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

It's a Material World | Materials Science Podcast

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!
Learn more about our MSE Career Development Online Course, which includes more industry-specific information and advice.

https://www.mseacademy.com/courses/students-tier-2

Join our Discord community! You can meet other passionate materials scientists and engineers from around the world, discuss the latest breakthroughs in MSE, share materials-related memes, and get career advice from experts in the field.

https://discord.gg/49dCV3W4eN

Check out our MSE-themed merchandise if you want to support us or simply show off your love of materials science!

https://www.itsamaterialworldpodcast.com/shop

For shorter segments and full video podcasts, subscribe to our channel on YouTube. For bloopers, audiograms, and interesting materials science articles, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Feel free to message us on our social media platforms if you have any feedback or recommendations for future episodes, or email us directly at [e-mail]. Finally, reach out to David Yeh and Punith Upadhya on LinkedIn if you'd like to chat about the latest breakthroughs in MSE!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpUXt6ui8iC5npSizlfIJ2A

https://www.instagram.com/itsamaterialworldpodcast/

http://linkedin.com/company/it-s-a-material-world-podcast/

https://twitter.com/ItsAMatWorldPod

Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed by either guests or hosts in this show are their own, and do not represent the opinions of the companies or organizations for which they are affiliated.
Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/0fySE54PGB8

#EnergyTransition #Innovation #NetZero

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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)