The Keep Cool Podcast

Latest Episodes:

E59: *SPECIAL EPISODE:* Everything Electrification, with Quincy Lee & Ramez Naan Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

Nick, Quincy Lee, the CEO of Electric Era, and Ramez Naam, a highly experienced climate tech and energy analyst and investor, dive deep on all things energy and electrification in 2024. Starting with a focus on mobility and the power sector, Quincy, Mez, and Nick touch on topics as far reaching as geoengineering, the power of narratives, and their expectations for decarbonization across other sectors out to 2050 and beyond.

Why decarbonization and electrification need to be led by product superiority
What to expect in energy and electrification in 2024 and beyond
Other trends and topics beyond transportation and the power sector worth your attention

Don't miss out on this podcast if you’re interested in learning more about the state of climate tech, electrification, and energy broadly, and more! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the latest episodes.

Timestamps:

00:05:00 - Mobility and Electrification Outlook for 2024

00:13:27 - Battery Energy Storage on Grids

00:19:19 - One Story of the Decade: Grid Overhaul

00:31:27 - The Winning Technologies in Energy Generation

00:39:52 - Transitions from ‘Old’ to ‘New’ Energy Sources

00:43:58 - Why Better Products Win in The Energy Transition

00:47:00 - Why More Focus on Agriculture & Land Use Change is Needed

00:50:50 - The Case for Geoengineering via Sunlight Reflection & More

00:54:50 - A Call to Action for Optimism & to Work on Climate

Learn more about Electric Era on their website: https://electriceratechnologies.com/ and follow Ramez Naan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ramez

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/

E58: ‘Cyclical’ plastic recycling for a more circular economy with MacroCycle Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Description: Nick and the MacroCycle team discuss a paradigmatic shift from mechanical to chemical recycling in plastics recycling, why it matters, and how MacroCycle is gearing up for their first-of-a-kind recycling facility in 2024. In addition, they discuss:

Differences between ‘traditional’ mechanical recycling and chemical recycling
How MacroCycle plans to finance and build their first commercial plant
What it takes to scale an early-stage climate tech startup (beyond the tech)

Don't miss out on this podcast if you’re interested in learning more about the state of climate tech, recycling, energy, and more! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the latest episodes.

Timestamps:

00:05:06 - The Limitations of Mechanical Recycling

00:06:09 - Macrocycle's Unique Chemical Process

00:07:08 - Technological Trends in Recycling

00:09:51 - Macrocycle's Business Model and Goals

00:12:31 - Regulatory Tailwinds and Challenges

00:16:10 - The Circular Nature of Macrocycle's Process

00:19:20 - Business Model and Scaling Strategy

00:23:58 - Potential Customers and Market Entry

00:27:14 - Technical and Business Challenges Ahead

00:28:11 - Team Building and Diversity

00:29:33 - Global Challenges in Plastic Recycling

Learn more on MacroCycle’s website: https://www.macrocycle.tech/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/

E57: Hot or not with Albert Wenger? Climate & climate tech in 2024 Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Nick and Albert Wenger, Managing Partner at Union Square Ventures (and a preeminent investor in general), discuss the state of climate, climate and energy work in general, and climate venture capital in 2024 and beyond. Specifically, Nick and Albert dive deep on:

How our collective response to climate change so far has been a bit ‘meh’
The ‘low energy’ trap and what we stand to gain if we reverse it
The prognosis for climate tech venture capital in 2024 and beyond

Don't miss out on this podcast if you’re interested in learning more about the state of climate tech, climate tech venture capital, electrification, and more! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the latest episodes.

Timestamps:

00:02:06 - Reflecting on 2023's Climate Crisis

00:04:52 - Where we’re at: Climate Progress and Challenges

00:05:14 - The Reality of Climate Action Progress

00:08:12 - The Low Energy Trap

00:13:03 - Funding Challenges for Climate Companies

00:17:03 - The Benefits of a War-Like Climate Action Mode

00:23:10 - The Need for Comprehensive Climate Action

00:30:01 - The Climate Venture Capital Landscape in 2024

00:31:10 - The Impact of Interest Rates on Climate Work

00:36:12 - The Importance of Writing for Idea Crystallization

Read Albert and others’ blog posts on USV’s website: https://www.usv.com/writing/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Albert on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Albertvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/

S7 E5: What 2024 has in store for climate tech venture capital, with Katie McClain of Energize Capital. Jan 16, 2024

Show notes

Nick and Katie McClain, Partner and COO at Energize Capital, a venture fund focused on climate and energy technologies, discuss what’s ‘hot’ right now in climate venture capital, besides for, you know, the rate at which the Earth is warming. Nick and Katie also take a keen look at what to expect in 2024 and beyond. Specifically, Nick and Katie dive deep on:

The past five years of climate tech and electrification in the U.S.
The outlook for climate tech venture capital and electrification in 2024
What it’s like to both invest and operate in venture capital
Policy levers ranging from the IRA to Europe
Why sustainability is about much more than building ‘green’ solutions and systems

Timestamps:

00:03:06 - Energize's Edge Platform for Portfolio Companies

00:07:49 - Looking Forward to 2024 in Climate Tech

00:09:06 - Evolution of Renewable Energy Industry Challenges

00:14:13 - Exciting Portfolio Companies: Banyan Infrastructure and more

00:18:28 - Demand-Side Efficiency and Electrification

00:22:11 - The Future of Climate Tech and the IRA's Impact

00:25:57 - Challenges and Opportunities in Project Deployment

00:27:55 - Differences in Climate Tech Between North America and Europe

00:32:02 - Differences Between Cleantech 1.0 and Climate Tech Today

00:34:56 - Sustainability Beyond Emissions Reduction

00:38:04 - Bringing Expertise from Other Sectors to Climate Tech

More Notes:

Follow Katie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-mcclain-91033650/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/

S7 E4: Understanding biodiversity loss and how to support businesses that reverse it, with Tom Quigley of Superorganism. Dec 18, 2023

Show notes

Nick and Tom Quigley, co-founder and Managing Director of Superorganism, a venture firm focused on biodiversity, discuss what biodiversity is, why it matters to the world, and how it fits into the burgeoning climate tech ecosystem. Specifically, Nick and Tom dive deep on:

The evaluation process behind creating a venture firm focused on biodiversity
Why biodiversity loss is about much more than just global warming and climate change
How venture-scale businesses are being built to address biodiversity loss

Don't miss out on this podcast if you’re interested in learning more about climate tech beyond well-covered sectors like energy and transportation! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google, or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the latest episodes.

00:00:13 - The first venture firm focused on biodiversity

00:04:51 - What is biodiversity, what drives biodiversity loss, and why is that a problem

00:10:30 - How venture capital can support biodiversity-focused businesses

00:13:25 - Company examples: Discussing Inversa, lionfish, and invasive species

00:18:00 - The many benefits of supporting biodiversity and its overlap with climate

00:26:42 - Exploring more companies and tech trends at the forefront of biodiversity

00:31:20 - Request for start-ups: Opportunities for innovation in biodiversity

00:36:06 - Zooming out: the future growth of the biodiversity tech market

00:41:15 - What it means to be "nature tech" vs. "climate tech"

Learn More About Superorganism: https://www.superorganism.com/

Follow Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommquigley

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Plus, stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool here: https://keepcool.co/ and follow Nick on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasvanosdol/

S7 Ep3: Pioneering climate-positive lending, with Ravi Mikkelson of Atmos Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

Discover how Atmos, a climate tech company that looks like a bank, is revolutionizing fintech infrastructure to make climate-positive lending solutions available to consumers (and banks!) across the world.

Ravi Mikkelson, CEO of Atmos, joins the ‘Keep Cool Show’ to discuss his mission of making the transition to clean energy affordable and accessible for everyone. Learn about Atmos’ innovative financing solutions, the challenges they’ve faced in building what is both a climate tech and fintech company, and their vision for a more sustainable future.

Plus, who are Atmos’ main competitors? And what, exactly, do they hope to accomplish by 2030?

Tune in to this episode for an inspiring conversation on climate-positive banking and the power of sustainable solutions.

00:00:18 - Atmos: The Climate Tech Bank

00:01:37 - Using Bank Mortgages to Finance Solar: A Climate Solution

00:10:27 - Exploring the Intelligence of Atmos

00:15:38 - New Bank Aims to Change the World

00:24:56 - Solving Technical Challenges in BaaS

00:29:10 - Improving Measurement and Verification Methods

00:31:38 - How to Decide on Funding Solutions for Business Growth

00:36:38 - Climate Positive Banking Solutions

00:44:05 - Revolutionizing Transportation by 2030

Learn More About Atmos:

Website: https://www.joinatmos.com

Follow Ravi:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravimikkelsen/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool: https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/keep-cool/ or follow Nick Van Osdol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol

S7 Ep2: Scaling Carbon Capture Technologies and Other Critical Decarbonization Solutions, with Adam Goff of 8 Rivers Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Carbon capture technology is a divisive technology in decarbonization debates. Oft touted by some companies, and with technology that’s existed since the 90s, a pernicious question persists – why hasn’t it scaled significantly?

In this episode of the Keep Cool Show, Nick chats with Adam Goff, Head of Strategy at 8 Rivers, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in scaling carbon capture, as well as why the company is also commercializing technologies in direct air capture and for green hydrogen applications.

Adam and Nick chat about 8 Rivers' unique approach to carbon capture via the Allem Cycle, the company’s approach to licensing technologies, and what other solutions they might bring to market in the future.

Tune in for that, and much more!

00:00:06 - Decarbonizing the World with Eight Rivers

00:02:50 - The Evolution of Carbon Capture

00:07:36 - The Urgency of Scaling Carbon Capture

00:12:20 - Carbon Capture: A Sustainable Fuel Source

00:19:02 - Achieving High Carbon Capture Rates

00:31:59 - Leveraging Common Infrastructure for Faster Deployment

00:36:25 - Exploring the Right Role for Hydrogen in Decarbonization

00:43:48 - Beyond CO2: Reducing Air Pollution

00:45:54 - Concrete Aims for Industry-Wide Expansion by 2028

00:49:26 - The Key to Success: Execution

00:52:50 - How to Stay Updated on Eight Rivers' Work

Learn More About 8 Rivers:

Website: https://8rivers.com/

Follow Adam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlgoff/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool: https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/keep-cool/ or follow Nick Van Osdol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol

S7 Ep1: Meet Yard Stick, the company at the Forefront of Soil Carbon Measurement, with Chris Tolles Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

Curious about the emerging field of soil carbon and its role as a climate solution?

Join Chris Tolles, CEO and co-founder of Yard Stick PBC, as he discusses the challenges and opportunities inherent to soil carbon, the soil carbon management space, and the market for nature-based solutions as a whole.

Discover how Yard Stick uses innovative technology to measure soil carbon and helps farmers, ranchers, and other land stakeholders make informed decisions (and potentially, money!) by implementing more regenerative practices. Chris also shares his insights on the perils of false binaries in climate debates and the complexities of soil carbon quantification.

00:00:00 - Revolutionizing Soil Carbon Measurement Technology

00:06:34 - The Carbon Opportunity: Managing Soils Responsibly

00:12:24 - The Importance of Soil Health in Climate Change

00:16:08 - Measuring Soil Carbon for Sustainable Agriculture

00:21:57 - The Tension Between Offsetting and Insetting Carbon Emissions

00:24:09 - Understanding Baselines for Soil Carbon Measurement

00:33:36 - Navigating Risk in Soil Carbon Quantification

00:42:38 - Measuring Success in the Long Term

Learn More About Yardstick:

Website: https://www.useyardstick.com

Follow Chris:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christolles/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool: https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/keep-cool/ or follow Nick Van Osdol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol

S6 Ep7: The Road to Gigaton-Scale Carbon Removal, with Giana Amador Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

What exactly is the future of carbon removal? What is the role of government, and why is the need for industry collaboration key to driving its success? And how can an all-hands-on-deck approach help to achieve ambitious climate goals by 2030?

Giana Amador, Executive Director of the Carbon Removal Alliance, joins Nick to discuss all of the above as well as the importance of policy, infrastructure, and workforce development in reaching gigaton-scale carbon removal.

Find out how the Carbon Removal Alliance is bridging the gap between the private sector and federal policymakers to accelerate the adoption of carbon removal.

Giana also shares insights into the growth of the carbon removal industry and emphasizes the importance of integrating community benefit considerations into industry development while highlighting the challenges of measuring and verifying carbon removal and the need for robust monitoring, reporting, and verification systems.

Tune in to learn more!

00:00:01 - The Competitive Challenge of Carbon Removal Solutions

00:06:28 - Carbo 180: Pioneering Carbon Removal Industry

00:10:01 - Government Funding Signals Growth in Carbon Removal Field

00:15:01 - Supporting Carbon Removal Projects for a Sustainable Future

00:21:43 - Government Procurement for Carbon Removal

00:25:07 - The Importance of Monitoring Carbon Removal

00:30:34 - Community Benefits Plan Required for Carbon Removal Projects

00:37:34 - Carbon Removal Alliance's Ambitious 2030 Goals

00:39:53 - The Challenges of the Director Capture Hubs Program

Learn More About the Carbon Removal Alliance:

Website: https://www.carbonremovalalliance.org

Follow Giana:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianaamador/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool: https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/keep-cool/ or follow Nick Van Osdol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol

S6 Ep6: Restoring Impacted Landscapes with Mast Reforestation Sep 21, 2023

Show notes

Discover how Mast Reforestation (formerly Drone Seed) is revolutionizing reforestation efforts to combat climate change.

In this episode, Matthew Aghai, VP of R&D Mast Reforestation, explores the company's mission to scale reforestation and reestablish the reforestation supply chain, all while expanding the variables used to evaluate successful ecosystem stewardship. You’ll learn about their use of equal parts big data and ground truthing to restore large, impacted landscapes and ensure the resilience of ecosystems.

Matthew also discusses how the company’s work will support making markets for biodiversity and broadening the scope of services inherent to ecosystem restoration. Don't miss this insightful conversation on the future of reforestation and the role of different stakeholders in driving that change.

00:00:07 - Scaling Reforestation to Combat Climate Change

00:01:49 - Drone Seed: Revolutionizing Reforestation Efforts

00:06:34 - Montana Reforestation Project Funded by Carbon Offsets

00:14:50 - Restoring Ecosystems in a Changing Climate

00:20:26 - The Future of Hardware Technology

00:29:27 - Building Trust in the Emerging Marketplace

00:35:10 - Mast's Integration of Biodiversity Metrics

00:39:22 - The Importance of Conserving Dry Forests

00:42:41 - Measuring Success for Long-Term Growth

00:49:07 - The Future of Reforestation with Drones

Learn more about Mast Reforestation:

Website: https://www.mastreforest.com

Follow Matthew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-aghai-a49317178/

If you love listening to The Keep Cool Show, please leave me a 5-star review on Rate My Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/keepcool

Thank you so much!

Stay up-to-date on all things Keep Cool: https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/keep-cool/ or follow Nick Van Osdol on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickvanosdol

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