Just Power

Carolyn Parrs

The Just Power Podcast is about making clean, affordable and reliable energy accessible to everyone. Created and hosted by Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, it features energy experts, policymakers, Tribal voices, and community champions who are working hard to make energy equity a reality in our energy transition.

  1. 2H AGO

    Leading Through Energy Affordability | Beyond Programs — What Dignity-Centered Leadership Looks Like (S5:E3)

    We have programs. We have data. We have red-ink notebooks full of public comments. So what do credible, leadership responses to energy affordability actually look like — and who is truly stepping up to deliver them? Dr. Diana Hernández has some answers — and they're not comfortable ones. In Episode 3 of Just Power's Leading Through Energy Affordability series, Carolyn Parrs welcomes Diana back, the associate professor at Columbia University and author of Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy.  Building on the national data from Episode 1 and the community voices from Episode 2, Diana bridges research and reality — unpacking what genuine leadership actually requires, what's broken in our current systems, and where real hope lives right now. Highlights What energy insecurity actually feels like — drain, the energy equivalent of hunger — compounding financial, physical, and psychological toll.Why LIHEAP is failing the moment — crisis-only, heating-focused, and mismatched with today's year-round affordability challenges.The enrollment gap no one talks about — millions are eligible for assistance but never access it, and closing that gap may be the highest-leverage move available right now.What separates leaders who act from those who just listen — red-ink notebooks aren't enough. Diana draws a sharp line between performative engagement and real follow-through.The role of utilities, regulators, and community trust — why state-level enabling environments are essential for building genuine, durable community partnerships.Diana's Four C's of leadership — Conviction, Courage, Creativity, and Commitment.Referenced in this podcast: 7 Traits of an Effective Energy Coach: https://mindovermarkets.com/energycoach/ About our guest: Dr. Diana Hernández is an associate professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and author of Powerless: The People's Struggle for Energy — a groundbreaking exploration of energy insecurity and the human cost of our energy system. drdianahernandez.com; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-hern%C3%A1ndez-10668237/ About our host, Carolyn Parrs: Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets. mindovermarkets.com; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ Just Power Podcast is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Episode of This Series! Subscribe Now. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policymaker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    43 min

  2. MAR 25

    Leading Through Energy Affordability Series | The Human Reality Behind Rising Energy Costs (S5:E2)

    What does energy unaffordability actually feel like? Not the policy language, not the rate filings — but the lived experience of a family in Colorado's San Luis Valley watching a $900 bill arrive after two months? In Episode 2 of our Leading Through Energy Affordability series, host Carolyn Parrs welcomes back Jennifer Gremmert, CEO of Energy Outreach Colorado, to listen together — and reflect — on something rarely heard in energy policy conversations: the unfiltered voices of people who are right now navigating rising energy costs. Energy Outreach Colorado spoke directly with households across the state and asked four questions that we posed in Season 2 of Just Power. Their answers are the centerpiece of this episode. Highlights: Real voices, real choices — Coloradans from rural and urban communities describe the cascading impact of rising bills: food, medication, childcare, and jobs all on the line when energy becomes unaffordable.Why programs aren't keeping pace — Jennifer explains how Energy Outreach Colorado's $1,000 annual benefit, once covering 3-4 months of arrears, now barely covers two — and what that signals about systemic strain.The community solar solution (and its limits) — A promising model serving nearly 7,000 households is working, but faces siting challenges, supply chain slowdowns, and a massive gap between need and available capacity.What people want policymakers to actually understand — Be accessible, communicate in multiple languages, stop treating disconnection like a transaction, include affected communities in the decisions that shape their lives.3 urgent asks for Colorado leaders — A moratorium on new energy policy for 1-2 years to let organizations catch up; expanding LIHEAP to year-round rather than heating-only; and building a single-point-of-entry for energy and human services assistance.The five-year vision — What "credible responses" look like: a curated, decision-tree-based system where households in crisis can access the right combination of crisis assistance, efficiency upgrades, and renewable energy subscriptions in one place.Referenced in this podcast: Just Power episode: 5 Energy Equity Questions We Must Ask Communities Now -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnI4QD74xCc&t=3s About our guest: Jennifer Gremmert is the Executive Director of Energy Outreach Colorado serving 25,000 households annually through crisis intervention, energy efficiency, and community solar programs. energyoutreach.org. About our host, Carolyn Parrs: Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets. mindovermarkets.com; LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ Just Power Podcast is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Episode of This Series! Subscribe Now. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policymaker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    51 min

  3. MAR 19

    New Series: Leading Through Energy Affordability | What Credible Responses Look Like (S5:E1)

    Season 5 Launch: "Leading Through Energy Affordability" series. Energy affordability is one of the defining challenges of the energy transition — and for millions of households, it is already a breaking point. In this Just Power series, "Leading Through Energy Affordability", we set out to answer a critical question: what do credible responses to energy affordability look like in this moment of transition?  In this first episode, Carolyn Parrs is joined by Charles Hua, CEO of Powerlines, to explore the national data behind this moment and what it means for households, leaders, and the future of the energy transition. Charles shares findings from Powerlines’ latest national report, including a striking reality: utilities requested nearly $31 billion in rate increases in a single year, affecting more than 80 million Americans. Together, Carolyn and Charles unpack what is driving these pressures, why this moment feels different, and what credible, people-centered leadership could look like now. This episode lays the groundwork for the series ahead — moving from national trends to lived experience, community voices, and leadership responses. In this episode: Why electricity is becoming “the new eggs”.What nearly $31 billion in rate hike requests means for households.The three major drivers behind rising energy costs.Why more Americans feel powerless over their utility bills.The role of regulators and why public engagement matters.Why even small monthly bill increases can push households closer to the edge.What’s ahead in the Leading Through Energy Affordability series.Referenced in this podcast: PowerLines National Report About my guest, Charles Hua Charles is the Founder and Executive Directors of PowerLines Website: https://powerlines.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-hua/ About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power explores the human side of the energy transition—from grid modernization to energy affordability to community engagement. We feature leaders across policy, technology, utilities, and communities who are navigating the real-world impacts of energy system change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    37 min

  4. JAN 30

    Polarization to Progress: Decarbonization Without Sacrificing Affordability or Reliability (S4:E10)

    At a moment when energy conversations are more polarized than ever—and families are caught between rising bills and an uncertain grid—how do we actually move forward? In this final episode of Season 4, guest Julia DeTar of Adamantine Energy explores with Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs, why the biggest barrier to progress isn’t technology, but our inability to talk through our differences. Enter: the Sensible Energy Platform, a framework designed to get people who usually talk past each other into the same room, asking the same question: How do we decarbonize while keeping energy affordable and reliable? Together, they unpack what it really takes to do this while keeping energy affordable and reliable, why energy is fundamentally a justice issue, and how bridge building may be the key to navigating the energy transition now underway. ⭐ Highlights Why polarization—not a lack of solutions—is stalling the clean energy transition.The case for keeping affordability, reliability, and decarbonization moving together.What “all-of-the-above” energy really means in practice—and why it matters.How energy burden is turning affordability into a justice issue across the U.S.How deep listening and bridge building can unlock real progress.⚡ Coming soon in Season 5: Leading Through Energy Affordability series. Just Power brings together national data, community voices, and leadership perspectives to explore what’s driving affordability pressures — and what credible, people-centered responses look like. Referenced in this podcast: Sensible Energy PlatformThe Colorado WayEnergy Thinks PodcastAdmantine EnergyAbout my guest, Julia DeTar Julia is an Analyst & Outreach Coordinator at Adamantine Energy Website: https://energythinks.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliadetar/ Email: Julia@energythinks.com About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    35 min

  5. JAN 22

    Microsoft, AI, and the Grid We Need Next (S4:E9)

    The grid is being asked to do the impossible: power AI and data centers, electrify homes and industry, integrate carbon-free energy, and still stay affordable and reliable. In this episode of Just Power, Carolyn Parrs sits down with Hanna Grene—Microsoft’s Global Go-to-Market & Operations Leader for Energy and a recognized thought leader on the digital grid transition—to cut through the hype and get specific about where AI is already changing day-to-day energy operations and what's next. ⭐ Highlights  Five places AI is already delivering value in the energy industry: workforce productivity, health & safety, customer experience, business process modernization, and asset/grid optimization.Grid optimization is the new energy efficiency: using better visibility and analytics to operate a complex, real-time, multi-stakeholder system more effectively.Permitting as the “valley of delay”: how AI can streamline permitting workflows to reduce time and cost—helping get more (and cleaner) electrons onto the grid faster.Climate-informed planning gets real: moving beyond historical weather assumptions toward predictive modeling that accounts for future wildfire, flood, and heat risks over 20–30 year asset lifecycles.Cybersecurity and governance are non-negotiable: why zero trust, the right data access, and hybrid architectures matter as more data moves to the cloud for advanced AI use cases.Referenced in this podcast SCE and ThinkLabs AI: ThinkLabs AI achieves results in AI-powered grid analytics | AP NewsMISO's cloud leadership: MISO to Drive Grid Innovation with Microsoft Azure & Microsoft FoundryMicrosoft's Permitting AI AcceleratorMicrosoft's 5-point Plan to partner with local communities across the United StatesAbout my guest, Hanna Grene Hanna is Microsoft’s Global Go-to-Market & Operations Leader for Energy. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannagrene/ About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    48 min

  6. JAN 16

    Clean Energy for Data Centers - Without Raising Rates (S4:E8)

    Data centers aren’t just energy-hungry—they’re reshaping the power system faster than almost anything we’ve seen before. Some now consume as much electricity as entire cities, and the rush to meet that demand is often driving new fossil fuel generation, costly grid upgrades, and rising risks for communities.  In this episode of Just Power, host Carolyn Parrs is joined with Uday Varadarajan, co-founder and CEO of Colectric, to explore a radically different approach. Uday introduces the idea of “Power Couples”—pairing clean energy and data centers at existing power plant sites—to meet AI-driven demand quickly without shifting costs to ratepayers or compromising climate goals. It’s a conversation about speed, scale, equity, and how rural communities could lead—not follow—the next phase of the energy transition. ⭐ Highlights  Why data centers are a tipping point for the grid—some rival small cities in energy use and demand 24/7 reliability.The “Power Couple” model explained: co-locating data centers with clean energy at existing power plants to avoid costly grid upgrades.How locational flexibility changes the game, allowing AI firms to site facilities where clean energy can be built fastest.Protecting affordability: meeting new load with purpose-built resources so costs aren’t shifted onto communities or ratepayers.Utilities as long-term partners and owners, reducing risk while creating new, responsible growth opportunities.A bigger vision for rural America: clean energy hubs that support farming, manufacturing, and local economic development—without leaving anyone behind.About my guest, Uday Varadarajan Uday is the Co-founder and CEO of Colectric, an early-stage company that helps utilities and AI firms rapidly supply clean energy to data centers without risking grid reliability or increasing energy costs for communities.                                Website: https://colectric.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/uday-varadarajan-10aa701/ About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justpower  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    41 min

  7. JAN 8

    Setbacks to Breakthroughs: The Hidden Upside (S4:E7)

    Feeling like progress toward a clean, affordable energy future has stalled — or even slipped backwards? You’re not alone. In this episode, I explore the real-world setbacks many of us are experiencing right now — from renewable energy slowdowns to shrinking affordability programs — and reframe them as part of the deeper breakthrough process. Without getting political, I talk about resilience, mindset, and what seasons of delay are really asking of us. If you work in clean energy, climate, utilities, community advocacy, or you just care about making energy affordable for everyone, this episode is a grounded reset — with reflection questions you can use right away. ⭐ Highlights  Why setbacks in clean energy and climate progress don’t always mean failure.How breakthroughs in the energy transition often follow long periods of frustration or delay.Reframing stalled programs like renewables, LIHEAP, SNAP, bill-assistance, and affordability efforts without politics or polarization.Practical reflections to help leaders, utilities, advocates, and communities keep going when momentum slows.How “just power” means not only technology change — but inner strength, patience, and showing up again.Referenced in my podcast: Ryan Levesque's "Digital Contrarian" newsletter: https://ryanlevesque.net/join-the-digital-contrarian/ About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindovermarkets LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/just-power/id1787062424 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xkvhOZiw2hBg0kyxzVAs5 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    23 min

  8. JAN 1

    Grasstops vs. Grassroots: How Real Community Engagement Looks (S4:E6)

    Behind every public hearing and polished plan is a simple question: who actually had a voice? My guest, Mary Palmer, founder of New Bayou and Director of Energy Equity & Inclusion at SEPA, and I explore how real community engagement looks: what utilities miss, what advocates need, and how relationships, not checklists, reshape the energy transition for the better. If you work inside a utility, city, regulatory space or community organization, this conversation may change how you engage — and who your process truly serves. ⭐ Highlights  Grasstops vs. grassroots engagement — what the difference really looks like on the ground and why so many “participation efforts” stay stuck at the top. Why traditional utility engagement fails — even when intentions are good. Restorative justice in the energy sector: repairing broken relationships between institutions and communities. The speed of trust: why meaningful engagement takes time — and why skipping that work costs more in lawsuits, delays, and public pushback later. The education gap nobody talks about: how residents are asked for input in forums they don’t understand, and what must change to make engagement real and effective. About my guest, Mary Palmer Mary is the Founder of New Bayou and Director of Energy Equity & Inclusion at the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycpalmer/ About Just Power host, Carolyn Parrs Carolyn is a Senior Strategic Communications Leader and the CEO of Mind Over Markets.  Website: https://mindovermarkets.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindovermarkets LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynparrs/ About Just Power Podcast Just Power is about the human side of the clean energy transition. The podcast focuses on grid modernization, energy affordability, and community engagement — featuring leaders from utilities, policy, technology, and frontline communities navigating the real-world impacts of energy infrastructure change. 🔔 Never Miss an Update! Subscribe Now YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJustPowerPodcast?sub_confirmation=1 💖 Spread the Love Like, comment, and share this episode with a friend, policy maker, or energy provider who needs to hear this. YouTube Facebook Instagram New Mexico State University Microlearning Mind Over Markets LinkedIn

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Just Power Podcast is about making clean, affordable and reliable energy accessible to everyone. Created and hosted by Carolyn Parrs, CEO of Mind Over Markets, it features energy experts, policymakers, Tribal voices, and community champions who are working hard to make energy equity a reality in our energy transition.

Information

  • Creator
    Carolyn Parrs
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    49
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Just Power
  • Show Website
    Just Power

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