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  • What The Rise of Plug-In Solar Means for Your Utility

    What The Rise of Plug-In Solar Means for Your Utility
    2026/10/20
    Plug-in solar, also known as balcony solar, is gaining popularity as homeowners look for affordable ways to generate their own electricity. But could this growing technology pose unexpected risks to consumers and the power grid? Ken Boyce, Vice President of Engineering at UL Solutions, talks about the hidden safety concerns surrounding plug-in solar and what utilities need to know as adoption accelerates. Boyce explains why none of the plug-in solar products UL tested met its new safety requirements, how these systems could create electrical shock and fire hazards, and why utilities may struggle to manage thousands of small solar installations connected to the grid without their knowledge. With nearly 40 states having considered legislation addressing plug-in solar, the conversation explores the tension between making renewable energy more accessible and ensuring the safety and reliability of the electric grid.
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    26 分
  • What political candidates are getting wrong about the climate conversation

    What political candidates are getting wrong about the climate conversation
    2026/10/13
    Energy costs, AI data centers, and grid reliability are becoming major issues in the 2026 midterm elections. But some of the most consequential decisions about America's energy future aren't being made in Washington. They're happening in state legislatures, local elections, and public utility commissions. Matt Chester speaks to Caroline Spears, founder of Climate Cabinet, about why energy has become a defining political issue, how rising electricity bills and data center development are influencing voters, and which overlooked elections could have the biggest impact on energy policy. Spears also explains how Climate Cabinet uses data science and AI to identify influential political races, why utility commission elections deserve more attention, and what the 2026 election results could mean for a new wave of data center legislation in 2027.
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    23 分
  • Should your utility be using AI agents?

    Should your utility be using AI agents?
    2026/09/29
    What could AI agents actually do for a utility today? Power Perspectives host Matt Chester talks to AI strategist Jeff Wilser about the work beyond the buzzword. They explore how AI agents could search years of filings, and turn interviews with retiring employees into searchable institutional knowledge. Jeff also explains why human judgment remains essential when mistakes carry real consequences for customers and the grid, and highlights the limitations of the technology. For utility leaders ready to experiment, he offers practical starting points that you can start implementing today even if you’ve never used AI agents before.
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    25 分
  • Why Utilities Are Turning to DERs as Power Demand Surges

    Why Utilities Are Turning to DERs as Power Demand Surges
    2026/09/25
    Electricity demand is rising fast, and utilities are looking for new ways to add capacity without waiting years for traditional grid upgrades. Distributed energy resources (DERs) are becoming an increasingly important part of that equation. In this episode of Power Perspectives, Energy Central’s Matt Chester sits down with Todd Jackson of PowerSecure to explore how utilities are using DERs to manage peak demand, support large loads like data centers, improve resilience during extreme weather, and gain more flexibility in how they invest in the grid. They also discuss what makes a successful utility DER program, why customer participation matters, and how distributed resources could play a much bigger role as electricity demand continues to grow. Thank you to PowerSecure for partnering with us on this episode.
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    27 分
  • How Clean Energy Became a Republican Issue, Too

    How Clean Energy Became a Republican Issue, Too
    2026/09/22
    Heather Reams spent about a decade working to bring more Republicans into the conversation around climate and clean energy policy. In this episode of Power Perspectives, she shares what she learned from working directly with lawmakers, why clean energy politics often depend on local economics and geography, and how rising electricity costs and demand are changing the conversation. We also explore where bipartisan agreement exists—and where it breaks down—on issues including permitting reform, grid modernization, nuclear energy, renewables and emerging technologies. Plus, Reams explains why she believes affordability and energy abundance are becoming increasingly important forces in U.S. energy politics.
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    35 分
  • The Clean Energy Transition, Explained Through Football

    The Clean Energy Transition, Explained Through Football
    2026/09/15
    in this episode of Power Perspectives, Ahmed Moussa, founder of Electric Bridge Consulting, uses football to break down the path toward 100% clean energy. He explains why utilities can’t rely on a “Hail Mary” approach and instead need to move strategically down the field, balancing reliability, resilience and affordability along the way. We also explore where utilities are today, how AI and data centers are changing the game, and what utility leaders should prioritize next.
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    23 分
  • What Alaska Can Teach Us About the Future of the Grid

    What Alaska Can Teach Us About the Future of the Grid
    2026/09/08
    What can a remote Alaskan town teach the rest of the power industry about building the grid of the future? In this episode, book editor Peter Asmus takes us inside Cordova, Alaska—a community with no road connecting it to the outside world that has turned its isolation into a testing ground for grid innovation. We explore how Cordova gets roughly 75% of its electricity from hydropower, uses battery storage and underground power lines to strengthen its system, and even built a small data center designed to take advantage of excess renewable energy. Asmus explains why Alaska’s unique challenges have forced its utilities to innovate and what much larger utilities across the country can learn from them.
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    23 分
  • Google’s Energy Head Says We’re Thinking About AI All Wrong

    Google’s Energy Head Says We’re Thinking About AI All Wrong
    2026/09/03
    AI is transforming the utility industry rapidly, but does that mean it’s going to eliminate all utility jobs? Google’s Global Head of Power and Energy for Cloud, Raiford Smith, joins us to explain why he thinks that’s the wrong way to look at AI. We explore how utilities are using AI to accelerate grid planning and infrastructure construction, what it could mean for engineers and other utility workers, and why even smaller utilities can take advantage of these tools. Plus, Smith shares real-world examples of AI cutting planning and construction timelines, explains where human expertise remains essential, and offers advice for utilities wondering where to start.
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    33 分