119: Disruption vs. Incrementalization in the Energy Transition (ft. Dr. Reed Eisenhart)

What does it take to completely revolutionize the global energy infrastructure?

This is the Energy Transition.

We’ve done it before.

Once the value of gasoline was discovered and understood, gasoline production increased by orders of magnitude within just a few decades. How does this compare with the need to reach net-zero carbon emissions as soon as 2050? Are solar panels, batteries, and biofuels capable of such a meteoric rise?

In today’s episode, we welcome Dr. Reed Eisenhart, an Independent Consultant for Energy Transition Technologies. With him, we discuss all things Energy Transition, specifically:

🔹 What is the Energy Transition and how MSE’s can fill key roles in it.

🔹 The differences between innovating iteratively by improving existing technology (incrementalization) and creating something new (disruption).

🔹 How to determine if a new technology or invention is worth pursuing.

🔹 Key technical differences between sodium ion and lithium ion batteries.

🔹 And much more!

We hope you enjoy the episode! And as always, let us know what topics you’d like us to cover next!

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Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/0fySE54PGB8

#EnergyTransition #Innovation #NetZero

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Timestamps:

- Teaser (0:00 – 0:51)

- Intro, travel, and episode highlights (0:51 – 4:32)

- Introducing Dr. Reed Eisenhart (4:32 – 5:27)

- Reed’s work: energy, batteries, and more (5:27 – 7:34)

- Moving from industry to consulting (7:34 – 11:39)

- What is the Energy Transition (11:39 – 22:09)

- Improving current tech or making something new (22:09 – 31:31)

- Examples of disruption vs. incrementalization (31:31 – 36:59)

- Answering the question “which technology is worth pursuing?” (36:59 – 41:13)

- Important upcoming MSE technologies (41:13 – 44:40)

- Sodium ion batteries vs. lithium ion batteries (44:40 – 50:03)

- Advice: getting involved in the energy transition (50:03 – 54:51)

- Conclusion (54:51 – 55:12)

- MSE Academy (55:12 – 56:17)