Produced by ILLUME, Current is an energy podcast that takes on the most important stories happening in the utility industry each month. Join us as we talk through the opportunities and challenges transforming our industry. From climate change, to energy storage, to electric vehicles, to resiliency… We bring you the human dimension behind each story. (Music credit: BlueDot Sessions and Mello C).
CenterPoint Energy is rethinking how it delivers energy efficiency programs to historically underserved communities—from low-income households to renters, non-English speakers, and beyond. In this episode of Current, Shannon Kahl talks with Carter Dedolph about how legislative changes, targeted research with ILLUME, and new outreach strategies are helping CenterPoint improve accessibility, streamline customer experiences, and boost program participation. Hear what’s driving this transformation, early results from 2025, and lessons for building more inclusive energy programs.
10 Jul 2025
Human Dimensions of Rates and Rate Design
Good rate design is more than engineering—it takes trust, equity, and understanding.
In this episode, ILLUME’s Liz Kelley and Alex Dunn unpack what happens when you put people at the center of rates and rate design. From default versus opt-in structures to real-world affordability tradeoffs, they explore why “revenue neutral” doesn’t mean “customer neutral” and what utilities must do to ensure rates don’t just look good on paper, but actually work for the communities they serve.
Hear practical lessons on iterative design, risk mitigation, and messaging that resonates. Learn how to identify who benefits, who could be left behind, and how human-centered research can transform rate rollouts from compliance exercises into tools for real impact.
17 Apr 2025
More Than Megawatts: Human Stories in Energy Consulting
In this candid and thoughtful conversation, Anne Dougherty sits down with two of ILLUME’s newest researchers, Maggie Roma and Xijun Zhang, to explore what brought them into the world of energy consulting—and what’s kept them here.
From crunching data on demand response programs to discovering surprising joys in customer interviews, Maggie and Xijun share the passion and curiosity that drive their work. They also get personal, revealing their proudest professional moments, the advice that’s shaped them, and what they’d be doing if energy wasn’t in the picture (hint: horses and chinchillas are involved).
Whether you’re in the field or just energy-curious, this episode is a reminder that behind every kilowatt is a very human story.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 28 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
36
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
51
Contact Current: An Energy Podcast
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Current: An Energy Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
