Clean Integration

Why AI Changes the Energy Equation

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:31:09 +0000

In the second episode of the new Clean Integration limited series, Cybele Ramirez, Head of Marketing at Soluna, sits down with CEO John Belizaire to zoom in on AI through the operator's perspective.

In this episode, we challenge the common misconception that AI is a lightweight digital tool. From an operator’s perspective, AI behaves more like heavy industry than a typical cloud application.

Join us as we break down why the physical constraints of power, cooling, and space are returning to the forefront of computing and how Soluna is building the "Renewable Computing" infrastructure required to support it.

In this conversation, John reflects on:

Software vs. Heavy Industry: Why AI is a physical manufacturing process for intelligence, not just "advanced code."
Why dropping AI into legacy data centers creates "high-tech ovens" instead of efficient clusters.
Comparing the energy use between Web Hosting, Bitcoin, and AI.
Renewable Computing: The shift toward building infrastructure where power is abundant and scalable, rather than where demand sits.
How Siemens and Metrobloks are helping Soluna modularize and stabilize the next generation of AI data centers.

Did you enjoy this episode? This is only the start! Follow along in this series for more conversations on digital infrastructure and the future of renewable-powered computing.

Learn More

To explore how Soluna is building renewable-powered infrastructure for Bitcoin and AI, visit: https://solunacomputing.com

Read our latest blog, The AI Energy Wall and the End of Invisible Infrastructure, for a deeper look at why electricity is becoming the defining constraint of the AI era — and Soluna’s Renewable Computing solution. Join the conversation on LinkedIn and X @SolunaHoldings.

Soluna & Metrobloks: Powering AI at Project Kati 2

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Clean Integration, Soluna CEO John Belizaire speaks with Metrobloks CEO Ernest Popescu about the joint venture to develop Project Kati 2, a 100+ MW AI and high-performance computing campus in Southeast Texas.

They discuss how AI is reshaping data center development, why power access has become the industry’s biggest bottleneck, and what it takes to build AI-ready infrastructure designed for rapidly evolving workloads.

Together, they discuss:

The partnership between Soluna and Metrobloks to develop Project Kati 2
Why power availability is now the primary constraint for AI infrastructure
How AI workloads are changing where and how data centers are built
What “AI-ready infrastructure” means for next-generation deployments
Why speed to power and flexible design are becoming critical advantages

Connect with Us:

💡 Learn more: solunacomputing.com

📧 Contact: hello@solunacomputing.com

🔗 Follow Soluna on LinkedIn and X @SolunaHoldings.

From the Internet to AI: The Infrastructure Reckoning

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 14:42:29 +0000

Every major computing shift starts as a software story.
But it quickly becomes an infrastructure story.

The internet wasn’t just websites. It required fiber, routers, data centers, and entirely new industries.

Bitcoin wasn’t just digital money. It required massive energy consumption and resilient computing environments.

Now, AI is no longer just a chat interface. It’s becoming an industrial-scale intelligence utility, and it’s pushing the energy grid to its limits.

In this conversation, Soluna's CEO, John Belizaire, reflects on:

His first experience with the internet during the Mosaic browser era
What the dot-com boom taught us about infrastructure bottlenecks
Why AI is driving demand at a pace the grid was never designed to handle
How energy, not chips, has become the real constraint
Why Soluna started with Bitcoin intentionally
How operating energy-intensive computing at scale prepared Soluna for AI
What worries him about the current AI capital cycle
Why this wave will trigger a global infrastructure upgrade

The key insight: Power drives every economic boom in history. And AI is no exception.

Soluna was built at the intersection of renewable energy and computing to solve a very specific problem — stranded renewable power. Bitcoin was the first workload that made the model viable. AI may be the largest.

As John puts it, the primary product AI companies are buying today isn’t just compute.

It’s speed to power.

Did you enjoy this episode? This is only the start! Follow along in this series, where we’ll explore why AI behaves more like an industrial system than a software product, and what that means for infrastructure, grid design, and the future of renewable-powered computing.

Learn More

To explore how Soluna is building renewable-powered infrastructure for Bitcoin and AI, visit:
https://solunacomputing.com

Join the conversation on LinkedIn and X @SolunaHoldings.

Scaling Renewable Computing: Inside Soluna’s $100M Partnership with Generate Capital

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 8 Oct 2025 10:43:09 +0000

Host and VP of Corporate Development at Soluna Phil Ng sits down with Soluna CEO John Belizaire and Generate Capital Principal Ryan Miller to unpack what their recent $100M milestone means for the future of Renewable Computing. Together, they discuss how this partnership came to life, why it matters for the clean energy transition, and what it signals for the next era of sustainable, high-performance data centers powering AI, Bitcoin, and beyond.

Episode Highlights:

How Soluna and Generate Capital are partnering to scale green data centers that turn wasted renewable energy into computing power.
Why Project Kati — a 166 MW wind-powered site in Texas — represents Soluna’s largest and most ambitious development to date.
How this $100M facility will accelerate Soluna’s 1 GW+ pipeline of renewable computing projects.
The importance of aligning financial innovation with sustainable infrastructure.
Why renewable energy is essential to meeting the growing demand for AI and high-performance computing.

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna or Renewable Computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Case Study: How BitMine Scaled Smarter with Soluna and Luxor

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Clean Integration, Soluna CEO John Belizaire sits down with Ethan Vera (CEO, Luxor Technologies), Christopher Gleeson (Customer Success Lead, Soluna), and Phil Ng (VP of Corporate Development, Soluna) to unpack a real-world case study that shows what’s possible when the right partners come together.

We explore how Soluna and Luxor joined forces to help a capital-savvy miner scale their hashrate quickly, efficiently, and with minimal risk, delivering a truly turnkey solution that covered everything from ASIC procurement and financing to infrastructure, optimization, and operations.

You’ll hear about:

Why miners underestimate operational uptime and risk, and how to fix it.
The role of Luxor’s hash rate forward sales in enabling rapid, non-dilutive expansion.
How LuxOS firmware optimization delivered ~10% more efficiency.
The power of aligning infrastructure, financing, and software into one cohesive strategy.
Lessons for new and scaling miners on avoiding costly deployment mistakes.
Predictions for 2030: decentralization, grid integration, and the rise of “intelligent mining.”

Whether you’re a miner, investor, or just curious about where Bitcoin hosting is headed, this conversation is packed with insights on collaboration, execution, and scaling smarter.

🔗 Read the full case study: https://www.solunacomputing.com/research/luxor-bitmine/

Connect with Us:
💡 Learn more: solunacomputing.com
📧 Contact: hosting@solunacomputing.com
🔗 Follow Soluna on LinkedIn and X

Why Hosting Is No Longer Plan B for Bitcoin Miners

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 14:28:54 +0000

CEO John Belizaire is joined by Soluna’s VP of Corporate Development, Phil Ng, and Customer Success Lead, Christopher Gleeson, to unpack the impact of the 2024 Bitcoin Halving, rising energy demand, and why miners are rethinking infrastructure.

They discuss:
✔ How top miners are scaling smarter and consolidating
✔ Why power access is now a competitive advantage
✔ The rise of hybrid strategies blending self-owned and hosted infrastructure
✔ How Soluna’s ‘Relentless Stewardship’ delivers uptime, transparency, and trust
✔ What’s ahead for Bitcoin infrastructure in 2026

Whether you’re a miner, investor, or just Bitcoin-curious, this episode offers an insider look at the strategies driving the next wave of growth.

Connect with Us:
💡 Learn more: solunacomputing.com
📧 Contact: hosting@solunacomputing.com
🔗 Follow Soluna on LinkedIn and X

Mapping the AI Computing Industry

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:36:35 +0000

In this episode of Clean Integration, host John Belizaire (CEO, Soluna) is joined by Dip Patel (CTO, Soluna) and Brian Cochrane (Head of Sales, Soluna Cloud) for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of AI compute infrastructure.

Together, they unpack Soluna’s new AI Market Map—an ecosystem-level view of the players, opportunities, and bottlenecks shaping the future of AI compute. From the explosive growth of “neo clouds” to the challenges of energy demand and the looming threat of GPU scarcity, this conversation maps out where the industry is headed—and what it will take to build AI sustainably.

Episode Highlights:

What Soluna's AI Market Map reveals about the industry's structure
The rise of brokers, aggregators, and neo clouds—and why they matter
How legacy crypto infrastructure is powering the AI boom
What AI customers really want—and where hyperscalers fall short
Predictions about consolidation, specialization, and masked complexity
Why renewable energy isn’t just part of the AI future—it is the AI future

Links & Resources:

View Soluna's AI Market Map here.
Learn more about Soluna Cloud here.

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

AI’s Environmental Impact with Professor Shaolei Ren

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 6 Mar 2025 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode of Clean Integration, Soluna CEO John Belizaire and CTO Dip Patel sit down with Professor Shaolei Ren from the University of California, Riverside, to discuss one of the most pressing challenges of AI today—its environmental footprint. Professor Ren’s research sits at the intersection of AI, sustainability, and environmental justice, exploring the hidden costs of AI’s water usage, energy consumption, and air pollution.

With AI models growing exponentially in size, and data centers consuming unprecedented amounts of energy, this conversation dives into the tangible impact of AI on the environment, policy efforts to regulate AI’s resource consumption, and how innovative solutions—like co-located renewable-powered data centers—can help create a more sustainable future.

Episode Highlights:

The Rise of AI’s Energy and Water Demands: How AI's rapid adoption is driving massive increases in energy and water consumption.
Policy & Regulation Updates: The latest legislative efforts to hold data centers accountable for their environmental impact.
Hidden Costs of AI Growth: How AI-driven data centers contribute to regional air pollution and environmental inequities.
The Case for Renewable Computing: Why co-locating AI infrastructure with renewable power plants is a crucial step toward sustainability.
Health & Environmental Impacts: New research on how energy choices for AI computing affect human health and carbon emissions.
The Future of AI & Sustainability: Why efficiency alone won’t be enough and what’s needed to align AI growth with global sustainability goals.

Guest Speaker:

Professor Shaolei Ren – Associate Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, UC Riverside

Links & Resources:

Listent to Professor Ren’s first episode on Clean Integration here.
Read Professor Ren’s latest research here.

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

The Future of Hyperscale Infrastructure & AI with Dan Golding

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:38:19 +0000

Soluna CEO John Belizaire sits down with Dan Golding, Chief Technology Officer at Appleby Strategy Group and a key member of Soluna’s Advisory Board. With decades of experience scaling data centers for hyperscalers like AOL and Google, Dan shares his insights on how AI and cloud infrastructure are evolving to meet the demands of a sustainable, high-performance future.

Episode Highlights:

The Evolution of Hyperscale Infrastructure: How data centers have transformed from 15MW to 500MW+ campuses over the last two decades.
AI’s Energy Demand & Data Center Design: Why AI’s rapid expansion requires a rethink in power density, cooling, and network infrastructure.
The Donut Model of Interconnection: Dan’s groundbreaking approach to bypassing traditional internet hierarchies and reshaping network structures.
The Role of Renewable Energy in AI Infrastructure: How renewables must scale alongside data centers to meet future energy demands.
The Resurgence of Nuclear Power: Why small modular reactors (SMRs) are gaining traction as a critical solution for zero-carbon energy.
The Future of AI & Cloud: How enterprises are shifting toward on-premise AI deployments for security and control, and what this means for the industry.

Guest Speaker:

Dan Golding – CTO, Appleby Strategy Group & Soluna Advisory Board Member

Links & Resources:

Read Dan Golding’s insights on AI and energy: https://www.solunacomputing.com/blog/deepseek/
Learn more about Soluna’s approach to renewable-powered computing: solunacomputing.com
Join our AMA series to engage with Soluna’s leadership: bit.ly/asksoluna

The Power of Data Center Colocation with VP of Energy, Larbi Loudiyi

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 14:43:58 +0000

In this episode, host and CEO John Belizaire sits down with Soluna’s VP of Energy, Larbi Loudiyi, to discuss a groundbreaking approach to powering AI workloads—co-locating data centers with renewable energy sources. They explore how this strategy enhances efficiency, reduces costs, and drives sustainability for enterprise AI.

Larbi shares his journey in renewable energy, from developing wind farms in Morocco to pioneering the behind-the-meter (BTM) approach at Soluna. Together, they break down the misconceptions about colocation, the benefits of integrating data centers with renewables, and how this model is reshaping the industry.

Episode Highlights:

What Co-Location Really Means – Differentiating traditional data center colocation from Soluna’s unique approach of placing data centers directly within wind and solar farms.
Solving Grid Congestion & Curtailment – How co-locating data centers with renewables reduces energy waste and optimizes power consumption.
Cost & Efficiency Benefits – Why leveraging existing power infrastructure results in lower costs, fewer transmission losses, and a smaller carbon footprint.
Renewable Energy for AI Workloads – Addressing skepticism about the reliability of wind and solar for high-performance computing (HPC).
Flexible Load & Demand Response – How Soluna’s data centers dynamically adjust power consumption to support grid stability and sustainability.
The Future of AI & Energy – Trends in vertical integration, direct current power distribution, and the role of waste heat recovery in data centers.

Guest Speaker:

Larbi Loudiyi – VP of Energy, Soluna
John Belizaire – CEO, Soluna

Links & Resources:

Explore Soluna’s Investor Center for the latest updates and resources.
Learn more about Soluna Cloud’s sustainable approach to AI: Renewable Computing

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Building a Workforce for AI Innovation with Mary O'Reilly, Chief People Officer at Soluna

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:39:49 +0000

In this episode, CEO and host John Belizaire sits down with Mary O'Reilly, Chief People Officer at Soluna, to discuss how we're fostering a culture of innovation, inclusion, and sustainability. Mary shares insights on how the company attracts and develops talent, supports rural job creation, and aligns its workforce strategy with the demands of AI and Renewable Computing.

Episode Highlights:

Rural Job Creation: Soluna’s efforts in building job opportunities in rural Texas, including partnerships with local schools and colleges.
Veteran Recruitment: Programs like the Veterans Affairs Skill Bridge help veterans transition into renewable energy and tech sectors.
AI Training & Development: The Soluna Learning Lab and enterprise AI tools equip employees to stay ahead of the curve in this fast-evolving industry.
Diversity & Inclusion: Soluna's focus on creating a workforce that reflects diverse perspectives to drive innovation.

Guest Speakers:

Mary O'Reilly– Chief People Officer, Soluna
John Belizaire – CEO, Soluna

Links & Resources:

Join our team! Explore opportunities on our Careers page.
Learn more about Soluna Cloud’s sustainable approach to AI: Renewable Computing

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Next Episode:
Stay tuned for Episode 5, where we’ll learn more about the energy and sustainability at Soluna.

Financing Soluna Cloud with CFO John Tunison

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 6 Jan 2025 16:56:17 +0000

Soluna CEO John Belizaire sits down with CFO John Tunison to discuss the financial strategy behind scaling Soluna Cloud. Together, they explore the unique opportunities of running sustainable data centers, balancing profitability with renewable energy goals, and how recent financing wins are propelling Soluna forward.

Episode Highlights:

A Financial Foundation for AI: How Soluna’s innovative model balances cost efficiency with sustainability.
Recent Wins: The impact of financing deals like the $25M equity purchase agreement.
Future Projects: Updates on expansions like Project Kati and Rosa, aligned with Soluna’s mission for clean computing.

Guest Speaker:

John Tunison – CFO, Soluna
John Belizaire – CEO, Soluna

Links & Resources:

Explore Soluna’s Investor Center for the latest updates and resources.
Learn more about Soluna Cloud’s sustainable approach to AI: Renewable Computing

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Next Episode:
Stay tuned for Episode 4, where we’ll dive deeper into the people and culture at Soluna.

Inside Soluna’s Data Centers with CTO Dip Patel

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:22:43 +0000

We're introducing Soluna Cloud and its groundbreaking approach to integrating AI with renewable computing. Soluna’s CTO, Dip Patel, and CEO, John Belizaire explore Soluna's novel solution to the increased demands for Renewable Computing in the enterprise space.

Episode Highlights:

Purpose-Built Infrastructure for AI: Explore how Soluna’s Helix data centers are designed from the ground up for AI and batch computing, optimizing for scalability, efficiency, and sustainability.
Co-Location with Renewable Energy: Learn how Soluna’s data centers are strategically located at green energy sites, minimizing energy loss and maximizing efficiency by connecting directly to wind farms.
Novel Cooling Systems: Discover how Soluna utilizes advanced direct liquid cooling (DLC) technology to manage heat from high-power GPUs while eliminating the need for freshwater, a game-changer in data center sustainability.
High-Power Density Design: Dive into the technical details of Helix’s high-density racks, delivering up to 50 times more power than traditional data centers while enabling seamless scalability.
Batch Computing Benefits: Understand the advantages of batch workloads in AI, from handling intermittent renewable energy to enabling large-scale processing far from population centers.
Integrated AI Lifecycle Platform: Get insights into Soluna’s full-service AI platform, designed to simplify AI training, modeling, and deployment for enterprises, startups, and AI labs through partnerships with HPE.
Upcoming Projects: Learn about Project Ada and Project Grace, two cutting-edge deployments offering scalable AI cloud experiences co-located with renewable energy sources.
Sustainability at the Core: Hear how Soluna is redefining data center operations by integrating renewable energy, reducing water dependence, and lowering carbon emissions.

Guest Speakers:

Dip Patel – CTO, Soluna
John Belizaire – CEO, Soluna

Links & Resources:

Watch our latest webinar with HPE: “Creating Sustainable AI Practices for the Future”
Explore our Investor Center for the latest updates, resources, and AMAs: Soluna Investor Center
Learn more about Soluna Cloud’s sustainable approach to AI: Renewable Computing

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Next Episode:
Stay tuned for Episode 3, where we’ll dive deeper into the financing of Soluna’s sustainable cloud solutions.

The Future of AI and Renewable Computing with CTO Dip Patel

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 4 Dec 2024 20:49:28 +0000

We're introducing Soluna Cloud and its groundbreaking approach to integrating AI with renewable computing. Soluna’s CTO, Dip Patel, and CEO, John Belizaire explore the intersection of sustainable energy and high-performance computing, the strategic goals for Soluna Cloud, and what’s ahead this season.

Episode Highlights:

Renewable Computing’s Role in AI: Soluna leverages wasted renewable energy to power high-performance computing, addressing the energy challenges of AI’s rapid growth.
Sustainability Innovations: Soluna’s facilities are 18% cleaner than most high-performance computing setups, thanks to green power, zero water dependence, and advanced cooling technologies.
Customer-Centric Solutions: Soluna Cloud bridges gaps in traditional AI environments by providing reserved GPUs, empowering smaller data science teams, and accelerating AI deployment.
Vision for the Future: Projects like Grace, Kati, and Rosa underscore Soluna’s commitment to scaling renewable computing to new heights.

Guest Speakers:

Dip Patel – CTO, Soluna
John Belizaire – CEO, Soluna

Links & Resources:

Watch our latest webinar with HPE: “Creating Sustainable AI Practices for the Future”
Explore our Investor Center for the latest updates, resources, and AMAs: Soluna Investor Center
Learn more about Soluna Cloud’s sustainable approach to AI: Renewable Computing

Join the Conversation:
Have questions about Soluna Cloud or renewable computing? Ask us anything: bit.ly/asksoluna

Connect with us:

Next Episode:
Stay tuned for Episode 2, where we’ll dive deeper into the engineering innovations behind Soluna’s sustainable cloud solutions.

Data, AI, and Drug Discovery with Douglas Selinger of Plex Research

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 13:28:03 +0000

You won’t be surprised to hear that the data to cure diseases is probably already out there. But, the data required for medical innovation is hard to capture and process. This makes progress and success in finding those cures slow and risky.

That’s where Plex Research comes in. Plex has created a novel technology that allows scientists to answer complex drug discovery questions by identifying convergences in far-flung, disparate experimental data.

We’ll learn more about this technology with our guest today, Doug Selinger, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Plex Research.

To learn more about Plex Research, visit: https://www.plexresearch.com/

Renewable Energy Transition with John Breckenridge of Arevon Energy

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:37:50 +0000

In 2022, the US Department of Energy reported that,

“The United States is a resource-rich country with abundant renewable energy... Every region of the country has access to multiple [clean energy] resources. The available renewable resource is 100 times that of the Nation’s annual electricity need.”

So, why do renewable resources account for only 20% of the nation’s power today?

What’s getting in the way of the mass adoption of renewable energy?

If you’ve been tuning in for a while, you’ve heard me discuss the wasted energy problem with industry experts. I’m excited to continue this conversation:

In this episode, Soluna CEO John Belizaire talks to John Breckenridge, Senior Advisor (and former CEO) of Arevon Energy.

John has more than 20 years of direct private equity investing experience, preceded by more than 18 years of operations management.
We’ll learn from John’s expertise in renewables, infrastructure, and sustainability, and dig into the challenges of clean energy development and integration.

Bitcoin Mining with Chad Roach of Navitas Global

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Wed, 7 Feb 2024 14:12:04 +0000

In Spring 2023, Soluna proudly announced a new investment partner at Project Dorothy – Navitas Global.

Navitas Global is a private data center development company that leverages years of experience and deep relationships in the Bitcoin mining industry to provide attractive returns for investors.

In this episode, CEO John Belizaire talks to Chad Roach, Managing Partner at Navitas, about Project Dorothy.

They discuss what’s happening at the nexus of renewable energy development, Bitcoin mining, investment, and more.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

FOLLOW us on Twitter and LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

SUBSCRIBE to our weekly newsletter.

AI's Water Usage with Professor Shoalei Ren

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the use of water in AI computing in traditional data center models, and some of the looming questions concerning AI’s sustainability.

Our guest is Shaolei Ren, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Riverside.

Professor Ren’s research broadly focuses on AI + Sustainability and pushes forward the boundaries of the field by uncovering and addressing water sustainability and environmental equity in networked AI/computing systems.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

FOLLOW us on Twitter and LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

SUBSCRIBE to our weekly newsletter.

Soluna's Carbon Emissions with Rob Day

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 5 Dec 2023 12:55:29 +0000

In this episode, we're digging into Soluna's carbon emissions.

An independent study has found that Project Dorothy, our Texas flagship data center, emits 18% less carbon annually than its data center counterparts and the ERCOT West territory.

John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna Computing and host of Clean Integration, is joined by Soluna’s VP of Corporate Development, Phillip Ng.

Our guest today is Rob Day, a friend of the show and co-founder and partner at Spring Lane Capital. (If you didn't catch our first conversation with Rob, listen here.)

Spring Lane Capital is a private equity firm focused on investments for sustainable solutions in the energy, water, food, and waste sectors. Their investment in data center projects is part of their strategy focused on hybrid project capital for sustainable solutions in the energy industry.

Bonus Episode: The FTX Collapse Reminds Us Bitcoin is Not Crypto

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 6 Jan 2023 16:29:51 +0000

If you've read the news lately or even quickly skimmed the headlines, you've seen the madness concerning FTX and the growing skepticism of the crypto industry at large.

The collapse of FTX and other firms this year bolstered by concerns of crypto mining strain on the world's resources, there have been many misunderstandings, it seems. Especially as it relates to Bitcoin.

Recently, you may have heard CEO John Belizaire say, "Bitcoin is not crypto," and he is not alone in this thought. Many thought leaders and Bitcoiners have taken to Twitter and op-eds to expand on this:

Bitcoin is not crypto. (At least not the version of Crypto FTX was built on.)

"And what does that mean?" You're probably thinking.

In this episode, John Belizaire is joined today by colleagues, Dip Patel, CTO of Soluna, and Phillip Ng, Vice President of Corporate Development at Soluna.

They discuss what's going on in the market, and try to clarify a few things to help you, our listeners, understand how and why Bitcoin is not crypto.

Notable Moments:

[02:15] First things first, what the heck happened? We woke up one day and there were suspicious Twitter threads, drama, and finally a collapse. How would you explain the FTX situation to a novice?

[12:00] What’s the next market going to look like? What should people expect? And what do you say to them that should be learned here?

[24:50] Briefly, can you explain why Bitcoin is so energy intensive?

[28:10] What’s your pitch to renewable energy developers, and power plant owners? How do you position building a bitcoin data center co-located with their facilities and how it addresses their issues?

[31:20] What prediction for the coming year would you like to see, would you love to see, I would say? And it could be anything, but what would you like to see, particularly around this whole crypto space and Bitcoin space?

To read the transcript of this episode, visit: https://www.solunacomputing.com/podcast/ftx-recap/

2022 Cleantech Trends with Nino Lazariia

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:14:03 +0000

Nino Lazariia, a consultant at Cleantech Group, works with a particular focus on digital solutions to climate change. She has worked in multiple countries on issues ranging from smart cities, the internet of things, AI, digital resilience, and emerging technologies.

Cleantech Group is a research and consulting company that tracks innovation for sustainability across the agriculture, energy, chemical, transportation, and environmental sectors.

Notable Moments:

[3:05] How would you define Cleantech?

[4:40] What do you see as the major upcoming trends in cleantech, particularly around the growth of the sector and new industries leaning into cleantech?

[7:21] What's your take on the EV market and its impact on the climate change problem we're facing?

[9:05] One of your clients is UNIDO. Can you tell us a bit about your work for them?

[12:13] Do you think crypto, AI, IoT, and other digital solutions have a role to play in social good?

[14:09] How do you manage bringing different stakeholders to the metaphorical table? – whether that’s execs, investors, legislators, scientists, etc.?

[15:19] You received dual masters in public affairs and environmental science - how do you think that has shaped your work at Cleantech Group?

[16:43] You mentioned having a particular passion for smart cities. Can you talk more about what that is for our listeners?

[18:08] What types of considerations do smart cities take for building or reforming the electrical grid?

[19:10] How do you stay motivated and/or inspired in the hard fight against climate change?

Links:

Cleantech Group Quarterly Investment Monitor Insight, Q3 2022: https://s3.amazonaws.com/i3.cleantech/uploads/investment_monitor_resource/79651/108012_Quarterly_Investment_Monitor_Q3_2022_-_Slides.pdf
2022 Global Cleantech 100 Report: https://s3.amazonaws.com/i3.cleantech/uploads/additional_resources_pdf/60/260/Cleantech_Global_100_2022_Report.pdf
Nino Lazariia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lazarianino/

The Future of Batteries with Max Hickey

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 15:58:49 +0000

The Inflation Reduction Act is at its core a climate bill.

While it does lower prescription drug costs, make healthcare more affordable, and enable the IRS to do their job, the bill is really the single greatest investment — $369 billion — in climate change in U.S. history.

It was signed into law on August 16 of this year and has been great news to the clean energy industry, particularly the electric vehicle market.

But we may not have enough battery manufacturing capacity or lithium supply to fulfill these EVs or storage provisions.

Much of our global lithium refining takes place in China, creating an unnecessarily expensive and time-intensive process.

We are excited to talk to Max Hickey of Li-Cycle in this episode.

Max is the Business Development Manager at Li-Cycle. Li-Cycle has several battery recycling facilities in North America, helping to open a new market and increase our domestic supply of lithium.

John and Max discuss:

The current battery manufacturing market and how the IRA may impact it
How lithium recycling help grow the lithium supply in North America and generally outside of China
How we make the battery manufacturing process — and the industries that use them — more sustainable

An Inside Look at the CHIPS Act and the Future of Entrepreneurship with John Dearie

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 6 Dec 2022 14:51:08 +0000

Today, we’re getting a unique perspective on entrepreneurship.

John Dearie joins us from the Center for American Entrepreneurship, a research, policy, and advocacy organization that works with policymakers in Washington and across the country to achieve a policy environment that promotes new business formation, survival, and growth.

John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna Computing and host of Clean Integration, became familiar with John Dearie and the Center for American Entrepreneurship in the fall of 2019 through his friend Bettina Heins (also a member of the board) and he joined the Board of Directors for CAE in May 2020. So, it’s a personal pleasure for John to sit with him today.

They discussed the work they do at the Center, how to build a more diverse, more vibrant future for entrepreneurs in the U.S., and the role that the Center for American Entrepreneurship had in passing the seminal CHIPS Act earlier this year.

Highlights:

[01:25]: How’d you start CAE? Tell us more about your background in general. You’ve got some big milestones along the way too, we’d love to hear those.

[11:45]: Take us in the car with you as you’re making your way across the country, talking to entrepreneurs. What’s that experience like? What types of companies were you meeting with? What were some of the challenges they were facing?

[19:58]: I want to talk about the increasing awareness of sustainability and climate impact on the policy front, there’s just been incredible, I’d say, seminal series of bills that have gone through and become law recently. The Inflation Reduction Act might be a good place to start. What are its implications from your perspective on entrepreneurship and American innovation at large?

[23:15] We’ve seen big companies like Samsung planning to move some of their chip development back to the US. It’s almost like a massive sea wave of reassuring of chip manufacturing, and that is driven by a law that most people may not know. It’s called the CHIPS Act which was passed recently, and CAE was foundational in getting that act passed. John, can you explain to anyone who might not know the significance of this law? What’s it about? I think I had a different name prior, right?

[37:28] How do you work to even the playing field across the demographics as it relates to entrepreneurs?

The Role of Sustainability in the Future of IT with Capgemini

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 14:14:42 +0000

We’re excited to explore a new topic on Clean Integration: sustainable IT.

Capgemini is an international IT solutions provider with a focus on sustainable, “future-shaping projects.” Capgemini has used AI to protect national parks and oceans and has a deep knowledge of sustainable IT and insurance.

At Soluna, we are just as interested in the human and environmental impact of technology as we are in the way it works.

We’re excited to have two of Capgemini’s VPs, Satish Weber and Seth Rachlin, on our show.

Satish is the Executive Vice President and Head of Sustainability & Financial Services at Capgemini, where she helps clients disrupt their industry using sustainable tech solutions.

Seth is the Executive Vice President of Capgemini’s Global Insurance Industry branch and has consulted with over 50 Fortune 500 and middle-market insurance companies. Seth is also a professor at the University of Chicago, where he teaches about the intersection of risk and technology.

Key Moments:

[1:38] Introductions to Seth, Satish, and Capgemini

[4:40] What is sustainability? Why is IT at the center of the global sustainability conversation?

[15:58] Capgemini has talked a lot about technology for inclusive progress. What does inclusivity mean in this context? How do you work to facilitate that progress?

[18:24] The financial services industry plays a unique role in the future of sustainability. What does the conversation around sustainability currently look like in that sector?

[20:22] What’s the relationship between sustainability and value proposition? What does resilience look like in understanding sustainability in financial services?

[23:23] What are some of the biggest challenges facing technology companies seeking to adopt sustainable practices?

[27:42] If the shift to more sustainable IT is the trend, then doesn’t it behoove utilities to have a sustainability value proposition?

[30:14] Can we expect that “sustainability” will gain one objective meaning and across industries or will the term/mission always be subjective and industry-specific?

How AI Will Transform the Energy Grid with Sean Murphy

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

The US passed the largest climate bill in American history this summer: The Inflation Reduction Act. With new energy sources, will come new challenges for our already-struggling grid.

Now more than ever, innovations in AI and machine learning are so important for stabilizing the grid.

Today I’m talking to Sean Murphy, the CEO and Co-Founder of PingThings, Inc., a software platform for high-frequency time series data bringing AI and machine learning to some of the largest utilities in the US.

PingThings is backed by GE Ventures and is also spearheading the Department of Energy’s National infrastructure for AI on the Grid initiative.

Previously, Sean built Full Stack Data Science, a consulting firm that focused on bringing AI, machine learning, and data science into the enterprise space– specifically in government, finance, consumer, education, and healthcare.

He also spent over a decade as a senior scientist at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

With such a wide breadth and depth of experience, we’re excited to speak to Sean today to learn more about his innovative platform.

Highlights:

[4:10] How did you get into data science? When did you know you would be a data scientist?
[07:36] Let’s talk about your current venture and focus. I think it’s very exciting to use data and software to create a more predictive grid. In fact, you call it PredictiveGrid software. How does it work and what problems can it solve for our current grid system?
[12:40] What is the predictive software doing for the grid?
[13:51]: How have utilities responded to your software so far? Have you noticed any change to their approach to renewable energy using the software or any insights you can share with us here?
[19:58]: It looks like your group hosts training and hackathons. And you’ve previously, you did this where you built a whole community of 10,000 plus data practitioners. What led you to realize that community was important and knowledge sharing is important in the work that you do at PingThings?
[24:08]: What’s the role of open-source data? I noticed that that’s a big part of your approach and platform. Why is that a part of it? I thought you were going after the sensors on the resources.
[32:54]: You’ve founded four companies. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs?
[36:05]: How can AI help the grid? What can AI do?

Recruitment & Diversity in Cleantech with Catherine McLean

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Thu, 3 Nov 2022 13:13:00 +0000

Soluna CEO John Belizaire meets with Catherine McLean, who has spent the past decade plus working in clean energy recruitment.

Catherine is the founder and CEO of Dylan Green, a strategic talent acquisition consultancy that specializes in placing top-tier talent and top-tier individuals within leading clean energy and tech companies.

Prior to founding Dylan Green, Catherine founded and led McLean Ross, a global energy and utility recruitment consultancy. She is passionate about diversity, inclusion, and equity in the clean energy and tech spaces, and one of Dylan Green's core objectives is to help companies reach their DEI goals. Catherine also recently won the Cleanie Award for Champion in Diversity Equity & Inclusion.

She joins John to talk about her professional journey, how the energy industry has evolved over the last decade, and what it means to hire diverse talent.

(This conversation was recorded in May 2022.)

To read a transcript of John and Catherine's conversation, visit our website.

Greening Bitcoin with Troy Cross

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Can Bitcoin catalyze the transition to renewable energy?

Troy Cross joins us in this episode to discuss. Troy is a fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute. He holds a PhD in Philosophy, and is a professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Reed College. He has been involved in Bitcoin for over a decade, most prominently working around the question of Bitcoin mining’s present and future environmental impact.

Notable Moments from this Episode:

[1:15] Soluna recently published a white paper covering curtailment (wasted energy) and the potential solution in batchable computing, including Bitcoin mining.

[2:10] Introduction to Troy Cross, his introduction to Bitcoin, and his background in Philosophy

[19:32] The role of the Bitcoin Policy Institute in the industry at large

[21:47] Troy Cross and Margot Paez (who was on Clean Integration earlier this year) co-authored a 10-page commentary to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on Bitcoin's climate impact. Soluna also responded to a Request for Information from the OSTP on digital assets.

[24:25] To dispel the Bitcoin Energy FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt), we must first understand Bitcoin’s socioeconomic value.

[28:15] These are some of the most common misconceptions about Bitcoin’s energy consumption

[33:20] What does the future of Bitcoin mining look like?

[42:20] John answers Troy's question: "How can adding load to the energy grid aid decarbonization?"

[45:00] Troy asks John, "What about miners keeping fossil fuel plants in business?"

[51:01] A discussion on “Greening Bitcoin with Incentive Offsets,” a paper by Troy Cross and Andrew Bailey

[01:01:05] Possible incentives for clean energy crypto miners and for Bitcoin holders

Other Relevant Resources:

Inside the Industry’s Take on Bitcoin's Energy Use with Eliza and Aoyon of CoinDesk

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:32:08 +0000

Soluna Computing CEO John Belizaire is joined by Eliza Gkritsi and Aoyon Ashraf, journalists at CoinDesk.

Eliza and Aoyon both cover crypto mining for the digital-currency-focused new site, CoinDesk.

Before joining CoinDesk, Eliza worked as a reporter at TechNode, a leading media source on tech and startups in China. She holds an MSc in Journalism and in Communication and Media Studies.

Before joining CoinDesk, Aoyon spent 9 years at Bloomberg, where he covered equities and commodities in mining, metals, and energy.

Together, they discuss the current landscape of crypto mining and energy discourse in the industry and the trends toward renewable mining.

Beating the Bitcoin Energy FUD with Ali Chehrehsaz

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 13:21:10 +0000

John Belizaire, CEO at Soluna Computing, sits down with Ali Chehrehsaz, the Co-founder and CEO of TerraVerde Energy, an independent energy advisor representing school districts, public agencies, and commercial enterprises.

TerraVerde helps clients reduce energy use and costs by planning, designing, and implementing energy conservation measures, solar energy systems, and energy storage solutions.

In this conversation, John and Ali discuss starting a company focused on scaling clean energy and beating the Bitcoin-Energy FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt).

To read a transcript of this conversation, please visit our blog.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

FOLLOW us on Twitter and LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

SUBSCRIBE to our weekly newsletter.

Understanding Bitcoin's Climate Impact with Margot Paez

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 13 Sep 2022 11:00:00 +0000

John Belizaire, CEO at Soluna Computing, sits down with Margot Paez, a fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute specializing in renewable energy and environmental studies, to discuss the need for education in both the policy and energy sectors around the potential for Bitcoin mining to catalyze clean energy development.

Margot is also currently a Ph.D. candidate in civil engineering at Georgia Tech with a focus on water resources and climate adaptation, as well as a graduate research assistant at the Georgia Water Resources Institute and a front-end developer.

Our team became acquainted with Margot when she moderated a panel on mining with renewables at the Bitcoin Conference in Miami earlier this year.

To read a transcript of this conversation, please visit our blog.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

FOLLOW us on Twitter and LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

SUBSCRIBE to our weekly newsletter.

Electrifying the Marine World with Ben Sorkin

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 8 Aug 2022 15:22:54 +0000

At Soluna, we’ve always been interested in innovative solutions to some of renewable energy’s toughest problems.

Last year, we wrote a series on our blog covering a few environmentally-sound companies that we find truly inspiring.

We found that companies that are genuinely environmentally forward-thinking care a lot.

They’re thinking hard about sustainability, reducing their carbon footprint, and their effect on local economies.

These problems are at the heart of their operation.

So, I’m excited about this conversation today with a founder and CEO who is reimagining electrification for the marine world.

Ben Sorkin is the founder of Flux Marine, a company building 100% electric outboard motors, completely changing the boating experience.

The Tesla of boats, if you will.

Today, we’re talking to Ben about the problems with traditional boating, electrification as a solution, and what this could mean for the future of energy and our environment.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

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Managing Intermittent Power Risks with Lee Taylor

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 14:00:00 +0000

Intermittency.

It’s a fancy word for describing this unique circumstance in renewable energy where the wind does not always blow and the sun does not always shine.

It’s a major problem in the economics of clean energy, spurring a host of competitive, innovative solutions each year.

How could power companies hedge the uncertainty of weather against a backdrop of shifting price and demand?

Today, we’re talking to a trailblazer in the renewable energy market about investing in renewables and managing risk.

Lee Taylor is the founder and CEO of REsurety, a risk management and information services company that operates at the intersection of financial technology, clean energy, and big data.

Since founding REsurety in 2012 to commercialize research he conducted at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, REsurety has amassed contracts supporting nearly 7,000 MW of renewable energy generation capacity and counts many of the world's largest and most sophisticated companies as clients and partners.

Recently, REsurety released its Locational Marginal Emissions (LME) carbon data tool to help measure and maximize the carbon impact of clean energy projects. Stay tuned to learn more about it in this episode.

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WATCH our latest updates and insights on YouTube.

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The Bitcoin-Energy Debate with Lindsey Kelleher

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 5 Jul 2022 13:00:00 +0000

Bitcoin’s energy consumption is a feature, not a bug.

(This is what I testified before Congress in January 2022 when I had the opportunity to make the case for crypto mining as a catalyst for renewable energy development)

There’s an existing view that Bitcoin is a dirty coin and it’s not sustainable.

Recently, in the early spring of 2022, there has been even more traction to ban the Bitcoin protocol-Proof of Work- to a theoretically eco-friendly protocol, Proof-of-Stake.

Well, the team at Soluna isn’t the only one here to tell you that this view is wrong.

The case for Bitcoin mining as a catalyst for renewable energy development is one we’ll continue to make in this episode.

Here to talk with us is Senior Policy Manager at the Blockchain Association, Lindsey Kelleher.

The Blockchain Association is a “member-led, member-driven organization dedicated to improving the public policy environments for crypto networks.” Prior to joining the Blockchain Association, Lindsey worked with Teach for America in Oakland.

LEARN more about Soluna by visiting our website.

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Lindsey and I will discuss the ongoing policy debate around cryptocurrency mining; the role that her organization is playing in that landscape; and the future of blockchain and crypto in the renewable energy space.

Institutional Investment in Crypto with Rene Ramirez

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Recently, I talked about How Clean Energy Can Further the Mass Adoption of Crypto with Blockworks.

I explained that Bitcoin is not just a store of value, but a catalyst for renewable energy development and an immediate solution to some of the toughest problems facing the economics of clean energy.

By using the momentum of renewable energy development and attaching mining technology to clean infrastructure, Bitcoin and crypto mining at large can demonstrate its larger positive impact on worldwide adoption.

So, I am very energized to be speaking with Rene Ramirez, the founder of Fino Advisors LLC. Through Fino, Rene has worked on a variety of projects involving the North American power markets, including renewable energy, and infrastructure projects.

Together, we discuss institutional capital in crypto mining, using crypto as a "monetary battery," and we speculate on the future of the renewable energy market.

>>>

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Building the Future of Computing: Soluna's Modular Data Centers on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit solunacomputing.com

Soluna Raises $35M From Spring Lane Capital

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Mon, 16 May 2022 13:46:50 +0000

Soluna has recently secured $35 million in project financing to continue our mission of developing green data centers co-located with renewable energy assets.

We’re honored to have a pioneering sustainability project finance firm–Spring Lane Capital–back our model of leveraging excess clean energy to generate low-cost computing.

We share a conviction that this is the future of green bitcoin mining and green data centers.

In this episode, we talk to Rob Day, Co-Founder and Partner at Spring Lane Capital.

Spring Lane Capital is a private equity firm focused on investments for sustainable solutions in the energy, water, food, and waste sectors. Their investment in our data center projects is a part of their strategy focused on hybrid project capital for sustainability solutions in the energy industry.

Prior to co-founding Spring Lane Capital, Rob was a Partner at Black Coral Capital, a cleantech investing firm, and Principal at several cleantech VC firms. Rob brings his expertise from two decades of investing in energy tech.

This episode will be a bit different.

Melissa Baldwin, the Senior Vice President of Tigercomm, which is Soluna’s public relations agency of record, will be hosting today’s conversation between Soluna Computing CEO John Belizaire and Rob as we dive into the details of this project financing deal, what it means for Soluna’s development, and what it represents for the future of clean computing.

>>>

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Building the Future of Computing: Soluna's Modular Data Centers on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit solunacomputing.com

Innovations in Energy Efficiency with Peter Kelly-Detwiler

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 10 May 2022 16:02:03 +0000

In this episode, we’re talking about digitalization and energy.

Peter Kelly-Detwiler, author and energy expert, joins Soluna CEO John Belizaire to discuss the digitization of the energy grid over the last decade, what problems it solves today, and how a decentralized grid may increase energy efficiency in years to come.

With a 30-year career in energy, Peter has developed a background in both electricity markets and end-use technologies. This gives him unique and valuable insight into the interplay of technology on both sides of the meter.

Peter has worked to solve some of energy’s biggest problems around the world and throughout the U.S. Today, he is the Co-Founder of NorthBridge Energy Partners LLC, an independent consulting organization with expertise and perspective on US energy markets, and the author of the book The Energy Switch: How Companies and Customers are Transforming the Electrical Grid and the Future of Power.

>>>

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out To Win the War Against Fossil Fuels, We Need More Than Energy Storage on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit solunacomputing.com

Five Orders of Clean-Tech Innovation with Bill Nussey

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 26 Apr 2022 12:15:00 +0000

Bill Nussey and John Belizaire both share a passion for solving the climate crisis and driving the clean energy revolution.

Their approaches differ–Bill has been dedicated to ramping up local-scale solutions like rooftop or community solar and microgrids, and John has been working with large utility-scale solar and wind projects. While they are working at different scales, the concepts they talk about have applications across the board.

Bill’s journey into clean energy began with a TED Talk, which grew into 100+ articles and, most recently, a top ten energy podcast called The Freeing Energy Podcast.

In this episode, Bill and John discuss renewable energy development in Africa, solutions for today's energy grid, and his book Freeing Energy: How Innovators Are Using Local-Scale Solar and Batteries to Disrupt the Global Energy Industry from the Outside In, where he dives into the Five Orders of Clean-Tech Innovation.

>>>

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Soluna Computing Solves the Wasted Energy Problem on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit solunacomputing.com

What We Can Learn from Texas' Energy Grid with Chris Tomlinson

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 04:00:00 +0000

In February 2021, an extreme winter storm, the coldest in the last 50 years, caused a massive electricity generation failure in the state of Texas.

It’s been referred to as The Great Texas Freeze.

The grid failure lasted over two weeks in some parts of Texas and resulted in

a loss of power for more than 4.5 million homes,
an estimated death toll of over 700 people
and nearly 200 billion dollars in damages.

To put that in perspective, Texas is roughly the same size as France.

It’s the second-largest state in America (Alaska being the largest).

It was later reported by The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) that the Texas grid was only 4 minutes away from total collapse after this catastrophic storm.

In this episode, we will unpack some of the causes behind the recent grid failings, how we might fix them, and the future of renewables in Texas.

Our guest today has a thorough grounding in Texas history and politics. Chris Tomlinson, a journalist with the Houston Chronicle and energy expert, has a unique understanding of Texas’ grid setup and the state’s energy politics. Tomlinson is the business columnist for The Houston Chronicle, where he covers energy, state politics, and policy. He previously worked as a correspondent and investigative reporter for the Associated Press in Austin and is the author of two books: Tomlinson Hill: The Remarkable Story of Two Families that Share the Tomlinson Name - One White, One Black and Forget The Alamo–both a reckoning with racism in America.

>>>

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Soluna Computing Solves the Wasted Energy Problem on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit solunacomputing.com

Cleaning Up Crypto Mining with Steve Wright

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 13:01:51 +0000

In our last episode, we dove into the ongoing debate over crypto mining regulation and the types of incentives that could stabilize the grid and catalyze clean power growth.

In this episode, we examine a case study from 2014, when new Bitcoin miners quickly set up shop in Chelan County, Washington. Here to talk with us about the good, bad, and learning potential of this experience is Steve Wright, former head of Chelan’s Public Utility District or PUD.

Like John, Steve was invited to testify at the House Oversight Subcommittee hearing called, “Cleaning up Crypto, the Energy Impacts of Blockchains.” During that hearing, our Members of Congress were seeking information about the sector’s energy use.

Together, John and Steve discuss:

How Chelan County’s 2018 temporary moratorium on crypto mining changed the county going forward
How the concept of flexible load change utilities and grid infrastructure in the next decade
The utility perspective on potential regulations encouraging innovation and ensuring responsible growth in crypto and clean energy

This episode was recorded on February 11, 2022. Since then, President Joe Biden has released an Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets to which John has responded for Blockworks.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Bitcoin’s Energy Consumption is a Feature, Not a Bug on our blog!

Connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter @SolunaHoldings

Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

The Future of Crypto and Energy Policy with Sanjeev Kumar and Kathryn Carpenter

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 04:00:00 +0000

Lawmakers are ramping up pressure on Bitcoin miners who use fossil fuels to operate.

On January 20, 2022, CEO John Belizaire was invited to testify at the House Oversight Subcommittee hearing called, “Cleaning up Crypto, the Energy Impacts of Blockchains” During that hearing our Members of Congress were seeking information about the sector’s energy use.

On January 27, 2022, Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a letter to the top six crypto companies demanding information about their energy use and impacts “Top Bitcoin Miners Pressed by U.S. Lawmakers to Detail Climate Impact, Power Consumption”

Previously, On July 27, 2021, the Senate held a hearing called, “Cryptocurrencies, what are they good for?” hearing.

–––

In this episode, Soluna Computing CEO John Belizaire is talking about crypto energy policy with Sanjeev Kumar, an expert advisor in the renewable energy space, and Kathyrn Carpenter, Founder of Cecilia Energy, a green hydrogen start-up.

Together, John, Kathryn, and Sanjeev answer:

Is there a reasonable policy compromise that would increase pressure on ‘dirty’ energy mining and promote innovative practices of using renewable energy excess instead?
What’s at stake at the ‘PoW vs. PoS’ tension that has been brought into policymakers' focus?
Is an aspect of this policy debate that the crypto community can rally around?
What will happen next on the crypto and energy policy fronts?

This episode was recorded on February 4, 2022. Since then, President Joe Biden has released an Executive Order on Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets to which John has responded for Blockworks.

–––

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Bitcoin’s Energy Consumption is a Feature, Not a Bug on our blog!

Connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter @SolunaHoldings

Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

Clean Integration Season 2 Coming March 15, 2022

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 18:17:52 +0000

We’ll be launching a new season of our podcast this month.

(You might be familiar with previous Soluna podcast seasons, known as The Kingdom. )

This season, we’re focused on exploring the nexus of computing and clean energy.

John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna Computing, had some great conversations with top experts about the grid transition, policy implications, new computing technologies, the utility’s perspective on crypto mining, and more.

In the meantime, here are some of our favorite moments from Season 1.

We hope this will give you a feel of what to expect in Season 2.

Timestamps:

00:27 The Future of Renewable Energy with the Soluna Team, Dip Patel CTO of Soluna

00:58 The Future of Renewable Energy with Sanjeev Kumar

01:13 What It Will Take To Be 100% Renewable with Rob Gramlich, Phillip Ng, VP of Corporate Development at Soluna

01:36 Renewable Energy in Bitcoin Mining with Jesse Peltan

Stay tuned for the launch of Season 2 on March 15, 2022.

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

Why Buy Bitcoin? with Andy Edstrom

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 15:49:24 +0000

In this episode, we are talking to Andy Edstrom, CFA, CFP is a financial advisor and also Head of Institutional at Swan Bitcoin. He may be best known in Bitcoin for authoring the book Why Buy Bitcoin, opining that MicroStrategy might borrow in order to buy Bitcoin, and for shaming wealth managers for not owning Bitcoin for their clients.

We talk about the rising interest in Bitcoin from well-known institutions, the case for Bitcoin as a form of money, and the increase of direct investment in crypto assets.

Why is Bitcoin a better alternative to gold?
What regulatory trends should we be aware of?
What is Bitcoin’s relationship to renewable energy?

All of this and more on this episode!

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Bitcoin Is A Better Battery on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on March 18, 2021, for The Kingdom podcast.

$SLNH

The Role of Energy Regulation in the Future of Climate Change with Jonny Sultoon

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 15:36:35 +0000

In this episode, we’re looking ahead at the role of government and technological innovation in the future of renewable energy. John, CEO of Soluna talks to Jonathan (Jonny) Sultoon, the Head of Markets & Transitions, Energy Transition Practice at Wood Mackenzie.

Jonathan has over 18 years of experience leading analysis for global energy markets, including power, coal, gas, LNG, and renewables. He joined Wood Mackenzie in 2006 and leads a team of analysts designing research for the energy transition. The team extends across all segments, all markets, and all fuels and technologies.

In this conversation, we discuss the renewable energy landscape after the Coronavirus pandemic. We question the impact proposed regulations (or lack thereof) will have on Climate Change. We ask about the prospects of green hydrogen, and finally, we prod at the idea that fossil fuel is dead in the light of renewable energy innovation.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Zero-Carbon Cloud: Solving Renewable Energy’s Biggest Challenge on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on February 18, 2021, for The Kingdom podcast.

$SLNH

All About Batteries with Jeff Bishop

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:46:14 +0000

What solutions do batteries offer to renewable energy’s biggest problem?

In this episode, Jeff Bishop, CEO, and co-founder of KeyCapture Energy, a utility-scale battery provider, talked to John Belizaire, CEO, and Suzy Peng, Summer Associate at Soluna. Together, they took a deep dive into the world of batteries.

Jeff’s extensive experience in the battery and energy industries guide our conversation in this episode as we unpack the ins and outs of grid-scale storage. We learn a lot about the business of batteries and battery technology, as well as address the benefits of batteries– such as the solutions they offer to challenges with intermittent power generation.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Disconnected: Our Electric Grid’s Struggle with Renewable Energy on our blog!

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Subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know when our next episode drops.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on November 6, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.

$SLNH

Renewable Energy in Bitcoin Mining with Jesse Peltan

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:13:27 +0000

What will the future of crypto mining look like?

In this episode, we’re thinking ahead about the relationship between mining and energy, and where renewables will play a role. John, CEO of Soluna, and Phillip, VP of Corporate Development, talk to Jesse Peltan, co-founder and CTO of HODL Ranch – a developer of large-scale Bitcoin mining projects in Texas. Jesse dropped out of college to become a co-founder and is on a mission to bring hashrate to the US.

Jesse shares his first-hand experience in the industry since 2017, where value creation in institutional scale mining has shifted. These shifts have inevitably had an impact on power generation, cost, and distribution. You can expect to learn more about the changing mining industry, especially in the competitive deregulated power market in Texas.

Additionally, we discuss the future of renewable energy in bitcoin mining–where it works and where it doesn’t–and the importance of decentralized finance throughout the world.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out The Golden Triangle: Understanding the Long-Term Profitability and Competitive Dynamics of Mining on our blog!

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To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

The Zero-Carbon Cloud with Professor Andrew Chien

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:10:48 +0000

In this episode, the team at Soluna is hosting William Eckhardt Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, and Senior Computer Scientist at Argonne National Labs, Andrew Chien. Our work at Soluna builds upon his research that shows adding dispatchable load not only reduces stranded power, but it also improves both grid cost and stability. Ultimately, this allows for higher penetration of renewable energy within an existing system.

His work started with one crucial question: “How do we minimize the negative impacts of computing, even though it’s doing good or serving a useful purpose?” We learn more about his introduction to computer science, the course of his research in machine learning, cloud computing, and clean energy. We then talk about the practical and theoretical applications of zero-carbon cloud computing now and in the future.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out “Zero-Carbon Cloud: Solving Renewable Energy’s Biggest Problem” on our blog.

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To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

What It Will Take To Be 100% Renewable with Rob Gramlich

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:05:34 +0000

What will it take to reach 100% renewable energy?

John, CEO of Soluna, and Phillip, head of Corporate Development, talk to Rob Gramlich, CEO of Grid Strategies– a company with a mission to heighten the efficiency of the development and operation of energy grids. This chat is rich with information thanks to Rob’s extensive experience in the energy sector.

You can expect to learn more about the changing structure of energy grids in terms of development and operation and its direct impact on the development of renewables from Rob’s first-hand experience in the industry. Additionally, they discuss the growth (or lack thereof) of energy investment in different parts of the world and what this means for reaching total renewable energy.

If you enjoyed this conversation and want to read more on this subject, check out Disconnected: Our Electric Grid’s Struggle with Renewable Energy on our blog!

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To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on August 20, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.

The Demise of Oil and the Future of Renewables with Sanjeev Kumar and Bill Kayes

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 14:02:26 +0000

We talk to Sanjeev Kumar, a strategic advisor to Soluna, and Bill Hayes, former Head of Legal and External Affairs at Kosmos Energy to learn more about the oil, especially as the industry faces disruption during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Tune in for an interesting educational lesson on the history of oil, its rise as an energy source, and its influence on the global economy. Then, we unpack the complexity of the oil industry from Texas to Africa in the last few decades and the technological innovations that have saved the industry through its historical challenges.

We question the future of oil and the recent impact of renewables on the industry, gaining invaluable insight from Sanjeev and Bill learnings from their extensive experience in the energy industry.

Could these recent challenges be the catalyst for a Renewable Future?

For the article Phil Ng mentioned during the episode, read The Shale Apocolypse, and What It Can Teach Bitcoin Miners on our blog!

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This episode was originally released on July 8, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.

To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

Diversity, Renewable Energy, and Tech with CEO John Belizaire

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:59:20 +0000

John Belizaire, CEO of Soluna Computing, sits with Ashley Capuzzi to discuss John’s experience with diversity as a leader in the fields of technology and renewable energy.

In this episode, you’ll also hear John talk about his background in tech, his drive for entrepreneurship, for learning about people, and how he found himself in the renewable energy space.

As one of Soluna’s core values, diversity is not only important to our team but truly makes up our company’s DNA. As we kick off season 2 of our podcast, which will focus on renewable energy, we’re excited to share with you some wonderful conversations with people from all different walks of life, experiences, and expertise.

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To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on June 24, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.

The Future of Renewable Energy with Sanjeev Kumar

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:55:21 +0000

Sanjeev Kumar is a veteran in the energy industry. For most of his career, he has led and grown companies at the forefront of energy and innovation. As a strategic advisor to Soluna, he joins us in conversation to discuss a bit of energy industry history, the future of renewable energy, climate change, among other things.

Here’s what you can expect to learn:

What shifts have we seen in energy sources?
How have energy investments and incentives changed?
What are some barriers to renewable energy adoption?

For more on what you heard today, read “Disconnected: Our Electric Grid’s Struggle with Renewable Energy” on our blog!

Connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter @SolunaHoldings

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To learn more about Soluna, please visit soluancomputing.com

This episode was originally released on June 17, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.

Renewable Energy Development with the Soluna Team

cybele@soluna.io (Soluna Computing) — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 13:51:56 +0000

The Soluna Computing team gets together for a new season of Clean Integration! This season we will be focusing on all things related to renewable energy innovation, including conversations with experts in the field.

To kick off the season, John Belizaire, CEO, is in conversation with Dip Patel, CTO; Phillip Ng, VP of Corporate Development; and Larbi Louyidi, VP of Energy.

Together, they address the need for renewable energy development, investment, and data center innovation, among many other things. Here’s some of what you can expect to hear:

“There is an appeal that the cost of renewable energy makes it compelling to add to the overall energy market. It’s getting to a point where it could become cheaper than coal.” –John Belizaire, CEO, on renewable energy investment
“There are about a billion people without access to reliable electricity. That’s 1 of 7 humans on Earth and about half of them live on the African continent.” –Phillip Ng, VP of Corporate Development

Sources referenced in this episode: 2018 IPCC Report, Lazard 2019 Cost Report

For more on what we covered in this episode, check out How to Drive More Renewable Energy Development in Africa (and Beyond) on our blog!

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This episode was originally released on June 10, 2020, for The Kingdom podcast.