Battery + Storage Podcast

In Episode 2, the Troutman Battery + Storage team interviews Mike Hopkins, CEO of Bakken Midstream, who is, objectively, destined for immortality on “Storage Mt. Rushmore;” (2:40), (although, as he adamantly tells the team, he is still, very much “alive”). While focusing on storage, Mike provides a 360 degree view of the evolution of North American energy markets including his intimate background with the Canadian natural gas industry in Alberta (6:30), and how that experience shaped his thoughts about the role of government and regulatory intervention in markets (in particular, with respect to California’s involvement in fostering the in-state battery and storage markets)(16:00). He says that if government intervention is required they should  “. . . as soon as possible, return to what I would think of as normal regulatory policy which is about ensuring that resources are fully valued and the value is efficiently extracted.” The podcast covers how the Energy Storage Act in California was revolutionary for st