Inevitable

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**Inevitable**

Weekly conversations with people powering the world and keeping it running, to learn what comes next. Hosted by Cody Simms. Produced by Override Ventures.

Latest Episodes:

Ep 101: Brenden Millstein, Co-Founder & CEO of Carbon Lighthouse Apr 27, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

Carbon Lighthouse, its business, vision and clientele
The genesis of the company
The opportunity of improving energy efficiency
The early challenges of driving sales
Carbon Lighthouse’s non-profit arm
The substantial role commercial buildings play in emitting GHG
Misaligned incentives of the many stakeholders involved
Factors that led to a tipping point in the sales challenge
What is HVAC optimization
How Carbon Lighthouse uses software to optimize commercial HVAC systems
Value and savings delivered to commercial buildings
Carbon Lighthouse’s customer profile
How landlord adoption is a continuing obstacle
Carbon Lighthouse’s financing, operational expenses and costs
Brenden’s views on utility-level policies to reduce emissions
Brenden’s thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it relates to climate change

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Carbon Lighthouse: https://www.carbonlighthouse.com/
Carbon Lighthouse Association (non-profit arm): https://www.carbonlighthouse.org/
“Spaghetti diagram” of energy use: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov/index.html
Green Building Initiative: https://thegbi.org/

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 100: Bill Brady, Co-Founder & CEO of Kula Bio Apr 20, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

What is Kula Bio, its mission, and what it has developed
The importance of nitrogen as an ingredient in fertilizer and agriculture
The drawbacks and consequences of the Haber-Bosch process
Kula Bio’s unique fertilizer and how it addresses carbon emissions
The microbial process of developing the proprietary fertilizer
Profile of customers, to which Kula Bio is catering
Kula Bio’s value proposition to farmers
Benefits of organic nitrogen-based fertilizer vs. synthetic
Origins of Kula Bio’s technology in the Harvard Labs
Kula Bio’s commercial traction and milestones
The adjacent opportunities and long-term vision of the company
Bill’s perspective on scaling and financing Kula Bio
Insights and learnings derived from speaking with hundreds of farmers
The impact on climate change of Kula Bio’s technology
Bill’s reflection on his long-career as an entrepreneur and operator
Bill’s view on making impact vs. profits
How the economic viability of a climate solution is critical
Why impact is an important motivation for entrepreneurs
Bill’s retrospective on “Cleantech 1.0” and where it stumbled
The role of family offices as a source of long-term financing for clean tech ventures
How investor attention now focuses on specific milestones and pragmatic considerations
The importance of education and the need to improve STEM as a solution to address climate change
Bill’s perspective on nuclear as an important solution that should be scaled
Bill’s recommendation on finding purpose-driven opportunities, regardless of your background or stage of life

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Kula Bio: https://www.kulabio.com/
Haber-Bosch Process: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haber_process
Carbon sequestration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_sequestration
Prof. Dan Nocera of Harvard: https://chemistry.harvard.edu/people/daniel-g-nocera
Samuel Bodman, CEO of Cabot Corporation and former Energy Secretary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Bodman

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 99: Anne Simpson, Director of Board Governance & Strategy at CalPERS Apr 16, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

What is CalPERS, its origins and its mission?
How its priorities and concerns about climate change is rooted in its fiduciary responsibility to pensioners current and future
Anne’s career at CalPERS and early work focusing on corporate governance
What CalPERS learned from the 2008 financial crisis and how it informs its perspective and priorities regarding climate change
CalPERS’ ten “Pension Beliefs” that define its investment strategy
How being a longterm investor is both an advantage and a responsibility
Avoiding the curse of short-termism and how simply following the money isn’t sufficient
How CalPERS views types of capital beyond the financial
How Anne developed a strategy for sustainable investment
CalPERS’ top three sustainability factors (diversity & inclusion, demographics and climate change)
The role CalPERS plays as a climate change advocate
How it leverages its shareholder position to influence companies to be in accord with The Paris Agreement
Research done to better understand the portfolio’s contributions to emissions
Work performed to assess climate-risk among CalPERS’ assets
The fund’s emissions commitments over the next thirty years
The double-edged sword of divesting from companies not meeting climate goals

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

CalPERS: https://www.calpers.ca.gov/
CalPERS Pension Beliefs: https://www.calpers.ca.gov/docs/board-agendas/201702/pension/item7-01.pdf
Climate Action 100+: http://www.climateaction100.org/
The Investor Agenda: https://theinvestoragenda.org/

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

Connect with Override:

*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 98: Ken Caldeira, Atmospheric Scientist at the Carnegie Institution Apr 13, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

Ken’s journey from making money on Wall Street to making meaning as a scientist
The perceived “information deficit” problem in public policy
How Ken distinguishes his role as a concerned citizen from his work as a scientist
How getting past social identities is a major challenge to effecting change
Bill Gates’ support and patronage of Ken’s work
The various climate change research, pursued by Ken’s post-doc graduate students
The prospect and viability of a 100% renewable energy model
Bill Gates’ notion of a “green premium”
Carbon pricing solutions
The problem of split-incentives
The viability of geoengineering as a solution
The need to reframe the problem and solutions to make it palatable for social acceptance

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Caldeira Lab at the Carnegie Institution: https://carnegieenergyinnovation.org/
Steve Schneider: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Schneider
The Charney Report (1979): https://www.bnl.gov/envsci/schwartz/charney_report1979.pdf
Manoela Romano De Orte: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/mromano
David Koweek: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/dkoweek
Yixuan Zheng: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/yxzheng
Enrico Antonini: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/eantonini
Candise Henry: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/chenry
Rebecca Peer: https://dge.carnegiescience.edu/people/rpeer
Variable renewable energy source (“Intermittency”): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_renewable_energy
Prof. Mark Jacobson: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Z._Jacobson
Advanced Research Projects Agency: https://arpa-e.energy.gov/

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 97: Kurt House, Co-Founder & CEO of KoBold Metals Apr 09, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

KoBold’s team and its business
Why cobalt is known as the “goblin metal”
The collaboration of software engineering, data science and mineral exploration at KoBold
KoBold’s “machine prospector”
Kurt’s journey to taking action on climate change
Why cobalt makes for a good ingredient in batteries
Why cobalt is known as the “blood diamond of metals”
KoBold’s technology and the “messy data problem”
KoBold’s business model
Investment from Equinor and reconciling working with an oil and gas company

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

KoBold Metals: https://www.koboldmetals.com/
Connie Chan’s announcement of Andreessen Horowitz’ investment: https://a16z.com/2019/03/04/kobold-metals/
Equinor: https://www.equinor.com/en.html

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

Connect with Override:

*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 96: Elizabeth Muller, Co-Founder & CEO of Deep Isolation Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

What is Deep Isolation and how it’s addressing the issue of nuclear waste disposal
The half-a-century history of nuclear waste
Genesis of Deep Isolation and Elizabeth’s earlier work founding Berkeley Earth
Directional drilling as a solution for long-term storage of nuclear waste
Partnerships with communities
Pollution studies performed by Berkeley Earth
The opportunity of using impermeable rock
The importance of being able to retrieve waste stored in drill-holes
How the issue of consent by a community underpins the solution
The pros and cons of Yucca Mountain as a long-term storage plan
Partnership with Bechtel
How it serves governments and utilities differently
The gamut of storage solutions used globally
Stages of going to market
Deep Isolation’s funding to date and sources of capital
Where it sees opportunities in terms of future financial partners
Stakeholders in the nuclear waste space
Engagement with environmental groups

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

Deep Isolation: https://www.deepisolation.com/
Berkeley Earth: http://berkeleyearth.org/
Directional drilling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directional_drilling
Borehole disposal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_borehole_disposal
Yucca Mountain: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca_Mountain_nuclear_waste_repository
Bechtel: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechtel

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

Connect with Override:

*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 95: Jacqueline Patterson, Senior Director of Environmental & Climate Justice Program at the NAACP Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

The NAACP, its history and mission
Why climate is integral to promoting civil justice and equity
Climate change’s disproportionate impact on communities of color
Examples of how the NAACP is taking action from a climate perspective
Jacqueline’s journey that led her to climate justice
Her role at the NAACP in addressing climate issues that affect vulnerable groups
The intersectionality of the issues posed by climate change
NAACP’s climate priorities

Links to topics discussed in this episode:

NAACP’s Environmental & Climate Justice Program: https://www.naacp.org/issues/environmental-justice/
“Waxman Markey Bill”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Clean_Energy_and_Security_Act
Cancer Alley: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Alley
Democracy Initiative: http://www.democracyinitiative.org/
Democracy Collaborative: https://democracycollaborative.org/
Move To Amend: http://www.movetoamend.org/
Citizens United: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_United_v._FEC

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

Connect with Override:

*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 94: Robyn Beavers, Co-Founder & CEO of Blueprint Power Mar 30, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

What is Blueprint Power and how its unique business model works
Who’s its customers and what is their need
How her early-career at Google was a springboard into a career in energy
The genesis and inspiration behind Blueprint Power
The current state of the renewable energy sector
The role of the energy grid and its stakeholders
How Robyn initially validated market demand for Blueprint Power
Blueprint’s current geographic footprint and market focus
How recent regulatory developments have served as a tailwind for the business
The perspective of executives at commercial property firms with respect to renewable energy
The current role of incumbent utility companies
Blueprint’s customer traction to date
The contributions Blueprint is making in combatting climate change
The challenges and evolution of raising venture capital as an energy startup
Squaring both impact and profit motives
Aspects of Blueprint’s business that appealed to traditional VCs
How Robyn sees a significant opportunity in clean water
How regulatory speed remains one of the biggest bottlenecks
Robyn’s thoughts on those seeking to transition their career to the climate space

Enjoyed this episode? Please leave us a review! Share feedback or suggest future topics and guests at info@ovr.vc.

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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant

Ep 93: Naomi Oreskes, Professor of the History of Science at Harvard University Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

In today’s episode, we cover:

Her journey from Geologist to Historian of Science
The genesis of her climate change awakening
What led to her seminal book on climate change, “Merchants of Doubt”
How the science showing fossil fuels impact on climate change go way backHer work inspiring the movie, "An Inconvenient Truth"
The foundational work of Prof. Ben Santer, proving climate change
How the fossil fuel industry led a disinformation campaign, intent on discrediting climate scientists
Her views on how the fossil fuel industry is not a reliable partner in combatting climate change in this day
Why science should be trusted by the public
The significance of consensus in science
Remaining topics of climate change debate within the scientific community
How public policy changes is not in the domain of science
How the challenges with climate change are not within the science or technology but within policy and politics
Why nuclear is not a viable solution to climate change

Links to topics discussed in this episode: