Episode 879

879: “Speed to Power” is the new race — but can the grid keep up? Hugo Mena, Electric Power Engineers

Published on: 4th December, 2025

“Speed to Power” is the new race — but can the grid keep up?

Hyperscalers, AI, and industrial demand are pushing load growth from flat to vertical. Yet most projects still take five to seven years just to interconnect.

That’s the bottleneck Hugo Mena is tackling as Chief Growth Officer at Electric Power Engineers (EPE).

This live conversation addresses the forces shaping the grid of the future — and what it’ll actually take to deliver power at the speed innovation demands. Hugo shares how developers, utilities, and data centers can collaborate to unlock speed to power without sacrificing reliability or long-term vision.

Expect to learn:

🔹 Why the “best available electron” isn’t always the cleanest

🔹 How hyperscalers are driving off-grid and hybrid microgrids

🔹 What Order 2023 (OB3) really means for developers

🔹 How software, siting, and partnerships define the next decade of grid planning

This is one of the most pragmatic and forward-looking conversations you’ll hear on how clean energy actually scales.

Check out OpenSolar OS 3.0 at: https://suncast.media/opensolar

If you want to connect with today's guest, you’ll find links to their contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://suncast.media/episodes/.

Our Platinum Presenting Sponsor for SunCast is CPS America!

You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.suncast.media/sponsors.

Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today’s guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 875 other founder stories and startup advice at www.suncast.media.

Subscribe to Valence, our weekly LinkedIn Newsletter, and learn the elements of compelling storytelling: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/valence-content-that-connects-7145928995363049472/

You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:

Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeo

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickalus

All Episodes Previous Episode
Show artwork for SunCast

About the Podcast

SunCast
Your resource for developing a clean energy or climate tech career
Nico Johnson takes you into conversations with those at the forefront of Renewable Energy.

SunCast gives an inside look into what is happening in renewable energy. From conversations with the biggest Solar Panel manufacturers in the world to the small startups creating the future of renewable energy, such as carbon capture and battery technology breakthroughs.

SunCast is dedicated to providing the knowledge, research, tools and expert guidance you need to understand, grow and be ahead of the curve in the fastest-growing markets in the world.

Featuring over 800 conversations, Nico has interviewed people from Tesla, SolarCity, Trina Solar, Meyer Burger, Conergy, SunEdison, Energy Vault and even the US Government... to name a few. Covering topics such as Solar Power, Wind Energy, Batteries, Electric Vehicles, Carbon Capture, Finance, Hydrogen, and more.

You can watch SunCast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SunCastMedia

...or view the full archive of SunCast episodes here: https://www.suncast.media/media/podcast