31 | FBNA, Macro Shifts in Market/Policy/45X, Season 2 kickoff — with Russ Weed, President of CleanTech Strategies

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts126/v4/e8/25/77/e825775a-6105-fdba-a0b3-4712b9802adb/mza_17760399845323286945.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Beyond Lithium

BioZen Batteries

31 episodes

1 day ago

The success of renewable and green energy (like wind and solar) requires a diversity of energy storage options — beyond lithium-ion batteries. What will those alternatives look like? Each episode, we bring you a new perspective from a leading authority in batteries and energy storage focused on expanding the electrical grid with up-and-coming technology.

Technology

RSS

All content for Beyond Lithium is the property of BioZen Batteries and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Technology

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/production/podcast_uploaded_nologo/25220658/25220658-1677296346358-e05215787d41c.jpg

31 | FBNA, Macro Shifts in Market/Policy/45X, Season 2 kickoff — with Russ Weed, President of CleanTech Strategies

Beyond Lithium

15 minutes 36 seconds

3 weeks ago

31 | FBNA, Macro Shifts in Market/Policy/45X, Season 2 kickoff — with Russ Weed, President of CleanTech Strategies

📈 Are Flow Batteries poised to break out in North America? How do AI and data centers compare to electric utilities in their priorities? What is FBNA and how can I attend? Kicking off Season 2 of Beyond Lithium, returning guest Russ Weed (President, CleanTech Strategies) sits down with Nate Kirchhofer (CEO, BioZen Batteries) to unpack how the policy winds have shifted, why private demand from data & AI centers is reshaping storage, and what that means for commercialization. They spotlight the inaugural Flow Batteries North America (FBNA) conference 27-29 October in Chicago: what it is, who it’s for, and why it’s arriving at exactly the right moment.

Russ previews the FBNA program: keynote from the Illinois Commerce Commission chair, three real-world case studies, sessions on use cases, controls/software, bankability, supply chain, an address from Flow Batteries Europe, and a finale on data/AI center applications. Expect a practical, commercialization-first vibe—not just lab talk—including a special video from Dr. Maria Skyllas-Kazacos on the history of the vanadium flow battery, plus an in-person tour of a nearby flow battery facility.

The conversation zooms out to the macro picture: the 45X production tax credit and the IRA’s treatment of energy storage (including standalone eligibility) have kept momentum intact—even as solar/wind face new cliffs—paving the way for a North American supply chain for Flow Batteries. Russ makes the case for proven tolling agreements and revisits the classic cost-schedule-performance triangle: utilities tend to optimize for cost + performance, while data/AI centers prioritize schedule + performance—an opening for flow batteries to scale and drive costs down. If you’re building, buying, or financing long-duration storage, this episode is your roadmap. And Chicago is your next stop.

[Recorded 13 October 2025]