

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

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!

Oct 27, 2025 • 34min
Understanding ERCOT's strategy for grid transformation
Tell us what you think of the show! In this episode of the Factor This podcast, Content Director Jeremiah Karpowicz interviews Eric Meier, Planning Modeling Supervisor at ERCOT. The two discuss Meier's thoughts around how ERCOT is pioneering methods to integrate rapid load growth while maintaining system reliability as well as...why timing is everythingthe nature of new large loadsmarket-based solutions and the role of flexibilityWant to make a suggestion for an upcoming Factor This episode? Get in touch to let us know what people, projects and technology you’d like us to further explore: https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/contribute-content/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

Oct 24, 2025 • 19min
This Week in Cleantech (10/24/2025) - Why are Democrats suddenly downplaying climate change?
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. Clarion Events Content Director Jeremiah Karpowicz is filling in for Paul Gerke while Paul is on paternity leave.This week's episode features special guest Kate Yoder from Grist, who wrote about how Democrats are downplaying the term “climate change” after the 2024 election. This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Cédric Ringenbach, creator of the card game Climate Fresk. The game is based on the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and helps people understand the connections between climate science and climate disasters. Congratulations, Cédric!This Week in Cleantech — October 24, 2025 Oil, gas and the tax code — The New York TimesWhy Nucor and Meta are supporting a new low-carbon iron factory — TrellisDOE cancels more than $700M in battery, manufacturing projects — E&E NewsNew England Says Goodbye to Coal as Merrimack Station Powers Down — Inside Climate NewsWhy Democrats aren't talking about climate change much anymore — 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

Oct 17, 2025 • 28min
This Week in Cleantech (10/17/2025) - Who's winning the renewables race?
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 Evan Halper from The Washington Post, who wrote about how global economics are accelerating a renewable surge led by China and India.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Rishan Wong, former CEO of Reddit and CEO of Terraformation. Terraformation just rolled out its latest product, which is a subscription-based model where individuals can fund reforestation for the monthly cost of a streaming service.This Week in Cleantech — October 17, 2025 Resilience of the lambs: Some US solar projects are farming much more than sunlight – Factor ThisHow mega batteries are unlocking an energy revolution – The Financial TimesTrump administration quietly canceled the nation’s largest solar project – CNNBase Power, a Battery-Focused Power Company, Raises $1 Billion — The New York TimesThe real winners of Trump’s attack on clean energy aren’t American — The Washington PostWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Oct 13, 2025 • 46min
The reality of residential solar
T.J. Rogers, a seasoned entrepreneur and CEO of SunPower, shares insights into the precarious state of the U.S. residential solar market. He discusses the impact of declining electricity credits and upcoming changes in tax incentives. Rogers advocates for a free-market approach, arguing that efficiency and quality drive profitability. He explores how SunPower plans to navigate tariffs and emphasizes the potential of virtual power plants. T.J. also highlights customer service improvements as crucial for the industry's future.


