Riding the wave of clean energy: How Sila’s Gene Berdichevsky built a next-generation battery powerhouse
Sila raised its first funding in September 2011 – the same month solar power producer Solyndra went bankrupt, shaming the sustainability sector.
But the California-based startup that developed high-efficiency battery materials didn’t connect, and eventually the batteries began to take off as EV sales and concerns about a lack of domestic battery production grew rapidly in the US.
Last fall, Sila began production in Moses Lake, Wash., at the first automotive-scale, silicon-anode plant for the company and the nation.
“With something like this, you just keep going out,” said Gene Berdichevsky, Sila’s chief executive officer and co-founder. “And you ride the waves.”
Read on to learn more about Berdichevsky’s journey to sustainability. His quotes have been edited for clarity and length.
When did you realize you had to work hard?
My freshman year, I found the Stanford Solar Car team. We were a student-run team, and the team built a solar-powered electric car for a 2,300-mile race from Chicago to LA, and I started participating. There was very little adult supervision, lots of students. And I fell in love with power, like all power. It is actually at the foundation of civilization. And what was really interesting to me was that it felt like there was still so much opportunity to make an even better power system.
What makes you most optimistic about the planet?
Human ingenuity and the possibilities of science and technology to solve impossible problems. It was not long ago that the world was faced with the choice between depopulation or starvation, as it was thought that the world did not have enough food resources for several billion people. But botany solved it. The same can be said as we face energy challenges today – and I believe that material science can solve them.
What worries you most when it comes to climate change?
You cannot cut your way to solving climate change, however that is often the temptation and rhetoric. The only way we will solve climate change is to use scientific breakthroughs, technology, and market forces to make the clean choice the best, most cost-effective option.
What is the biggest misconception about building an energy company?
Ultimately, there is no such thing as a multi-billion dollar energy company. If you’re starting an energy company from scratch, you have to understand what it takes to be successful at a $10 billion or $100 billion scale and stay focused for the long term because that’s the minimum threshold to impact the energy world – and nothing small will survive.
What’s one habit you’ve personally changed because of sustainability concerns?
Nothing. I drive an EV because it’s a lot of fun to drive – but it happens to be clean. When I travel internationally, I try to fly 787s because they are designed for passenger comfort – and they are very efficient. When I travel in big cities, I take the metro because it’s faster. Let’s make the clean option better.
Coffee with any power leader, past or present – who do you prefer?
Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse. Scientist and entrepreneur responsible for changing our world and making electricity flow freely like water in our lives. While Thomas Edison was a powerful businessman, Tesla was ahead of his time, and his partnership with Westinghouse created a competition with Edison that changed our world.
What impact do you hope your work will have in 20 years?
A better energy base for the world. Oil, coal, and gas have created great prosperity and changed our society for the better in the 20th century. But an even better, sustainable, low-cost, and clean energy base is possible with batteries, geothermal, and renewables. That is the path to greater success in the 21st century world – and it requires innovation, commercialization, and incredible scale. My hope is that Sila plays an important role in that power base.
