Today the Unlocking the Energy Trilemma podcast is one year old, and we celebrate this first anniversary with a Special Episode, the number 14th, where Ravi and JAM debate about the geopolitical shift in the Energy Sector due to Trump's election.

They will share the Challenges and Opportunities of Trump's Energy Agenda. Is it a Boom or a Backfire?

Sonia Dunlop (CEO of the Global Solar Council) discusses the impressive growth of solar power, highlighting the new global milestone in installed capacity. She explores the future of solar energy, addressing challenges like grid flexibility and storage, while emphasizing the need for innovative solutions to integrate solar into power grids. Sonia also touches on the importance of policy frameworks, technological collaboration, and the potential of long-duration energy storage in achieving a sustainable energy future. This insightful conversation outlines the path forward for solar energy and the global energy transition.

Brad Harkavy (VP of Product at Oracle Energy & Water) speaks with Ravi and JAM about the challenges and opportunities in managing DER systems.

Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) play a key role in the energy transition by decentralizing power generation, integrating renewable sources, and improving grid efficiency by reducing transmission losses. They enhance energy resilience through diverse supply sources and enable consumer participation in energy markets, accelerating the shift to a low-carbon economy. A DER Management System (DERMS) can turn DER intermittency into a dispatchable grid resource that supports reliability and efficiency goals.

Are Battery Energy Storage Systems the key to unlocking the Energy Trilemma? Is the cost of grid-scale batteries decreasing? What is the business model for a BESS owner? How does BESS react to electricity price volatility?

We speak with Neil Weaver (Research Director al Modo Energy) to get the answers to these questions and more.

James Macnaghten, CEO of Caldera and inventor of many thermal energy storage patents, speaks with Ravi and JAM on decarbonizing industrial heat to drastically reduce global CO2 emissions. We already have technology to address a big piece of this Market and we shouldn't miss taking these low-hanging fruits.

Kathryn Porter, an independent energy expert, speaks with Ravi and JAM about Power Grid Interconnections, their role in the Energy Transition, their impact on the price of local electricity, and the new criteria of some countries.

Kathryn addresses why electricity costs are increasing with the Energy Transition and her expectations at the end of this decade.

Scott Hargreaves (Executive Director of the Institute of Public Affairs) speaks with Ravi and JAM about the hidden reality of renewables. Scott brings the last report of the IPA named "The Ruinous Cost of Free Energy" where they showed a perspective of the Australian Energy System.

Not all that glitters is gold.

Mike Caravaggio is the Director of the Thermal & Hydro Fleet at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). He talks with Ravi and JAM about the need to complete renewables with flexible & dispatchable energy. He explains what current technologies can do and what it really takes to get to Net Zero, not optimistic talking.

The conversation ends with the landing of "ZELFRs", the Unicorns of the Energy Sector.