

Factor This
Factor This
Launched in 2022, the Factor This Podcast has featured many of the most influential leaders driving the energy transition. From solar and battery storage executives to utility CEOs, the Factor This Podcast brings unique insights and answers to the energy industry’s most pressing challenges. Go beyond high-level trends and mainstream talking points with actionable takeaways. The Factor This Podcast grew in 2023 with the addition of This Week in Cleantech, a weekly roundup of the biggest stories in climate and clean energy in 15 minutes or less. With new episodes every Friday, Factor This content director Paul Gerke and Mike Casey, a cleantech commentator and president of Tigercomm, bring listeners the most important headlines of the week while featuring the leading journalists behind the stories.The all-new FactorThis.com is your best source for news, commentary, and analysis of renewable energy and the power grid.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 19, 2025 • 26min
This Week in Cleantech (12/19/2025) - Cleantech 2025: a year in review
Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Dana Clare Redden from our “Cleantecher of the Year” committee, who announced our “Cleantechers of the Year.”This Week in Cleantech — December 19, 2025 Electricity Is Now Holding Back Growth Across the Global Economy — BloombergFord pulls the plug on the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck – NPRThere’s a New Color for Hydrogen: Orange – Heatmap NewsTrump moves to dismantle major US climate research center in Colorado – USA TodayHow the planet fared in 2025 — the good, the bad, and the ugly — GristWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Dec 15, 2025 • 30min
How are DER flexibility markets transforming the grid and enabling utility savings?
Tell us what you think of the show! Transforming the grid to meet skyrocketing energy demand isn't just about switching generation sources but is instead about fundamentally redesigning the entire energy market. It's going to require unlocking the true potential of every Distributed Energy Resources (DER) that we have, and integrating them seamlessly into a complex, resilient system. That’s easy to say but exceptionally complicated to do logistically and in a way that makes sense for a given market, which is why we wanted to talk with someone who isn’t just supporting this transformation, but is also actively working with utilities to better understand what’s happening at the grid edge to make informed decisions. Jo-Jo Hubbard is the Co-founder and CEO of Electron, which helps network utilities and grid operators adopt and scale flexibility markets to manage grid congestion, improve connection rates, and lower bills. Among other things, we discuss:Why utilities need to shift from a static view of the distribution grid to a real-time, dynamic modelHow smart coordination of DERs creates a resilient and efficient gridWhat it means to make DER orchestration simpler and more compelling to utilitiesHow tiny efficiencies can lead to billions in savings at scale.The single biggest lesson learned that utilities need to have top of mind when designing their own DER aggregation and dispatch programsWant to make a suggestion for an upcoming episode? Get in touch to let us know what people, projects and technology you’d like to see us to further explore. Want to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Dec 12, 2025 • 20min
This Week in Cleantech (12/12/2025) - Can these senators save NEPA?
Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Jael Holzman from Heatmap News, who wrote about several senators who came out against the SPEED Act, a bill that would change the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Ryan Johnson, the CEO of Culdesac Tempe, a rental development outside of Phoenix. He modeled a blueprint for living in a walkable place, so residents don’t need to use cars. Johnson said quote, “It’s one of the best things we can do for climate, health, happiness, low cost of living, and even low cost of government.” Congratulations, to Ryan!This Week in Cleantech — December 12, 2025 Federal judge throws out Trump order blocking development of wind energy – AP NewsHow a Nuclear-Fossil Fuel Alliance Is Winning the Fight for Energy Dominance — BloombergDriving Xiaomi's Electric Car: Are we Cooked? — Marques BrownleeWill the Self-Driving Cars of the Future Lower Emissions? — The New York TimesExclusive: Key Senate Democrats Oppose Permitting Bill — Heatmap NewsWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Dec 5, 2025 • 23min
This Week in Cleantech (12/05/2025) - 'Amid the ashes' of the 2025 LA wildfires
Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Justin Worland at TIME Magazine, who wrote about the fires that hit Los Angeles in January 2025, and how to prevent similar disasters in the future. This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Josh Silverman, the CEO of Windfall Bio, which figured out how to create microbes that consume leaking methane from cow manure lagoons as their food source. His team’s system tackles one of agriculture’s toughest climate challenges with a low-cost, farm-ready solution. Congratulations, Josh!This Week in Cleantech — December 5, 2025Climate urgency means bypassing COP is necessary, says COP30 boss — The Financial TimesData center boom drives internal fight at largest US grid operator — SemaforIndia’s Desert State Reignites Coal-Fired Power Debate — BloombergKentucky officials will appeal decision they say is unfair to Kentucky Power ratepayers – Kentucky LanternAmid the Ashes — TIMEWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Nov 21, 2025 • 23min
This Week in Cleantech (11/21/2025) - Oil industry gears up for a comeback
Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Amy Harder from Axios, who wrote about an oil industry lobbying group spending big to advertise during Paramount’s second season of “Landman."This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Glenna Gannon, an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Glenna led research for an agrivoltaics project in Alaska, helping grow potatoes, kale and spinach underneath the panels. Congratulations, Glenna!This Week in Cleantech — November 21, 2025 Hydropower Is Getting Less Reliable as the World Needs More Energy — The New York TimesWhy the Time Has Finally Come for Geothermal Energy – The New YorkerUS loans Constellation $1 billion for Three Mile Island reactor reboot — ReutersWorld Is Off Course on Pledge to Rein in Emissions of Heat-Trapping Methane — Bloomberg"Landman" TV show reflects oil industry's renewed swagger — AxiosWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Nov 18, 2025 • 38min
Semiconductors, Storage, and the Future of Transmission
Henrik Mannesson, General Manager of Energy Infrastructure at Texas Instruments, shares insights from his extensive experience in semiconductors. He discusses how TI's chips are redefining energy systems from generation through storage to consumption. Henrik reveals the benefits of solid-state transformers and GaN technology in boosting efficiency. He also highlights the importance of collaboration in the energy sector and emphasizes how affordable, sustainable energy can revolutionize various industries, including computing and water management.

Nov 14, 2025 • 21min
This Week in Cleantech (11/14/2025) - Can rising electricity prices be a winning issue for Democrats?
Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey. This week's episode features special guest Rachel Frazin from The Hill, who wrote about Democrats' plans to continue to focus on rising electricity prices in hopes that it's a winning strategy. This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Tyler Norris, Head of Market Innovation at Google. Tyler wrote an op-ed in The New York Times about how we can manage rising electricity demand without driving up costs for households. His main point is that load growth presents an opportunity to offset upward pressure on electricity rates, if we plan the system to make fuller use of the infrastructure we’ve already paid for. Congratulations, Tyler!This Week in Cleantech — November 14, 2025 China’s clean-energy revolution will reshape markets and politics — The Economist10 Years After the Paris Climate Agreement, Here's Where We Are — The New York TimesNew U.S. nuclear power boom begins with old, still-unsolved problem: What to do with radioactive waste — CNBCData Centers and Natural Gas Are Bending the Climate Transition Curve, IEA Says – Heatmap NewsDemocrats see electricity prices as a winning issue for 2026 – Rachel FrazinWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Nov 12, 2025 • 48min
GridFAST and furious: EPRI initiative expediting EV infrastructure deployment
Tell us what you think of the show! Ready or not, electric vehicle adoption is happening in America. It feels like we’ve reached an inflection point- especially as range increases, EVs are simply proving to be a better mousetrap- and now there’s a race coast-to-coast to bulk up the charging infrastructure needed to enable the scaling of fleets and longhaul trucking. That’s no easy thing to figure out- developers must work closely with utilities to bring these power-sucking sites online without overworking the local grid. And since everyone needs power YESTERDAY, there’s a timeliness component to this too- and we all know time means money.The Electric Power Research Institute, better known as EPRI, is taking on the challenge of connecting the dots and facilitating a planning process for the deployment of EV charging projects.On this episode, Factor This Content Director Paul Gerke is joined by EPRI director of transportation Britta Gross to discuss GridFAST, a central, secure portal designed to improve communication between stakeholders, bringing them together early on to ensure everyone gets what they want, when they want it- or as close to it as possible.Want to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Nov 7, 2025 • 28min
This Week in Cleantech (11/07/2025) - What does a pragmatic 'climate reset' look like?
David Roberts, host of the Volts podcast and a leading climate commentator, joins to explore Michael Liebreich's proposal for a pragmatic 'climate reset.' They discuss how economics and technology can reshape the future of clean energy, emphasizing the importance of demonstrable solutions over costly, unproven technologies. Roberts contrasts the need to convince pragmatic elites with the challenges posed by more radical opposition. The conversation also touches on how innovative approaches like virtual power plants can meet energy demands effectively.

Oct 31, 2025 • 23min
This Week in Cleantech (10/31/2025) - Are data centers really to blame for rising electricity costs?
Shannon Osaka, a reporter for The Washington Post specializing in energy and environmental policy, dives into the real reasons behind rising electricity prices. She discusses a study from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, revealing that increasing fixed costs of the power grid, rather than just data centers, are largely responsible for the uptick. The conversation also touches on essential topics like the DOE's push for quicker data center interconnections and the impact of simplified solar permitting on adoption rates. A must-listen for energy enthusiasts!


