Energy Matters with Claire and Dan

In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan explore the growing divide between petrostates and electrostates. From tensions in the Strait of Hormuz to rising electricity demand and China's rapid clean energy expansion, they examine how geopolitics and energy systems are colliding. The question is simple but urgent: are we investing in the future, or holding onto the past?

Global conflict is once again colliding with global energy markets. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan examine how escalating tensions involving Iran could disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and LNG flows. If shipping through the region is interrupted, oil prices could rise sharply and gasoline prices could climb across the United States. The c...

Buildings account for roughly one-third of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and up to 80 percent in major cities. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire speaks with Véronique Bugnion, co-founder and CEO of Clearly Energy, about how building performance standards, electrification, and grid design are reshaping the role of buildings in the clean energy transition. They discuss the difference between...

Is carbon counting the smartest investment strategy in a changing energy landscape? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan sit down with Jeff Eckel, former CEO and current Chair of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure, to explore what it really takes to finance decarbonization over the long term. Jeff shares his unconventional path from startup setbacks to building one of the lar...

In this episode of Energy Matters with Claire and Dan, Claire is joined by Richard Kauffman, CEO of the Coalition for Green Capital and a longtime leader at the intersection of finance, government, and clean energy deployment. Richard's career spans Wall Street, the U.S. Department of Energy, NYSERDA, and now the creation of a $5 billion National Green Bank. Together, Claire and Richard unpack wha...

Electricity markets are more volatile than they have been in decades, and most customers are still being asked to make billion-dollar decisions by looking in the rearview mirror. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan are joined by Deirdre Lord, co-founder of The Megawatt Hour (https://home.themwh.com/) and a longtime leader in energy analytics and market transparency. Together, they un...

As the world accelerates toward clean energy, a new form of geopolitics is taking shape... One defined not by oil fields, but by lithium mines, rare earths, and battery supply chains. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan talk about how critical materials are reshaping global power dynamics, with a focus on Ukraine. They explore how Russia's occupation of mineral-rich regions intersect...

In the Season Two premiere of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan step back from technology and markets to examine the geopolitics now shaping the global energy system. From U.S. intervention in Venezuela's oil sector to growing interest in Greenland's critical minerals, this episode explores how raw power politics are colliding with the energy transition. Claire and Dan unpack why Venezuela's heavy cr...

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shapes how electricity generation and transmission connect to the grid, yet most people rarely think about its impact. In this episode, Claire and Dan unpack the FERC's expanding authority over large load interconnection and what it means for renewable energy, data centers, reliability, and consumer costs. Claire and Dan examine how massive project backlogs...

In this episode, Claire and Dan compare the energy landscapes of Europe and the United States and explore why the two regions have taken such different paths. They discuss how geography, underground resources, policy stability, and political priorities shape everything from fracking to solar adoption. The conversation moves from Europe's dependence on Russian gas to America's rise as the top fossi...

Claire and Dan break down why COP 30 in Brazil is struggling, with low turnout, fading commitments, and growing influence from fossil fuel interests. They explain what this means for global climate cooperation and the challenges facing the next round of negotiations. Claire and Dan also examine the reaction to Bill Gates' recent climate letter, clarifying what he actually argued and why many of hi...

In this episode, Claire and Dan break down one of the most misunderstood challenges in modern energy: the duck curve. They explain why solar-heavy grids create steep late afternoon ramps in demand, how utilities currently struggle to manage them, and why battery storage is emerging as the critical solution. They explore examples from California, Spain, Portugal, and beyond, and walk through the ec...

In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack one of the most urgent and fast-evolving issues in the energy world: the explosive growth of data centers and the massive electricity demands driven by AI. From skyrocketing grid stress and 250% energy cost spikes in some regions to the surprising role of 747 jet engines as makeshift power plants, this conversation cuts through the noise and...

In part two of Energy Matters' series on what works—and what doesn't—in climate tech, Claire and Dan dig into how startups move from promising ideas to scalable, sustainable businesses. They explore the building blocks of success: operational excellence, smart capital strategy, competitive awareness, and proactive engagement with regulators and utilities. Through candid insights and real-world exa...

In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan take a candid look at what separates successful climate tech startups from the ones that never make it past the prototype. Drawing from decades of experience in both business and science, they unpack real stories from companies like Enphase, CleanCapital, MiaSolé, and Ada Energy—exploring what great leadership, realistic market sizing, and sound un...

After a recent accident totaled her Prius Prime, Claire is in the market for a new car — but with a 6'5" husband, a narrow Baltimore parking pad, and strong opinions about trillionaire tech CEOs, the decision isn't simple. In this episode, Claire and Dan go head-to-head on hybrids vs. full EVs, cost of ownership myths, charging infrastructure reality (yes, even in small towns), and whether environ...

At Climate Week 2025, the gap between climate tech innovation and U.S. policy has never felt wider. Claire and Dan unpack the week's biggest moments—from the president's incendiary comments to shifting ESG priorities, the rise of pragmatic energy realism, and how renewables continue to defy political narratives.  Plus, insights from the Clinton Global Initiative and projects giving hope amid globa...

Claire and Dan explore whether nuclear power can truly help solve the climate crisis. They unpack the promise of small modular reactors, the reality of aging plants, and the long-term hope of fusion—balancing innovation, cost, and risk in one of energy's most polarizing debates. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

In this episode, Claire and Dan dive into the long-standing East Coast vs. West Coast debate... This time, it's all about energy. From California's pioneering climate policies, solar and EV mandates, and wildfire-driven grid challenges, to the East Coast's regional planning, offshore wind ambitions, and coastal resilience, we explore how each side of the country is shaping the future of clean powe...

Energy efficiency has been called the "first fuel" of the clean energy transition—cheap, effective, and proven. So why do Americans still overlook it? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack the history of efficiency from the 1970s oil crises to today's grid congestion and data-driven energy demand. They explore why utilities resist selling less power, why homeowners skip upgrades...

Claire just returned from RE+ in Las Vegas, Dan just back from Beijing. We compare the U.S. private-sector deal frenzy with China's government-plus-industry energy push. Claire explains why developers and tax-equity players are racing to start construction before credits sunset, how much of the pipeline is real vs. grandstanding, and why battery storage was the talk of the floor (hello, duck curve...

Claire and Dan unpack Moore's Law — the principle that technology improves and costs decline as production scales — and explore its powerful role in driving down the price of solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies. They connect the dots between semiconductors, renewable energy, policy incentives, and innovation curves. They tackle the big questions: how far can Moore's Law take us, where...

In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan discuss the Big Beautiful Bill Act. They explain changes to the Inflation Reduction Act's tax credits and cover the ups and downs of solar and new timelines for wind, solar, and energy storage projects. Claire and Dan break down what these changes mean for developers, jobs, and U.S. competitiveness in the global energy market.

In this episode of Energy Matters With Claire & Dan , hosts Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen unpack the legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest clean energy investment in U.S. history — and contrast it with the current administration's push for fossil fuel–friendly policies. They explore the trillion-dollar impacts on electric vehicles, solar, storage, and community energy justice,...

Hosts Dan Kammen and Claire Broido Johnson kick off  Energy Matters with a candid look at the science, business, and urgency of the climate crisis. From clean cooking in Kenya to launching climate-tech startups, they share lessons learned, tackle gender and diversity in energy, and compare East vs. West Coast policies. It's the start of a fact-driven, no-nonsense conversation about how—and why—ene...