The Energy Insider - Hosted by Jack Doueck of the Energy Marketing Conference

Filmed live at EMC25 in Houston, this episode spotlights atrue industry innovator. Frank McGovern shares his unconventional path from telecomto building a global energy supplier—expanding across Texas, the Northeast, and even into Spain—by staying relentlessly focused on customers and growth. But the journey hasn’t been easy. Frank opens up aboutpersonal adversity, including losing his home to a tornado in Dallas, and how resilience and mindset helped him come back stronger than ever. At the core of his success? Innovation. Frank explains whyit’s the ultimate differentiator in retail energy—and how Clearview is leading the charge with forward-thinking strategies like incentivizing EV charging during off-peak hours, in some cases bringing costs close to zero for customers while helping balance grid demand. You’ll also hear how he builds lasting customer loyalty,embraces change, and takes calculated risks to drive both business success and broader societal impact. If you want insights from one of the most forward-thinkingleaders in retail energy, and a real-world playbook on growth, innovation, and resilience — this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

In this insightful episode of The Energy Insider, Jack Doueck sits down with Josiah Neeley of the R Street Institute toexplore the evolving landscape of consumer energy choice and competitive retail markets across the United States. Recorded live at EMC25 in Houston, this conversation offers a thoughtful and candid look at the policy, economics, andreal-world implications shaping the future of the energy industry.Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how competitive markets drive innovation, improve customeroutcomes, and influence regulatory decision-making at both the state and national levels.In this episode, you will:- Discover how Josiah transitioned from practicing attorney to becoming a leading voice at the R Street Institute, helping guide the organization’s remarkable growth andinfluence- Learn how R Street advocates for consumer energy choice and the expansion of open, competitive energy markets- Understand why some states have more effective competitive structures than others and why those differences matter for customers, suppliers, and policymakers- Hear Josiah's perspective on the "Price-to- Compare" and why he believes it can create misleading comparisons in markets where utilities and competitive suppliers operate side by side- Explore why consumer energy choice is critical for fostering innovation, enhancing customer service, and maintaining long-term cost discipline- Gain insight into the history of the R Street Institute and the rigorous research and policy analysis they provide to the energy sector- Learn about R Street’s state-by-state energy scorecard and market evaluations and how industry stakeholders use this data to assess market performance- Hear Josiah’s outlook on the future of retail energy and the opportunities ahead for states considering competitive market modelsWhether you are an energy supplier, utility professional, policymaker, regulator, or industry stakeholder, this episode delivers valuable perspectives on the forces shaping the nextgeneration of energy markets. 

In this dynamic episode of The Energy Insider, Jack Doueck sits down with PJ Popovic, CEO of Rhythm, to explore how technology, innovation, and disciplined execution can transform a startup into a major force in the retailenergy market. Recorded live at EMC25 in Houston, PJ shares the remarkable story of building a mass-market energy supplier from zero to more than 300,000 customersin just five years—entirely through digital channels, without relying on traditional telesales or door-to-door marketing.This conversation offers valuable insights for energyexecutives, entrepreneurs, and industry professionals seeking to understand how technology-driven strategies, customer-centric design, and distributed energy solutions are reshaping the competitive landscape.If you are an energy executive—or aspire to become one—thisepisode delivers practical lessons, strategic insights, and forward-looking perspectives from one of the industry’s most innovative leaders. 

The Energy Insider Podcast – Episode#19: “Giving Back to theCommunities We Serve” with specialgGuest: Mr. Jay Harpole, CEO of APG&ERecorded live at the Energy Marketing Conference in Houston, this episode delivers a powerful look inside one of retail energy’s most resilient leaders. Jay Harpole shares with Jack Doueck how he went from Exxon and ENGIE to transforming APG&E into a 7-state powerhouse—while navigating crises that could have ended it all. From surviving Winter Storm Uri to managing through a PJM capacity auction where prices skyrocketed nearlyninefold, Jay reveals the high-stakes decisions that defined his leadership. You’ll hear how a disciplined, risk-focused CEO hedgesbeyond just energy—covering ancillaries and capacity—to protect both customers and the business in volatile markets. But this story goes beyond strategy. Jay explains howAPG&E built a culture strong enough to earn “Best and Brightest Companies Place to Work For” honors in Houston and nationally for ten eight consecutive years—driven by exceptional customer experience and a deep commitment to giving back, including impactful work with the HoustonFood Bank, Kids Meal Inc., Good Knights of Lorain County in Ohio and other community organizations. He also shares candid insights on the biggest challenges inretail energy today, the realities of an increasingly tough regulatory environment, and the timeless principles that separate good companies from great ones. If you want a real-world blueprint for leadership,resilience, and growth in the energy industry—this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

In this episode of The Energy Insider, host JackDoueck sits down with Brendan Manzie, CEO, and Jay Divakar, Head of Business Development at Kinergy (an Origin Energy company), for a sharp, forward-looking conversation on one of the most consequential shifts in global energy: the integration of flexibility into energy portfolio optimization and risk management as the new competitive edge.From Origin Energy’s evolution in Australia to Kinergy’s emergence as a global platform, this discussion unpacks how energy companies can move beyond commoditized supply and into a higher-value, differentiated future. At the center of that transformation is a powerful idea: retailers don’t need to own generation to behave like “Gentailers.” Instead, they can orchestrate distributed energy resources, unlock flexibility, and build entirely new revenue streams—while strengthening customer relationships in the process.Manzie and Divakar explain how Kinergy enables utilities and competitive suppliers to aggregate customer assets into Virtual Power Plants, turning flexibility into a scalable, monetizable advantage. The implications are significant: improved retention, deeper customer engagement, and access to value pools that many retailers have yet to fully capture.The conversation goes beyond theory and into execution.What’s actually changing in competitive retail energy today—for both residential and C&I customers? Where are the real pressures, and where are the underappreciated opportunities? And perhaps most critically: why is energy flexibility emerging as the defining battleground for retailers?A major focus is Texas and ERCOT, where volatility, grid constraints, and market structure are accelerating the need for smarter, more dynamic solutions. Through Kinergy’s partnership with Rhythm Energy, the episode explores how flexibility is already being deployed in-market—and where the true value lies. Is it customer savings? Wholesale arbitrage? Grid services? Or the convergence of all three?This episode also challenges traditional thinking about the role of the retailer. As DER orchestration and flexibility scale, retailers are no longer just suppliers of electrons—they become portfolio optimizers, risk managers, and customer experience leaders. The winners in this next phase of the industry will be those who can integrate these capabilities quickly and effectively.For energy executives navigating margin pressure, customer churn, and an increasingly complex market landscape, this conversation offers both a wake-up call and a roadmap.The question is no longer whether flexibility matters. It’s who will capture its value—and who will be left behind.

In this episode of The Energy Insider Podcast, host Jack Doueck sits down with Chris Quirion, Director of Engineering and Property Management at Industry City in Brooklyn. Once a traditional industrial complex, Industry City has been transformed into one of New York’s most dynamic mixed-use campuses.Spanning 6.5 million square feet, the campus is home to more than 650 tenants, ranging from manufacturers and creative firms to food producers, technology companies, and increasingly data centers and high-power users. One of its most valuable—and often overlooked—assets is its 50 MW of electrical capacity, a critical advantage in an era when reliable power is becoming a decisive factor in where companies choose to locate.In this conversation, Chris shares a rare behind-the-sceneslook at how energy strategy, infrastructure, and operational discipline can transform a massive urban property into a resilient and competitive asset.In this episode, you’ll learn:• The Evolution of Industry City: How a historic waterfront industrial complex evolved into a vibrant, mixed-use innovation campus.• Energy as a Strategic Asset: Why energy should no longer be viewed simply as an operating expense, but as a powerful lever to enhance NOI, tenant attraction, and long-term asset value.• Managing Energy at Campus Scale: The operational challenges and strategies involved in procuring, distributing, and optimizing energy across a 6.5 million-square-foot campus.• Tenant Demand for Sustainability: Why today’s tenants increasingly prioritize buildings that demonstrate measurable progress toward sustainability and decarbonization goals.• Smart Buildings and Technology: How technology, data, and intelligent infrastructure are reshaping building operations and energy management.• Turning Crisis into Opportunity: How the devastation of Hurricane Sandy ultimately became a catalyst for infrastructure improvements and operational resilience at Industry City.• A Major Cost Reduction Case Study: How the campus reduced its annual natural gas costs from $4 million to $1.8 million through a combination of efficiency initiatives and electrification strategies.• Operational Excellence: Why maintaining asset value requires constant vigilance, resourceful partnerships, engaged staff, and a culture of continuous learning.• The Future of Urban Industrial Campuses: Insights into how trends such as electrification, microgrids, distributed energy resources, and decarbonization will reshape large-scale urban real estate.• A Costly Mistake Many Building Owners Make: Chris shares a common operational and energy management mistake that continues to cost owners millions—and how forward-thinking operators approach the problem differently.Whether you’re a commercial real estate executive, asset manager, or energy professional, this episode delivers practical insights and strategic ideas that can change how you think about energy, infrastructure, and the future of large urban properties. 

From Retail Supplier to Energy Tech Disruptor: Zac Lowder onWhere Competitive Energy Is Headed. In this episode of The Energy Insider, Jack Doueck sits down with Zac Lowder, Chief Commercial Officer of Arbor — and one of the most battle-tested operators in competitive energy.With more than 15 years inside leading retail suppliers —including Green Mountain Energy, NRG, Inspire, and Base Power — Zac has built, scaled, and sold in some of the most dynamic periods in modern retail energy.Now, from the broker and technology side at Arbor, he brings a rare 360-degree perspective on how incentives, innovation, and customer behavior truly shape this industry.This is not a surface-level conversation. It’s an insider’s look at what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s coming next.In this episode, you’ll discover:• How Zac helped scale Inspire from zero to 300,000 customers — and what it took to build a brand that ultimately sold to Shell in 2021.• The hard lessons behind the growth story: Zac shares the biggest hurdle he had to overcome on his path to leadership — and how that experience reshaped the way he views risk, culture, and execution.• Why incentives drive everything in competitive energy: From supplier margins to broker economics to customer decision-making — Zac unpacks the misalignments that hold the industry back.• Arbor’s bold model for the future: A venture-backed, AI-native company building intelligent demand aggregation — redefining how residential and small commercial customers access energy choice.• Why innovation thrives in competitive markets — and stalls in monopoly states: Arbor’s model represents the kind of customer-centric innovation that simply doesn’t exist where customers lack retail choice.• The volatility question: Are today’s price swings structural — driven by capacity constraints, electrification, and slow infrastructure buildout?  Or will distributed energy resources and smarter aggregation tame volatility over time? This episode is “essential viewing” for energy suppliers, brokers, policymakers, investors, and anyone serious about the future of retail energy.If you want to understand where competitive markets are heading — and how AI, aggregation, and new business models could reshape the landscape — this conversation delivers.Watch now and decide for yourself:Is energy choice entering its most innovative era yet?

In this episode of The Energy Insider Podcast, host Jack Doueck sits down with Rob Cantrell, CEO of Atlantic Energy, for a candid and wide-ranging conversation about leadership, risk, and the realities of building and scaling companies in the competitive retail energy sector.Rob is no stranger to high-stakes decision making. Over thecourse of his career, he has built and successfully exited multiple energy companies—navigating volatile markets, regulatory complexity, and the operational challenges that come with rapid growth. In this episode, he shares the strategic lessons he’s learned along the way and how those experiences are shaping his leadership at Atlantic Energy today.The conversation also explores one of the most defining moments of Rob’s career: how his company navigated the industry-shaking impact of the Winter Storm Uri. Few events tested the resilience of energy retailers more severely, and Rob offers a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on the decisions leaders must make when the market turns against them overnight.Beyond crisis management, Rob and Jack dive deep into thestrategies that drive growth in the retail energy business—from organic expansion to acquisitions—and why choosing the right path can determine whether a company scales successfully or stalls.In this episode, you’ll hear insights on:• Building and Exiting Energy Companies – How Rob Cantrell built multiple successful energy businesses and the key lessons he learned from each exit.• Leading Atlantic Energy – His strategic vision forthe future of Atlantic Energy and how the company is positioning itself in a rapidly evolving energy market.• Surviving Industry Shocks – What really happened during Winter Storm Uri and how the crisis reshaped risk management for energy retailers.• Build vs. Buy – A candid discussion about the advantages and pitfalls of organic growth versus acquisitions.• M&A Strategy in Action – How Atlantic Energy successfully acquired three companies in 2025 and the strategic thinking behind those deals.• Books of Business vs. Full Acquisitions – Why purchasing customer portfolios can sometimes create more value than acquiring an entire company.• The Power of In-Person Networking – Why, even in a digital world, face-to-face relationships remain one of the most powerful drivers of growth in the energy industry.For energy executives, entrepreneurs, brokers, andinvestors, this episode offers practical insights into how successful leaders think about growth, risk, and opportunity in one of the most dynamic sectors of the economy.If you want to understand how top operators navigate volatility while still building companies that last, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

In this episode of The Energy Insider Podcast, JackDoueck sits down with Chris Ercoli, President and CEO of REAL — the Retail Energy Advancement League — to explore one of the most consequential (and controversial) questions in today’s power markets:Should more Americans have the right to choose who supplies their electricity?As affordability pressures mount, demand for electricitysurges, and energy policy debates intensify across the country, this conversation dives deep into the structural divide between competitive power markets and monopoly utility states — and what it means for consumers, businesses, and the future of energy.In this episode, you’ll discover:• Why electricity customers in monopoly (verticallyintegrated) states are paying dramatically more.Over the past 15 years, rates in states like West Virginia have surged nearly 100%, while customers in competitive markets like Texas have seen prices decline.• The $500+ billion question:How have competitive markets avoided more than half a trillion dollars in added power costs compared to monopoly states.• Why innovation thrives where competition exists.From free nights and weekends to bundled battery backup solutions, competitive states are rolling out products that simply don’t exist in monopoly markets.• The “perfect storm” reshaping U.S. electricity policy:Rising demand, limited new generation, affordability concerns, and growing public frustration are converging in the 35 states where customers are stillrequired to buy power exclusively from their local utility.• Finding economic and energy resourcesustainabilityHow to help large energy users sustain operations and become more competitive, while increasing power to better support growing consumer energy demands • REAL’s bold legislative push: “Bring Your Own Power”(BYOP).Learn how the Energy Freedom and Fairness Act would allow large commercial and industrial customers to procure their own power — with legislation already introduced in West Virginia, Indiana, Missouri, and supported in SouthCarolina.• How customers can make their voices heard.Engaging energy users to share their energy frustrations directly with lawmakers in monopoly states.Whether you’re an energy professional, policymaker, largepower user, or simply someone wondering why your electricity bill keeps rising, this episode pulls back the curtain on how market structure shapes price, innovation, and freedom of choice.To learn more or share your perspective, visit:www.RetailEnergyChoice.org

Power at the Point of Use: Gabe Phillips on ReinventingEnergy for Independent BusinessesIn Episode #13 of The Energy Insider Podcast, JackDoueck sits down with Gabe Phillips, Founder and CEO of Catalyst Power — a leader at the intersection of retail energy, distributed generation, and on-site power innovation.As volatility, electrification, and grid constraints reshapethe energy landscape, one question looms large:Should businesses rely solely on the grid — or startgenerating power themselves?Gabe brings decades of energy market experience to a candid conversation about how independent businesses can regain control of their power costs, reduce exposure to market swings, and rethink what “energy procurement”really means.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Gabe’s journey through the energy industry — andhow that experience shaped Catalyst Power’s strategy in today’s rapidly evolving markets.• How Catalyst Power is serving independent businessesdifferently.Beyond traditional supply contracts — integrating generation, sustainability, and financial strategy.• The real story behind commercial solar.What works, what doesn’t, and what business owners need to understand before signing a deal.• The battery storage dilemma.Why storage remains compelling in theory — but challenging in practice — and what still needs to change.• Onsite co-generation and micro-CHP (Combined Heat &Power).How producing electricity and useful heat simultaneously at the facility level can lower costs, improve resilience, and reduce exposure to wholesale volatility.• A frank view of today’s energy markets.Are we entering a structurally tighter era driven by load growth, data centers, and electrification — or is relief ahead?• Actionable strategies for businesses right now.What can commercial customers do today to reduce bills, manage risk, and future-proof their operations?This is not just a conversation about buying power.It’s a discussion about redefining how businesses think about energy altogether.If you work with commercial customers — or are one — thisepisode will challenge assumptions and offer practical insight into where distributed energy is heading next.Watch now and ask yourself:Is the future of commercial energy centralized… or built behind the meter?