The Energy Gang

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.