Welcome to EPRI Current – bringing you the latest on new and evolving research and findings on the generation, delivery and use of electricity, and how this work benefits society as we shape the future of energy.
Your host, Samantha Gilman, talks to EPRI experts and industry guests who provide insight, context and science-based observations on what’s new – and what is yet to come – in the energy transition.
Latest Episodes
We’re at DistribuTECH Talking Microgrids!
Host: Samantha Gilman
Guests: Jackie Baum, Sr. Manager DERMS & Microgrids, EPRI; Ryan Boudreau, Sr. Manager Distribution and P&C, Hydro One Networks
Recorded live from the show floor at DistribuTECH 2025 in Dallas, this episode of the EPRI Current examines microgrids and how utilities are using them to explore back-up power availability to improve system reliability. Jackie Baum from EPRI and Ryan Boudreau from Hydro One networks discuss the challenges and opportunities for microgrids in local communities with host Samantha Gilman in the DistribuTECH studio.
Powering Europe’s Future: Innovation Through Collaboration
Host: Samantha Gilman
Guests: Consuelo Fierro, Project Manager at Innovation Management Office, National Grid; Mark McGranaghan EPRI Fellow, EPRI Europe
Host Samantha Gilman explores the energy innovation landscape in Europe with her guests Consuelo Fierro from National Grid, and Mark McGranaghan from EPRI. They discuss the prevalent innovation culture driven by EU and UK-funded projects, European innovation working groups and initiatives, the challenges and successes of National Grid's innovation efforts, and the transformative impact of AI on the energy sector.
For more information:
Mercury Consortium: https://www.epri.com/about/media-resources/press-release/qxpp9egqnwuldbnvtvkj2ljuwoas8dgc
ETIP SNET, “Unlocking the Potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI (GenAI) in Smart Grids”: Ongoing work on ETIP SNET Strategic Position Paper: AI and GenAI in Smart Grids | ETIP SNET
Open Power AI Consortium: https://msites.epri.com/opai
Battery Energy Storage Safety: From Cells to Systems
Host: Samantha Gilman
Guests: Stephanie Shaw, Technical Executive, Energy Storage, EPRI; Lakshmi Srinivasan, Principal Team Lead, Energy Storage, EPRI; Kieran Claffey, Senior Research Engineer in the Research Environment and Sustainability Group of Southern Co., Industry Lead, Safety and Grid Security Tiger Team for the Long Duration Energy Storage National Consortium
Join EPRI experts Stephanie Shaw and Lakshmi Srinivasan of EPRI’s Energy Storage research area, and Southern Company’s Kieran Claffey to learn how research, risk assessment, and analysis continues to improve the safety of battery storage technology and operations. As battery storage energy grows across the globe, with the vast majority of deployments being lithium ion, what have we learned about the safety of battery storage as both a source and as part of a larger electric system?
Find out more about EPRI’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Failure Incident Database, initiated in 2021. It tracks incidents involving BESS systems, providing valuable data on system age, manufacturer, chemistry, and application.
For more information:
EPRI Failure Incident Database: BESS Failure Incident Database - EPRI Storage Wiki
EPRI Whitepaper: Analysis of Failure Root Cause: Insights from EPRI’s Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Failure Incident Database: Analysis of Failure Root Cause
