New podcast ‘Energizing Tennessee’ aims to be top news source on state’s advanced energy sector
By Shannon Smith, Teknovation Assistant Editor, PYA
If you’re a fan of podcasts and advanced energy, get ready as your two worlds collide.
This week the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) and FirstBank announced the launch of “Energizing Tennessee,” a new podcast sharing news and insights about Tennessee’s advanced energy sector.
Episodes will highlight electrification and decarbonization strategies in the Tennessee Valley, with topics like Ford’s BlueOval City and Tennessee’s Green Star Partnership. The podcast will also include a mini-series on transportation electrification, with guests like Joe Hoagland, Vice President of Enterprise Relations and Innovation at the Tennessee Valley Authority, and Tricia Martínez, Managing Director of the “Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator.”
“Tennessee has become the #1 state in the country for the EV supply chain because of our thriving advanced energy ecosystem,” said Cortney Piper, Executive Director, TAEBC. “In this podcast, we talk to the people that made this happen and delve deeper into what transportation electrification and advanced energy innovation mean for the future of our State. TAEBC is thrilled to partner with FirstBank on this initiative, which will help inform our state’s workforce, policymakers, and industry leaders on the powerful role advanced energy plays in our state’s economy.”
Future episodes will include interviews with companies like Bridgestone, Volkswagen, and Pilot, and feature Tennessee’s growing cleantech entrepreneurial community including graduates from programs like the University of Tennessee’s “Spark Cleantech Accelerator,” Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s “Innovation Crossroads,” and the local Techstars program.
TAEBC said it’s happy to work with FirstBank as the sponsor of this podcast and appreciate the bank’s investment in the group’s mission.
“We’re privileged to represent the financial sector as we work with TAEBC to develop programs
that promote Tennessee’s advanced energy economy and proactively improve our state’s future,” said Jim Mosby, Nashville Regional President, FirstBank. “We want to be a part of TAEBC’s push to grow our state’s economy through innovation, and the launch of this podcast gives us the opportunity to engage with advanced energy experts to deliver on our promise of improving the sustainability of our communities right here in Tennessee.”
Local innovation leaders met at FirstBank Wednesday evening for a launch party, where they heard the official podcast trailer and got a sneak peak of upcoming episodes. Piper will host the podcast, and she’s got not only the passion, but the perfect voice for it.
Piper said in speaking with TAEBC members and followers, her team learned that many consider them their top source of news for the advanced energy sector. That’s what sparked the idea for more in-depth coverage in the form of a podcast.
The first episode will drop sometime in September. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get podcasts.
