[Live @ Supercluster] #5: Microgrids, storage, and the grid bottleneck with Simon Belka (Shifted)

[Live @ Supercluster] #5: Microgrids, storage, and the grid bottleneck with Simon Belka (Shifted)

Author: Hugo Rauch December 14, 2025 Duration: 21:30

🌊 Simon Belka on fixing the grid.

Why long-duration storage and microgrids may define the next energy system.

We’re joined by Simon Belka, Co-Founder of Shifted Energy, a long-duration energy storage startup building compressed-air systems for the decentralized grid.

In this episode, we dive into one of the biggest paradoxes in clean energy: we’re producing more cheap renewable electricity than ever, yet still burning gas because the grid can’t move or store it fast enough.

In our conversation, we covered:

→ Why grid congestion, not renewables, is now the real problem

→ How microgrids work (and why they’re a €135bn market)

→ Why batteries fail beyond ~6–8 hours of storage

→ Inside Shifted Energy’s compressed-air “air battery”

→ How long-duration storage competes with hydrogen and thermal systems

→ Early traction: microgrids, mines, logistics hubs, and off-grid sites

→ The economics: efficiency, CapEx, and levelized cost of storage

→ What it takes to scale from 100 kW pilots to megawatt systems

→ Why Europe is uniquely positioned to lead this transition



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit newwavenewsletter.substack.com

Hugo Rauch hosts New Wave, a podcast that lives at the intersection of business ambition and scientific reality. This isn't about distant predictions or abstract science; it's a grounded exploration of the technologies and companies being built right now to address our environmental future. Each episode focuses on the practical journey, dissecting the models, the breakthroughs, and the hard decisions that define the climate tech landscape. You'll hear from founders, researchers, and investors who are actively shaping this space, getting into the specifics of what works, what doesn't, and why. The conversations move beyond hype to examine the tangible mechanics of creating viable solutions, from energy storage and sustainable materials to carbon removal and regenerative agriculture. It’s for anyone who thinks about the climate challenge not just as a crisis, but as a complex and urgent field of innovation. By tuning into this podcast, you gain a clearer understanding of the economic forces and scientific principles driving the next generation of environmental solutions. New Wave connects the dots between the lab, the boardroom, and the impact we need to see in the world, offering a sober yet optimistic look at where substantive progress is truly being made.
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