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Sparks & Currents

Thought leadership from the Irving Institute & partners, focused on innovative ideas & strategies to accelerate an affordable, reliable, and equitable clean energy transition

Harnessing AI for a Smarter Electricity Grid

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Geoff Parker and Stina Brock

Featuring: Geoff Parker and Stina Brock '01, TH'02

In a video podcast, Dartmouth alumna & entrepreneur Stina Brock '01, TH'02, talks with Faculty Director Geoff Parker about how AI can support distributed energy resource integration with the grid—enabling fast, affordable, & flexible energy deployment.

Watch the video podcast

September 2025

The Programmable Grid

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A digital graphic of miniatarized electricity transmission towers.
Adrian Grosu / stock.adobe.com

Authors: Sangeet Paul Choudary and Geoff Parker

Around the world, energy assets are being reimagined — shifting from rigid, single-purpose infrastructure to modular building blocks that can be recombined across roles and industries. This transformation is reshaping who creates value, shifting power away from asset ownership toward those who can coordinate and orchestrate asset collections.

Read about the surprising economics of modular, programmable energy

August 2025

Catalyzing a New Energy System in the U.S.: A Capital Coordination Challenge

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An illustration of several energy sources and uses atop pebbles and coins.

Author: Giulia Siccardo

How can public, private, and philanthropic capital can be coordinated to accelerate innovation, strengthen supply chains, and position the U.S. as a leader in the global clean energy economy?

Explore the capital coordination challenge 

July 2025

Powering the Future: Platforms and the Energy Transition

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A group of five people pose for a photo in front of a wall with a blue and white geometric pattern.

Author: Cate Homicki

Energy systems are undergoing their most significant transformation since the widespread adoption of electricity over a century ago. Cutting-edge energy technologies, artificial intelligence, evolving policies, and shifting energy demands are reshaping markets domestically and globally. To effectively adapt to these changes and leverage emerging technologies, robust data management and platform solutions are critical for coordinating the complex interactions within the energy landscape.

Review the panel recap

May 2025

Energy Insecurity in the United States: Why LIHEAP is essential


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An electricity meter on a white house with firewood piled outside and dusting of snow.

Authors: Sarah Kelly, PhD and Derek Walker

In April 2025, federal staff for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) were dismissed. While imperfect, LIHEAP provides critical support for a pressing issue affecting the wellbeing of people in every state of the USA: energy insecurity.

Read the energy insecurity insights

Irving Institute Thought Leaders

Meet the voices behind Sparks & Currents — academic experts, researchers, and industry practitioners driving new ideas and shaping the conversation on the future of energy.