Latest News

Q&A with Board Member Angela Chan

Oct 9, 2024

The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council is a membership-driven organization led by our leadership team. Our Board of Directors are leaders in the state’s advanced energy economy and provide invaluable guidance for the organization. Today, we’re highlighting TAEBC Board Member Angela Chan, Microgrid Sales Engagement Leader at Schneider Electric. Learn more about Schneider Electric here. […]

Episode 25: Mark Brown of WastAway

Oct 8, 2024

About the Episode Thank you to the WastAway team for making this episode possible. Host Cortney Piper had the pleasure of interviewing Mark Brown, CEO of WastAway, a green tech company that takes something the world doesn’t want – municipal solid waste – and converts it into something the world needs. WastAway—Waste-Away with no E—is an advanced energy leader. Its multi-patented system […]

Episode 24: Mitchell Ishmael of Shift Thermal

Sep 10, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Mitchell Ishmael, Shift Thermal’s co-founder and chief technology officer. In the episode, Mitch discusses the company’s advanced thermal energy storage solution and the company milestones, including their participation in the Innovation Crossroads program. The two discuss the benefits of cleantech entrepreneurship in Tennessee, the need for partnerships to push the boundaries of […]

Episode 23: Michael McCall of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Aug 6, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Michael McCall, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Vice President of Environment and Sustainability and Chief Sustainability Officer, about the agency’s 2023 Sustainability Report. They discuss how TVA prioritizes sustainability and has shifted its mindset from compliance to stewardship. This shift enabled the nation’s largest public power provider to make significant progress toward reducing […]

Innovation in the Valley

Aug 2, 2024

By Dr. Joe Hoagland, Vice President, Innovation and Research, TVA​ Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the largest public power provider, supplying power to seven states. TVA partners with 153 local power companies that deliver electricity to approximately 10 million people. Our goal is to be as reliable as possible to our customers. We have proudly […]

Episode 22: Daniel Poneman of the U.S. Department of Energy and Centrus Energy

Jul 23, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Daniel Poneman, former president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corporation, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy and chief operating officer of the Department of Energy. He has worked for three United States presidents on issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation to clean energy. In the interview, Cortney and Daniel discuss his […]

Episode 21: Dr. Chris Burns of NOVONIX

Jun 11, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Chris Burns, Chief Executive Officer of NOVONIX, a leading battery materials and technology company with operations in the United States and Canada. Recently, DOE awarded NOVONIX a $100 million grant and a $103 million tax credit under the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Allocation Program, or the 48C program under the Inflation […]

Episode 20: Charles Sims of Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs

May 7, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Charles Sims, Director of the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy, Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, about the Valley Pathways Study.  The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Baker School launched the Valley Pathways Study in February 2023 to evaluate the existing environmental […]

Episode 19: Lilly Tench of the Spark Innovation Center

Apr 2, 2024

Episode Description In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Lilly Tench, Director of the Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park. The two discuss the Spark Cleantech Accelerator program and how applications are open for Cohort Three until May 15, 2024. TAEBC is a proud partner of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator. We […]

Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council Hosts 2024 Annual Meeting

Mar 27, 2024

Contact: Crystal Bentley, [email protected], 865-329-0553 NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) hosted its 2024 Annual Meeting at the Schneider Electric Nashville Hub on March 26, gathering TAEBC members and industry stakeholders to celebrate Tennessee’s growing advanced energy economy.  Kicking off the Annual Meeting, Angela Chan, Microgrid Sales Engagement Leader at Schneider […]

Episode 18: Monica Walker of General Motors

Mar 5, 2024

Episode Description In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Monica Walker, Manager of Renewables & Energy Strategy at General Motors. GM has a bold vision for the future. One with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. Piper and Walker discuss GM’s renewable energy commitments, electric vehicle charging partnership with the Pilot Company and Spring Hill Manufacturing facility […]

Episode 17: Jennifer Safavian of Autos Drive America

Feb 6, 2024

Episode Description Host Cortney Piper interviews Jennifer Safavian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Autos Drive America. Autos Drive America’s mission is to grow the U.S. automotive industry by advocating for and defending open trade and investment policies that expand employment opportunities for Americans and choice for all consumers. Cortney and Jennifer discuss the international automotive presence in […]