Eight Minute Climate Fix | Clean Energy & Climate Policy Insights

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The United Nations estimates that we lose about one third of our global food supply every year to waste and loss. And that organic matter contributes about 10% of our global emissions each year. Getting a hold on our food waste is a big issue and a huge opportunity, not only for climate action but also in economic te...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content Paul reflects a bit on having just completed the second year of hosting Eight Minutes, and takes a moment to indulge in how the process of developing climate strategy needs to change if we are to keep up with the rapid advances in climate industries. Long term strategic planning may need to be replaced by "agile...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content After the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton over the past few weeks, it's a good time to review the science on why (and how) warming sea temperatures are affecting the intensity of these mega storms. Big, intense tropical cyclones are a part of our future and we should understand why today&apos...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content For all of the economic advantages being created by the energy transition, some of that value isn't being fully captured by consumers who don't fully understand their utility bill. As energy prices are rising and these bills are becoming more complex and obtuse, maybe now is a good time to review how utilit...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content We sometimes use certain terms in the energy transition interchangeably - chief among them is "geothermal". In this episode, Paul discusses some of the different types of emerging technologies that get tagged with this moniker - and why and how these different systems have different use cases and applicatio...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In this follow-up episode to last week's overview of Project 2025's climate related suggestions, Paul digs deeper into some other recommendations of the conservative roadmap, including its emphasis of national security as well as its animosity toward renewable energy projects. But Paul also highlights areas...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In this first of two parts, Paul takes a deeper dive into the climate implications of the conservative policy playbook, Project 2025. Paul unpacks how the document lays out a vision for a smaller federal government, and how doing so may impact not only climate action but America's leadership across emerging econ...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The demand for electricity continues to go up. But instead of relying upon utilities to build more dirtier gas and oil fired power plants, a more novel approach is emerging. These Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) aggregate together a number of residential or commercial buildings and adjust demand in order to keep the grid...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In order for the IRA to realize all of the benefits from the subsidies it allocated to renewable energy and advanced manufacturing, the legislation needed to revise how tax credits were going to work. The traditional form of tax equity financing wasn't going to be enough, so the IRA introduced something called t...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The ocean is already a huge carbon sink - and it could do even more. A burgeoning industry of carbon removal solutions, looking to leverage the enormous potential of our marine system, is starting to emerge. Paul looks at how our oceans currently help us combat carbon emissions, while also dissecting some of the inno...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The nuclear industry achieved something remarkable in July - full bipartisan support of new legislation aimed at supercharging growth of this clean energy technology. Paul digs into the specifics of the ADVANCE act, why it makes sense for helping to license new reactors faster (and cheaper), and why it garnered rare...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content Let's get into the wonky world of emissions accounting, where the corporate standard for reporting is in the process of being refined. The GHG Protocol Corporate Standard has solicited input into whether a market-based or location-based approach to accounting is appropriate. And the final determination could sig...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content While we talk a lot about the energy "transition", some countries have already fully pivoted to renewable power. In this episode, Paul takes a look at how these countries were able to successfully make the change, while outlining a few common lessons that the rest of the world can learn as we try to catch u...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The US has enough renewable energy stuck in the permitting process to fully replace every single gas and coal facility on the current power grid. But the interconnection process, a convoluted analysis of impact, costs, siting and permitting requirements, has become a chokepoint for getting new renewable projects buil...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In this episode, Paul discusses why the up-front emissions of new products and new construction can be so important in climate activity. These locked-in, embedded emissions could account for up to a quarter of the globe's total carbon - and over 50% of the carbon for construction and buildings. For further resea...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content It seems that every day we see another media article about the growth (or demise) of climate action. So - what's really going on? In this episode, Paul provides some perspective and critical analysis of recent media headlines in order to fully understand both the good (and the bad) in today's climate action...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In this episode, Paul sits with Stephanie Doyle, the California State Affairs Director for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), to discuss the changes that California has implemented to their net metering tariff for rooftop solar. NEM 3.0 (or also known as the Net Billing Tariff (NBT)) has reimagined the s...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content With all of the success of the global EV car market comes a looming question in a few years - what do we do with all of those batteries at a car's end-of-life? While it may be a small industry today, the EV battery recycling market is poised to grow exponentially over the next few years. And the success of that...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content ESG investing may be going through a bit of a rocky patch, these days, but the investment tool is hardly dead. Rather, the importance of ESG non-financial reporting is more important than ever as stakeholders are looking for the potentially critical externalities that a company's business practices may play. In...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content Spurred by investment incentives from the IRA, a manufacturing renaissance is emerging along the I-75 corridor between Michigan and Georgia. Huge investments into battery manufacturing facilities are tapping into existing automotive infrastructure and supply chains to diversify and domesticate the EV battery market....

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content China is not only the global leader in developing renewable energy, but they maintain a huge competitive advantage in clean tech manufacturing and supply. From solar panels to wind turbines to raw minerals and EVs, China supplies the globe with what's needed to convert to clean energy. But with that dominance co...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content The electric meter is one of the foundational backbones of the energy transition. And today's meters do so much more than simply measure and report on the amount of energy being consumed at a site. Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) provides two way communication between a utility and a consumer, opening up...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In this episode, Paul discusses some examples of how companies, cities, farms and other entities are adapting their strategies to cope with climate change. As the threat from extreme weather events increases, ensuring that an organization is resilient and strengthened against these situations is becoming increasingly...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content In order to meet the ambitious climate goals as enshrined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), the state is about to embark upon a far reaching program to ratchet down emissions from heavy emitters. The Cap and Invest program has a lot of similarities to RGGI and other Cap &...

Let us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode content There's a lot going on in the offshore wind market in the US these days. Multiple projects have had to renegotiate or even outright cancel their power purchase agreements. In today's episode, Paul takes a closer look at the reasons behind this turmoil and the impact on the nascent offshore wind market. For...