Adile Ajaja with EVLO Energy Storage

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTech 2025 and talking to Adile Ajaja, Director of Digital Technology at EVLO Energy about “Securing Energy Storage”.

Scott MacKenzie hosts an industrial podcast featuring Adile, an electrical engineer and expert in grid-scale energy storage systems. Adil discusses his background with Hydro Quebec and the evolution of his company, EVLO, which focuses on innovative and cost-efficient energy solutions. They delve into the importance of cybersecurity in energy systems, emphasizing a life-cycle approach to protect against attacks and failures. Adile highlights the challenges of integrating legacy systems with modern cybersecurity measures, as well as the increasing demand for power due to data centers and AI processing. He also touches on Hydro Quebec’s strategies to manage this demand through efficiency and renewable energy sources.

Sandy Carielli with Forrester Research

Industrial Talk is talking to Sandy Carielli, Vice President at Forrester Research about “Quantum Computing Cybersecurity”.

Scott Mackenzie and Sandy Carielli discuss the implications of quantum computing on cybersecurity. Quantum computers could potentially break today’s public key cryptography, compromising data security. Carielli highlights the importance of transitioning to new, quantum-resistant algorithms, such as those developed by NIST. She emphasizes the urgency for organizations, especially government agencies and financial institutions, to start this migration process. Carielli also warns of the “harvest now, decrypt later” attack scenario, where data is intercepted today and decrypted later with a future quantum computer. The conversation underscores the need for proactive measures to ensure digital trust and security.

Brian Baker with Sentry Equipment

Industrial Talk is talking to Brian Baker, President and CEO of Sentry Equipment about “Achieving manufacturing excellence with high employee satisfaction”.

Scott Mackenzie interviews Brian Baker, CEO of Sentry Equipment, highlighting the company’s 100-year history and its role in power generation and water sampling. Baker discusses Sentry’s evolution from supporting dairy boilers to power plants and other industries, emphasizing the importance of low-cost energy, a skilled workforce, advanced technology, and the U.S. being the largest market. He also explains Sentry’s transition to employee ownership in 1986, which has motivated employees and improved customer service. Baker advocates for employee ownership as a fair and effective transition strategy for business owners.

Allan Schurr with Enchanted Rock

Industrial Talk is onsite at DistribuTech 2025 and talking to Allan Schurr, Chief Commercial Officer at Enchanted Rock about “Microgrids and onsite generation”.

Scott MacKenzie interviews Allan Schurr, Chief Commercial Officer at Enchanted Rock, about their on-site generation solutions using natural gas reciprocating engines. Enchanted Rock provides backup power for data centers and other industrial customers, offering services to the grid when needed. They have 370 microgrid sites and 2,000 generators, with the largest sites having over 100 generators. Schurr discusses the benefits of natural gas over diesel, the importance of proactive maintenance using data analytics, and the potential for nuclear power in the future. Enchanted Rock is vertically integrated, handling EPC, manufacturing, O&M, and market-facing work.

Dilraj Kahai and Eric Shufelt with 21Tech

Industrial Talk is onsite at Hexagon LIVE and talking to Dilraj Kahai and Eric Shufelt with 21Tech about “Data is gold and key to success”.

Scott Mackenzie hosts an industrial podcast featuring Dilraj and Eric from 21 Tech, discussing asset management and AI solutions. They highlight the challenges of integrating AI into asset management due to incomplete and dirty data. 21 Tech’s approach involves developing AI point solutions to automate processes and clean data incrementally, making it more manageable for clients. They focus on public sector industries like transit, utilities, and public works, offering pre-built solutions to expand market reach. Eric Shufelt emphasizes the importance of understanding client needs and processes to ensure successful implementations and continuous improvement of systems.