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Jeffrey Straubel

Independent Director, Tesla

Search every verified Jeffrey Straubel interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. JB Straubel, founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, discussed the company's expansion from battery recycling into battery remanufacturing and grid-scale energy systems during a September 2026 Axios event. He described deploying large-scale battery arrays capable of powering loads for eight to twelve hours and noted growing interest in microgrids and off-grid power for data centers and other large energy users facing multi-year grid connection delays. Straubel said the grid's spare capacity and flexibility have diminished, making expansion politically and technologically challenging. Straubel also reflected on lessons from his time at Tesla, crediting a clear mission with helping the company navigate difficult periods. He expressed optimism about energy decarbonization, citing significant declines in solar and battery prices, and predicted that utilities would eventually view distributed energy resources as opportunities to strengthen the grid rather than threats.

Recent appearances

Notable quotes

“I'm gaining even more appreciation for just the complexities of trying to expand the grid as quick as it's going. I think a lot of them are in different parts of that. They're trying to connect. They're trying to build data centers. They're trying to build loads or build generation and I feel like the spare easy capacity or the flexibility is kind of gone and now we're into the hard part of it and it's politically ha”

“Part of what we focus on at Redwood today are deploying these battery systems in very large scale arrays, long durations where we can power loads for eight, nine, even 12 hours. And you know, this was kind of a crazy idea. Even just a year ago, not many people were open to considering micro grids or doing off-grid large industrial loads or data centers. But today, given so many pressures, the delays to connect to the”

“Battery recycling is likely to be regionalized due to the hazards and difficulties in transporting batteries long distances, which is a benefit because raw materials tend to stay within the region of consumption, helping bootstrap domestic supply chains.”

“I am optimistic that over time we will shift to a more recycled ecosystem for materials fueling the energy and battery sectors, eventually recovering 95 to 98% of these materials, powered by renewable energy and reducing the need for mining.”

“Today, Redwood recycles almost 70 to 75% of all lithium-ion batteries in the US and is the second largest nickel and lithium supplier in the country from recycled materials, often displacing what would have come from mining.”

“Redwood's mission is to invent and implement a circular economy for lithium-ion batteries, focusing on recycling, reuse, refining, and remanufacturing to close the loop on critical materials like nickel, lithium, copper, and cobalt, which are nearly infinitely reusable within batteries.”

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