The SP Show

Srinivas Popuri, Ph.D
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The SP Show is a no-hype podcast on the battery value chain, covering batteries, EVs, energy storage, & the growing power needs of AI infrastructure. Hosted by Sri Popuri, PhD, a cleantech professional with 18+ years of hands-on experience across energy conversion, storage, and battery materials, the show focuses on what really decides winners and losers: technology choices, scale-up and manufacturing reality, supply chains, partnerships, and capital discipline.

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  1. vor 2 Tagen

    Lessons Learned from 13 Battery Gigafactories | Dr Will Jones | The SP Show | Ep.9

    Why do so many battery gigafactory projects struggle, despite raising billions of dollars and using world-class technology? In this episode of The SP Show, I sit down with Dr Will Jones from Beck & Pollitzer, a company that has helped deliver process equipment installations across 13 battery gigafactories, working with 11 manufacturers in 8 countries. Rather than discussing battery chemistry, this conversation focuses on the often-overlooked reality of building large-scale battery manufacturing plants. We explore why many projects look perfect on paper but run into problems during execution, why process equipment receives far less attention than it deserves, and why experience remains one of the biggest competitive advantages in battery manufacturing. We discuss: ▶ Why many battery gigafactories run into trouble before production even begins ▶ The biggest myth about building a gigafactory ▶ Why projects that look perfect in PowerPoint quietly start falling behind ▶ The hidden bottlenecks that can delay projects by months, sometimes years ▶ Why process equipment is "the machines that make the money" ▶ The procurement and coordination mistakes that cost millions ▶ Why experience remains the industry's biggest competitive advantage Whether you're involved in batteries, manufacturing, industrial projects, engineering, investing or simply interested in how gigafactories are built, this episode offers practical insights rarely discussed in public. If you enjoy the conversation, please follow The SP Show on Spotify and share the episode with others interested in the future of battery manufacturing.

    1 Std. 17 Min.

  2. 19. Juni

    Can India Compete With China's Battery Industry? | Vikram Handa, CEO, Epsilon Carbon | Ep.8

    Can India build a globally competitive battery industry, or has China already won the race? In this episode of The SP Show, Vikram Handa, Founder & MD of Epsilon Advanced Materials and Managing Director of Epsilon Carbon, shares an insider's perspective on battery materials, supply chains, manufacturing, and industrial strategy. We discuss China's dominance, India's battery ambitions, the challenges of scaling outside China, risk capital, R&D, LFP, silicon anodes, sodium-ion batteries, recycling, and what it really takes to build a world-class battery materials company. A candid conversation about execution, competitiveness, and the future of the battery industry.

    53 Min.

  3. 5. Juni

    Hydrogen Lost the Race to Batteries | Bernard Dijk van | The SP Show | Ep.7

    Hydrogen Lost the Race to Batteries? | Bernard van DijkFor more than a decade, hydrogen was presented as one of the leading solutions for clean transportation. Governments funded it. Automakers invested billions. Industry groups promoted it as the fuel of the future. Yet while battery-electric vehicles have achieved mass adoption, hydrogen mobility remains a niche technology. In this episode of The SP Show, I sit down with Bernard van Dijk, aviation analyst and member of the Hydrogen Science Coalition, for a detailed discussion on hydrogen, batteries, aviation, infrastructure, and the future of transportation. Bernard argues that hydrogen's challenges are not simply a matter of scale or cost reduction. He believes many of the barriers are rooted in the fundamental physics of hydrogen itself, making widespread adoption in passenger vehicles, trucking, and aviation far more difficult than commonly portrayed. We discuss why Toyota continues to pursue hydrogen, whether Airbus' hydrogen aircraft ambitions are realistic, the economics of hydrogen infrastructure, battery-electric aviation, sustainable aviation fuels, and where hydrogen genuinely makes sense in a decarbonised economy. Topics coveredGreen, grey, blue and black hydrogen explainedWhy hydrogen struggles in passenger vehiclesToyota's hydrogen strategy and the MiraiWhy hydrogen bus projects are being cancelledThe economics of hydrogen versus batteriesThe Hydrogen Science Coalition's positionMichael Liebreich's Hydrogen LadderHydrogen trucks and heavy transportAirbus ZEROe and hydrogen aviationBattery-electric aircraft opportunitiesSustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)Biofuels versus e-fuelseVTOLs and electric aviation startupsHydrogen pipelines and infrastructure challengesThe role of oil and gas companies in hydrogen promotionWhere hydrogen should and should not be usedWhether you agree or disagree with Bernard's conclusions, this conversation challenges many of the assumptions that continue to shape discussions around hydrogen and clean transportation.

    1 Std. 9 Min.

  4. 22. Mai

    He Faced 300 Rejections Before Leading Australian Science | Prof Jagadish | The SP Show | Ep.6

    In Part 2 of my conversation with Professor Chennupati Jagadish, we go beyond the titles and explore the real journey behind one of the world's leading scientists. Born in Vallurapalem, a small village in Andhra Pradesh, India, Prof. Jagadish studied under a kerosene lamp, faced academic setbacks, received more than 300 rejection letters, and still went on to become a global leader in semiconductor research, nanotechnology, and science leadership. Professor Chennupati Jagadish is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Australian National University (ANU), Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), and served as President of the Australian Academy of Science (2022–2026). In this episode we discuss: • Growing up in rural India • Academic failures and resilience • 300+ rejections before success • PhD advice for students and researchers • Mentorship and choosing the right supervisor • Publish-or-perish culture in academia • Scientific leadership and research impact • Building a meaningful research career This conversation is not only for scientists and PhD students. It is for anyone building a long-term career and learning how persistence, mentors, and the right mindset can shape outcomes. #ChennupatiJagadish #ScienceLeadership #PhD #Research #Semiconductors #Nanotechnology #Academia #TheSPShow #SriPopuri #Mentorship

    58 Min.

  5. 8. Mai

    America Had the Battery Tech First. So Why Did China Win? | Dr. SanjivMalhotra | The SP Show | Ep.5

    Sanjiv Malhotra, CEO of Sparkz Energy, joins Srinivas Popuri to discuss how the US can build a profitable domestic battery ecosystem through LFP chemistry, localized supply chains, and disciplined manufacturing. This episode explores battery commercialization, startup scaling, energy security, AI, leadership, and investor strategy. A must-listen for battery founders, energy professionals, investors, and policymakers.

    1 Std. 20 Min.

  6. 24. Apr.

    Why Scientific Breakthroughs Struggle to Become Real Products? | Prof. Jagadish | The SP Show Ep.4

    Most scientific breakthroughs never make it to market. Not because the science is weak, but because the system around it is. In this episode of The SP Show, I sit down with Professor Chennupati Jagadish to unpack the gap between research and real-world products. We get into the uncomfortable reality behind deep tech: – why great research fails commercially – how public funding shapes what gets built – where academia and industry misalign – what it actually takes to translate science into scalable products This is not a surface-level innovation discussion. It is a grounded look at execution, incentives, and the structural barriers that most people ignore. For anyone working in batteries, energy, semiconductors, or deep tech, this is the real conversation.

    54 Min.

  7. 10. Apr.

    Can the US Build Lithium Refining Without China? | Roshan Pujari, CEO | The SP Show Ep.3

    What does it actually take to build a lithium refinery in the US? In this episode of The SP Show, Srinivas Popuri sits down with Roshan Pujari, Founder & CEO of Stardust Power, for a practical conversation on lithium refining, critical minerals, bankability, pricing pressure from China, de-risking, and industrial execution. A strong listen for anyone in batteries, refining, project development, and the wider energy transition.

    1 Std. 4 Min.

  8. 10. Apr.

    Can the US Build Lithium Refining Without China? | Roshan Pujari, CEO | The SP Show Ep.3

    What does it actually take to build a lithium refinery in the US? In this episode of The SP Show, Srinivas Popuri sits down with Roshan Pujari, Founder & CEO of Stardust Power, for a practical conversation on lithium refining, critical minerals, bankability, pricing pressure from China, de-risking, and industrial execution. A strong listen for anyone in batteries, refining, project development, and the wider energy transition.

    1 Std. 4 Min.

  9. 27. März

    Why Battery Material Qualification Takes Years | Dr Stuart Johnson | The SP Show Ep. 2

    In Episode 2 of The SP Show, I sit down with Dr. Stuart Johnson, CEO of Solve Process, to unpack one of the battery industry’s most misunderstood realities: why battery materials take years to qualify, where timelines slip, and what kills scale-up programs in practice. With more than 30 years of experience in process engineering, Stuart breaks down the technical and commercial realities behind battery development in simple language. We cover how lithium-ion batteries work, what each component actually does, why qualification can take years, where startups get caught out, and how different chemistries may fit across the market over the next decade. This is not a hype-driven conversation. It is a grounded discussion about how things actually get built in the battery value chain, what goes wrong, what gets missed, and what experienced operators have learned the hard way. If you work in batteries, advanced materials, scale-up, manufacturing, or industrial deep tech, this episode will give you a much clearer view of what it actually takes to move from idea to execution. Watch, share, and subscribe for more real conversations across the battery value chain. #sripopuri Host of 'The SP Show' Podcast Founder of Battery Consulting Partners Battery Vault Newsletter LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinivas-popuri-ph-d/] Twitter: [https://x.com/Srinivasrpopuri] #Stuartjohnson Process Engineering Expert Founder & Director at Solve Process Ltd LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-johnson-18a0711a/] Read Battery Vault Newsletter Substack: [https://batteryvault.substack.com] LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/batteryvault/] Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/batteryvaultt/] Battery Consulting Partners [https://batteryconsultingpartners.com/about-us/] Listen to 'The SP Show' Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1U9HrDjwEvPYSuA7w5X6Gy] Listen to 'The SP Show' Podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sp-show/id1883846105] #sripopuri #thespshow #battery #gigafactory #batteryindustry #energystorage #batterymaterials #supplychain #ai #china #scaleup #manufacturing #engineering #energystorage #electricvehicles #processengineering

    1 Std. 30 Min.

  10. Trailer zur Staffel 1, Folge 2

    Why Battery Materials Take Years to Qualify | Scale-Up Reality | The SP Show Ep. 2 Trailer

    Why do battery materials take years, not months, to qualify? In this trailer, Stuart Johnson explains the hard reality behind battery scale-up: repeated sample iterations, slow cell testing, pilot-line validation, and the brutal gap between lab success and commercial production. Stuart Johnson is a process engineering expert and Founder of Solve Process Ltd, with 32 years of experience delivering complex industrial projects. His work focuses on the practical realities of scale-up, process design, and delivery, with clear insight into where technical ambition often collides with execution. A must-watch for anyone working in batteries, advanced materials, industrial scale-up or project delivery. Subscribe for more sharp conversations with founders, operators, investors, and experts across the battery value chain. #sripopuri Host of 'The SP Show' Podcast Founder of Battery Consulting Partners Battery Vault Newsletter LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/srinivas-popuri-ph-d/] Twitter: [https://x.com/Srinivasrpopuri] #Stuartjohnson Process Engineering Expert Founder & Director at Solve Process Ltd LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuart-johnson-18a0711a/] Read Battery Vault Newsletter Substack: [https://batteryvault.substack.com] LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/batteryvault/] Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/batteryvaultt/] Battery Consulting Partners [https://batteryconsultingpartners.com/about-us/] Listen to 'The SP Show' Podcast on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1U9HrDjwEvPYSuA7w5X6Gy] Listen to 'The SP Show' Podcast on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-sp-show/id1883846105] #sripopuri #thespshow #battery #gigafactory #batteryindustry #energystorage #batterymaterials #supplychain #ai #china

    1 Min.

  11. 11. März

    Why Battery Projects Fail | Tim Newman | The SP Show Ep. 1

    Why do so many battery projects struggle before construction even begins? In this episode of The SP Show, Srinivas Popuri, Ph.D speaks with Tim Newman, Founder and CEO of Newman Eventus, a specialist consultancy focused on hands-on project management for capital projects in energy and advanced battery materials. With more than 25 years of experience across five continents, Tim has worked on complex industrial projects at the intersection of engineering, execution, and scale. He explains why battery projects often fail in the early stages, what founders and investors consistently underestimate, and why project discipline matters far more than slide-deck ambition. The conversation covers gigafactory execution, battery materials scale-up, capital project risk, China’s industrial advantage, supply chain complexity, and the realistic role of AI in project delivery. This episode is for anyone working in batteries, energy transition, advanced manufacturing, industrial project delivery, or battery supply chains.

    1 Std. 56 Min.

  12. Trailer zur Staffel 1, Folge 1

    Why Battery Projects Fail Before They Start | Tim Newman | The SP Show Ep. 1 Trailer

    My guest is Tim Newman, Founder and CEO of Newman Eventus, with more than 25 years of experience delivering complex capital projects across energy, oil and gas, and advanced battery materials. This is not a surface-level battery conversation. We discuss why battery projects fail before they start, what most companies still get wrong about execution, the real bottlenecks behind gigafactory delivery, and why China’s structural advantages remain difficult for Western entrants to replicate. We also look at what the battery industry is already repeating from oil and gas, and what it will actually take to build better. Full episode live Wednesday at 6:00 PM GMT. Subscribe to The SP Show and turn on notifications.

    1 Min.

Trailer

Info

The SP Show is a no-hype podcast on the battery value chain, covering batteries, EVs, energy storage, & the growing power needs of AI infrastructure. Hosted by Sri Popuri, PhD, a cleantech professional with 18+ years of hands-on experience across energy conversion, storage, and battery materials, the show focuses on what really decides winners and losers: technology choices, scale-up and manufacturing reality, supply chains, partnerships, and capital discipline.

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  • Erstellt von
    Srinivas Popuri, Ph.D
  • Jahre aktiv
    2026
  • Folgen
    12
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    © 2026 Srinivas Popuri, Ph.D
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