Renewable Rides

Gareth Evans & Dan Roberts
  • 5.0 (14)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Renewable Rides is the guide to the corporate energy transition. Featuring interviews with industry experts and business leaders, Renewable Rides aims to help companies tackle challenges and maximize opportunities in the pursuit of a resilient, profitable, and thriving energy future. Hosts Gareth Evans and Dan Roberts, founders of VECKTA, shed light on the energy transition and the benefits it presents for company brand, operations and resilience.

  1. 2D AGO

    Ep 108: Examining the Ratepayer Protection Pledge and the Case for Distributed Generation

    What happens when the AI boom collides with the limits of the U.S. power grid? In this episode, we break down the White House’s new ratepayer protection pledge, designed to prevent households and businesses from subsidizing hyperscale data centers. Beyond the headlines, this episode explores the deeper infrastructure challenges: from stressed grids and rising electricity prices to the slow, capital-intensive process of building generation, transmission, and storage. We also discuss the future of energy infrastructure, highlighting how distributed, localized power systems—paired with edge AI computing—could unlock capacity faster, reduce grid strain, and improve resilience. Listeners will learn about the political and operational realities behind large data centers, why centralization alone can’t solve the problem, and how commercial and industrial property owners can view energy infrastructure as a strategic asset. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in AI, clean energy, and the evolution of our power systems. What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: The goals and limits of the ratepayer protection pledge.How hyperscale AI loads impact grid stability and electricity costs.Why centralized infrastructure upgrades alone are insufficient.The concept of distributed and behind-the-meter power systems.Edge AI computing vs centralized data centers.Opportunities for commercial and industrial property owners.Political implications of electricity costs on elections.How communities can support AI growth responsibly.Strategies to unlock existing infrastructure capacity.The importance of coordinating energy and compute design.Resources in Today's Episode: Gareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/3bnkj5vj

    26 min

  2. MAR 10

    Top Moment from 2026 Energy Predictions and 2025 Reflections with Bill Nussey

    Is the massive AI data centre build-out solving tomorrow’s problems or creating new ones? In this highlight episode, we explore one of the most pressing questions at the intersection of energy, technology, and infrastructure: whether today’s AI-driven demand for power is sustainable, overstated, or heading toward a major correction. You’ll learn how behind-the-meter energy systems, distributed batteries, and on-site generation could reshape the grid and why many companies are now “re-underwriting” their existing solar and energy assets to unlock more value. We also unpack the risks of an AI data centre bubble, how power demand may collapse faster than expected due to efficiency gains, and what this could mean for utilities, property owners, investors, and the broader economy.  What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: Why behind-the-meter energy matters more than people think.How batteries can relieve grid constraints.How AI data centers are driving energy narratives.Why AI power demand may be overstated.How efficiency gains could collapse grid demand.The risk of stranded data center assets.Lessons from past infrastructure bubbles.Why distributed energy could win long term.Resources in Today's Episode: Bill Nussey: LinkedIn | X | Facebook | PodcastFreeing Energy: How Innovators Are Using Local-scale Solar and Batteries to Disrupt the Global Energy Industry from the Outside by Bill NusseyGareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/3t57e3bh

    17 min

  3. MAR 3

    Ep 107: Market Maturation Moment as Behind-the-Meter Becomes Real Infrastructure

    Is the behind-the-meter energy market finally growing up? In this episode, we break down a major shift happening across the U.S. as states like New Mexico, Oregon, Colorado, and Illinois move from simply allowing onsite energy systems to regulating how they perform. Microgrids, batteries, and distributed energy resources are being treated as real infrastructure, complete with reporting requirements, performance standards, dispatch rules, and bankable revenue structures. Listen in to hear how different states are approaching this transition, what performance-based regulation means for business leaders, how battery incentives are evolving into revenue programs, and why policy should now be treated as a design input—not an afterthought. If you’re responsible for cost resilience, capital planning, or long-term energy strategy, you'll learn where the market is heading and how to position yourself to win. What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: Why behind-the-meter energy is entering a new phase.How New Mexico is regulating large microgrids.Oregon’s framework for valuing grid services.Colorado’s grid flexibility strategy.Illinois’ battery incentive and dispatch model.What “bankable revenue design” really means.Why capital prefers stable regulatory environments.How distributed energy is reshaping load forecasts.Practical steps business leaders should take now.Resources in Today's Episode: Gareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/ykfef9fz

    28 min

  4. FEB 24

    Top Moment from Onsite Energy as a Profit Center for Commercial Real Estate Owners - Our Talk with Brendan Wallace, Fifth Wall CEO and CIO

    What will it really take to decarbonize real estate and who is going to pay for it? In this highlight episode, Brendan Wallace breaks down the staggering $18 trillion challenge of decarbonizing U.S. buildings and why the real estate industry must fundamentally rethink its role. You’ll learn why buildings are being forced to evolve from passive structures into active energy producers — generating, storing, and monetizing power. We also explore why less than 3% of buildings have onsite solar, what’s really holding adoption back, and how capital markets, regulation, and tenant demand are reshaping owner behavior. You’ll hear why sustainability is shifting from a “nice to have” to a cost-of-capital advantage, how energy efficiency impacts asset value, and why the landlords who embrace this shift early could unlock massive long-term profitability. What You'll Learn In Today's Episode: The true cost of decarbonizing U.S. real estate.How climate capital in real estate has scaled.Why buildings must act as distributed energy assets.What’s blocking widespread rooftop solar adoption.The role of EV charging, storage, and microgrids.How regulation is forcing owner action.Why energy efficiency improves cost of capital.How tenant demand drives sustainability decisions.Where future competitive advantage will emerge.Resources In Today's Episode: Brendan Wallace: LinkedInGareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: News You can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/48yckdct

    16 min

  5. FEB 17

    Ep 106: Selling Solar Tax Credits: Pricing, Timing, and Deal Structuring with Basis Climate and Conductor Solar

    What if your renewable energy tax credits could turn into immediate cash instead of sitting on your balance sheet for years? In this episode, Erik Underwood, Co-Founder and CEO of Basis Climate, and James Coombes, VP of Business Development at Conductor Solar, break down how tax credit transfers are reshaping renewable energy finance and why more developers, businesses, and REITs are choosing to sell their credits instead of carrying them forward. You’ll learn how the Inflation Reduction Act opened the door to simplified credit transfers, how pricing typically works (including discounts and transaction costs), and why timing can dramatically impact the value of your deal. We also explore what buyers look for in underwriting, the risks around recapture and IRS compliance, how small and mid-sized credits differ from large utility-scale transactions, and when it makes sense to sell versus retain credits. What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: What a tax credit transfer actually is.How the IRA changed clean energy finance.Why businesses sell credits instead of keeping them.How transaction costs impact net proceeds.IRS registration requirements and timing rules.What underwriting buyers require.Recapture risk and indemnification basics.Minimum credit sizes that make sense to transact.How REITs structure tax credit sales.Resources in Today's Episode: Erik Underwood: LinkedInJames Coombes: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/3brvzx2h

    52 min

  6. FEB 10

    Top Moment from Power Market Dynamics with Author and Analyst Meredith Angwin

    What if the grid reliability forecasts we trust are built on assumptions that don’t hold up in the real world? In this highlight episode, we explore one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in modern energy systems: the gap between installed natural gas capacity and actual fuel availability. Listen in to hear about the deeper market forces at play, including why stressed grids create windfall profits for generators, how clearing prices reward volatility, and the ways renewable subsidies lead to negative bidding that distorts the entire system. You'll learn how market design, oversight gaps, and fuel constraints collide. What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: Why natural gas plants may not have fuel during peak demand.How ISO New England used onsite diesel to prevent outages.How clearing prices incentivize volatility in stressed grids.Why renewable subsidies create negative biddingWhy strong oversight is essential for grid reliability.Resources in Today's Episode: Meredith Angwin: LinkedIn | SubstackGareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/ykjtkb43

    14 min

  7. FEB 3

    Ep 105: How Leading Commercial Real Estate Owners Are Building Million-Dollar Revenue Streams from Solar and Energy Storage

    What does it actually look like when a multifamily owner “becomes a utility”? In this episode, you’ll learn how developers and asset managers are using on-site solar and virtual net metering to create real value, not just sustainability headlines. We break down how a relatively modest investment can generate outsized returns, why lenders and investors are becoming more comfortable with these projects, and how rising utility rates are changing the economics. The conversation covers tenant perception, leasing team education, EV charging integration, and the operational realities of deploying solar at scale. If you’re a developer, owner, or investor trying to understand whether solar belongs in your portfolio — and how to do it right — this episode walks through the practical lessons learned from doing it repeatedly. What You’ll Learn in Today’s Episode: What it means for owners to “become a utility.”How VNM works at the resident level.Why utility rate spreads drive solar returns.How residents receive monthly energy savings.What lenders and investors care about most.How leasing teams use solar as a selling point.The importance of partner and contractor selection.Why education is key for tenants, lenders, and teams.Resources in Today's Episode: Mark Peternell: LinkedIn | Regency CentersStephan Gaspar: LinkedIn | KIRE BuildersLogan Carter: LinkedIn | Ivy EnergyDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/yvue3n9w

    58 min

  8. JAN 27

    Top Moment from The Immense Savings Potential of Energy Efficiency with Josh Bachman of Cascade Energy

    In this highlight episode, Josh Bachman of Cascade Energy breaks down why energy efficiency isn’t just a sustainability or decarbonization conversation—it’s a serious financial opportunity that most organizations are overlooking. You’ll learn how energy waste shows up inside industrial and commercial operations, why leadership often underestimates its impact, and how small operational changes can deliver meaningful, measurable results. Listen in as we explore low- and no-cost operational improvements, the power of variable frequency drives (VFDs), and why energy efficiency must be treated as an ongoing program, not a one-off project. This conversation reframes energy from a background expense into a strategic lever for cost savings, resilience, and long-term performance. What You'll Learn In Today's Episode: Why energy efficiency is a financial issue, not just a sustainability one.How much energy waste typically exists in industrial facilities.What low- and no-cost efficiency measures really look like.How variable frequency drives dramatically reduce energy use.Why leadership buy-in determines program success.How demand response creates flexibility and savings.How organizations can turn waste reduction into a competitive advantage.Resources In Today's Episode: Josh Bachman: LinkedInCascade EnergyGareth Evans: LinkedInDan Roberts: LinkedInVECKTA: NewsYou can view a video of the conversation on VECKTA's website here: https://tinyurl.com/47xby9dv

    19 min
See All (116)

5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Renewable Rides is the guide to the corporate energy transition. Featuring interviews with industry experts and business leaders, Renewable Rides aims to help companies tackle challenges and maximize opportunities in the pursuit of a resilient, profitable, and thriving energy future. Hosts Gareth Evans and Dan Roberts, founders of VECKTA, shed light on the energy transition and the benefits it presents for company brand, operations and resilience.

Information

  • Creator
    Gareth Evans & Dan Roberts
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Renewable Rides
  • Show Website
    Renewable Rides

You Might Also Like