Experts Only

Latest Episodes:

# 135: Understand The Battle over Energy Affordability with the former Secretary of Energy Feb 20, 2026

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On the podcast Experts Only, host Jon Powers interviews Jennifer Granholm, former Michigan Governor and U.S. Secretary of Energy, about her journey from civil rights law to political leadership focused on job creation and clean energy innovation. She discusses her efforts to transition Michigan’s automotive sector toward clean energy and her later work in the federal government to strengthen U.S. clean energy manufacturing. Granholm emphasizes the importance of federal policy in competing globally—especially with China—and highlights the Inflation Reduction Act’s role in spurring a wave of new clean energy factories across the U.S. She also addresses challenges around electricity pricing, rising demand from data centers, and the need for regulatory reforms that incentivize utilities to prioritize efficiency. Closing the conversation, Granholm reflects on leadership and the importance of fighting for policies that advance affordability, innovation, and long-term clean energy progress.

#124: with Kelly Worden, Expert in Investing in Healthy Sustainable Buildings Jan 31, 2024

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Thank you for being on the show, Kelly Worden, VP, ESG and Investing for Health at IWBI! Kelly and our host Jon Powers dive into the world of ESG and healthy buildings, a space in which Kelly is an expert. Tune into have a better understanding of the connection between public health and our buildings, as well as the emergence of ESG, and how we measure those things -- both at the portfolio level for investors and the building level so people can demand better buildings to work in. The progress that we are making in this space is important for all of us. Thank you for tuning in!

#120: LIVE from RE+ 2023 with Jigar Shah Sep 27, 2023

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Welcome back to the show, Jigar Shah, Director, DOE Loan Programs Office. You've heard from Jigar, a commercial financing expert, before in Experts Only Podcast #104. Now, hear from him LIVE at RE+ with Experts Only host Jon Powers. "This recording took place at the PowerUp Live Podcast Stage at RE+ Las Vegas in 2023. PowerUp Live is where attendees can top-up on all things energy, featuring interviews with clean energy experts and conversations with podcasters around the industry. - SunCast Media" Thank you for tuning in!

Experts Only Podcast #106 with Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Expert Rob Diamond Feb 15, 2022

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Welcome Robert Diamond, Partner, Capitol Counsel, LLC, to Experts Only Podcast. Rob joined his longtime friend and our host, Jon Powers, for an in-depth conversation on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which was signed into law last year. During this episode, Rob, who leads the agency's infrastructure practice, explains the opportunities clean energy and climate companies have to access the $1.2 Trillion, and how they can take part in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Thanks for listening!

Experts Only Podcast #95: Understanding Cyber Threats with Cyber Security Expert Richard Hummel Jul 27, 2021

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Welcome Richard Hummel, Manager, Threat Research at Arbor Networks, the security division of NETSCOUT, to Experts Only Podcast. Hear from a #cybersecurity expert as he joins host Jon Powers to discuss #cyberthreats and #cyberattack prevention in the #energy industry. Tune in for this alarming–but important–discussion.

Episode 73: Greg Wetstone Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

This week’s guest is Greg Wetstone, President and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). ACORE is a national non-profit organization that unites finance, policy, and technology to accelerate the transition to a renewable energy economy. Previous to ACORE, Greg served as Vice President for Terra-Gen Power LLC; Senior Director for Government and Public Affairs at AWEA; and Director of Programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council. This episode focuses on ACORE’s annual report: ‘Expectations for Renewable Energy Finance in 2020-2023’. ACORE surveyed prominent renewable energy investors and developers to hear their thoughts on the future for renewable finance, as we are experiencing the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The episode also discusses progress toward ACORE’s goal of $1 trillion in private sector investment in renewable technologies by 2030.

Episode 60: Dr. Michael E. Mann Jan 13, 2020

Show notes

In the first Experts Only episode of the new decade, Jon sits down with renowned climate scientist Dr. Michael E. Mann. Dr. Mann is Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science at Penn State and director of the Penn State Earth System Science Center. His research involves the use of theoretical models and observational data to better understand Earth's climate system, and his conclusions have put him at the epicenter of the climate movement. Dr. Mann is the author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and four books, including: 'The Hockey Stick', 'Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines', 'The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening our Planet', and the children’s book 'The Tantrum that Saved the World'. He is also the co-founder of the award winning science website RealClimate.org. For more on Dr. Mann, visit michaelmann.net.

Andrea Luecke, President & Executive Director, The Solar Foundation May 22, 2019

Show notes

This week we're speaking with Andrea Luecke, President and Executive Director of the Solar Foundation. Andrea started out as the sole employee for The Solar Foundation in 2010 and has since expanded the organization from a shoe-string budget to a multi-million dollar set of programs dedicated to advancing solar energy growth. Prior to The Solar Foundation, Andrea ran the City of Milwaukee’s Department of Energy Solar America Cities program, “Milwaukee Shines,” implementing policies aimed at increasing solar energy capacity. For more about The Solar Foundation, visit https://www.thesolarfoundation.org/.

Amory Lovins, Co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Jul 09, 2018

Show notes

In today’s episode, Jon Powers sits down with Amory Lovins, the co-founder, Chief Scientist, as well as the Chairman Emeritus, of the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI). Amory is a leading innovator on energy and environmental issues. Time has named him one of the world’s 100 most influential people, and Foreign Policy named one of the 100 top global thinkers. His current work explores how to make integrative design the new normal, so investments to energy efficiency can yield expanding rather than diminishing returns. If you’re unfamiliar with RMI, it is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organization that engages businesses, communities and institutions, as well as entrepreneurs to accelerate the adoption of market based solutions to help us shift from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and renewables. Today’s fascinating conversation covers a variety of topics from the start of Amory’s career, the founding of RMI and what's currently happening internationally India and China. It’s a little bit longer than our normal episode, but we hope you enjoy it as much as we did! Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Learn more about Rocky Mountain Institute here: https://rmi.org/, follow on Twitter: @RockyMtnInst @AmoryLovins

Roger Ballentine, President Green Strategies, Inc. Nov 20, 2017

Show notes

Join us as we speak with Roger Ballentine, President of Green Strategies and former Chairman of the White House Climate Change Task Force and Deputy Assistant to the President for Environmental Initiatives in the Clinton Administration. We discuss how the private sector can help solve the problem of climate change by driving economic innovation and economic growth. Roger is a seasoned energy expert, working in various capacities including sustainability, energy markets, and finance. Join us this week to learn from Roger’s work at the forefront of the climate change and sustainability movement. Experts Only is made possible by CleanCapital. Learn more: http://www.cleancapital.com Follow on Twitter: @CleanCapital_ Connect with Roger on twitter via @RBallentine and http://www.greenstrategies.com/

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