Factor This

Factor This
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May 16, 2025 • 18min

This Week in Cleantech (05/16/2025) - Is it time for a zeppelin resurgence?

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 Nico Rivero from The Washington Post, who wrote about how some startups are are reviving zeppelins as a low-emissions option for cargo and tourism.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is one of our previous ‘This Week in Cleantech’ guests, Michael Thomas, founder at Cleanview and Distilled. He analyzed Cleanview data showing that 78% of post-IRA clean energy projects—and $100 billion in investment—benefit Republican districts, warning that repealing the IRA would hurt those communities most. Congratulations, Michael!This Week in Cleantech — May 16, 2025 US House targets big climate, clean energy rollbacks in budget proposal — ReutersHow Donald Trump blew the offshore wind industry off course — The VergeHow this coal company could help break U.S. dependence on China for rare earths — CNBCEnergy prices push chemicals groups to explore exit from Europe — The Financial TimesWhy these start-ups think zeppelins could be the future of air travel — The Washington PostNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 14, 2025 • 17min

Utilities, data centers, and grid flexibility: How does the customer benefit?

Tell us what you think of the show! Utilities are doing all they can to accommodate large load customers like AI data centers, but some worry those efforts come at a cost to other customers. On this episode of the Factor This podcast, West Monroe Partner Sam Uyeno explains how the proliferation of data centers could actually lower electricity prices. In a far-reaching discussion, Uyeno and host Paul Gerke touch on demand flexibility, the potential benefits of AI in grid planning, and the complexities of co-location and supply chain issues. Uyeno also previews his participation in the upcoming DTECH Data Centers & AI event in San Jose, California.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
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May 9, 2025 • 21min

This Week in Cleantech (05/09/2025) - Are Trump's cleantech cuts undermining his mineral plans?

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 Alex Kaufman, who wrote for the The Atlantic about how Trump’s administration is fast-tracking domestic mining projects, pushing executive orders and green-lighting new rare earth and mineral ventures to reduce reliance on foreign sources like China.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Meredith Connolly, who shared a story from her first road trip in an electric vehicle. Charging her car cost just $22, but the station was in front of a Target so she ended up spending more inside the store than she did on charging. Her point: businesses should want EV chargers, because they bring in more customers.This Week in Cleantech — May 6, 2025Why Going Nuclear Is the Only Good Choice: Merryn Talks Money — BloombergRepublicans say EVs don’t pay their fair share. Here’s the math. — The Washington PostIndia Sees a Future Making Solar Panels for Itself, and Maybe the World — The New York TimesUnited Bets on Photosynthesis and Limestone to Fuel Net-Zero Flight Path — The Wall Street JournalThe Missing Part of Trump’s Minerals Math — The AtlanticNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 2, 2025 • 21min

This Week in Cleantech (05/02/2025) - Is the NRC stifling nuclear innovation?

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 Molly Taft from WIRED, who wrote about how several states and startups are suing the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), arguing its strict, slow regulations stifle innovation in small nuclear reactor development.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Maddy Mowrey, Event Specialist at National Grid Renewables. She was the point person for the National Grid Executive Parnter Summit event in Nashville last week. Congratulations Maddy!This Week in Cleantech — May 2, 2025 U.S. Needs More Power for AI—but Critical Equipment Is Pricey and Scarce — The Wall Street JournalVideo: Underwater windmills could revolutionize our energy systems — CNN BusinessHow a Carbon Pipeline Is Turning Iowa Against Wind — Heatmap NewsFarmers are making bank harvesting a new crop: Solar energy — GristStates and Startups Are Suing the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission — WIREDNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Apr 25, 2025 • 16min

This Week in Cleantech (04/25/2025) - Climate tech's shaky footing in 2025

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 MIT Technology Review's Casey Crownhart, who wrote about how $8 billion of US climate tech projects have been canceled so far this year. This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Rev. Nate Pyle, senior pastor at Christ’s Community Church in Fishers, Indiana for supporting rooftop solar on his church and helping show the community how caring for the planet is part of their faith.This Week in Cleantech — April 25, 2025US Imposes Tariffs Up to 3,521% on Asian Solar Imports — Bloomberg NewsThe Heat Coming Out of Your Car’s Tailpipe? Some Can Be Turned Into Electricity — The Wall Street JournalScientists say they can calculate the cost of oil giants’ role in global warming — The Washington PostAs Tesla Falters, These New EVs Are Picking Up the Pace – Bloomberg$8 billion of US climate tech projects have been canceled so far in 2025 — MIT Technology ReviewNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Apr 22, 2025 • 27min

How utilities can 'shield' equipment from wildfire risk

Tell us what you think of the show! Sponsored content.In the territories of many electric utilities, wildfires loom as an increasing threat, becoming larger and more frequent, necessitating proactive solutions.In this episode of the Factor This podcast, host Paul Gerke taps into the brain of a leading expert, Craig Clements of San Jose State University, to discuss the evolving threat wildfires pose to utility infrastructure and explore how a rigorously tested product, Hexion's ArmorBuilt, could stand as an effective means of protecting vital equipment.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
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Apr 18, 2025 • 20min

This Week in Cleantech (04/18/2025) - Trump's clash with offshore wind escalates

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 John Engel and Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features Jake Spring from The Washington Post, who wrote about how the Trump administration ordered an immediate halt to construction on the Empire Wind project, a major offshore wind development off the coast of New York. This week's "Cleantechers of the Week" are Andrea Giampoli & Alyssa Edwards who were Chairs for the (sold out!) ACP Siting + Permitting Conference in Seattle this week. Congratulations Andrea and Alyssa!This Week in Cleantech — April 18, 2025This Massive Hydrogen Project Could Hurt the Climate More Than It Helps — Heatmap NewsGoogle’s geothermal energy ambitions are growing — The VergeNew technologies are helping to regrow Arctic sea ice — GristBringing back evaporative cooling for data centers — Latitude MediaTrump administration halts New York offshore wind project — The Washington PostNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Apr 11, 2025 • 23min

This Week in Cleantech (04/11/2025) - How will Trump’s latest round of tariffs affect clean energy?

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 John Engel and Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features Akshat Rathi from Bloomberg, who wrote about Trump's new tariffs will affect the U.S. clean energy industry.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Charles Bolden who leads SEIA’s energy and carbon portfolio. He has previously helped lead an Energy and Commerce Committee round table on diversity in the energy industry. Charles has played an important role in industry lobbying days on Capitol Hill. Congratulations, Charles!This Week in Cleantech — April 11, 2025 'States are not powerless' against federal clean energy pushback. It's community solar's time to shine — Factor ThisKey EU lawmaker says 90% emissions cut too ambitious for 2040 climate goal — ReutersTrump’s new goal: Revive a major climate pollutant that power markets have turned against — POLITICOScoop: DOE proposes shutting down clean energy office — AxiosClean Energy Already Has Big Trade Barriers. Now Comes Trump — BloombergNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Apr 8, 2025 • 53min

The digital grid is coming, and the energy transition may just depend on it

Tell us what you think of the show! Sponsored Content.Decarbonizing the power sector attracts most of the energy transition’s attention. While replacing fossil fuel generation with solar, wind, and battery storage is a critical step to combating climate change, it only addresses a piece of the challenge. Modernizing the power grid from interconnected poles and wires to an intelligent and dynamic machine is paramount to meeting the moment.The digital grid is coming, and just in time. Utilities in the U.S. are still in the early stages of realizing this opportunity, but change is coming swiftly, and their European counterparts have created a blueprint for what that could look like.Episode 83 of the Factor This Podcast features Arnaud Cantin, senior vice president of digital power at Schneider Electric.Cantin shares why a smart grid, not only clean power, is crucial for the energy transition. Why do we need it, what it could do, and what’s stopping us?That’s all next on Factor This.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
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Apr 4, 2025 • 18min

This Week in Cleantech (04/04/2025) - Geothermal wins Trump's favor

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 John Engel and Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features Cat Clifford from Cipher News, who write about how geothermal has emerged as the only renewable energy source seen favorably by the Trump administration. This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Tom Weirich at EDP Renewables for hosting a terrific Transformers Summit. He’s put on this summit for 3 years in a row. Congratulations, Tom! This Week in Cleantech — April 4, 2025US electricity prices are surging. These Louisiana companies want out – Floodlight NewsThe Trump administration could green-light deep-sea mining for the first time – The VergeDow drops 1,400 as US stocks lead worldwide sell-off after Trump's tariffs ignite a COVID-like shock – AP NewsPension Funds Push Forward on Climate Goals Despite Backlash – New York TimesGeothermal is the rare renewable energy winning favor in Trump’s America – Cipher NewsNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

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