ThinkEnergy
139 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingthinkenergy looks at the energy of tomorrow, today. Every two weeks we’ll speak with game-changing experts to bring you the latest on the rapidly evolving energy landscape, innovative technologies, eco-conscious efforts, and more. Join Hydro Ottawa’s Dan Séguin and Rebecca Schwartz as they demystify and dive deep into some of the most prominent topics in the energy industry.
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Episodes
The Electric Future for Canada
October 12, 2020 04:30 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBThe electricity landscape is transforming rapidly as consumer demands evolve, new technologies emerge, and climate change rises in priority. Canada’s electricity industry must remain at the forefront of these changes, but what will be needed to make this possible? What will Canada’s electricity future look like, and who is at the helm of its metamorphosis? To help us better understand this complex topic, we’ve invited a very special guest - the President and CEO of the Canadian Electricity A...
Is Canadian Waterpower North America’s Green Battery?
September 28, 2020 06:00 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBWaterpower is Canada’s most abundant source of clean and renewable electricity. In fact, because of this, Canada is the second largest generator of hydroelectricity in the world. So, what’s next for Canada’s waterpower industry? Is there untapped potential? What are the plans for growth nationally and what influence does it have on the world stage? Our special guest, Anne-Raphaëlle Audouin, President and CEO of WaterPower Canada, helps us demystify the water industry. Related Content & Li...
Evolving City-Wide Energy Habits
September 14, 2020 08:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBRoughly 50 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada are from municipalities. This means that cities have the opportunity to make a huge impact when it comes to shifting and improving energy habits. In this episode, Andrea Flowers – the Senior Project Manager for Environmental Programs, Planning, Infrastructure & Economic Development for the City of Ottawa – tells us all about the steps that Ottawa is taking, through an action plan called Energy Evolution, to reduce GHG emissions ...
There’s No Place Like a Net-Zero Home
August 31, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBIf the Wizard of Oz was remade for the 21st century, Dorothy might now declare: there’s no place like a net-zero home. And she’d be right. But would she need the Wizard to grant her wish for a net-zero home or would Dorothy be able to afford one on her own? In this episode, Kevin Lee – CEO of the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) - tells us what it means for a home or building to be “net-zero,” the pros and cons, and what the CHBA is doing to make net-zero homes an affordable reality...
Why We're Falling 'In Like' with E-Bikes
August 17, 2020 08:30 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBWhen we talk about the electrification of transportation, we tend to think about electric vehicles or light rail transit. But there’s another sub-genre of electric transportation that is rapidly growing in popularity: e-bikes. In this episode, Seth Weintraub, an award-winning tech journalist and blogger, helps us tackle some of the myths surrounding e-bikes and helps us understand why they’re becoming one of the greenest transportation options when it comes to urban traffic and environmental...
District Energy: Looking Back & Moving Forward
August 03, 2020 08:30 - 32 minutes - 30 MBWhat happens when you use a network of hot and cold water pipes, bury them underground, and then use them to efficiently heat and cool buildings – or even whole communities? You get something called district energy. In this episode, Jeff Westeinde, President of Zibi Canada and Founding partner of the THEIA Partnership, shares his passion for environmental sustainability, designing communities to support One Planet Living, and leveraging age-old systems like district energy as a means of achi...
Shifting into Renewable Gear
July 20, 2020 08:00 - 30 minutes - 28 MBCompared to conventional methods of energy generation, like fossil fuels, greenhouse gases emitted from renewables are little-to-none; making them the cleanest, most viable solution to prevent environmental degradation. In this episode, we invite Brandy Giannetta, Senior Director at Canadian Renewable Energy Association, to discuss renewable energy and the realistic strategies for increasing its supply to permanently replace the remaining carbon-intensive energy sources in Canada. Related ...
The Ingredients of a Great Podcast
July 06, 2020 08:00 - 47 minutes - 44 MBIf you ever thought about starting your own podcast or wanted to learn more about the process, this episode is for you. With years of experience in the podcasting industry, Rhys Waters and Jonathan Burns – co-founders and producers of Podstarter – have seen it all, including ups, downs, successes & failures. They believe that success can be found by any podcaster through a healthy balance of passion, consistency, and a genuine connectedness with their target audience. Tune in to learn the in...
The Power of Influence
June 22, 2020 08:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBBrands are struggling to find a new way to authentically connect to their customers and we are witnessing major communication disruptions. In an article that appeared in Adweek, Twitter said that users now trust influencers like YouTubers, almost as much as their friends. This is the age of influencer marketing. So here's today's big question. Should brands consider adding influencer marketing to their everyday marketing mix and is there a right way, and a wrong way to do it. Neal Schaffer, ...
The Future of Autonomous Vehicles
June 08, 2020 08:30 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBHave you ever dreamed of the day your car can drive itself? The accelerating rate of research and development in automation and artificial intelligence is indicating that this dream may become a reality very soon. Raed Kadri, the Head of Ontario’s Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network, shares about the different levels of autonomous driving, the benefits from an individual and city-wide level, and the incredible opportunities behind developing this technology. Related Content & Links: htt...
The Power of Storytelling
May 25, 2020 08:00 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBOnce upon a time…We all recognize these four little words, don’t we? It means a story is about to begin. Storytelling is one of the most powerful means that leaders and brands have to influence, teach, connect and inspire. The energy sector is often misunderstood. Could it be that we are not using effective storytelling techniques to connect customers to our work, our purpose and our people? As energy sector communicators, how can we improve our storytelling? Founder and CEO of See Change I...
Adapting to the Millennial Mindset
May 11, 2020 08:00 - 50 minutes - 46.7 MBHow can a digital-native generation, like Millennials, impact the energy sector? In this podcast, Somi Arian, a multi-award-winning filmmaker, author, entrepreneur, and LinkedIn-top-voice, shares her extensive research on Millennials, how the needs and wants of this generation are reshaping the economy, and what brands need to do to stay relevant in the midst of this change. Related Content & Links: https://hydroottawa.com/ https://www.somiarian.com/ Somi’s LinkedIn: https://www.linke...
What do Pickles & Electrical Safety Have in Common?
April 27, 2020 08:00 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBHave you ever smelled a pickle after it has been electrocuted? Maybe not, but your kids probably have! Electricity is an important part of our day-to-day lives, but it can also be very dangerous. To help educate on electrical safety, many utilities have free in-school programs that offer fun and engaging electrical presentations to kids from kindergarten to grade 8. Pickles included! Blair Maye shares his expert knowledge on electrical safety while also telling us about the Electricity Safet...
The Art of Forming Digital Connections
April 13, 2020 07:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBSocial media habits are evolving every day and, with the isolation that comes with COVID-19, new patterns are emerging. In light of the increasing uptake for socializing digitally, it’s more important than ever for businesses to appropriately engage. Henk Campher (@AngryAfrican), VP Corporate Marketing at Hootsuite, shares his expertise on how to listen, engage, and form meaningful connections online. Related Content & Links: https://hydroottawa.com https://www.hootsuite.com Edelman ...
The Generational Implications of a Digital World
March 30, 2020 05:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBTechnology has reshaped our lives. It’s radically changing how we learn, how we work, and has influenced our habits, behaviours and even values. In the midst of this shift, energy has become the backbone of digital infrastructure, which underlines the importance of evolving practices and business models within the energy sector. In this episode, digital sociologist & author, Dr. Julie Albright (@drjuliea), shares her in-depth research on the implications and incredible opportunities behind ...
Is Eco-Purchasing on the Rise?
March 16, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBWith a nation-wide commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 as well as an increase in climate change awareness, has eco-purchasing in Canada increased? In other words, are more people buying products and services that have less impact on the environment and human health? Dianna Miller, Chief of ENERGY STAR shares about the ENERGY STAR program and how it works to not only motivate the production of energy-conscious products, but also to help homeowners and businesses make energy-consc...
Generating Valuable Interactions with AI
March 02, 2020 06:00 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBFrom the Terminator to Iron Man’s virtual assistant Jarvis, AI can make our imaginations run wild with possibilities. Scary or not, artificial intelligence is truly beginning to transform our reality – including how we interact with each other and how businesses interact with customers. In this episode, Colton Marshall, Product Manager at KUBRA shares his expert knowledge of voice technology and chat bots and how he expects it to transform business to customer interactions.
Electric Vehicles: Barriers & Opportunities
February 17, 2020 06:00 - 27 minutes - 25.2 MBCanada’s Electric Highway is now a reality. Petro-Canada recently made a bold move to equip 50 of its retail outlets along the Trans-Canada Highway with electric vehicle fast chargers. This is a great start, but EV owners need a consistent, convenient, reliable and fast means of recharging their vehicles - wherever they travel. Al Cormier, CEO & President of Electric Mobility Canada, shares his take on the future of electric vehicle adoption.
How Power is Restored When Mother Nature Strikes
February 03, 2020 06:00 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBJoseph Muglia isn’t your average Joe. In fact, he’s the Director of System Operations & Grid Automation at Hydro Ottawa. In this episode, Joseph joins Dan to talk about what happens behind the scenes when a storm approaches and how crews, on and off the field, are working hard to keep the power on – before, during and after Mother Nature strikes. From storm hardening to storm-mode, get the inside scoop on how Joseph and his team always stay prepared.
Mental Health Matters
January 27, 2020 06:00 - 18 minutes - 16.8 MBTwenty per cent of all Canadians will likely develop a mental illness in their lifetime. It might be you. It might be your spouse, sibling, parent, child, friend or colleague. Unfortunately, with the stigma around mental illness that still exists, people are much less likely to seek out help. United Way and Hydro Ottawa believe that “asking for help isn’t easy, but getting help should be.” Tune in to hear Dan Seguin and special guest, Dennise Taylor-Gilhen Vice President of Community Imp...
Women in Power
January 20, 2020 06:00 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MBWhere only five per cent of the electricity workforce is young people (compared to 14 per cent across all other sectors) and only 26 per cent is women, what is being done to encourage a more dynamic workforce for the future? In this episode, Michelle Branigan, CEO of Electricity Human Resources Canada, shares her strategies for attracting, recruiting and retaining the next generation – with the goal to strengthen the energy sector through a highly skilled, diverse and productive workforce....
Rising Above the Social Media Noise
January 06, 2020 06:00 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBIn the competitive and cluttered world of social media, how can an organization aim to hold their audience’s attention for more than the average attention span of eight seconds? In this episode, Cynthia Dyson, Director of Marketing Communications and Brand Strategy at BC Hydro, shares her team’s unique strategies for rising above the social media noise, including: establishing content themes, channel differentiation, and analyzing performance. Among the most successful ongoing strategies s...
The Power of Social Media
December 16, 2019 06:00 - 17 minutes - 16.3 MBHow important is it for energy companies to harness the power of social media to track social sentiment, conversations about their competitors, and overall marketplace? In this episode, we sit down with Emerson Cunningham, a social media legend with 30+ years of experience in shaping the future of global digital communications, to find answers to that question. Emerson shares about the role he has played in the operationalization of some of the largest energy sector social media centres in...
New Media, New Messaging
December 02, 2019 06:00 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBHow can organizations better prepare a company spokesperson for today’s new media world? Today we’ll hear from Ken Anderson, a training specialist with over 35 years of experience in media relations and strategic communications. He joins us to give us some tips and tricks regarding the best ways to deliver messages to your customers through the media. https://hydroottawa.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenandersonpr/?originalSubdomain=ca https://kenandersonandassociates.webs.com/
Smart Buildings: Raising Building IQ for the Future
November 18, 2019 06:00 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBSmart buildings have the potential to consume less energy, generate less waste, and provide better quality spaces for their occupants. But just how practical is it for building owners to adopt these new technologies and can they actually improve the bottom line? Terry Young, Vice president of operations at KRP Properties sits down to talk to us about the rise of smart buildings and the importance of training his employees on the ever-changing technology. Links: https://hydroottawa.com/ ...
Becoming the Best at Planning for the Worst
November 04, 2019 06:00 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBIf your phone rings tomorrow, and you are suddenly confronted with a crisis, are you and your business prepared to handle it? Author of Crisis Ready, @Melissa_Agnes, sits down with us to discuss the role she plays in crisis management and how to build trust and credibility with stakeholders during and after a crisis. Links: https://hydroottawa.com/ https://melissaagnes.com https://twitter.com/melissa_agnes --- To subscribe using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/po...
The Importance of Keeping Up With Customer Needs
October 21, 2019 05:00 - 27 minutes - 24.7 MBSo what exactly does the Chief Customer Officer do? From identifying the customer’s needs, to enhancing communication through chat bots and AI technology, Hydro Ottawa’s CCO, Julie Lupinacci, oversees all the organization’s customer related projects. In today’s episode, Julie gives us an inside look at the evolving world of customer relations, and how she leads Hydro Ottawa in keeping up with the consumer. Have a question for Julie? Contact her by email at [email protected] ...
Media & the Energy Sector
October 07, 2019 05:00 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBWhat role do the media play in helping to raise the level of public awareness and understanding about the energy sector? In this episode of ThinkEnergy, Dan Séguin chats with newly retired, Shawn McCarthy, a former Global Energy Reporter for the Globe and Mail. They discuss the challenges and triumphs of trying to communicate to readers about the energy sector as well as how the rising concern of climate change has been impacting the media, and how utilities are coping. Links: • https://...
Weathering the Storm
September 23, 2019 05:00 - 27 minutes - 25 MBIt has been one year since the September tornados swept through Ottawa-Gatineau region causing extensive damage and a city wide blackout. At the peak of the outages, over 171,000 Hydro Ottawa customers were without power. In this episode, a power-line maintainer, a control room operator, and a social media communicator join us to chat about the roles they played during the storm and how their teams maintained their composure - with the help of friendly onlookers and volunteers - while workin...
Leadership in Energy
September 09, 2019 04:00 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MBEver wonder what it’s like to be the CEO of a huge energy company? In today’s episode, get to know Hydro Ottawa's CEO, Bryce Conrad, as he shares his story, including his career, what it’s like to be a leader, and the positive and challenging sides of being a CEO. Tune in to hear his perspective on how Hydro Ottawa has overcome crisis situations, what is being done to constantly improve, and his vision for the company. Have a question for Bryce? Contact him by email at BryceConrad@HydroOtt...
Relay Education
August 26, 2019 04:00 - 12 minutes - 12.1 MBHave you ever asked your kids what they did at school today and didn’t receive the answer you were hoping for? In today’s episode, Executive Director of Relay Education, Wesley Normington discusses how he and his company are empowering youth to become future green leaders through hands-on STEM workshops about renewable energy. Relay strives to make education fun for kids and create memorable experiences in the classroom that can be shared with parents. Tune in for all the details! Connect ...
Benefits of Using LED Lights
August 12, 2019 04:00 - 22 minutes - 21.3 MBMany believe that LED lights are a new invention, but in fact, these sustainable light fixtures have been around for a long time. In today’s episode, guest Rob Kent provides an insightful view into the science behind this unique invention and the various benefits associated with them. If you are a municipality who has been considering switching over to LED lights or you are interested in learning more about LED’s in general, today’s episode is for you! Tune in for all the details and why you...
Saving the American Eel Species
July 29, 2019 03:55 - 14 minutes - 13.8 MBCan energy producers design facilities that have minimal impact on the environment, wildlife, and the natural migration of the American eel? Tune in to today’s episode to find out! Guest Franz Kropp joins Dan to discuss the many aspects of the endangered American Eel species and how Portage Power is using new innovative technology to ensure their safety during migration. Have a follow up question? Contact Franz by email at [email protected] Links: http://portagepower.com/speci...
Drones in the Energy Sector
July 15, 2019 04:00 - 13 minutes - 13 MBDrones, what were once featured in science fiction, are now being used to capture outstanding footage for both communicational and operational purposes. In today’s episode, guest Jake Hanna dives into the many benefits that drones are providing to the energy sector such as showcasing natural disasters and scale of work being done. Tune in for more information on this emerging technology. Links: https://twitter.com/hydroottawa/status/1043583024166780928?lang=en https://www.youtube.com...
Connecting with the Customer
July 02, 2019 04:00 - 15 minutes - 14.9 MBWith companies such as Starbucks and Amazon setting the tone for the digital content future, the utility sector must follow suite in fulfilling customer demands. In today’s episode, Jill Bryan discusses the various approaches that she and her company are taking to effectively communicate with their customers in order to engage, educate, and inspire action. Tune in for more information on how energy companies are tailoring their content towards customers’ needs and building lasting relationsh...
Voice Technology
June 16, 2019 22:55 - 15 minutes - 29.1 MBTechnology is constantly evolving, and while this is very exciting, the challenging part is trying to keep up to date with the latest innovations. In today’s episode of ThinkEnergy, David Ricottone discusses how smart speaker technology and ambient computing is changing how customers are interacting with businesses. Whether it’s Google Home, or your car radio, today’s episode will provide with a more insightful view on the future of voice technology. Links: https://hydroottawa.com/save-en...
Aging Underground Cable
May 31, 2019 15:30 - 13 minutes - 25.1 MBAcross Canada, utilities are grappling with aging infrastructure, including underground cable. In this episode of ThinkEnergy, Envari’s Jim Pegg shares how a cutting-edge testing method quickly evaluates the health of underground cable to predict failures. Armed with this information, utilities can develop asset management plans that reduce power outages. Links: https://envari.com/ https://envari.com/cable-testing#non-destructive-testing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3X0r42AKc
Electric Vehicle Adoption
May 23, 2019 14:10 - 13 minutes - 24.5 MBMomentum is picking up for electric vehicle adoption as Canadians are looking for more ways to reduce their carbon footprint. Electric vehicle (EV) expert, Christopher Ralph, joins us to discuss the latest on EV technology and charging availability. If you have been considering an electric vehicle, but not you're sure if the time is right, tune in to gain some valuable insight. Links: https://envari.com/electric-vehicle-infrastructure/ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/operating-electric-...
Micro-Generation and the Power Grid of the Future
May 23, 2019 14:06 - 13 minutes - 25.3 MBEver wondered how you can turn your home into your own virtual power plant? Charles Berndt joins us to talk about Hydro Ottawa’s innovative MiGen Transactive Grid project. Hear how homeowners are shaping the future of the power grid. MiGen will allow consumers to generate their own clean energy; store and share electricity; and exchange any surplus with the grid or their neighbors for a credit. Links: MiGen Video