Clean Sweep

The HUCEG Podcast

One of our newest initiatives:

Our podcast focuses on everything related to clean energy. From narrative reporting to interviewing experts, we’re a basis for any reporting on the clean energy sector. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts (or here)!

Dive into this episode where we explore the accelerating pace of the energy transition, systems level change, and industrial decarbonization. Emil and Lisa chat with Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI.

What does systems level decarbonization take? Jon describes partnerships for enabling the renewables market and RMI's instrumental role in supporting the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance. We discuss efficiency in industrial processes and eliminating the loss of energy via heat through electrification. We address the democratization of energy resources, where the majority of countries can self-supply renewables. The Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) catalyzes energy system investment through international cooperation for country-led energy transition by expanding access to finance. Listen in for advice for the younger generation on their pivotal role in this transformative era of climate and energy.

RMI is an independent, non-partisan, nonprofit organization of experts across disciplines working to accelerate the clean energy transition and improve lives.
Learn more about RMI and Jon:
https://rmi.org/about/
https://rmi.org/meet-rmis-ceo/
Full transcript here: https://daylightclimate.substack.com/p/the-clean-sweep-industrial-decarbonization
Thanks for listening! 🌎 🎧

In this episode, we discuss the impact of solar and wind farms on birds and bat populations. Bird and bat deaths from wind turbines and solar panels aren’t consistently tracked, and opponents of renewable energy often cite these deaths as a reason to slow the expansion of alternative energy sources. We interview three researchers at the forefront of this issue, learning about bird and bat tracking methods and the conclusions that scientists have been able to draw about the severity of this issue. We explore the ways in which wind and solar farms can reduce their ecological impact. 

View the transcript here: https://share.descript.com/view/I1lUAnj0peA 

To learn more about our interviewees, check out their pages below!

Todd Katzner: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/todd-e-katzner

Daniel Choi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-choi-086a58a4 

Robb Diehl: https://www.usgs.gov/staff-profiles/robb-diehl 

In this episode of the Clean Sweep, we explore crucial aspects of grid decarbonization with Gray Bender. We discuss the potential for fast-tracking transmission for renewables through the NEPA process in the US. We dive into the game-changing Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and its extension of tax credits for a decade, providing much-needed certainty to developers and accelerating the energy transition. Discover the transition from prescriptive to technology-neutral tax credits and its impact on renewable technologies.
We shed light on the vast untapped energy capacity awaiting connection to our grid and the critical need for contractor capacity in the deep building decarbonization sector.
Finally, we explore the incredible potential of energy efficiency as a triple-win solution, addressing energy affordability, sustainability, and security. We unpack the challenges faced by renters and landlords in embracing energy efficiency and examine strategies to bridge the gap and incentivize investments.
Check out Gray's newsletter on Climate and Energy Geopolitics here: https://climateandenergygeopolitics.substack.com/
See the full transcript here: https://daylightclimate.substack.com/p/the-clean-sweep-transmission-energy
Thanks for listening! 🌎 🎧

In this episode, we talk about new developments in battery technology with Professors Xin Li and Donald Sadoway.  We discuss the important properties of batteries and different approaches to creating new battery chemistry, and we talk about how advancements in battery technology intersect with the future of clean energy.  Professor Li's lab at Harvard is developing a novel method to create rechargeable lithium-metal batteries, and Professor Sadoway's group at MIT is exploring the chemistry of aluminum-sulfur batteries. 

In this episode, we sit down with Spencer Glendon to learn more about climate resiliency, droughts, and deepening connections to nature. Spencer Glendon founded Probable Futures, an organization which aims to change how we think about, talk about, and plan for the future of our society and our planet. Probable futures in partnership with Woodwell Climate is building better frameworks, tools and storytelling to help people prepare for and choose between the future that the climate offers us. Learn more at: www.probablefutures.org

Upcoming Episodes

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Upcoming Episodes 🎙

In our first episode, we talked to former Mayor of Toronto, David Miller, who now works for C40 Cities, a coalition of mayors that focuses on delivering climate action on the local level. We interviewed him back in December of 2021 about his career in environmental policy and his thoughts on current climate issues. You can listen here, Apple podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon music!

In this episode, we talk to entrepreneur and engineer Azizi Tucker about his thoughts on the electric mobility industry. With experience in everything from battery swap technology to the inner workings of Tesla, Azizi gave us insight on the past, present, and future of EVs. We talked to him back in January of 2022.

In this episode, we talk with Franz Hochstrasser. Franz is CEO and Co-Founder of Raise Green, a marketplace for local impact investing. He's worked in community sustainability projects, ESG finance, and even in the State Department and White House. We had a great conversation with him back in December of 2021, and we're excited to share it with you!

  • NIMBY?

    What ever happened to the Cape Wind Project? We dive into the stories of clean energy projects halted by community backlash.

  • Bikes & Anarchy

    Ever wondered about the history behind modern bikeshares? The answer may surprise you.

  • Solar Sanctuaries

    New programs across the country are combining solar panels with native plants in an effort to promote conservation. We talk to people on the ground implementing these programs.

  • Methane Detectives

    Is natural gas any better than fossil fuels? We look at how emissions from methane are tracked and presented to the public.

  • Marine Minerals

    We dive into the economics, science, and current research behind deep sea mining. Is the ocean the future source of battery materials?

  • Agriculture Goes Green

    What steps are rural farms taking to combat emissions? We look at new technologies and policies that aim to curb agricultural emissions.

  • Lessons From the Rancho Seco Nuclear Plant

    In this episode, we tell the story of one nuclear power plant and a lot of social organizers in Sacramento, California

  • Direct Air Capture: the Carbon Straw

    Will direct air capture be an answer to our carbon conundrum? In this episode, we look at the feasibility of direct air capture and its future in climate tech.