Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy Podcast

• Grid 3.0: How James Richmond’s e2 Companies Is Disrupting Power as We Know It

  The electric grid we rely on was designed for a world that no longer exists. Aging infrastructure, surging demand from AI and electrification, and multi-year wait times for grid interconnection have collided to form a perfect storm. In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, Wes Ashworth sits down with James Richmond, CEO of e2 Companies, to explore why the grid is breaking and how his company is leading the charge toward Grid 3.0.With over 30 years in power systems and engineering, James shares how e2 Companies has pioneered the world’s first virtual utility: a revolutionary platform that delivers clean, resilient, on-site power without waiting for utility interconnections. It’s a solution born from the frustrations of skyrocketing costs, regulatory bottlenecks, and a grid built for an analog past.Key themes in this conversation include:The Grid’s Design Flaws: Why a system built 140 years ago can’t keep up with AI, robotics, EV charging, and modern power quality demands and how this misalignment drives hidden costs and inefficiencies for businesses and consumers alike.Virtual Utility Explained: How e2 Companies decouples facilities from grid constraints, enabling instant transitions between grid power and local generation without the dreaded “blip” that can shut down sensitive operations like data centers.Demand-Side Power as the Fix: Why focusing on power “delivery” behind the meter can unlock 25-35% more capacity from existing grid infrastructure, avoiding massive new transmission investments.Inequity in the Energy Transition: James exposes how corporate renewables, credit trading, and regulatory structures can unintentionally shift costs onto small businesses and everyday consumers, and why true energy freedom must be affordable for all.AI’s Double-Edged Sword: While AI workloads drive huge new power demands, James argues the technology could offset its footprint through massive efficiency gains across industries.The Corescale Deal and NASDAQ Plans: A look at how e2 Companies’ partnership with Corescale Data Centers positions the company at the forefront of transforming how hyperscalers think about reliability, emissions, and speed to market, with plans underway to list publicly under the ticker VUTL.James makes a compelling case that the future of energy isn’t just about generation; it’s about giving every consumer, from data centers to small businesses to homeowners, the power to choose how they produce and consume energy. It’s a vision of independence, resilience, and a grid designed for a digital, electrified world.If you’re grappling with interconnection delays, grid reliability challenges, or planning for the power demands of tomorrow, this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.Links: James Richmond on LinkedIne2 Companies WebsiteWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Why Electrification Needs an Apollo Program: Mats Larsson on Coordinating the Energy Transition

  What if the biggest threat to the clean energy transition isn’t technology, but lack of coordination?In this powerful episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Mats Larsson, founder of the Global Energy Transformation Institute, to explore why electrifying global transportation requires the kind of top-down coordination we saw in the Apollo program, not just market-driven innovation.For over two decades, Larsson has been warning that electrification cannot succeed if treated as a patchwork. From the surge in power demand to the underestimated logistics of EV charging, he shares insights that reveal just how unprepared we are and what we must do differently.Key Themes ExploredWhy electricity, not hydrogen or biofuels, is the only scalable transportation fuelThe staggering scale of grid upgrades and generation needed to electrify all vehiclesLessons from the Apollo Program and Marshall Plan for managing national transformationThe hidden risk of peak demand and underbuilt infrastructure at logistics hubsHow electric roads and charging while driving could unlock massive efficienciesWhy current policies fail to account for financial, organizational, and human capital realitiesWhat You’ll LearnThe overlooked financial and structural challenges in electrification strategyThe difference between organic market evolution and orchestrated changePractical roadmaps for governments, municipalities, and utilities to lead effectivelyThe future Mats Larsson hopes to see by 2045 and the legacy he’s building todayThis episode is a must-listen for policymakers, utility leaders, EV manufacturers, and anyone serious about energy systems transformation. Mats doesn’t just diagnose the problem, he outlines a blueprint for success.Links: Mats Larsson on LinkedInGET InstituteLatest Book: How Building the Future Really WorksWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Rewiring Solar: Daniel Dus on Speed, Software & the Future of Clean Energy

  What if the biggest bottleneck in clean energy wasn’t technology or financing, but how we develop and deliver projects?In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Daniel Dus, Founder & CEO of Cleantech Industry Resources (CIR) and a two-decade veteran of the solar sector, whose leadership spans over $1 billion in renewable energy projects across 23 states. Daniel is also the co-founder of Solar Fight Night, the solar industry’s most iconic, community-driven nonprofit fundraiser.Now, with CIR, he’s building the first ever “development as a service” platform for clean energy, standardizing and commoditizing development workflows through radical software integration, global bandwidth, and real-time transparency. The goal? Cut project costs by up to 70%, slash timelines in half, and make gigawatts of clean infrastructure actually executable.Wes and Daniel unpack:Why CIR is reimagining project execution from the ground up and how it's unlocking next level efficiency through AI, automation, and 24 hour global workflowsThe critical differences between CIR’s approach and traditional EPC or consulting models and how it’s changing how solar, storage, and EV infrastructure gets builtHow trade policy uncertainty is wreaking havoc on timelines and modeling and why investor trust in U.S. federal policy is on the lineThe real story behind Solar Fight Night—its Chatham House roots, cultural staying power, and why it's the “Met Gala” of the solar industryHow transparency, access to IP, and CRM visibility became CIR’s strategic edge and what it reveals about broken norms in clean energy developmentWhy “intermittency” is a myth, solar is the cheapest electron humanity has ever created, and AI will define the future of energy project deliveryA deeply personal reflection on what legacy, entrepreneurship, and being on the right side of history really means in the fight for a clean energy futureIf you’re a developer, financier, EPC, or innovator building the next chapter of clean energy, this episode will challenge your assumptions, reveal next gen strategies, and reignite your optimism.Links:Daniel Dus on LinkedInCIR's WebsiteCIR's ServicesCIR - How it WorksSolar Fight NightWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Inside SolarBank: Richard Lu on Scaling Profitable, Long-Term Clean Energy Projects

  In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy, host Wes Ashworth speaks with Dr. Richard Lu, President and CEO of SolarBank Corporation. SolarBank is a publicly traded clean energy company delivering solar, storage, and EV infrastructure projects across North America and Europe.Dr. Lu brings a rare blend of global energy leadership, operational discipline, and people-first strategy. With more than 25 years of experience in clean energy, he shares the playbook behind SolarBank’s rise from a private developer to a high-performing full-service renewable energy developer.Listeners will take away practical insights into how real companies scale renewable infrastructure profitably and sustainably. Dr. Lu unpacks how SolarBank operates with utility-style precision, why every project must stand on its own financially, and how to build a team culture that performs under pressure.This conversation is tailored for clean energy professionals who want to grow responsibly, lead with clarity, and build assets that last.In this episode, we explore:Why SolarBank focuses on simplicity, speed, and repeatabilityThe financial mindset that requires each project to make money on its ownHow to expand into new verticals like storage and EV charging without chasing distractionsA proven hiring approach that prioritizes drive, resilience, and adaptabilityLessons from scaling in regulated, cost-sensitive marketsThe future of electricity demand driven by AI and data centersHow energy independence, tariffs, and reshoring are shaping North American clean energyDr. Lu’s leadership approach is grounded, focused, and refreshingly practical. His story is a reminder that execution, not hype, is what drives results in renewable energy.Links:Dr Richard Lu on LinkedInSolarBank's website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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• Reframing the Future: EVs, Solar Strategy & Scaling Clean Energy with Jeff Sullivan

  In this thought-provoking episode of Green Giants, host Wes Ashworth sits down with seasoned engineering and operations leader Jeff Sullivan, whose career spans some of the most pivotal moments in solar, battery storage, and electrification. With executive experience at Tigo Energy, Applied Materials, GE, and Covalent Metrology, Jeff has helped shape what clean tech looks like today and what it must become to thrive tomorrow.This episode is a masterclass in asking better questions to drive smarter answers, covering everything from the future of EV infrastructure to the unsexy but essential work behind solar and battery breakthroughs. Jeff brings a rare blend of technical insight, manufacturing pragmatism, and strategic foresight as he breaks down what’s working, what’s misunderstood, and what’s next.Key Topics Covered:Reframing range anxiety as refill anxiety. Why EV success hinges on infrastructure, not battery sizeThe real timeline and impact of EV grid integration and why grid panic is overblownA refreshingly honest look at battery innovation: LFP, sodium-ion, solid-state, and why the incumbent tech isn’t standing stillWhere solar technology still has runway, from panel form factors to materials science breakthroughsThe economics and geopolitics of U.S. manufacturing and supply chains. Is full reshoring a myth?Why policy carrots beat sticks, and how industrial strategy can empower, not protect innovationWhat the U.S. must do to stay competitive in clean tech and why more failure might be part of the answerWhether you're a startup founder, policy maker, investor, engineer, or simply energy-curious, Jeff’s lens on electrification, innovation, and global competitiveness will shift how you think about the energy transition.Links: Jeff Sullivan on LinkedInWes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: [email protected] https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

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