Our grid is vulnerable to disruption and even failure. Wildfires, floods, and more frequent extreme weather events routinely highlight the imperative of adding distributed energy not just for resiliency, but to reach our climate goals.But incumbents, purposefully or not, are delaying the transition. And markets still don't fully value the qualities of distributed energy resources. Will we come to embrace DER's myriad benefits before it's too late?Episode 34 of the Factor This! podcast features Tim Hade, the co-founder and COO of Scale Microgrid Solutions.This wide-ranging conversation covered the role of distributed energy for the grid of the future, the perils of scaling a climate tech hardware company, and what's holding back the Inflation Reduction Act.Hade shared how his time in the military mobilized him to fight climate change, why he's so optimistic that DERs will one day breakthrough, and his five tips for anyone starting a clean energy company. Spoiler alert: get smart on tax equity. Or find someone who is.That's all next on Factor This!Factor This!  is produced by Renewable Energy World and Clarion Energy. Connect with John Engel, the host of Factor This!, on LinkedIn and Twitter.We're just a few weeks out from the GridTECH Connect Forum being held in Newport Rhode, Island Oct. 23-25. Register today using promo code PODCAST at checkout to save 20% off admission. Join host developer Nexamp, and host utilities National Grid and Rhode Island Energy, for this groundbreaking event hyper-focused on DER interconnection in the Northeast.  You've heard me talk a lot about the GridTECH Connect Forum - Northeast event being held in Newport, Rhode Island Oct. 23-25. Well, registration is now LIVE. We're excited to partner with the DOE to bring together DER developers, utilities, and regulators around the critical issue of interconnection in the Northeast. Click here to register today.  The Factor This!  podcast is growing! We're adding a weekly climate and clean energy news roundup episode to the feed, co-hosted by John Engel and cleantech PR veteran Mike Casey.  Beginning July 21, "This Week in Cleantech" will give you all of the top stories in 15 minutes or less, and feature a leading journalist or market analyst to share the juice behind the headlines. Email story ideas and topics to ThisWeekinCleantech@tigercomm.us.