A software product manager commits to the renewable energy transition
This is the story of my path into the renewable energy space and how I am navigating my career for the next decade.
My RE POV in July 2022: Fleet Electrification
I now feel much more confident in my path forward after aligning my strengths and my passion with a specific segment of the Clean Energy Transition where I feel I can have the greatest positive impact: Fleet Electrification.
Waypoint 6
I’ve been collecting online resources that attempt to capture, distill and present the full Energy and/or Climate landscape in a consumable model. These have helped me on my own path, and I hope you find some/all of them valuable too.
Updated Climate & Energy Podcast List
No two people ramp up on new topics in exactly the same way but for those that enjoy audio-based information gathering, I have been sharing this curated list of podcasts.
Waypoint 5
Rethinking mobility decisions | My last gas-powered vehicle? | Energy Efficiency -> Emissions Efficiency | Negawatt?
Climate Change is driving this Energy Transition
I’ve been researching a broad range of energy topics for many months now because I'm captivated by the urgency and scale of our global Energy Transition. I had originally planned to skim over the whole Climate Change area, but I now realize that there is not only a direct and critical connection between the two but that this Energy Transition is being spurred along by our current climate crisis.
Waypoint 4
Erecting - then dismantling an entire city | Recommending a new podcast: The Big Switch | Hydrogen’s future will certainly come in many colors | That time I came across an Edison dynamo
My RE POV in June 2021
There is way too much information related to renewable energy for most people to understand, much less relate to. I’m reframing my own exploration around the burgeoning Energy Transition problem space and that has helped me narrow my scope and better identify opportunities for my professional career.
Waypoint 3
The only sensible electrification approach is one that is powered by clean energy | Emergency vehicles might struggle to be fully-electric | Will natural disasters provide opportunities for rebuilding the power grid infrastructure? | My friends and colleagues are finding RE jobs!
Merging My Two Paths
Back in 2014, I started a side hustle over at theProductPath.com to expand my experiences as a professional Software Product Manager. Many years have passed and I still love working in Product Management. In launching this site, I now want to focus my career on putting those skills to use in the area of renewable energy. It is my intent to merge these two paths over time.
That time I almost bought an EV
This is really the beginning of the story that will ultimately end with me buying an electric vehicle or EV - but I’m not there yet. In the poignant, if slightly altered lyrics of Janis Joplin, “My friends all have Teslas, I must make amends!” I am sharing the results of my brief survey on EV ownership.
My RE POV in April 2021
This point-of-view represents my current understanding of the renewable energy space as it is coupled to the larger Energy Transition movement and ultimately being propelled by the looming(!) climate crisis.
Waypoint 2
Resources for ramping up on clean power, renewable energy, the electricity infrastructure, climate science | list of helpful and informative books, audiobooks and podcasts
Visiting Hetch Hetchy Valley to learn about hydroelectric power
I like to venture outdoors and explore the wonders of the natural world. Yosemite National Park is one of my all-time favorite destinations and on this most recent trip, I got the chance to also visit the Hetch Hetchy Valley next door and to learn more about the controversial decision to intentionally flood a region to provide clean water and reliable power to the residents of San Francisco.
Solar power, intermittency and energy storage
If you’re curious about trying to go off-grid and supply your own electricity from seemingly attractive renewable energy options like solar panels, you will quickly gain an appreciation for the inherent challenges of intermittency and the value of reliable power from (battery) storage. You will also get closer to understanding how similar those challenges are for millions of people around the world who currently live without access to reliable electricity.
Ivanpah changed what I know about solar power
What I find most interesting is that concentrating solar power (CSP) plants represent a completely different way of harnessing the sun’s energy. Most of us associate solar power with photovoltaic (PV) panels like those on many houses and buildings. But researchers have been looking at other options too and while they don’t yet enjoy the same level of success as PV panels, they are viable options.
Waypoint 1
Nuclear energy is technically clean energy | All fossil fuels are technically renewable | Like with real estate, energy production is all about location, location, location | People will protest any/all forms of energy
Pumped-storage hydro power is just a giant battery!
What I learned at Cabin Creek near Georgetown Colorado is that pumped-storage hydropower is one of the most efficient, “rechargeable” batteries we have ever created.
Drawing inspiration from BioLite Energy
Imagine being offered a cleaner cooking alternative that also provides its own source(s) of light and has spare FREE electricity to power your devices - it is a truly incredible vision!
1st Post: the Renewable Path?
At the beginning of 2021, I made an earnest decision that will certainly impact my life and my career for the next decade. I am joining in on the global Energy Transition movement and more specifically, I am focusing my energy in both my personal and professional life to head down a renewable path.