CleanTech Talk — Solar, Batteries, EVs, AI

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Offshore Wind Power's Big Benefits Jun 06, 2025

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Offshore wind power has been slower to mature than solar power or onshore wind power, but it offers some big benefits. Its upfront costs may be higher, but the value it offers is immense, and there's also much potential for bringing down utility electricity costs. Susan Muller, a Senior Energy Analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Zach Shahan, CEO of CleanTechnica, talk much further about these benefits. Enjoy!

Europe & World EV Sales Reports, + Potential Tesla Sales Crises May 07, 2025

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CleanTechnica's Jose Pontes and Zachary Shahan talk EV sales trends in Europe, the US, China, and the world as a whole. In particular, they spend a lot of time talking about BYD's growing leadership, Volkswagen Group's fresh rise in the EV market, and Tesla's sales trend, business approach, and potential crises around the world.

V2X in Northern California Looks Like the Future Apr 20, 2025

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GM Energy’s Chief Revenue Officer, Aseem Kapur, and Director of Clean Energy Transportation at PG&E Lydia Krefta join CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan to discuss a new Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) pilot program eligible to GM EV owners in Northern California. GM EV owners in the region can now enroll and get up to $4,500 in incentives to unlock the power of bidirectional charging. That means their GM electric vehicle can supply energy back to their home, or eventually even to the grid.

2000V: Solar Odyssey — How and why the industry is moving towards 2000V systems Mar 23, 2025

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Brian Nelson, ABB’s Renewables Segment Leader in the United States, sits down with CleanTechnica's Scott Cooney to discuss the ins and outs of innovation accelerating the solar economy, the timeline for the next leap forward, and what it means for end-users, utilities, developers, and EPCs.

25 Years of Renewable Energy, & Carbon Capture & Storage is a Scam Feb 24, 2025

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Mark Z. Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and author of seven books, including “No Miracles Needed,” talks with CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan about renewable energy development over the last 25 years as well as how and why carbon capture & storage is a scam.

Read more here: https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/19/we-need-to-keep-our-eye-on-the-ball-to-save-the-planet/

What does a Trump 2025 presidency mean for the future of renewables and EVs in the United States? Jan 13, 2025

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In this episode, the co-founder and CEO of Climatize, Will Wiseman discusses how Climatize is helping everyday Americans fund solar, energy efficiency, and EV projects via their platform while allowing investors to earn up to 10% annually. Will also discusses what a Trump 2025 presidency means for the United States in terms of renewable energy investments and infrastructure.

Founded in 2023, Climatize is an SEC-registered impact investing platform that allows investors to fund renewable energy projects while earning up to 10% annually. Climatize has helped to fund millions of dollars worth of solar projects across the United States. Climatize works with dozens of renewable energy developers across the United States to source projects for its platform. Climatize’s investing platform allows any investor in the United States over the age of 18 to invest in renewable energy projects. Climatize was a finalist in Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas list for both the Company of the Year and Impact Investing categories. Climatize is also a 2024 Keeling Curve Prize winner. For more information about Climatize please visit www.climatize.earth/.

During the course of his 10+ years in the industry, Will has had a hand in every function of the solar energy business including, but not limited to finance, project management & construction where he built 15 solar arrays. He holds two MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering from KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology. Will Wiseman and his co-founder, Alba Forns, are 2023 Forbes 30 under 30 recipients.

Plastic Alternatives: Bio-Based Plastics and Scaling Innovation Jan 09, 2025

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In this episode, we delve into the world of alternative plastics. As plastic usage continues to rise, against a backdrop of climate change and the need to reduce emissions and waste across the globe, there is a desperate and time-sensitive need to scale plastics that don’t cost the earth. Lignin Industries is a Swedish-founded company that has done just that, having developed a new bio-plastic from lignin, the second most abundant organic material on Earth. CEO Fredrik Malmfors is this week’s guest.

Fredrik Malmfors joined Lignin Industries in April 2023. His background includes 17 years at Accenture, over two spells. His final position at Accenture was leading their Nordic supply chain work. Malmfors' time at Accenture was punctuated by several years at Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen (agriculture, machinery, bioenergy and food products in 20+ markets) in senior leadership positions.

Past, Present, & Future of Renewable Energy Technology & Data Dec 19, 2024

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CleanTechnica sits down with LandGate CEO & co-founder Yoann Hispa to discuss the past, present, and future of renewable energy technology and data.

Yoann Hispa is CEO and co-founder of LandGate, a leading ClimateTech and PropTech company. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of Engineering at Ruspetro, and led the engineering and drilling operations for a Private Equity’s mineral acquisitions which successfully divested for a 3x. Yoann has 19 years of experience in the energy and carbon industry in various technical and leadership roles. He has been an Instructor of Energy Land Resources at UT-Austin and at the Realtors Land Institute for several years. Yoann holds an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado, an MS in Geosystems Eng. from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Geomechanics from the University of Birmingham (UK), an MSc in Civil Engineering from ESTP (Paris, France), and a BS equivalent in Math/Physics.

What Happens Now with Clean Energy, EVs, and US Economy? Dec 01, 2024

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In this episode of CleanTech Talk, Scott Cooney and Zach Shahan discuss the current state of climate action, reflecting on past US clean energy and EV policies from Obama and Biden, discuss some of the achievements of the Biden administration, and look into the implications of the recent US presidential election and challenges ahead. They explore the impact of local politics on climate initiatives, the role of complacency in political engagement, and the future of electric vehicle adoption in the US.

The conversation also touches on global trends in renewable energy and the influence of fossil fuel companies on climate policy — globally and in the US. Scott and Zach delve into the complexities of climate change a little bit, the illusion of technological solutions and geoengineering, and the geopolitical implications of Donald Trump being elected ... twice.

They also discuss the evolution of Elon Musk's thinking, influence, and involvement in political narratives, particularly regarding climate issues. The conversation culminates in a critical examination of Musk's transformation from a cleantech leader to a far-right political influencer, highlighting the challenges and responsibilities of influential leaders in addressing climate change.

Why Level 1 EV Charging Is Critical Nov 05, 2024

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Phillip Kobernick, Associate Director of Energy Programs at Peninsula Clean Energy, and Zach Shahan, CEO of CleanTechnica, talk about why Level 1 EV charging is king, and why it's critical for California to achieve its EV charging goals. Phillip and Zach also talked about other matters, such as building codes, the duck curve, and Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs).

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