Alternative Power Plays

Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney
Alternative Power Plays

Alternative Power Plays is a podcast that explores the latest trends and innovations in energy generation. The podcast is hosted by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney attorneys and experts, Alan Seltzer and John Povilaitis, along with financing experts at the Brattle Group. Each episode features insightful interviews with industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers who are shaping the future of alternative energy. Tune into to Alternative Power Plays to hear frank conversations about new energy technologies and how facilities, municipalities and more can prepare for the next generation…of energy.

  1. 21H AGO

    Solving the Power Demand Challenge with Dynamic Line Rating Technology

    How can digital infrastructure unlock electric grid capacity? Dynamic line ratings, or DLR, is a technology used by utilities to optimize the electrical carrying capacity of power lines. DLR helps them account for real-time issues like weather and dynamically adjust the maximum capacity for a line. Today, LineVision is the only DLR provider using tower-mounted optical sensors today. Their patented non-contact LIDAR platform is mounted to transmission structures rather than to live lines, which increases the safety, operational efficiency, and accuracy of data collected without interfering with the conductors. On this episode of Alternative Power Plays, Buchanan’s Alan Seltzer and John Povilaitis speak with Steve Hambric, Chief Revenue Officer at LineVision. They talk about how LineVision’s tower-mounted sensors compare to the other segments in the market, the depth of information their technology is capable of gathering and what the future of this technology might look like. According to Hambric, LineVision’s non-contact sensors collect critical information to unlock additional capacity on existing lines, provide insight into conductor health, and detect anomalies and risks. To learn more about LineVision, visit: https://www.linevisioninc.com/To learn more about Steve Hambric, visit: https://www.linevisioninc.com/our-team/steve-hambric  To learn more about Alan Seltzer, visit: https://www.bipc.com/alan-seltzer⁠     To learn more about John Povilaitis, visit: ⁠https://www.bipc.com/john-povilaitis

    33 min
  2. MAY 7

    How Topology Optimization Improves the Grid

    The challenges that transmission operators and utilities face are growing by the day. Integrating renewables, extreme weather, and grid reliability are just a few. On this episode of Alternative Power Plays, Buchanan's John Povilaitis and Brattle's Metin Celebi welcome Dr. Pablo Ruiz, co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer at NewGrid, Inc. Ruiz is an electrical engineer with over 15 years of experience in electric power systems analysis, research and software development. He specializes in power system operations and planning, renewable power integration and the modeling, analysis and design of wholesale electricity markets. During the conversation, Ruiz talks about how topology optimization leverages the redundancy in grid networks to find new operational breakthroughs and avoid potential electric crises. He shares insights on NewGrid's work with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and how it's led to both congestion reductions and cost savings. Later, Ruiz discusses the exciting potential of introducing more renewable energies into the grid and how it can be done safely and effectively -- with the help of NewGrid's offerings. To learn more NewGrid, visit: https://newgridinc.com/To learn more about Pablo Ruiz, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pablo-ruiz-161a965/To learn more about John Povilaitis, visit: ⁠https://www.bipc.com/john-povilaitisTo learn more about Metin Celebi, visit: https://www.brattle.com/experts/metin-celebi/

    29 min
  3. APR 2

    The Future of Long-duration Energy Storage with Hydrostor

    As the world increasingly moves toward cleaner energy solutions, the demand for long-duration energy storage is at an all-time high. Hydrostor, a global leader in compressed air energy storage, is addressing this challenge by providing scalable, efficient, and sustainable alternatives to traditional battery technology. In this episode of Alternative Power Plays, hosts Alan Seltzer and John Povilaitis speak with Scott Bolton, Executive Vice President of Global Policy and Regulatory Affairs at Hydrostor. They discuss how the company’s innovative storage technology is helping to stabilize power grids around the world. Scott explains the mechanics of compressed air energy storage and compares it to lithium-ion batteries and pumped hydro, illustrating why this technology is positioned to play a crucial role in the transition to clean energy. The conversation also highlights Hydrostor’s flagship projects—the Silver City Energy Center in Australia and the Willow Rock project in California—showing how these large-scale storage solutions meet various energy market needs. Additionally, Scott addresses the regulatory challenges that Hydrostor faces, discusses how they collaborate with policymakers to facilitate energy storage deployment, and shares insights on the future of energy infrastructure development. To learn more about Hydrostor, visit: https://hydrostor.ca/ To learn more about Scott Bolton, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-bolton-72489/To learn more about Alan Seltzer, visit: https://www.bipc.com/alan-seltzer⁠   To learn more about John Povilaitis, visit: ⁠https://www.bipc.com/john-povilaitis

    31 min
  4. MAR 5

    Unlocking Rooftop Solar: Allume Energy’s Solution for Apartment Renters

    In this episode of Alternative Power Plays, hosts Alan Seltzer and John Povilaitis engage in a conversation with Aliya Bagewadi, the U.S. Director of Strategy Partnerships at Allume Energy. She discusses how Allume Energy is transforming solar access for apartment renters.  Aliya shares more about the company’s origins in Australia and its mission to promote energy equity as it expands to markets in the U.S. and Europe. Throughout the episode, she highlights the benefits of Allume Energy for renters, who can see energy bill reductions of 40-60% with the company’s technology. Meanwhile, building owners benefit from lower operating costs, new revenue streams, and increased property value.  Aliya provides insights into Allume’s market focus, targeting Illinois and D.C. due to favorable incentives, as well as the company's plans to integrate energy storage for enhanced grid resilience. The episode concludes with Aliya emphasizing the importance of education and collaboration with utilities, cities, and community partners to drive adoption and scale their mission of providing clean energy access for renters.  To learn more about Allume Energy, visit: https://allumeenergy.com/us/ To learn more about Aliya Bagewadi, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliyabagewadi  To learn more about Alan Seltzer, visit: https://www.bipc.com/alan-seltzer⁠    To learn more about John Povilaitis, visit: ⁠https://www.bipc.com/john-povilaitis

    25 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Alternative Power Plays is a podcast that explores the latest trends and innovations in energy generation. The podcast is hosted by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney attorneys and experts, Alan Seltzer and John Povilaitis, along with financing experts at the Brattle Group. Each episode features insightful interviews with industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers who are shaping the future of alternative energy. Tune into to Alternative Power Plays to hear frank conversations about new energy technologies and how facilities, municipalities and more can prepare for the next generation…of energy.

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.

Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada