Catalyst with Shayle Kann

Latitude Media
Latitude Media
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A weekly podcast featuring veteran investor Shayle Kann interviewing experts about the state of the energy sector and the technologies powering decarbonization.  Shayle Kann is asking the big questions about the ways we power our world: How cheap can clean energy get? Where is the smart money going on new technologies? How will the AI boom both help and hinder us on our journey to decarbonization? Every Thursday on Catalyst, Shayle dives deep into the world of energy with prominent experts, investors, researchers, and executives to unpack both the solutions and the challenges at play in this ever-changing landscape.

  1. 4d ago

    ERCOT batteries: boom, bust, or rebound?

    It’s been a wild few years for grid-scale batteries in Texas. At the start of the decade, the Lone Star State was home to roughly 200 megawatts of battery capacity. Today, that number has skyrocketed to seventeen gigawatts…with at least five more gigawatts expected to come online by the end of 2026. But this rapid buildout quickly led to market saturation. In the past year alone, revenues plummeted by more than 80%, far below the threshold needed for fleet operators to stay in the black. The future of the battery market in Texas remains murky. Will the depression continue? Or will the imminent, enormous surge of data center load growth reset the state of play and bring volatility back into the mix? In this episode, Shayle sits down with Brandt Vermillion, U.S. market lead at Modo Energy, to unpack the mechanics of the Texas battery storage market, and consider when the tide could turn back in developers’ favor. They cover topics like: - The factors behind the recent cratering of the market - How longer battery durations are able to capture secondary price spikes - The degree to which weather patterns have contributed to battery demand - Reconciling currently suppressed revenues with the hundreds of incoming gigawatts of proposed data center demand - Whether on-site generation for hyperscaler data centers will blunt peak demand spikes and delay the return of grid volatility - Why off-takers are considering tolling agreements to survive the market downturn - Catalyst: 2026 trends: Gas turbines, Texas' load queue, and China electrifies - Catalyst: Why C&I storage is finally taking off - Catalyst: The rise of flexible data centers - Open Circuit: Data centers have a Texas-sized energy problem - Open Circuit: The off-grid data center fantasy - Open Circuit: A global energy shock and the case for distributed power - Open Circuit: Power is caught in AI’s doom loop - Latitude Media: How the AI boom has impacted US battery storage so far - Latitude Media: Branch Energy heads to PJM to sell battery capacity to data centers Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by GridBeyond. GridBeyond is the world’s leading technology platform for managing distributed and flexible energy resources. Learn more by visiting GridBeyond.com. Catalyst is brought to you by Antenna Group, the strategic communications and marketing partner behind the biggest names in energy, climate, and infrastructure. For three decades, Antenna has helped breakout companies amplify their stories, build reputation, differentiate from the competition, define new categories and accelerate growth. Learn more at antennagroup.com.  Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 230 utilities to coordinate over 2.6 million DERs and more than 3.6 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at EnergyHub.com.

  2. Sep 28

    The rush for clean, on-site power [partner content]

    This is a partner episode, brought to you by Bloom Energy. Long interconnection queues, fragile supply chains, and a lack of grid capacity are pushing a wide range of C&I customers to invest in distributed, on-site power. But as data centers and other industrial facilities build more power behind the meter, new challenges have emerged. Air quality, noise, and water use are top concerns for local communities, making cleaner solutions like fuel cells much more attractive. This shift within the data center industry is starting to shape energy decisions in the broader C&I sector across retail, healthcare, higher education, and manufacturing. In this Frontier Forum, Stephen Lacey talks with Aman Joshi, chief commercial officer at Bloom Energy, about how the scramble for electricity is changing how large energy users plan their power. In this new landscape for large loads, Aman explains why more customers are planning to permanently stay disconnected from the grid; how the familiar cost-per-megawatt-hour calculation can fall short; and why speed, reliability, and community acceptance are central to power decisions. This conversation was recorded live as part of Latitude Media’s Frontier Forum with Bloom Energy. You can access the full video here.

  3. Sep 24

    Anduril's vision for powering maritime defense

    Dual-use technologies and the rise of defense tech are having a moment. But how does the defense sector approach innovations in energy that may be necessary to optimize its fleets? To help answer that question, Shayle turns to the maritime sector to explore how advanced batteries, nuclear propulsion, and autonomous capabilities are shaping the future of defense. Unlike conventional EVs, maritime vehicles and drones must compete with the challenges presented by the sea in order to complete surveillance and reconnaissance-related missions, as well as direct attacks. Saltwater corrodes hardware, and vehicles at great depths must withstand enormous pressure; to say nothing of the fact that moving through water requires nearly 1,000 times more energy than through air.  To learn how the sector navigates these obstacles, Shayle sits down with Andrew Nuss, the head of growth and strategy in the maritime division at the defense technology company Anduril. They unpack topics including: - The complicated physics influencing maritime drone design and energy usage - How lithium-ion cells fare in deep-sea deployment - Why extreme reliability and long-range capabilities drive the military’s energy requirements compared to commercial shipping - How surface or subsea recharging depots could reshape vehicle design - Why both commercial and defense sectors are revisiting nuclear propulsion as a viable option for high-speed, zero-emission surface vessels Catalyst: The rise of metal fuels - Catalyst: GM’s big new battery tech push - Catalyst: Decarbonizing the high seas - Open Circuit: A five-alarm fire for the grid? - Latitude Media: Is adaptation ready for growth money? Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at https://www.energyhub.com/ Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting https://www.bloomenergy.com/ This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at https://www.engieresources.com/.

  4. Sep 17

    AMA: Fuel cells, geopolitics, and the solar growth curve

    As we head into the final quarter of this pivotal and dramatic year for the energy sector, Catalyst host Shayle Kann takes stock of 2026 so far – and considers what’s to come – in this AMA-style episode. He discusses the year’s biggest stories, the trends that have surprised him the most, and his hot takes on the current energy landscape. Shayle dives into topics including: - The data center backlash and why it has become more bipartisan than he expected - The impacts of the war in Iran on global EV adoption, and how the rollback of U.S. tax credits has countered that momentum - Why fuel cell maker Bloom Energy is flourishing amidst the rush for behind-the-meter generation - Tariff innovations: How big data centers could subsidize retail electricity rates in small utility territories - Why Shayle thinks predictions of a flattening U.S. solar market are underestimating massive growth potential - Hot take: why Shayle thinks massive grid capacity is about to hit the system - Catalyst: What comes after the data center backlash? - Catalyst: Can AI revolutionize grid operations? - Catalyst: Why C&I storage is finally taking off - Catalyst: Enter the electric supercycle - Catalyst: Inside the global fertilizer crunch Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at ⁠https://www.energyhub.com/⁠ Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting ⁠https://www.bloomenergy.com⁠ This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at ⁠https://www.engieresources.com

  5. Sep 10

    Do data centers actually increase electricity prices? No...and yes

    You don’t have to look far to see the vitriol and backlash ignited by the rapid expansion of hyperscaler data centers. While critics and activists tend to focus their ire on resource consumption and residents’ electricity bills, the reality of data center economics is far more complex.  In this episode of Catalyst, host Shayle Kann sits down with Andy Lubershane, head of research at Energy Impact Partners, to unpack the nuances. They crunch the numbers behind utility rate structures, consider the "denominator effect" that can lower customers’ rates, and dig into the supply chain crunches pushing global power system costs higher. Shayle and Andy discuss: - Why a new data center can reduce utility rates for locals while contributing to rising costs elsewhere - How data centers impact utility tariff rates - Separating public perception of data centers from the reality of the grid - How soaring demand for transformers, switchgear, conductors, gas turbines, and labor is driving systemic cost increases across the power sector - Strategies to mitigate rising global grid costs, from load flexibility and distributed energy resources (DERs) to energy efficiency hardware - Catalyst: What comes after the data center backlash? - Catalyst: Enter the electric supercycle - Catalyst: Can AI revolutionize grid operations? - Catalyst: Inside the AI power wars - Open Circuit: As midterms approach, electricity bills are on the ballot - Open Circuit: Data centers have a Texas-sized energy problem - Latitude Media: The great home battery financing experiment Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at https://www.energyhub.com/ Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting https://www.bloomenergy.com This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at https://www.engieresources.com

  6. Sep 3

    What comes after the data center backlash?

    In their early days, data centers were largely welcomed by communities who saw their arrival as an economic boost. Today as concerns around noise levels, power prices, water use, and AI grow, they face fierce opposition. In this episode, Shayle speaks to Brian Janous, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Cloverleaf Infrastructure. Together, they unpack the data center backlash and  explore how the industry can approach the problem differently. Shayle and Brian dive into specifics like: - Communities’ shift from “red carpets to pitchforks” on data center development - How misleading information about data center energy and water usage has led to the AI sector losing the public relations battle  - Distinctions between data centers’ micro-level benefits and macro-level price inflation on power grids - The potential, and pitfalls, of "bring-your-own-capacity" and behind-the-meter generation - The viability of taking data centers off-grid, off-land, or off-planet - The emerging market for distributed edge compute facilities Resources: - Catalyst: When to colocate data centers with generation - Catalyst: Explaining the ‘Watt-Bit Spread’ - Open Circuit: The off-grid data center fantasy - Open Circuit: Utilities are in the crosshairs of the data center backlash - Latitude Media: In Indiana, an anatomy of data center opposition Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at https://www.energyhub.com/ Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting BloomEnergy.com. This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at engieresources.com.

  7. Aug 27

    The rise of metal fuels

    Diesel generators remain ubiquitous because they offer an unusually powerful combination of low cost, high energy density, long-duration storage, and reliable off-grid power. But their pollution, noise, maintenance requirements, permitting challenges, and growing footprint are becoming increasingly problematic as data centers drive demand for backup generation. In this episode of Catalyst, Shayle Kann talks with Richard Wang, co-founder and CEO of Voya Energy, about the company's effort to replace diesel generators with generators powered by aluminum. Richard explains why diesel has been so difficult to displace, why natural gas and batteries fall short for some backup applications, and how Voya's electrochemical generator uses aluminum pellets and air to produce electricity. Unlike combustion-based generators, the system is designed to operate without air emissions, while offering high energy density, quiet operation, rapid startup, and long-duration capabilities. The conversation also explores aluminum's potential as a globally transportable energy carrier and why low-grade scrap aluminum could provide Voya's initial fuel supply. Richard and Shayle discuss: The global diesel generator market and why diesel remains dominant Why natural gas generators and batteries haven't displaced diesel Aluminum as a high-energy-density fuel How Voya Energy's electrochemical aluminum generator works Voya vs. diesel on cost, footprint, power quality, and runtime Using Voya generators as grid assets and battery alternatives Why metal fuels are becoming viable now Using low-grade scrap aluminum as fuel and the long-term vision for recyclable aluminum energy storage  Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by John Sheehan. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at engieresources.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at EnergyHub.com.  Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting BloomEnergy.com.

  8. Aug 20

    Can AI revolutionize grid operations?

    Everyone loves to talk about the “broken grid.” But if you look inside a utility’s planning and operations functions, a different picture emerges: infrastructure that is remarkably reliable, built and run by engineers solving impossibly complex problems with often outdated tools. In this episode, Shayle Kann sits down with Josh Wong, CEO and founder of ThinkLabs AI, a company building physics-informed AI for utility planning and operations. They break down how utility studies get built today, the data cleanup headaches, the silos between teams, and the “worst case” mentality that drives an overbuild of infrastructure.  Shayle and Josh discuss: Why utility planning is split into silos across transmission, distribution, and DER planning. The gap between studies that identify grid problems and the work of actually solving them. What “physics-informed AI” actually means. The shift from AI that identifies problems to AI that actually solves them. The disconnect between utility planning and real-time operations. Should data center microgrids be treated as micro utilities? Resources: Latitude Media: GE spinout ThinkLabs has a new copilot offering for the grid Latitude Media: Do microgrids make sense for data centers? Latitude Media: The case against relying on behind-the-meter power for data centers Latitude Media: Unpacking DOE's proposal to transform data center interconnection Credits: Hosted by Shayle Kann. Produced and edited by Max Savage Levenson. Original music and engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is our executive editor. This episode of Catalyst is brought to you by ENGIE, the smarter energy supplier. ENGIE doesn't just provide the power to run your business — they supply the energy to move it forward, with reliable, flexible solutions built for what's next. Learn more at engieresources.com. Catalyst is brought to you by EnergyHub. Peak season puts every grid to the test — and the utilities that pass are the ones that built flexible capacity before they needed it. EnergyHub works with more than 170 utilities to coordinate 2.5 million devices and 3.4 gigawatts of dispatchable flexibility through a single platform designed to perform when it counts most. See what that looks like at EnergyHub.com.  Catalyst is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom Energy fuel cells deliver affordable, ultra-reliable onsite power for hospitals, utilities, and data centers – at speed and at scale. Learn more by visiting BloomEnergy.com.

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A weekly podcast featuring veteran investor Shayle Kann interviewing experts about the state of the energy sector and the technologies powering decarbonization.  Shayle Kann is asking the big questions about the ways we power our world: How cheap can clean energy get? Where is the smart money going on new technologies? How will the AI boom both help and hinder us on our journey to decarbonization? Every Thursday on Catalyst, Shayle dives deep into the world of energy with prominent experts, investors, researchers, and executives to unpack both the solutions and the challenges at play in this ever-changing landscape.

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