EnergyTech Podcast

Opsite Energy
  • 4.5 (2)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

Energy Innovation meets Industrial Technology: There is finally a podcast that balances technical depth with real-world applicability for field teams, operations groups, and senior leaders who want to see a real return on technology , IiOT, and AI Investments

  1. Sep 14

    ICC 2026 Preview: What’s Next for Ignition & Industrial AI? | Ep 099

    What’s coming at Ignition Community Conference 2026? Jeff Perry and Mike Flores preview the industrial automation conversations, technology showcases, and community stories they’re excited to explore in Sacramento. In Episode 99 of the Energy Tech Podcast, we’re getting ready for “Innovation Unleashed” and celebrating the road to 100 episodes. From Ignition SCADA and industrial AI to edge computing, maintenance integration, and oil and gas data strategies, this episode sets the stage for our upcoming conversations at ICC. We discuss: • Solution showcases featuring Tiger Data, Sorba AI, Flow, and AUTOSOL • Anticipated Ignition announcements and keynote conversations • The Ignition Oil and Gas Collective and connecting operations with data • Upcoming podcast conversations with MaintainX, Tiger Data, Opto 22, and Neeve • Deploying Ignition Edge for smaller oil and gas producers—and scaling from there • How end users and integrators can share their stories on the podcast • Our 100th-episode giveaway featuring a Raspberry Pi kit and a Steam Deck OLED 1TB 🎙️ SHARE YOUR STORY AT ICC Working on an interesting Ignition project? Come see us at the podcast booth. Whether you’re an end user, integrator, or first-time attendee, we want to hear what you’re building, what you’ve learned, and where you’re headed. No script needed. 🎉 CELEBRATE 100 EPISODES Stop by the booth or scan the QR code shown in the video for giveaway signup details. Subscribe on YouTube and join us as we celebrate the community that made our first 100 episodes possible. HOSTS Jeff Perry and Mike Flores Recorded at the OpSite Energy Control Center in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. PRESENTED BY OPSITE ENERGY 24/7 remote operations, SCADA and control-room services, industrial automation, alarm management, and industrial AI. Insight Driven Remote Optimization. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome to the Energy Tech Podcast 00:33 Why the Ignition community matters 01:44 Episode 99 and our 100th-episode giveaway 04:10 ICC 2026: Innovation Unleashed 04:39 Tiger Data, Sorba AI, Flow, and AUTOSOL showcases 05:46 Ignition keynotes and anticipated announcements 06:14 Ignition Oil and Gas Collective: Operations meets data 07:19 Connecting with the ICC community 07:53 Upcoming guests and MaintainX integrations 09:13 Tiger Data and Opto 22 podcast previews 09:54 Neeve and Ignition Edge for oil and gas 10:25 How to book a podcast interview at ICC 11:34 An invitation to end users and integrators 12:34 Come see us in Sacramento Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of [www.epidemicsound.com](https://www.epidemicsound.com/) #IgnitionSCADA #ICC2026 #IndustrialAutomation #IndustrialAI #EnergyTechPodcast

  2. Sep 7

    Industrial AI, Zero Trust & the Future of OT Security I Neeve.AI - Ep 098

    Industrial AI is moving through every layer of operational technology—and traditional perimeter security was not designed for it. Recorded live at Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day 2026 in San Diego, Mike Flores sits down with Bill Behn of Neeve to discuss the convergence of IT and OT, industrial SASE, zero-trust security, AI agents, and what comes next for industrial network architecture. Bill explains why industrial organizations can no longer rely entirely on multiple layers, static perimeters, and traditional remote-access models. As AI agents, applications, edge devices, cloud platforms, and enterprise systems become increasingly connected, OT teams need a secure control plane that can manage access without adding unnecessary complexity. Topics include: ⚡ IT/OT and cross-industry technology convergence ⚡ What comes next after traditional Purdue-model architecture ⚡ Industrial Secure Access Service Edge—or industrial SASE ⚡ Zero-trust security for remote access, applications, and AI agents ⚡ Connecting edge operations with cloud and enterprise platforms ⚡ Why AI creates a new industrial attack surface ⚡ Simplifying complex industrial network architectures ⚡ Ignition as a platform for solar and battery operations ⚡ Capability, cybersecurity, and complexity—the “Three C’s” ⚡ Why industrial leaders must reconsider legacy assumptions If you work in SCADA, industrial automation, operational technology, renewable energy, cybersecurity, IIoT, or industrial AI, this conversation offers a practical look at the architecture and security models shaping the next generation of connected operations. Guest: Bill Behn Neeve https://neeve.ai Host: Mike Flores EnergyTech Podcast Recorded live at: Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day 2026 San Diego, California Presented by OpSite Energy OpSite Energy provides 24/7 remote operations, SCADA and control-room services, alarm management, industrial automation, OT/IT integration, and industrial AI solutions. Learn more: https://www.opsiteenergy.com Subscribe to the EnergyTech Podcast for more conversations covering industrial automation, operational technology, SCADA, cybersecurity, AI, edge computing, and energy innovation. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Live from Solar & BESS Discovery Day 01:18 – The carrier battle-group analogy 02:03 – Convergence across the industrial ecosystem 03:09 – What IT/OT convergence really means 03:57 – Industrial SASE and what comes next 04:31 – Moving beyond layers and static architecture 05:14 – Zero trust for industrial AI 06:42 – Why future cyberthreats matter now 07:14 – Securing applications and AI agents 07:29 – The airport analogy for zero trust 08:25 – What industrial leaders should take away 09:33 – Ignition and the Three C’s 10:19 – Previewing Part Two 10:40 – Closing remarks Music: Uygar Duzgun – “Fast Life” Courtesy of Epidemic Sound #IndustrialAI #OTSecurity #ZeroTrust #IndustrialSASE #Cybersecurity #OperationalTechnology #SCADA #IgnitionSCADA #IndustrialAutomation #IIoT #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTechPodcast

  3. Aug 31

    Solar & BESS SCADA: AI, Cybersecurity & the Talent Gap - Ep 097

    Utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects are generating more data, facing larger cybersecurity risks, and relying on a surprisingly small pool of experienced SCADA professionals. Recorded live at Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day 2026 in San Diego, Mike Flores sits down with Duke Green, SCADA Manager at McCarthy Building Companies, to discuss SCADA optimization, EPC project delivery, industrial AI, cybersecurity, data strategy, and the controls-talent shortage facing renewable energy. Duke explains how McCarthy oversees SCADA and controls development throughout the design and construction lifecycle—helping owners, subcontractors, and technology providers avoid costly integration problems and deliver an optimized system at turnover. The conversation also explores how the industry has moved beyond isolated, air-gapped control systems. Today’s solar and BESS facilities require wireless connectivity, IT/OT collaboration, cybersecurity expertise, data engineering, cloud integration, and increasingly, AI-enabled analysis. Topics include: ⚡ SCADA integration for utility-scale solar and BESS projects ⚡ McCarthy’s role as an engineering, procurement, and construction partner ⚡ SCADA oversight during design, construction, and project turnover ⚡ Why traditional air-gapped security is no longer enough ⚡ AI-driven cybersecurity threats and vulnerability discovery ⚡ Treating operational and project data as a strategic asset ⚡ Using Ignition across renewable-energy projects ⚡ The shortage of experienced SCADA and controls professionals ⚡ How CI/CD, infrastructure as code, and data engineering are changing OT roles ⚡ The growing need for IT and OT teams to work together ⚡ AI-assisted analysis, forecasting, and predictive maintenance ⚡ Why AI is more likely to augment technical workers than replace them Duke also shares McCarthy’s history as a company founded in 1864 and its culture as a 100% employee-owned national builder. If you work in renewable energy, solar, battery storage, SCADA, EPC project delivery, industrial automation, cybersecurity, controls engineering, or industrial AI, this episode provides a practical look at the technology and workforce challenges shaping the industry. Guest: Duke Green SCADA Manager McCarthy Building Companies https://www.mccarthy.com Host: Mike Flores EnergyTech Podcast Recorded live at: Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day 2026 San Diego, California Presented by OpSite Energy OpSite Energy provides 24/7 remote operations, SCADA and control-room services, alarm management, industrial automation, OT/IT integration, and industrial AI solutions. Learn more: https://www.opsiteenergy.com Subscribe to the EnergyTech Podcast for more conversations covering renewable energy, industrial automation, operational technology, SCADA, cybersecurity, AI, and energy innovation. CHAPTERS 00:00 – Live from Solar & BESS Discovery Day 00:51 – Meet Duke Green of McCarthy 01:32 – McCarthy’s role as a renewable-energy EPC 02:18 – SCADA oversight from design through turnover 02:50 – McCarthy’s history and employee ownership 03:38 – Protecting the owner’s interests through SCADA 03:58 – How cybersecurity and AI changed the industry 05:05 – Why data has become a critical asset 05:35 – Digitizing the entire project lifecycle 06:07 – Ignition deployments across renewable projects 06:44 – The shortage of qualified SCADA professionals 08:01 – Why SCADA struggles to attract technical talent 08:45 – How the controls-engineering role is changing 09:28 – IT/OT collaboration in modern operations 10:04 – FEL, bidding, design, and turnkey delivery 11:10 – Why AI is the industry’s biggest opportunity 11:41 – Forecasting and predictive maintenance with AI 12:06 – AI agents as workforce augmentation 12:46 – The value of industry networking 13:22 – Closing remarks Music: Uygar Duzgun – “Fast Life” Courtesy of Epidemic Sound #SolarEnergy #BESS #SCADA #IndustrialAI #RenewableEnergy #OTCybersecurity #IgnitionSCADA #IndustrialAutomation #PredictiveMaintenance #EnergyStorage #EPC #EnergyTechPodcast

  4. Aug 25

    Building Modern Solar & BESS Control Systems with Ignition - Ep 096

    What happens when BESS tag counts explode, data speeds accelerate, and renewable projects that once took years must now be commissioned in months? Recorded live at Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day in San Diego, EnergyTech Podcast host Mike Flores sits down with Ian Kawas, Technical Consultant for SCADA & Automation at NEI Electric Power Engineering. Ian explains how Battery Energy Storage Systems are changing the demands placed on renewable-energy SCADA and OT infrastructure. The conversation covers Ignition, power plant controllers, HMIs, industrial networking, Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, MQTT, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the growing shortage of well-rounded SCADA engineers. Topics include: ⚡ How solar PV and BESS control requirements differ ⚡ Using Ignition as the operator interface for power plant controllers ⚡ Connecting Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA, MQTT and third-party I/O servers ⚡ Managing rapidly increasing BESS tag counts and data speeds ⚡ Coordinating solar and battery assets on shared transmission infrastructure ⚡ Why renewable-energy project schedules are accelerating ⚡ Building redundancy and faster industrial networks ⚡ The shortage of multidisciplinary SCADA engineers ⚡ Using AI and LLMs to troubleshoot complex automation problems ⚡ Balancing cost, complexity and industrial cybersecurity Learn more about NEI Electric Power Engineering: https://neiengineering.com Presented by OpSite Energy Insight Driven Remote Optimization https://www.opsiteenergy.com Subscribe to the EnergyTech Podcast for more conversations about SCADA, industrial automation, operational technology, artificial intelligence and the future of energy operations. 00:00 Introduction from Solar & BESS Discovery Day 00:48 Meet Ian Kawas of NEI 01:03 Solar PV and battery-storage experience 01:35 Complexity, cybersecurity and fragmented telemetry 02:03 Modbus, DNP3, OPC UA and MQTT 03:03 How NEI uses Ignition and OPC UA 03:48 Substation data and real-time plant control 04:14 Coordinating solar and battery assets 04:49 Ignition as the operator interface 05:25 Supporting owners, utilities, developers and EPCs 06:53 Cloud data demands and rising BESS tag counts 08:04 Faster networks and system redundancy 08:49 Why renewable projects must move faster 10:02 MQTT, UDTs and plant-level limitations 11:27 The shortage of well-rounded SCADA engineers 12:42 Cost, complexity and cybersecurity 13:09 Using AI for SCADA troubleshooting 14:10 Building connections at Solar & BESS Discovery Day 15:08 Closing remarks Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of Epidemic Sound https://www.epidemicsound.com #BESS #SCADA #IndustrialAutomation

  5. Aug 17

    Private 5G for Industrial AI: Refineries, Robotics & Edge Computing | Celona – EP 095

    Industrial AI, autonomous robots and connected workers all depend on one thing: reliable, low-latency connectivity. Recorded live at ENTELEC 2026 in Galveston, Texas, Jeff Perry and Mike Flores sit down with Pradhyum Ramkumar, Head of Product Marketing, Sales & Partner Enablement at Celona, to explore how private 5G is transforming connectivity across refineries, manufacturing plants, warehouses and other mission-critical industrial environments. Pradhyum explains why traditional Wi-Fi often struggles in large, metal-dense facilities, and why private 5G can provide broader, more reliable coverage with significantly fewer radios. The conversation explores: * Why unreliable connectivity keeps industrial workers tied to pen and paper * Private 5G versus traditional industrial Wi-Fi * How Celona’s 5G LAN integrates with existing IT and OT networks * Zero Trust security and the separation of IT and OT traffic * Celona MicroSlicing™ and quality-of-service management * Connecting legacy Modbus devices through industrial gateways * Private 5G for connected workers, autonomous vehicles and robotics * Remote operation of cranes, drilling equipment and industrial assets * Why low latency is essential for industrial AI and edge inference * Reducing cabling, infrastructure and deployment costs * RF planning and the process of deploying a private 5G network * Applications across energy, manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and higher education As industrial companies move toward edge AI, robotics and remote operations, private 5G may become the critical connectivity layer that makes those technologies possible. Guest: Pradhyum Ramkumar, Head of Product Marketing, Sales & Partner Enablement, Celona Hosts: Jeff Perry and Mike Flores, Energy Tech Podcast Location: ENTELEC 2026 — Galveston, Texas Learn more: Celona: https://www.celona.io/ ENTELEC: https://www.entelec.org/expo/ OpSite Energy: https://opsiteenergy.com/ Subscribe for more conversations about industrial automation, operational technology, private wireless, SCADA, edge computing and industrial AI. Music: “Fast Life” by Uygar Duzgun, courtesy of Epidemic Sound. #Private5G #IndustrialAI #OperationalTechnology 00:00 Introduction from ENTELEC 2026 00:49 Meet Pradhyum Ramkumar and Celona 01:08 Why industrial AI depends on connectivity 02:27 Why refineries still rely on pen and paper 03:43 Why Wi-Fi struggles in industrial environments 04:59 What makes private 5G different 05:51 300 Wi-Fi access points vs. 10 private 5G radios 06:36 Celona’s turnkey 5G LAN architecture 07:24 Integrating private 5G with IT and OT networks 09:28 Zero Trust security and existing firewalls 10:05 Separating IT and OT with MicroSlicing 10:59 Connected workers and robotics in hazardous environments 13:35 The future of autonomous industrial operations 15:04 Remote cranes, drilling and real-time control 15:44 RF planning and private 5G deployment 17:48 Connecting Modbus and legacy equipment 19:17 Edge AI and local inference 21:59 The cost case for private 5G 22:58 Applications beyond oil and gas 23:16 Closing thoughts

  6. Aug 10

    Scaling Industrial MQTT: Alarms, Edge Architecture & Ignition 8.3 - EP 094

    How do you scale an industrial MQTT architecture without sacrificing performance, reliability or trust in the data? Recorded at Inductive Automation’s Solar & Battery Discovery Day in San Diego, Mike Flores sits down with Nathan Davenport, Vice President of Sales Engineering at Cirrus Link Solutions, to discuss the technical and strategic challenges behind large-scale industrial data systems. Nathan explains why successful digital transformation begins with a clearly defined “North Star”—and how cost, complexity and cybersecurity shape nearly every industrial data architecture. The conversation also explores: Scaling MQTT Engine for millions of industrial tags Improving queue handling and gateway performance Propagating alarm events through Sparkplug MQTT Two-way alarm acknowledgment between edge and central gateways Performance improvements for Ignition 8.3 Containerizing the Chariot MQTT Server Deploying industrial data infrastructure at the edge Reducing cloud traffic and infrastructure costs Maintaining control of critical operational data Whether you work in manufacturing, renewable energy, oil and gas, utilities, automation or industrial IT/OT, this episode offers a practical look at building scalable and resilient industrial data pipelines. Guest: Nathan Davenport, VP of Sales Engineering, Cirrus Link Solutions Host: Mike Flores, Energy Tech Podcast Location: Solar & Battery Discovery Day — San Diego, California Learn more: Cirrus Link Solutions: https://cirrus-link.com/ Inductive Automation: https://inductiveautomation.com/ fast Subscribe for more conversations about industrial automation, operational technology, energy innovation, SCADA, MQTT and digital transformation. #MQTT #IndustrialAutomation #IgnitionSCADA 00:00 Introduction from San Diego 00:49 Meet Nathan Davenport of Cirrus Link 02:00 Cost, complexity and cybersecurity 03:25 Diagnosing industrial data and network problems 04:22 Why every project needs a North Star 05:16 Digital transformation without a strategy 06:45 Scaling the industrial data pipeline 07:33 MQTT Engine queue and performance improvements 10:53 Sending alarm events over Sparkplug MQTT 12:33 Moving alarms between edge and central gateways 14:13 Two-way alarm acknowledgment and clearing 14:34 Improving Ignition 8.3 performance at scale 16:25 Chariot MQTT Server containerization 18:05 Edge computing and reducing cloud costs 18:49 Closing thoughts Music: “Fast Life” by Uygar Duzgun, courtesy of Epidemic Sound.

  7. Aug 5

    How Licensed Spectrum Powers Private 5G in Oil & Gas | Select Spectrum EP 093

    Industrial digital transformation starts with reliable connectivity—and in remote oil and gas operations, traditional carrier coverage is not always available where the work happens. Recorded live at ENTELEC 2026 in Galveston, Texas, Jeff Perry and Mike Flores sit down with Andreas Bitzarakis, Managing Director of Broadband at Select Spectrum, to discuss how licensed wireless spectrum supports private LTE and 5G networks across oil and gas, utilities, and other critical infrastructure. Andreas explains how Select Spectrum helps organizations identify, acquire, lease, or sell spectrum rights—and why selecting the right frequency for the right geography is a critical early step in private network development. Topics include: ⚡ Private LTE and 5G networks for oil and gas ⚡ Connectivity challenges in remote operating areas ⚡ Licensed spectrum versus shared spectrum ⚡ Buying and leasing FCC-licensed spectrum rights ⚡ Why spectrum availability varies by location ⚡ Supporting SCADA, telemetry, video, and operational data ⚡ Working with operators, engineers, integrators, and equipment manufacturers ⚡ Broadband and narrowband spectrum options ⚡ Band 54 for utilities and critical infrastructure ⚡ Building secure, operator-controlled private networks Whether you work in operational technology, telecommunications, SCADA, industrial automation, engineering, or digital transformation, this conversation provides a practical introduction to the spectrum decisions behind reliable private wireless networks. Guest: Andreas Bitzarakis Managing Director, Broadband Select Spectrum https://www.selectspectrum.com Recorded live at the 2026 ENTELEC Conference & Expo in Galveston, Texas. Presented by OpSite Energy OpSite Energy provides 24/7 remote operations, SCADA and control room services, alarm management, industrial automation, OT/IT integration, and industrial AI solutions. Learn more: https://www.opsiteenergy.com Subscribe to the Energy Tech Podcast for more conversations covering operational technology, SCADA, industrial automation, private wireless networks, cybersecurity, AI, and energy infrastructure. Music: Uygar Duzgun – “Fast Life” Courtesy of Epidemic Sound 00:00 Introduction from ENTELEC 2026 00:52 Meet Andreas Bitzarakis 01:13 What Select Spectrum Does 01:42 Connectivity Challenges in Remote Oil & Gas 02:32 Private Networks and Operational Data Control 03:00 Buying, Leasing and Selling Spectrum Rights 03:48 What Select Spectrum Does—and Does Not Do 04:39 Serving Operators of Every Size 05:37 Who Leads Private Network Decisions? 06:12 Engineering and Technology Partnerships 06:52 The Biggest Spectrum Availability Challenge 08:26 Solving the Missing Piece in Network Projects 09:19 Exclusive FCC-Licensed Spectrum 10:24 Broadband, Narrowband and Industry Expertise 10:55 Band 54 for Critical Infrastructure 11:58 How to Work with Select Spectrum 12:23 What Andreas Hopes to Accomplish at ENTELEC 13:27 Closing Thoughts

  8. Jul 27

    Ignition + TimescaleDB: A Modern Industrial Data Architecture - Ep 092

    How should industrial companies store, connect, and use massive amounts of operational data—from the edge to the cloud? Mike Freedman, co-founder and CTO of Tiger Data, joins Mike Flores on the Energy Tech Podcast to discuss how TimescaleDB and Inductive Automation’s Ignition platform are helping modernize industrial data infrastructure. Recorded live in San Diego at Inductive Automation’s Solar & BESS Discovery Day, this conversation explores the future of industrial historians, time-series data, unified namespace architectures, edge computing, hybrid cloud deployments, AI agents, and alarm intelligence. Mike explains the five requirements of a modern operational data platform: • High-speed ingestion across millions of tags • Economical long-term data storage • Fast historical and real-time queries • Support for late-arriving and backfilled data • The ability to connect time-series data with operational and business context The conversation also examines how AI agents can analyze alarms, operator notes, asset models, technical documentation, and real-time process data to help operators understand why an event occurred—without removing the human from the decision-making process. Topics include: • The Tiger Data and Inductive Automation partnership • TimescaleDB as a modern industrial historian • Ignition and PostgreSQL integration • Unified Namespace and MQTT architectures • On-premises, edge, cloud, and hybrid deployments • Local AI models and sovereign GPU infrastructure • MCP, agentic applications, and industrial data • AI-assisted alarm investigation • ISA-18.2 alarm management • Semantic search, vector search, and RAG • Moving from individual assets to fleet-scale operations • Multi-site visibility and live data synchronization Learn more: Tiger Data: https://www.tigerdata.com/ TimescaleDB Enterprise: https://www.tigerdata.com/timescaledb-enterprise Ignition and TimescaleDB: https://www.tigerdata.com/blog/ignition-and-timescaledb-perfect-pairing Inductive Automation: https://inductiveautomation.com/ Subscribe to the Energy Tech Podcast for more conversations covering industrial automation, operational technology, SCADA, energy infrastructure, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and the future of remote operations. #IndustrialAutomation #IgnitionSCADA #TimescaleDB 00:00 Introduction 00:45 Why Tiger Data Created TimescaleDB 01:19 From Industrial IoT to the Factory Floor 02:00 Connecting TimescaleDB with Ignition 03:19 Modern Industrial Data Architecture 04:25 Five Requirements of an Operational Data Platform 05:26 Handling Late-Arriving Data and Operational Context 06:46 Cloud Costs, Local Infrastructure and AI 07:27 Three Ways to Deploy TimescaleDB 08:08 Building a Hybrid Edge-to-Cloud Architecture 09:41 TimescaleDB for Modern Applications 10:50 AI Agents and Full-Stack Development 12:01 MCP, Agent Skills and Edge AI 13:03 Using AI to Investigate Industrial Alarms 14:18 Connecting Alarms, Operator Notes and Context 14:34 Semantic Search, Vector Search and RAG 15:35 Moving From Individual Assets to Fleet Scale 16:16 Five Data Requirements for Industrial Operations 17:00 Multi-Site and Distributed Edge Deployments 17:32 How to Get Started With Tiger Data 18:32 Live Sync From Industrial Sites to the Cloud 19:24 Tiger Data at the Ignition Community Conference 19:41 Closing

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About

Energy Innovation meets Industrial Technology: There is finally a podcast that balances technical depth with real-world applicability for field teams, operations groups, and senior leaders who want to see a real return on technology , IiOT, and AI Investments

Information

  • Creator
    Opsite Energy
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    EnergyTech Podcast

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