Can AI revolutionize grid operations?
Everyone loves to talk about the “broken grid.” But if you look inside a utility’s planning and operations functions, a different picture emerges: infrastructure that is remarkably reliable, built and run by engineers solving impossibly complex problems with often outdated tools.
In this episode...
The rise of metal fuels
Diesel generators remain ubiquitous because they offer an unusually powerful combination of low cost, high energy density, long-duration storage, and reliable off-grid power. But their pollution, noise, maintenance requirements, permitting challenges, and growing footprint are becoming increasing...
What comes after the data center backlash?
In their early days, data centers were largely welcomed by communities who saw their arrival as an economic boost. Today as concerns around noise levels, power prices, water use, and AI grow, they face fierce opposition.
In this episode, Shayle speaks to Brian Janous, co-founder and chief commer...
Do data centers actually increase electricity prices? No...and yes
You don’t have to look far to see the vitriol and backlash ignited by the rapid expansion of hyperscaler data centers. While critics and activists tend to focus their ire on resource consumption and residents’ electricity bills, the reality of data center economics is far more complex.
In this ...
AMA: Fuel cells, geopolitics, and the solar growth curve
As we head into the final quarter of this pivotal and dramatic year for the energy sector, Catalyst host Shayle Kann takes stock of 2026 so far – and considers what’s to come – in this AMA-style episode. He discusses the year’s biggest stories, the trends that have surprised him the most, and his...
Anduril's vision for powering maritime defense
Dual-use technologies and the rise of defense tech are having a moment. But how does the defense sector approach innovations in energy that may be necessary to optimize its fleets?
To help answer that question, Shayle turns to the maritime sector to explore how advanced batteries, nuclear propul...
ERCOT batteries: boom, bust, or rebound?
It’s been a wild few years for grid-scale batteries in Texas. At the start of the decade, the Lone Star State was home to roughly 200 megawatts of battery capacity. Today, that number has skyrocketed to seventeen gigawatts…with at least five more gigawatts expected to come online by the end of 20...
The truth about data center water usage
Of all the concerns surrounding the AI boom, data center water usage tops the list. Opponents claim that massive hyperscaler facilities threaten local drinking supplies and drain aquifers. Proponents say data centers use a negligible amount of water, at least compared to agriculture or convention...
Can natural gas supply handle the AI boom?
As data center-driven load growth continues to rise, hyperscalers are turning to natural gas – both in front of and behind the meter — to secure power. But whether the natural gas pipeline system has the bandwidth to support this surging demand remains far from certain.
In this episode, Shayle s...
Data centers’ looming methane surge
It’s no secret that hyperscalers’ behind-the-meter gas bonanza has generated enormous CO2 emissions. But the AI boom is responsible for another, less-publicized emissions issue: upstream and onsite methane leaks that could derail decarbonization efforts.
In this episode, Shayle Kann speaks with ...
