The Builders Keeping Up With Energy Demand

As energy demand increases in every corner of America and the challenge of building new energy capacity as quickly as possible takes center stage, SEIA’s Good Energy podcast talks with Eric Grenz, Senior Vice President of Solar at Mortenson, an energy, procurement, and construction (EPC) company that is leading the way in breaking ground on new solar + storage projects.

Grenz sees the present time as one of the largest infrastructure expansions in American history with the buildout of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, electrification, and more. Grenz sees solar and storage as critical sources to meeting the rapidly expanding energy demand that their energy consuming clients are demanding.

The company does not view its work as building standalone assets, but instead as complex projects where their client is often expecting a product that can facilitate advanced technology and provide the power to fuel it. This integration allows Mortenson’s clients to identify risks early on and solicit the company’s expertise along every step of construction.

Construction timelines and expectations are constantly shifting, and Grenz emphasizes the importance for builders to continue innovating their work and making the actual building process easier for its hard-hat employees on the ground. He stresses how important recruiting new talented workers is going to be important to continue building big things.

Grenz recognizes that rising costs and supply chain challenges are impacting project economics, even as demand remains strong. He notes that Mortenson’s customers are seeing rising business uncertainty because of these issues, and Mortenson is working to bring as much certainty as possible to their customers.

From Washington, Grenz hopes to see more transparent guidelines for project permitting, noting how policies and orders can often appear unclear and make businesses nervous about investing. At the same time, he emphasizes how resilient the renewables market is and how optimistic he is about its ability to prosper well into the future.

About Good Energy

From in-depth interviews with industry leaders to insightful discussions on the rapid growth of solar and storage in the United States, Good Energy connects you with the heartbeat of the solar industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just curious about the future of energy, tune in to stay informed and inspired about the bright future of solar. Listen to full episodes on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.