Energy Beat Podcast

What happens when a mechanical engineer turns his attention to empowering schools and communities? You get Clay Hoover, a senior Program Manager with TVA Energy Right, who has redefined strategic energy management with his innovative School Uplift program. Clay's relentless dedication and unique approach have transformed schools into energy-efficient powerhouses, all while engaging students, teachers, and the community in conserving energy. School Uplift is not merely a program for reducing utility costs; it embodies a vision that extends far beyond. Clay and his team achieved immense success in energy savings, while strengthening community engagement with TVA. He discusses how they adapted to the challenges of the pandemic and scaled up their operations to an impressive 123 schools per year. Clay’s insights on the recruitment of energy-conscious teachers and the potential of inspiring a new generation of energy professionals are simply inspiring. But what's the secret to the program's success? Clay reveals their secret sauce - strategic partnerships and design thinking. He sheds light on how they extended the program to hospitals, offering a beacon of hope in the midst of challenging times. Clay’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, innovation, and community engagement. Join us, and learn how the School Uplift program is making a tangible difference in people’s lives.Learn more about TVA's School Uplift program here: https://energyright.com/business-industry/school-uplift/

Have you ever wondered how life's challenges can ignite a fire of passion and resilience within you? Join us in a riveting conversation with an extraordinary guest, Angie Bivens. Trials and triumphs mark Angie's journey; from enduring personal struggles and a staggering energy bill, she found a passion that led her to become the Outreach Manager at Franklin Energy. Today, Angie uses her past to power her work to help others with their energy struggles. On today's podcast, she shares her journey and the secrets of success to becoming a successful mid-career emerging professional in energy efficiency.We traverse through the complexities of the energy industry and the power of mentorship in breaking down its barriers. Angie candidly shares her transition experiences from other sectors into clean energy, unfolding the valuable lessons she gathered. She underscores the difference between a good supervisor who ensures the job is done and a great supervisor who guides you to unearth and harness your potential. Discover Angie's formula for greatness and let her experience inspire you to pursue your dreams in the face of adversity relentlessly. This episode is not just about energy efficiency or leadership. It's about the invincible power of resilience. Join us and let Angie's journey inspire you as much as it did us.

Nothing's more personal than entering someone's home. And for a flexible, clean grid to work, brands must do just that." At #AESPAnnual, we sat down with Dan Burak of Uplight to discuss some breaking research they've done on energy brands and consumer trust. Their data shows how consumers feel about energy brands and their potential collaborators. If you want your customers to open their homes to your solutions, you must check this out.

Jen sat down with Jordan Folks of Opinion Dynamics for an intimate chat about the potential for pricing and demand response strategies as a tool for achieving energy equity goals. This is part one of a two-part on-site recording at AESP Annual. Stay tuned for part two!

In this episode, Carmen Best of Recurve and Mark Romito of Elevation Home Energy Solutions join Jen to talk about VPPs. Specifically, they dive into how VPPs deliver value, how they are changing the utility-customer relationship, and work in a VERY important Star Wars v. Star Trek debate: is a VPP more like Krall, or an Ewok Village? You decide.

What if we could give the average household real-time, device-level energy insights in a way that's intuitive and simple like an app? Imagine the world of possibilities that creates. Mike Phillips, Co-Founder of Sense has a neat little device that does just that. He chats with Jen about how this technology is coming to market and can revolutionize energy for the prosumer.

In this episode, we are time traveling to a time before our Annual Conference and the Omicron peak to talk with Sue Hanson, our AESP Board Chair, and Director at Tetra Tech. She will share her vision for the future of AESP and the industry and what issues she thinks will define our progress to a clean, resilient grid.

Jen chats with Rick Morgan to talk about his energy industry journey, starting in the 70's gas crisis, and his passion for passing his wealth of knowledge to the next generation.

Jen Szaro interviews a rising star at Ameren Illinois, Angie Ostasweski, and talks about her TikTok fame, success in community energy efficiency engagement, and how mentorship set her rising career trajectory in motion.Check Angie out on linked in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angieostaszewski/ or on TikTok @AngiesListings

After a holiday hiatus, NCSEA touched down with us at our Annual Conference in Nashville to talk to our members about what is top of mind for them as the industry moves quickly toward decarbonization and electrification. Host of the NCSEA's Squeaky Clean Energy Podcast, Matt Abele, chats withJen Szaro, AESPQuinn Parker, ENCOLOR LLCJeff Smith, Georgia PowerAimee Skrzekut, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)Check out our sister podcast and show them some love!