We talk to two expert journalists about what’s next for the U.S. Department of Energy programs and green energy during the second Trump administration. 

In the first half of the episode, you’ll hear the rest of my conversation with Ivan Penn from the New York Times. Then in the second, I’ll be joined by USC Journalism Professor of Professional Practice Christina Bellantoni to contextualize the politics and policies that could impact the electric future. 

Lastly, we’ll get an update from Kristi and Jerry in Shadow Mountain.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: 

Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

It’s January 20th, 2025. Donald Trump’s second term as president. He signs a slew of executive orders, including one called “Unleashing American Energy.”

This order rolled back about a dozen climate change initiatives enacted by Joe Biden’s administration in 2021. Clean energy funding and programs set by 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act…were now halted.

Also hanging in the balance is the Department of Energy’s projects. That includes the one we visited in Menifee during a previous episode, and two other programs we’ll explore in this episode.

How do they work? Why is their role in the energy transition so important? And what’s at stake for these other communities during the second Trump Administration?

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

We take you through the science of microgrids with UCLA’s Rajit Gadh, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and founding director of Smart Grid Energy Research Center. How does it work exactly? And is it really the technology we’ve been waiting for all along? 

We’ll find out.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound. 

We’ll take you to the Shadow Mountain housing development in Menifee, California. It’s an experimental community outside of Los Angeles where 200 all-electric homes produce and store their own energy, and contribute to a community microgrid. Is this the future of new homes in California and beyond? Could this community demonstrate a better solution to fire protection?  With climate change driving more frequent incidence of extreme fire conditions, can these technologies enable safer communities?

What’s life like, electrified? We hit the road to find out.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra and Spencer Cline. It was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound. 

Brief description: 

Before fires scorched Los Angeles in January of 2025, the Electric Futures team began exploring a new neighborhood in Southern California that was built with climate disasters in mind. This community and other building projects like it generate and store their own energy, bypassing the electric grid – and blackouts. What happens now that federal support for these initiatives is starting to dry up? Can America still electrify? Our host, Chip Zukowski, finds out in Your Community, Electrified, season two of Electric Futures. 

Long description:

The USC Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication is pleased to announce the launch of season two of Electric Futures, a podcast that focuses on the people and communities on the frontlines of the energy transition. In Your Community, Electrified, the four-episode arc dropping on June 25, 2025, host Chip Zukoski explores a new neighborhood in Southern California that was built with climate disasters in mind. This community and other building projects like it generate and store their own energy, bypassing the electric grid – and blackouts. What happens now that federal support for these initiatives has dried up? Can America still electrify? To find out, we speak to experts like: 

- Ivan Penn, New York Times energy correspondent

- Dr. Rajit Gadh, UCLA Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and the founding director of the UCLA Smart Grid Energy Research Center

- Christina Bellantoni, USC Annenberg School for Journalism Professor of Professional Practice, political pundit and former longtime political journalist and editor

- Ram Narayanamurthy, Deputy Director of the Building Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy

Additional highlights include:

• Insights from Indiana and Washington, where we learn about other projects that bypass the grid.

• The science behind the electric grid, how microgrids work, and the state of grids in the U.S. 

Season one of the acclaimed podcast, launched in 2024, explored narratives from the Imperial Valley in Southern California, an area rich with community – and critical minerals – on the brink of an energy transformation so big, it has potential to completely change the lives of residents. Accolades for season one include:

• 2025 LA Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards finalist, Limited Series Podcast

• 2024 Quill Podcast Awards nominee, Best Science and Medicine Podcast

• Charted on the Top 50 Science Podcasts chart on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

• Featured in the LA Times, La Opinion, and NPR's KCRW

Listeners can find both seasons of Electric Futures on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Follow along on Instagram at @usc_electricfutures. For further information, email [email protected].

The Electric Futures team recently collaborated with the independent media outlet "Feet in Two Worlds" to highlight stories around the nexus of immigration and climate change. Here's an episode from our friends at the "Home Interrupted" podcast.

Este episodio fue hecho especialmente en Español para explicar en resumen la investigacíon hecha por el ex-rector y profesor de ingeniería química y ciencias materiales, Charles Zukoski. En esta temporada hemos explorado el potencial de la industria de litio para la transición energética en el Valle Imperial, California.

¡Queremos escuchar de tí! ⁠Por favor responda esta breve encuesta⁠⁠.

Las transcripciones de los episodios en inglés y español están disponibles aquí.

Si desea leer más sobre los temas tratados en este podcast, consulte nuestro documento de recursos adicionales.

Puedes seguirnos en Instagram en ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠.

Nuestra anfitriona para este episodio es Natalie Lopez, una estundiante de la Universidad del Sur de California nació y creció en el Valle Imperial.

Este episodio fue una colaboración con Dimelo, la única publicación en español para USC Annenberg Media.

Las voces de las entrevistas fueron hechas por Natalia Ozuna, Valeria Macias, y Jose Romo. Fue producido y escrito por Natalie Lopez y editado por Erick Treviño.

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Lithium Valley | Episode 7: A Time of Change

This episode was made especially in Spanish to briefly explain the research done by former provost and professor of chemical engineering and materials sciences, Charles Zukoski. This season we have explored the potential of the lithium industry for the energy transition in Imperial Valley, California.

We want to hear from you! ⁠Please take this short survey⁠⁠.

Episode transcripts in English and Spanish are ⁠⁠available here⁠⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our ⁠additional resources document⁠.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠.

Our host for this episode is Natalie Lopez, a student at the University of Southern California and a lifelong resident of the Imperial Valley.

This episode was a collaboration with Dimelo, the only Spanish-language publication for USC Annenberg Media.

The voices of the interviews were done by Natalia Ozuna, Valeria Macias, and Jose Romo. It was produced and written by Natalie Lopez and edited by Erick Treviño.

Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our lead producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Cindy Chai is our research assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra, and edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

Host Chares Zukoski wants to thank you for listening to the show and let you know about an exciting paid survey opportunity. We want to hear from you! (The survey is now over)

Thanks again for listening. We hope you enjoyed Season 1.

We’ll get to know Imperial Valley, an area that is home to nearly 180,000 people located in Southeastern California, 200 miles from USC. This community is located at the heart of the Lithium boom. Some have referred to this as a white gold rush because of the enormous demand for lithium as a major component in the batteries that power electric vehicles and so much else in our everyday lives.

Change is coming to Imperial Valley and its communities. But given this industrialization, can the Valley continue as the massive producer for the agricultural products that feeds the world?

This Southern California county with sky high unemployment rates and  with 17% of citizens living below the poverty line is about to be the center of a billion-dollar business boom…but at what cost? 

Episode transcripts in English and in Spanish are ⁠available here⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our additional resources document.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠.

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our lead producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Cindy Chai is our research assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra, and edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound. 

There’s a big demand for the batteries but it’s a challenge in how to gain access to all the lithium needed for the electric vehicles that are flooding the streets of the world. There's a new way to access the lithium in the brines — but don’t call it mining. In this episode we will explore this chemistry and more…

We want to hear from our listeners! Please take this short survey.

Episode transcripts in English and in Spanish are ⁠available here⁠.

If you’d like to read more about the topics covered in this podcast, please check out our additional resources document.

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠.

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professor Mallory Carra is our lead producer. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Cindy Chai is our research assistant. This episode was directed by Mallory Carra, and edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Matthew Buxbaum. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.