The Energy Gang

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.