Transmission

Australia has built one of the world's most competitive battery storage markets — and it got there faster than almost anywhere else on the planet. What started as an experiment in South Australia in 2017 has grown into a mature, multi-gigawatt industry that is now redefining what grid-scale batteries can do.In this episode of Transmission, host Wendel Hortop sits down with Jérémie Yvon, Head of Energy Management at Neoen Australia, to explore how one of the country's largest renewable energy companies is navigating the rapidly evolving battery landscape across both the National Electricity Market (NEM) and the Western Australian Electricity Market (WEM). They cover the maturation of the Australian battery market, how Neoen structures battery revenue across two very different market designs, the rise of virtual batteries and firm renewable PPAs, long-duration storage investment, and why Jérémie believes battery oversupply is a credible - and under appreciated - risk.You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Wendel Hortop - Head of AustraliaModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter:https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatchChapters0:00 Introduction — the hospital generator analogy1:45 Guest intro: Jérémie Yvon and Neoen Australia4:30 NEM vs WEM: how battery economics differ8:30 Hornsdale: from proof of concept to system services11:30 NEM design — volatility and five-minute trading14:00 WEM design — capacity market mechanics17:00 Revenue compression in ancillary services20:30 How Neoen builds optimisation capabilities in-house23:00 Battery + wind firming: delivering baseload renewables25:30 Virtual battery products explained29:00 Risk management for firm products32:00 Solar cannibalisation and price suppression38:00 Long-duration storage pipeline44:00 Rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) services47:00 Are batteries now the cheapest system service provider?50:00 Contrarian view: what the market is getting wrong51:39 Wrap-upModo Energy | modoenergy.com

Australia has built one of the world's most competitive battery storage markets — and it got there faster than almost anywhere else on the planet. What started as an experiment in South Australia in 2017 has grown into a mature, multi-gigawatt industry that is now redefining what grid-scale batteries can do.In this episode of Transmission, host Wendel Hortop sits down with Jérémie Yvon, Head of Energy Management at Neoen Australia, to explore how one of the country's largest renewable energy companies is navigating the rapidly evolving battery landscape across both the National Electricity Market (NEM) and the Western Australian Electricity Market (WEM). They cover the maturation of the Australian battery market, how Neoen structures battery revenue across two very different market designs, the rise of virtual batteries and firm renewable PPAs, long-duration storage investment, and why Jérémie believes battery oversupply is a credible - and under appreciated - risk.You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Wendel Hortop - Head of AustraliaModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter:https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatchChapters0:00 Introduction — the hospital generator analogy1:45 Guest intro: Jérémie Yvon and Neoen Australia4:30 NEM vs WEM: how battery economics differ8:30 Hornsdale: from proof of concept to system services11:30 NEM design — volatility and five-minute trading14:00 WEM design — capacity market mechanics17:00 Revenue compression in ancillary services20:30 How Neoen builds optimisation capabilities in-house23:00 Battery + wind firming: delivering baseload renewables25:30 Virtual battery products explained29:00 Risk management for firm products32:00 Solar cannibalisation and price suppression38:00 Long-duration storage pipeline44:00 Rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) services47:00 Are batteries now the cheapest system service provider?50:00 Contrarian view: what the market is getting wrong51:39 Wrap-upModo Energy | modoenergy.com

The energy grid needs reliable, carbon-free power around the clock and geothermal might be the most underestimated solution on the table. A century of oil and gas expertise is now being repurposed to unlock heat sitting beneath our feet almost anywhere on Earth, and in doing so, it's also unlocking a new form of long-duration energy storage that requires no mountain, no reservoir, and no battery chemistry.In this episode, host Alejandro Diego sits down with Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geo Systems. Together they explore how Sage is moving beyond the geological constraints of conventional geothermal, what it takes to engineer a reservoir from scratch, how their underground pressure storage system works like an inverted pumped hydro plant, and why companies like Meta and the US Department of Defense are already signing on.You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Alejandro De Diego - US Market AnalystModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter:https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatch Chapters:00:00 Next-gen geothermal intro01:49 Cindy Taff background04:51 Geothermal opportunity07:19 Conventional geothermal limits08:39 How geothermal works10:38 Geothermal grid baseload11:44 US heat resource map13:13 Oil and gas drilling tech16:50 Discovering underground storage17:21 Earth Store technology18:07 Storage capacity explained19:35 Fast dispatch no degradation21:42 Pelton turbine explained23:47 Why viable now25:30 Energy storage business model27:12 Target customers28:27 Development obstacles29:52 Permitting process31:36 Meta 150MW deal33:41 5.5 terawatt potential36:17 Grid transformation impact37:49 What drives Cindy39:16 Direct heating use case40:30 Sage 2035 milestones42:20 Energy expansion contrarian view

The energy grid needs reliable, carbon-free power around the clock and geothermal might be the most underestimated solution on the table. A century of oil and gas expertise is now being repurposed to unlock heat sitting beneath our feet almost anywhere on Earth, and in doing so, it's also unlocking a new form of long-duration energy storage that requires no mountain, no reservoir, and no battery chemistry.In this episode, host Alejandro Diego sits down with Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geo Systems. Together they explore how Sage is moving beyond the geological constraints of conventional geothermal, what it takes to engineer a reservoir from scratch, how their underground pressure storage system works like an inverted pumped hydro plant, and why companies like Meta and the US Department of Defense are already signing on.You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Alejandro De Diego - US Market AnalystModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter:https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatch Chapters:00:00 Next-gen geothermal intro01:49 Cindy Taff background04:51 Geothermal opportunity07:19 Conventional geothermal limits08:39 How geothermal works10:38 Geothermal grid baseload11:44 US heat resource map13:13 Oil and gas drilling tech16:50 Discovering underground storage17:21 Earth Store technology18:07 Storage capacity explained19:35 Fast dispatch no degradation21:42 Pelton turbine explained23:47 Why viable now25:30 Energy storage business model27:12 Target customers28:27 Development obstacles29:52 Permitting process31:36 Meta 150MW deal33:41 5.5 terawatt potential36:17 Grid transformation impact37:49 What drives Cindy39:16 Direct heating use case40:30 Sage 2035 milestones42:20 Energy expansion contrarian view

How a battery gets optimised, from the moment a contract is signed to the millisecond a trade is placed, is still a black box for most people in the industry. Understanding that process is the difference between leaving money on the table and extracting maximum value from every asset.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter is joined by Fabrizio Fenu, Head of Business Development at EDF UK. They pull back the curtain on how battery optimisation actually works at scale: how assets are treated fairly across a large portfolio, why merchant, floor and tolling contracts suit different investors, what role AI and algorithms play on a live trading desk, and why co-located solar and battery projects are harder to finance than they look. Chapters00:00 Intro: Optimising 5GW01:18 EDF's Battery Business01:47 5GW Portfolio Scale02:25 From 50kW to Commercial04:44 Inside the Trading Floor06:22 Winning Big Battery Contracts08:01 Debt and Revenue Certainty09:21 Merchant vs Floor vs Toll11:05 Optimiser Market Consolidation13:39 AI in Energy Trading16:10 Energy Careers Advice17:57 Fair Asset Treatment19:25 Day-Ahead and Ancillary Markets22:45 Enduring Auction Capability Explained25:51 Intraday Pricing and Indexing28:37 Perfect Battery Asset Quickfire31:45 Co-location Solar and Battery35:12 Battery Retrofitting Explained36:21 Connection Reform and Scale37:37 Simplify the Energy Industry

The energy grid fails in silence, long before the lights go out. The real problem is that most of the infrastructure keeping the grid alive is inspected too slowly, too infrequently, and with sensors that drift. We pour billions into building new power infrastructure, yet some of our biggest reliability gains might come from simply seeing existing assets more clearly. Quantum sensing promises exactly that, and it is closer to deployment than most people realise.In this conversation, Alex sits down with Emma Wong, Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technologies, and International Engagement at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to explore how quantum sensing technology could transform grid reliability, reduce costly downtime at nuclear plants, and reshape how we think about energy security, from US utilities to communities in sub-Saharan Africa.Chapters00:00 Seeing Problems Early01:53 EPRI's Mission03:34 Into Nuclear Innovation06:27 Quantum Technologies Overview09:15 How Quantum Sensors Work12:33 No-Drift Sensing Advantage15:34 Real World Applications22:21 Cutting Nuclear Downtime25:20 Utility Pilot Programs26:15 Quantum Meets AI32:29 Key Stakeholders for Quantum35:37 Nuclear in a Renewable Grid41:43 Modern Reactor Safety46:43 G20 Nuclear Summit48:43 Energy Access in Africa53:22 Contrarian Energy Take#Nuclear #QuantumTechnology #EnergyTransition #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy

The energy grid fails in silence, long before the lights go out. The real problem is that most of the infrastructure keeping the grid alive is inspected too slowly, too infrequently, and with sensors that drift. We pour billions into building new power infrastructure, yet some of our biggest reliability gains might come from simply seeing existing assets more clearly. Quantum sensing promises exactly that, and it is closer to deployment than most people realise.In this conversation, Alex sits down with Emma Wong, Nuclear Principal Lead for Innovation, Quantum Technologies, and International Engagement at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), to explore how quantum sensing technology could transform grid reliability, reduce costly downtime at nuclear plants, and reshape how we think about energy security, from US utilities to communities in sub-Saharan Africa.Chapters00:00 Seeing Problems Early01:53 EPRI's Mission03:34 Into Nuclear Innovation06:27 Quantum Technologies Overview09:15 How Quantum Sensors Work12:33 No-Drift Sensing Advantage15:34 Real World Applications22:21 Cutting Nuclear Downtime25:20 Utility Pilot Programs26:15 Quantum Meets AI32:29 Key Stakeholders for Quantum35:37 Nuclear in a Renewable Grid41:43 Modern Reactor Safety46:43 G20 Nuclear Summit48:43 Energy Access in Africa53:22 Contrarian Energy Take#Nuclear #QuantumTechnology #EnergyTransition #CleanEnergy #FutureOfEnergy

New York legally committed to generating 70% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, and 100% carbon-free power by 2040. Nearly a decade later, the state is way behind schedule.In the first episode of Modo Energy Presents, our new series of video documentaries, we examine why building renewable energy in New York is so difficult - despite strong political support and ambitious targets.We explore:Transmission bottlenecks between upstate and downstate.The NYISO interconnection queue, now holding ~27 GW of projects.Why 90% of proposed projects never reach commercial operations.Interconnection costs that can account for 60% of total project CapEx.Offshore wind policy uncertainty.Capacity market dynamics that favour dispatchable generation.And why battery energy storage economics differ from ERCOT and California.Featuring Peter Berini, Director of Industry at Modo Energy, this episode compares New York’s “cluster study” interconnection model with ERCOT’s faster “connect and manage” approach - and asks whether structural reform is necessary to hit renewable targets.A Modo Energy production.Music licensed via Artlist.Stock footage licensed via Pond5 (via Everly).This documentary is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.

The UK has a bold target to triple solar capacity within a single parliament, but the path from ambition to deployment is riddled with grid bottlenecks, workforce shortages, and revenue uncertainty.In this episode, Ed Porter sits down with Matt Black Managing Director of IG renewables and Chair of Solar Energy UK, to unpack the realities of delivering large-scale solar in Great Britain, from the aftermath of the connections queue reform to the future role of co-located batteries, the Warm Homes Plan, and what it actually takes to build a solar career in 2025.Chapters00:00:03 Connection Reform Overview00:07:30 Gate Two Shakeout00:09:00 Solar M&A Activity00:13:30 Strategic Energy Planning00:18:30 Co-Located Solar Storage00:22:00 60GW Delivery Challenge00:24:30 EPC Workforce Gap00:28:30 CFD PPA Merchant Revenue00:33:00 Balcony Solar Growth00:37:47 Warm Homes Plan00:45:00 Future Solar Deployment Shift#SolarEnergy #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #CleanPower #UKEnergy

The UK has a bold target to triple solar capacity within a single parliament, but the path from ambition to deployment is riddled with grid bottlenecks, workforce shortages, and revenue uncertainty.In this episode, Ed Porter sits down with Matt Black Managing Director of IG renewables and Chair of Solar Energy UK, to unpack the realities of delivering large-scale solar in Great Britain, from the aftermath of the connections queue reform to the future role of co-located batteries, the Warm Homes Plan, and what it actually takes to build a solar career in 2025.Chapters00:00:03 Connection Reform Overview00:07:30 Gate Two Shakeout00:09:00 Solar M&A Activity00:13:30 Strategic Energy Planning00:18:30 Co-Located Solar Storage00:22:00 60GW Delivery Challenge00:24:30 EPC Workforce Gap00:28:30 CFD PPA Merchant Revenue00:33:00 Balcony Solar Growth00:37:47 Warm Homes Plan00:45:00 Future Solar Deployment Shift#SolarEnergy #EnergyTransition #RenewableEnergy #CleanPower #UKEnergy

AI data center power demand is surging, solar prices are collapsing, and power markets like ERCOT are changing fast.Power trading strategies that worked just three years ago are now obsolete as markets transform in real-time.In this episode, Alex sits down with Terry Embury, Vice President of Trading and Market Operations at AES Clean Energy. The conversation explores the shift in electricity markets driven by solar proliferation, the evolving value proposition of battery storage across different markets, strategic lessons from decades of power trading experience, and how Terry's team is positioning themselves at the intersection of renewable energy and the data center boom that's driving unprecedented electricity demand growth.Chapters- 00:00 Clean Energy Timing Problem- 02:03 AES Company Overview- 04:45 Battery Storage California- 06:38 ERCOT Duck Curve- 08:15 Solar Trading Blocks- 09:45 Battery Revenue Streams- 12:21 CAISO vs ERCOT Batteries- 14:25 Market Volatility Dynamics- 15:30 Offtake Agreements Explained- 17:21 Belfield 500MW Battery- 18:45 Biggest Trade Ever- 21:00 Wind Solar Portfolio Management- 22:14 24/7 Clean Energy Matching- 25:11 Renewable Coverage Pricing- 26:07 Nuclear Energy Outlook- 28:21 SMR Timeline Concerns- 30:56 Nuclear Submarine Stories- 34:52 Transmission Constraint Challenges- 38:19 Data Center Generation Gap- 40:05 AI Growth Inflection Point- 42:00 Battery Market Opportunity- 44:39 AI Prompt Engineering Careers- 46:14 Trading Desk Culture Shift- 48:29 Managing Young Traders- 50:10 Head of Trading Daily Routine- 51:08 Worst Trading Day Story- 53:24 AES Future Announcements- 54:55 Contrarian Energy Market Views#AI #DataCenters #Solar #ERCOT #Batteries #CleanEnergy #Nuclear

AI data center power demand is surging, solar prices are collapsing, and power markets like ERCOT are changing fast.Power trading strategies that worked just three years ago are now obsolete as markets transform in real-time.In this episode, Alex sits down with Terry Embury, Vice President of Trading and Market Operations at AES Clean Energy. The conversation explores the shift in electricity markets driven by solar proliferation, the evolving value proposition of battery storage across different markets, strategic lessons from decades of power trading experience, and how Terry's team is positioning themselves at the intersection of renewable energy and the data center boom that's driving unprecedented electricity demand growth.Chapters- 00:00 Clean Energy Timing Problem- 02:03 AES Company Overview- 04:45 Battery Storage California- 06:38 ERCOT Duck Curve- 08:15 Solar Trading Blocks- 09:45 Battery Revenue Streams- 12:21 CAISO vs ERCOT Batteries- 14:25 Market Volatility Dynamics- 15:30 Offtake Agreements Explained- 17:21 Belfield 500MW Battery- 18:45 Biggest Trade Ever- 21:00 Wind Solar Portfolio Management- 22:14 24/7 Clean Energy Matching- 25:11 Renewable Coverage Pricing- 26:07 Nuclear Energy Outlook- 28:21 SMR Timeline Concerns- 30:56 Nuclear Submarine Stories- 34:52 Transmission Constraint Challenges- 38:19 Data Center Generation Gap- 40:05 AI Growth Inflection Point- 42:00 Battery Market Opportunity- 44:39 AI Prompt Engineering Careers- 46:14 Trading Desk Culture Shift- 48:29 Managing Young Traders- 50:10 Head of Trading Daily Routine- 51:08 Worst Trading Day Story- 53:24 AES Future Announcements- 54:55 Contrarian Energy Market Views#AI #DataCenters #Solar #ERCOT #Batteries #CleanEnergy #Nuclear

The UK's electricity grid connection queue ballooned to over a Terawatt of projects - far more than the country will ever need, creating delays for renewable energy developers trying to bring solar, wind, and battery storage online. Connections reform was designed to clear this gridlock, but delays in the process are now pushing back critical infrastructure decisions that could make or break the UK's 2030 clean energy targets.In this episode, Ed Porter speaks with Ed Birkett, New Projects Director at Low Carbon.The conversation explores the current state of connections reform, the challenges facing renewable energy developers navigating the new grid offer system, the critical role of battery storage co-location with solar projects, and why substation siting decisions have become the new bottleneck for getting clean energy projects built on time.Chapters- 00:00 - Introduction and connections reform recap- 01:44 - The 1,000GW grid queue crisis- 02:04 - Transmission versus distribution network access differences- 03:21 - Gate one and gate two grid offers explained- 04:06 - Current status of gate two notifications- 05:28 - Connection date uncertainty and timeline delays- 07:39 - September deadline for final grid offers- 09:15 - Co-location of batteries with solar projects- 11:42 - Why Ofgem removed batteries from solar schemes- 14:58 - Network capacity constraints and upgrade costs- 17:25 - Active network management and curtailment solutions- 20:33 - Distribution versus transmission network capacity planning- 23:47 - Industry response to battery removal decisions- 26:19 - The business case for solar-battery portfolios- 29:51 - Substation siting challenges and planning delays- 32:44 - National Grid's role in new infrastructure- 35:16 - Summer solar generation and negative prices- 38:16 - How solar projects price curtailment risk- 40:10 - Next steps for connections reform implementation- 42:02 - Critical path issues for 2030 delivery- 43:24 - Contrarian view: using existing networks better

Power grids are shifting from reactive crisis management to proactive simulation and planning. Utilities can now rehearse extreme weather events, wildfire scenarios, and load surges before they happen, fundamentally changing how the grid stays reliable.Alejandro De Diego speaks with Marcus Johansson, Senior Executive - Wildfire Mitigation, Digital Transformation, Grid Modernization at Xcel Energy. The conversation explores how digital twins, virtual replicas of the physical grid, are enabling utilities to run simulations of weather events, wildfire scenarios, and increasing electricity demand. You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Alejandro De Deigo - VP of Insights.Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter: https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatchChapters- 00:03 - Introduction- 01:45 - Xcel Energy Overview- 03:05 - Grid Modernization Role- 04:26 - Digital Twin Technology- 05:27 - Analytics vs Simulations- 06:15 - Wildfire Mitigation Strategies- 07:28 - Advanced Metering Infrastructure- 08:13 - Predictive Maintenance Applications- 08:42 - Data Integration Challenges- 10:29 - Distribution Management Systems- 13:17 - AI Load Forecasting- 14:20 - Peak Demand Management- 16:01 - Sustainability Journey- 16:28 - Energy Transition Motivation- 17:10 - Infrastructure Investment Plans- 18:22 - Transmission Focus Areas- 18:58 - Join Xcel Energy- 19:18 - Contrarian Industry Views- 20:11 - Service Orchestration Mindset- 20:44 - Build vs Buy- 21:25 - Future Generation Optimism

Transmission is getting a glow up and we want to hear from you what we can improve. Help us by filling in this short survey. https://form.typeform.com/to/kCdj85iK?typeform-source=www.linkedin.comGas prices spiked over 25% in a week as cold weather and short squeezes created chaos across European and US markets in January 2026.Ed Porter speaks with Seb Kennedy, founder of Energy Flux, about the recent gas market crisis. Kennedy explains the short squeeze mechanics in European markets, US production freeze-offs, Trump's LNG policies, Venezuela's gas flaring tragedy, and Pakistan's solar boom versus LNG commitments.You can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter - VP of Insights.Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletterChapters:00:00 - Introduction and January 2026 gas spike01:44 - Seb Kennedy's dual role journalist analyst04:26 - Understanding TTF and Henry Hub hubs05:37 - Investment fund positioning and short squeeze09:05 - Weather patterns driving European gas demand12:13 - Nuclear outages worsening European gas crisis14:44 - US gas price spike explained16:53 - Freeze-offs and US production challenges21:13 - LNG export constraints at Freeport facility25:20 - Trump administration's impact on LNG markets29:20 - Panama Canal and geopolitical LNG considerations30:47 - Venezuela's political upheaval and oil situation32:40 - Venezuela's massive gas flaring crisis35:20 - Pakistan's renewable boom versus LNG commitments42:53 - Key themes to watch in 202644:25 - Contrarian view on import dependence

Transmission is getting a glow up and we want to hear from you what we can improve. Help us by filling in this short survey. https://form.typeform.com/to/kCdj85iK?typeform-source=www.linkedin.comCan energy-only market design deliver both reliability and affordability as electricity grids face unprecedented transformation?In this episode, Alex speaks with Keith Collins, Vice President of Commercial Operations at ERCOT, about managing the unprecedented challenges facing Texas's electricity grid. As data centers and AI facilities flood into the state, ERCOT must balance explosive demand growth with affordability and reliability all within an energy-only market structure that's unique among major US grid operators.Chapters:00:00 ERCOT's role in Texas grid management01:09 Electricity market design and efficiency02:28 Winter Storm Uri and resource adequacy04:40 Texas data center boom explained06:39 Energy-only markets and price signals08:18 Grid resource adequacy challenges12:28 Dispatchable reliability reserve service ECRS18:45 Real-time energy and ancillary services22:15 765kV transmission expansion in Texas26:30 Residential demand response and virtual power plants31:45 Comparing ERCOT to other US markets36:27 Future grid technologies and storage growth40:05 Distributed battery systems and grid integration41:05 ERCOT market design frameworkYou can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter, our VP of Insights.Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter: https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatch

Transmission is getting a glow up and we want to hear from you what we can improve. Help us by filling in this short survey. https://form.typeform.com/to/kCdj85iK?typeform-source=www.linkedin.comCan energy-only market design deliver both reliability and affordability as electricity grids face unprecedented transformation?In this episode, Alex speaks with Keith Collins, Vice President of Commercial Operations at ERCOT, about managing the unprecedented challenges facing Texas's electricity grid. As data centers and AI facilities flood into the state, ERCOT must balance explosive demand growth with affordability and reliability all within an energy-only market structure that's unique among major US grid operators.Chapters:00:00 ERCOT's role in Texas grid management01:09 Electricity market design and efficiency02:28 Winter Storm Uri and resource adequacy04:40 Texas data center boom explained06:39 Energy-only markets and price signals08:18 Grid resource adequacy challenges12:28 Dispatchable reliability reserve service ECRS18:45 Real-time energy and ancillary services22:15 765kV transmission expansion in Texas26:30 Residential demand response and virtual power plants31:45 Comparing ERCOT to other US markets36:27 Future grid technologies and storage growth40:05 Distributed battery systems and grid integration41:05 ERCOT market design frameworkYou can watch or listen to new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.Transmission is a Modo Energy production. Your host is Ed Porter, our VP of Insights.Modo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets. Want all the latest power market news? Sign up for our free Weekly Dispatch newsletter: https://bit.ly/TheWeeklyDispatch

While the industry often focuses on the cost of the hardware, the real challenge and value lies in successfully delivering, integrating, and operating these assets over their lifetime. As the market matures, the focus shifts from hardware procurement to the complexities of site integration, grid compliance, and ensuring long-term availability.In practice, microgrids are shaping how large-scale energy projects operate, helping to accelerate the use of grid-forming technology. Meanwhile, combining solar with battery storage is becoming an increasingly effective way to reduce wasted energy and improve project economics.In this conversation, Ed speaks with Lucie Kanius-Dujardin, Global Managing Director at NHOA, about what it really takes to deliver complex energy projects at scale. They discuss the realities of managing global supply chains, the push toward higher-capacity battery cells, and why the often-overlooked “brain” of the system - the Power Plant Controller - is just as important as the battery itself.Key topics discussed•Why the Power Plant Controller is critical to smooth commissioning and reliable performance - not just an add-on to the hardware.• How experience with microgrids has created an edge in deploying grid-forming technology on modern transmission networks.• Why more developers are pairing solar with storage to protect revenues and reduce grid constraints.• Whether a single global solution can work across very different local grid rules, from Scotland to Australia.• How integrators are keeping systems reliable as battery cells rapidly increase in size and capacity.About our guestLucie Kanius-Dujardin is the Global Managing Director of NHOA Energy, a global provider of turnkey battery energy storage solutions. With 15 years in the energy sector, she oversees the company's technology, delivery, and long-term asset service pillars across markets in Europe, Australia, and beyond.Connect with Lucie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucie-kanius-dujardin-47855521/?locale=en_USTo find out more about NHOA, head to their website: https://nhoa.energy/About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets.All episodes of Transmission are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To stay up to date with our analysis, research, data visualisations, live events, and conversations, follow us on LinkedIn. Explore The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series explaining how power markets work.

While the industry often focuses on the cost of the hardware, the real challenge and value lies in successfully delivering, integrating, and operating these assets over their lifetime. As the market matures, the focus shifts from hardware procurement to the complexities of site integration, grid compliance, and ensuring long-term availability.In practice, microgrids are shaping how large-scale energy projects operate, helping to accelerate the use of grid-forming technology. Meanwhile, combining solar with battery storage is becoming an increasingly effective way to reduce wasted energy and improve project economics.In this conversation, Ed speaks with Lucie Kanius-Dujardin, Global Managing Director at NHOA, about what it really takes to deliver complex energy projects at scale. They discuss the realities of managing global supply chains, the push toward higher-capacity battery cells, and why the often-overlooked “brain” of the system - the Power Plant Controller - is just as important as the battery itself.Key topics discussed•Why the Power Plant Controller is critical to smooth commissioning and reliable performance - not just an add-on to the hardware.• How experience with microgrids has created an edge in deploying grid-forming technology on modern transmission networks.• Why more developers are pairing solar with storage to protect revenues and reduce grid constraints.• Whether a single global solution can work across very different local grid rules, from Scotland to Australia.• How integrators are keeping systems reliable as battery cells rapidly increase in size and capacity.About our guestLucie Kanius-Dujardin is the Global Managing Director of NHOA Energy, a global provider of turnkey battery energy storage solutions. With 15 years in the energy sector, she oversees the company's technology, delivery, and long-term asset service pillars across markets in Europe, Australia, and beyond.Connect with Lucie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucie-kanius-dujardin-47855521/?locale=en_USTo find out more about NHOA, head to their website: https://nhoa.energy/About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets.All episodes of Transmission are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To stay up to date with our analysis, research, data visualisations, live events, and conversations, follow us on LinkedIn. Explore The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series explaining how power markets work.

The power grid is getting harder to run. There’s more wind and solar on the system, more sudden weather shocks, and less room for mistakes. How can the energy industry move past basic demand forecasts and focus on the tougher question: what’s the grid really going to need once you account for renewables?In this conversation, Alex is joined by Sean Kelly, CEO of Amperon. They explore how new weather models are offering better visibility for renewables and how the growing impact of data centers on electricity demand and grid planning is affecting markets, from Texas to Europe.Key topics discussed:• How forecasting accuracy can make or break performance during grid stress events.• Why forecasting 'net demand' is changing how renewable generation and storage is operated and traded.• How better forecasting is changing who wins (and loses) in power markets.• How data access and quality varies across ERCOT, NYISO, and European TSOs.• What rapid data center growth means for load, reliability, and energy security.About our guestSean Kelly is the Co-founder and CEO of Amperon, an AI-powered forecasting company built for the energy transition. Former energy trader with 20+ years of experience, including managing power portfolios and nuclear integration at EDF. Sean started Amperon after seeing firsthand how messy and limiting energy data can be and how much better decisions could be with the right tools. Find Sean on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-kelly-0792626/For more information on Amperon, head to their website: https://www.amperon.co/About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage understand the market — and make the most out of their assets.All episodes of Transmission are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To stay up to date with our analysis, research, data visualisations, live events, and conversations, follow us on LinkedIn. Explore The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series explaining how power markets work.#renewableenergy #AI #datacenter #EnergyStorage