Jeff Waters is always looking for a challenge. He thrives on chasing growth and the rush that comes by solving hard problems. And a maturing market often signals the need for a fresh start.

So it may come as no surprise that Waters found his way to battery storage, and one of its darlings, Oregon-based Powin Energy. The company, with 3 GWh of assets in operation, and another 12 GWh in production, is steadily separating itself from a pack of would-be contenders.

Waters got his start in semiconductors and later led solar module manufacturer Maxeon in its spinoff from SunPower into public markets. Only a few months into his new role as Powin's CEO, he's already positioning the company to be "IPO ready" for the time when the right opportunity arises. And it could be soon.

On Episode 68 of the Factor This! podcast, Waters highlights opportunities ahead for battery storage, weighs in on concerns of market saturation, and discusses a potential IPO timeline.

That's all next on Factor This!