Energy Transition Desk with Lisa Wood

Lisa Wood
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Entrepreneurship

The Energy Transition Desk with Lisa Wood is the insider podcast for entrepreneurs, investors, energy executives, and policymakers navigating the hard work of bringing new technology to market. Host Lisa Wood brings decades of experience in the power sector, including 15 years leading EEI’s Institute for Electric Innovation. Now a strategic advisor to clean energy startups and venture investors, Lisa covers the full energy transition — clean power, natural gas, and the messy space where new technology meets the market. Each episode features candid peer-level conversations with the founders, investors, energy executives, and policymakers doing the hard work of commercializing energy technology. What’s working, what’s not, and what it really takes to succeed in one of the most complex markets in the world. New episodes every other week!

Episodes

  1. 4d ago

    How AI is Changing Enterprise Customer Energy Management

    Today's show is about using AI to manage energy for many of the world’s largest businesses.  Energy has never been more complex and managing it has never mattered more.  By providing a single place to pay energy bills, buy energy, and advance sustainability, Arcadia’s energy intelligence platform takes the friction out of managing energy for businesses that use energy across multiple sites and energy markets.    In this episode, Lisa sits down with Kiran Bhatraju, Founder & CEO of Arcadia, to discuss how Arcadia evolved from a consumer facing company to a global AI enterprise energy management platform for commercial and industrial (C&I) customers serving 2000 of the world’s largest businesses and transacting $35 billion of energy payments a year.   Lisa and Kiran discuss:  Arcadia’s evolution to an AI enterprise energy management platformHow AI is changing Arcadia’s approach to C&I customer energy managementWhy giving C&I customers grid edge computing options is speed-to-powerKey pivots and turning points for Arcadia’s business Acquisitions are not for everyoneThe unique culture at ArcadiaHow a policy nerd became an energy entrepreneurFun energy factsCredits:  Host and Executive Producer, Lisa Wood. Associate Producer, Adam Cooper. Episode recorded: September 2026Find us at:  https://podcast.energytransitiondesk.com/

  2. Oct 7

    Turning Data Centers into Flexible Power Grid Assets

    Today's show is about flexible data centers. Simply delivering more energy to data centers — the fastest-growing source of new electricity demand in the US — isn't the solution. Emerald AI's Emerald Conductor platform dynamically interacts with local power grids to manage AI workloads: pausing work during grid stress, rerouting it elsewhere, and ramping back up when capacity frees up.  In this episode, Lisa sits down with Varun Sivaram, Founder and CEO of Emerald AI, to discuss how Emerald AI is turning data centers into flexible grid assets by orchestrating real-time workloads and introducing power flexibility. Most of the data center conversation has been about the supply side — delivering more power, where and when data centers need it. Emerald AI is flipping that on its head and going after the demand side. Lisa and Varun discuss:  Emerald Conductor and data center flexible loadGrand bargain between data centers, the power grid, and customersEarly product and customer demonstrations100 GW potential for flexible loadThe two grids - power and AIInvestors and commercial scalingThe power of convictionFun energy factCredits: Host and Executive Producer, Lisa WoodAssociate Producer, Adam Cooper Episode recorded: September, 2026Find us at:  https://podcast.energytransitiondesk.com/

  3. Oct 7

    How AI is revolutionizing energy forecasting in today’s rapidly changing landscape

    Today's show is about combining AI and energy data for precision energy forecasting and analytics solutions for utilities, power producers, and energy markets. Forecasting has been done for decades in the power sector. But between extreme weather, surging electricity demand, and wild price volatility, the need for very accurate forecasting models has never been greater.   In this episode, Lisa sits down with Sean Kelly, Co-founder and CEO of Amperon, to discuss how Amperon’s AI-powered energy forecasting platform is changing the way energy gets forecasted and traded in today's rapidly changing energy landscape. Sean also reveals why he started the company; his first real customers; how Amperon hooked its first electric utility customers; the importance of strategic partners; and critical turning points for the company.   Lisa and Sean discuss:  Why precision forecasting is essential todayEarly customers and pivotsDiscovering the importance of smart meter data  The role of AI at AmperonCritical turning points and challenges for AmperonWhy strategic partners matterVenture capital, storytelling, and timingCredits: Host and Executive Producer, Lisa WoodAssociate Producer, Adam Cooper Episode recorded: September, 2026Find us at:  https://podcast.energytransitiondesk.com/

  4. Sep 5

    EnergyTransitionDesk_Trailer

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

The Energy Transition Desk with Lisa Wood is the insider podcast for entrepreneurs, investors, energy executives, and policymakers navigating the hard work of bringing new technology to market. Host Lisa Wood brings decades of experience in the power sector, including 15 years leading EEI’s Institute for Electric Innovation. Now a strategic advisor to clean energy startups and venture investors, Lisa covers the full energy transition — clean power, natural gas, and the messy space where new technology meets the market. Each episode features candid peer-level conversations with the founders, investors, energy executives, and policymakers doing the hard work of commercializing energy technology. What’s working, what’s not, and what it really takes to succeed in one of the most complex markets in the world. New episodes every other week!

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