America's Energy Problem: We Need A New Grid

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

July 16, 2025

Duration

49m

Channel

a16z

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

U.S. per capita energy usage peaked in 1973. Since then? Flat. Meanwhile, China’s per capita energy use has grown 9x. Today, AI, EVs, manufacturing, and data centers are driving demand for more electricity than ever—and our grid can’t keep up. In this episode, a16z general partners David Ulevitch and Erin Price-Wright, along with investing partner Ryan McEntush from the American Dynamism team, join us to unpack:

• How America’s grid fell behind
• Why we "forgot how to build" power infrastructure
• The role of batteries, solar, nuclear, and software in reshaping the grid
• How AI is both stressing and helping the system
• What it’ll take to build a more resilient, decentralized, and dynamic energy future

Whether you’re a founder, policymaker, or just someone who wants their lights to stay on, this conversation covers what’s broken—and how to fix it. Timestamps: 00:00 The Future of the Energy Grid 01:09 Historical Context and Current State of the Grid 03:08 Decentralization and New Technologies 07:31 Policy and Workforce Issues 10:45 The Role of Solar and Batteries 15:07 Diverse Energy Sources and Demand 24:24 Challenges in Grid Monitoring and Communication 25:55 Load Forecasting and Energy Markets 27:40 The State of Nuclear Energy 31:08 Advancements in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) 35:56 The Role of Technology in Mega Projects 38:20 Opportunities in Grid Management and Monitoring 43:08 The Future of Energy Infrastructure and Policy Resources: Find David on X: https://x.com/davidu Find Erin on X: https://x.com/espricewright Find Ryan on X: https://x.com/rmcentush Stay Updated: Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.

🎤 SPEAKERS

• David Ulevitch

  guest

  General partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) discussing grid reliability, energy investing, and infrastructure software opportunities.

• Ryan McEntush

  guest

  Energy/grid subject-matter guest speaking on grid buildout history, interconnection/permitting, and generation economics.

• Erin Price-Wright

  guest

  a16z investor discussing energy infrastructure constraints, permitting, and software/tooling opportunities across the grid stack.

• Erik Torenberg

  host

  Podcast host at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) moderating the panel and directing questions to the guests.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of a16z, featuring David Ulevitch and Ryan McEntush, America's Energy Problem: We Need A New Grid explores aging U.S. grid meets surging demand, decentralization, and software opportunity The U.S. grid expanded rapidly in the 20th century but largely “froze” after the 1980s/90s as industrial demand and buildout capacity shifted abroad, leaving an aging, brittle system and a hollowed-out workforce.

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