The Clean Energy Show

Delhi is taking one of the world's biggest steps toward cleaner transportation by banning new gas-powered rickshaws and motorcycles, while Great Britain approves its first new pumped hydro projects in four decades—including one connected to the legendary Loch Ness. Plus, climate change is driving a dangerous invasive puffer fish into the Mediterranean, and the Lightning Round returns with the week...

Thousands are dying in Europe on the fifth anniversary of the heat dome that killed hundreds on the West Coast of Canada. James argues we have to act to prevent deaths as these heat wave get more intense with climate change. Toyota is blaming high gas prices for falling sales even as its EV sales surge, heat pumps are rapidly catching up to traditional air conditioners, and Europe is battling anot...

What happens when batteries become so cheap that every home can afford one? In this encore episode, Brian and James explore a future where ultra-low-cost batteries transform the electric grid, eliminate blackouts, and make renewable energy even more powerful. They also take a look at a hydrogen-powered bicycle unveiled in Europe and ask whether hydrogen has any future in personal transportation. P...

James is recovering from surgery so here's a shortened version of last week's bonus episode for our Patreon supporters. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks! First, Brian says he's maintaining a nearly 300-day Wordle streak and why a simple word puzzle can become an unexpected source of anxiety. Then things get much more serious as James recounts a destructive hailstorm that...

China's EV revolution is delivering a surprising health benefit. New research suggests electric vehicles have cut air pollution enough to prevent an estimated 262,000 premature deaths, while gas-powered vehicles have completely disappeared from China's top ten best-selling vehicle rankings. The 2026 FIFA World Cup may face an unexpected opponent: extreme heat. New analysis suggests players, fans,...

The surprising solar phenomenon called the "cloud edge effect" shows how panels can sometimes generate more power than their rated capacity. Also this week: a new wildfire study reveals that while fewer hectares are burning globally, the fires that do occur are increasingly hitting wealthy, populated areas—causing far greater economic damage. And France's nuclear utility EDF is considering adding...

From Americans now being able to use healthcare savings accounts to buy e-bikes, to a massive new 5 GWh thermal battery project in South Dakota that stores renewable electricity as heat inside giant carbon blocks. James and Brian also discuss the UK's record May heatwave and growing calls for air conditioning in schools and care homes as climate change pushes temperatures higher. Support The Clean...

Pakistan's booming rooftop solar "shadow grid" has quietly grown larger than the country's official grid, saving billions while slashing fossil fuel imports. They also look at the staggering costs of keeping aging coal plants alive in the U.S., including millions spent just to maintain shutdown-ready facilities. Plus: a groundbreaking Inuit-owned hydro project replacing diesel power in the Arctic,...

In Chile, organized crime gangs are now stealing solar panels and copper wiring from giant solar farms in coordinated nighttime raids. James explains how Saskatchewan could spend over $520 million a year on coal fuel alone — enough money to build massive amounts of solar and battery storage every single year instead. In Ohio, voters accidentally upheld a renewable energy ban because the ballot wor...

A global climate meeting in Colombia brings together mostly Global South nations, Europe, and Canada to talk seriously about ending fossil fuels—without binding agreements, but with real momentum. France goes further than anyone else, announcing a full phase-out by 2050. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon ! CATL signs a massive 60 GWh deal and says sodium-ion batteries are ready for prime ti...

Episode 309 starts with cracks forming inside OPEC as clean energy and EV adoption begin to reshape global oil demand. We look at why producers may rush to sell while they still can, then shift to fusion power timelines that are still far off, a transit upgrade that paid for itself in months—not years—and Spain's grid proving renewables weren't to blame for its massive blackout. Plus, how LEDs qui...

A major shift in the global energy transition: clean power is now growing fast enough to meet all new electricity demand, while EVs are hitting price parity (and even beating gas cars) in key markets. Add in CATL's new breakthrough battery tech and cold-climate innovations, and the transition is clearly accelerating. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly b...

A turning point is revealed for both clean energy and the auto industry. Legacy giants like Toyota and Honda are now openly warning they may not survive unless they catch up to China's lightning-fast EV market. At the same time, the UK is heading into a strange new phase of the energy transition—so much wind and solar power could be coming online that people may actually be encouraged to use  more...

From teens taking on gas stoves to a massive cost breakdown showing why keeping coal alive in Saskatchewan could be far more expensive than switching to renewables. James runs the numbers and finds the province could spend over $30 billion to keep coal running to 2050—while solar, wind, and storage come in dramatically cheaper (and getting cheaper every year). Add in EV cost reality checks, listen...

How clean energy is driving real-world economic shifts—from industries flocking to renewable-powered grids to homeowners rushing toward energy independence. We also dig into how fossil fuel volatility is causing global disruption, why home batteries are finally breaking into New York City, and what potatoes can teach us about the future of solar farming. South Australia is on the verge of becoming...

A major shift in the EV landscape as Chinese automakers—led by BYD—prepare a rapid expansion into Canada. What once seemed like a slow rollout is now shaping up to be a full-scale market entry, with affordable, feature-packed EVs potentially arriving in major cities within months. We break down the models, pricing, and why these vehicles are being positioned not just against other EVs—but directly...

Your hosts are shocked to find a massive AI data center planned for their backyard. What it means for their neighbours, their grid and their planet.  Honda is facing its first annual loss in nearly 70 years after falling behind on EVs. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our m...

BYD has unveiled its second-generation Blade battery along with ultra-fast flash chargers that can take an EV from 10% to nearly full in under ten minutes—even in extreme cold. The batteries also charge significantly faster on existing fast chargers, which could make the EV charging experience much quicker even before the new megawatt chargers are widespread. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patre...

How attacks in the Middle East sent oil prices up 10% and why the Strait of Hormuz matters so much, with roughly 20% of the world's oil flowing through that narrow passage. Higher fossil fuel prices could accelerate renewables — but also risk boosting inflation and slowing clean energy investment. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon. Balcony solar is catching on in the U.S., with Utah leading...

Record-breaking EV milestones, the hidden dangers of fossil fuel crime, and a real-world test of what happens when a country bans new gas cars. In China, Nio pulled off an astonishing 175,000 battery swaps in a single day during the Lunar New Year travel rush — about two swaps every second — with drivers in and out in three to five minutes. It's a massive stress test that shows how battery swappin...

A sixth-anniversary edition packed with clean energy wins, grid chaos, and a few absurd tech headlines. Brian and James start with a major electrification milestone:  heat pumps outsold gas furnaces in the U.S. again in 2025 , making it two years in a row. Even more telling, in September, heat pumps shipped more than central air conditioners for the first time . The show then turns to Cuba , where...

Why Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show included a very real reference to the fragility of Puerto Rico's power grid , and what that says about outages, inequality, and the island's long fight for energy reliability. We also cover Japan restarting the world's largest nuclear power plant , and why nuclear is suddenly back in the conversation as countries chase carbon neutrality. In Canada, the fede...

Kiké Dueck, a twelve-year-old climate activist from Canada who is already making waves in the fight for a sustainable future, sits down with James. Kiké shares what inspired them to take action at such a young age, the challenges of being a youth voice in a world dominated by adults, and the creative ways young people can make a difference. From school strikes to community organizing, to suing you...

India is electrifying its economy faster than China did at a similar stage of development — and doing it with far fewer fossil fuels. We break down why access to cheap solar and EVs is changing the growth path for emerging economies. Also this week: a major court ruling in the Netherlands gives the government 18 months to create a legally binding plan to reach net-zero by 2050, after a case brough...

Big Oil gets caught trying to inhibit EVs and renwables. What starts as a climate investigation turns into allegations of a decades-long antitrust conspiracy to block renewables and electric vehicles — and Michigan's lawsuit could have massive implications for the energy transition. James may need the show's defibrillator. We also head to Newfoundland, where a hydroelectric dam froze for the first...