loader from loading.io

Empowering power: how AI impacts energy systems

ThinkEnergy

Release Date: 04/28/2025

Canada’s Water Advantage: Hydropower and Canada’s Energy Future show art Canada’s Water Advantage: Hydropower and Canada’s Energy Future

ThinkEnergy

As energy demands continue to grow, and the global fuel market’s volatility increases, hydropower—or water power—becomes more and more valuable.  Lorena Patterson, President and CEO of WaterPower Canada, joins host Trevor Freeman in conversation about energy bleeding together with security, incorporating hydropower into Canada’s plans to double the grid by 2050, and the importance of Indigenous consultation when looking to do so. They also explore how Canada is in a unique position with its hydropower abilities, and why it’s hard to draw international comparisons.  Related...

info_outline
Summer Rewind: Grounding energy: How to scale cloud computing and data centres with Cerio show art Summer Rewind: Grounding energy: How to scale cloud computing and data centres with Cerio

ThinkEnergy

Summer rewind: When we say ‘the cloud’ what we mean is ‘the data centre’. Globally, data centres are projected to consume over 1000 terawatt hours in 2026. What does that mean for energy production, distribution, and consumption? Guest Phil Harris, Cerio President and CEO, joins thinkenergy to shed light on something we all rely on but may not fully understand. From efficiency to sustainability, environmental concerns to Cerio’s role improving how data centres manage energy. Listen in for the future of cloud computing. Related links  Cerio: Phil Harris on LinkedIn: ...

info_outline
Summer Rewind: Talking trees with Overstory: helping utilities trim with power show art Summer Rewind: Talking trees with Overstory: helping utilities trim with power

ThinkEnergy

Trees are a major cause of power outages. They’re also a wildfire risk—when branches hit a conductor, a small spark can become a big blaze. Lynn Petesch of Overstory joins thinkenergy to talk trees, exploring how AI, satellite imagery, and vegetation intelligence help utilities prevent outages and reduce wildfire threats. Including Hydro Ottawa, who saw a 44% drop in tree-related outages since partnering with Overstory. Listen in for how we work together to keep the grid safe in an era of extreme weather.   Related links    Overstory: Lynn Petesch on LinkedIn:   ...

info_outline
The way forward with Indigenous Clean Energy show art The way forward with Indigenous Clean Energy

ThinkEnergy

The era of top-down energy projects is over. Today demands collaboration, equity, and stakeholder engagement. And in the clean energy movement, Indigenous partnerships often lead the way. James Jenkins, Executive Director of Indigenous Clean Energy, joins thinkenergy to unpack the Regenerative Energy 2026 Report. He explores what a just transition looks like, how Indigenous communities are shaping the future, and what the industry can learn from working together. Related links:  Indigenous Clean Energy: James Jenkins on LinkedIn: Regenerative Energy 2026 Report: Bringing it...

info_outline
Driving the energy transition: the new reality of EVs in Canada show art Driving the energy transition: the new reality of EVs in Canada

ThinkEnergy

Forget range anxiety. The electric vehicle market is evolving fast. Host Trevor Freeman welcomes back Plug'n Drive CEO Cara Clairman to unpack Canada's new EV policies. They discuss the surge in used EV sales and the truth about public charging stations. Plus, learn how low-cost salt-based batteries could disrupt the global auto industry. Discover what these massive shifts mean for transportation and the future of energy. Listen to the full episode today. Related links  Plug’n Drive: Cara Clairman on LinkedIn: thinkenergy episode 71 (EV-olving Transportation): Geotab:   ...

info_outline
Unpacking Electricity Canada's 2026 State of the Industry report with CEO Francis Bradley show art Unpacking Electricity Canada's 2026 State of the Industry report with CEO Francis Bradley

ThinkEnergy

Electricity Canada CEO Francis Bradley joins thinkenergy to unpack the 2026 State of the Industry report, Forging Canada’s Electricity Future. Why is public trust in utilities peaking in light of extreme weather? Why is a single word in the Fisheries Act halting major hydro projects? They dive into supply chain headaches, bureaucratic red tape, and how treating the power grid like core tax-funded infrastructure can make electricity bills more affordable for consumers. Related links  Electricity Canada: Francis Bradley on LinkedIn:    Electricity Human Resources Canada:...

info_outline
Grounding energy: how to scale cloud computing and data centres with Cerio show art Grounding energy: how to scale cloud computing and data centres with Cerio

ThinkEnergy

When we say ‘the cloud’ what we mean is ‘the data centre’. Globally, data centres are projected to consume over 1000 terawatt hours in 2026. What does that mean for energy production, distribution, and consumption? Guest Phil Harris, Cerio President and CEO, joins thinkenergy to shed light on something we all rely on but may not fully understand. From efficiency to sustainability, environmental concerns to Cerio’s role improving how data centres manage energy. Listen in for the future of cloud computing.  - Related links  ●       Cerio: ...

info_outline
The future of energy from the view of a next-gen energy professional show art The future of energy from the view of a next-gen energy professional

ThinkEnergy

How are we preparing the next generation of energy professionals? Kieran Graham, student of the Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering program at Carleton University, is set to embark on his career in the energy sector. Kieran joins thinkenergy to chat about his studies, from thermodynamics to power generation, regulatory to economic aspects, and what’s on the horizon for the industry and his future. Listen in for a fresh perspective on the future of energy with a next-gen energy professional. Related links: Sustainable and Renewable Energy...

info_outline
Talking trees with Overstory: helping utilities trim with power show art Talking trees with Overstory: helping utilities trim with power

ThinkEnergy

Trees are a major cause of power outages. They’re also a wildfire risk—when branches hit a conductor, a small spark can become a big blaze. Lynn Petesch of Overstory joins thinkenergy to talk trees, exploring how AI, satellite imagery, and vegetation intelligence help utilities prevent outages and reduce wildfire threats. Including Hydro Ottawa, who saw a 44% drop in tree-related outages since partnering with Overstory. Listen in for how we work together to keep the grid safe in an era of extreme weather.   Related links  Overstory: Lynn Petesch on LinkedIn:   Trevor...

info_outline
thinkenergy shorts: what’s in store for Canada’s energy sector in 2026? show art thinkenergy shorts: what’s in store for Canada’s energy sector in 2026?

ThinkEnergy

It’s a new year, so we’re unpacking what 2026 could bring for Canada’s energy sector. Host Trevor looks back at 2025, from shifting federal policy to rapid AI adoption. Then he scans the horizon: faster major project approvals, an east–west grid push, and new hydro and small modular reactor investments in Ontario. He also touches on AI-powered DER programs, battery storage, and wider support for industrial decarbonization. Plus a quick note on the podcast’s new pace.   Related links   ●       Independent Electricity Systems Operator (IESO):...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

Greg Lindsay is an urban tech expert and a Senior Fellow at MIT. He’s also a two-time Jeopardy champion and the only human to go undefeated against IBM’s Watson. Greg joins thinkenergy to talk about how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how we manage, consume, and produce energy—from personal devices to provincial grids. He also explores its rapid growth and the rising energy demand from AI itself. Listen in to learn how AI impacts our energy systems and what it means individually and industry-wide.

Related links

●     Greg Lindsay website: https://greglindsay.org/

●     Greg Lindsay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-lindsay-8b16952/

●     International Energy Agency (IEA): https://www.iea.org/

●     Trevor Freeman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-freeman-p-eng-cem-leed-ap-8b612114/

●     Hydro Ottawa: https://hydroottawa.com/en 

To subscribe using Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405

 

To subscribe using Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl

 

To subscribe on Libsyn:

http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com/

---

Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/user/hydroottawalimited

Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hydroottawa

Stay in the know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HydroOttawa

 Keep up with the posts on X: https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod