Energy Beat Podcast

Kate Heidinger, CEO of Allumia, joins Ian to unpack one of the biggest puzzles facing utilities today: how do you manage load growth, improve customer outcomes, and modernize DSM programs—all at once? Kate shares her winding path into the energy world (including a disastrous solar thermal install she’ll never forget), why small businesses struggle to access deeper retrofits, and how Allumia’s “energy efficiency as a service” model helps utilities and customers capture real, verified savings. ...

On this episode of The Energy Beat Podcast, we explore how to build community-first grid resilience amid extreme weather and aging infrastructure. Don McPhail, VP of Market Development at eSmart Systems, sits down with Ian to discuss why traditional mitigation strategies aren't enough, how to approach critical infrastructure through a community lens, how AI can improve resilience planning, and more. Resources/recommendations mentioned in this episode: - Don recommends the book Californi...

Energy costs are rising, devices are getting smarter, and customers expect utilities to meet them with clear choices, not generic messaging. On this episode of The Energy Beat Podcast, Ian chats with Alex Corneglio, VP of Product Management at Brillion, to unpack the importance of precise and proactive utility-customer outreach and the role that data plays in those communications. They cover how utilities can use data to better segment, target, and communicate with customers, how more e...

Green banks and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are rewriting the rulebook on climate finance, creating pathways for communities traditionally left behind by conventional lenders. These mission-driven organizations bring flexibility, creativity, and deep community connections to the table, allowing them to finance projects that might otherwise fall through the cracks. Shawna Cuan, Co-Founder and CEO of Sustain Energy Finance and Chris Kramer, a green lending consultant at...

Kevin Scarborough, Director of Energy Services at Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA, and a member of the Energy Management Association, and Bob Knoedler, Vice President & Executive Consultant at Hanson Professional Services and a member of the AABC Commissioning Group join Ian Perterer and the Energy Beat Podcast to discuss how AI is affecting energy management for utilities and facilities managers. We cover impacts of AI on the grid, opportunities and challenges AI brings, and the need to...