Everybody in the Pool

Now for something fun — that can also be electricity generating infrastructure, if need be. My guest is Toby Kraus, co-founder and CEO of Lightship RV, the first American company to build all-electric RVs. The Lightship isn’t just a camper — it’s a battery on wheels, with solar on the roof, a pop-up design for aerodynamics, and its own motor to cancel out towing drag. That means you can take it off-grid for a week … or park it in your driveway and use it as backup power.We talk about:Why RVs are a surprisingly big climate story (one in ten American families owns one!)The range problem with towing — and how Lightship solves itTurning an RV into an ADU or a home backup systemHow to make clean tech appeal beyond the early adoptersIt’s the clean energy transition, with a side of camping.👉 Next week, we’ll step away from the grid and hit the trails — stay tuned.LINKS:Lightship RV: https://www.lightshiprv.comAll episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.comSubscribe to the newsletter: https://www.mollywood.coAd-free version + support the show: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.comWhat You Can Do: Subscribe and tell your friends about Everybody in the Pool!Send feedback or become a sponsor: in@everybodyinthepool.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation, Anthony Letmon, co-founder and CEO of Kardinia Energy, shares his innovative vision for lightweight, recyclable printed solar technology. He explains how this new approach can fit into unconventional spaces, like concert stages, and why it's designed for shorter lifespans to encourage upgrades. Learn how printed solar overcomes the weight limitations of traditional panels, making it a game-changer for disaster relief, industrial roofs, and more. Anthony also discusses partnerships with artists like Coldplay to test these exciting ideas.

Mike Burz, co-founder and CEO of Enzinc, brings his background as an aerospace engineer to the forefront of battery technology. He discusses a revolutionary zinc sponge anode developed with the U.S. Navy, which solves the dendrite problem in rechargeable zinc batteries. This innovative approach promises a safer and recyclable alternative to lithium, making it ideal for applications like e-bikes and data centers. Burz emphasizes that this is about providing safer options for the grid, not eliminating lithium altogether.

Ray Henger, CEO of Copia Power, and Pedro Pizarro, President & CEO of Edison International, delve into the energy landscape's future. They discuss surging energy demands driven by AI and the resulting challenges for grid reliability. The duo shares insights on permitting hurdles and siting strategies for large-scale renewables. They emphasize the need for streamlined processes and flexible planning to meet electrification goals while balancing sustainability and reliability, shedding light on what it takes to adapt to rapid changes in energy needs.

Continuing our Smart Grid Series, we zoom in on reliability — because building more solar and wind doesn’t matter if the grid itself can’t stay stable. We’ve seen what happens when it fails: blackouts in Spain and Portugal earlier this year, near misses in Texas, rolling outages in California.My guest is David Hebert, VP of Global Sales & Business Strategy at Wärtsilä Energy Storage. Wärtsilä is a 190-year-old company that now builds integrated storage systems combining hardware + software to keep grids reliable — even in moments of stress.We dive into:Why grid operators need fast, flexible tools beyond just generationSynthetic inertia: batteries mimicking the stabilizing effect of spinning turbinesHow storage can act like an “airbag” — catching a wobble before it cascades into blackoutReal-world deployments: from the UK’s Blackhillock project to island microgrids in Bonaire & GraciosaReliability + resilience: sectionalizing grids after hurricanes, blackstart capability, and non-wires alternativesEnabling more renewables by smoothing intermittency and curtailment issuesWhy batteries are the “Swiss Army knife” of the grid: frequency regulation, voltage support, time-shifting, backup powerCost, customer adoption, and how utilities are (finally) moving past reflexive resistanceLinks & resources:Wärtsilä Energy Storage— https://www.wartsila.com/energyEverybody in the Pool: all episodes & newsletter — https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Become a paid subscriber for an ad-free feed (and my eternal gratitude) — https://plus.acast.com/s/everybody-in-the-poolWhat you can do & what’s next:Send me your thoughts: in@everybodyinthepool.com — have you lived through blackouts? Tried a microgrid?Share this episode with a friend who loves geeking out about grid reliability.Smart Grid Series lineup:E101: Safe, long-duration flow batteries with XL BatteriesE102 (this episode): Grid “airbags” & synthetic inertia with WärtsiläE103 (next): A rechargeable zinc sponge anode that solves dendrites — EnzincTogether, we can get this done. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the next few episodes, we’re digging into the wild world of energy and the aging global electricity grid. This week, we start where reliability begins: utility-scale storage. The grid we have was built for one-way power plants; the grid we need has to juggle rooftop solar at noon, heat waves at 6 p.m., EVs, and data centers galore.My guest is Tom Sisto, founder & CEO of XL Batteries. His team is commercializing a pH-neutral, aqueous organic flow battery — a non-flammable, salt-water system using carbon-based molecules instead of vanadium. Think: safer, long-life storage you can scale for hours to days, without sulfuric acid or scarce metals.We get into:Why storage is the “time machine” the grid needs (match generation to demand, cut curtailment)Flow batteries 101: engine vs. tank, independent power and duration, and why that matters for utilitiesXL’s chemistry: organic charge carriers in neutral saltwater (no vanadium, no acid), designed for long lifeCost and safety vs. lithium — and why duration + cycle life drive utility economicsReal-world progress: containerized field unit, EPRI duty-cycle testing, and an industrial pilot at Stolthaven TerminalsRetrofit potential: turning existing petrochemical tanks into energy storage tanksStorage-as-transmission: placing batteries on both sides of a bottleneck to double effective flowReliability + resilience: PSPS/wildfire shutoffs, hurricane backup, and data-center load growthWhere decentralization fits, and how industrial customers can de-risk adoption on the way to utility scaleLinks & resources:XL Batteries — https://xlbatteries.com/Everybody in the Pool: all episodes & newsletter — https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Become a paid subscriber for an ad-free feed (and my eternal gratitude) — https://plus.acast.com/s/everybody-in-the-poolCall to action & what’s next:Send thoughts & voice memos: in@everybodyinthepool.com — where do you see storage unlocking reliability?If you liked this one, share it with a grid geek friend.Smart Grid Series lineup:E101 (this episode): Safe, long-duration flow batteries with XL BatteriesE102 (next): Grid “airbags” — synthetic inertia & fast frequency control with WärtsiläE103 (after that): A rechargeable zinc sponge anode that solves dendrites — Enzinc Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Everybody in the Pool, we’re celebrating our 100th episode with a look at what matters most: your actions.Since this show began a little over two years ago, the goal has been simple — to spotlight innovation, ingenuity, and capital coming together to tackle the climate crisis. Hope is stronger than fear, but hope alone isn’t a plan. This milestone episode is about agency — the choices we make in our own lives, and how together, those choices add up to systemic change.Listeners wrote in and sent voice memos sharing the climate actions they’ve taken:Investing through platforms like Climatize to fund renewable energy projectsMoving retirement savings and banking into fossil fuel–free funds and community credit unionsCutting back on red meat, shifting diets, and sourcing local foodTackling food waste with apps like FlashFood and composting with Mill (our presenting sponsor for this week’s episode)Retrofitting homes with solar, heat pumps, and energy efficiency upgradesRethinking careers, transportation, and even family planning with the climate in mindAlong the way, we revisit powerful clips from past episodes and highlight the ripple effects of these solutions — from decarbonizing finance to building circular food systems.Thank you to everyone who has listened, shared, and taken action. This episode is a reminder that we are not helpless — our feedback, votes, purchases, and investments all send signals that drive change. Drops become a flood.Thanks to Mill for sponsoring this week’s episode! Get $75 off yours with my custom link! https://www.mill.com/lp/mollywood?utm_source=newsletter-sponsorship&utm_medium=partnership&utm_campaign=everbodyinthepool &utm_content=mollywoodAll episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member and get an ad-free version of the podcast: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/Please subscribe and tell your friends about Everybody in the Pool! Send feedback or become a sponsor at in@everybodyinthepool.com! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Everybody in the Pool, we’re diving into ocean intelligence. Despite covering more than 70% of the Earth, the ocean remains one of the least understood parts of our climate system — and that knowledge gap has huge consequences for weather prediction, global commerce, and climate resilience.Our guest is Tim Janssen, co-founder and CEO of Sofar Ocean, a company building the world’s largest privately deployed network of ocean sensors. Their inexpensive, solar-powered Spotter buoys collect real-time data on waves, weather, and water conditions — information that fuels better climate models, safer shipping routes, and more sustainable ocean economies.We talk about:The massive “ocean data gap” and why it hinders weather and climate forecastingHow Sofar’s 2,500+ Spotter buoys are creating the largest private ocean sensor networkWayfinder, Sofar’s “Google Maps for ships,” and how it saves fuel and cuts emissionsWhy more ocean intelligence is critical for industries from aquaculture to shippingPartnerships with researchers, governments, and nonprofits to democratize ocean dataThe bigger vision: turning ocean information into a foundation for climate solutionsFrom global trade to Pacific Island communities, ocean intelligence has the potential to save money, reduce emissions, and protect vulnerable coastlines. Janssen explains why data may be the most important climate solution of all.LINKS:Sofar Ocean: https://www.sofarocean.com/All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member and get an ad-free version of the podcast: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/Please subscribe and tell your friends about Everybody in the Pool! Send feedback or become a sponsor: in@everybodyinthepool.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Dyner, CEO of Moleaer, leads the charge in nano-bubble technology, revolutionizing sustainability across industries. He shares how these microscopic bubbles enhance water quality, improve crop yields, and reduce energy use in wastewater treatment. Fascinating applications in aquaculture boost salmon welfare and promote eco-friendly farming. Plus, discover how nano-bubbles are transforming spas into nearly chlorine-free havens and have potential in cleaning and even targeted cancer treatments. The future of climate-friendly innovation is bubbling up!

This week on Everybody in the Pool, we’re kicking off a mini-series on the ocean — the world’s largest carbon sink, a source of food for nearly half the global population, home to 80% of animal life on Earth, and heating faster than expected. It’s also a climate tech category full of untapped investment opportunities.Our guest is Kate Danaher, Managing Director at S2G Investments, where she co-leads the firm’s oceans and seafood strategy. S2G is a growth-stage investment firm focused on food and agriculture, clean energy, and the ocean economy — and Kate’s work connects all three for maximum systems-level impact.We talk about:🚢 Why the ocean is more than a philanthropic cause — and how multi-trillion-dollar industries depend on it🌬 Decarbonizing the maritime industry, which moves 80–90% of global goods and emits 3% of total greenhouse gases⚡️ The technologies gaining traction fastest: route optimization, air lubrication, wind-assisted propulsion, and batteries📡 Building better ocean intelligence with satellites, sensors, and unmanned vessels — and why balancing proprietary data with the public good is tricky🐟 How aquaculture can take pressure off wild fisheries, and the tech making it cleaner and more efficient🌍 Why global regulation (with or without the U.S.) is creating momentum for changeFrom high-tech sails ⛵️ to land-based fish farms 🏭🐠, Kate shares how aligning economic value with ocean health could unlock massive climate impact.LINKS:S2G Investments: https://www.s2ginvestments.com/All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member and get an ad-free version of the podcast: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/📲 Please subscribe and tell your friends about Everybody in the Pool!💌 Send feedback or become a sponsor! in@everybodyinthepool.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.