Looking to understand the fast-changing world of energy? This isn’t your ordinary energy business show. Every week, we debate and discuss the latest trends in energy, cleantech, renewables, and the environment. Join us as we explore the forces transforming energy markets in America and around the world.
In a year when clean energy and clean vehicle jobs were supposed to increase by some 175,000, we are down by half a million jobs.
We will tell you why, and explain the numbers. What will reverse the decline?
Then: Did New Jersey just pass the most sweeping environmental justice law in the country? The new law will mean big changes for industrial sites -- and the neighborhoods that often feel their worst impacts.
And last: What about all that nice, flat water in hydropower reservoirs? Could we float solar panels on it? The Department of Energy says we could. And it would actually produce massive amounts of electricity.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
Manish Hebbar architects billions of dollars worth of equity and debt deals in clean energy.
He’s able to stay methodical and calm in the middle of deals that are very stressful, involving multiple buyers and counter-parties.
“M&A transactions are those types of deals, where it's a fast-paced environment, every minute and every hour matters. It's really about who can stay the course and work through each round of progression.”
That skill goes back to his time as a Lieutenant in the Navy. It’s also influenced by his experience evaluating risk at Citibank during the height of the 2008 financial crisis.
Today, Manish is a managing director at CohnReznick Capital. He’s brokering some of clean energy’s biggest mergers and acquisitions -- like an 800-plus megawatt portfolio of wind projects in the U.S. and Canada in 2019.
In this special episode, produced in collaboration with CohnReznick Capital, we’ll hear how Manish used his experience in the military and financial risk to find his way into the fast-paced world of clean energy.
CohnReznick builds relationships, closes deals, and helps clean energy companies excel. Learn more about how people like Manish can help you work through some of the most complicated transactions in energy.
What does it mean when the world’s largest generator of wind and solar outpaces the most iconic oil company in market value? We’re talking about NextEra Energy and ExxonMobil. What does the flip tell us about the energy transition?
Plus, reporters at Bloomberg got their hands on documents that show ExxonMobil plans to pretty significantly ramp up emissions in the coming years. Is this the planet’s most recalcitrant company?
Then, the flattening of hydrocarbon growth will change global political power. But do we really know how yet? We’ll discuss a new piece from Jason Bordoff about the surprising geopolitics of energy.
Lastly, a lot of manufacturing relies on very high heat. Are there ways to reach those temperatures cleanly? We’ll look at some new developments in the steel industry.
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
China, the country currently pouring the most carbon into the atmosphere, is making a promise to get to zero emissions – 40 years from now. Is it a breakthrough? Or is it a plan to keep burning coal? Is it both? We’ll hash it out.
Then, the Governor of California wants to stop selling any new cars that run on gasoline – in 15 years. It’s ambitious, can it be done? Is it legal? What will that take?
And last, a flurry of serious commitments from top American brands – Walmart, Google, Apple. Each of them is super challenging for a different reason. But also groundbreaking. We’ll dig in.
Resources:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
Does the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg mean the future of federal climate policy is in jeopardy? What will a changed Supreme Court mean for climate change, and for the all-important endangerment finding? The Gang weighs in.
Then, the great plastic cover-up. How important are plastics to the profits of fossil fuel companies? We dive into an important investigation from NPR and Frontline into how fossil fuel companies hoodwinked the public on plastics recycling.
Then last, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is out with an important and long-awaited policy that opens the door for all types of distributed energy – hot water heaters, batteries, rooftop solar, electric cars – to feed energy into the grid in the aggregate. Are we finally there?
Recommended reading, viewing:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Michael Liebreich.
You may know Liebreich as the brain behind New Energy Finance, which was sold to Bloomberg in 2009.
But before that company, Leibreich started a ski-based travel startup and invested in a portfolio of companies that lost 90 percent of their value in the dot-com bust.
After that, he was "unemployable." But he used a team of interns to begin compiling data on clean energy investment. in this episode, he tells the story of how that became a 140-employee business that Bloomberg eventually acquired.
This conversation was recorded live (remotely) as part of an interview series in collaboration with Powerhouse and Greentech Media.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. In fact, KORE Power is building a large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility here in the U.S. Once it’s operational, the 1 million square foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
In the first half of 2020, renewables beat out fossil fuels on the grid in Europe for the first time. They didn’t only beat out coal -- they beat out all fossil fuels put together. We’ll look at what the milestone means.
Then, 30 major companies have come together in a new joint lobbying organization to flex united power for clean energy. Will it make renewables a bigger political force? And what will they be fighting for?
Then, your view of Texas is probably out-of-date. We look at the dawn of Big Solar in Texas and peek at the ERCOT interconnection queue -- it’s almost all green.
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. In fact, KORE Power is building a large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility here in the U.S. Once it’s operational, the 1 million square foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with green jobs pioneer Van Jones.
Jones may be best known for “The Van Jones Show” and “The Redemption Project,” which both air on CNN. He is also the author of three best-selling books, including “The Green Collar Economy.”
But long before the high-profile Green New Deal, Jones was also a powerful voice for bringing clean energy jobs to black and brown communities. He helped spearhead the Green Jobs Act of 2007, the first time the country deliberately trained workers for the future clean economy.
In this episode, Jones reveals a little-told backstory of his childhood and early life, his time at Yale Law School, and the painful time he briefly joined, and then left, the Obama Administration as the green jobs czar.
This conversation was recorded live (remotely) as part of an interview series in collaboration with Powerhouse and Greentech Media.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. In fact, KORE Power is building a large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility here in the U.S. Once it’s operational, the 1 million square foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
We are just over two months away from America’s presidential election. And that means we are days away from one of the most consequential political moments ever for the planet.
Joe Biden put climate and cleantech jobs at the top of his priorities in last week’s nomination speech. His VP pick, Kamala Harris, says she’ll use her background as a prosecutor to hold industries accountable for climate change. And climate donors are pouring millions into their campaign.
Meanwhile, Trump was in Pennsylvania telling oil and gas workers that Biden is going to end their way of life. But a new poll from Resources for the Future shows that climate is a higher priority than ever for voters. We’ll start with a political roundup.
Then, a story about what’s at stake in the election. More details emerge about Trump Administration censorship of clean-energy research. What is the Seams study, and what happened to it?
Finally, we’ll take a bunch of questions from listeners about wave/tidal energy, plastic pellets, small-modular nuclear, geothermal heat, and non-wires alternatives.
This episode was recorded live in front of an in-home audience. Thanks to everyone for joining us!
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation as the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
Last week, short-term blackouts rolled across an overheated California after the grid operator said there was not enough power to meet demand.
This wasn’t supposed to happen again. Not after the Enron scandal. Not after 19 years of reforms. We have a very different grid now.
Renewables skeptics, including President Trump, are seizing on the incident. What really happened? Where do we place blame? We explain the confluence of grid-management factors.
Then, coal power generation in the United States plunged 30% in just the first half of this year. But what Asia, where 80% of coal gets burned now? What hope is there for a coal decline there? We’ll look at China, Japan and India.
Finally, stunning public health research. What happens when you combine this up-to-date science with the new, low-cost renewable energy? You get a blockbuster picture, that’s what. We’ll examine new research that shows the health benefits alone pay for our energy transition.
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation as the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
“Electrify everything” isn’t just a good slogan. It’s the fastest way to decarbonize and create tens of millions of jobs -- and it can be done using off-the-shelf technology.
A respected squad of researchers did the math on a swap-out of every aging boiler, truck and power plant -- and replacing it with equipment that won’t burn fossil fuels ever again. We’ll dig into a new analysis from Rewiring America.
Then, BP has more details around its plan to become the first oil major to transition away from the hydrocarbon-drilling business. What do they amount to? Can the company actually do it this time?
Last, PSEG promised to do right by its customers after failing them during Hurricane Sandy. So why were Long Islanders left sweltering for days after a few high winds from the remnants of Hurricane Isaias? And what does it portend in a future of stronger storms?
Note: we have a “live” show on August 25th. We’re wrapping up this crazy summer with another live conversation from our homes to yours. Sign up here.
Our guest co-host this week is Melissa Lott of the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy.
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation as the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
On this week’s episode of The Energy Gang: big energy companies are putting together bids for multi- renewable power -- and it’s merchant.
Global investment in offshore wind more than quadrupled in the first half of this year. More new wind farms were approved at the height of the pandemic than during all last year.
Some of offshore projects include storage, and even hydrogen. Some of them include floating solar panels. Is this what the future of projects looks like for oil & gas majors?
Then, is green hydrogen here to stay? One Saudi project unveiled last month is at gigawatt scale. Another major utility is getting out of America’s largest coal plant and making investments in solar-generated hydrogen. Bloom Energy is even making electrolyzers. What does this activity tell us?
And last, there’s a reason Henrik Fisker hasn’t gone away, even after the demise of the Fisker Karma. We dive into the new Fisker Ocean SUV and a spate of other electric car announcements and ask: Does parity on EV prices even matter?
Join us with guest co-host Melissa Lott of the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy.
Recommended reading:
The Interchange is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation at the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
Dan Yates and his co-founder Alex Laskey built Opower, an efficiency company that saves more energy every year than the hoover dam can generate. It was based on cutting-edge behavioral science -- but it wasn’t always clear how the science would play out.
“It wasn’t okay with us to just know that there was going to be a result. It had to be a certain level, otherwise it wasn’t economic. And in the first few months, the results came in and they weren’t changing behavior. The floor fell out from under me. I said, ‘oh my god, we have no idea if this is going to work.'”
Opower was founded in 2007 by Dan and Alex, two friends from Harvard. Dan knew software. Alex knew how to sell. And both of them wanted to build a company for environmental good.
Opower was based on a simple premise: send paper mailers to utility customers comparing their electricity use to their neighbors. If people saw they were doing poorly, they’d make changes. It worked.
Over time, Opower inked deals with the world’s biggest power companies and started processing vast amounts of smart meter data -- making it arguably the biggest energy efficiency success story in business. The company went public in 2014 and was sold to Oracle in 2016.
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch talks with Dan about the science behind the idea, how Opower evolved and expanded, and why the company was eventually sold to Oracle.
Listen to all our past episodes of Watt It Takes here. This series is normally recorded in front of a live audience. But we’re now recording the interviews remotely. See future events here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation at the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
Joe Biden just released a plan to address climate change on a trillion-dollar scale. Along with focusing on rapid deployment of renewables, it also devotes resources to environmental justice, sustainable housing, clean transportation, and networking.
What would it mean? And who's informing the ideas? We’ll dig in.
Then Facebook's disinformation problem. We look at why Facebook is rejecting the conclusions of its fact-checkers on some articles about climate change. We’re joined by Emily Atkin, climate journalist and founder of the newsletter Heated, who dug up some of the documents showing who’s making these decisions at Facebook.
Then, U.S. attorneys in Ohio and Illinois have been busy investigating racketeering and bribery by high-ranking public officials who are doing the bidding of utility companies. In Ohio, the speaker of the House is arrested and in Illinois a utility is put on probation. There’s a common thread, and we tease it out.
Recommended reading:
The Interchange is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post-OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation at the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
A group of House lawmakers recently released a 547-page report on climate change. Reporters at E&E News call it “arguably the most comprehensive climate policy plan in American politics.”
The report spells out in great detail how to use Congressional policy to decarbonize the economy. It was the result of nearly a year of input from hundreds of experts, 17 hearings, and thousands of meetings.
This week, we’ll discuss why this report is so significant. We’ll also look at a companion infrastructure bill from House Democrats that makes clean energy a centerpiece. Can it become a reality after the election?
Then, drama for pipelines and batteries. We’ll look at a slew of legal decisions for pipelines in just two weeks, and what they mean for the future of fossil fuel infrastructure.
Last, storage, unleashed. A court affirms FERC’s decision to treat energy storage just like any other power source in wholesale markets, opening the door to massive investment.
Resources:
The Interchange is brought to you by Fluence, a global leader in battery-based energy storage technology and services. From commercializing the first grid-connected battery systems in 2008 to the multi-gigawatt fleet being deployed for customers globally today, the Fluence team is ensuring that storage is the cornerstone of the electric future. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Nor-Cal Control. As a total controls and monitoring solution provider, Nor-Cal supports every phase of your project, from turnkey design solutions to post OEM enhancements, troubleshooting and training. As the only system integrator in solar PV that comes from a traditional power generation background, Nor-Cal has earned a reputation at the “strongest in controls.” Learn more.
A rivalry is emerging between two companies trying to clean up the trucking industry: Nikola Motor versus Tesla Motors.
Tesla thinks battery-electric semi models are superior. Nikola thinks hydrogen is the best choice.
Neither company actually has a semi model on the road. But Elon Musk and Trevor Milton are talking up their visions for the future of heavy-duty trucks, with the hope of getting vehicles to customers in the next couple of years.
This week on The Energy Gang: Which company is best positioned to win? Which technology is superior? And who’s the bigger showman, Musk or Milton?
Then: are we finally entering the era of the electric pick-up truck? Lots of new models are hitting the internet. But when will they hit the roads?
And last, Lyft wants every car in its fleet to be electric -- in 10 years. Most of the cars don’t belong to Lyft, so how are they going to make that happen?
Co-hosts Katherine Hamilton, Jigar Shah and Stephen Lacey discuss.
Resources:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 10 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
This is an original, branded podcast from GTM Creative Strategies, produced in collaboration with CohnReznick.
In 2004, Ted Gunther started a new job at a big accounting firm. He led the team overseeing transactions in newly-deregulated electricity markets.
On his first day, he met the "Green Book," a thick, complicated book that sets standards for derivatives, hedging strategies and contracts structures.
“I still remember it vividly. [...] I remember the partner at the time putting that book on my desk and asking me to go ahead and read this and I just looked at it and I thought to myself, ‘Wow, that's going to be a lot to read.’
Ted used The Green Book to become an expert in complicated energy markets.
As his career blossomed, he started grappling with another complicated problem: anxiety.
It started to grip Ted during meetings. “The heart's really beating fast. You know you have something to say but you have a hard time just getting it out and saying it.”
But he wasn’t going to let anxiety hold him back. Ted got help, moved past it, and became a partner at CohnReznick.
Today, he leads CohnReznick's renewable energy industry practice, and helps utilities and other energy companies execute all kinds of transactions, from long-term contracts to hedging strategies to tax structures.
In this special episode: how Ted is using the lessons from overcoming anxiety to help clientsand colleagues grow.
CohnReznick serves a wide range of industries from tech to government to entertainment. It’s a leader in cutting-edge fields like renewable energy and cannabis. To learn more about how people like Ted can help you work through some of the most complicated transactions in energy, visit CohnReznick.
Most decarbonization proposals play out over 30 years, aiming toward 2050. But a new roadmap from researchers at UC Berkeley and the policy firm Energy Innovation shows the grid can get 90% clean in just 15 years.
No new fossil fuel plants. Lower rates for consumers. 85,000 lives saved. 500,000 additional jobs. Region by region, they lay out exactly how.
Prices have fallen so quickly that our understanding of what’s possible hasn’t kept pace. And now, say researchers, we have the chance to decarbonize much earlier than many thought possible.
This week, we’ll dig into the study and its implications.
Then: pollsters say Americans are “fully bought in” to a clean energy future — and want bigger societal issues addressed with it. But among crucial swing voters, is anyone even thinking about climate? We’ll look at what the latest polling tells us.
Lastly, BP decides its assets are worth $17 billion dollars less than they thought. It’s a massive write down. Is this a tipping point? A leading indicator?
Co-hosts Katherine Hamilton, Jigar Shah and Stephen Lacey discuss.
Resources:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 10 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
We’re back with another live show from quarantine.
Europe is crafting a €750 billion recovery package in response to the economic impact of coronavirus. It will devote more than €200 billion directly to low-carbon infrastructure projects. That could enable hundreds of billions more for renewables, efficiency, clean public transport, and hydrogen.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S., our recent stimulus sent billions of dollars to debt-laden oil producers. With potentially one shot left to pass another recovery package, everyone is afraid to utter the word “climate.”
Coronavirus highlights yet another political and economic divide. How badly is America squandering this historic moment?
Plus, we address listener questions about offshore wind, undercovered climate solutions, career advice, and the mysterious ‘MOPR‘ that could override states’ clean energy preferences.
Thanks to all our listeners who tuned in live!
Mentioned on the the show:
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 10 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
This week: as anger over police brutality explodes into the once-empty streets, we tackle an equally oppressive force for black Americans: environmental racism.
Coronavirus has exposed an unsettling reality for black and brown people, who are dying at higher rates in the country’s most polluted communities. We’re suddenly talking again about structural racism in policing and criminal justice. But the story of race, energy and the environment is also very important to understanding the anger of the moment.
We’re going to speak with a seasoned lawyer and organizer, who is working on the “mass melanization” of the environmental movement: Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, the North America Director for 350.org
Later in the show: if people lose their jobs and can’t pay their bills, what does that mean for their safety in a summer heat wave? And what does it mean for the financial health of utilities?
Finally, a new approach to residential demand response. Why are Consumers Energy, Uplight and Google giving away 100,000 free smart thermostats?
Don't forget to sign up for our FREE live show on June 9! Join us and submit your questions.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1 million square foot facility will have 10 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
Gia Schneider and her brother Abe started Natel Energy based on a hydropower turbine their father designed. And after more than a decade of R&D, pilots, software development and a project for Apple, Natel is preparing for the next level of scale.
“Our objectives have actually not wavered. But they haven’t wavered because of rigid adherence to dogma, they have not wavered because we check in consistently about ‘is this the right problem to solve?’” says Schneider.
Natel is commercializing a turbine for low-head hydro applications at old dams, irrigation canals and run-of-river projects. It’s designed to protect wildlife and drastically cut the ecological impact of hydropower. The original design came from Gia’s father, who started working on low-flow turbines back in the 1970s -- but it’s come a long way since then.
Gia also has a long history in energy. She worked at Constellation Energy and in Accenture’s utility practice. She started the energy and carbon trading desks at Credit Suisse. And in 2009, she launched Natel with her brother Abe.
In March, Natel closed an $11 million round led by Schneider Electric and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, just before the economy shut down.
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch talks with Gia about starting a company with her family, how to balance short-term tech development with long-term deployment goals, and how coronavirus could impact the next phase of growth.
This series is normally recorded in front of a live audience. But we’re now recording the interviews remotely. See future events here
We’re hosting a live episode of The Energy Gang on June 9. Sign up for free here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
This week, we cover some hopeful signs amidst the economic destruction.
First, we’ll look at the record-breaking activity in battery storage.
A coal plant in North Dakota will be replaced in part with a one-acre battery array from Form Energy that uses a new technology capable of discharging for 150 hours – that’s more than 30 times longer than lithium batteries.
Hawaii’s electric utility just awarded contracts for 16 projects that add up to more than 3 gigawatt-hours of storage, in order to replace an oil-fired and a coal-fired power plant.
And in California, Southern California Edison signed contracts for 770 megawatts of batteries, many paired with solar projects, to replace gas plants. That’s 200 megawatts more than the entire battery capacity installed in 2019.
Plus, in China, more hybrid wind/solar and battery plants are starting to emerge.
This led Dan Finn-Foley, Wood Mackenzie’s head of energy storage, to declare: “The utility energy storage market is blowing through milestones faster than we can report them.”
Then, renewables are surging and coal is declining. A new IEA report says that renewable generation will increase in 2020 -- pushing higher-cost fossil resources out of the market. "In all regions that implemented lockdown measures," the IEA report said, "the electricity supply underwent a notable shift towards low-carbon energy sources." We’ll look at why.
Finally: presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden just unveiled a new climate task force. From the Sunrise Movement to a former EPA chief, we’ll talk about who’s on it, and look at their roles. What will this task force accomplish in terms of agenda-setting and setting the political tone?
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
This week, we look at sky-high layoffs in clean energy. How do we get people back to work?
The first major analysis of unemployment in the clean energy sector has been released for April. According to E2 and BW Research, nearly 600,000 jobs were lost in energy efficiency, manufacturing, electric vehicles and clean power and fuels.
We’ve seen a 17 percent drop in the green workforce since the start of the year. Those losses amount to double the employment growth in clean energy for the last three years.
It’s likely to get worse before it gets better. How much should we worry? And what sectors will come back the fastest?
Then, what do 200 of the world’s top economic advisers think about the most effective low-carbon solutions for economic recovery?
And finally, we’ll revisit wildfires. Why can’t California utilities, especially northern giant PG&E, get it right when it comes to fire prevention?
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
This week: while the country is distracted by infection rates, deaths and protests, what else have we been missing?
We peek out from behind the quarantine curtain to see what the Trump administration has been up to on the energy front.
The Trump administration has declared a national emergency over cyber threats to the power grid. Equipment vendors “where a foreign adversary has an interest” will be banned. Most transformers are built in China. Will this create uncertainty or slow grid work?
The executive branch has been busy with environmental rollbacks. The Trump administration wants to loosen as much environmental regulation as possible in the six months before the election. We look at the list.
Then, we answer your questions. We sourced nearly 200 questions from our recent live show. And we’re going to tackle some of them.
They include: Michael Moore’s bad-faith trashing of clean energy and the environmental movement; one group’s attempt to kill solar net metering nationwide; and how the current economic mess is impacting cities and corporates.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Saul Griffith, the founder and chief scientist at Other Lab.
Saul Griffith has a PhD in materials science and information theory. He’s co-founded over a dozen companies. And now he’s determined to prove that we already have what it takes to decarbonize the economy.
“The reality is I think it's still possible to completely decarbonize by 2030 and save everyone money. And we just got to start thinking about it correctly,” says Saul.
Other Lab is an R&D incubator and accelerator that helps pair startups in robotics and renewable energy with government labs and corporate investors. It has partnered with NASA, the Navy, the Department of Energy, Google, Facebook, GE and Ford to help build and fund projects in energy, automation, and robotics “in service of 100% decarbonization.”
Saul co-founded Makani Wind, the high-altitude wind company acquired by Google, and the tracker company Sunfolding. He brings the grit of an entrepreneur, the rigor of a scientist, the dirty mouth of a sailor to his passionate work on climate change.
A word of warning: there is some swearing in this interview. It might not be appropriate for some young ears.
In this episode, Emily talks with Saul about the many companies he’s helped build, and how he’s taken on a new mission to convince people that we have most of what we need — right now — to decarbonize large swaths of the economy.
This conversation was recorded at the Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California, before the pandemic. Our next episode will be recorded remotely for an online audience. You find more details here.
Subscribe to GTM’s newsletter to learn more about the companies we profile on this series.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is offering a market-by-market analysis of the issues, trends, and regulations that organizations should understand in 2020 to make better decisions about energy. Get your copy today of the “2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America” here.
This week, we bring you a joint episode of The Energy Gang and The Interchange, recorded in front of a live audience from our quarantine quarters around the country.
When we started making our podcasts seven years ago, it was clear that the energy transition would be a difficult one.
Both shows were designed as a forum to grapple with tough issues in an accessible, candid way. The clean energy industry has faced its share of crises over the years — but nothing quite like the current pandemic and economic freeze.
Supply chains are in limbo, funding opportunities for startups have vanished, and once-growing companies are at a standstill. Meanwhile, political leaders are trying to get money to struggling people and businesses, setting the stage for trillions more dollars in spending on infrastructure.
How will it all pan out? We’re trying to figure it out, just like you.
In this episode, we take listener questions about how to use the current crisis as an opportunity. We use some thought exercises as a way to break up the gloom, and do a mental health check-in with each other.
Listeners submitted over 120 questions. We’ll be considering them on future shows. If you have any other show topic ideas, tag The Energy Gangand The Interchange on Twitter. (And please give us a rating and review on Apple podcasts!)
This show is brought to you by CPower. Get your copy today of the 2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America at thecpowerway.com/future.
We’re doing a free live show from our homes! Sign up here to join us on Wednesday April 22nd. You can watch a behind-the-scenes recording with The Energy Gang and The Interchange.
This week: The many ways that dirty energy has controlled the politics of clean energy.
Dr. Leah Stokes, an expert on interest groups and their influence over policy, joins the gang. Her new book, Short Circuiting Policy, is the focus of our episode.
Who are the truly bad actor utilities? How have they held back climate policy, and where would we be without their resistance?
Suddenly, utilities are embracing much more ambitious carbon-free energy targets. How optimistic should we be about their intentions?
We’ll talk about the history of clean energy politics detailed in Leah’s book, which she researched over a seven-year period.
Then: the election. With Bernie Sanders out, what will his climate voters do? How long will they hold out, what influence do they have, and how will they wield it?
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is offering a market-by-market analysis of the issues, trends, and regulations that organizations should understand in 2020 to make better decisions about energy. Get your copy today of the “2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America” here.
The world is experiencing a sudden, dramatic drop in all kinds of air pollution. The skies are dramatically different. People can hear birds they didn’t even know were there, and see landscapes that have been shrouded for decades.
It’s saved thousands of lives in averted asthma and heart attacks. When this is all over, will people clamor for cleaner air? We discuss the potential long-term impacts on this week’s episode.
Then: the 2020 climate summit is postponed. Could that be a good thing? What are the political benefits and diplomatic drawbacks?
Finally, we’ll assess curtailments of solar and wind energy as electricity consumption drops around the world.
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.
This week: The coronavirus shockwave brings staggering losses of lives, jobs, and money.
So many applied for unemployment last week – 5 times more than ever before – that it was hard for graphic artists to draw a Y-axis that would fit them in historical comparisons. We’re now at 10 million unemployment claims.
With so much turmoil and uncertainty, we are going to dig back into some of the big themes of the week.
First, we’ll have a recap of stimulus activity. The day after the unprecedented unemployment numbers, the federal government approved a boost to the economy twice as large as any before in the history of the United States. What’s in it? What’s coming next?
Then, essential workers in energy: how grid operators are making sure that all-important juice keeps flowing to your home or essential workplace.
And finally, how the oil price shock may – or may not – impact renewables investment from fossil fuel majors.
Mentioned on the show:
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to the energy future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.
This is a special crossover episode between The Energy Gang and Climate 2020.
Coronavirus brought the 2020 election to a screeching halt. Climate was once a top issue in the Democratic primary, but it’s been overtaken by a virus and a looming economic apocalypse.
Primaries are delayed. Traditional campaigning has stopped. Biden is hiding out, preparing for the general election. Bernie Sanders is hanging on. And the way we think about all kinds of issues has totally flipped.
So how will climate, cleantech and the environment fit into this new political world?
The climate community is struggling with how to message. What are the appropriate ways to keep the focus on climate change, while we face public health and economic crises?
What about the intersection of extreme weather and coronavirus? Many state officials fear the next season’s floods, hurricanes and fires – events that can require evacuation while people are supposed to stay homebound. How will climate change compound the problem?
The Gang includes Stephen Lacey, Katherine Hamilton and Jigar Shah.
Jeff Nesbit, the executive director of Climate Nexus and co-host of the podcast Climate 2020, joins the gang for this special joint episode on politics. Jeff is also an author, former journalist, a senior public affairs official at the FDA, and Dan Quayle’s director of comms.
Mentioned on the show:
Recommended:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to the energy future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.
This is an original, branded podcast produced in partnership with Enel X and GTM Creative Strategies.
Electric vehicle chargers now outnumber gas stations in some countries. They’re getting easier to find. They’re easier to install in homes. And they’re getting way smarter.
So how can we harness all these chargers for the benefit of the grid and consumers?
In this special podcast episode, produced in partnership with Enel X, we’re exploring the vast potential of electric vehicle chargers. We’ll talk with Giovanni Bertolino, the head of e-mobility for North America at Enel-X about a concept called managed charging. It’s also known as intelligent charging.
Giovanni’s team deploys networks of chargers that can adapt to pricing and grid needs — providing demand response services, and potentially, real-time services to manage the frequency of the grid.
We speak with Giovanni about the rise of managed charging. We started with the underlying market conditions: the grid is getting saturated with wind and solar. So how can chargers paired with demand response help support more renewables?
Large energy users partner with Enel X to manage risk on the energy markets, maximize payments through demand response, and finance upgrades to facilities to improve demand response earnings. They also increasingly work with Enel X to use chargers to manage the grid.
Find out more about how Enel X can help you capitalize on your biggest energy opportunities.
This week: how coronavirus could accelerate or decelerate the energy transition.
We’re facing an oil shock amid a pandemic, supply chains are still in disarray, economic gears are grinding to a near halt, and countries are scrambling to put stimulus packages in place. How will this shape the energy system?
We’re going to break the conversation into three parts: the impact on fossil fuels and renewables; long-term prospects for decarbonization; and a blueprint for a low-carbon stimulus.
Where will the money go when this is all over? Could clean energy have the advantage over fossil energy from investors and governments?
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Robyn Beavers, the co-founder and CEO of Blueprint Power.
Blueprint works with real estate companies to turn their buildings into clean energy power plants. Blueprint developed software that helps building owners optimize their use of co-generation, fuel cells, solar or batteries.
Robin has a long history in the worlds of tech, real estate and energy. She was an early employee at Google, and went on to found the company’s environmental strategy group. She later built the innovation team at NRG Energy. She later went into the world of real estate, where she oversaw venture investments at Lennar.
Today, she’s bringing all that experience together in the hopes of making buildings more dynamic actors on the grid.
This conversation was recorded at the Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and energy spend.
What to do with all this climate money moving around?
The richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, says he is going to channel $10 billion of his own dollars into climate solutions. Is this the biggest climate philanthropy ever? And where should he be devoting those dollars? We’ll help him spend it.
Then, the mushy middle. Our own Jigar Shah’s Generate Capital has raised another billion dollars to fund climate tech that is less attractive to some investors – fuel cells, microgrids and unconventional solar projects. We’ll talk about the underserved opportunities in finance.
And a new pot of money from ARPA-E to scale up existing technologies. It’s paltry compared to the money people like Gates and Bezos are throwing into the space. What role is the government playing to scale climate tech?
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy's future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.
Just weeks after taking over as CEO of BP, Bernard Looney unveiled a series of climate targets. This isn’t the first time BP has tried to make a push into clean energy and decarbonization -- is this time different?
In this week’s episode, we’ll look at the pressures that BP is facing. What does it take for a publicly-owned company to reevaluate its core product? And how do you reduce the carbon intensity of a hydrocarbon business? We’ll dig through the details.
Then, natural gas is suddenly in the hot seat. For gas-only utilities, one pathway is clear. They have to push renewable methane. But what are the limitations? And how will the battle over natural gas connections play out?
Finally, we’ll talk about another reversal, this time in Virginia. The state legislature is right in the middle of setting some pretty strong goals for offshore wind and storage, and they’ve got a governor who wants to sign it. What caused the politics to turn around so suddenly?
Recommended reading:
=This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
This week: The cutting-edge business of bringing power to the last billion people on Earth without it.
We’ll follow the money, the markets, the business models and ask whether distributed renewables are providing a real alternative to slow grid connections.
Investments in off-grid power in Africa and Asia have skyrocketed in the last five years. Thirty times more money went into the sector in 2018 compared with 2013. More than $500 million dollars was invested in electrification in 2018, for the first time, an analysis by Wood Mackenzie found.
The money is finally bringing lights, cell phone charging and electric stoves to millions of people who had to rely on kerosene and wood. But is the money getting funneled to the right projects? Can they scale to meet a high-energy society? And what are the bottlenecks in international finance preventing these solutions from expanding faster?
Ben Attia joins us for a dive into the state of the market. Ben has spent years immersed in the world of solar home systems and off grid renewables in the Middle East and Africa. He leads emerging coverage of off-grid power markets for Wood MacKenzie.
Resources:
This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Dr. Christine Ho, the co-founder and CEO of Imprint Energy.
Imprint Energy is the company created to commercialize Christine’s invention: a tiny, zinc-based solid-state battery that can be screen printed. It’s being integrated into sensors and other tiny devices across the internet-of-things.
Christine’s father was an entrepreneur. She saw the highs and lows of that life. She followed his path -- and has faced her own similar tumult. Today, Imprint is licensing its technology to multiple manufacturers, and it’s printed hundreds of thousands of batteries.
This conversation was recorded at the Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. Listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
Subscribe to GTM’s newsletter to learn more about the companies we profile on this series.
This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
This week: The largest utility in one of the West’s reddest states will go carbon-free by 2050.
The power company that has poured tens of millions of dollars into electing friendly regulators and fighting renewable energy says it’s all in for zero carbon electricity — even if the exact pathway isn’t yet clear.
Wasn’t APS investing heavily in keeping the Four Corners coal plant open longer? What happened? And how will this impact the way the utility starts planning its resource mix today?
Then, Congressional Republicans say they’re getting serious about climate. They’ve got a new messaging bill. We’ll talk about what’s in it — or what’s not in it — and ask why they’re tackling the issue now?
Plus, plug-in hybrids versus electric cars. Honda’s CEO says he thinks plug-in hybrids will dominate for a long time. What will the electric mobility transition look like? Will we jump straight to EVs, or will hybrids be a viable interim step for some automakers?
Resources:
This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
This week: Microsoft is setting a new standard for corporate climate targets.
The technology company promised to remove all of the carbon that it’s ever put in the atmosphere -- going back to when it was founded in an Albuquerque garage in 1975.
That includes $1 billion in carbon removal technologies and methods. Can it pull off such an ambitious plan? And will it force other corporates to follow?
Then, a landmark climate case. Twenty-one young people who sued the federal government for the right to live in a stable climate prevailed and prevailed and prevailed…until they lost. A judge agreed with their case, but said the courts weren’t the place to remedy climate change. What does it mean for future litigation?
Plus, we have a new member of the gang we’re going to meet. It’s Ingrid Lobet, our senior editor. Make sure to follow her on Twitter.
Resources:
This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
The world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, is suddenly putting sustainability and climate risk at the center of its investment strategy.
“Investors are increasingly...recognizing that climate risk is investment risk. These questions are driving a profound reassessment of risk and asset values. And because capital markets pull future risk forward, we will see changes in capital allocation more quickly than we see changes to the climate itself,” wrote BlackRock CEO Larry Fink in his yearly investment letter.
BlackRock manages over $7 trillion in assets. This new strategy could have a wide impact on the world of finance -- and put climate risk at the top of investor considerations.
Plus, activists are targeting banks like Chase and Citibank by hitting them on the consumer finance side. We check in on the divestment movement as it gains momentum.
Then, a look at some lesser-known, but formidable greenhouse gases: refrigerants. How much a problem are they?
Finally, California looks beyond lithium-ion batteries. The state is looking to fund the next ideas in energy storage. What are those technologies and how will they be deployed?
Resources:
This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar – similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings faster. Find out more.
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
This week, a look at the bushfires in Australia — their impact to the country, to the grid, and to politics of climate.
Then, a big change could be coming to a foundational federal policy in America. Are the proposed changes to PURPA a thoughtful response to market conditions and cheap renewables, or a political play?
Finally, we learn to code. Joe Biden is the latest democrat to push the idea that laid-off miners should learn to code. Why did it spark so much derision?
Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high density, high voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids, and mission-critical markets. Find out more.
We have some bonus listening as we close out the year!
We present one of our most popular episodes of The Interchange: The Deep Decarbonization Draft.
It's like fantasy sports for energy nerds. The premise is simple: Shayle and Stephen choose their teams of decarbonization technologies and methods, and then pit them against each other to determine who’s best at saving the planet.
Go subscribe to The Interchange anywhere you get your podcasts. It's the perfect compliment to The Energy Gang.
Happy New Year!
We’re closing out the decade this week with a retrospective.
We have been doing this show since 2013. So we are going to share some of our top story lines in energy and cleantech of the last 10 years — many of which played out while we were doing this show.
We’ll start with some personal retrospectives. What was consuming us back in 2009? How did that story shake out?
Then we’ll choose the most important stories that defined the teens. Katherine will choose the top policy trend, Jigar will choose the top business trend, and Stephen will choose the top tech trend.
Finally, we’ll look ahead to 2030 and beyond. What needs to happen in policy, business, technology to “win” the decade?=
If you’re looking for more listening over the holidays, check out our year-end episode of The Interchange.
Support for the Interchange comes from Schneider Electric, the leader of the digital transformation in energy management and automation.
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
This week on Watt It Takes: Emily Kirsch sits down with Dr. Etosha Cave, the co-founder and chief science officer of Opus 12.
Opus 12 is a team of engineers, electrochemists and materials scientists working on a technology that converts carbon dioxide into useable products. They are developing a metal catalyst that can turn CO2 into synthetic gas for fuels and ethylene for plastics.
If the tech works at commercial scale, it would be a vital solution for slashing CO2 from industrial sources. The company has brought in about $20 million in funding.
In this interview, Etosha talks about the inspiration for the technology, which came from her love of space and desire to go to Mars.
She talks about being a founder who’s also a black woman, and how that’s influenced her relationships with other people in energy.
And she talks about where Opus 12’s tech development stands.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. Listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This is a branded podcast made in collaboration between CohnReznick Capital and GTM Creative Strategies.
Sheslie Royster is the person that big companies turn to when making an acquisition, investing in real estate, or finding a creative way to use tax credits. She’s a tax expert, focused mostly in wind and solar.
Those deals include a lot of numbers and math, of course. But Sheslie says the math isn’t as important as it seems. It’s the interpretation of the math that matters.
“I'd say a minimal amount is math. I'd say in the deals that we have where we're discussing tax issues, the numbers play a part but it's a smaller part. It's more the theory behind what's going on behind the numbers. What does this mean? What was the intent of the law? What is the intent of the deal?”
Sheslie is a tax partner at CohnReznick. She works on some very complicated projects that require a deep level of trust and intimacy.
“It's a personal relationship. People are telling you things about themselves that sometimes their spouses don't even know. Intimate details that people just don't tell when you meet them at a cocktail party,” she says.
So how does Sheslie get people to tell her things their spouses don’t know?
In this episode, we’ll uncover the the secrets of one of the best tax experts in the business.
This episode was produced by GTM Creative Strategies in collaboration with CohnReznick.
CohnReznick serves a wide range of industries, from tech to government to entertainment. It’s a leader in cutting-edge fields like renewable energy and cannabis. To learn more about how people like Sheslie can help you get the most out of your deals, visit CohnReznick.
Truck buyers are historically some of the most brand-loyal auto consumers But recent surveys suggest that loyalty is loosening.
Into the picture steps Elon Musk, who dropped the Tesla Cybertruck last month. This space-age truck concept is truly putting the shift in consumer preferences to the test. It’s also tearing a lot of opinionated people apart.
In this episode: what is the Cybertruck and where might it fit into the emerging electric truck market? And can it sway truck buyers who don't care about Tesla?
Then, there’s a major tax bill in Congress right now that would be a boon to renewables — what are its chances?
Finally, what would we do with a million dollars? We answer a listener question about how to invest with impact.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week: our pre-thanksgiving intellectual feast. It’s a four-course meal as usual.
For the hors d’oeuvres, we’re serving up something new: a roundup of the new entrants into the presidential race, and how they stack up on environmental issues.
For the side dishes, we’ll reheat some leftovers. We’ll look at the climategate debacle 10 years later.
And for the main course. What people or companies will we choose as the top turkeys of the year?
We’ll end with a little aperitif — our free electrons.
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
As we reckon with the dark side of Silicon Valley’s tech giants, there’s more scrutiny into how these companies are assisting climate denial and obfuscation.
We’ll look at a few different stories:
Climate and clean energy are getting disadvantaged by Facebook and Twitter’s different policies on political ads: how do we define issue ads and political speech?
Google, Facebook and others are getting called out for their support of groups that spread extreme climate denial: How much criticism do they deserve?
And Amazon, Microsoft and Google are building the digital backbone of industries that are wrecking the planet. How should we think about their role and culpability?
In the second half of the show, we’ll discuss America’s withdraws from the Paris climate treaty. With U.S. global leadership in shambles, who’s going to fill the gap? And how could elections change things?
Finally, how California’s wildfire crisis is stoking the state’s distributed generation market. We’ll look at the business impacts.
Recommended resources:
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This week on Watt It Takes: how a would-be priest made it his mission to spread the gospel of battery storage.
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Mateo Jaramillo, the CEO and co-founder of Form Energy.
Form is working on a new kind of long-duration battery. And Mateo has one of the longer-duration careers in the storage industry.
In the early 2000s, he deployed the first behind-the-meter systems in New York for demand response — seeing the grid services potential well before anyone else.
Mateo went on to start the stationary energy storage unit at Tesla, launching and building the powerwall business. He also helped launch the supercharger business.
Today, he’s working on a new electrochemical battery that could provide storage services for days, not just hours. The idea is to unlock baseload renewables.
The chemistry was spun out of work from MIT researchers. It’s being scaled by a group of engineers and entrepreneurs with deep technical experience — and like Mateo, the bumps and bruises that come from scaling an early market.
In this interview, Mateo talks about what it took to power through the early days of battery storage, when everything sale and installation was a battle. And he’ll talk about what it will take to create Form’s new storage tech to unlock even more renewable energy.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab.
Listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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We recorded this episode on Halloween morning. We woke up and felt like celebrating the theme of the holiday.
If you’re listening after Halloween, don’t fret. There’s still plenty of newsworthy stuff in here.
First up, we’re choosing the story from 2019 that is most worthy of its own horror movie. As a bonus, we are also choosing the genre of horror.
Then, we pick the zombie story or trend of the year that just won’t die.
And finally, the company or person that deserves a treat.
We’ll end with some bone-chilling Free Electrons.
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This week: it’s the oil industry versus the world.
We’re examining two legal battles for oil majors playing out in states. One involves electric cars and one involves responsibility for climate change.
We’ll start first with a story from POLITICO’s Gavin Bade. Advocacy groups backed by oil companies are increasingly lobbying against utilities that are trying to support electric vehicles. Are we seeing a coming political clash between the oil industry and utility industry?
We’re joined by Gavin, who’s been tracking these emerging challenges.
Then, we are devoting our second half of the show to the legal challenges against fossil fuel companies.
Exxon is on trial in New York and numerous other states and cities are bringing suit against oil majors. It’s got everyone paying attention to this very complicated yet riveting issue: as the science and legal arguments evolve, will big fossil fuel companies be held accountable for a warming planet?
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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The world’s fifth-largest economy looked more like a developing country last week, as PG&E purposefully cut power to millions of people in Northern California for days.
We knew this was coming. The growing safety and financial risk of wildfires in the state mean mass power outages will become more common. But in this case, PG&E was slammed for the way it handled things.
We’ll dig into the scope, the fallout, and the solutions of California’s power shutoffs due to wildfire threats.
Then: Dyson made a big business out of selling $400 hair dryers and $500 vacuum cleaners, but it couldn’t make a high-end electric car work. We’ll talk about why Dyson wrote off its EV plans.
Finally, the Trump administration lifts a tariff exemption for bifacial solar panels. So why are these two-sided solar panels becoming so popular now?
Additional resources:
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This is a branded podcast made in collaboration between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and GTM Creative Strategies.
As grids get saturated with wind and solar electricity, there’s pressure to find new ways to store that energy across daily, monthly or seasonal variations.
Could the answer be a billion-year-old microbe?
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and SoCalGas are currently testing a new bioreactor that could turn renewable electrons into renewable methane -- allowing excess generation to be “stored” in existing natural gas pipelines.
The system relies on an ancient microorganism that ferments hydrogen and carbon dioxide and turns it into methane. By feeding the bugs hydrogen from renewable resources and CO2 from industrial sources, companies like SoCalGas could harness a new supply of renewable natural gas.
NREL has been testing the process in the lab for years. And it finally built a larger-scale version of the bioreactor.
We sent producer Catherine Jaffee to NREL’s lab in Golden, Colorado to check it out. We’ll learn how it works in the first part of the episode.
In the second half of the episode, we talk with NREL’s Kevin Harrison and SoCalGas’ Ron Kent about how the system is performing so far.
Learn more about all the world-changing research on clean energy happening at NREL.
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This week on Watt It Takes: how a computer nerd who loved assembling electronics became obsessed with designing a solar-storage system to light up Africa.
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Xavier Helgesen, the co-founder and chief technology officer at ZOLA Electric.
Zola is a provider of solar and storage systems in Africa. Since its founding in 2012, the company has served over a million people with clean power in five countries.
Over the years, Zola has evolved from a small, scrappy startup that offered very basic energy packages into a hardware company that installs sleek, scalable power systems that function better than the grid.
“[Our goal] was not to be worse than the grid, but available anywhere — but to just be better than the grid. For solar and batteries to fundamentally be cheaper and more reliable than the grid. And if we succeed in that in the developing world, then the market is almost limitless,” says Helgesen.
In this interview, Helgesen talks about how he first got interested in energy access, the complexities of setting up a company as an outsider in Tanzania, and how Zola shifted into designing its own hybrid system.
This conversation was recorded live at Powerhouse’s headquarters. To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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This is a branded podcast made in collaboration between CohnReznick Capital and GTM Creative Strategies.
Britta Von Oesen knows risk.
As an intern in Lehman Brothers’ global energy unit in 2008, she watched the collapse of the investment bank in real time.
Later, she watched European markets grind to a halt after feed-in-tariffs were reversed.
And in the U.S., she’s monitored the ever-changing tax policies and regulations that impact wind, solar and storage.
Today, Britta is a managing director at CohnReznick Capital. Her job is to help figure out how to get wind and solar deals done in the face of policy and financial risk.
In this special episode, produced in collaboration with CohnReznick Capital, we sit down with Britta Von Oesen to unpack some of those policy uncertainties and what they mean for renewables.
Go to CohnReznickCapital.com to learn more about how the company builds relationships, closes deals, and helps clean energy companies excel.
The Bonneville Power Administration, the government-owned “power marketing agency” that serves the Pacific Northwest, is facing a strong current of problems.
As cheap renewables make hydro less competitive in the region, BPA is now bleeding money. There’s now concern that its utility customers will stop buying hydro after contracts expire.
Meanwhile, the cost of rehabilitating salmon populations is mounting. As the power provider grapples with $15 billion in debt, some are calling for a reformation of BPA. How can the government prepare the hulking agency for the competitive clean energy future?
We’ll talk to a Jeremy P. Jacobs, a reporter for E&E’s Greenwire, who’s been digging into the story. You can read parts one, part two and part three of his ongoing series.
Then, climate strikes swept the globe last Friday, raising unprecedented media coverage. How is this different from previous mobilizations around climate? We’ll put this moment in the context of recent history.
Finally, offshore wind is getting dirt cheap in Europe. According to Carbon Brief, recent offshore wind prices are set to compete with existing gas seven years ahead of schedule. We’ll venture out to the leading edge of offshore wind development.
Read along with us:
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This week: We’ve gone from drought to flood.
People who care about climate change have spent the last three presidential election cycles cajoling, prodding and begging television news outlets to cover the issue. But the more pressure mounted, the more coverage lagged.
Across all three debates between Clinton and Trump in 2016, environmental issues got just under 5 and a half minutes of air time. And in all of 2016, the major networks talked about climate for just 50 minutes combined.
And then suddenly in September, we got CNN’s town hall, a seven-hour extravaganza that actually allowed candidates some time to tease out the nuances of their plans.
Sure, the moderators asked some weird questions about cheeseburgers, plastic straws and electric cars. But for the most part, the conversation was substantive and helpful.
In this episode, we’re digging into a few questions: Did the town hall advance the narrative? Did it change the campaign and polling? And which candidate performed the best?
We’re joined by Dr. Leah Stokes, an assistant professor of political science at the University of California Santa Barbara, who watched and analyzed all seven hours closely.
Read Leah’s top twitter threads on the candidates:
Follow the gang on twitter: Katherine, Jigar, Stephen and The Energy Gang.
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America is a place where if you can dream something — no matter how big or ambitious — you can do it.
Unless you’re trying to string 700 miles of high-voltage transmission lines to bring wind power from Oklahoma to Tennessee.
Our guest this week is Russell Gold, author of a new book about the saga that unfolded when wind energy pioneer Michael Skelly tried just that.
The book, “Superpower,” is all about Skelly’s attempt to build one of the most ambitious energy infrastructure projects in recent history — and how he faced nearly every obstacle imaginable. What does Skelly’s journey tell us about America’s diminishing ability to do great things?
Russell Gold is a veteran newspaper reporter who was a pulitzer prize finalist for his reporting on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He wrote a book in 2014 on the rise of fracking, called “The Boom.” He’ll join us to talk about the reasons why Skelly’s transmission plan failed.
Then, two top presidential candidates are calling for a ban on fracking and promising to phase out nuclear power. What would be the consequences if a democrat actually put those promises into action?
Finally: we’re digging into a piece from Jonathan Franzen in the New Yorker that got a lot of angry criticism. Should we just give up and stop pretending we can do anything about climate change?
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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This week on Watt It Takes: How an energy researcher obsessed with electric vehicles stumbled upon a vast trove of transportation data and built a company that is reshaping infrastructure planning for mobility.
Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Laura Schewel, the founder and CEO of Streetlight Data.
Laura spent her career studying storage, electric vehicles, and transportation systems at the Rocky Mountain Institute, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and then as a research fellow at UC Berkeley.
While at UC Berkeley, she got interested in finding a way to give electric vehicle owners more information about how they were driving their cars. She ended up uncovering a data gold mine in the process.
Laura built a company that now processes over 100 billion data points and provides transportation and urban planners with a granular view of how roads, bike lanes and sidewalks are being used.
In this episode, Laura Schewel talks about how she ultimately pursued the idea, and what she encountered in the wild world of entrepreneurship.
This conversation was recorded live at Powerhouse’s headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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With flight shame growing in popularity, extreme weather intensifying, and the Amazon burning, there’s more demand than ever for carbon offsets to assuage our guilt and make us feel like we’re doing something.
But those credits many not be doing what you think they are — or anything at all.
This week, we’re discussing the complicated and frustrating world of carbon offsets. There’s a reason why even the United Nations is now calling out their limitations.
This conversation is particularly important as California considers joining the Tropical Forest Standard as part of its cap-and-trade program.
Then, we’ll talk about new climate plans from Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang. What’s in them? And who will become the climate candidate?
Finally, we dig into a bill from Ohio that bails out big utilities and guts clean energy. The politics of this thing are ugly — and they are only getting uglier.
Read along with us:
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In nearly every corner of the country, energy storage projects are finding their way onto the grid — they’re getting bigger, cheaper, more diverse, and even a little bit weirder.
Most of all, they’re just becoming normal.
This week, we’re talking about the new normal for power operations. It includes a lot of batteries. And maybe some air tanks, water pumps and cranes too.
GTM Staff Writer Julian Spector joins us as a guest co-host to round up the most topical projects and tell us where the storage market is headed.
Then we’ll look at a novel approach to long-duration storage: a gravity-based system from Energy Vault that just got a major injection of Japanese venture dollars. How skeptical should we be?
And finally, we’ll look at all the other alternatives to lithium-ion that are vying for traction in the market. Will pumped hydro see a revival? Can flow batteries finally prove themselves?
Read Julian Spector’s reporting here. And sign up for the GTM newsletter here.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Solar and wind sent European utilities into financial disarray, and U.S. utilities are facing a similar fate. Are global oil companies next?
A new report from one of the world’s biggest banks, BNP Paribas, says that solar and wind paired with electric cars provide up to 7 times more useful energy for mobility than gasoline dollar for dollar. And that economic reality could hit oil companies sooner than they think.
“The oil industry has never before in its history faced the kind of threat that renewable electricity in tandem with EVs poses to its business model,” concludes the report.
This week, we’ll dig into the findings. How does it square with current projections for EV growth and oil demand?
Then, a regulatory surprise from the Trump Administration is delaying an 800-megawatt offshore wind project. It could also hurt other projects planned for the East Coast. Is this a careful step, or a cynical political move from a hostile White House?
Finally, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg is on her way to the U.S. — and she’s come under fire from the conservative media. We’ll look at the strange reaction to her rise and influence.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week on Watt It Takes: How a former Apple engineer applied design principles from the iPod and the iPad to smart thermostats — jolting an industry badly in need of change.
Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Matt Rogers, the co-founder and former chief product officer of Nest.
Nest is best known for its elegant learning thermostat, the first major breakout hit in the smart home space. Google later acquired the company for $3.2 billion.
In this interview, Rogers talks about his Apple influence, how he and co-founder Tony Fadell initially got obsessed with the connected home, and how Nest fit into the Google structure.
Before Nest launched, “the connected home wasn’t really a thing. It was a bunch of hackers stringing things together, there were no products to speak of, really,” says Rogers. “And I was like ‘this is a huge opportunity, we can go and make great products like we did at Apple.’”
This conversation was recorded live at Powerhouse’s headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1,500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Note: after this episode, we will be on hiatus for a few weeks while Stephen Lacey goes on paternity leave. We’ll be back soon!
On July 8, Donald Trump stood in the East Room of the White House and delivered a speech on his “environmental leadership.” What could he possibly talk about?
Onlookers called the speech “Orwellian.” The Trump Administration has tried to pull America out of a global climate agreement, sent officials to try to sell coal at the latest UN climate summit, forced climate scientists out of the government, and rolled back 83 environmental rules.
So why is Trump talking about the environment now? What does it tell us about how voters feel about the issue going into the election? We’ll look at the possible political reasons for the timing of the speech.
Then, we’ll look at New York’s big climate law. How does the state plan to cut emissions 85 percent by 2050? And how will ambitious policy in California and New York influence other states?
Finally, we tackle the seasonal debate over air conditioning. As the world gets hotter, AC use is exploding around the world. How do we cool the world without baking the climate?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
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This week, we present a special episode produced on behalf of CohnReznick.
There’s a bonanza sweeping across North America: cannabis.
As more states legalize marijuana, the industry is attracting high-profile investors and bringing in $6.5 billion in yearly sales.
But it also faces two major challenges: limited access to banking and high energy costs.
Because cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, traditional banks are unwilling to do business with the thousands of companies serving the market.
At the same time, the industry now eats up $6 billion in electricity costs. Growers are paying tens of thousands of dollars per month to power cultivation sites, and some utilities are worried about strain on the grid in certain locations.
Trying to slash that electricity use is very hard for cash-only companies that can’t get access to traditional financing.
“The capital you would most typically have to deploy if you wanted to site solar at a cultivation facility will end up being very expensive because you don’t have access to traditional bank financing,” explains Mark Hooley, a managing partner at CohnReznick.
In this episode, we talk with Mark about the intersection of cannabis and renewable energy. What will it take to green up America’s newest cash crop?
Learn more about CohnReznick’s cannabis practice.
This week: we examine the Trump alternative to the Clean Power Plan, look at the gap between red and blue states on climate change, and review the presidential debates.
Up first: how Trump's EPA is replacing Obama's major climate rule.
Then, the red-blue climate divide. States are putting ambitious new climate plans in place. But they’re almost all in states dominated by democrats -- and the new EPA power plant rule only makes that gap bigger. What are the long-term economic consequences for the red states failing to change?
Finally, we got 15 minutes of climate talk in the first two Democratic presidential debates. Does this yet again prove why we need a climate-only debate?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast is brought to you by Sungrow. With the world’s most powerful 250-kilowatt, 1500-volt string inverter, Sungrow is providing disruptive technology for utility-scale projects.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week on Watt It Takes: How a Ukrainian immigrant quietly toiled away on a new battery chemistry and created a billion-dollar unicorn.
Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Gene Berdichevsky, the CEO of Sila Nanotechnologies.
Sila is developing a new lithium-ion battery chemistry that uses silicon in place of graphite — leading to an improvement in battery density by 20 percent. This spring, Daimler led a $170 million round in Sila, valuing the startup at $1 billion.
Berdichevsky was the seventh employee at Tesla, where he developed the Roadster’s battery.
For the last eight years, Berdichevsky’s team at Sila has been working on a drop-in replacement for today’s lithium-ion batteries.
This conversation was recorded live at Powerhouse’s headquarters. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
It’s been a decade since the fracking boom reshaped U.S. energy markets — so when will we ever use our drilling prowess to create a similar geothermal boom?
That’s the hope. The Department of Energy just released a massive new report revisiting America’s geothermal potential in conventional hydrothermal, enhanced geothermal, direct use and heat pumps.
And the potential is enormous — but it’s just sitting there, largely untapped. We’re going to open up DOE’s report and see which borehole it takes us down.
Then, the Biden and Warren campaigns both unveiled their energy and climate plans. Have they risen to the political and environmental stakes?
Finally, are states squandering billions in settlement dollars from the VW diesel scandal?
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content, or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
It may be a couple election cycles late, but we’re finally getting a wave of climate plans from presidential candidates. The issue is now front and center in the Democratic primaries.
We’ve spent the last week collecting the plans from leading candidates, surveying the stances of the rest of the field, and monitoring the reactions. We’ll sort through them in this week’s Energy Gang episode.
In the first half of the show, we’ll compare and contrast the unique plans from Elizabeth Warren, Jay Inslee, Beto O’Rourke, Michael Bennet and John Delaney. What is unique about each candidate’s proposal?
Then, we’ll tackle the rest of the field in the second half of the episode. Most of them are either using the Green New Deal as a fallback, or using it as a foil. We will take an account of how that short-but-influential congressional resolution — and the activism behind it — is having an impact on the presidential campaign.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content, or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
A new report from the International Monetary Fund shows that the world spent $5.2 trillion on fossil fuel subsidies in 2017. That’s half a trillion dollars more than in 2015.
But it also shows that fossil fuel subsidy spending is down by half since 2012. What gives? How much are we actually spending to make fossil fuels cheaper?
We’ll clarify the different ways economists are measuring that spending.
Then, U.S. tax subsidies for solar and wind are set to ramp downward as part of a deal struck in 2015. But some are calling for an extension of those credits once again.
Wait, didn’t the industry say it would be just fine without them? We’ll look at arguments for and against another extension.
Finally, PG&E is warning California customers about planned blackouts during this year’s fire seasons. Does this open up a new opportunity for commercial microgrids and residential battery backup?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content, or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
It took four decades for America to install a million solar systems. And it took just three years to install the second million.
From here on out, the U.S. market will likely see a million systems every couple of years, according to the latest data from Wood Mackenzie.
To mark this new era of scale, we’re going to look back at the most important trends that got us to the first couple of million systems — and the most important trends that will keep many more millions coming.
Then, Tesla has a new way to package and sell solar online. Will it work?
Finally, what’s the best way to frame climate change and the clean energy transition? Presidential candidates are talking about the issues, and press outlets are trying to reframe coverage. What's working and what needs to change?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content, or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
For well over a decade, researchers have been modeling the cost of state renewable energy mandates.
The results break down in predictable ways: conservative and progressive groups often come to very different conclusions based about costs and benefits.
An authoritative 2015 report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab found that compliance costs for state renewables targets only make up 2 percent of retail rates in most U.S. states.
After a lull, the debate over the cost of renewable energy targets is re-emerging. A new working paper from economists at the University of Chicago concludes that mandates are the most expensive way to reduce carbon pollution — and that they are much bigger drivers of rate increases than previously thought.
Many researchers are pushing back on the economists’ modeling of electricity rates. But it’s worth revisiting this debate, since renewables and carbon-free energy targets are used as placeholders for more ambitious climate policy.
In this week’s podcast, we’re discussing the findings of this study, the criticism, and how it fits into current trends U.S. in energy policy.
Then, Rivian continues to bring in money for electric trucks. What do Amazon and Ford see in the company? Are trucks the next big target for electrification?
Finally, a brief look at 5G networks. They could revolutionize energy services, but they’re also fraught with geopolitical and cybersecurity risk. Will the benefits outweigh the risk?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Interchange podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content. Or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
This week on Watt It Takes: How a product manager at Google saw promise in geothermal heat pumps — and applied the lessons of solar to an underserved market.
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Kathy Hannun, the co-founder of Dandelion, a home geothermal company that uses a proprietary drilling technique, simple product design, and financing to cut the cost of ground-source heating and cooling.
For seven years, Kathy was on the rapid evaluation team at Alphabet X — formerly Google X — evaluating technology moonshots. That’s where she stumbled upon the opportunity in geothermal.
We’re going to hear from Kathy about what she learned trying to tackle a tough tech like home geothermal. We’ll also hear about what she learned from her time at Google, how she built her team, and why raising money as an expecting mother presented some unique challenges.
This conversation was recorded live at Powerhouse’s headquarters. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
We're also sponsored by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week, we present a special episode produced in collaboration with CohnReznick Capital.
How do you broker billions of dollars worth of renewable energy deals — and do it again and again?
It takes grit, sure. But it also requires empathy.
And that, says Conor McKenna, is the real art of the deal.
McKenna is a senior managing director at CohnReznick Capital Markets. He’s helped close 8 gigawatts of wind, solar and biomass projects over his career.
We all know “The Art of the Deal,” Donald Trump’s 1987 book that offers hard-nosed business advice. The book includes lessons like fight back, play the game hard, and deliver the goods.
This advice has shaped our perception of real estate and Wall Street culture. But McKenna says one important lesson is missing: how to form good relationships so that everyone benefits from a deal.
“Every time we’ve seen someone focus on getting that last dollar out of an individual transaction, we’ve found that they’ve had a much harder time in repeating business and growing and scaling at the same rate as this industry.”
This isn’t a soft tactic. When you’re trying to pull together hundreds or thousands of megawatts of projects — and repeat the process over many times — you have to actually care about the people on the other side of the table.
“Those that have left money on the table and and allowed for their partners to feel successful as well, have had a lot more repeat business.”
In this episode, we look at how empathy can translate into billions of dollars in cash and push renewables further into the mainstream. Find out more about CohnReznick Capital's portfolio.
The tech giants are all going long on renewables, but Amazon seems to be going long on oil and gas.
A new story details Amazon’s budding romance with the fossil fuel industry, while also lagging behind its peers in buying clean energy for its operations.
Other tech companies are using their analytics for helping extract more fossil fuels — but is the extent of Amazon’s pursuit unique?
Then, a new study shows that three-quarters of all coal in the US is more expensive than new renewables. But there’s an ongoing push in states from coal groups to force plants to stay open. We’ll have the latest in the feeble attempt to save coal.
Finally, the supreme court rejects a challenge to state nuclear subsidies. Is it a green light for more states to save their nuke fleets?
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week, the Green New Deal ripples through Washington.
A few leading Republicans are responding to the progressive climate plan with some ideas of their own: the New Manhattan Project and the Green Real Deal.
They’ve gotten a mostly cold response from the left. But have we finally broken the ice for a legitimate cross-party policy discussion on climate? We’ll look at the GOP responses.
Then, Trump’s latest verbal convulsion. Speaking at a fundraiser, the president said wind noise causes cancer and kills property values. We’ll take this opportunity to review what the literature says about the impact of wind.
Finally, we’ll go to Virginia, where there’s been a ton of legislative activity on solar, efficiency, grid infrastructure and climate — some of which was blocked by the state’s mega-utility Dominion Energy. We’ll examine the politics.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This past week, we recorded a live show at the MIT Energy Conference.
The theme of the show: what the grid may look like by 2040.
As a topical show, we usually don’t know what we’re going to be discussing until a day or two in advance. But the theme of the MIT conference was "tough tech and the 2040 grid" — so we decided to take it head on.
To start, we’ll adjust our brains to the 2040 timeframe with some fantastical scenarios.
Then, we create our own plans. We will each outline a possible future for the 2040 time frame — Katherine will look at policy and politics, Jigar will look at the business environment, and Stephen looks at technology make-up.
Finally, a news circuit. We’ll provide some quick commentary on top stories of the day.
And we’ll end with our Free Electrons.
Lyft is set for an IPO on Friday; Uber is driving up to the IPO window soon. Investors seem enthusiastic, but skeptics see a lot of risks and a bumpy path to profitability.
In 2018, transportation network companies — pretty much Lyft and Uber — gave 2.6 billion rides. Lyft gave a billion of those rides, doubling its revenue over 2017 to $2.2 billion.
We know the consumer appetite is there. But as Lyft hits the public markets, many wonder if that volume can be turned into profits. Autonomous cars, competition from other shared mobility companies, and regulations are all a potential risk.
So what does Lyft’s IPO — and soon Uber’s — tell us about where mobility is headed? We're discussing on this week's Energy Gang podcast.
Then, one of America’s biggest utilities said recently it will offer only carbon-free energy by 2050. In the second half of the show, we’re going to dig into Xcel’s plan. How will they do it? And will it encourage other big power companies to do the same?
Finally, Midwestern floods have caused $3 billion in damages and devastated rural communities. We’ll look at our poor infrastructure management, and where the floods fit into climate trends.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Listen to our careers episode produced with Wunder Capital. We talked with Wunder CTO Dave Riess about the framework he used to completely change his career path into solar — eventually co-founding a successful company. Listen to that episode in The Interchange feed or find it here.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
We're on spring break this week. We'll be back on Thursday with our regular show.
To get you through the next few days, we’re offering up an earlier episode of Watt It Takes about the origin story of Greentech Media.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews GTM Co-Founder Scott Clavenna about the beginning of the company, the challenges of being a startup in the cleantech world, and our recent acquisition by Wood Mackenzie.
Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.
Don't forget to subscribe to our other GTM podcast, The Interchange.
The latest numbers for U.S. energy storage activity are out. They show a surge of activity coming over the next five years, leading to 6x market growth.
By 2024, the storage market will be worth $4.7 billion dollars, driven evenly by utility-scale and behind-the-meter battery projects.
On this week's episode, we'll unpack the numbers in the latest Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie and the Energy Storage Association. They show a doubling and then a tripling of storage to come — making batteries an important part of utility planning in every region of the country.
Where’s growth happening, and what does it mean for grid planning?
Then, with many farmers in crisis, more of them are putting solar on their land. That’s providing new sources of income, but many fear it could take prime croplands out of commission. How do we site solar on agricultural lands properly?
And finally, what is going on over at Tesla? We’ll make try to make sense of the confusing series of decisions at the company.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Listen to our careers episode produced with Wunder Capital. We talked with Wunder CTO Dave Riess about the framework he used to completely change his career path into solar — eventually co-founding a successful company. Listen to that episode in The Interchange feed or find it here.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week on Watt It Takes: Terry Jester has seen it all in her four-decade career in solar and electronics. As both an engineer and an executive, she’s learned that timing is everything in the energy business.
“I think as I’ve gotten older, I understand when best to strike…a good idea can not make it for bad timing, and a bad idea can go too far.”
In this episode, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Terry, who is now chief executive of SolPad, maker of a modular home solar-storage system.
Terry started her career at ARCO solar in 1979, where she worked on making products that could last decades. She’s since held operations or engineering positions at Shell, Siemens, SunPower, SolarWorld and Solaria — witnessing the initial evolution and eventual explosion of solar firsthand.
Terry is now in the startup world, where she’s trying to help SolPad carve out a niche in the market for home solar-battery systems. So we’re going to hear about how she’s applying operations lessons from big corporations to a startup.
This conversation was recorded live at the Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy forum in Denver, CO.
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is normally recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
This week, we’ve got a bonus episode produced in collaboration with NEXTracker.
It’s all about the risks and rewards of doing business in the roaring Latin American solar market.
We are speaking with two of the most in-the-know people on the subject.
We’re joined by Manan Parikh, Wood a solar analyst focused on the Americas for Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.
And we’ll hear from Alejo Lopez, a senior director at NEXTracker, who’s helped grow a 3-gigawatt pipeline of trackers in Latin America — resulting in some of the cheapest and grandest solar projects in the world.
Auctions in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil are unleashing extremely low prices — between 2 and 3 cents a kilowatt-hour. As a result, the region is actually the strongest for trackers compared to the rest of the world.
It’s also a pretty crazy place to do business. Every country is very different. Political and economic volatility can make markets super hot one year, and then nonexistent the next. And ultra-low prices aren’t always healthy.
Still, Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables projects exponential growth for Latin America — making it 10% of the global market within the next few years.
So what does exponential growth look like? And what do solar markets based on unsubsidized, extremely low priced projects mean for businesses?
Learn about how NEXTracker helped deliver 754 megawatts of trackers to the largest solar project in the Americas.
Listen to our episode of Watt It Takes with NEXTracker CEO Dan Shugar, a solar pioneer.
We weren’t planning on making the Green New Deal a weekly item on the show. Then a video of Senator Dianne Feinstein dropped over the weekend, where she appears to lecture climate-protesting kids. It set off a chain reaction of outrage.
The social media fervor has since died down, but some really interesting journalism was left in its wake. This whole affair highlighted the crazy upheaval in climate politics — we’re going to tackle some of the bigger questions raised.
Are kids a legitimate constituency? What makes climate politics so different from other issues? Are climate delayers as bad as climate deniers? What’s the end game for Democrats?
Then, another ethics conflict for Trump’s energy people. We’ll talk about an EPA official who worked with a secretive utility group that lobbies against air pollution regulations, just months before he took a role regulating air pollution.
Zack Colman of Politico joins us to talk about the ties he uncovered. What do they tell us about the state of lobbying ethics and utility power in the nation’s capital?
Don’t forget about our live show on April 4 at the MIT Energy Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Listeners get 10% off using the code “energygang” when they buy a ticket. Get tickets: bit.ly/mitenergygang
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Listen to our careers episode produced with Wunder Capital. We talked with Wunder CTO Dave Riess about the framework he used to completely change his career path into solar — eventually co-founding a successful company. Listen to that episode in The Interchange feed or find it here.
It’s been one year since the Trump White House slapped 30 percent tariffs on solar cells and modules imported into the US. What happened since?
The solar industry said tariffs would destroy tens of thousands of jobs and set the market back years. Turns out, the market is a lot more resilient than presumed. We now have the jobs numbers and installation data for 2018 — and yes, the tariffs definitely hurt solar, but not nearly as much as expected.
We’ll take stock of how tariffs shaped America’s solar market over the last year, both bad and good.
Then, Shell continues its distributed-energy acquisition spree. The oil giant just scooped up German battery services company sonnen — one month after buying EV charging firm Greenlots in January. What’s the end game?
We’ll end with a Trump Administration plan to freeze lighting standards. Is this Trump’s vendetta against hipster bars using globe lights and Edison bulbs?
We’re doing a live show at the MIT Energy Conference on April 4 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Follow this link and use the promo code “energygang,” and we’ll give you a 10% discount on your ticket. Come join us for a fun live show on the energy picture in 2040.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Listen to our special podcast episode on careers produced in partnership with Wunder.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
The Green New Deal plan is out, and we’re suddenly having a national conversation about climate change again. It’s also injecting some early drama into the presidential primaries.
This week, we’re digging into the plan. We’ll tell you what’s in it, assess the reactions, and look at whether it will amount to anything. Also: is the democratic-socialist agenda antithetical the “creating climate wealth” framing — or complimentary?
Then, recycling is in crisis. You’re probably recycling wrong. China is cracking down. And your city is probably losing money. We’ll ask how to address it.
Finally, lab-grown meat and meat alternatives are facing a backlash from the meat industry. Bills are getting introduced in states around the country to prevent companies from using the word "meat." Could it set the industry back just as these products are gaining traction?
We’re doing a live show at the MIT Energy Conference on April 4 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Follow this link and use the promo code “energygang,” and we’ll give you a 10% discount on your ticket. Come join us for a fun live show on the energy picture in 2040.
Recommended reading:
Support for this podcast comes from Dandelion Energy, the leading home geothermal company. Dandelion is making it easier for homeowners to get geothermal. Customers who switch to geothermal heating save on average $2,250 per year. See if your home qualifies.
We're also brought to you by Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week on Watt It Takes: How David Crane worked his way up in the power business to become CEO of NRG Energy — only to get tossed out of the job for his bold stance on climate.
In this episode, Emily Kirsch talks with Crane about taking risks in the conservative power industry.
We’re going to hear from Crane about why being a CEO is so lonely, how his open exit letter to NRG employees went viral, the best investment he ever made, and his early career.
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week: a battle Royale for energy dominance.
We're cross-posting an episode from our other Greentech Media podcast, The Interchange.
The competitors: utilities, oil & gas majors, mobility providers and big tech. We’re pitting them against each other inside of a voice-activated, electrified cage to see who will emerge as the energy company of the future.
Subscribe to The Interchange podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you find your audio content. Or integrate our RSS feed into the app of your choice.
What will the U.S. grid mix look like in 2050? It depends on which models you follow.
The future according to the Energy Information Administration's latest report: wind will stop growing, coal will stop declining, demand for electricity will keep going up, and emission reductions will moderate. A lot of people are unhappy about it.
It's no secret that EIA is ultra-conservative in its modeling. But why is there such a disconnect from the technological and economic shifts in energy markets? And why does EIA have such a hard time mapping technological change? We'll offer some solutions to the government's data problem.
Then: cancel your trip to Disneyland, stock up on Coca-Cola, and hoard as many iPhones as possible. We'll look at how the world’s biggest companies are detailing their risks to climate change.
Finally, we'll end on a philosophical note: who is to blame for climate change? Individuals? Companies? Governments? We'll take a cue from an articulate 16-year-old in Davos.
Don't forget to rate and review us on Apple podcasts. We're giving away a free subscription to GTM Squared to the person who writes the most interesting review by February 1.
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast comes from Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
What is energy efficiency? That sounds like a pretty simple question. But it’s not.
Defining efficiency used to be pretty straightforward: weatherize, upgrade equipment and lighting, use a bit of social science to cut consumption. But now efficiency is becoming just as much about shaping demand in real-time to support distributed energy. And that’s shaping how it gets defined, implemented and tracked.
A confluence of factors — the rise of new consumer tech in the home, bundled distributed energy offerings, a shifting demand curve due to PV, improvements to data collection, and the “electrify everything movement — are changing efficiency's role on the grid. We'll discuss this changing paradigm in our first segment.
Then, we'll move to electrification. Why are heat pumps suddenly getting so much attention? And how can they help meet efficiency and decarbonization goals?
Finally, we'll end with an update on how global power brokers are thinking about energy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Katherine comes to us from the event.
Don't forget to rate and review us on Apple podcasts. We're giving away a free subscription to GTM Squared to the person who writes the most interesting review before the end of January.
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast comes from Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
We are about to witness one of the most contentious and consequential bankruptcies in the history of energy.
PG&E, California’s biggest utility, is reeling from wildfire costs — and it is now headed to the courts, where it will likely be dismantled.
Will it crush California’s goals to clean up the electric grid? Or will lawmakers step in with a political fix? The stakes couldn’t be higher. We’re going to tackle the big questions raised by PG&E’s spiral.
Then, why are hundreds of liberal green groups shutting down every technology except wind and solar as part of the Green New Deal? We’ll discuss a letter has raised a lot of criticism — and risks fighting among allies even before a real plan is considered.
Finally, we’ll have a rundown of a terrifying Wall Street Journal story about how the Russians infiltrated dozens of utilities, allowing them to hide out inside the computer systems controlling the grid.
Don't forget to rate and review us on Apple podcasts. We're giving away a free subscription to GTM Squared to the person who writes the most interesting review before the end of January.
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast comes from Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
The political insanity in Washington can feel disconnected from reality. But two years into the Trump presidency, Americans all over the country are feeling it in the form of higher pollution.
In this week's episode, we're starting off with a look at how the government shutdown and Trump's regulatory rollback are impacting energy-related agencies, and encouraging the discharge of more chemicals, heavy metals and air pollutants.
Then Bill Gates is once again talking about the limits of renewables and the importance of nukes. Where does Gates’ message and investment thesis stack up with the reality of the global emissions picture?
Finally, we revisit the media and climate change. 60 Minutes is talking about the New Green Deal; Meet the Press devoted an hour to climate; and the New York Times called climate change the most important story of 2018. A sign of things of change in the media environment?
Read along with us:
Support for this podcast comes from Wunder Capital. Wunder Capital is the leading commercial solar financing company in the United States. Click here to find out how Wunder Capital can help you finance your next commercial solar project.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week, it’s our year-ender episode. And you know what that means: we’re going round the horn with our assessment of 2018.
First, we’ll discuss the top trends of the year.
Then, a roundup of the best energy journalism of 2018.
And finally, some predictions for 2019 — with a twist.
Here some links to our top journalism choices:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid or thermal power plant.
Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership this holiday season. Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
This week on Watt It Takes: Wunder Capital CEO Bryan Birsic on why he wants to solve the commercial solar financing challenge, when so many others couldn't.
"That is what a startup is to me. It's 50 or 100 people who can move a multi-billion-dollar industry in a way that an incumbent with thousands of people and multitudes of resources cannot," says Birsic.
Since its launch in 2014, Wunder has exploded onto the solar scene. In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch talks with Birsic about applying the lessons from fintech to cleantech.
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
This podcast is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid, or thermal power plant.
We’re giving listeners major discounts this fall. Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership and 20% off our final GTM conferences of the season. Get your GTM conference discount here. Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
Listen to our other episodes of Watt It Takes:
Subscribe to GTM podcasts via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Back in 2008, there was a lot of excitement about geothermal. Many major banks were backing large-scale geothermal projects around the world; a wide range of startups were promising to unlock new resources; and wind and solar hadn’t shown their explosive growth yet.
But then the financial crisis hit. In the decade since, growth in geothermal has been lumpy — relegated to a handful of supportive markets around the world.
Why has geothermal grown so slowly compared to other renewables? What’s holding it back?
This week, we’re joined by Alexander Richter, the founder of the geothermal news site ThinkGeoEnergy. Alex has experience in project finance, research and journalism. We’ll talk with him about the last decade of geothermal development.
Then, in the second half of the show, we discuss the Green New Deal.
There’s a movement within the Democratic Party to push climate hard. What’s behind it? How would the New Green Deal work? (For a compliment to this discussion, check out the latest episode of Political Climate.)
The Energy Gang is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid or thermal power plant.
We’re giving listeners major discounts this fall. Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership and 20% off our final GTM conferences of the season.
Get your GTM conference discount here.
Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
California has seen a million and a half acres of forest burned this year. As the state recovers from the devastating Camp Fire and Woolsey Fire, residents are looking for someone to blame.
Now attention turns to utilities. Both Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric are under investigation and facing class-action lawsuits for potentially starting the blazes.
What happens to utilities if they are found at fault? And how do you protect a vulnerable electric grid as these fire get worse and worse? We'll discuss.
Then, we’ll mark the Thanksgiving week in the second half of the show. We’ll each share our picks for the top turkey of 2018. Who made the biggest blunders this year?
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid, or thermal power plant.
We’re giving listeners major discounts this fall. Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership and 20% off our final GTM conferences of the season.
Get your GTM conference discount here.
Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week on Watt It Takes: How Sunrun CEO Lynn Jurich convinced homeowners and banks to invest millions into third-party rooftop solar during the great recession.
“Everybody said it won’t work. We took it as a challenge,” says Jurich. “And so we just went for it.”
Sunrun was a pioneer in residential solar services. Unlike some of its fallen brethren pushing the national model, Sunrun grew at a much more sustainable clip. Today, the company is at the top of its game. Sunrun installed 100 megawatts of residential solar last quarter. It will likely install 5,000 residential batteries. It’s now partnering with utilities on using those batteries and rooftop systems as a virtual power plant.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch talks with Jurich about how she went from begging homeowners at county fairs to signing hundreds of thousands of customers.
This podcast is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid, or thermal power plant.
We’re giving listeners major discounts this fall. Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership and 20% off our final GTM conferences of the season. Get your GTM conference discount here. Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week: we make sense of America’s midterm elections.
Will Democrats do anything on energy in the House? Why did so many ballot initiatives fail? What does the score tell us about the value of running as a climate hawk?
First, we’ll look at what happened in states with major ballot questions on carbon pricing, market design and renewables.
Then, what happens over the next two years under Democratic leadership in the House.
Finally, some specific races we were watching and why.
We’re giving listeners major discounts this fall. Use the promo code PODCAST to get a $50 discount for a GTM Squared membership and 20% off our final GTM conferences of the season.
Get your GTM conference discount here.
Get your GTM Squared discounted membership here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid or thermal power plant.
Ten years ago this week, stock markets around the world cratered as fears grew that the global economy was headed into a deep, dark recession.
Alan Greenspan called it “a once-in-a-century credit tsunami.”
Today, we are still feeling the economic and geopolitical consequences of the financial crisis. Energy markets were also transformed as a result — often in surprisingly positive ways.
In this episode of The Energy Gang, we’ll discussing the impact of the 2008 market meltdown a decade on. Would clean energy have received the same kind of government support without the crisis?
Then, we’ll turn to biomass. Biomass is one of the world’s top renewable resources for heat and electricity, but it’s facing some serious challenges, particularly here in the U.S. We’ll detail some of those problems.
Finally, Canada is putting a national carbon tax in place. How will it work? And can Prime Minister Trudeau rally Canadians in conservative-leaning provinces behind it?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by GE's Reservoir, a modular lithium-ion energy storage system that can slash construction costs by 50 percent. Find out more about what Reservoir can do for your electric grid, solar plant, wind farm, microgrid, or thermal power plant.
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This week: the White House abandons a plan to save coal plants. Did Trump read the IPCC’s latest report and have a change of heart? Turns out, the legally-flimsy effort caved under its own weight. We’ll explain.
Then, failing Brexit talks weigh heavily on energy companies in the UK. If a deal can’t be struck with the EU, what will happen to energy markets?
Finally, Illinois came out of nowhere with an ambitious community solar program. But it’s gone nowhere. What happened?
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For two years, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been working on a new analysis about global emissions pathways. The report was released this week — and the conclusion is pretty dire.
Or is it actually more hopeful than it appears?
This week, we’ll discuss the IPCC’s findings, debate the tone, and dissect media coverage of the report.
Then, Orsted, the Danish mega-energy producer, is buying a leading American offshore wind developer. What does it say about the coming rush of offshore activity?
And finally, over to biofuels. President Trump is asking the EPA to lift restrictions on higher ethanol-gasoline blends in the summer. Farmers love it. The oil industry hates it. What was the political calculus?
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This week, we're live in New York City.
Our theme: are we making progress?
We're joined by special guest Eric Roston, the sustainability editor at Bloomberg.
A big thanks to the Urban Future Lab, ACRE and Solar One for organizing the show as part of Clean Energy Connections.
For all our East Coast fans of The Energy Gang: make sure to get your tickets for our live show on October 4 in New York City! Find them here.
This week on Watt It Takes: Why one man spent 15 years of his life obsessed with flying a solar airplane around the world.
We’re going to hear from Bertrand Piccard, a Swiss-balloonist-turned-futurist who co-piloted Solar Impulse, the first solar-electric airplane to navigate the globe.
Piccard is a very inspiring person. His entire mission was to do the impossible so that he could prove what is possible with renewable energy.
“We gave a new understanding of the level of complexity that renewable energies can solve. If you can fly around the world in a solar airplane, you can do everything,” says Piccard.
Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sat down with Piccard to hear more about the 15 years of work that went into his historic flight – and about the deep family history that influenced him.
Buy tickets to future Watt It Takes events here.
Before you do anything else, buy tickets to our live show on October 4 in New York City. It sells out fast, so get your tickets now!
One year after Hurricanes Harvey and Maria crushed Texas and Puerto Rico, Florence became one of the ten costliest hurricanes in U.S. history.
North Carolina is still reeling from severe flooding. And like Houston last year, the damage was made worse because of coastal development policies — even while state scientists sounded the alarm about rising sea levels.
We’re going to recap where things stand.
Then, residential battery storage. All these storms are creating new demand for batteries. It’s changing solar. We’ll discuss how much.
And then the billion-dollar pickup for Lucid Motors. Weren’t the Saudis supposed to take Tesla private? How did they end up throwing a $1 billion into lesser-known electric car company?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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This week on Watt It Takes: How a Texas entrepreneur with fossil fuel roots came to see solar and storage as the future of energy.
We feature a conversation with John Berger, the CEO of the residential solar-and-storage firm Sunnova, about his mission to convince traditional energy investors to put their money into solar. Sunnova has pulled in tens of millions of dollars from investors who once thought solar was laughable.
"I'm proud of getting a bunch of oil and gas money. I worked hard to get that money. And I want a lot more of it. The reason is that there's been a lot of success — whether you love it or not — there's been a lot of financial success in oil and gas and there's a lot of really talented companies that have built big companies. And we need them to start putting their money in this space," says Berger.
Today, Sunnova is the fourth-biggest third-party solar provider in America, according to Wood Mackenzie's U.S. Distributed Solar Service.
Berger’s path is different than a lot of others in residential solar, who’ve mostly come tech, finance, or the environmental world. In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch talks with Berger about his time at Enron, his belief in battery storage, his focus on resiliency in Puerto Rico, and his leadership strategy.
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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This week: California passes a bill to source 100% clean electricity by 2045. What does that actually mean? And more importantly, how will the target be met?
Then, writing in the New York Times this weekend, journalist Bethany McLean warned about fracking’s financial bubble. Is this a dire warning or a re-hash of old arguments?
We’ll end with a look at battery materials. Sustainability concerns are growing, while markets for lithium, nickel and cobalt fluctuate wildly. Are EVs and stationary storage batteries already shaking things up?
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The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
This week, we're using an entire episode to discuss an ambitious piece of reporting on climate change. Earlier this month, the New York Times Magazine devoted an entire issue to a specific period of time in modern history: 1979 and 1989.
It was a time when we first reckoned with the impact of climate change — a period of great awakening in science, politics and industry to the threat of greenhouse gases.
As we’re painfully aware, that awakening didn’t turn into action. The 31,000-word piece weaves together a narrative to help explain why — when everyone seemed to be on the same page about the threat — we failed.
We talk with Author Nathaniel Rich about the reason he wrote the piece, detail some of the most important moments during the decade, and address criticisms.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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This week on Watt It Takes: How Ryan Popple’s experience in the military, Tesla and venture capital helped him lead electric bus maker Proterra.
“It’s good for the ‘keep calm and carry on mentality’ when people tend to bring me a box of broken parts. So if you’re the founder or CEO of an organization, you shouldn’t be surprised when most of what is brought to you is bad news.”
Proterra is on a roll. The company is a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty electric buses in North America, with over 50 customers, a one-year backlog and vehicles on the road in two dozen cities. The company’s current pipeline represents 10 percent of the US transit fleet.
It took many years to reach this stage. Proterra faced numerous difficult technical re-designs and slow customer adoption over the last decade. In this interview, Popple reflects on how the company moved through the valley of death.
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
There are now one trillion watts of wind and solar installed around the world, according to new figures from BNEF.
It took a few decades to get here, but it’ll only take five years to do it again — and nearly 50 percent cheaper. Now that we’ve reached the terawatt scale, the true acceleration begins.
This week on the podcast, we'll contextualize that landmark for renewables.
Then, we'll discuss Tesla’s privatization debacle. Musk claimed on twitter that he has a plan to take Tesla private. Insiders said he didn’t. The board said it was never notified. Securities lawyers said Musk is flirting with the law. We’ll explain what’s going on.
We end in Germany, where a new commission is planning an end to coal in the country. Can it be a model for other industrialized countries?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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The Gang is on summer vacation this week. We'll be back soon with our regular analysis and debate on the stories in energy.
Meanwhile, we'd like to introduce you to Political Climate, GTM's newest podcast hosted by Senior Editor Julia Pyper.
The show features healthy debates from Republicans and Democrats over the politics of energy and climate. Enjoy this bonus episode and share your feedback with The Energy Gang and Political Climate on Twitter.
Subscribe to Political Climate via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, TuneIn, Overcast, Stitcher and Spotify.
This week on Watt It Takes: We’ll hear from Susan Kennedy, the CEO of Advanced Microgrid Solutions, about her transition from politics to behind-the-meter energy storage.
Kennedy was an important player in California environmental politics. She influenced some of the biggest pieces of legislation that launched the state’s solar industry and cap-and-trade market. She also worked as a senior advisor to some the biggest names in both parties, including Dianne Feinstein and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
After two decades in policy and politics, Kennedy set out to build a company that could take on the unique challenges of distributed energy integration. AMS was born. It has since become one of the most important startups in the booming behind-the-meter storage market.
"You have to believe that you can do anything. You have to have courage and faith to do what you've never done before."
Watt It Takes is a collaboration between Powerhouse and Greentech Media. The series is recorded in front of a live audience at Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. Buy tickets for upcoming events.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week, David Roberts, a staff writer at Vox, joins the gang to talk about a wide range of topics in the news.
How would a good carbon tax work? Are we fooling ourselves thinking Republicans will ever support one?
In the absence of a carbon price, is 100% renewable energy good politics? Is it good policy?
Should we bail out nuclear? Can renewables fill in the gap created by closing nuke plants?
What should we be hopeful about?
We’ll spend the second half of the show talking about electric buses. Jigar’s company, Generate Capital, is deploying $200 million for electric bus leases. Are we reaching a tipping point for transit?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings among any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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Dozens of companies across solar, batteries and biofuels have imploded over the years. But it's hard to match the spectacular implosion of Better Place five years ago.
Better Place rose to fame in 2007, pulling in nearly $1 billion of venture capital by promising to put millions of cheap electric cars and battery switching stations on roads around the world. It fell nearly as quickly into bankruptcy after a series of poor decisions, market twists and bitter internal disputes.
A new book on the company's history, Totaled: The Billion-Dollar Crash of the Startup that Took on Big Auto, Big Oil and the World, uncovers lots of engrossing details on Better Place's quixotic mission to revolutionize electric vehicles.
On this week's Energy Gang podcast, we're talking to author Brian Blum about the Israeli EV company's rise and demise. "When you're an entrepreneur of any size, being able to change and to iterate is going to make your company a success. And Better Place really didn't do that," said Blum.
Blum will also talk about his personal experience with Better Place's car made in collaboration with Renault.
Later in the show, what does Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick mean for environmental and energy law? We’ll look at the record of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings than any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.
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Like fantasy sports? Listen to our deep decarbonization draft.
The Energy Gang is break this week for the July 4 holiday. We'll be back next week.
In the meantime, we're offering up a re-run from The Interchange.
In this episode, Shayle and Stephen choose their rosters of nine technologies to decarbonize the global economy. The goal: find the best resource mix to keep global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius.
If you like what you hear, subscribe to The Interchange anywhere you get your podcasts!
The Energy Gang will be back next week.
A new peer-reviewed study in the journal Science gives us a clearer picture of the climate impact of natural gas. According to researchers, methane leakage across oil and gas operations in the U.S. are 60 percent higher than government estimates. Put another way: the methane leakage from oil and gas has the same warming effect over a 20-year time period as all America’s coal capacity in 2015.
Natural gas has been vital to lowering power-sector carbon emissions. Are methane leaks reversing that progress? We'll provide some context.
Then, we'll talk about how GE and Siemens are grappling with dramatic changes in demand for gas turbines. Both companies are de-emphasizing their gas businesses, while accelerating investments in renewables and efficiency. How will these power giants evolve?
This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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Leila Madrone was constantly looking for creative ways to use robots. In the mid 2000's, she co-founded a music group called Ensemble Robot, which featured robots that played music.
"I had this great passion to use robotics to have meaning in the world," said Madrone. Later, Madrone worked for NASA's intelligent robotics group.
Then she caught the solar bug: "Solar seemed like where the most possibility was for the future."
She teamed up with Saul Griffith, an expert in self-replicating machines, to start Sunfolding. It started with a seemingly simple idea: Solar trackers move solar panels over the day to create the most energy. But they’re made of heavy, expensive components. What if you could develop a cheaper, more efficient tracker using premium plastic materials and the power of air to maximize energy production?
With that idea, Leila built Sunfolding’s AirDrive technology that combines the functionality of motors, gears, dampers and batteries into a single component primarily composed of air.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews Leila Madrone about her path from music-making NASA roboticist to solar-tracker CEO.
This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.
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Elon Musk announced Monday that Tesla is laying off 9 percent of salaried employees at the company. This is not the first round of sweeping layoffs at Tesla — the most recent came after the SolarCity acquisition. But this appears to be the biggest so far.
We'll discuss Elon's new quest for profitability.
Then, we'll cover the never-ending saga in Washington over saving coal plants. The Trump Administration is now trying to invoke national security to prop up closing coal and nuke plants – and the nation’s top energy regulators are giving it the cold shoulder.
Finally, The Energy Gang is celebrating its fifth anniversary this week. To mark the occasion, we'll each pick a single moment from the last five years caused an unstoppable ripple in the world of energy.
This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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What’s the optimal way to spend money raised by a carbon tax?
How should climate play in Florida’s big toss-up Congressional race?
What’s the best energy platform for gubernatorial candidates?
This week: your questions answered. We got a bunch of queries from listeners about politics — so that’s the direction we’re headed. We'll discuss what these individual stories tell us about nationwide elections in 2018.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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There’s a new phrase bouncing around energy circles: Electrify Everything.
This week, we talk to Nate Adams, a home performance expert whose personal mission is to rip gas meters out of homes and move us closer toward full electrification. As he’s learned from experience, it’s not easy.
The electrification of homes may be getting easier in California, however.
In the second half of the show, we’re going to tackle California’s new building codes. Starting in 2020, most new homes will have to come with solar panels on the roof. And there are new incentives for electric space heating and water heating – a very big step toward electrification of everything.
The codes have created a very strong reaction, both positive and negative – and we’ll look at both sides.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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Billy Parish dropped out of college to pursue a career in climate activism. Today, he's the CEO of America's biggest rooftop solar loan company, Mosaic.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews Parish about his transition from activist to executive. They'll talk about the many iterations of Mosaic, difficulties in raising money from VCs, and Parish's philosophy on building a successful team.
Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.
This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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We all fall victim to myths. But when they're deeply tied to our belief systems, they can be nearly impossible to break.
On this week's show, we're busting some of the most common myths in clean energy:
In the second half of the program, we'll revisit the swampy politics of solar in Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. A battle over net metering wages in South Carolina; a dispute over solar leasing continues in Florida; and a legal fight over solar fees in Alabama escalates.
Do you have a question you want us to answer? We want to hear from you. Record yourself asking your question in a quiet room and send your voice memo to podcasts@greentechmedia.com. Maybe we'll answer it in an upcoming episode.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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This podcast episode sponsored by West Monroe Partners, and brought to you by creative strategies.
How do we think about change in the electric utility industry caused by distributed resources? Is it like telecom? Internet-based retail?
Sam Uyeno, senior manager in West Monroe Partners’ energy and utilities practice, says that it may be more like ride sharing. As distributed resources flourish, he argues that utilities will have to think about how to leverage new customers within its network — just as Uber came into the taxi market and allowed anyone to become operators.
When you consider distributed resource management software, “maybe that’s the Uber.”
Utilities are making large investments to keep up with the quickening pace of technological innovation. But it may not be enough to keep up with distributed energy resources. Utilities should also be looking for a new regulatory compact all together, argues Tom Hulsebosch, senior managing director for West Monroe Partner’s Energy & Utilities and sustainability practice.
In this podcast, we talk with Hulsebosch and Uyeno about the technology investments and business practices that utilities need to adopt in order to get ahead of the wave of distributed assets connecting to the grid.
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Are we entering a new era of grid planning? In recent years, we've assumed that sweeping reforms are the best way to get distributed energy built. But in pockets of the country, a more localized approach to deploying these assets is taking hold – and it could be the sign of a much bigger shift to come.
On this week's Energy Gang, we'll look at Washington, D.C.'s new proposal for an authority that would push PEPCO to consider distributed alternatives to infrastructure projects.
Then, why is one of the most progressive utilities in the country slow in scaling distributed energy offerings? We'll look at the mixed experience of Green Mountain Power.
Finally, we revisit Puerto Rico. The power is mostly back on, but hurricane season is approaching quickly. What comes next?
Do you have a question you want us to answer? We want to hear from you. Record yourself on your phone asking the question in a quiet room and send us your voice memo to podcasts@greentechmedia.com. Maybe we'll answer it in an upcoming episode.
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SunPower couldn’t convince the Trump Administration to abandon tariffs on imported solar panels. So now it plans to buy one of the companies pushing tariffs in the first place.
Yesterday, SunPower unveiled plans to acquire SolarWorld’s U.S. operations. Two months ago, CEO Tom Werner said SunPower was going to divest from America. But now he’s buying his way back in.
In this week's episode, we'll explain how Trump's demands for tariffs are shifting the PV manufacturing landscape.
Then, 173 countries agreed to cut emissions from the shipping sector by 2050. What are the technological solutions for a sector that could make up one-fifth of global emissions by the middle of the century?
We'll end with the latest from Germany. Katherine was in the country getting an update on the closely scrutinized energy transition there — and we’ll get her take on where things stand.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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Statoil is the largest operator of oil and gas rigs around the world. Consequently, the company's biggest low-carbon investments are offshore: floating wind farms and distributed carbon capture and storage.
This week, we're talking to Stephen Bull, the VP in charge of Statoil's low-carbon business, about where he sees the most potential. We'll talk to him about the performance of floating wind, the economics of CCS, and whether oil companies are investing enough in their new energy divisions.
We'll spend the second half of the show talking about two days of debate in Washington over the future of technology. No, it wasn't Mark Zuckerberg's hearing on Capitol Hill. It was a conference at FERC, where regulators are trying to figure out how to integrate distributed resources into wholesale markets. What did they accomplish? What does it portend for the future of distributed energy?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.
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After a multi-year decline, global carbon emissions are on the upswing.
The International Energy Agency now says that emissions grew in 2017 -- caused by an increase oil, natural gas and coal demand. Nearly three-quarters of new energy demand across the globe was served by fossil fuels.
At the same time, America saw another yearly drop in carbon emissions, which IEA says was assisted by renewables. But with more and more carbon-free nuclear plants slated for closure across the U.S., many worry the trend will end.
In this week's Energy Gang, we'll look at trends in global energy demand. We'll also look to the situation in the U.S., where concerns about losing nuclear are growing.
Then, we'll talk about FirstEnergy Solutions' bankruptcy. Could the company find a way to save its nuclear plants by compromising with renewables advocates?
Finally, EPA chief Scott Pruitt is cutting back on Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. We’ll explore the consequences. Are CAFE standards even the right policy?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through our iOS, Android, and web apps. Find out more.
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It’s been a bad couple of weeks for two of Silicon Valley’s top car companies.
After a pedestrian was killed by one of Uber’s autonomous cars in Arizona, the company’s AV operations were suspended. Other driverless car companies are now weighing the consequences to the technology, and regulators are asking if we need to slow down real-world testing.
Tesla is dealing with two crashes of its own. The crash of a Model X is raising questions about autopilot mode, and its stock has crashed 25 percent this month as investors worry about Model 3 delivery problems.
We'll look at the latest for Uber and Tesla in this week's episode.
Then, we'll return to Washington. It was also a bad week for Trump, who didn’t get his cuts to energy programs in the latest federal budget. We’ll look at why the GOP is so out of step with the White House on clean energy cuts.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
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In the early 2000s, investors weren't very interested in SunEdison's business plan to finance solar with power purchase agreements.
"No one wanted to hear about physical infrastructure," said Jigar Shah, who drafted the business plan and co-founded the company.
It took until 2006 to raise venture capital. But soon after, PPA customers started rolling in: Staples, Ikea, then Whole Foods.
"It was an idea who's time had come," said Shah. The PPA is now the backbone of solar.
In this week's edition of the live podcast series Watt It Takes, Shah sits down with Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch to discuss his career in solar -- from Astropower to the Department of Energy to BP Solar and, eventually, to founding (and leaving) SunEdison.
Jigar talks about why he left SunEdison, why he thinks Goldman Sachs was a terrible board member, and why cleantech entrepreneurs are taking really dumb money.
Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
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Like our shows? Make sure to give The Interchange and The Energy Gang a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And make sure to subscribe to both shows on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
There are three forces coming together in the transportation sector: vehicle autonomy, vehicle sharing, and vehicle electrification.
On their own, app-based sharing and electric vehicles are powerful agents of change. Together with automation, "they're revolutionary," argues Dr. Dan Sperling, author of a new book on the subject.
"It will change our lifestyles, it'll change the automobile industry, it'll change land use and cities, it'll change energy," he explains on this week's podcast.
Sperling is the author of Three Revolutions: Steering Automated, Shared, and Electric Vehicles to a Better Future. He joins us on The Energy Gang for a conversation about whether these revolutions will reinvent -- or ruin -- the way we get around.
In the second half of the show, we'll talk about the continued realignment of global energy giants. We’ll run through some of the recent strategy shifts at the world’s top energy companies as they grapple with the clean energy, customer-centric transition.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
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Amazon's analytical approach to understanding the customer allowed it to move beyond books and dominate the retail space. Entire industries are getting upended and transformed as a result.
This story about disruption is a familiar one. We’ve seen how it plays time and time again – and it’s not pretty for the incumbents who fail to catch up with technology.
It's a compelling narrative in the utility space, where we are smack in the middle of an Amazon moment. Electricity consumers want choice. They respond to personalization. And there’s a new generation of technology providers who think they can give consumers what they want – better than traditional brick and mortar utilities.
And that’s why Tendril CEO Adrian Tuck sees the importance of talking about Amazon as a model.
“How did they go from one thing to this broad level of disruption? They massively focused on the customer and what the customer wants. They looked at every piece of the chain and they tried to make everything easier for the customer. They’re really looking at all those pieces and innovated rapidly to make the buying experience compelling and simple to use," said Tuck.
In this podcast, we'll talk with Tuck about the future of data acquisition, personalization, demand-side management and utility business models. Recommended reading:
This podcast is brought to you by Tendril, the industry’s leading DSM data analytics software provider.
Last June, comedian John Oliver devoted a long segment to the struggling coal industry on his HBO show Last Week Tonight.
He turned his attention to Robert Murray, the CEO of Murray Energy, one of the most bombastic advocates of coal. And then Murray sued Oliver for defamation.
That defamation lawsuit was thrown out by a judge last week. But the saga tells us a lot about Robert Murray, one of the most influential figures behind the Trump Administration's coal policies.
In this week's episode, we'll discuss Murray's approach to promoting coal and silencing critics.
Then, a look at some new documents from the Seminar Network, a group created by Charles and David Koch, claiming big wins on killing climate policy. The group is planning to spend up to $400 million on mid-term elections. We'll talk about how the Kochs killed America's climate conversation over the last decade.
Finally, Trump is now claiming he saved the solar industry with tariffs. We discuss the truth.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Recommended reading:
If storage is the Swiss Army Knife of the electric grid, then U.S. energy regulators are breaking out their tool belts.
Last week brought a historic ruling at FERC. Commissioners told regional grid operators to create rules valuing the grid services of energy storage. Will it screw natural gas peakers – or maybe cut, saw, file, prune, hook, or crimp them?
Later in the podcast, an infrastructure redux. The White House’s infrastructure plan is out. When it comes to energy, the Trump Administration is making pipelines a priority, and largely bypassing clean energy.
We’re heading down to Mexico for our final segment. GTM was there for our solar summit last week, and we’ll share a bit of insight into the forces behind one of the hottest -- and cheapest -- solar markets in the world.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Since the White House slapped penalties on solar panels made outside America, a handful of companies say they’re likely to ramp up production in the U.S.
In recent weeks, two Asian producers -- Jinko Solar and United Renewable Energy -- said they're planning to set up new module assembly plants. Other domestic producers are making plans to hire new employees.
How should we interpret this activity? Does this mean the tariffs are working?
On this week's Energy Gang, we're joined by GTM Senior Editor Julia Pyper, who outlines the latest activity as the tariffs become law.
Then, it’s the news circuit. We’ll explore Puerto Rico’s utility privatization plans, Tesla’s virtual power plant in Australia, the Northern Pass transmission rejection, and Arizona’s conservative clean energy plan.
This podcast is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Stories referenced in this podcast:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
There are tens of thousands large-scale wind turbines scattered across America. That means over a million and a half households are located five miles from a turbine. And they’re actually inching closer to homes on average, according to government researchers. So how do those machines impact our property values, our soundscapes, and our quality of life?
The Lawrence Berkeley National Lab has a slew of new data on the impact of wind turbines on our lives. In this week's podcast, we’re going to dive into it. (Spoiler: the majority of people like them. We'll explain why.)
Then we’re going to talk about the president’s State of the Union Address. Why did Trump duck away from the coal renaissance narrative?
And finally, we'll explore the controversy around Massachusetts' deal with Northern Pass to supply 17 percent of its electricity with Canadian hydro.
Recommended reading:
The Energy Gang is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
The Trump Administration just imposed 30 percent tariffs on imported solar cells and modules. How much will it stunt solar growth in America? Will it spark a broader trade war?
There are a lot of questions about the impact. In this podcast, we’re giving you the answers – or, as many answers we have, just a day after the decision.
This week, we'll bring together our teams from The Interchange and The Energy Gang together to answer listener questions about the tariffs. We'll also talk with GTM Research's Cory Honeyman about how (and where) the 30 percent penalty will impact projects around the U.S.
Thanks to sponsor, C Power Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
In this episode, we address:
Read all our previous coverage and analysis of the Trump Administration's solar tariffs:
Like our shows? Make sure to give The Interchange and The Energy Gang a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And make sure to subscribe to both shows on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
The next sector ripe for electrification: aviation.
Electric airplanes could completely make over the regional airline sector -- fundamentally changing the way we move around the country and creating new economic opportunities.
On this week's Energy Gang, we'll talk with Ashish Kumar, the CEO of Zunum Aero, about the company's electric propulsion system and hybrid-electric airplane model. We'll discuss design challenges, battery requirements, immediate market opportunities, and the long-term economic consequences of electrified aviation.
Then, a look at the latest global figures on renewables investment. China had another explosive year in 2017, while America had an anemic one. We'll tease out the latest global numbers that broke over the last week.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Nearly one year after President Trump was sworn into office, we’re re-examining the state of energy politics in Washington.
Our post-election episodes were some of our most popular shows of last year. This week, we’re returning to the subject now that we’ve got experience, and not just speculation.
Amy Harder, an energy and climate reporter with Axios, joins us to talk about a wide range of topics: Rick Perry's NOPR rejection, deregulation, solar tariffs, ANWR drilling, carbon taxes, an infrastructure bill, and the future of climate negotiations.
The podcast is also brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
What's it like inside the Environmental Protection Agency as the Trump Administration dismantles it from the top down?
This week, ProPublica’s Talia Buford joins us on The Energy Gang to talk about how Scott Pruitt’s aggressive regulatory rollback agenda is changing the agency’s relationship to science, to industry, and to the staffers who've worked there for decades. An abandoned rule on effluent from power plants tells us a lot about Pruitt's approach to disassembling the EPA.
Then, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo unveiled his latest energy vision, which features big targets for offshore wind and energy storage. Is New York suddenly the country’s hottest storage market?
And finally, we’ll wrap up with a glance at two once-mighty companies in solar that are re-emerging after tough times: BP Solar and SunEdison.
The podcast is also brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
We spend most of our time talking about other companies. For our first podcast of the year, we're turning the tables and reflecting on GTM.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews GTM Co-Founder Scott Clavenna about the origins of our company, the challenges of being a startup in the cleantech world, and our recent acquisition by Wood Mackenzie.
Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.
As we prepare for the onslaught of news in 2018, this interview will give you more insight into how we operate as a company.
The podcast is also brought to you by CPower Energy Management. Find out more about CPower's demand-side energy management solutions.
Good journalism is more important than ever. In our last episode of the year, we're choosing our favorite energy reporting of 2017.
We'll start off with a conversation about a damning investigative piece on how U.S. utilities put ratepayers on the hook for $40 billion in failed coal and nuke projects.
Tony Bartelme, a special projects reporter at the Post and Courier, joins us to talk about his bombshell story, "Power Failure: How Utilities Across the U.S. Changed the Rules to Make Big Bets With Your Money."
He and his team talked with 50 sources in industry and government. They uncovered a systematic effort to obfuscate problems with risky coal and nuke projects -- and pay executives handsomely while doing so.
In the second half of the show, we'll discuss some of our other favorite stories about microgrids, coal country, electric cars, fuel cells, politics, and the global energy transition.
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Here's a list of our favorite stories that we discussed on the show:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Energy storage has arrived.
This year brought numerous record-breaking battery projects, dozens of acquisitions and partnerships, and over a dozen utility integrated resource plans that factor storage. Within a decade, the U.S. storage market could be 25 times bigger than it is today -- swamping natural gas peaker plants, and enabling a vast array of new grid applications.
In this week's episode, we open up our vault of data and describe the state of storage in America: which sectors are dominating, how utilities are thinking about the technology, where the economics stand, and what to look for in 2018.
Plus, we'll have a conversation with Green Mountain Power CEO Mary Powell about how customer-sited battery storage fits into the utility's broad culture and tech shift.
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules.
Recommended reading:
· GTM Research: U.S. Energy Storage Monitor, Q4 2017
· GTM: The 10 Stories That Defined Energy Storage in 2017
· GTM Squared: Watch the Live Broadcast From US Energy Storage Summit 2017
Make sure to subscribe to The Energy Gang on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your audio.
Southern New England is hungry for more clean energy, and states like Connecticut and Massachusetts are turning to Hydro-Quebec for its excess hydropower.
There's one sticking point: they need a new transmission line to get all that power from Northern Quebec. And citizens in the states that could host new transmission projects -- New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine -- are resisting construction plans.
A lot of attention has focused on controversial transmission projects like Northern Pass. But what about the source of the electrons feeding the line?
In this week's podcast, we talk with Sam Evans-Brown, a journalist who's been exploring the history of Canadian hydro. It's a decades-long story filled with conflict, controversy, racism, and billions of dollars at stake.
Sam is host of the Outside/In podcast. He and his colleague Hannah McCarthy just published a 4-part audio series, called Powerline, about the hydropower working its way down to the Northeastern U.S. We'll talk about the stories they uncovered.
Then, Cape Wind is dead. We’ll have a eulogy.
And finally, we'll discuss that tax bill again. It’s messier than anyone thought possible.
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Are you coming to GTM's Storage Summit on December 12-13? Podcast listeners get 20 percent off their registration with the promo code PODCASTS.
Recommended reading and listening:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
We've reached a new stage in cleantech. Years after the VC bubble popped, startups are pursuing new approaches to scaling, finding customers, partnering, and raising money.
Those new approaches to scaling early-stage cleantech were crystallized this year. And we're going to talk about them.
This week, we recorded live at Greentown Labs, the largest cleantech incubator in the country. We discussed a wide range of trends: the emergence of blockchain, a diversifying class of corporate investors, the blitz of mergers and acquisitions, low-cost ways of scaling new technologies, how to ask for money, and where startups can engage in policy.
Plus, we ran through the top headlines of the week: Tesla's 100-megawatt battery, the heinous Congressional tax bill, and the Bonn climate talks.
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Are you coming to GTM's Storage Summit on December 12-13? Podcast listeners get 20 percent off their registration with the promo code PODCASTS.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
Dan Shugar lives, breathes and bleeds solar.
"If you cut my wrist, pure silicon comes out," he exclaimed in an interview with Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch, as part of the Watt It Takes interview series.
This week, Shugar steps behind the microphone to talk about turning his passion for PV into deals and acquisitions worth over $1 billion.
Shugar has a storied career. Some call him the "King Midas" of solar, because he's turned so many ventures into gold. He's the former president of Powerlight, the pioneering developer acquired by SunPower in 2006. He's now CEO of the tracker company NEXTracker, which was sold to Flextronics for $330 million last year.
In this edition of Watt It Takes, Shugar describes the moment he realized solar's potential while working for PG&E; how Powerlight was founded and funded; the risks he took when getting into solar; his passion for the environment; and why everyone is underestimating the growth of PV.
This conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California at Powerhouse. In the next episode, GTM Co-Founder Scott Clavenna takes the stage.
This podcast is brought to you by Mission Solar. Find out more about Mission's high-quality, American-made solar modules.
Listen to earlier episodes of Watt It Takes:
Like our shows? Make sure to give The Interchange and The Energy Gang a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And make sure to subscribe to both shows on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or anywhere you get your podcasts.
The House passed its tax reform bill yesterday that includes cuts to renewable energy tax credits. The package is already having a chilling effect as developers stall projects because of a potential change to the tax code.
What will happen when the Senate and House try to reconcile their two bills? We'll try to anticipate the political chess match before the pieces move.
Then, we'll take a look at Tesla's newest shiny object: the electric semi-truck. Is this a convenient distraction for Musk as Tesla's financial health worsens? Or yet another master plan step that most of us will never understand until much later?
(Note: we recorded these segments on Thursday afternoon. For more on the House tax bill, read this overview; for a rundown of the new semi-truck, read Julia Pyper's reporting.)
We end the show why talking about IEA's latest worries about nuclear shut-downs in Europe. While global emissions rise, renewables may have a hard time filling in the gap.
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Are you coming to GTM's Storage Summit on December 12-13? Podcast listeners get 20 percent off their registration with the promo code PODCASTS.
Recommended reading:
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
This week: a conversation with Andrew Birch, the co-founder and CEO of Sungevity.
For those who’ve been following the wild ride in solar, you’re going to want to listen to this conversation.
Sungevity was once one of the biggest residential solar installers in the U.S. – until it filed for bankruptcy protection at the beginning of the year. In this interview, Andrew Birch talks candidly about how Sungevity was founded, what killed an acquisition deal to save the installer, how market forces and the political landscape hurt the business, and where he thinks global solar trends are headed.
This interview was conducted on-stage at Powerhouse, an incubator based in San Francisco. It’s part of the “Watt It Takes” series on how top cleantech entrepreneurs built their companies. The series is produced by Powerhouse, in partnership with Greentech Media.
This podcast is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. To find out more about Mission’s high-power, American quality modules visit missionsolar.com.
Since taking over as administrator of the EPA, Scott Pruitt's meeting calendar has been filled almost exclusively with industry interests.
Now he's opening the door even wider for industry.
On Tuesday, the Administrator issued a new decree: any scientist getting funding from the EPA will no longer be allowed to serve on the agency's scientific advisory board. He's replacing scientists with representatives from the chemical, fossil fuel and utility industries.
The scientific community is up in arms, saying there is already a very detailed process for ensuring scientific integrity and avoiding conflicts. Former EPA officials who served in the Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush administrations are criticizing the move as a way to stifle independent science.
This week, we'll discuss the latest in Pruitt's campaign to unravel the EPA.
Then, European utilities are scooping up American distributed energy companies at a record pace. We'll talk about Enel's acquisition of Enernoc, eMoterWerks, Demand Energy and a range of other distributed energy players. Is it sustainable?
We'll end with a conversation about the latest developments in the ongoing solar trade case. Is the sky falling yet? MJ Shiao, head of Americas research at GTM, talks through the different penalties on imports proposed by international trade commissioners.
Recommended reading:
This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.
"Don’t let government pick winners and losers."
That was Rick Perry’s mantra as Texas governor and a presidential candidate. But it didn’t take him long to abandon it as energy secretary. This week, we’ll revisit the rare, bizarre request from Perry asking federal regulators to restructure electricity markets and prop up struggling coal and nuclear plants.
Then, the latest on the post-Hurricane energy crisis in Puerto Rico. We'll talk about the rebuilding effort, a controversial grid-rebuilding contract with an unknown company, and the strained Washington-Puerto relationship.
Finally, an Alaskan sovereign wealth fund is betting big on distributed energy through Generate Capital. We'll talk about what the fund says about new investment approaches in emerging tech.
Recommended reading and listening:
The Interchange: An interview With Ari Peskoe About the Legal Holes in Perry's NOPR
Vox: What Rick Perry Would Have Recommended If He Listened to His Own Grid Study
Martin Heinrich op-ed: Coal Bailout Is a Crude Attempt to Pay for Campaign Promises
Washington Post: FEMA Cites 'Significant Concerns' Over Whitefish Energy Deal in Puerto Rico
GTM: Generate Capital Raises $200 Million Fund
This week, we’re unveiling a new podcast collaboration between Greentech Media and Powerhouse, called "Watt it Takes." Watt It Takes is produced and recorded live at Powerhouse, a cleantech incubator and seed fund in Oakland, CA. Each month, a founder of a top clean energy company shares the personal story behind the company they’ve built. Our first episode features Dick Swanson, founder, and former CEO and CTO of SunPower, who talks about the wild ups and downs of building one of the largest solar companies in the world. The show begins with Shayle Kann, SVP at GTM, providing some market context. And then Powerhouse Founder and CEO Emily Kirsch leads the interview with Swanson. Want to meet these industry luminaries and watch a live recording? Get tickets for future events: wattittakesoct2017.splashthat.com.
When we first hit the record button four years ago, the energy landscape looked very different. Oil prices were above $90 per barrel. Utilities were only just starting to take distributed resources seriously as grid assets. Coal was still on the upswing globally. There was great uncertainty around a global climate deal. And Donald Trump was still two years away from announcing his presidential campaign. For our 200th episode of The Energy Gang, we'll reflect on the biggest changes we saw coming -- and didn't see coming -- since the podcast started. Before we reflect back, we'll start the show with a conversation about Puerto Rico. The U.S. territory is facing unspeakable devastation after Hurricanes Irma and Maria -- made worse by a bankrupt utility and an American government slow to send help. What do we know about the scope of the commonwealth’s energy problems post-hurricane? This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
Donald Trump was in New York City this week. We left him some tickets for our live podcast at the box office, but he never showed up. Still, we had a blast taping our latest episode at WNYC's performance space in Manhattan. And this week, we've got that episode in its entirety. Special guest Mark Chambers, director of the mayor's office of sustainability, joined us on stage for a lively discussion. In this extended episode, we feature a variety of segments. First, we tested the gang’s knowledge of New York’s energy scene with a little segment we called "Climate Week: The Game." Then, we interviewed Mark Chambers, who offered insight into the city's climate action plan. Then, we went deep. We had a debate about the importance of local climate and energy policy in the Trump era -- with a little audience Q&A mixed in, too. Finally, we completed a quick news circuit and analyzed some top energy stories in the news. A big thanks to Urban Future Lab, ACRE, Solar One, and NYSERDA for partnering with GTM on the Clean Energy Connections series. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
India has blossomed into one of the most important renewable energy markets in the world. It currently has the fourth-most cumulative wind capacity installed, and will become the third-biggest solar market globally by 2022. The country also has plans to sell only electric vehicles by 2030. With immense growth comes new businesses and economic opportunity -- but also political and economic risk. This week, we'll talk with the CEO of India's top independent renewable energy developers about navigating that risk. Sumant Sinha is the founder and CEO of ReNew Power. He's overseen 2 gigawatts of completed wind and solar projects, and has plans to build 10 gigawatts more in the coming years. In this show, we interview Sinha about the many forces that are changing India’s energy markets. We address: The solar boom: Can India meet its 100 gigawatt solar target? Grid planning: Can central and state governments better coordinate market expansion? Quality: The importance of maintaining quality standards for projects The rise of auctions: Are record-low prices sustainable? India's EV target: Will it tangentially help ReNew Power's expansion: What will it take to hit 10 gigawatts of projects? This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
We made it. We finished summer without nuclear war or an international catastrophe -- and now we can calm our nerves with pumpkin spice everything. This week, as we close out summer and prepare for a busy fall news cycle, we're checking in on the stories that we think will define the remainder of 2017. Katherine gives us a rundown on the top priorities for Congress. Jigar talks about the shakeout coming for the auto sector. And Stephen looks at the potential impact of solar tariffs. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
While Texans start the painful process of rebuilding their lives after Hurricane Harvey, many are asking: could anything have been done to lessen the impact? In this week's podcast, we're going to discuss the storm through the lens of climate, urban planning and federal policy. All three of those factors created the perfect storm for maximum damage. Marianne Lavelle, a reporter with InsideClimate News, joins us to talk about the important stories to watch in the wake of the hurricane. Then, a DOE grid study redux. We’ll offer up some thoughts on the final version of that contentious federal grid reliability report that you’ve heard so much about. Then, China’s solar frenzy continues. Wasn’t it supposed to be a slow year? Also, don't forget to join us for our live podcast in NYC on September 19. Tickets here: http://bit.ly/2wbutCx Also, use the discount code "ENERGYGANG" for a 15 percent discount to our NY REV Future conference in Brooklyn on September 26 and 27. Register here: http://bit.ly/2woZNOn This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at: missionsolar.com. Recommended reading: Will Harvey's Damage Shift How Congress Sees Climate Change and Budget Cuts? http://bit.ly/2vItHKv Harvey’s Devastation Shows the Need for Distributed Energy, Microgrids During Disasters: http://bit.ly/2wsSVhm The Interchange episode with Travis Fisher, lead on DOE’s epic grid reliability report: http://bit.ly/2wXrcsg
What makes Elon Musk tick? What will the grid look like in 2030? This week, we (re)answer both of those questions. We're featuring a couple of our favorite podcast segments for your summer listening enjoyment. First up, a 2015 Energy Gang interview with Ashlee Vance, a Bloomberg reporter and author of the book, Elon Musk: Tesla, Space X and the Quest for a Fantastic Future. Vance gives us an intimate look at why Elon operates in such a unique way. It's been two years since the book was released, but it's still just as relevant. In our second interview, we dig into The Interchange vaults and serve up a conversation about what the grid may look like in 2030. It’s like a literary review of geeky grid fan fiction, written by Shayle Kann. Sign up for our live Energy Gang in New York City on September 19: This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Recommended reading: Elon Musk: Tesla, Space X and the Quest for a Fantastic Future -- https://www.amazon.com/Ashlee-Vance/e/B003YLHAJG
White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon (unwittingly) gave an interview this week, saying America is locked in "an economic war with China." Bannon mentioned arcane sections of the 1974 Trade Act to penalize China for alleged steel and aluminum dumping. Could solar be on the list, too? Bannon's comments suggest he's also paying attention to Section 201 of the trade act -- which is the foundation of Suniva and SolarWorld’s case for slapping severe penalties on imported solar cells and modules from Asia and the rest of the world. Those companies, plus dozens of other heavy hitters in solar, were in Washington this week to argue their case in front of the International Trade Commission. In this week's show, we’ll have the latest on solar trade politics. Then, we'll dig into a fascinating new study on second-order climate beliefs. It’s not just about what you believe -- it’s about what you believe others believe. Finally, we’ll revisit the rise of non-wires alternatives. More utilities are opting for distributed resources in place of traditional wires upgrades on the grid. We’ll discuss a new project in Arizona and then look across the landscape of other projects. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Recommended reading: The Messy Politics Surrounding the Solar Trade Case: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/the-messy-politics-surrounding-the-solar-trade-case The Importance of Second-Order Opinions for Climate Politics: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/74f6/8960cca93ebe036baea022bfaf2e4c4e9e70.pdf APS Buys Energy Storage From AES for Less Than Half the Cost of a Transmission Upgrade: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/aes-buys-energy-storage-for-less-than-half-the-cost-of-a-wires-upgrade
What happens when lawmakers and industry craft a large, complicated bill and then rush it through the legislature without reading it? We saw the consequences in South Carolina. That's where two utilities in the state walked away from a nuclear plant they were building – leaving ratepayers to foot the bill and putting thousands of people out of work. It's the result of a piece of legislation quietly passed a decade ago. In this week's episode of The Energy Gang, we'll look at the political factors that led to South Carolina's nuclear debacle. Then, we'll review two newly published features about Louisiana – one on the state's disastrous environmental record, and the other on the slow recovery after last year’s record-breaking floods. We'll start the show off with a quick peek at the latest Tesla news, including the Model 3 unveiling and a major bond issuance. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Recommended reading: How SC Lawmakers Passed a 2007 Law That Failed Power Customers: http://www.thestate.com/news/politics-government/article165641762.html The Louisiana Environmental Apocalypse Road Trip: https://longreads.com/2017/07/13/the-louisiana-environmental-apocalypse-road-trip/amp/ Disaster and Neglect in Louisiana: http://reports.climatecentral.org/great-flood-louisiana/one-year-later/
While venture capitalists swoon over startups devoted to making people click on ads and stare at their phones longer, they’re decidedly less interested in solving more difficult real-world problems -- like transforming the energy sector. Yes, we’ve been talking about this downward trend for years now. And there are still a number of venture firms actively pursuing opportunities in energy decarbonization and decentralization. But startups are realizing they can’t rely on venture capitalists like they used to. So where do they turn for support? This week, we feature a conversation with four execs from incubators around the country. We chat about the emergence of new funding sources, different business models for incubators and accelerators, and the importance of corporate partnerships. Joining the conversation: Emily Kirsch, the founder and CEO of Powerhouse, a software-focused incubator and accelerator in Oakland, California: https://powerhouse.solar/ Emily Reichert, CEO of Greentown Labs, a hardware-focused incubator in the country, based in Somerville, Massachusetts: https://www.greentownlabs.com/ Path Sapinsley, managing director of cleantech initiatives at the Urban Future Lab in Brooklyn, New York, which houses the ACRE incubator: http://ufl.nyc/ Beth Hartman, project manager at the IncubateEnergy Network at the Electric Power Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado: https://incubatenergy.org/ This podcast is brought to you by Wunder Capital, an award-winning investment platform that allows you to invest directly in solar projects and earn up to 8.5 percent annually. Create an account for free at WunderCapital.com/gtm.
Al Gore is back in the climate spotlight with the release of "An Inconvenient Sequel." This week, we’ll revisit his role as the unofficial spokesman for climate action. There’s still an active debate over how effective Gore has been in that role throughout the last decade. Then, Energy Secretary Rick Perry didn’t give away any nuclear secrets in his 22-minute call with Russian phone pranksters. But that may be the least of our worries. We’ll talk about a blockbuster new piece from Michael Lewis in Vanity Fair about the disordered transition in the Department of Energy. Finally, Britain makes some bold battery moves. We’ll glance at two new plans to boost distributed battery storage and ban gas-powered cars. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Atlantic piece on Al Gore: https://newrepublic.com/article/143966/troubling-return-al-gore-profile-inconvenient-sequel Michael Lewis' piece on the DOE: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/07/department-of-energy-risks-michael-lewis
After numerous attempts, a desperate plea from the governor, and some pot sweeteners to industry, legislators in California finally passed an extension of cap-and-trade to 2030. It’s a big deal. California is the world’s seventh-largest economy. With Governor Brown vowing to fill in the climate diplomacy vacuum left by Donald Trump, it would have been a huge setback to let cap-and-trade languish. We'll look at the significance. Then, can geothermal heating and cooling follow the path of solar? Dandelion, a new startup spun off from Google X, thinks so. We'll end with a look at the wave of executive departures from SolarCity's team in the aftermath of the Tesla acquisition. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com.
With America now a climate pariah on the global stage, cities around the country are stepping up their commitments to action. But are they just cheerleading, rather than actually leading? This week, guest Sam Brooks tells the hard truth about why cities are not living up to their bold pronouncements -- not yet, anyway. Brooks is the former director of the District of Columbia's sustainability division. He recently penned a piece for GTM on why cities are not leading on climate in the way they claim. We'll talk to him about the data behind his argument and his experience working in city government. Then, we'll discuss a couple big business moves. NRG is selling off its renewable energy assets as part of a major restructuring plan. We’ll tell you why. And AES creates a joint venture with Siemens to scale up utility-scale storage. We’ll take a look at the global storage arms race. This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Visit Mission Solar at the upcoming Solar Power International conference at Booth 3975. You can find out more about Mission’s American-made, high-power modules at missionsolar.com. Read Sam Brooks' piece: https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/hard-truths-about-city-failures-with-clean-energy
This week, we're coming to you live from Grid Edge World Forum. We kick off the show with a look at oil majors. Oil companies have toyed with renewables over the decades with mixed success -- but is it time to take them seriously in the era of electrification? Then, the latest experience with distributed renewables as grid assets. We’re all awaiting the release of a DOE report ordered by Energy Secretary Perry on how wind and solar are threatening baseload power and the health of the grid. We will go beyond the politics, and look to real-world applications as a guide for what’s really going on. In our last segment, we quickly flow through the most talked-about current events, including blockchain, artificial intelligence and the role of consumer tech giants in energy. This podcast is brought to you by Kaco New Energy.
A bitter dispute. A clash. A battle royale. Those are just a few descriptions of a new study countering Mark Jacobson's 2015 report showing that we can source 100 percent of America's energy from wind, solar and water. Jacobson's study is controversial. Celebrities like Mark Ruffalo and Bernie Sanders have lauded his work. Other experts have long questioned his assumptions. Jacobson himself has called it the "only moral choice." This week, Twitter erupted with debate over Jacobson's assumptions -- resulting in personal attacks, a litany of tweet storms and wide press coverage. In this episode, we're going to dig into the dispute over 100 percent renewables that has spilled out of academia and into the mosh pit of Twitter and politics. In the second half of the show, we'll focus on reliability and renewables. Does Europe’s better outage record tell us anything about variable wind and solar and the health of the grid? Finally, America just got 10 percent of its electricity from non-hydro renewables. What does that tell us about where we are headed? This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.
Utility executives poured into Boston from across the country this week for the Edison Electric Institute’s annual conference. They talked about everything from crazy national politics to rate design to artificial intelligence and the future of workers. We brought our recording gear and tracked down some top names in the industry. In this episode, we hear what's on the minds of utility executives. Here are some highlights from the interviews: Tom Fanning, CEO of Southern Company, on why decarbonization will continue under Trump: "We don't chase fads. Our business approach, our strategies, our models, have a much longer life than any political party or any particular administration." Pat Vincent-Collawn, PNM Resources CEO, on automation and the future of work: "We're not thinking about that enough yet." Julia Hamm, the CEO of SEPA, on how distributed energy is wrapped up in smart cities and artificial intelligence: "Utility executives are really starting to think about how does that suite of distributed energy resources fit into an even bigger picture." David Owens, retiring VP of regulatory affairs at EEI, on the new priorities for investor-owned utilities: We've gotten very aggressive in the industry's vision. And that vision is focused around cleaner energy, a smarter energy infrastructure, and providing customized or individualized solutions so we can respond to customer needs." And here's our reading list mentioned at the top of the show: R Street Institute report on why baseload retirements don't necessarily mean unreliability: bit.ly/2sA7uAH Rocky Mountain Institute piece on outdated notions of baseload power: bit.ly/2swyRdY Researchers debunk the premise of Rick Perry's baseload report in The Conversation: http://bit.ly/2rnBH1k GTM article summarizing a report on why ARPA-E is a success so far: http://bit.ly/2sGFevU Wall Street Journal article on oil giants shifting their focus to electricity: http://on.wsj.com/2tuE2bL The Interchange is brought to you by AES Energy Storage. AES is helping utilities harness the power of battery-based energy storage to make the electric power system cleaner, more flexible, and more reliable. Find out more: http://bit.ly/2oxZ5dT Make sure to subscribe to The Interchange podcast via iTunes, SoundCloud or Stitcher, or integrate our RSS feed into the podcast app of your choice.
We’ve had a week to let the media digest Trump’s climate trolling. EPA administrator Scott Pruitt has been all over the airwaves defending the decision to withdraw from Paris, and journalists have been all over the administration for its loose relationship with the facts. We’ll look at how Paris has played out in the press. Then, after killing net metering, Nevada is suddenly back on the table as one of the most important solar markets –- and now one of the most important storage markets. We'll have an overview of the stunning reversal in the Silver State. And finally, we’ll talk about a new report warning of a coming auto-industry death spiral. This podcast is brought to you by Kaco New Energy: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
We all just became actors in Donald Trump’s reality TV show. After an elaborate tease over the Paris climate deal in recent weeks, the president finally revealed that he’s walking away from the historic agreement. Soon after Trump’s speech, world leaders issued bold statements: It’s not going to happen. There is no renegotiation process. The deal is the deal. Then local officials spoke up. It didn’t take long for dozens of U.S. mayors and governors to adopt the targets set by the climate accord. And then the corporate fallout started. Already, Elon Musk and Disney CEO Bob Iger have quit Trump’s business advisory council. Many more executives have publicly rebuked the president. The international and domestic consequences of this decision are still playing out. In this episode of the Energy Gang, we grapple with in the immediate aftermath of Trump’s speech. What should we take seriously? This episode is sponsored by KACO New Energy: kaco-newenergy.com
California released a white paper last week documenting the stunning decline of the customer base for investor-owned utilities in the state. Meanwhile, the state is facing more and more curtailments, negative electricity pricing, and, on top of it all, a looming solar eclipse. What can we learn about market design from the nation’s solar leader? Then, getting to terawatt-scale PV. Researchers and policymakers are getting serious about thousands and thousands of gigawatts of solar in the coming decades. And they’re asking some hard questions about market design. What does the world look like under that scenario? Finally, we'll end with a fast cycle through some of the top news stories. How worried should you be? This week's podcast was recorded live at GTM's Solar Summit. For access to videos of all our sessions -- featuring First Solar, Sunpower, Sunshot, Google, SEIA, Sunrun and more -- sign up for GTM Squared. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.
Now that Tesla has unveiled pricing details for its solar roof, everyone is trying to figure out if it's a good deal. Depending on what your assumptions are -- what kind of roof you're replacing, what kind of market you live in, how much in subsidies you're earning, and what kind of solar system you're competing with -- the value can vary wildly. Some say it's a surprisingly good deal. Others say it's far more expensive than Tesla claims. In this week's podcast, we'll discuss the economic viability of the Tesla solar roof. We'll also look at growth prospects, potential barriers to adoption, and where the product might fit into Tesla's long-term solar strategy. Then, Walmart’s Project Gigaton: A look at the mega-retailer’s new plan to slash emissions deep in its supply chain. Finally, FERC nominees: After 4 months, we have some candidates for America’s top energy regulatory body. We’ll talk about how they could shape the country’s energy landscape over the next few years. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: kaco-newenergy.com
In this show, sponsored by Itron, we discuss the emergence of the smart city. Itron has been at the forefront of developing smart city infrastructure. We speak with Sharelynn Moore, the VP of Marketing at Itron, about how the company is using sensors and software to make the smart city come alive. Learn more about Itron's smart cities work: http://www.itron.com/na/industries/smart-cities
Since the day Tesla was founded, executives saw stationary storage as a compliment to the electric car business. That was Martin Eberhard's plan when he co-founded the company and envisioned the Tesla Energy Group. Years later, after launching the Powerwall, CEO Elon Musk said the storage business could soon eclipse automobiles. Today, storage is an integral part of Tesla's package of offerings for consumers, and its development plans for utilities. In 2009, Mateo Jaramillo was hired to execute Tesla's storage strategy. Well, eventually. First, he was responsible for developing the company's powertrain. Over time, he became more heavily involved in stationary storage -- eventually building Tesla's in-house storage development arm and the team that designed the Powerwall and Powerpack. He drew on his years of experience at Gaia Power Technologies, where he worked on some of the earliest behind-the-meter battery systems in New York. Last December, Jaramillo left Tesla to focus on his next career move in storage. The LinkedIn description of his new job job reads: "The Next Thing." This week, we caught up with Jaramillo to talk about what that "next thing" might be. We talked about the history of behind-the-meter storage, the evolution of Tesla's approach to the market, and where storage business models and applications are headed. Thanks to our launch sponsor, AES Energy Storage. The grid is changing. Fast. And AES Energy Storage is helping utilities harness the power of battery-based energy storage to make the electric power system cleaner, more flexible, and more reliable. Find out more. Big thanks to our launch sponsor, AES Energy Storage: http://aesenergystorage.com/interchange Make sure to subscribe to the Interchange: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interchange/id1221460035?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theinterchangepodcast Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-interchange Our RSS Feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:298570872/sounds.rss Bookmark our Interchange web page: https://www.greentechmedia.com/podcast/the-interchange
To many, France’s ongoing elections are the latest showdown between the liberal world order and a new brand of right-wing populism. That narrative follows a similar path in energy. France’s elections are pitting nuclear versus renewables, closed markets versus open, and disruption versus protectionism. France is going through a quite radical revaluation of its electricity mix. It gets about 75 percent of its electricity from nuclear. However, in 2015, President François Holland set a policy that would phase out aging nuclear plants, and reduce nuclear generation to 50 percent by 2025. He wants to fill in the gap with more renewables and efficiency. Now the two presidential candidates -- Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen -- are sparring over what to do with nuclear. It’s part of a broader debate over nationalizing the energy giant EDF, expanding or limiting energy trading with the E.U., and mixing variable renewables with a really high nuclear grid. On this week's podcast: As we near the May 7 run-off election between Macron and Le Pen, we consider the future of the world’s leading nuclear energy power during a time of political volatility and electricity market transformation. Then, are we at the start of a new solar trade war between America and the rest of the world? We'll discuss Suniva's wide-ranging trade complaint to the government. Finally, the U.K. recently went coal-free for a day. We place its significance. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/ Make sure to subscribe to our other podcast, The Interchange. iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interchange/id1221460035?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theinterchangepodcast
We've heard a lot about record low prices in utility-scale solar. Get ready for more records in offshore wind. In the last two months, we've seen offshore project developers in Europe bidding for pennies per kilowatt-hour -- easily beating 2020 price estimates. Now the Europeans want to export that learning to America. In this week's episode, we'll look at how the two markets compare -- and why some of the market and policy conditions that favor offshore wind in Europe don't exist in the U.S. Then, Energy Secretary Rick Perry wants to know if renewable energy is a danger to America’s grid. His recent memo on energy markets was only a page and a half long, but it was packed with a lot of assumptions –- and we'll unpack them ourselves. Finally, we'll discuss Plug Power’s deal with Amazon. It’s not just about fuel cells -- it’s about finding any cost advantage in the ultra-competitive retail sector. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/ Make sure to subscribe to our other podcast, The Interchange! iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interchange/id1221460035?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theinterchangepodcast
What will it take to slash carbon emissions in the electric sector by 100 percent? We're already making immense progress. And we could use wind, solar and storage to cost-effectively cut grid emissions in half. But to go from 50 percent reductions to 100 percent will take a much more diverse range of technologies. That is the conclusion of a new literature review of 30 studies, written by Jesse Jenkins and Samuel Thernstrom. Jesse Jenkins joins us on the podcast. He’s an energy thinker, writer and a PhD candidate at MIT with an expertise in electric power system engineering. In this week's episode of The Interchange, we define "deep decarbonization," discuss the limitations of our current pathway, and talk about the intense tribalism that feeds the debate over how to transition to a zero-carbon system. We're re-launching the show this week publicly. Make sure to subscribe to us on SoundCloud, iTunes, Stitcher Radio or simply copy and paste our RSS feed into the podcast app of your choice. Big thanks to our launch sponsor, AES Energy Storage: Make sure to subscribe to the show! Links below: http://aesenergystorage.com/interchange iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-interchange/id1221460035?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theinterchangepodcast Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-interchange Our RSS Feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:298570872/sounds.rss Bookmark our Interchange web page: https://www.greentechmedia.com/podcast/the-interchange And other links from the show are below. What we're reading: https://foresightdk.com/in-search-of-a-cure-for-cannibalisation/ Jesse Jenkins' paper on deep decarbonization: http://bit.ly/2oeRvBb
Westinghouse, of the most important players in nuclear, filed for bankruptcy protection last week. It's a potential blow to the global industry. After all, half of the world's nuclear reactors use Westinghouse technology. The company has been working on two major nuclear power plants in Georgia and South Carolina -- both of which are now behind schedule and over budget. Will the reactors get built by the 2019 deadline? We'll talk about what happened to the company, and consider what it means for nuclear in the U.S. and around the world. Then, Brexit. Will the U.K. end its climate commitments now officially leaving the European Union? Finally, a lesson in traffic control. What we can learn about driver behavior from highway crises in Georgia and Los Angeles. Podcast PSA: We're making The Interchange podcast public! Listen to Shayle Kann and Stephen Lacey go deep on the forces guiding the global energy transformation. You can subscribe by searching for us in iTunes. Just search for "The Interchange" under podcasts. Or simply copy and paste our RSS feed into the podcast app of your choice: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:298570872/sounds.rss Or you can follow us on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/theinterchangepodcast (And don't worry, if you're a GTM Squared member, you'll get access to all our episodes and all our transcripts.) This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
Sungevity was founded in 2007 with a promise of revolutionize solar sales through software. It sparked a move toward the "platform" approach to customer acquisition and sales. Sungevity eventually built up its sales, procurement and financing in-house -- peaking as the number-three residential solar company in 2014. Over the years, the company's cash-burn rate increased and Sungevity started outsourcing more of its operations. This month, after failing to close bridge financing, the company declared bankruptcy and sold off its financing platform. Would Sungevity have survived if it had stuck simply to lead generation? On this week's podcast, we'll look at Sungevity's struggles. We'll compare Sungevity's problems with other residential solar companies that have failed or faced challenges. We’re joined by Nicole Litvak, a senior analyst with GTM Research’s solar team, who will provide some insight into the sustainability of the national installation and sales model. Then, Trump’s executive order on climate change is finally here. But it’s not changing the minds of any utilities. We’ll talk about what’s in it, and discuss the difference between political optics and reality. Jigar will also share his disdain for the America versus China narrative that often frames this topic. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
The headwinds for coal are coming from every direction. Since 2010, More than 250 coal plants in America have been shuttered, or are set to close. Meanwhile, in the most energy-hungry regions of the world, thousands of megawatts of new coal plants have been halted. This week, we’re covering the struggles of coal from a few different angles. First, the steady drumbeat of plant closures in the U.S. What has caused them, and what comes next? We’ll talk about the just-announced closure of the Navajo Generating Station -- the biggest coal plant in the West -- and why it encompasses all the complicated factors around the transition away from coal. Then, a clean coal redux. As billions of dollars in cost overruns mount at America’s first commercial carbon-capture plant, the coal industry looks to the White House for more support. And finally, the international picture. Coal is still the dominant source of generation around the world, but new build-outs are slowing in key countries. Can we say that peak coal has arrived? Our guest co-host this week is Mary Anne Hitt, the director of the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign. She also co-hosts a climate podcast called No Place Like Home. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
America's electric car market is entering an uncertain period. States are rolling back their support for EVs, the federal government is revisiting fuel standards designed to support EVs, and consumers are still not electric in the numbers that many people assumed. At the same time, however, many automakers are moving ahead with new models, giving consumers more choices. Will drivers increasingly choose electric? Or will lagging policy hurt the market? We'll discuss on this week's podcast. In the second segment, we'll talk about the official White House budget released this week. Plus, we’ll talk about Trump’s business advisory council, which is filled with some of the biggest renewable energy investors in the world. Finally, can Elon Musk fix South Australia’s energy crisis? This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
We’re on week seven of the Trump Presidency. In the months since the election, we've been stalwart in our view that things are not as bad as they seem -- despite the contradictions and confrontations, clean energy will emerge largely unscathed. That may be true. But it’s also impossible to ignore how quickly Trump’s team has worked to unwind the country’s environmental policy. As more details emerge, it’s becoming clear that the White House is not interested in a traditional conservative approach to environmental protection or a thoughtful redesign of top-down regulations -- it is intent on burning them to the ground. In this week's show, we'll talk about the impending reversal of climate regulations, new staff changes, and across-the-board budget cuts. And then we’re going to shift over to some bellwether business activity in the solar industry. What does AES’ acquisition of sPower say about the health of America’s utility-scale solar sector? We’ll end with a discussion about why electricity prices in Ontario, Canada have skyrocketed. Who’s to blame? This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.
There are now more than 100,000 people working in the clean energy sector across Massachusetts. What is the state doing right? This week, we're talking about workforce development in cleantech. In recent months, we've seen a sharp increase in requests from listeners asking for advice on job opportunities in cleantech. There are also many educators or economic development experts trying to stay head of the curve. If this industry becomes as big as everyone says it will be, how can local economies reap the benefit? This subject is particularly relevant at a time when everyone is talking about the future of work. We are in the middle of the most dramatic economic transitions in history. The forces of globalization, automation and consumer tech are shattering traditional notions of work. In parallel, cleantech and other distributed technologies are changing what it means to work in energy. This week, we sit down with Tamika Jacques, the director of workforce development at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. We’ll answer some common career questions, and look at what it takes to build a cleantech jobs strategy in a state or region. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/ Below are some career resources mentioned by Jacques on the podcast: MassCEC jobs board: www.masscec.com/jobs Clean Energy Education website: http://cleanenergyeducation.org/ New England Clean Energy Council: http://www.necec.org/ Greentown Labs events calendar: https://www.greentownlabs.com/events
As if California's electric grid isn't already changing fast enough, the state's leading regulator says it's probably time to change even faster. In an interview on this week's Interchange podcast, Michael Picker, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, said that he believes the state should consider liberalizing its retail electricity market in order to broaden customer choice. While listening, make sure to sign up for GTM's event, California's Distributed Energy Future. Commissioner Picker will be there to elaborate more on retail choice. Interchange listeners get 15% off. Just use the promo code INTERCHANGE when checking out: http://bit.ly/2lzw4dD
The scope of the Environmental Protection Agency expanded dramatically under President Obama. Now under President Trump and new administrator Scott Pruitt, the agency is likely to be scaled way back. How far back? No one knows. But there are a lot of clues – including 7,500 pages of Pruitt’s emails. This week, while Pruitt started his job as America’s top environmental cop, his past emails as Oklahoma Attorney General were released on court order. And they provide a window into how he’ll manage the agency he has spent so long attacking over his career. Climatewire reporter Emily Holden joins us to talk about the emails, Pruitt's approach to running the EPA, and the future of the Clean Power Plan. Then, autonomy is taking hold in the oil and gas sector, destroying tens of thousands of jobs. Will robots kill jobs in cleantech too? Read the NY Times story here: http://nyti.ms/2lewyWC This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
Last week, a group of highly respected Republicans released a plan for a $40-per-ton carbon tax on point-of-source emissions from coal, oil and gas. Why now? With a Republican White House and Congress, they argued, now is the perfect time to show America that conservatives have better ideas than the command-and-control Democrats who are only interested in more regulation as a solution to climate change. A steadily-rising carbon tax is the most economically efficient way of dealing with carbon pollution. But it certainly doesn’t play well in American politics. And now that Republicans have control of Congress and the White House, they have little incentive to trade a carbon tax for an end to regulations. Still, some are hopeful that grassroots supporters, prominent Republicans and even officials like Rex Tillerson can help shape President Trump's mind on a carbon price. On this week's show, we'll look at what it would take to move carbon pricing forward. Then, there’s a growing movement to get scientists running for office. Should clean energy professionals also consider public office? Finally, remembering Art Rosenfeld, the godfather of energy efficiency. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
By 2020, one-third of new fleet bus purchases will be electric. By 2025, electric buses will make up half of new sales to transit agencies. By 2030, every single transit bus sold will run on electricity. That's what Ryan Popple, the CEO of electric bus manufacturer Proterra, believes will happen. And there's plenty of evidence that the shift is underway, even if the current fleet is mostly diesel and compressed natural gas. In this week's podcast, we'll talk with Popple about his plan to kick combustion engines out of transit. We'll also talk about his career path that brought him from the Army to Tesla to venture capital, and eventually to Proterra. Then, renewables are becoming the “new normal” in the U.S. We will glimpse at two important reports on solar jobs and the American energy economy that put the current clean energy boom in perspective. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
This week, we’re live from Columbia University’s Energy Symposium in New York City. The Gang was joined by former NRG CEO David Crane for a lively conversation about Trumpland. We start the conversation off with a look at the turbulent first weeks of the Trump Administration. We’ve had nominations, executive orders, blackouts, bans, proposed budget cuts, resignations, rogue twitter accounts and growing protests. We’re just 14 days into the Trump Administration – what can we expect for the next 100 days? Then, we turn the mic around on David Crane. In 2014, while CEO of NRG, he wrote a letter to shareholders saying the power provider needed to become the google, apple or amazon of the energy sector. It didn’t take long for shareholders to sour on that vision –- so what does this say about how hard it is to transition from brown to green? Finally, how to get a job. We go through many of the questions that people ask us when looking for a job in cleantech, and we’ll try to pass on some advice worth following. This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
America’s first power plant was built in Manhattan. The first transmission of electricity occurred between Niagara Falls and Buffalo. And the first public power organization was founded in New York State. Today, that power provider, the New York Power Authority -- or NYPA -- is working to digitize the state’s grid end-to-end. We’ll talk with NYPA CEO Gil Quiniones about his push to create a "digital foundry" where the next generation of electricity inventors and innovators can re-imagine the grid. In the second half of the show, Katherine Hamilton gives us an update from the World Economic Forum, where thinkers from all across the globe are also re-imagining the energy system -- while also grappling with a new world order in the wake of America's election. Make sure to come to our live show on February 3 in New York City. We'll be at the Columbia Energy Symposium debating the latest developments in energy and cleantech: http://www.cuenergysymposium.com/ This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service: http://kaco-newenergy.com/
For years, researchers have been working behind the scenes to improve autonomous vehicles. And all of a sudden that work is playing out in a very public way. Top tech companies and automakers are testing new models on the streets, talking bullishly about fleets of self-driving cars, and thinking about how to combine electrification with automation. Meanwhile, regulators and city planners are trying to keep up with the pace of technological change. This year will likely mark the beginning of the commercial autonomous car era. Will that era bring sweeping efficiency improvements to the transportation sector? Or will it result in a chaotic, overcrowded hellscape for our streets? The decisions we make today will determine our fate. In this week's show, we'll talk with Joshua Goldman, a senior policy analyst for clean vehicles at the Union of Concerned Scientists, about those two potential futures. In the second half of the show, we’ll examine Uber’s attempt to help city planners by opening up some of its data. And we’ll discuss President Obama's article in Science magazine arguing that the clean energy transition is "irreversible." This podcast is sponsored by KACO New Energy, a leading solar inverter company with superior engineering and unmatched customer service.
There are just two weeks left of 2016. And you know what? We're tapping out early. This is the last podcast of the year. It’s been such a crazy 12 months for news that we’re packing it up and saving our energy for 2017. Throughout the year, we've discussed every big story impacting the industry -- bankruptcies, acquisitions, legal challenges, the bloodbath in the public markets, new products, and, yes, the election of Donald Trump. Before we call it a year, we are strapping on our seat belts one last time and taking you with us on a ride through the twists and turns of 2016. We'll kick off with a look at Trump's picks of ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State, former Texas Governor Rick Perry for Energy Secretary, and Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. And then we'll discuss our other top stories in federal policy, state policy, international developments, business deals and technological improvements. Finally, we'll launch our Predict-O-Meter for 2017. Endless thanks to our devoted listeners. We'll be back in early January.
It's often said that electric vehicles are the key to bringing back load growth for utilities in the U.S. But maybe there’s another way: Marijuana. After the November election, seven states and the district of Columbia have now legalized marijuana for recreational use. In the early states that legalized, energy use is already growing. In Washington State and Colorado, where marijuana has been legalized for years, utilities are seeing a spike in electricity consumption. In Denver, for example, cannabis growers account for 2 percent of electricity use. In Washington State, grow operations could suck up more electricity than electric cars over the coming decades. This may pose challenges to utilities, which are seeing increased outages and may have trouble addressing cannabis head-on because of the conflict between state and federal laws. It also presents an opportunity for serving a new class of customers. This week’s guest has been watching all of this play out. This week, we're talking with Tim Hade, the co-founder of Scale Energy Solutions, about the energy impact of marijuana legalization. He'll also talk about the financial opportunity -- and risks -- in managing that energy use. In the second half of the show, we’re going to discuss the legal, cultural and environmental motivations behind the Dakota Access pipeline protests that are rocking North Dakota. We’ll end with a quick discussion about what comes next for Tesla now that it has acquired SolarCity. Thanks to our sponsor, Mission Solar Energy: http://www.missionsolar.com/
Two weeks after the election, we have more clues about how president-elect Donald Trump may form a domestic energy policy and position America against the rest of the world on climate. But mostly we're dealing with speculation -- bits of insider information from the transition team, some new hires, and some deeper portraits of the people guiding Trump’s early energy policy. There are way more unknowns than knowns. That doesn’t mean there’s a lack of things to talk about. There's been a lot of compelling reporting over the last couple of weeks on the new world for energy, cleantech and the environment. Like last week, we're going to focus only on Trump’s energy and climate policy. The Gang was joined by Lisa Friedman, the editor of E&E Publishing’s ClimateWire, who helps us sift through the Trump's transition team picks, his statements about climate diplomacy, and the role of the business community in the next administration. Thanks to our sponsor, Mission Solar Energy. Find out more about Mission's American-made solar cells and modules: http://www.missionsolar.com/
This week, we're coming to you live from General Motors' world headquarters, where we'll talk about how corporate renewable energy deals are structured, and what's motivating companies to keep investing. GTM's Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann are joined by Hervé Touati, managing director of the Rocky Mountain Institute and co-manager of the Business Renewables Center. They're also joined by Rob Threlkeld, the general manager of renewable energy at General Motors. Thanks to Mission Solar for sponsoring this show. Find out more about the company's American-made solar cells and modules: www.MissionSolar.com And don't forget to come to our Storage Summit on December 7 in San Francisco. Energy Gang listeners get 15% off by using the promo code ENERGYGANG: https://www.greentechmedia.com/events/live/u.s.-energy-storage-summit-2016
Whether or not you agreed with the top-down, government-centric, executive-level strategy of the Obama Administration -- it was, arguably, America's only federal political path forward on decarbonization. President-Elect Donald Trump plans to rip up that path as soon as he enters the White House. So how and where will he create a new one? This week, we’re trying to figure out what Trump's win means for the energy industry broadly – and what it means for the business of clean energy specifically. We fielded many questions from our listeners on Twitter yesterday. They asked about the Paris climate deal, domestic carbon regulations, renewable energy tax credits, coming legislation, and the role of states. So we’re going to break from our traditional format and try to address as many of them as possible. Thanks to our sponsor, Mission Solar Energy. Find out more about Mission's American-made solar cells and modules: http://www.missionsolar.com/
This is a free version of the Interchange. For more on how to access all our premium content, visit GTM Squared: https://www.greentechmedia.com/squared Back in August, Elon Musk broke into SolarCity's earnings call to make a surprise announcement: Tesla and SolarCity were designing a building-integrated solar product. "It's a solar roof as opposed to a module on a roof," said Musk. Just a few weeks earlier, Tesla went public with its intentions to acquire SolarCity. The solar roof was seen as an example of what the combined companies could create, market and sell. "We don't want to show all of our cards right now, but I think people are going to be really excited about what they see," said Musk. Their cards are now on the table after Musk unveiled the solar roof last Friday. The product was stunning -- but Tesla failed to release any substantive details about cost, performance, financing, or its business model for deploying solar roofs. (Given that very few building-integrated PV companies have actually succeeded, the lack of details was particularly fishy.) In this week's podcast, we dig into all the knowns and unknowns about Musk's mysterious solar roof. Does this represent a radical new business opportunity? Or is it just glitzy PR designed to convince investors of Tesla's plan to buy SolarCity?
Dreaming, designing, building and deploying new kinds of hardware is tough in any business. But in the energy business, where change comes particularly slow, developing new tech is an especially hellacious undertaking. All of our segments tie into this theme. We’ll start off by talking with Emily Reichert, the CEO of Greentown Labs, a hardware-specific cleantech incubator. We’ll talk about where entrepreneurs tackling this space are finding the financial and human capital to get them to scale. Then we’ll turn to the ongoing saga of SolarCity. The company made a big bet on solar manufacturing last year – and new developments suggest that the decision to make its own solar panels was the wrong one. Finally, the solar industry in general is undergoing a lot of turmoil – particularly in manufacturing. We’ll broaden the discussion to talk about why solar producers are struggling, and why the solar industry may be facing a bloodbath in 2017. Thanks to our sponsor, Mission Solar Energy. Find out more about Mission's American-made solar cells and modules: http://www.missionsolar.com/
In November, Washington State voters have the chance to pass the most ambitious carbon tax ever proposed in the U.S. But there’s one problem: Virtually every major green group in the state is against it, or afraid to support it. What is going on? We'll talk with David Roberts, a writer with Vox, about the strange battle within the environmental left over carbon pricing. Then, we'll turn to the hacked emails from Hillary Clinton’s campaign. They also show a tense relationship between left-leaning environmentalists and centrists like Clinton. And finally, we’ll discuss a landmark global treaty to slash HFCs. It’s another win for global diplomacy and the Obama Administration. But will a Republican Senate ratify it? Read David Roberts' piece on the carbon tax fight: http://www.vox.com/2016/10/18/13012394/i-732-carbon-tax-washington This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a producer of American-made solar cells and modules. Find out more at: http://www.missionsolar.com/
We are at the beginning of one of the greatest economic and consumer behavior experiments ever seen in the energy sector. How do we refine pricing in order to rapidly transition our aging, centralized grid to a clean, decentralized one? And can we do it so that we limit the economic losers, pay for the fixed costs of operating the grid, and make everyone whole? It’s a complicated question. The range of actual rate design options – decoupling, minimum bills, demand charges, fixed charges, and time-of-use – offer so many varying benefits and drawbacks. Everyone agrees that we’re moving to a distributed grid. But there’s a lot of disagreement on how to pay for it. That is what we’re tackling in the show this week. We’re joined by Lisa Wood, the executive director of the Edison Institute for Electric Innovation, and Ralph Cavanagh, a senior attorney with the National Resources Defense Council. Their perspectives on rate design are featured in a new report from the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, called "Recovery of Utility Fixed Costs: Utility, Consumer, Environmental and Economist Perspectives." This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, an American solar cell and module manufacturer: http://www.missionsolar.com/ This is a complimentary episode of our premium podcast, The Interchange. Find out more about GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared
This week, we present our live conversation from SXSW Eco. We're really sorry for the audio quality. There were some technical difficulties, and we did our best to clean up what we had. We'll be back with a normal show next week.
With over 1 million residential solar systems in the U.S., photovoltaics are entering mainstream. But how do installers sell the next 10 million systems while giving consumers a good experience? This week, we're talking about what consumers are looking for when solar shopping. We'll talk with Vikram Aggarwal, the CEO of EnergySage, about the company's latest Solar Market Intel report that tracks buying habits and sales tactics. We'll explore the trends covered in the report. Then, we discuss South Australia’s state-wide blackout. Was wind power to blame? And finally, New York City’s solar market is taking off. Now it wants to do the same for storage. How did the city turn its solar market around so quickly? This podcast is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy, a producer of American-made solar cells and modules: http://www.missionsolar.com/
Last night, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton squared off on the presidential debate stage -- coming face-to-face for the first time in the campaign. Almost immediately, the candidates debated over energy and climate change. Clinton started the debate with a direct swing at Trump’s climate denial and dismissive comments on renewables. “Some country is going to be the clean-energy superpower of the 21st century. Donald thinks that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese. I think it's real,” said Clinton. Trump swung back with an an awkward attempt to conjure up Solyndra, the government-backed solar company that went bust in 2011. “She talks about solar panels. We invested in a solar company, our country. That was a disaster. They lost plenty of money on that one,” said Trump. In the days leading up to the debate, more details emerged on Trump’s energy transition team. And during the debate, voters got a few additional hints at his worldview. This week, we’re going to square Trump’s stances on energy with, well, reality. Then, we’ll have an update on Obama’s signature climate rule that is now stuck in court. Finally, GM is getting ready to roll out its 2017 all-electric car, the Bolt. Is this the affordable EV we’ve all been waiting for? Links: Our sponsor, Mission Solar Energy: http://www.missionsolar.com/ Solar Market Insight conference: http://www.greentechmedia.com/events/live/us-solar-market-insight-2016 (Use the code ENERGYGANG for a 15% discount.) Bill Holmberg obituary: http://www.biofuelsdigest.com/bdigest/2016/09/08/bioenergy-legend-bill-holmberg-dies-at-88/
Renewables like wind and solar are largely not linked to oil prices. But there are markets where the success of renewables is more closely tied to oil: islands. Or, more specifically, small island developing states, which make up 20 percent of UN member countries. These small island states are dangerously dependent on diesel -- causing energy prices to fluctuate wildly and forcing many people into fuel poverty. That makes them perfect candidates for renewables. In this week's show, we talk to Leslie Labruto, director of the islands energy program at the Clinton Climate Initiative, about why opportunities in island markets are expanding, even in the face of low oil prices. Then, a pivotal moment for nuclear. After much scrutiny, the UK government approved the 3.2-gigawatt Hinkley Point C nuclear expansion. We'll discuss this historic test case for the competitiveness of nuclear. Finally, a pivotal moment for America’s solar industry. We’ll dig into a debate about where the country’s biggest solar lobbying group needs to turn its attention. Thanks to Mission Solar for sponsoring the show. Check out Mission's American-made solar panels: http://www.missionsolar.com/
This week, we hop around to a few U.S. states where there’s been a lot of action: Nevada, California and Florida. Julia Pyper, GTM’s senior reporter, joins us for the discussion. In Nevada, we’ll look at the continued fallout after the decision to end net metering last December. In California, we’ll discuss the unprecedented amount of activity on climate and energy at the end of the legislative session. And in Florida, we’ll talk about the ballot initiative battle that has pitted the state’s utilities against a broad coalition of solar supporters. This week's show is sponsored by Mission Solar Energy. Find out more about Mission's solar cells and modules, made in the USA: http://www.missionsolar.com/
Big development banks are pouring billions in energy projects in developing countries. Between 2000 and 2014, the World Bank Group alone invested $63.5 billion in electricity access. But we still have more than 1.5 billion people without access to energy services. What is the disconnect? This week, we'll talk about one of the biggest institutional barriers to energy access –- why multilateral development banks are not set up to solve energy poverty quickly. We'll talk to Aaron Leopold, the deputy director for global advocacy at the Power for All campaign, about how to speed up energy access by changing the way we think about traditional investment. Then, are prominent business journalists willfully ignoring the growth in U.S. clean energy jobs? Finally, America is now dealing with its first set of climate refugees in Alaska and Louisiana. A sign of things to come? This week's podcast is brought to you by SolarEdge and Mission Solar Energy.
America’s first offshore wind project, the 30-megawatt Block Island Wind Farm off the coast of Rhode Island, is almost complete. The developer, Deepwater Wind, is already eyeing much bigger projects off the Atlantic coast. Meanwhile, following the federal government’s attempts to make offshore leasing easier, a number of East Coast states are adopting policies to encourage new projects. These developments have onlookers excited about the prospects for offshore wind in the U.S. Is America set to follow Europe, which has built many thousands of megawatts of projects? We'll discuss all the latest developments for offshore wind in the country. Later in the show, we'll discuss Bill McKibben’s latest piece on WWIII mobilization for cleantech. Finally, we’ll look back on the last ten years for the Northeastern regional carbon trading market, called RGGI.
Wind keeps getting cheaper and cheaper. According to the latest wind technologies report from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, the average price of new U.S. wind contracts came in at 2 cents per kilowatt-hour last year. That coincided with record installations, record generation and continued improvements in technology design. All of those trends were documented by our guest, Ryan Wiser, a senior scientist at Berkeley Lab, along with his colleague Mark Bollinger. In this week's show, we'll talk with Wiser about record installation numbers, technology improvements, and the competitiveness of wind after federal tax credits phase out. This Squared content has been unlocked by ABB Automation & Power World. ABB has a virtual conference coming up in September, called Risk, reliability & recovery. This free online event will focus on the real-world solutions to the challenges that utilities face: shrinking budgets, aging assets, new regulations and a host of new distributed energy assets. Register here: new.abb.com/apw/gtm2 If you sign up for ABB’s conference, you will also get $100 off a new GTM Squared membership. If you’re not already a Square and you want to be, now is the time.
A growing number of businesses are using behind-the-meter batteries to cut utility fees. In the U.S., the commercial storage market is still small (36 megawatts in 2015) but it is growing quickly for demand charge management. And it is now starting to grow beyond anchor markets like California, New York and Hawaii. In this episode, we look at how use cases for commercial and industrial battery storage projects are getting more attractive. Ravi Manghani, the director of GTM research’s storage practice, joins us for the conversation. We’ll also going to talk about some new offerings from up-and-coming storage providers, and talk about how Tesla’s planned acquisition of SolarCity would impact C&I storage. This episode is brought to you by ABB Automation & Power World. ABB has a virtual conference coming up in September, called Risk, Reliability & Recovery. This free online event will focus on the real-world solutions to the challenges that utilities face: shrinking budgets, aging assets, new regulations and a host of new distributed energy assets. Register here: new.abb.com/apw/gtm.
SunPower founder Dick Swanson is an icon in the American solar industry –- an elder statesman, if you will. Swanson led groundbreaking solar research in the 70s, experimented with all kinds of solar cell types, broke efficiency records, and helped make SunPower one of the most successful solar companies of all time. Oh, and he’s also known for Swanson’s Law – even though he didn’t actually create the law. In this bonus episode of the Energy Gang, we feature a wide-ranging conversation with Swanson about the early days of solar research, the difficulties in building a solar manufacturing business, and what the future holds for photovoltaics. This podcast is sponsored by SolarEdge, a leader of the DC optimizer market and a leading supplier of inverters to the U.S. residential market.
Enjoy this free episode of The Interchange from GTM Squared. If you like what you hear, make sure to become a member: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared We’re more than a decade on from the beginning of the cleantech gold rush -- and a lot of venture capital firms failed to strike it rich. In this week's show, we tally the boom and bust in cleantech VC, and look at how it compares with other sectors. We're joined by Varun Sivaram, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and Ben Gaddy, the director of technology development at the Clean Energy Trust. The two recently teamed up with another colleague, Frank O’Sullivan from the MIT Sloan School of Management, to log the performance of venture investments in clean energy and materials from 2006 to 2011. They then compare it to the medical field and software. They found that the failure rate in cleantech was much higher (and the returns were much lower) than these other fields. Their conclusion: venture capital is not the right model for revolutionizing the energy industry. So if that’s true, what should take its place? We debate.
Last week, Tesla Motors dropped “motors” from its name, and is now calling itself just Tesla. This is an indication that the electric car company is thinking about much more than cars. And Elon Musk went way beyond indicating a shift – he explicitly spelled it out in his new master plan, published last Thursday. His first master plan, published in 2006, described the company we know today: build an expensive electric car, improve manufacturing, build a less expensive car, grow manufacturing, and finally build a mass market EV. While Tesla hasn’t always hit Musk’s ambitious timeframes, it is on a path to achieving his original vision. Part two is much more ambitious. It includes building a seamless solar-plus-storage offering, dominating grid-scale storage, revolutionizing busses and tractor trailers, and making shared fleets of autonomous vehicles available to all. As Musk described in his post: “Starting a car company is idiotic and an electric car company is idiocy squared.” So is his latest plan idiocy cubed? Or the right amount of Muskian ambition at just the right time? In this week's podcast, we dissect the plan. Then, we'll discuss energy in campaign politics. We’ll look at Hillary Clinton’s pick of Tim Kaine for vice president, and examine Donald Trump’s relationship with fracking tycoon Harold Hamm. Finally, we’ll take the pulse of regulators, who debated how to grapple with distributed resources at a big meeting this week.
At this week’s Republican National Convention in Cleveland, the GOP doubled down on its commitment to coal -- calling it “an abundant, clean, affordable, reliable domestic energy resource.” Coal can get cleaned up. But it comes at a steep price. And that price can make it hard for even the most ardent supporters to get behind carbon capture and sequestration in practice. Earlier this month, the New York Times published an investigation on the Kemper Power plant, a carbon capture and sequestration project supported by the stimulus that is billions of dollars over budget and still not in service. Securities regulators are investigating the use of government funds, ratepayers in Mississippi are suing Southern Company, and now a whistleblower has released thousands of documents showing that Southern Company covered up its problems and lied about timelines. This is the latest blow to the clean coal industry – which detractors say will never materialize. This week, we'll talk about what Kemper means for the future of carbon capture and sequestration in the U.S. Later in the show, we'll provide some context to an FBI investigation into the 2014 Arizona Corporation Commission elections. And we'll end with a discussion about NextEra's failed bid to acquire Hawaiian Electric Industries.
As the world awaits Elon Musk's master plan for Tesla, we provide a glimpse into America's master plan for transportation on this week's podcast. Reuben Sarkar, the deputy assistant secretary for transportation at the Department of Energy, joins us to talk electric cars, natural gas cars, autonomous cars, car efficiency and how the public sector can make automotive innovation easier in the private sector. We ask him: how optimistic should we really be about what all the changes underway in the sector? In the second half of the show, we’ll discuss the end of nuclear power in California. We’ll also ask about Sungevity’s novel approach to going public – a worrying sign, or a clever way to raise money?
What would the electric grid look like if we redesigned it from scratch using today's vast array of new technologies and rate designs? Would utilities, regulators and distributed energy providers agree on the design? They might agree on more than you think. In this week's show, we'll talk with Julia Hamm, president and CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance, about how to reconcile rapid technology change with the way electric utilities are structured. Then, we’ll talk Brexit. How will Britain’s exit from the European Union complicate energy markets and climate goals? Finally, we’ll untangle the mess in Brazil. It’s been a really rough year economically for the country – and that has spilled over into renewables. This podcast is sponsored by SolarEdge, a leader of the DC optimizer market and a leading supplier of inverters to the U.S. residential market.
Will Tesla acquire SolarCity? Yesterday, news broke that Tesla’s board offered to buy SolarCity for roughly $2.5 billion. While shareholders and financial analysts don't seem to like the proposed deal, Elon Musk says it's a pivotal part of his long term plan. This week, we're coming live from GTM's Grid Edge World Forum. We'll debate what an acquisition would mean for both companies – and whether shareholders will bite. Then we'll discuss whether the smart home will ever materialize. It's been a difficult decade in the smart home sector. What will it take to turn things around? And finally, we'll take a sober look at fuel cells. Is there any love or respect for them anymore? Eric Wesoff, GTM's editor in chief, gives his bearish take on the future of the fuel cell industry.
Thirty years ago, a Congressional committee held a two-day hearing on climate change. In June of 1986, scientists didn’t have the sophisticated measurement tools and supercomputer models that they do today. But they did have a lot of data showing that greenhouse gases were steadily warming the planet -- and that failure to curb those emissions would bring dire consequences. Three decades later, those predictions are playing out with alarming accuracy. In the last few months, we’ve seen a slew of research showing that the planet has a worsening fever. We haven’t yet hit summer, but we’re already smashing more climate and weather records. We will talk about the barrage of alarming climate news over the last couple of months. Then, new data shows that renewables are on their way overtaking fossil fuels in the electric sector. Is the development as positive as it seems? Finally, we’ll talk transmission. A couple new projects in the U.S. illustrate how to build new lines effectively to support carbon-free energy.
Renewables are getting really cheap. But does that mean we need to get rid of all subsidies to support them? Many experts argue that we just need to retarget government support in a smarter way. In this week's show, we’ll explain how that might be done for both renewables and nuclear. Then, in a related conversation, we’ll ask whether nuclear needs to be included in state-level renewable energy mandates. We'll end with a look at a landmark agreement between the U.S. and India that could leverage $1 billion for off-grid solar and microgrid projects.
Two years after Michael Polsky moved from Soviet Ukraine to the U.S. in 1976, America passed a law allowing independent developers to own power plants. He knew he needed to get in on the action. Polsky eventually became one of the most successful energy developers of all time -- building multiple successful businesses around cogeneration, natural gas and wind. Polsky is now the president and CEO of Invenergy, a company with nearly 14,000 megawatts of wind, solar, natural gas and energy storage projects operating or under construction in the U.S., Canada and Europe. He joins us this week to talk about what he foresaw before most others -- and what he sees as the future of energy. In the second half of the show, we'll discuss Donald Trump's energy speech in North Dakota last week. And we'll end with a quick look at the latest global investment figures for renewable energy.
Nevada Power is likely doing a lot of soul searching. Last week, two of the biggest Las Vegas casino companies -- MGM Resorts and Wynn – filed to leave Nevada Power and set off to buy wholesale electricity on their own. MGM has particularly strong renewable energy goals, and this move signals that the company thinks it can procure clean electrons cheaper than the utility. As more large corporations make similar moves, will it lead to a financial disaster for utilities? This week, we'll discuss the implications with Cory Honeyman, the associate director of GTM’s US solar research practice, who has been following the commercial customer class closely. Then, Exxon rejects shareholder demands on climate. We’ll look at the latest salvo over the oil giant’s carbon accounting. And we will end on a low note. Lake Mead, America’s biggest reservoir serving over 20 million people in the West, hit its lowest level ever. Are water wars on the horizon?
This year, GTM Research is forecasting that 66 gigawatts of PV capacity will be installed around the world -- a 21 percent increase over last year. But next year, capacity will only expand by 4 percent. In fact, without some of the top markets like India, America and China, the global solar market would likely retract next year. Meanwhile, Yingli Solar -- once the world's top producer of solar modules -- is having trouble paying back its loans and may be approaching bankruptcy. Why is the company doing so poorly while most other leading manufacturers are healthy? In this week's show, we'll talk with Mohit Anand, GTM Research's senior global solar analyst, about the ups and downs for PV around the globe. In the second half of the show, we'll talk about the controversy over shoddy labor practices at a Tesla contractor. And we'll finish by discussing the latest in the political war over solar in Nevada. Don't forget to check out our live show at the Grid Edge World Forum. Any new registrants get a 10 percent discount through the podcast. Just use the promo code ENERGYGANG while checking out to get your listener discount. Find the Grid Edge World Forum here: https://www.greentechmedia.com/events/live/grid-edge-world-forum-2016
In this live episode from New York City, the Energy Gang is joined by two prominent energy journalists — Yuliya Chernova of the Wall Street Journal and Chris Martin of Bloomberg — to talk about the hottest stories in energy and cleantech. We’ll talk about bankruptcies, politics and the latest from New York’s bold plan to reform its energy market.
Terry Jester started her solar career in 1979 as the VP of engineering at ARCO Solar, one of the early oil companies investing in photovoltaics. Over the years, the company was sold to Siemens, Shell and SolarWorld -- and Jester stayed through it all. Jester, who has also worked for SoloPower and SunPower, is now CEO of a solar-grade silicon manufacturer Silicor. We'll talk with her about the early days of solar, how the upstream business has changed, and discuss the future of solar production. In the second half of the show, we'll discuss a comprehensive bipartisan energy bill passed by the Senate this week. We'll end with the legacy of Rhone Resch, who is retiring as president of the solar industry’s national trade group after 12 years. Make sure to buy tickets for our upcoming live event on May 4: http://www.cleanecnyc.org/next-event/
The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is changing the way people think about operating financial markets and banking systems. Meanwhile, distributed energy is changing the way people think about running grids. Can the two influence one another? Many experts believe that the blockchain -- the public database that tracks Bitcoin -- will be the catalyst for the distributed, transactive grid. This week, we'll talk with Paul Brody of Ernst & Young about how the blockchain can be applied to energy and the internet of things. We'll describe how blockchains work, why they're useful, and when they'll start influencing the energy business. In the second half of the show, we'll discuss concerns about rolling blackouts and too much renewable energy in California. We'll end the show by talking about a controversial proposal to give away millions of free solar kits in Kenya.
Many are billing Tesla's Model 3 launch as an iPhone moment. If the hype and pre-orders are any indication, the boutique electric vehicle manufacturer has indeed taken another step toward transforming the auto industry. But could the Model 3 also be a Blackberry moment? If sales don't live up to expectations and Tesla faces any sort of quality control issue, it could take a big hit. And there are plenty of incumbents looking to fill Tesla's role. In this week's show, we'll talk about the meaning of the Model 3 with Dana Hull, a Bloomberg business reporter covering Tesla and SpaceX. In the second segment, we'll ask how consumers can better protect themselves from fraud or poor investments in home solar systems. And we'll finish with a conversation about James Hansen's latest dire (and controversial) warning on climate change. Make sure to come to our live show in New York City on May 4. We'll be joined by Yuliya Chernova of the Wall Street Journal and Chris Martin of Bloomberg for a discussion of the hottest topics in energy and cleantech. Our last show sold out, so make sure to get your tickets today! Get tickets here: www.eventbrite.com/e/the-energy-gang-live-a-candid-take-on-the-clean-energy-transition-tickets-24231943395 The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Amazon upended book publishers and brick-and-mortar retailers. Is it about to upend solar installers too? Two months ago, GTM researchers stumbled upon a patent filed by Amazon for a drone-based solar installation system. After an extended investigation, we've confirmed that the company is working on the technology as part of its broader drone-based package delivery service. Amazon already has FAA approval to pilot the drones, and plans to roll out the service within two years. If Amazon is successful, drone-based solar installation could completely change the way consumers buy solar. In this episode, we'll outline how the service will work and what impact it may have on the installation business. This podcast is part of GTM's premium service, Squared. Enjoy this week's episode for free. Sign up for Squared to hear more in-depth analysis every week. (If you're still reading this, please note the publish date: April 1.)
Utilities are often criticized for not connecting deeply enough with their customers. In a world where choice is becoming more important -- turning ratepayers into dynamic consumers -- power companies need to offer a wider range of services and communications outlets. One way to better connect: use more consumer-friendly language. According to a report in the Huffington Post this week, the Edison Electric Institute recently hired a marketing expert to help member companies better message themselves. “They view us a monopoly, no incentives to serve the customers. They view us as stuck in the past in terms of technology," said PR guru Michael Maslansky in a presentation to the EEI board this January on consumer focus groups. "We need to be able to think about something sustained, something repetitious, something ongoing.” Is this just a public relations ploy to improve the image of utilities? Or is it a serious attempt to engage with customers? We'll discuss in this week's show. In our second segment, we'll talk about the Energy Information Administration's new report defending its forecasting and data gathering. Finally, we'll discuss a new analysis from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showing that America can technically get 39 percent of its electricity from rooftop solar. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
It wasn't just science that got Eli Lehrer to accept the reality of climate change. It was insurance markets. As a free-market expert on insurance policy, Lehrer realized many years ago where the industry models were headed. "Every modeling firm used by the insurance industry acknowledged climate change is real. If markets have the ability to aggregate information, then either markets don't work or climate change is real. My judgment is that markets work and therefore climate change is real," says Lehrer. In 2012, Lehrer founded the R Street Institute, a think tank devoted to spreading free market principles. In recent years, he's become a libertarian thought leader on environmental protection, carbon pricing and, most recently, the distributed energy transition. In this episode, the gang talks with Lehrer about how to make these issues more palatable to the political right. In our second segment, we'll talk about a new consumer poll on rate design and subsidies for solar. We'll end the show with a look at United Airlines' big biofuels announcement.
America is undergoing a second wave of storage growth. The first wave came between 2011 and 2013, when grid-scale projects backed by the government stimulus came online. The second wave is based largely on two applications for lithium-on batteries: frequency regulation and demand charge management. These two applications helped the U.S. storage market grow 243 percent in 2015, according to the new Energy Storage Monitor from GTM Research and the Energy Storage Association. In 2020, America’s energy storage market will be 28 times bigger than it was in 2015. This third wave of growth, says GTM Senior Storage Analyst Ravi Manghani, will be catalyzed by a broader range of revenue streams as regional wholesale markets get more sophisticated. In this week's show, we'll look at the trends behind America's storage surge. In the second segment, we'll talk about China's war on coal. In the last segment, we'll discuss the consequences of Vivint's decision to kill an acquisition agreement with SunEdison.
ARPA-E, the government agency founded in 2007 to support R&D in cutting-edge energy technologies, has invested $1.3 billion into power electronics, new solar materials and novel battery chemistries over the years. According to the agency, the private sector has already responded with $1.25 billion in follow-on funding. Much of that money is going toward technologies that will help enable a distributed, responsive, renewable grid. In this week's show, we're joined by Jeff St. John, GTM's senior grid reporter, for a discussion on ARPA-E's grid edge strategy. How's it working? Later in the show, we'll have an update on the drama surrounding Exelon’s $7 billion bid to acquire Pepco. Is the deal dead? We will end by talking about a WTO ruling against India’s local content requirements for solar. How will it impact the country’s burgeoning solar market? The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Nest, the smart home company acquired by Google in 2014, is under scrutiny. In the wake of multiple glitches that screwed with Nest thermostats this winter, there are now reports of unrest within the company. But are these issues really that big of a deal for the maker of smart home devices? We’ll dissect the speculation about "internal problems" and ask whether recent bugs will impact Nest's position in the market. Then, we’ll look at what the sudden death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia means for President Obama’s climate plan. We’ll end with a heated conversation about whether solar is really capable of helping developing countries leapfrog the grid. Check out our Grid Edge Customer Network here: www.greentechmedia.com/customernetwork
In 2012, Wired magazine ran a prominent feature on why "the cleantech boom went bust." A couple years later, after a slew of venture investment failures in the industry, 60 Minutes ran a major story on "the cleantech crash." The stories were widely criticized by cleantech experts as incomplete or inaccurate (the Energy Gang even ran its own critique of the 60 Minutes story). But they did reveal some hard truths: venture investors lost a lot of money on clean energy investments. There was indeed an investment bubble -- and it popped. Over the last couple of years, investors have taken on a more capital-lite, software-dominant approach to cleantech. But now some of the biggest companies in Silicon Valley are taking on one of the most capital-intensive industries of all: automobiles. So what are we to make of the venture investment climate? This week, we'll talk with Katie Fehrenbacher, a senior writer at Fortune, about trends she's seeing in the sector. Later in the show, we'll take a look at SunEdison's latest troubles. And we'll end with a discussion about the recycling industry's economic woes. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
What does it take to truly change a large utility? Not just cosmetic changes to branding -- but true structural changes around distributed energy deployment and customized offerings for customers. In this week's show, we’ll talk with an industry veteran who’s trying to usher in those changes. Ed White, vice president of New Energy Solutions at National Grid, joins the Gang to discuss the utility's new plan to integrate solar, efficiency, storage, electric cars and grid automation all into one area of the business. It's not an easy task. But we'll talk with White about how he hopes to pull it off. Later in the show, we'll discuss two major Supreme Court decisions on demand response and Obama's landmark climate rule. And we'll finish with a quick discussion of the positive outcome of California's net metering debate.
Nevada's sweeping changes to net metering last December shook the solar industry. And the drama continues in 2016. Our GTM editorial and research team has been consumed by the situation in the state. Will consumers start defaulting on their PPAs? Will solar companies permanently leave the state? Will it make solar a bigger national political issue? In this bonus episode, we'll bring on GTM Senior Writer Julia Pyper to dissect the situation in Nevada. We'll get a detailed update on one of the most controversial stories in solar.
Many states prioritize tech incubators for a variety of economic reasons. The Energy Excelerator in Hawaii has a much more specific mission: tie support for startups to a 100% renewable energy target set by the state last year. That mission guides the way Energy Excelerator funds projects, chooses awards, and works with incumbents. This week, we'll talk with Dawn Lippert, the organization's co-founder and director, about how Hawaii plans to support innovation in distributed energy. Later in the show, we'll look at where Generate Capital (where co-host Jigar Shah acts as president) is deploying $150 million for "infrastructure-as-a-service" projects in underserved markets. We'll finish with a look at the political prospects for a carbon tax in 2016. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In 2012, an NAACP analysis found that Americans living within three miles of a coal plant are disproportionately low-income and disproportionately non-white. The report echoed government studies from the 1980s showing how toxic waste facilities and power plants were overwhelmingly located in communities of color across the U.S. -- studies that helped spark the environmental justice movement. Today, environmental justice isn't just about fighting toxic facilities. It's about ensuring the transition to clean energy is fair, inclusive and economically beneficial. In this week's show, we'll talk with Jacqueline Patterson of the NAACP about what clean energy can learn from the environmental justice movement. In the second part of the show, GTM's Eric Wesoff joins us to talk about his analysis of Vinod Khosla's venture investments in biofuels, batteries, solar and materials. We'll finish by talking about the natural gas leak outside Los Angeles that has forced thousands of people from their homes.
The final month of 2015 was one of the best in recent memory for climate action. The world's carbon emissions dipped for the first time during a period of economic growth. The Paris climate talks ended with a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. And America extended key tax credits for renewables that will ensure strong growth in the years ahead. Some are cheering. But others are not so sure we should be optimistic. Brad Plumer, a senior editor at Vox, shares the cautious view on these developments. In this week's show, we'll talk with Plumer about the hard work that comes after Paris if world leaders are serious about decarbonizing the global economy. Later in the show, we'll talk with GTM Senior Reporter Julia Pyper about how electric cars and autonomous vehicles are playing into the Consumer Electronics Show. We'll wrap up with a discussion about Nevada's controversial decision to slash net metering for all solar customers in the state.
For our last podcast of the year, we offer up our picks for the top stories from the last 12 months. In the first segment, we'll get Katherine's take on policy developments for climate and clean energy. In the second segment, Jigar will describe why he thinks the R&D versus deployment debate has been resolved. And in our last segment, Stephen will talk about the dislocation for public solar companies. This podcast is sponsored by Huawei Technologies, a leading global ICT solutions provider. Huawei is proud to offer its FusionSolar PV solution -- a unique approach to integrating, optimizing and digitizing solar-power plants.
The world’s biggest automakers are suddenly under threat from consumer technology companies in Silicon Valley. Are they up to the threat? This week, we talk with Anand Shah, the leader of the autonomous mobility unit at Albright Stonebridge Group. Anand worked previously at Audi and the BMW group, where he analyzed all the forces changing the auto industry. We’ll discuss those forces, which include autonomous driving, electrification and ride sharing. In the second half of the show, we’ll talk about some positive developments for renewable energy tax credits. We’ll also look at the details of the international climate deal signed in Paris. This podcast is sponsored by Huawei Technologies, a leading global ICT solutions provider. Huawei is proud to offer its FusionSolar PV solution -- a unique approach to integrating, optimizing and digitizing solar-power plants.
There are roughly 8 million jobs globally in the renewable energy sector. A lot of people -- both young students and those with established careers -- want to know how they can be one of them. In this week's podcast, we'll talk with Dawn Dzurilla, founder of Gaia Human Capital Consultants, about best practices in job hunting: Should you get a graduate degree? What kind of skills are employers looking for? How do you keep yourself relevant during a long job search? In the second half of the show, we'll discuss the deep troubles at Abengoa. We'll end with a brief synopsis of what's happening during the final hours of the Paris climate talks. This podcast is sponsored by Huawei Technologies, a leading global ICT solutions provider. Huawei is proud to offer its FusionSolar PV solution -- a unique approach to integrating, optimizing and digitizing solar-power plants.
Will developing countries sign on to binding carbon reduction targets? Will rich and poor countries agree to a financing package for climate adaptation? Will anyone pay attention to Republican climate deniers posturing on the global stage? Those are the questions people are looking to answer at the ongoing UN climate talks in Paris. In this week's show, we'll talk with ClimateWire Deputy Editor Lisa Friedman about how things are playing out at the negotiations. In the second half of the show, we'll look at a couple shakeups and spinoffs in the utility sector: David Crane's departure as NRG's CEO, and RWE's decision to split up its distributed energy and conventional energy businesses. We'll end with a conversation about how the U.S. government can more effectively support offshore wind. This podcast is sponsored by Huawei Technologies, a leading global ICT solutions provider. Huawei is proud to offer its FusionSolar PV solution -- a unique approach to integrating, optimizing and digitizing solar-power plants.
This week, we're serving up a couple of our favorite Interchange podcasts from this fall. In our first segment, we talk with Ravi Manghani, a senior storage analyst at GTM Research, about where residential storage makes sense economically. In our second segment, we chat with MJ Shiao, the GTM's director of solar research, about what will happen to the U.S. solar industry if its tax credit isn't extended. Every week, we're having deep conversations about what's driving change in the cleantech and utility sectors. If you like what you hear, visit GTM Squared to become a subscriber and learn more about our premium content. http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared
This week, we have a live podcast from the Solar Focus conference in Washington, DC, hosted MDV-SEIA. The theme of the discussion: what role utilities play in implementing solar and other distributed resources. We’ll start with a conceptual framework in our first segment and look at some specific utility ownership programs in our second segment. At the end of the show, we’ll talk about the state of play for extending the Investment Tax Credit. This week’s guest host is Tanuj Deora, the chief strategy officer of the Solar Electric Power Association.
We use labels to advertise fuel economy of automobiles and the efficiency of appliances. Why don’t we do the same thing for our buildings? There are now 16 cities around the U.S. with building energy disclosure laws in place. Early data shows the laws are working to encourage efficiency measures and behavior change. But how far can they take us? In this week’s show, we’ll talk about the effectiveness of building energy disclosure laws with Cliff Majersik, the executive director of the Institute for Market Transformation. In the second half of the show, we’ll dissect President Obama’s decision to reject the Keystone XL pipeline and discuss why SolarCity’s stock has taken such a big hit. This show is sponsored by Huawei Technologies. Find out more: http://www.huawei.com/us/ Find out more about our new premium service, GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared
Opower has evolved a lot over the years. The software provider started with a simple efficiency solution for utilities, and has since deepened its analytics and moved into demand response, billing, segmentation and customer care. One thing has stayed the same over the years: Opower firmly believes that the utility will be the arbiter of the distributed grid. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Opower CEO Dan Yates about the promise and perils of selling software to utilities. He’ll also discuss why he believes strengthening utility interactions with customers will be crucial for realizing a renewables-heavy grid. Later in the show, we’ll discuss Hawaii’s decision to slash net metering. And we’ll wrap up with a preview of the Paris climate talks -- will an agreement be reached? Don't forget to check out our new premium service, GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared.
At a time when Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are criticized for their lack of ambition to create world-changing ideas, Elon Musk has emerged as a hero to many. Like Steve Jobs, Musk is both loved and reviled for his unwavering commitment to his vision. That vision: power the world with solar, make electric cars the dominant form of transportation, and revolutionize space travel. Some believe Musk is overhyped. Others think he's a savior of American manufacturing and innovation. Who is the man behind the myth? And how does run his companies? In this episode, we'll talk with Bloomberg Businessweek writer Ashlee Vance about his new book, "Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future." Vance describes Musk's leadership style, ambitious goals, and potential legacy. Later in the show, we'll discuss ISIS hacking attacks on the U.S. grid. We'll finish the show with a look at how Canada's new prime minister may influence climate and clean energy policy. Don't forget to check out our new premium service, GTM Squared: http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared.
When a slew of leading developers started forming YieldCos in 2013, they were hailed as a revolution in renewable energy financing. Not so much anymore. After enjoying a long surge in stock pricing, YieldCos have come crashing down -- some falling as far as 50 percent in value since July. Why did they all see such a dramatic reversal all at once? Is it that YieldCos are inherently risky? Or was there just an irrational exuberance that has leveled out? We'll answer those questions in this episode. We talk with finance expert Tom Konrad about how YieldCos are structured, why they were overvalued, what a market correction looks like, and whether they still represent the future of financing renewable energy projects. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit the http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared to find out more about our premium content.
When the Obama Administration released its carbon rule this summer, it was hailed as a "historic step" to cutting carbon pollution. But is it really? Lots of supporters and analysts think the targets are too weak. Many now worry that the government created a rule so fragile that it could break down with a modest change in the energy mix. The reason: existing nuclear has been left out. In this episode, we'll talk with energy analyst Jesse Jenkins about why maintaining nuclear plants is vital to keeping Obama's climate rule from collapsing. Later in the show, we'll talk about the fight over demand response that hit the Supreme Court this week. We'll also look at how energy and climate were discussed during the Democratic presidential debate.
Solar has been around for decades. But it’s only in the last 10 years when the billion-dollar companies have emerged. With solar business models still so new, there a lot more room for many more startups to emerge as the next behemoths in the industry. But can software companies do it? In this episode of The Interchange, we’ll talk with Emily Kirsch, the co-founder and CEO of Powerhouse, an incubator and accelerator dedicated to the distributed solar industry. She’ll discuss where she sees the greatest opportunities for growth. We’ll talk about why Powerhouse is so focused on software companies, hear about common mistakes made by entrepreneurs pitching their companies, and discuss some alternatives to venture capital. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit the http://www.greentechmedia.com/squared to find out more about our premium content.
After a few years of struggles, tech providers are finally getting traction in home energy management. This is partly due to the rapid adoption of smart phones, which give companies cheap ways to interact with customers and monitor their energy consumption. It's also due to the success of laying energy services on top of home security packages, cable and internet packages, and solar contracts. So who will emerge as a winner in the space? In this edition of The Interchange, Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann talk with Omar Saadeh, a senior grid analyst at GTM Research, about winning strategies in HEMS 2.0. The Interchange is a brand new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we're giving away the show for free. Visit the gtmsquared.com to find out more about our premium content.
It's been a tough summer and fall for the world's biggest renewable energy developer. Since SunEdison announced its acquisition of Vivint Solar in July, the company's stock price has fallen by 70 percent. Just this week, executives announced they are laying off 15 percent of the company's workforce -- amounting to a cut of around 1,000 people. How did a leading renewable energy company riding so high earlier in the year reverse course so quickly? In this week's podcast, we'll discuss the factors behind SunEdison's recent woes and look at its new plan to get back on track. Later in the show, we'll provide updates on Exelon's bid to buy up Pepco, Shell's decision to abandon Arctic drilling, and some energy bills making their way through Congress.
This week, we present a special episode from our new podcast series, called "The Interchange." The Interchange is a brand-new podcast available to GTM Squared subscribers. For one month, we’re giving away the show for free. Visit gtmsquared.com to find out more about our premium content. Solar costs are on a strong downward trajectory. But competitiveness is a moving target. High levels of PV on the grid forces wholesale prices downward, potentially making the technology less competitive over time. At the same time, subsidies for the industry will likely continue to fade away. So what will it take for solar to become resistant to these forces? In the first episode of The Interchange, Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann talk with solar expert Varun Sivaram, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, about the technology and rate design improvements needed to keep PV growth strong.
In the mid 1970s, Exxon invested millions of dollars into sophisticated climate research and determined that greenhouse gas emissions would warm the planet to dangerous levels if left unchecked. But then something changed. In the mid 1980s and into the 90s, Exxon curtailed much of that research and started sowing doubt about the reality of the problem. By one tally, Exxon has spent $30 million supporting front groups and climate denying politicians in order to prevent action on reducing carbon emissions. Why such a dramatic reversal? In this episode, we talk with Neela Banerjee, a reporter with Inside Climate News, about a lengthy investigative series she's co-writing on Exxon's conflicted climate past. (Make sure to read part one, part two and part three of the Inside Climate News series.) Later in the show, we'll look at the good and bad pieces of California's latest climate and clean energy bill. And we'll end with a discussion of trends from Solar Power International. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In 2012, Shell ventured up to the Arctic to drill exploratory offshore oil wells. A lot went wrong. Its containment dome failed, a ship ran aground, another vessel was threatened by ice, one of its contractors was fined for safety violations -- and after all that, Shell never completed its exploratory drilling operation. The company has spent $7 billion to explore for oil in Arctic waters. And with a new plan of attack and fresh approval from the Obama Administration, Shell plans to spend $1 billion every year to get access to the region's rich reserves. In this episode, we look at the environmental, economic and political risks that Shell faces as it searches for oil in the Arctic. We'll also ask if its money could be better spent on harnessing energy resources beyond petroleum. Later in the show, we'll talk about how Hurricane Katrina influenced the environmental justice movement over the last 10 years. And we'll end with a discussion about steep feed-in tariff cuts for solar in the UK that business say will destroy the industry. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Behind-the meter battery storage is experiencing strong growth in the U.S. But with only 6.4 megawatts of capacity installed in 2014, companies have barely touched the market’s potential. Stem is one of a handful of companies leading the deployment of distributed batteries in commercial and industrial buildings. The company has since raised $75 million from a range of high-profile investors, and it is set to install about 10 megawatts of behind-the-meter battery systems this year. In this week’s show, Stem CEO John Carrington joins us to talk about why behind-the-meter storage is taking off, and where the economics and applications are headed. Carrington brings years of experience in solar to the storage industry. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the government’s investigation of the Solyndra loan guarantee, which was finally released after four years in the works. We’ll end the show with a discussion about Warren Buffett’s energy investments. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Until this week, most people thought Exelon's planned $6.9 billion acquisition of Pepco was a sure bet. But in a blow to both companies, regulators in the District of Columbia rejected the deal.What happened? The story is not just about a business deal gone awry. It’s a story about local empowerment, how utilities are dealing with the dramatic swing in America’s electricity market, and the tough decisions regulators are grappling with as they consider how to promote a cleaner grid. We will talk to Anya Schoolman, an organizer in DC who opposed the deal, about how a group of citizens derailed one of the largest utility acquisitions in history. Later in the show, we'll examine how recent turmoil in the financial markets may impact energy markets. And we'll finish with a discussion of President Obama's latest announcement on PACE and loan guarantees. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
If there’s any concept that can cut through politics of distributed energy, it’s “personal energy independence.” Some utilities may not like the idea, but many supporters believe it’s a helpful way to frame policies supporting solar, storage and microgrids, both nationally and locally. That is what encouraged Senator Angus King (I-ME) to introduce a bill in Congress that would establish a nationwide integration plan for distributed energy. Called “The Free Market Energy Act,” the legislation wouldn’t mandate any specific technology; rather, it would direct states to establish rate structures and interconnection laws supporting on-site energy systems in a way that’s fair to utilities and individual customers. “It’s absolutely clear this is where the future is going and people are going to demand their own personal energy,” explained King, speaking on the Energy Gang. This week, we talk with Senator King about his bill and discuss the politics of energy in Congress. Later in the show, we’ll explore the business opportunities in Latin America for solar companies looking to expand internationally. We’ll wrap up with a look at the politics of race surrounding President Obama’s landmark climate rule. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
The Obama Administration finally completed its landmark climate rule that will require states to cut power plant carbon emissions. It's been hailed by supporters as historic, and demonized by opponents as an economic threat. But is it really all that big of a deal? That depends on how you look at it. In this week's show, we'll talk with Michael Grunwald, a senior reporter at Politico, who argues that the climate law is not very ambitious when it comes to carbon reductions. However, it will still be good for clean energy businesses, which will see new state markets open up because of the rule. We'll examine all the implications. Later in the program, we'll look at why the U.K.'s Green Deal efficiency program failed, and ask if there are lessons for U.S. efficiency programs. In our last segment, we'll discuss the philosophy behind Bill Gates' billion-dollar investment in clean energy. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Pretty much everything bad that could happen to the coal industry is happening. Global coal demand is slumping; low natural gas prices and competitive renewables are shifting the energy mix in America; and a slew of regulations are causing plants to close at an unprecedented rate. Since 2012, more than 40 U.S. coal companies have filed for bankruptcy. And just this week, Peabody Energy, one of the largest coal firms in the world, reported $1 billion in quarterly losses. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Taylor Kuykendall, a coal reporter with SNL, about all the factors contributing to coal’s demise. Then, we’ll discuss new grid rules in California that will allow companies to aggregate distributed resources and bid them into wholesale electricity markets. And we’ll end with a look at Hillary Clinton’s proposed plan to install 140 cumulative gigawatts of solar in America by 2020. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
SunEdison is on a mission to become one of the biggest energy companies in the world – built entirely on renewables. It still has a ways to go. SunEdison has a $9 billion market capitalization. The two biggest oil companies, PetroChina and ExxonMobil, are worth $376 billion and $342 billion respectively. And Duke Energy, America’s largest utility, has a market cap of $50 billion. But with a slew of billion-dollar acquisitions of wind and solar companies – most recently Vivint Solar -- SunEdison believes it is on the path to rivaling the world’s supermajors. "We are building the next generation of the biggest energy companies on earth," said Julie Blunden, SunEdison's chief strategy officer, this week after announcing plans to buy Vivint Solar for $2.2 billion. In this week’s show, we will discuss SunEdison’s business strategy and ask if the company is on a sustainable growth path. In the second half of the show, we’ll talk about a new report showing renewables outpacing nuclear power, and look at a scientific study of climate records that were shattered in 2014. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Two countries with some of the richest renewable energy resources in the world – Australia and Spain – are also two of the most hostile to the industry’s growth. Last week, Australia abruptly changed its national policies for renewables, upsetting project development plans. And in June, Spain proposed yet another tax on storage systems to discourage self-consumption. In this episode, we’ll talk about the turmoil and Australia and Spain, and look at the consequences for politicians and the renewable energy industry. We’ll finish up by debunking a new report from the Taxpayer’s Protection Alliance claiming that the solar industry is causing a bubble similar to the housing bubble that caused the 2008 financial crisis. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
By the end of the decade, the solar industry could be installing 135 gigawatts yearly – more capacity in 12 months than all cumulative installations over the last four decades. The 2020 solar market will look much different today. It will be defined by fewer subsidies, greater geographic diversity and more sophisticated business models. This week, we’ll talk with Adam James, a senior solar analyst at GTM Research, about some of the most interesting findings from his new global demand report. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the Supreme Court ruling against the EPA’s mercury and air toxics rule for power plants. We’ll wrap up with a look at leading residential installer Sunrun as it prepares to go public. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, we have a taping of the Energy Gang from GTM’s Grid Edge Live conference in San Diego. We’ll talk with Tom Bialek, the chief engineer at San Diego Gas & Electric, about the utility’s landmark microgrid project, its new distributed resource management system, and how to improve the utility-customer relationship. And we’ll wrap up with a look at how California’s pro-distributed energy policies are shaping utility procurements. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
After Pope Francis issued his strongly worded encyclical on climate change and the environment, many wondered how it would influence skeptical conservatives. It didn’t take long to get an answer. “I don’t think we should politicize our faith,” said Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush, who brushed off climate change as an inherently political issue. So what would it take to get Republicans more engaged on climate and cleantech? This week’s guest, Vox staff writer David Roberts, believes change won’t come from some kind of utopian post-partisan framework. “The other strategy is to beat the other side. If you can’t win them over, you beat them. For some reason, the whole idea of winning as opposed to transcending partisan battles is alien” to progressives, said Roberts. We’ll talk with David about the difference between “conservatism of the mind” and “conservatism as it exists” in energy policy. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the importance of the Pope’s encyclical on the environment. And we’ll wrap up with a look at underperforming concentrating solar power plants in Arizona and California. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Richard Kauffman has a lot of responsibilities as New York's "energy czar." He oversees multiple agencies and utilities, advises the governor on energy issues, and works closely with regulators in their attempt to build a new electricity market based on distributed resources. "Often the entities are diffuse and everyone is in their own silo. The benefit we have [in New York] is to develop and implement an integrated energy policy," explained Kauffman on the Energy Gang. This week, we'll talk with Kauffman about the state's unique approach to energy policy. We'll also talk about how he's trying to use markets -- not top-down government programs -- to stimulate change in the electricity sector. Later in the show, we'll debate the significance of EPA's report on groundwater contamination from fracking. To wrap up the show, we'll ask how much Australia overpaid for its solar boom. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
We measure energy use with a commodity-based approach -- monitoring electrons, therms and gallons. But is there a better way to gauge the efficiency of the economy? Energy Economist Skip Laitner has been exploring a new method based on measuring "exergy," which shows that America's economy is only 14 percent efficient. And he says it's getting less efficient every year. In this week's show, we'll talk with Laitner about why measuring usable energy is better for understanding economic productivity. And we'll ask: how do we apply it to the real world? Later in the program, we'll discuss the state of the storage industry. And we'll look at why America's flagship clean coal project in Kemper, Mississippi is so delayed and over budget. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Whether the solar industry likes it or not, more regulated utilities in America are going to propose owning residential PV systems themselves. It's a controversial development. At our recent Solar Summit in Phoenix, GTM's Stephen Lacey and Shayle Kann hosted a debate on the following motion: "Regulated utilities should be allowed to own and rate-base residential solar." Lon Huber, a former advisor at Arizona's ratepayer advocate and current director of Strategen Consulting's government and utility program argued in favor of the motion. Court Rich, a senior partner at the Rose Law Group, argued against the motion. This week's episode is sponsored by Renesola, a top supplier and manufacturer of clean energy equipment.
Discussion about changing utility business models has always been abstract. But with large utilities now getting hit financially by distributed energy, “Utility 2.0” is starting to seem much more real. This week, we’ll look at the progress that’s been made in New York, California and Massachusetts, where reformation of the power sector is currently underway in different stages. Lisa Frantzis, senior VP of strategy at Advanced Energy Economy, joins us to talk about how leading states are attempting to create a fair, open market for distributed energy. Later in the show, we’ll look at what’s behind the financial troubles at Yingli Solar. We’ll end with a discussion about New York’s massive new report on the environmental and health impacts of fracking. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Over the last few years, analysts and academics worried about peak oil have been on the defensive. The fracking revolution has brought an abundance of oil and gas that no one thought possible a decade ago. So we can declare peak oil dead, right? Chris Nelder, an energy analyst who’s written extensively on the subject has a simple answer: no. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Nelder about predicting the messy oil market, and get his thoughts on the long-term viability of unconventional fossil fuels. Later in the show, we’ll talk about Bank of America’s decision to phase out its coal investments. And then we’ll finish with a discussion of Hawaii’s plan to get 100 percent of its electricity from renewables. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Tesla’s new storage unit has everyone talking about distributed batteries. But is the U.S. market ready for them? This week, we’ll talk about what needs to happen on a regulatory level to take distributed storage beyond limited applications. Sky Stanfield, an attorney representing the Interstate Renewable Energy Council, joins us to chat about proactive approaches to storage integration. We’ll also look at a new bill proposed in Congress that would implement best practices on battery and solar interconnection nationwide. Then, we’ll look more specifically at the cost, applications and reaction to Tesla’s new battery. We’ll end with a discussion on whether fracking wastewater can be economically used as a geothermal resource. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey
Ahmad Chatila worked in the chip industry for 18 years before taking over as CEO of the semiconductor manufacturer MEMC in 2009. As a veteran of the industry, Chatila well understood the difficulties of the silicon wafer business. Semiconductors are a commodity, and the company was facing intense pricing pressure from Chinese competitors. So he decided to make MEMC an energy company -- zeroing in on SunEdison as an acquisition target. Nearly seven years after the acquisition, SunEdison is branching out beyond solar and into wind, battery storage, microgrids, and is eyeing hydro and even natural gas. The development arm became so important to the health of the company, MEMC adopted the SunEdison name in 2013. So how does Chatila see the business evolving? In this bonus episode of the Energy Gang, we feature an interview with Chatila on project development strategies, emerging markets, battery storage and vertical integration. We'll also talk about the megatrends that excite him most -- and also make him most nervous when it comes to competition. his podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey
Wind has become a favorite target for politicians and conservative action groups looking end energy subsidies. But industry leaders are hitting back, saying they’ll only consider dropping the production tax credit when oil and gas lose their tax benefits. But does it need the subsidy? The average price for U.S. wind contracts is now 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour. Some argue that the industry would remain competitive even without the PTC, and could avoid boom-bust cycles if it were eliminated. In this episode, Tom Kiernan, the CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, joins us to defend the industry’s stance on tax credits. He’ll also talk about some key economic and technology developments in the sector. Then, we take a look at the Ecomodernist manifesto, a new document from a group of academics, scientists and analysts outlining a human-based approach to environmentalism they call the “good Anthropocene.” Finally, we turn to the devastation in Nepal and ask whether distributed renewables can play a more prominent role in disaster response. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In 2014, after a two-year dip in global clean energy spending, investors poured $310 billion into solar, wind, storage and energy efficiency. Although yearly investment levels are below what IEA estimates are needed to address climate change, the increase shows that appetite for funding companies and projects is increasing. Some believe the investment figures prove that fossil fuels have already lost the long-term race to renewables. This week, we’ll talk with Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg New Energy Finance, about what the global numbers tell us. Then, we’ll look at how renewables are factoring into the upcoming parliamentary elections in the UK. Finally, we’ll talk about why the White House’s Quadrennial Energy Review is so important for planning the future grid. This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a Tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In 2008, when Al Gore called for America to get 100 percent from its electricity from renewables in 10 years, he was widely mocked by opponents. Even supporters who understood it was a rhetorical point quietly knew how difficult it would be to achieve. But suppose the timeframe were stretched out to 2050. Would it really be that crazy? Some models show it’s possible; skeptics say the models are widely unrealistic. This week, in place of the Energy Gang, we feature a debate between two experts on the issue. Mark Jacobson, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University faces off against Eric Dennis, a senior fellow at the Center for Industrial Progress. The two men will debate the following motion: “American can, and should, get 100% of its energy from renewables by 2050.” This podcast is sponsored by Renesola, a tier-one solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Last March, NRG CEO David Crane wrote a passionate letter to investors. “There is no Amazon, Apple, Facebook or Google in the American energy industry today,” lamented Crane. His plan, he said, was to make NRG the company “that enables the consumer to make their own energy choices.” Months later, Crane broke the electricity supplier up into three parts: NRG Business, NRG Home and NRG Renew. The Home arm of the business now includes retail sales, residential solar, residential EV charging and home energy management. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with the new CEO of NRG Home, Steve McBee, about his plan to double revenues through energy customization and consumer empowerment. Later in the show, we’ll discuss a new report from the Rocky Mountain Institute about the economics of “load defection” caused by solar-plus-storage. We’ll wrap up with a conversation about California’s severe drought. Are tech entrepreneurs ignoring an opportunity to address a crisis in their own backyard? This podcast is sponsored by ReneSola, a tier 1 solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Small modular nuclear reactors are hailed as the savior of the struggling nuclear industry. They’re cheaper, safer and more flexible than traditional light-water reactors. But many small modular reactor designs are also not fully proven on a commercial scale – and they’ll likely not achieve scale for another decade. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Leslie Dewan, the co-founder and CEO of Transatomic Power, about what it will take to make nuclear 2.0 a reality. She’ll discuss regulatory challenges, cost barriers and interest from venture capitalists willing to take on the risk. Later in the show, we’ll examine some predictions for U.S. solar made by GTM’s Shayle Kann. And we wrap up with an overview of how energy services are being offered in the connected home. This podcast is sponsored by Renesola, a tier-one solar cell and module manufacturer with a decade of experience in the cleantech industry. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
The federal investment tax credit has enabled dramatic growth in the U.S. solar industry. But its looming expiration in 2017 is causing some within the solar business to ask: will it still be needed to continue that growth? The industry’s national lobbying group unequivocally supports an extension. President Obama supports a permanent credit. But some believe installers will still be able to compete in many markets, even when the credit goes to 10% for commercial and third-party owned systems and zero for everything else. In this week’s episode, Barry Cinnamon of Cinnamon Solar joins the Energy Gang to debate the necessity of the federal tax credit. He argues that it will destroy smaller installation companies like his, and talks about how to prepare for the change. Later in the show, we’ll explain why Germany’s grid didn’t implode during last week’s solar eclipse. Then, we’ll look at Senate Majority Mitch McConnell’s bid to stop EPA carbon regulations by lobbying state regulators and relying on arguments from a famous constitutional law professor. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading manufacturer of solar PV inverters for every size and module type. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Nancy Pfund, the founder of DBL Investors, has supported some of the most successful modern clean energy companies, including Tesla, SolarCity, Powerlight and BrightSource. And unlike many other venture capital firms, DBL isn’t backing down from some of the riskier, capital-intensive investments. Other portfolio investments include CIGS manufacturer Siva Power, and storage companies Primus Power and PowerGenix. The firm is now in the process of raising a third fund worth $300 million. In this podcast, we’ll talk with Pfund about what she looks for in company strategies, why Tesla and SolarCity have been so successful, and how she’s trying to bust political myths about cleantech. Later in the show, we’ll debate a controversial new working study from Georgetown University economist Arik Levinson that concludes California’s energy efficiency policies did little to lower the state’s energy use. We discuss that study and counter-arguments from efficiency advocates. Finally, we’ll look at what’s behind SunEdison’s acquisition of Solar Grid Storage. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading manufacturer of solar PV inverters for every size and module type. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
When the 114th Congress assembled for the first time in January, a bill approving Keystone XL was first on the agenda. By passing that bill with numerous amendments stuff in, Americans got a hint of what energy issues the Republican-controlled House and Senate would address in 2015. Those include efficiency standards, tax reform, natural gas exports and EPA regulations. This week, the Energy Gang is on break. In place of our normal show, we present a roundtable discussion between GTM Senior Editor Stephen Lacey, Huffington Post Energy Editor Kate Sheppard and E&E TV Managing Editor Monica Trauzzi on what we can expect from Congress this year. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading manufacturer of solar PV inverters for every size and module type. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Former Congressman Bob Inglis has a tough job. As one of the only prominent Republicans talking about climate change, he’s been trying to give the rest of his party the courage to offer conservative solutions to the challenge. Three years after founding the Energy and Enterprise Initiative, there’s still a deep freeze in Congress on climate issues. But Inglis is gathering more allies in his fight for a carbon tax, and believes that the 2016 elections will force national candidates to recognize the challenge. In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk to Inglis about changing dynamics in the Republican party. We’ll also discuss how tribal politics and local fights over “energy liberty” are impacting momentum. Later in the show, we’ll assess earnings from a few leading solar companies, and talk about the proposed YieldCo from First Solar and SunPower. Finally, examine about how race is becoming a factor in the rhetorical skirmishes over rooftop solar. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading manufacturer of solar PV inverters for every size and module type. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
The case against fossil fuels is simple. Oil, coal and gas have been an extraordinary gift of nature that allowed modern society to flourish. But now, because of extreme climate risk and the competitiveness of renewable energy, we can (and must) leave those resources in the ground. But Alex Epstein believes that argument is too simplistic. In his new book, “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels,” Epstein argues that fossil fuels are unfairly demonized. Pointing to positive trends in economic growth, pollution control and climate deaths – helped by energy abundance – Epstein says that fossil fuels should be celebrated, not disparaged. This week, we’ll interview Epstein and discuss the merits of his arguments. Then, later in the show, we’ll ask whether ratepayers should be funding PG&E’s new electric vehicle charging project, and check in with the ARPA-E Innovation Summit. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading manufacturer of solar PV inverters for every size and module type. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussions between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
For some conservatives, solar is a big green boondoggle promoted by a liberal president to benefit rich environmentalists. But for a growing number of libertarians and conservatives, solar is also seen as a tool for promoting competition in electricity markets and empowering consumers. In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk with Debbie Dooley, founder of the Green Tea Coalition and Conservatives for Energy Choice, about why Tea Partyers are rallying behind solar PV as a way to expand personal freedoms. Then, we’ll discuss a new report concluding that Europe overpaid $100 billion for its renewable energy capacity. And we’ll wrap up the show with a look at a secret automated car sharing service from Google that is reportedly designed to rival Uber. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading German inverter manufacturer. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
If the war of words between SolarCity and Arizona Public Service is any indication, this year will likely see an escalation in tension between the solar industry and utilities throughout the U.S. Earlier this month, it was revealed that APS was behind a letter from members of Congress to the Federal Trade Commission asking the government to investigate the sales practices of solar services companies. SolarCity hit back immediately and published a scathing blog post calling out APS for using so-called “monopoly money” to influence politics at the highest level in order to limit consumer choice. In this show, we’ll look at APS’ claims and tactics, SolarCity’s response, and ask what it means for coming clashes between solar installers and traditional power companies. Later in the podcast, we’ll look at the highlights of President Obama’s trip to India, and then discuss problems in China’s domestic solar market. This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading German inverter manufacturer. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Last year, 200,000 residential solar systems were installed in the U.S. More than two-thirds of those systems were third-party financed through leases or power purchase agreements. But third-party financing is peaking. As solar costs come down, more consumers demand direct ownership of their own systems and installers look for simpler options, a growing number of lenders are coming into the U.S. market with loan products. Will they rival leases and power purchase agreements? Not in the short term. But they are becoming much more popular – sparking debate around their value for customers. This week, we’ll talk with Sungage Financial CEO Sara Ross, who will provide background on the evolution of solar loans and talk about the democratization of solar finance. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the State of the Union address and look at the surge in solar jobs outlined in the Solar Foundation’s solar census. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Progress in wave and tidal energy hasn’t been slow – it’s been nonexistent. Despite media attention, strategic investments from large energy companies and strong support from national governments, the marine renewables industry has seen mostly technical failure over the last decade. According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, fewer than 150 megawatts of wave and tidal projects will be installed globally by the end of the decade -- a 72 percent reduction in earlier projections. Aside from creating dams, no companies have yet been able to competitively and reliably tap the waves or tides for electricity. So is it time to end support for marine renewables and spend money on more promising up-and-coming technologies? In this week’s show, we’ll look why companies operating in the space have struggled and ask whether it’s finally time to shift our attention. Then, we’ll discuss the increasingly important role of electric vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show. We’ll also talk about “One Knob,” an idea for creating a more free-market approach to residential energy efficiency. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
With oil prices dropping to five-year lows, pundits are pushing conspiracy theories about OPEC, public investors are acting irrationally, oil companies are going deeper into debt and political leaders are considering previously untouchable ideas like a gas tax. Meanwhile, many people are asking if an extended period of $50-per-barrel oil will compromise the economics of renewables. In this week’s episode, we’ll address the spectrum of economic and political consequences from oil’s strong price slide. Michael Levi, a senior fellow for energy and environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins us at the top of the show to chat about OPEC, the resiliency of America’s unconventional oil & gas sector, the impact of low prices on consumers, and which renewable energy sectors will be affected first. Later in the show, we’ll talk about the renewed push for increasing the gas tax in Congress. We’ll also provide an update on the U.S.-China trade case that may bring good news for installers worried about the cost of tariffs on Chinese products. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, we stray from the week’s top news and instead focus on the top news of the entire year. We’ll give our picks for most important news item of the year, the most overblown story of the year and our story to watch in 2015. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Three years after the political posturing around the Department of Energy’s clean energy loan guarantee program, some lawmakers still haven’t moved on. “What we have seen is incredible mismanagement, and it’s become the poster child for crony capitalism,” said Tennessee Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn in an interview with Bloomberg last month. Performance tells a different story. Even after a handful of early bankruptcies, the program has so far seen a 98 percent success rate. And losses from those bankruptcies are only one-fifth the cost of what Congress appropriated when establishing the program. “The facts are clear, the results are in. You can continue to deny that, but I don’t know what it gets you,” said Jonathan Silver, the former executive director of DOE’s loan programs office, speaking on the Energy Gang. In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Silver about the Solyndra bankruptcy, the political reaction in Washington and the legacy of loan guarantees. Later in the show, we’ll discuss SunPower’s investment in the home energy management company Tendril, and try to understand the global climate negotiations that just wrapped up in Peru. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
As Tesla builds out its Giga factory in Nevada, the company expects that roughly one-quarter of batteries will be used for stationary storage applications beyond automobiles. Tesla is just beginning to expand beyond EVs and move deeper into grid-scale storage, behind-the-meter storage and solar-battery combination systems, potentially making it more than just a boutique automobile producer. “Everywhere we look there's an opportunity for storage,” said Mateo Jaramillo, Tesla’s director of powertrain business development, speaking on this week’s Energy Gang podcast. In this week’s podcast, we’re live at Greentech Media’s Solar Market Insight conference. Tesla’s Jaramillo and California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Picker join us to discuss the emerging markets for battery storage, including synergies with the solar industry. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Earlier this week, Germany’s biggest power company, E.ON, announced that it would spin off its centralized power assets in order to make itself a distributed utility and embrace the “new world” of energy. E.ON and other European utilities have been shedding billions of dollars as electricity consumption declines and solar erodes the value of their power plants. Many of them are considering radical changes to their business models as a result. Johannes Teyssen, E.ON's CEO and board chairman described the move this way: "We’ve now come to the conclusion that it will become increasingly difficult for a company with a broad portfolio to be successful and to grow in both the new and the conventional energy world.” In this week’s podcast, we’ll look at why E.ON made such a dramatic decision. We will also discuss parallels in the U.S., where utilities are in the early stages of what German utilities have gone through. Later in the show, we’ll talk about Google’s decision to ditch R&D in renewable energy. Was it proof of the limitations of renewables? Or was it just Google’s inability to make the right investments? Finally, we’ll wrap up with discussion of a new infrastructure-as-a-service company looking to recreate financing success in solar. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
After years of very little change, the energy efficiency industry is getting a makeover. The growth in connected, learning devices -- and the data access enabled by them -- is creating a new paradigm that many call "intelligent efficiency." In this podcast, we're live from ACEEE's Intelligent Efficiency conference. We'll talk with Ben Bixby, the director of energy products at Nest, and Kathrin Winkler, the chief sustainability officer of EMC Corporation, about what the shift means for consumers, energy efficiency companies and utilities. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Every decision for a startup is a financial decision. From hiring decisions to supply agreements, investors evaluate an entire company through a financial lens. But some entrepreneurs muddling along through challenges often fail to think about the growth of their company in this holistic way. That’s what our guest, Kathrin Ohle, says in her new book, The Decision Maker’s Guide to Long-Term Financing. This week, we’ll have Kathrin on the show to discuss the mechanics of financing for entrepreneurs – including how to ensure you don’t lose control of your company to investors. We’ll also discuss the landmark climate agreement between the U.S. and China. Is it a dramatic breakthrough? Or is it an overhyped incremental step? Later in the show, we’ll look at some clean energy themes coming out of the World Economic Forum. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, the U.S. turned a deep shade of red after Republicans pulled off commanding wins in national, state and local races. The results will influence a broad range of issues, including renewable energy tax policy, oil & gas exports, state renewable energy targets, net metering and utility rate design. It will also pit Congress and states against the Obama Administration as it tries to use executive authority to curb carbon emissions. In this podcast, we’ll dissect what America’s election-year political flip means for local and national energy issues. You can check out our live podcast on November 18 in San Francisco at ACEEE’s Intelligent Efficiency conference: bit.ly/1wvgv5x And don’t forget to fill out our short listener survey: svy.mk/1rCT4HH This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Depending on your perspective, Millenials are either the most globally aware, technologically savvy generation or the most distracted, dependent, self-obsessed generation. For many, those feelings about Millenials extend to the environment. Some criticize their surface-level engagement and say young people mistake Facebook “likes” and virtual signatures for actual action. Others believe Millenials are much more sophisticated about the environment, pointing to the surge in green MBAs and cleantech startups working to solve big problems. In this week’s podcast, we’ll be joined by guest co-host Andrew Winston, author of “The Big Pivot,” to debate the role of Millenials in the clean economy. At the top of the show, we’ll discuss the correlation between corporate environmental strategy and rankings for the top-50 most innovative companies in the world. And then we’ll also chat about how the elections may impact utilities around the country. You can check out our live podcast on November 18 in San Francisco at ACEEE’s Intelligent Efficiency conference: bit.ly/1wvgv5x And don’t forget to fill out our short listener survey: svy.mk/1rCT4HH This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Five years ago, a new wave of startups promised a manufacturing renaissance driven by American solar. Today, after the collapse of dozens of those companies, many are skeptical that the U.S. can ever lead in solar production. But can America rise once again? Our guest this week, Siva Power CEO Brad Mattson, believes it can. Mattson is out with a new book, “The Solar Phoenix: How America Can Rise From the Ashes of Solyndra to World Leadership in Solar 2.0.” We’ll talk with him about the VC bubble, the struggles of solar manufacturers and Siva’s plans to expand in the U.S. Later in the show, we’ll discuss a few things we picked up at the Solar Power International conference. And we’ll finish up with a look at the abysmal political climate for renewables in Australia. You can check out our live podcast on November 18 in San Francisco at ACEEE’s Intelligent Efficiency conference: http://bit.ly/1wvgv5x And don’t forget to fill out our short listener survey: http://svy.mk/1rCT4HH This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
By 2017, there will be more than 150 gigawatts of solar plants that need to be maintained globally. In order for solar to keep growing as an asset class, those plants need to be in top shape. Who’s going to take care of them all? As operations and maintenance becomes a more important piece of the solar market, big project developers, independent contractors, software firms and inverter manufacturers are all trying to get in on the action. In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk with Chuck Smith, executive vice president of services at SMA America, about the company’s approach to monitoring, analyzing and optimizing solar plants. (Disclosure: SMA is a sponsor of the podcast.) Later in the show, we’ll talk about a new proposal in San Antonio to phase out net metering and create a program based on competitive bidding. We’ll also discuss the legacy of Michael Peevey, the embattled outgoing president of the California Public Utilities Commission. Don’t forget to fill out our listener survey so we can get your feedback:svy.mk/1rCT4HH The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
SolarCity is a much different company than it was before it went public. It has made numerous acquisitions in an attempt to control nearly every part of the value chain – from hardware to customer acquisition – making it a fully vertically integrated solar provider. Most recently, SolarCity acquired the high-efficiency solar manufacturer Silevo and broke ground on a gigawatt-scale production facility in Buffalo, New York. The company now has over 7,000 employees, a market cap of $5.3 billion and a 30 percent share of the U.S. residential solar market. The company is undoubtedly a success story. But can it continue growing sustainably in the long term? Can vertical integration actually work in residential solar? This week, we’ll talk with CEO Lyndon Rive about the SolarCity’s move into manufacturing, its new loan product, the outlook for U.S. policy and the way the company calculates “retained value” for investors. Later in the podcast, we’ll discuss the different business strategies of two leading independent power producers, NRG and Dynegy. We’ll also look at why the Nobel Prize in physics went to three inventors who created the first blue LEDs. Don’t forget to fill out our listener survey so we can get your feedback: svy.mk/1rCT4HH This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In mid-September, the U.S. government revised its estimates for U.S. oil production upward once again. Boosted by increases in tight oil from shale formations in North Dakota and Texas, America could soon surpass its previous domestic production peak hit in 1970. At the same time, U.S. natural gas production, also driven by fracking, hit an all-time high this summer. But skeptics warn that fracked oil and gas could soon hit a peak, pointing to the steep decline rates for wells – which both the oil and gas industry and the government admit. One prominent Canadian geologist and drilling consultant, David Hughes, recently released an analysis of these decline rates for the Post Carbon Institute, showing an 85 percent average drop in production at unconventional wells in the first three years. However, total production is still growing. And the EIA suggests that a peak may not come for another couple of decades. What are we to make of these conflicting projections on the promise of fracking? This week, we’ll look at the future of fracking and ask what it means for cleantech investment. We’ll also talk about the possible outcome of an IRS review of value of solar tariffs, and ask if any good came out of the recent UN climate summit and march in New York City. Don’t forget to fill out our listener survey so we can get your feedback: http://svy.mk/1rCT4HH This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
New York is taking a hard look at how to reform the distribution grid and encourage more distributed energy resources. But it’s not doing it through mandates. Instead, New York regulators are developing flexible market structures to encourage utilities to adopt a variety of new distributed technologies, while also empowering customers, creating new business competition and hardening the grid. So how exactly will the model work? In this special live podcast, recorded at WNYC’s performance space in New York City, we spoke with two architects of the plan. Audrey Zibelman, chair of the New York Public Service Commission and Sergej Mahnovski, director of Con Edison’s utility of the future team, joined the Energy Gang to discuss why the state is so unique. “I don’t want to create mediocre wires companies. I want to create excellent, innovative companies that have third parties wanting to come to New York and build businesses around DER because they see it’s a marketplace where they can be successful and then we can lead everywhere else,” explained Zibelman. The live show was organized in partnership with Clean Energy Connections. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Large commercial buildings are the fastest growing energy consumers in the U.S. Why? Because most of them are not very energy aware. Utilities and city planners understand this problem and have targeted the commercial building sector by providing rebates for retrofits, deploying smart meters and establishing stricter building codes. But the ability to gather actionable insights into how buildings are performing are only now emerging. In this podcast, we’ll talk with FirstFuel CEO Swapnil Shah about how data analytics can change the building efficiency paradigm. We’ll also talk about the company’s partnership with Opower, which will help the startup expand to more utilities. Later in the show, we’ll discuss the viability and economics of Tesla’s Giga factory and discuss the opening of America’s largest cellulosic ethanol refinery. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In December of last year, President Obama issued an order requiring the government to get 20 percent of electricity from renewables by 2020 – up from about 7 percent today. That’s not an easy goal to achieve. The General Services Administration owns or leases more than 354 million square footage of buildings, which is enough space to fill half of Manhattan. It also manages a massive transportation fleet and must adhere to very strict cost requirements. But the shift is happening. On this week’s show, we’ll talk with Ruth Cox, GSA’s senior sustainability officer, about how renewables and efficiency are greening government buildings while saving taxpayers money. We’ll also have the latest on Hawaii’s effort to both tame and encourage solar, and look at the viability of Solar Roadways. This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Bill Gates is a very influential guy -- not just because he founded Microsoft, but because of his powerful foundation. With $40 billion in trust assets, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one the biggest charitable organizations in the world focusing on global health, clean water, energy access and financing for entrepreneurs. So when Gates writes on his blog that developing countries can’t afford renewable energy, that carries weight. That’s exactly what Gates did last week when he promoted the work of Danish political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, writing that more fossil fuels are the moral choice in the fight against energy poverty. Finding the right mix of resources for developing countries is a complicated exercise. But the economics of renewables are far better than fossil fuels in many cases. In this week's podcast, we'll talk about why Gates is wrong on the cost of wind, solar and other technologies. Later in the show, we’ll talk about a very important compromise in Mississippi that will bring lots of new solar projects to the state. And we'll also discuss the latest developments in the battle to stop coal exports in Oregon and Washington State. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In the academic world, there’s lots of debate about how expensive or cheap renewables are compared to fossil fuels. But do they actually match what’s happening on the ground? In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk with Amory Lovins, the founder and chief scientist at the Rocky Mountain Institute, about the difference between the market reality of renewables and the economic debate about their cost. In the second part of the show, we will discuss a very important legal decision upholding FERC’s grid planning rule. We’ll also chat about a booming application in the non-residential solar market: carports. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Last week, hackers at the Black Hat conference showed how to jailbreak a Nest learning thermostat and override the firmware, taking it under their control. The hack itself cannot be done without physical access to the device, and Nest said no devices have been hacked maliciously. But it’s one of many recent hacks of connected devices in the home. So are we safe? In this podcast, we’ll talk about the widespread security implications for consumers, businesses and utilities. Later in the show, we’ll ask if the Environmental Protection Agency is being transparent enough as it crafts carbon regulations. We’ll also look at the continued struggles for concentrating solar power and ask if there’s a future for the industry. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Are your solar panels facing the wrong way? Is your utility focusing on the wrong types of energy efficiency? These are the questions that Pecan Street Inc. has attempted to answer through its data collection from smart grid projects. The findings may surprise you. In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk with Brewster McCracken, the CEO of Pecan Street Inc, about the organization’s most compelling analysis of consumer energy use, utility efficiency programs and electric vehicle charging. Later in the show, we’ll discuss Arizona Public Service’s new plan to own rooftop solar, and look at the resurgence of property-assessed clean energy programs. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
How do we calculate the true cost of intermittent renewables? The levelized cost of wind and solar are falling by the day. But how cheap are they really? A recent study from the Brookings Institution concludes that they are higher than presumed when using a cost-benefit calculation. In this podcast, we'll debate the merits of the Brookings study and ask what assumptions one should make when evaluating the cost of different technologies. Later in the show, we’ll talk about the debate over the Export-Import Bank Washington, and assess the impact of new tariffs imposed on Chinese solar products coming into the U.S. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
The biggest investors in the world are pouring their money into renewable energy projects. Want to join them? Now you can. Up until recently, it was nearly impossible for most investors to directly support solar, wind and other projects that offer stable returns. But YieldCos are changing that. In this week’s podcast, we’ll tell you about how publicly traded YieldCos work, why so many companies are forming them, and what they’ll do to support a surge in clean energy development. Later in the show, we’ll talk about innovative new structures in energy efficiency finance and explore the energy supply implications of California’s historic drought. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In the last couple of years, five nuclear power plants in the U.S. have been put on the list for closure. These plants are getting challenged from two sides: competitive natural gas and renewables are eroding the economics of merchant projects, while technical challenges associated with age are making the plants more expensive to operate. Some are cheering the slow, creaky demise of nuclear in the U.S. But others warn that if more plants come off line, U.S. emissions are headed for a steady increase – potentially 4 to 5 percent. In this week's show, we'll look at whether renewables and efficiency are capable of filling the gap left by retired nuclear plants. Later in the show, we'll talk about an infrastructure boondoggle in Australia that has raised rates there by up to 60 percent. Then, we'll look at how U.S. regulators are feeling about their role in meeting EPA carbon rules. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Today, solar’s dominance feels inevitable. But in 1979, when Neville Williams started promoting the industry at the Department of Energy, it felt like a far-off dream. That didn’t stop the early pioneers from thinking big and pushing the government to invest in the early technology – helping solar module costs fall from $55 per watt in the 1970s to 50 cents per watt today. In this podcast, we’ll talk with Neville Williams about his new book, “Sun Power,” that features stories from the last four decades in the solar industry. Williams was the founder of off-grid solar companies SELF and SELCO, and also founded the Maryland solar company Standard Solar. In the second half of the show, we’ll talk about big news in Georgia, Tennessee and Connecticut. We’ll also discuss an example of shareholder activism that turned SunEdison around. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson recently made a bold comparison between the financial risks that led to the 2008 economic collapse and emerging climate risks: "We’re staring down a climate bubble that poses enormous risks to both our environment and economy. The warning signs are clear and growing more urgent as the risks go unchecked." New data suggests that Paulson is correct. In this week's podcast, we'll discuss a landmark report, called "Risky Business," that assesses the vast economic risks of climate change. Kate Gordon of the Center for the Next Generation joins us to talk about why Republican capitalists like Paulson are sounding the alarm on climate change. In the second half of the program, we'll talk about a new proposal for utility ownership of solar inverters. We'll also dissect a new GTM Research report on microgrid development in the U.S. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, SolarCity shocked the solar industry by announcing its intentions to acquire Silevo, and move quickly into cell and module manufacturing. America's largest solar installer now wants to be one of the most powerful producers of solar products. But does the move make sense? In this week's show, we'll debate the technology risks and cost upsides of SolarCity's manufacturing play. Then, we'll talk about Elon Musk's decision to open up all Tesla's patents. Finally, we'll ask why oil companies are divesting from renewable energy. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
It’s been a year and a half since Sandy destroyed the East Coast electric grid and left more than 8 million people without power. So has anything materially changed in the utility sector since October of 2012? In this week’s podcast, we feature a discussion on Greentech Media’s new eBook about the legacy of the storm: “Resiliency: How Superstorm Sandy Changed America’s Grid.” We’ll talk with Gary Rackliffe, VP of ABB’s North American smart grid business, about how power companies are thinking differently about grid modernization and smart technologies. Then, we’ll look at whether EPA’s new carbon rules are really all that ambitious. Finally, we’ll talk about how 2014 is shaping up for the energy storage industry. This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net zero buildings. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In theory, solar PV is the ultimate democratized energy technology. But is it living up to its potential? Historically, solar has been accessible to wealthy environmentalists, utilities and large corporations. But it has been less available to low-income people who most need relief from their rising utility bills. And while the industry fares better than others in diversity, it is still lagging in employment of women. So how can this be changed? In this week's podcast, we'll talk with Erica Mackie, the CEO of GRID Alternatives, about the need to develop new models for making solar accessible to everyone. Then, we'll discuss what the recent court ruling against FERC Order 745 will mean for the future of demand response, and we'll debate the impact of a recent slew of Wall Street analysis warning about the decline of utilities. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, the U.S. government indicted five hackers working for the Chinese military who allegedly stole trade secrets from six major energy and industrial companies operating in America. One of those companies was the solar manufacturer SolarWorld. The case once again raises concerns about the growing problem of corporate espionage in the clean energy industry, where companies are often targeted for their intellectual property. So will the Chinese government's hacking deter cleantech companies from operating in the country? In this week's podcast, featuring guest co-host Andrew Winston, we'll look at the implications of the Department of Justice case against Chinese hackers. We'll also talk about some big news coming out of conferences in the last two weeks within the efficiency and corporate sustainability sectors. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
How could a bipartisan energy efficiency bill described as "innocuous" fail so many times in Congress? Once again, the Senate failed to pass the Shaheen-Portman bill, a piece of legislation that would have created new standards and financing mechanisms for commercial and industrial efficiency. But the failure was less about energy and more about mid-term politics. In this week's podcast, we'll look at the forces behind the death of the bill. Then, we'll look at the Department of Energy's plans to fund three new demonstration-scale offshore wind projects by 2017, and dissect recent comments about climate change from Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Nine years ago, Walmart announced its landmark initiative to reduce waste and cut greenhouse gas emissions. But today its emissions are 14 percent higher. That sounds like the initiative was a failure, right? Maybe not. In this week's podcast, the Gang sits down with corporate sustainability expert Andrew Winston to chat about how to judge the success of greening efforts at big companies. Later in the show, we'll discuss the threat of extreme weather to energy infrastructure, and we'll look at the meaning behind the latest wind construction boom. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Earlier this week, New York officials issued a report calling for structural changes to the way utilities are regulated. The proposal would make distribution utilities into Distributed System Platform Providers that get compensated for their ability to integrate clean energy, demand response and efficiency on the grid. It's a fundamentally new way to think about how power companies should plan for the future. In this week’s podcast, we’ll look at what this historic proposal from New York’s Public Service Commission will mean for renewables in the Empire State. We’ll also discuss the regulatory standoff over PSE&G’s $3.9 billion grid hardening plan after Superstorm Sandy, and look at the impact of a new solar tax in Arizona. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
In this week’s podcast, we have a conversation with leading solar executives on whether solar has reached the point of no return. We’ll talk about vertical integration, evolving business models, international markets and the economics of projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
Could solar paired with battery storage make utilities obsolete? That's the question analysts are asking as the economics of the technologies improve. The short answer is "no." Utilities operate an extremely valuable set of infrastructure and still benefit from legacy customer relationships. And the economics of grid defection are usually not favorable. But it's an important question to ask, says Jon Creyts, managing director of the Rocky Mountain Institute, because it can guide how utilities manage future consumer empowerment. In this podcast, we'll talk with Creyts about Rocky Mountain Institute's latest report on"grid defection," and examine the different scenarios for solar and storage. Then, we'll look at Exxon Mobil's response to the latest UN climate report, and talk about possible policy solutions for supporting new financing structures for clean energy projects. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, the Gang is live from the Building Energy Summit in Washington, DC. In this episode, we talk with some of the leading thinkers and practitioners in sustainable design and get their thoughts on how our built environment is evolving. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
A new study from PJM, America's largest wholesale competitive energy market, once again shows that high amounts of renewables can be integrated without harming the grid or raising energy prices. In this week's show, we'll look at the real-world challenges of renewable energy integration, and ask why so many myths persist about their role on the grid. Then we'll take a look at what Minnesota's new "value of solar" tariff means for the solar industry, and ask if a proposal from environmentalists to buy out the entire coal industry is feasible. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
U.S. Natural Gas is being touted as a tool to weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin's influence in Europe. But how effective would an export strategy really be? In this week's show, we'll look at the reality of using American natural gas as a geopolitical tool. We'll also discuss the push among Democrats to talk about climate change in the lead up to the 2016 elections, and we'll look at the significance of recent venture activity in off-grid solar for developing countries. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
As expected, 2013 was yet another record year for solar in the U.S. With 5.1 gigawatts of PV and CSP coming online, the solar industry was the second largest provider of electricity capacity behind natural gas. But how long will it continue? With a tax credit expiration looming, conflicts over net metering and a brewing solar trade war, it is far from assured that this boom will go on forever. This week, we’ll talk with Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, about how the industry is positioning itself in the face of these challenges. Then, we’ll talk about Opower’s coming IPO and ask what it will take for the company to continue dominating the efficiency sector. In our final segment, we’ll look at whether the “energy crisis” episode in season two of House of Cards is based at all in reality. (Note: there will be minor spoilers.) The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.
This month, the U.S. government agreed to take up another case against China for its solar trade practices. The complaint was filed by German solar producer SolarWorld, but most of the solar industry agrees that the case could be terrible for the U.S. solar market. So will we reach a settlement? In this week's show, the Energy Gang will debate the consequences of the U.S.-China solar trade war. We're joined by solar expert Shayle Kann, who's been watching the case closely. Also in the show, we'll discuss Tesla's plans for a battery mega-factory and the meaning behind its secret conversations with Apple. And finally, we'll ask whether the "valley of death" is getting any smaller for cleantech entrepreneurs. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
ARPA-E was modeled after a successful defense research agency called DARPA, which helped create the foundation of the internet. So can the government's energy innovation agency do something equally groundbreaking for clean energy? This week, we'll talk with ARPA-E's director, Dr. Cheryl Martin, who describes how she thinks about developing groundbreaking energy technologies. We'll also debate the solar industry's aggressive tactics used to hit back against utilities that are attempting to limit PV on the grid. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
The electricity sector in the U.S. is nearing a tipping point for clean energy. But transportation isn't seeing the same level of change. In this week's podcast -- recorded live at the Department of Transportation -- we'll look at where the tipping points may occur in electric vehicles, car sharing, public transport and freight. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
In his latest State of the Union address, President Obama once again called natural gas a "bridge" to the clean energy future. But is the resource really all the industry claims? We'll take a nuanced look at dynamics in the natural gas market, and ask whether it's helpful or hurtful to renewable energy. We'll also discuss the energy and climate piece of Obama's State of the Union Speech, as well as dissect the forces behind the booming solar jobs market. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
The clean energy industry may soon face some hard choices about tax incentives. Should it continue to push for short-term extensions of the production and investment tax credits, or does it need to lead the conversation on tax reform? It may look to do both in 2014. In this week’s podcast, the Gang will look at the prospects for tax reform in Washington, and ask what it means for the future competitiveness of clean energy. We'll also dig into the President's latest strategy to develop manufacturing clusters, and talk about some very candid words from a parting utility commissioner. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
Google has invested billions of dollars in clean energy projects and startups. Is the internet giant positioning itself to be the next energy giant? In this week's show, we'll look at Google's cleantech investment strategy and ask what the end game may be. Then, we'll examine the recent rise U.S. CO2 emissions, and ask if the global coal industry has reached its peak. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
In 2006, the small wind industry was poised to take off in the U.S. But then solar surged ahead, leaving small wind in the dust. What happened? In this week's show, we'll look at how the small wind industry can regain its footing and live up to its potential. Small wind pioneer Andy Kruse joins us to chat about the ups and downs in the market, and draw some parallels to distributed solar. We'll also talk about the latest developments in the SolarWorld trade complaint against Chinese solar manufacturers, as well as what the widening divide between red and blue states means for energy policy. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
On Sunday, the popular CBS news magazine "60 Minutes" aired a story on a supposed "cleantech crash." Reporter Lesley Stahl looked at the troubles in venture capital, and used them to declare government cleantech investments a virtual failure. In this podcast, we’ll look at the quality of the "60 Minutes" reporting, parse the reactions within the cleantech sector, and fill in some crucial gaps left by the story. Then, we'll ask why Energy Information Administration projections are so far from reality, and ask whether Ford's new solar concept car actually makes sense. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
We may not have been able to predict Time Magazine's person of the year, or Google's most searched term of 2013. But the Energy Gang was on top of the big happenings in cleantech this year. In our year-end podcast, we'll outline our favorite stories of 2013 and make predictions for the coming year. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
There convergence of solar and distributed batteries is underway. Although the use of storage is still very limited in the solar sector, more companies are looking to bring new value to customers by pairing the two technologies. In this week's podcast, the Gang will look at some new business models for customer-sited storage, which include targeting buyers of solar PV. We'll also look at the progress of California's cap and trade market one year after implementation, and speculate about whether President Obama's latest staff shakeup will influence energy policy. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
Everyone agrees Germany is a renewable energy powerhouse. But not everyone agrees on how that’s benefitted the country. The web is littered with conflicting opinion pieces on the German experience – some claiming the country’s aggressive promotion of renewables is an oncoming economic disaster, and some saying those concerns are far overblown, if not totally false. So what are we to believe? In this week's show, we'll look at Germany's evolving relationship with renewables, the impact on electricity prices and the outlook for its nuclear phase-out. Then we'll travel to Japan, which is undergoing a rapid transition after a sudden phase out of nuclear in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. We'll ask if the country can make up for the nuclear gap. Finally, we'll travel to Ontario, where we'll look at the phase out of coal power and changes to the province's troubled feed-in tariff program. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
State electricity regulators are as diverse as the regions they come from. So their thinking on the future of energy varies wildly. With worries about the disruptive threat of efficiency and distributed generation growing, how are these regulators thinking about looming changes? In this podcast, we'll talk with energy consultant Cameron Brooks, who reports on the themes coming out of a major national regulatory meeting. We'll also talk about the net metering compromise in Arizona, as well as the Obama Administration's proposal to scale back the renewable fuels standard. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
What does the nation's top energy regulator, FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff, think about the future of solar? "I think we're seeing the Moore's Law cost curve together with the entrepreneurial spirit coming into an industry in a way that is going to overtake a monopolistic, non-innovative structure." This week, we feature a live podcast from the MDV-SEIA Solar Focus 2013 conference in Washington, DC. The Gang took the stage and discussed the merits of East Coast solar policy, innovative business strategies, and chatted with Chairman Wellinghoff about the "creative destruction" caused by distributed generation. Many thanks to MDV-SEIA for inviting the Energy Gang for its first live show!
The wind industry is facing another expiration of the production tax credit at the end of the year, and this time it likely won't get extended quickly. So is the wind industry prepared for a post-PTC future? This week, the Energy Gang will debate the merits of the PTC, whether the industry can thrive without it, and question whether the wind lobby has screwed up the opportunity to develop policy beyond the tax credit. We'll also look at the significance of SolarCity's recent effort to securitize rooftop solar projects, and examine the impact of this week's local elections on energy issues. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
The largest international development banks have made it a priority to deliver energy to the 1.3 billion people without access to the modern grid. But are they approaching a 21st-century market with 20th-century solutions? In this week's show, the gang will discuss whether organizations like the World Bank are botching investment in energy access by ignoring the full potential of distributed energy and mobile infrastructure. The Sierra Club's Justin Guay will join the gang to chat about how to break old ways of thinking about energy access in the developing world. Then, we'll chat about changes on the grid one year after Superstorm Sandy, and explore the coming business model shift within one of Europe's largest utilities. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
It's been four decades since Arab oil producers shut off the oil spigot to America, creating price shocks, gas lines and economic hardship. It also spawned the modern political definitions for "energy security" and "energy independence." So 40 years later, are we really better off? The Gang will look at what's changed, and talk with an energy economist from the EIA about how the availability of information on energy has improved. We'll also take a look at the implications of California's new energy storage mandate, and discuss Arizona Public Service's admission that it gave money to political groups producing anti-solar ads. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
The clean energy industry is headed for yet another dip in global investment. Meanwhile, venture investors are shifting their money toward more "capital-lite" businesses. Should we be worried? The Energy Gang looks at the complex picture behind the numbers. We'll also ask what SolarCity's recent acquisitions mean for M&A activity in downstream solar, and we'll look at how effectively the push toward municipalizing the grid will leverage microgrids and distributed energy. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
No one denies the immense potential of geothermal. Despite that potential, the industry has grown incrementally over the years and failed to attract strong investment flow, particularly in the U.S. So what's keeping growth so low? In this week's podcast, the Energy Gang will look at the industry's two main problems: drilling risk and messaging. Both are holding back growth. We'll also look at the challenges for another "forgotten renewable" -- solar thermal. And finally, we'll ask how ESCOs can continue expanding energy performance contracts for efficiency. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
This week, we'll forget the political train wreck in Washington (for a little while) and instead turn our attention to the business leaders helping build new wealth opportunities in clean energy. Energy Gang co-host and SunEdison Founder Jigar Shah is out with his new book, Creating Climate Wealth. We'll discuss his philosophy on what it takes for entrepreneurs to succeed in the market. But we can't help ourselves. We'll also turn back to Washington and examine how the political shutdown will impact the clean energy sector. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
Almost everyone admits it: utilities are going to be in for some serious trouble if they don't start thinking about how to properly manage the coming surge in distributed energy. But we can't entirely blame the utilities for moving slowly; regulators play a key role in setting the rules for how power companies operate. In this week's show, we'll look at a comprehensive new report aimed at these decision makers, called America's Power Plan, which lays the foundation for the future of electricity. We'll also discuss a few tremendous improvements in renewable energy economics, as well as the coming surge in Home Energy Management tools that are making houses into virtual power plants. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
After failing to pass a climate bill in 2010, the environmental movement has seen a new surge of activism mobilized by the fight against Keystone XL. So what are the implications for the clean energy sector? And are advocates and business leaders learning anything from this new movement? This week, the Energy Gang will debate the effectiveness of the environmental movement, and look at its relationship with the clean energy business community. Then, we'll look at the political fight around Ron Binz, the man tapped by President Obama to run the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC is not usually in the news, but new fears about the death of coal are infusing Binz's confirmation with partisan politics. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
California is a bellwether for the solar industry, which is why a new bill being considered in the state could have wide-ranging impacts around the country. The state is currently considering a bill that would make significant changes to electricity pricing structures that could eat into the value of solar. But the industry is cautiously backing the bill because it also extends net metering policies. The end result could have equally positive and negative consequences. We'll look at the entire picture, as well as parse the true value of solar on the grid. We'll also discuss the viability and cleanliness of Bloom Energy's fuel cells, and talk about the slew of positive efficiency news in recent weeks. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and GTM Editor Stephen Lacey.
Venture investments in cleantech have taken a nosedive after bringing in poor returns. But the problem isn't in cleantech -- it's in the investment strategy. On this week's podcast, The Gang will talk with Rob Day of Black Coral Capital about how the "next wave" of investment is bringing innovative and realistic opportunities for the industry. Then we'll talk about what the coming closure of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant says about the state of nuclear power in the U.S., as well as discuss the coming dark clouds for clean energy in Congress this fall. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
Utilities are on the verge of a "death spiral" as more customers leave the grid and implement distributed energy technologies like solar. The same thing happened in Telecom as the rise of mobile phones made copper lines nearly obsolete. We'll ask what lessons the utility sector can learn from telecom companies that have already navigated the shift to distributed technologies. We'll also discuss why the Tea Party and other unlikely groups are supporting renewables, as well as ask what we've learned about grid management ten years after the notorious 2003 Northeast blackout. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
Filmmaker and activist Josh Fox has just released his new film on the U.S. natural gas fracking industry, Gasland 2. As expected, environmental activists are holding it up as gospel and the natural gas industry is frantically trying to discredit Fox’s claims. And we’re all left wondering who to believe. We'll review the film and talk about what we do and don't know about natural gas. The Gang will also discuss the debate around peak oil. The popular website the Oil Drum recently closed down, and we'll ask what it means about the peak oil discussion. Finally, we'll talk about the prospects for a major energy efficiency bill moving through Congress. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
With a heat wave gripping the central and eastern U.S., concerns about the impact of water supplies on the power sector are growing. This week, the Gang will discuss a detailed new report looking at how to break the nexus between power generation and water consumption. We'll also look at the factors behind the high cost of gasoline and their impact on the cleantech business. Finally, we'll look at another powerful study that makes a counterintuitive conclusion on the value of siting renewable energy in low-resource areas. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
America is kicking butt at energy efficiency. Well, sort of. It depends on which way you look at the issue. In this week's show, the Energy Gang will discuss the economic, technology and policy trends helping -- and hurting -- America's efficiency. Then, we'll ask if a new agreement between the U.S. and China represents a positive shift in stalled climate negotiations. Plus, we'll debate whether the fossil fuel divestment campaign is a worthy or lost cause. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
The International Energy Agency has once again revised its figures for renewable energy upward, showing that the industry continues to outperform previous projections. But is the industry truly ready to address climate change? This week, the Energy Gang will look at which sectors are leading and why. We'll also analyze the international clean energy trade dispute between China and the U.S. and take a look at the political reaction to Obama's recent climate speech. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features engaging discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Editor Stephen Lacey.
