223. Solar + Storage: The Economic Core of the Future Grid - Apr26
From Redefining Energy by Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid
April 6, 2026 · 32 min
About this episode
Gerard and Ana discuss the importance of solar paired with storage as the economic foundation of the future energy system.
Gerard is invited by Ana Conde from PVcase to make the case for solar paired with storage as the economic foundation of the future energy system. We are in the midst of a technological revolution driven by electrification and AI. But building the energy system that can power this shift requires more than adding new capacity — it demands system-level thinking, new coordination mechanisms, and new financial models to ensure a smooth transition. They explore how solar moved from a niche technology to the backbone of modern energy infrastructure and why pairing it with storage is no longer optional for project bankability and long-term competitiveness. They discuss how grid outages act as warning signals, exposing the fragility of legacy infrastructure, and what that implies for resilience in an increasingly electrified world. The conversation also examines the economic incentives, institutional inertia, and behavioural forces that resist technological change — and how innovative business models are beginning to unlock faster adoption. This episode goes beyond viewing solar as a technology alone. It unpacks the economics and coordination required to build a resilient, low-cost energy…
People in this episode
Host: Gerard Reid
Guest: Ana Conde
Topics covered
- solar energy
- energy storage
- future energy system
- economic models
- technological change
- resilience
- AI-driven future
Keywords
- solar
- storage
- energy system
- electrification
- AI
- economic incentives
- resilience
- technological revolution
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: PVcase
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