Will energy storage save the grid? | Interchange Recharged

Описание: AI demand is exploding, electrification is surging, and volatility is rising across the grid. As power systems strain under new pressures, one question is front and centre: can energy storage save the grid? In this episode of Interchange Recharged, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez sits down with two leaders from Wärtsilä Energy Storage to unpack how high-performance batteries and advanced control software are becoming essential reliability tools in the age of AI.

They explore:
How storage is shifting from a “renewables add-on” to a core reliability asset
Why synthetic inertia, fast frequency response and sub-second control are now critical for grid stability
How AI-driven load growth and volatile demand profiles are reshaping planning assumptions
Why interconnection delays are pushing data centres toward on-site generation plus batteries
How market rules must evolve to reward flexibility, speed and multi-use applications
The role of software in future-proofing storage as grid requirements tighten
Where innovators are already hitting new technical performance thresholds

In this episode:
00:00 - Introduction: how energy storage will save the grid
02:00 - Does the grid need saving? Understanding supply and demand balancing
08:25 - Electricity demand surge: AI, data centers and grid strain
12:28 - Inertia explained: natural vs. synthetic inertia and renewable integration
17:20 - Energy storage's role in data center operations and microgrid solutions
20:25 - Policy and market design: regional differences and interconnection challenges
27:36 - Software optimisation: the key to grid flexibility and monetisation
35:52 - Future-proofing assets: Wartsila's approach to evolving grid complexity
43:16 - Optimism for the future: technology evolution and climate solutions

Guests:
Joanna Martin Ziegenfuss, General Manager, Strategic Market Development (North America), Wärtsilä Energy Storage
Ruchira Shah, General Manager, Software Product Management, Wärtsilä Energy Storage

Host:
Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Director of North America Utility-Scale Solar at Wood Mackenzie and host of The Interchange: Recharged

Host:
Sylvia Leyva Martinez is Director for North America Utility-Scale Solar and host of Interchange Recharged. She covers market dynamics, business models, and financial strategies driving the energy transition.

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