solutions Gradient Geothermal differentiates itself in the geothermal marketplace through its focus on modular, portable equipment designed specifically for oil field operations, geothermal operators, and potentially data centers. Unlike traditional geothermal installations that require permanent infrastructure, Gradient’s equipment can be moved every six to 18 months as needed, allowing clients to adjust their thermal capacity by adding or removing units as requirements change. “The advantage of mobility and modularity is really important to oil and gas operators,” Burke said. The company’s solution consists of two main components: an off-the-shelf organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit and a primary heat exchanger loop. This system can handle various ratios of oil, gas, and water—even “dirty” water containing sand, brines, and minerals—and convert that heat into usable power. One of the most compelling aspects of Gradient’s technology is its ease of installation. “Installation takes one day,” Burke explained. “It’s two pipes and three wires, and it’s able to sit on a gravel pad or sit on trailers.” This quick setup contrasts sharply with traditional geothermal plants that can take years to construct. The units come in three sizes: 75 kW, 150 kW, and 300 kW. The modular nature allows for flexible configurations, with units able to be connected in series or parallel to handle varying water volumes and temperatures.
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    22 m
  • 190. What Trump’s First 100 Days Have Meant to the Power Industry

    190. What Trump’s First 100 Days Have Meant to the Power Industry
    Apr 30 2025
    U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn into office for the second time on Jan. 20, 2025. That means April 30 marks his 100th day back in office. A lot has happened during that relatively short period of time. The Trump administration has implemented sweeping changes to U.S. energy policy, primarily focused on promoting fossil fuels while curtailing renewable energy development. The administration declared a “national energy emergency” to expedite approvals for fossil fuel infrastructure and lifted regulations on coal plants, exempting nearly 70 facilities from toxic pollutant rules. Coal was officially designated a “critical mineral,” with the Department of Justice directed to investigate regulatory bias against the industry. Additionally, the administration ended the Biden-era pause on approvals for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities, signaling strong support for natural gas expansion. On the environmental front, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced 31 deregulatory actions designed in part to “unleash American energy.” The administration is also challenging the 2009 EPA finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health—a foundational element of climate regulation. President Trump announced the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, effective in early 2026, and terminated involvement in all climate-related international agreements, effectively eliminating previous emissions reduction commitments. Renewable energy has faced significant obstacles under the new administration. A six-month pause was imposed on offshore wind lease sales and permitting in federal waters, with specific projects targeted for cancellation. The administration issued a temporary freeze on certain Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds designated for clean energy projects. Policies were implemented to weaken federal clean car standards, potentially eliminate electric vehicle (EV) tax credits, and halt funding for EV charging networks—indirectly affecting power generation by potentially reducing electricity demand from EVs. Yet, the administration’s tariff policy may end up impacting the power industry more than anything else it has done. “One thing in particular that I think would be hard to argue is not the most impactful, and that’s the current status of tariffs and a potential trade war,” Greg Lavigne, a partner with the global law firm Sidley Austin, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. In April, President Trump declared a national emergency to address trade deficits, imposing a 10% tariff on all countries and higher tariffs on nations with large trade deficits with the U.S. These tariffs particularly affect solar panels and components from China, potentially increasing costs for renewable energy projects and disrupting supply chains. Meanwhile, the offshore wind energy industry has also taken a hard hit under the Trump administration. “My second-biggest impact in the first 100 days would certainly be the proclamations pausing evaluation of permitting of renewable projects, but particularly wind projects, on federal lands,” said Lavigne. “That is having real-world impacts today on the offshore wind market off the eastern seaboard of the United States.” Despite the focus on traditional energy sources, the Trump administration has expressed support for nuclear energy as a tool for energy dominance and global competitiveness against Russian and Chinese nuclear exports. Key appointees, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have signaled a favorable stance toward nuclear power development, including small modular reactors. All these actions remain subject to ongoing legal and political developments, with their full impact on the power generation industry yet to unfold.
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    39 m
  • 189. Optimizing Supply Chain Processes to Ensure a Reliable Electric Power System

    189. Optimizing Supply Chain Processes to Ensure a Reliable Electric Power System
    Apr 24 2025
    The power industry supply chain is facing unprecedented strain as utilities race to upgrade aging infrastructure against a backdrop of lengthening lead times and increasing project complexity. This supply chain gridlock arrives precisely when utilities face mounting pressure to modernize systems. As the industry confronts this growing crisis, innovations in procurement, manufacturing, and strategic planning are essential. “Utilities can optimize their supply chain for grid modernization projects by taking a collaborative approach between the services themselves and how they can support the projects, as well as having a partner to be able to leverage their sourcing capabilities and have the relationships with the right manufacturers,” Ian Rice, senior director of Programs and Services for Grid Services at Wesco, explained as a guest on The POWER Podcast. “At the end of the day, it’s how can the logistical needs be accounted for and taken care of by the partnered firm to minimize the overall delays that are going to naturally come and mitigate the risks,” he said. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Wesco is a leading global supply chain solutions provider. Rice explained that through Wesco, utilities gain access to a one-stop solution for program services, project site services, and asset management. The company claims its tailored approach “ensures cost reduction, risk mitigation, and operational efficiencies, allowing utilities to deliver better outcomes for their customers.” “We take a really comprehensive approach to this,” said Rice. “In the utility market, we believe pricing should be very transparent.” To promote a high level of transparency, Wesco builds out special recovery models for its clients. “What this looks like is: we take a complete cradle-to-grave approach on the lifecycle of the said project or program, and typically, it could be up to nine figures—very, very large programs,” Rice explained. “It all starts with building that model and understanding the complexity. What are the inputs, what are the outputs, and what constraints are there in the short term as well as the long term? And, really, what’s the goal of that overall program?” The answers to those questions are accounted for in the construction of the model. “It all starts with demand management, which closely leads to a sourcing and procurement strategy,” Rice said. “From there, we can incorporate inventory control, and set up SOPs [standard operating procedures] of how we want to deal with the contractors and all the other stakeholders within that program or project. And that really ties into what’s going to be the project management approach, as well in setting up all the different processes, or even the returns and reclamation program. We’re really covering everything minute to minute, day to day, the entire duration of that project, and tying that into a singular model.” But that’s not all. Rice said another thing that sets Wesco apart from others in the market is when it takes this program or project approach, depending on the scale of it, the company remains agnostic when it comes to suppliers. “We’re doing procurement on behalf of our customers,” he said. “So, if they have direct relationships, we can facilitate that. If they’re working with other distributors, we can also manage that. The whole idea here is: what’s in the best interest of the customer to provide the most value.”
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    20 m
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