The KJ Show

On today's show, I am revisiting one of my favorite topics: Trees and Energy. My host, Ms. Laural Roaldson will be my guest as we discuss and explore the intersection of proper landscaping and energy efficiency strategies. Laural is a #1 Best Selling Author on Amazon of her book: "Choosing the Perfect Tree: Tips from a Landscape Designer." Trees also play a critical role in naturally cooling the p...

The Internet is a hidden energy hog. On today’s show, our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will explain how the effects of Internet users' digital consumption result in the emission of 229 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year.  Moreover,  estimates project that internet use will account for 1.7 billion tons of greenhouse gases per year. But that is just part of the story. While data centers appeal to...

Common sense is rare these days, especially in government. This week's show highlights how energy policy must balance traditional and renewable energy technologies. However, the best common-sense approach is to embrace energy efficiency first. American voters also want a common-sense approach to energy policy. However, energy pundits on both sides are still debating whether "All of the Above" incl...

The election is over, and the results have sent shockwaves across the country, with 50% pleased and 50% devastated. Energy pundits disagree about how the next Trump administration will affect current energy policies. Even though Trump appears to have a mandate to govern, it may not be easy to unwind some of Biden's energy policies, like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).On today's show, Dr. Kather...

Net-zero-energy homes are becoming more popular worldwide. It's estimated that by 2028, Europe will have around 2.4 million net-zero-carbon buildings. While the public sector and real estate developers are leading the way, this doesn't mean private owners should lose out. These homes are also generating customer interest, as one net zero home community in Florida survived the two most recent hurri...

On today's show, our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will share her recent electrifying experiences with France's transit system, including metro trains, electric-powered tourist boats, and many EVs and hybrid taxis. This week's episode examines some of the impressive advances in electric-powered transport. It includes a discussion of some promising electric boat advances and an update on the continu...

Renewable energy technologies, such as wind and solar power, have become mainstream. But these aren’t the only applications that rely on renewable energy sources. Today’s show highlights some of the innovative ways researchers are exploring how best to incorporate these technologies into everyday life. This show will highlight advances such as:Comparing the benefits of using Solar PV for power gen...

Approximately 8.4 million Americans live in manufactured housing units , but 44% face high energy costs. These are also the most vulnerable residents, as most live at or below the poverty line. Since these customers are also considered "low-income," many lack the financial ability to make energy improvements on their own. On today's show, our guest, Nathan Baer, Vice President and CEO of I3 Energy...

Coal plants may be the missing link to powering a nuclear energy future. The Department of Energy recently identified hundreds of coal power plants that could increase nuclear capacity in the U.S. to more than 250 gigawatts (GW). The existing fleet has a combined capacity of 95 GW and supplies half of the nation's emissions-free electricity. The transition would also bring tangible benefits to ene...

Wind and solar are the ideal renewable energy sources, but they have one big problem: reliability. However, the sun doesn't always shine, and the wind doesn't always blow. Therefore, renewable energy needs batteries to store the excess energy generated by wind and solar energy for dark and stormy days and nights. Battery storage technology is on the cusp of becoming practical, but it's not quite t...

Concerns about climate change have created a new psychological issue: climate anxiety. Eco-anxiety, also known as climate anxiety, is a chronic fear and distress about environmental issues and climate change. It can cause a range of symptoms, including depression. In 2018, surveys conducted in the United States found that between 21% and 29% of Americans said they were "very" worried about the cli...

Since the Paris Climate Accords, energy advocates have been pushing governments to agree to aggressive climate goals. Although significant progress has been made in developing and deploying some of these technologies, deployment of all these technologies is still not happening as fast as needed to reach 2030 targets. In addition, the technologies risk facing raw material and labor shortages and le...

The truth is slowly coming out as more environmental activists realize the grave damage caused by renewable energies. Our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will discuss some surprising stories that didn't make the news in today's show. For example, Green Party members in Australia now oppose wind turbines. In contrast, others support nuclear power as a clean, renewable energy technology. Furthermore, a...

Today's show marks the 100th episode of The KJ Show, which has explored how energy affects our everyday lives. It has featured experts in the energy industry who shared their insights regarding the intersection of energy, climate, and government policies. Our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will revisit and update some of her favorite energy stories on today's show, including a shout-out to her favor...

Trees have been described as the "lungs" of the Earth. Besides shading us on hot days, trees store carbon, create diverse habitats, and beautify our Earth. However, while carbon offsets to plant trees are going in popularity, recent studies suggest that we don't have the right kind of trees or enough of them to meet these lofty goals. On today's show, our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will discuss...

More than 200 companies are failing to meet their net-zero pledges because these pledges are unrealistic and unattainable. Air New Zealand was one of the most recent companies to admit that it can't meet these goals because "there are so many levers outside of our control."But the real issue is there is no agreed upon definition of "net zero." How is "net" calculated, and are those estimates accur...

Solar ovens have been touted as one of the most important advances to help Africans reduce their reliance on charcoal and wood. But, recent case studies have determined that people using solar ovens simply don’t like them and therefore are likely never to live up to its promise. On today’s show, our host, Dr. Katherine Johnson, will discuss the promise and pitfalls of solar ovens. Please join the...

The European Union (EU) presents itself as a decarbonization pioneer. Its ambitious policies want to transform Europe into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. But the recent elections, combined with the growing “green backlash,” may now squash many of those plans. Are the European election results a harbinger of pushback in the US? The tides are already turning with the Supreme Court’s re...

Indoor agriculture, another name for marijuana cultivation, is a booming business. While electric utilities are promoting the use of indoor grow lights, growing pots also creates a surge in CO2 emissions. The US Department of Energy, US Environmental Protection Agency and industry data all determined that growing cannabis indoors leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions in the Mountain West, Midwe...

When does science become settled? Truthfully, science is never settled, but that is not what the schools, colleges and universities are teaching about climate change. Climate science is viewed as an undisputable fact, and the educational community stifles any debate to the contrary. Has climate education become a propaganda tool, or is it a scientific fact? On today's show, our host, Dr. Katherine...

The road to net zero is paved with social (in)equality. The shift away from fossil fuels will likely bring about an additional financial burden on people from disadvantaged backgrounds, who lack the resources to adapt to renewable technologies. Other inequities include that lower-income households may find home charging installation unaffordable, and those in multifamily housing are less likely to...

Climate change debates have become a culture war, pitting factions against each other in an increasingly hostile war of words. Quite simply, the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has morphed into an ideological tyranny that wants to control every aspect of our lives. As one article explained, "As climate solutions and policies move from the abstract to the personal — our cars, our food and h...

Climate is a complex example of a nonlinear dynamical system and is notoriously difficult to model. Multiple variables influence the weather models. And most climate scientists don't understand how clouds and water vapor affect the overall climate. But this doesn't stop climate enthusiasts from claiming that there is a scientific consensus on climate change, when there isn't. In fact, 47% of scien...

Solar and wind are viewed as critical power sources in a net zero world. But as the number of installations increases, so too do the unanticipated side effects of these power sources. Researchers recently discovered that wind turbines, especially those installed close to each other, create a "wake effect" that decreases energy production by as much as 34-38%. This variability creates a challenge f...

The road to a clean energy future is paved with good intentions and lots of roadblocks. A recent analysis in Anthropocene Magazine revealed that, after adjusting for inflation, a barrel of oil costs about the same as it did in the 1970s Oil Crisis. In contrast, the price of solar PV models costs 500 times less.