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Volts

Volts is a podcast about leaving fossil fuels behind. I’ve been reporting on and explaining clean-energy topics for almost 20 years, and I love talking to politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world’s most important fight. (Volts is entirely subscriber-supported. Sign up!)

www.volts.wtf

Copyright: © David Roberts

Latest Episodes:

Parking reform in Washington, parking reform everywhere! May 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I talk with Catie Gould and Alan Durning of the Sightline Institute about the "dark matter" of urban land use: parking — specifically, the municipal parking mandates that help make housing more expensive and scarce. We discuss a landmark new parking reform bill in my home state of Washington, what it does and the coalition that made it possible, and point to other places where parking reform is coming soon.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

The past and future of community choice aggregation May 23, 2025

Show notes

This week, I chat with Dawn Weisz of MCE Clean Energy about the nitty-gritty of community choice aggregation, where local governments take control of their electricity procurement. We get into issues like navigating utility obstruction, the complexities of rising grid costs they don't control, and their push for smarter, more autonomous regulation.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

A "Google Maps for electrons" May 21, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I sit down with Page Crahan, who leads Tapestry, an audacious effort to “make the grid visible.” We explore how disparate, scattered data sources can be stitched together by AI into a coherent realtime map of the grid, to slash operation and maintenance costs and speed up the grid interconnection process.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Embedding intelligence at the edge of the grid May 16, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I’m joined by Marissa Hummon, whose team partnered with NVIDIA to tuck a credit-card-sized GPU computer with AI software into the humble electricity meter. We discuss how that edge computing digests 32,000 waveform samples per second, spots failing transformers, and orchestrates VPPs — plus the guardrails that keep it from becoming Skynet.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Taming the hydrogen hype May 14, 2025

Show notes

The hype about hydrogen is back with a vengeance, and thus, so is Joe Romm, who just issued a revised and updated version of his 2003 book The Hype About Hydrogen. We discuss the persistent economic and technical hurdles that make widespread hydrogen adoption unrealistic, explain why most applications are better served by direct electrification, and scrutinize the massive investments and motivations behind the current hydrogen push.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Trying to bring geothermal heat pumps to scale May 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I chat with Kathy Hannun of Dandelion Energy about ground-source heat pumps, which are twice as efficient as air-source units but still more expensive up front. Dandelion has designed its own drills and heat pumps, and with a new 1,500-home partnership with a developer in Colorado, it’s looking to scale up and bring costs down.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

How is public transit doing in the US? May 07, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I’m joined by consultant Jarrett Walker to take the pulse of US transit in a world of empty downtown office towers, surging weekend ridership, and the tech elite’s dream of transit without strangers. We unpack the myths that plague buses, reveal why Canada’s transit abundance should be our model, and map the policy battles that will determine whether US transit systems shrink or soar.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

The coolest new home electrification widget May 02, 2025

Show notes

I catch up with Span CEO Arch Rao to discuss the company's expansion from consumer panels to the utility-focused Span Edge which can be used to create a true distributed power plant. We discuss why this is key to accelerating electrification and examine how the system works to respect consumer choices while managing grid constraints.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

The governor of Illinois discusses decarbonization in the era of Trump Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, I speak with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, one of the depressingly few Democratic leaders showing real fight in the face of Trumpism. We get into the weeds on how Illinois is defending its climate laws, advancing clean energy and manufacturing, and tackling thorny challenges like the housing crisis, the transition away from natural gas, and the looming “fiscal cliff” facing transit agencies. Oh, and the governor explains what quantum computing is.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Me, on the Climate Papa podcast Apr 25, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, the tables are turned: I'm the guest of the Climate Papa podcast, interviewed by host Ben Eidelson. We discuss the nested fractal puzzle of decarbonization, the critical importance of the grid and urban land use, and why now is the most exciting time to jump into climate work. Plus, I share some thoughts on parenting and avoiding tech-bro culture as the climate space evolves.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

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