The Future of Grid Energy Innovation

<p>Jon Wellinghoff, CEO of GridPolicy and former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), interviewed by futurist Trond Arne Undheim. </p> <p>Now a quick word from our partners: Cleantech.org is a leading virtual research institute and incubator to the cleantech sector, with an online membership base of over 45,000. Subscribe to the site to learn more about cleantech and meet scientists and entrepreneurs to commercialize your ideas. Contact info AT cleantech.org. That’s cleantech.org/</p> <p>In this conversation, they talk about The transdisciplinary mindset needed to understand energy innovation, The policy/regulation impasse. The downside of monopolistic utilities (at the distribution, transmission, and generation levels). Sustainable energy systems, Distributed energy resource (DER) systems. Disruptive forces--particularly policy barriers (and opportunities). The regulatory tools available in the US and abroad (FERC, State regulators), the Texas case of free utility competition, exciting startups in the space (Smartwires, Whisker Labs, etc), the impact of innovation on the policy mix and outcome. Lastly, we discuss the next decade.  </p> <p>The takeaway is that Grid Energy Innovation seems to finally be underway, and with that, we can see transformation across the grid and consumers can finally get involved. However, energy still consists of a myriad of separate markets, both nationally and regionally, and that total picture is not likely to change any time soon. Once it does, we are looking at opportunities that are very hard to fathom, and implications for how we live and how our planet responds.   </p> <p>Having listened to this episode, check out Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), GridPolicy and Jon Wellinghoff's online profile:</p> <ul><li>Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (@FERC) <a href='https://www.ferc.gov/'>https://www.ferc.gov/</a> </li> <li>Grid Policy <a href='http://gridpolicy.com/'>http://gridpolicy.com/</a></li> <li>Jon Wellinghoff (@jbwellinghoff) <a hre