Catalyst with Shayle Kann

The podcast covers the electricity gauntlet with rising demand for power from EVs, data centers, and electrification. Utilities are struggling to keep up with supply. The AI race is fueling demand, leading to new gas plants and open coal plants. Topics include nuclear power, grid-enhancing tech, geothermal, and multi-day storage solutions.

A discussion on the new SEC climate disclosure rules and how they compare to EU standards. Topics include requirements for disclosing greenhouse gases, which companies must comply, and the importance of standardized reporting. The podcast also explores challenges with Scope 3 reporting, investor utilization of emission data, and surprises in the SEC rules, like the exclusion of Scope 3 impacts.

Climate tech stocks have been underperforming in the public markets for months due to factors like higher interest rates and election uncertainty. The podcast discusses trends in EVs, solar, and lithium, as well as investors moving funds into climate tech stocks. Analysts' expectations for climate tech stocks in the near- and long-term are also explored.

The podcast discusses the potential of AI in revolutionizing the grid infrastructure with applications like wildfire management, customer modeling, automated communication, and predictive maintenance. It explores the increasing adoption of AI in the power sector for optimization, cost reduction, and efficiency, while highlighting challenges and incremental changes in AI use cases. The conversation delves into the intersection of AI, startups, and venture funding in the energy sector, pointing towards innovative solutions and significant funding for startups.

Exploring the wild and unexplored carbon removal market, Stacy Kauk from Shopify shares insights on building a diversified removal portfolio. From forward purchases to challenges faced by startups, the podcast covers hot technologies like biomass burial and ocean alkalinity enhancement.

The podcast discusses the shortage of electric transformers, with lead times exceeding two years and prices soaring over 60%. They explore the reasons behind the shortage, such as rising demand from renewables, storms, federal investment, and EV chargers. The housing market crash of the 2000s made manufacturers cautious, while labor shortages and new DOE rules add to the challenges.

Exploring the booming transferable tax credit market post Inflation Reduction Act, driving $110 billion in investments for clean energy. New shift in US tax code allows selling of wind, solar, storage, and manufacturing credits. Crux secures $18 million funding to scale sustainable finance platform. Market growth, pricing challenges, emerging trends, and future predictions in clean energy tax credit trading discussed.

In this second part of the conversation, Shayle and Nat cover topics like: ESG as the new third rail of finance, curtailed power and the need for design, carbon certification standards, biodiesel's impact on Europe's biofuel supply, First Solar's success, and declining hydropower, slowing coal growth, and rising hype around AI.

The podcast discusses interesting topics such as the state of batteries, transferable tax credits for renewables, and the rising cost of capital in climate tech. It also explores the dominance of Asia in the battery market and the challenges of battery recycling and material recovery.

The podcast explores the conflicting narratives surrounding the US electric vehicle market, highlighting the robust growth in EV sales. It discusses the challenges faced by legacy automakers and the importance of affordable price points for wider EV adoption. The episode also delves into Tesla's falling market share and the Hertz sell-off, as well as the emergence of Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia in the EV market. The potential entry of Chinese EV giant BYD into the US market is also discussed, along with the impact of limited charging availability on EV demand growth.