The Ad Hoc Gist: Defending the Grid From Wildfires

The Ad Hoc Gist: Defending the Grid From Wildfires

February 2025

Artwork by Anne Bailey of Latitude Media

While the Trump team has frozen federal climate spending and is purging federal employees working on climate policy, calling it “wasteful,” I expect that they will likely come to terms with reality on at least some key issues — even if they use different language to describe it.

That’s because the electric grid is undeniably under attack from wildfires and other forms of extreme weather. Yes, some companies and investors are backtracking from their climate commitments. But when it comes to climate risk and resilience, utilities and their rating agencies are not.

In this month’s Gist, my partner Julia Hamm shares how a new class of startups is emerging to help utilities prevent wildfires from taking down the grid. Without a reliable and resilient grid, the Trumpian goals of energy dominance and winning the AI race will prove out of reach.

In AHG news, we’re excited to bring on Rao Konidena as a Senior Advisor. If someone forwarded you this email, you can subscribe here!

Best,
Jim

Defending the Grid From Wildfires

Julia Hamm, Partner, The Ad Hoc Group

This winter's wildfires in Los Angeles have left a devastating toll: more than two dozen lives lost, thousands of homes destroyed, and nearly 40,000 acres scorched. The scenes are heartbreaking but familiar — reminiscent of the devastating fires that struck Hawaii and Texas in the past two years.

These aren't the forest fires of past decades. They're racing through urban areas and threatening homes and critical infrastructure in ways we never expected. What was once considered a Western problem has become a national crisis, with fires appearing in regions that once seemed immune.

Behind many of these fires lies a complex relationship with our power grid. The same electrical infrastructure that powers our homes can either spark devastating fires when damaged, or fall victim to fires started by other causes. It's a two-way threat that leaves communities vulnerable when they need electricity most.

This challenge has forced utilities across the country to rethink how they operate. California's utilities learned difficult lessons over the past decade, and now utilities in other states are racing to adapt those lessons before facing their own crises. Already more than 100 utilities have experienced credit rating downgrades in the past four years due to wildfire risk.

Last month, I sat down with four CEOs whose companies are developing solutions to this complex problem. Their insights reveal both the scale of the challenge and the promising ways technology is helping to address it.

Technology needs to prevent wildfires, not just manage them.

“There needs to be a much stronger focus on wildfire risk elimination, not just risk mitigation,” said Tim Barat of Gridware, capturing the industry's needed mindset shift.

For many of us, the utility poles in our neighborhoods blend into the background. We forget they are even there. These poles are the front line of defense when extreme weather hits, and new technologies are transforming them into smart, early warning systems. For example, Gridware's sensors can be installed on any utility pole in 60 seconds and immediately alert operators when something strikes a power line or equipment begins to fail. Meanwhile, companies like Treeswift are using AI to identify hazardous trees before they become problems.

There are also technologies like Pano’s AI-enabled cameras that rapidly detect smoke and alert utilities and emergency responders, allowing fires to be extinguished before they become catastrophic.

Public safety power shutoffs should be strategic and precise

Proactive power shutoffs — once seen as a California-specific tool — are now an essential part of any utility's safety toolkit to prevent power lines from igniting fires during high-risk conditions. But it’s not just about having the ability to shut off power; it’s about knowing precisely when and where to do it.

New technologies are making this precision possible. Technosylva, for instance, provides high-resolution fire weather forecasts and AI models that can predict potential fire spread, allowing utilities to make more informed decisions about preventive measures.

Utilities can't solve this by throwing money at it

Imagine installing a home security system without first understanding which doors and windows are most vulnerable. That’s the challenge utilities face — they need a strategic approach that targets investment where it is most needed to contain costs.

The key is doing thorough risk analysis to determine where to deploy the right mix of solutions: early warning systems to detect problems, strengthened equipment that can withstand fires and carefully planned power shutoff protocols for extreme conditions. Technosylva’s Bryan Spear emphasized this point, warning utilities to "be careful not to overreact by overinvesting in traditional means of grid hardening."

John Higgins of Resilient Structures — which provides utility poles that can withstand both the initial fire and the extreme conditions that follow — reinforced this view, stressing the importance of being focused and strategic about how utilities address risk and where they deploy solutions.

This strategic thinking is particularly crucial given recent developments in the financial world. Credit rating agencies may now begin to view a utility in a low-risk region without proper tools as potentially riskier than one in a high-risk area that has invested in prevention and mitigation systems.

Different regions require different levels and mix of investment

Not every utility needs to implement the same level of wildfire technology as California. Treeswift’s Steven Chen captured this reality by sharing what one utility recently said to him: "California has the platinum plan. I want the bronze plan." This tiered approach to investment makes sense — the wildfire risk in Connecticut differs from that in California.

The good news is that many of these technologies offer multiple benefits beyond just wildfire prevention. For example, Treeswift's vegetation management tools can create a "10-fold increase in field efficiency," leading to substantial operations and maintenance savings alongside reduced wildfire risk. Similarly, Resilient Structures’ fire-resistant poles also protect against hurricanes, pesky woodpeckers looking for a new home and other threats — making them a smart investment even in areas where fire risk is lower.

The challenge is difficult but solvable

Wildfires present two distinct challenges. First, preventing utility equipment from starting fires — a challenge we can largely solve with today’s technology if deployed at scale. Second, ensuring the grid can survive fires regardless of their source, which is equally important but requires different solutions.

Let’s be clear: we already have proven technologies that can address both challenges. We have sensors that can detect problems before they cause fires, AI systems that can predict fire spread and detect the first sign of smoke, and materials that can help the grid survive when fires occur. The key is getting utilities to implement solutions that match their specific needs and risks. We don't need every utility to copy California's approach. We just need them to act — and act smart. The tools are here. It's time to use them.

News from Our Network

From our clients:

  • VEIR closed a $75 million Series B, with Munich Re Ventures leading the round and participation from new investors Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, National Grid Partners, Piva Capital, and Tyche Partners.

  • TS Conductor CEO Jason Huang gave a TED talk on how we can massively upgrade the global power grid with new, advanced conductors.

  • Switched Source was featured in National Grid Partners’ latest white paper as a grid capacity and reliability tool.

  • Pano AI was highlighted by the World Economic Forum as an example of a technology designed to safeguard critical value chains.

  • Rondo Energy was featured in an EE Power article outlining energy storage solutions beyond lithium.

  • Span was named as a finalist in the Best of IBS Awards at the 2025 NAHB International Builders'​ Show in two categories — Best Home Technology Product and Best Energy Efficient Product.

  • Rhizome co-founder Rahul Dubey outlined the potential impact that the Trump team’s obstructions to NOAA could have on utilities and grid planning in Latitude Media.

 

From friends and colleagues:

  • SEIA announced an ambitious target of 700 GWh of U.S. energy storage — including 10 million distributed storage systems — by 2030.

  • Clean Power Alliance partnered with ev.energy to launch a dynamic price-based EV charging program in Los Angeles.

  • Nat Bullard released his annual mega deck on decarbonization trends. He sat down with Shayle Kann on the Catalyst podcast to talk highlights in two installments.

 

Jobs in our network: 

Send us your job openings in cleantech policy, startups, and utilities, and we'll put them in next month's Gist.

Featured Roles:

All Roles:

Find us:

  • Annie Gilleo, Jim Kapsis, James Schulte, Anjana Agarwal, Brian Kooiman, and Katherine Cunningham will be attending the NARUC Winter Policy Summit in Washington, DC February 23-26.

 

Posted in The Gist