Volts

Environmental advocates Rita Frost and Brenna Bell discuss the harmful impact of burning wood pellets for energy, focusing on the controversy surrounding the industry's expansion in the Pacific Northwest and the concerns about sourcing wood from natural forests. They highlight the lack of awareness surrounding biomass energy, air and water pollution issues, and the need for global collaboration to combat false climate solutions.

Beverly Craig discusses Passive House principles, benefits, and challenges. Topics include key construction principles, cost considerations, benefits of quality construction, reducing embodied carbon, and integrating geothermal heat pumps. The podcast explores the success of Passive House apartments in Massachusetts and strategies for wider adoption in the U.S.

Gabe Klein from DOE's Joint Office of Energy and Transportation discusses new approaches to EV charging for multifamily residences in urban areas. Topics include novel business models, smart chargers, integrating parking with charging stations, maximizing copper value, and strategies for effective public charging infrastructure.

David Wooley and Ed Carr, lead authors in the shipping industry, discuss future ship fuels, policies, and California's role in decarbonization. Topics include alternative fuels like ammonia and methanol, wind tech, slow steaming, clean electricity, enforcement mechanisms, costly technology investments, global efforts, and policy recommendations for the US and California to drive industry change.

CEO Jeff Erhardt of Mattiq discusses using nanotechnology, AI, and electrolysis to create innovative materials for industries. Topics include electrolyzers for green hydrogen, nanotechnology in drug development, iridium substitutes, advancements in electrolyzer technology, and moonshot bets in sustainable energy like ammonia production.

CEO Siyu Huang of Factorial Energy discusses advancements in solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, emphasizing higher energy density and safety. Topics include lithium metal anodes, stable electrolytes, market dominance of lithium, challenges in manufacturing, and future applications beyond cars.

Co-founders Zach Dell and Justin Lopas of Base Power discuss their innovative approach in the Texas electricity market. They propose selling oversized home batteries to stabilize prices, provide backup power, and boost grid reliability. They highlight the use of latest battery tech for efficient grid storage and address challenges in integrating energy storage systems in residential areas, aiming to balance grid peaks and reduce arbitrage for grid stability.

Sara Ross and Jonathan Klein discuss how schools can benefit from IRA tax credits for climate-friendly upgrades to address infrastructure challenges. They delve into the impact of climate change on education, the importance of resilience plans, and the hurdles schools face in accessing funding for clean energy technologies like electric buses.

Jane Melia, Co-founder and CEO of Harvest, talks about pairing high-end heat pumps with thermal batteries to optimize electricity consumption, reduce costs, and lower emissions. They discuss the benefits of using CO2-based heat pumps, efficient hot water output with a unique water tank, and the financial advantages of investing in heat pump systems with thermal storage for homeowners.

NY State Sen. Liz Krueger and Justin Balik discuss Gov. Hochul's delay of NYC congestion pricing, budget implications, and future steps. They touch on challenges in implementing congestion pricing, the governor's tax increase proposal, commuting patterns, impacts of delayed implementation, and reflections on Democratic governance.