Will energy storage save the grid? - Interchange Recharged (Podcast - Audio) скачать в хорошем качестве

Will energy storage save the grid? - Interchange Recharged (Podcast - Audio)

AI demand is exploding, electrification is surging, and volatility is rising across the grid. As power systems strain under new pressures, one question is front and centre: can energy storage save the grid? In this episode of Interchange Recharged, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez sits down with two leaders from Wärtsilä Energy Storage to unpack how high-performance batteries and advanced control software are becoming essential reliability tools in the age of AI. They explore: How storage is shifting from a “renewables add-on” to a core reliability asset Why synthetic inertia, fast frequency response and sub-second control are now critical for grid stability How AI-driven load growth and volatile demand profiles are reshaping planning assumptions Why interconnection delays are pushing data centres toward on-site generation plus batteries How market rules must evolve to reward flexibility, speed and multi-use applications The role of software in future-proofing storage as grid requirements tighten Where innovators are already hitting new technical performance thresholds In this episode: 00:00 - Introduction: how energy storage will save the grid 02:00 - Does the grid need saving? Understanding supply and demand balancing 08:25 - Electricity demand surge: AI, data centers and grid strain 12:28 - Inertia explained: natural vs. synthetic inertia and renewable integration 17:20 - Energy storage's role in data center operations and microgrid solutions 20:25 - Policy and market design: regional differences and interconnection challenges 27:36 - Software optimisation: the key to grid flexibility and monetisation 35:52 - Future-proofing assets: Wartsila's approach to evolving grid complexity 43:16 - Optimism for the future: technology evolution and climate solutions Guests: Joanna Martin Ziegenfuss, General Manager, Strategic Market Development (North America), Wärtsilä Energy Storage Ruchira Shah, General Manager, Software Product Management, Wärtsilä Energy Storage Host: Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Director of North America Utility-Scale Solar at Wood Mackenzie and host of The Interchange: Recharged Host: Sylvia Leyva Martinez is Director for North America Utility-Scale Solar and host of Interchange Recharged. She covers market dynamics, business models, and financial strategies driving the energy transition. Listen and follow: Interchange Recharged on woodmac.com: https://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/the-... Interchange Recharged on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Interchange Recharged on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/19HNFf7... Let us know what you think! We’re on X at @theinterchange and Bluesky at @theinterchange.bsky.social. Follow the show so you don’t miss an episode.