Factor This

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!

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

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

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

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.

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 Alexandra White from the Financial Times, who wrote about how private equity firms are rapidly acquiring utilities to capitalize on soaring electricity demand.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Baltimore-based blind man,  Kevin Stanley. A Bloomberg story notes that Kevin survives on disability payments, but says his energy bill payments are 80% higher than they were 3 years ago, demonstrating the ripple effect of data center buildout. Kudos to Yann Brandt for recommending this Bloomberg story!This Week in Cleantech — October 10, 2025 China's Clean Energy Exports Are Beating US Fossil Fuels — BloombergBuildings are turning to 'ice batteries' for sustainable air conditioning – The Associated PressRenewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity — BBCUS Hydrogen Gets Another Look From Investors — BloombergPrivate equity bets big on utilities — The Financial TimesWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

A Texas nuclear start-up co-founded by Rick Perry goes public, promising to innovate with AI and data centers. The guests discuss the implications for the clean energy landscape, especially with impending tax credits and the EU's new carbon border tax. They also spotlight the Miombo Woodland Restoration Project, aiming to employ Zambian farmers to combat deforestation while sequestering carbon. The conversation wraps up with skepticism around nuclear timelines and funding challenges in the industry.

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 Christopher Mims from The Wall Street Journal, who wrote about how several startups are bringing solar-powered vehicles closer to reality.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Ramón Méndez Galain, Uruguay’s energy secretary. Under his leadership, the country went from relying heavily on fossil fuels to establishing a stable grid powered almost entirely by renewable sources. Within just five years after he took over, renewables powered 98% of the country. Congratulations, Ramón!This Week in Cleantech — September 26, 2025 Pennsylvania Governor Says Biggest US Power Grid Needs Overhaul – BloombergJudge allows work to restart on New England wind project that Trump halted — POLITICODecent work on climate, Gavin Newsom. I still hope California's next governor is better — LA TimesThe Race Is on to Make Rare Earth Magnets Outside China — The New York TimesSolar-Powered Cars and Trucks Are Almost Here — The Wall Street JournalWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

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 "Cleantecher of the Week" is Tom Steyer, Co-Executive Chair of Galvanize. He reminds us that when we talk about climate now, the conversation is about technology, costs, and politics, which is important. However, we cannot lose sight of what this is truly about: passing on a livable planet. Tom reminds us about this after a weekend camping with his grandkids. Congratulations Tom!This Week in Cleantech — September 19, 2025 Fossil-fuel firms receive US subsidies worth $31bn each year, study finds — The GuardianOil Giant Saudi Arabia Is Emerging as a Solar Power — The Wall Street JournalRodatherm Energy wants to make geothermal more efficient, but will it be cheaper? — TechCrunchRushing to Meet AI’s Energy Needs: Oil-Field Servicers — The Wall Street JournalThe Fed Is Cutting Again. That’s Good for Renewables — But Maybe Not Good Enough. — 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

Tell us what you think of the show! In a special edition of the Factor This podcast from the road at RE+ 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, host Paul Gerke meets up with Chris Seiple, the Vice Chairman of global consulting firm Wood Mackenzie's Power & Renewables group. Over the course of a diverse discussion, the two touch on recent reports issued by WoodMac that show how stakeholders are handling increased electricity demand and navigating shifting federal policy to get clean energy projects connected to the grid. Other topics include:The reality of project cancellationsRapid growth of battery energy storage deployment and its benefitsThe ways in which stakeholders are handling data centersHow utilities are thinking about cost allocation and ratepayer protectionThe role of flexibility in the 'grid of the future'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