Dr. Scott Moore is the director of China Programs at the University of Pennsylvania, and the author of the book, China's Next Act: How Sustainability and Technology are Reshaping China's Rise and the World's Future. 

China is a complicated climate topic: on the one hand, China is the largest solar energy producer in the world and has the largest EV industry in the world, each of which rose from being nearly non-existent 15 years ago. On the other hand, China generates more than 60% of its electricity from coal and is the world's largest annual emitter of greenhouse gases. 

Scott and Cody cover a lot of ground, including how the Chinese economic and political system operates, how the solar and EV industries came to be, China's climate policies, global commitments, and the country's current climate, tech and innovation priorities. Given China's role and impact in just about everything, we probably should do another 100 or more MCJ episodes on topics related to China. Hopefully this initial primer can help us all get oriented.

China’s Role in the Global Energy Transition

A growing body of knowledge about climate change and potential solutions. This series traverses disciplines, industries, and opinions with hundreds of deep-dive conversations with science, technology, and climate leaders. Hosted by Jason Jacobs, Yin Lu, and Cody Simms.

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Cyrus Wadia is the CEO of Activate, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers scientists to bring their research to market. Having supported nearly 200 scientists in founding around 150 companies, including notable names like Fervo, Twelve, Sublime Systems, and Antora Energy, Activate offers selected fellows a unique blend of financial support, business capital, and access to a vast mentorship network. With hubs in Berkeley, Boston, New York, Houston, and a remote program, Activate nurtures the path from scientific discovery to entrepreneurial success.

Cyrus recently joined Activate after stints in sustainability leadership roles at Amazon, Nike, and the White House. This extensive experience, combined with his PhD in energy and resources from UC Berkeley and chemistry degrees from MIT, equips him uniquely for this role.

While the path from computer science to entrepreneurship is well-trodden, Activate champions the less common path from life sciences, chemistry, and physics to entrepreneurship. As we transition our energy systems, it seems inevitable that many new science-based businesses will become iconic industry-defining companies of the 21st century.  And for this to be realized, we need to nurture the pathway for scientist-entrepreneurs. Our MCJ venture funds have invested in multiple companies founded by Activate fellows, and we were eager to hear from Cyrus about Activate and his vision for where it's headed.

The Science of Startups with Activate's Cyrus Wadia

Dr. Seonghoon Woo is CEO and co-founder at Amogy. Amogy is building technology to unlock ammonia's potential as a clean energy fuel source for transportation and beyond. About a year ago, they raised a Series B of funding led by SK Innovations, with backers including Temasek, Aramco Ventures, Mitsubishi, DCVC, Amazon Climate Pledge Fund, Mitsui OSK Lines, and others.

Ammonia is a workhorse chemical in modern society. It's one of the most produced chemicals in the world today, and it's used primarily as the foundation of the nitrogen fertilizer industry, as a transport vessel for nitrogen. Chemically, ammonia is NH3, so in addition to nitrogen, it contains hydrogen. And hydrogen as we know has a strong potential as a low to zero emissions fuel source, depending on how it's produced.

But hydrogen is challenging to transport. Ammonia, therefore, also has the potential to be a transport vessel for hydrogen as a power source, and ammonia supply chains are already mature today. Amogy's unique innovation lies in cracking ammonia into hydrogen at the point of power generation and then powering vehicles via hydrogen fuel cells. They are targeting ocean shipping as most major companies seek solutions to decarbonize their supply chains.

Startup Series: Unlocking Ammonia as Energy with Amogy

Adam Stein is the Director of Nuclear Energy Innovation at the Breakthrough Institute, where he focuses on the technology, policy, risk and economics of nuclear energy. The Breakthrough Institute is a global research center that identifies and promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges. Among its many projects, the Breakthrough Institute recently launched Build Nuclear Now, a national campaign to mobilize Americans in targeted states to call for regulatory and legislative change to accelerate the licensing and deployment of new, advanced nuclear reactors in the United States.

Adam brings a pro-nuclear perspective to this conversation; and given that, Cody and Adam focus the majority of the discussion on the history of nuclear power in the US and potential paths forward, rather than debating the merits of nuclear (which could of course be a full episode by itself). Adam has a particular interest in advanced nuclear reactors, which represent a broad class of new technologies currently under development and review. This conversation covers these advanced reactors and so much more.

Reframing Nuclear Narratives with the Breakthrough Institute

In today's episode, recorded live during San Francisco Climate Week, we delve into the critical intersection of climate policy and carbon removal. Joining us are two distinguished guests:  California Senator Scott Wiener, the author of the recent landmark climate legislation known as California's SB 253 or the Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act, and Shashank Samala, the CEO and Co-founder of Heirloom, a pioneering carbon removal company. Shashank was a previous guest on the show in 2021, and we're excited to have him back to weigh in on this important conversation. 

Senator Wiener sheds light on the legislative landscape driving climate action, while Shashank offers insights into the  technologies transforming carbon removal. Together, we explore the convergence of policy and innovation, examining how regulatory frameworks catalyze the adoption and scaling of technological solutions. We pack a lot into this conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!

Live from SF Climate Week with Senator Scott Wiener and Shashank Samala

Dr. Sarah Kapnick serves as the Chief Scientist at NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which plays a critical role in understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts. Bringing a unique mix of science and finance to NOAA, Dr. Kapnick's background includes a stint as a senior climate scientist at JP Morgan Chase, a leadership role at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, and an early career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs. She holds a PhD in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from UCLA and an AB in Mathematics from Princeton.

In our conversation, Dr. Kapnick touches on a wide range of topics, including NOAA's extensive work, the importance of resilience and adaptation in today's changing climate, and the challenges of planning for a future that deviates from past assumptions of a stable climate. Highlighting NOAA's efforts in supporting community resilience and innovation, she underscores the agency's commitment to aiding stakeholders in navigating the complexities of our evolving environmental landscape, emphasizing the critical need for investment and focus on adaptation for the remainder of the 21st century.

China’s Role in the Global Energy Transition

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