560: How Long Duration Energy Storage Ensures a Better Electric Grid, with Hugh McDermott, ESS Inc.

Hugh McDermott is the senior vice president for business development and sales for ESS Inc., a provider of long-duration energy storage (LDES) solutions for commercial and industrial (C&I), utility, microgrid, and off-grid applications. In today's podcast, he explains the critical issue of energy storage, which he warns could impede our quest for a clean, green future."We can build and have all kinds of generating technologies that can be carbon-free, but we can't go through the night without energy storage," he said.He suggests LDES — defined by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a system that can store energy for more than 10 hours —is the lynchpin for solving intermittency issues with renewable energy production. ESS, founded in 2011, aims to accelerate global decarbonization by providing safe, sustainable LDES that can power clean, renewable energy anytime and anywhere it's needed. LDES supports reliable and resilient electric grids even when the sun goes down and the wind grows still, he said.Hugh has a long history in the energy industry and shares many deep insights today. Before joining ESS, he was a VP for Silver Spring Networks, where he led the company's market-building presence and partnership development for Smart Grid and Smart City business across the Asia-Pacific region. Before that, he was global head of business development at Better Place, leveraging networked electric vehicle charging infrastructure to provide dynamic load management and energy storage services to utilities, grid operators and energy traders. He’s been on the forefront of the energy transition for more than 20 years, and has helped pioneer some of the technologies that have changed the way we work & live. And today, we get an inside view of exactly how he navigated the twists and turns of his career to get there.Join us to learn how ESS Inc is revolutionizing LDES and creating a firm foundation for the growth of renewable energy.If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!SunCast is proudly supported by Trina Solar.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 730 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn -...