• U.S. Electric Vehicle Debate

James breaks down the ongoing American EV culture wars, why they feel stuck, and how much is political theatre vs. real-world data.

We're off this week for the holidays so we're playing our Patreon bonus episode from a month ago because we think it has some great stories in it.

• EV Market Growth

The hosts dig into the latest numbers showing EVs gaining traction globally—and why the economic case keeps getting harder to ignore.

• Stockpiling Critical Minerals

A look at why countries are hoarding minerals like lithium and nickel, what it means for future supply chains, and who's preparing well (and who isn't).

• Rivian's Smart Bike Helmet

Brian brings up Rivian's unexpected new gadget—a "smart" bike helmet—and the hosts try to figure out why an EV truck company is branching out.

• Corn's Environmental Impact

A discussion about why corn farming is causing more climate trouble than most people think, including fertilizer emissions and long-term soil issues.

• Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture

The hosts explore ideas and innovations that reduce nitrous-oxide emissions, improve soil health, and make food systems more sustainable.

• The World's Largest Sand Battery

Wrapping up with the Finnish energy-storage breakthrough that stores heat in giant silos of sand—cheap, renewable, and surprisingly effective.

Back next week with a new show!

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A look back at the biggest clean energy developments of 2025 — and we reveal why electric trucking in China may be the most important story of the year. We break down record global growth in solar, wind, and EV adoption, explain how renewables are now outpacing fossil fuels in new investment, and explore why China's rising clean power generation is finally pushing its CO₂ emissions lower even as electricity demand grows CES 293 - Google Docs.

(Letters are being held over until our next bonus episode.)

The show also checks in on Norway, the world's EV laboratory, where electric vehicles now dominate both new sales and the overall vehicle fleet. The hosts discuss what Norway's data tells us about the future of gas, diesel, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids — and what it means for automakers still betting on combustion engines. Other highlights include a major San Francisco power outage, Volkswagen shelving the ID. Buzz in the U.S., and encouraging new data suggesting the world may have passed peak air pollution.

Links mentioned

• San Francisco power outage (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/21/us/outage-sf-power-san-francisco

• Norway EV market update (CleanTechnica): https://cleantechnica.com/2025/12/22/evs-take-98-4-share-in-norway-bev-fleet-overtakes-diesel/

• World may have passed peak air pollution (Our World in Data): https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/the-world-has-probably-passed-peak-air-pollution

• Volkswagen shelves ID. Buzz in the U.S. (Electrek): https://electrek.co/2025/12/19/volkswagen-shelves-electric-minibus-for-us-not-forever/ CES 293 - Google Docs

The Lightning Round

• Global EV sales are projected to hit 20 million vehicles in 2026

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How plunging battery costs are turning solar into reliable, around-the-clock power that can compete directly with fossil fuels. Brian Stockton and James Whittingham break down new findings from Ember showing that grid-scale batteries now make dispatchable solar cheaper than many new gas plants, fundamentally changing the energy landscape.

The episode also explores why Big Oil is increasingly betting on petrochemicals and single-use plastics as EVs cut into fuel demand. A new IEEFA report reveals that a 70% global reduction in single-use plastics would deliver a major financial blow to the petrochemical industry while cutting millions of barrels per day of oil demand.

From Canada, a Clean Energy Canada study finds that switching all homes in British Columbia to electric heat pumps could save households $675 million per year, reduce electricity demand, and cut emissions by about 6% of the province's total. Individual households could save hundreds to over a thousand dollars annually.

We also discuss Australia's booming home battery market, fueled by expanded federal subsidies, and Rivian's plans for autonomous electric vehicles that can run errands, self-diagnose, and drive themselves for service as the company builds its own AI hardware and software.

The Lightning Round covers global clean energy milestones including record renewable power in Australia, new solar efficiency records, fusion breakthroughs, EV and battery news, major climate policy moves in Europe, and Tesla opening its northernmost Supercharger in Alaska.

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Nairobi's ride-hailing sector hits 40% electric motorcycles as Bolt logs 4.8 million EV rides. Financing from M-KOPA and Watu helps riders switch to cheaper, cleaner bikes, and local companies like Roam and Ampersand expand assembly and charging.

Norway agrees to study its post-oil future after a deal with the Greens to pass the 2026 budget. EV incentives begin to scale back as adoption goals are met: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/norway-to-examine-scenarios-for-post-oil-economy/.

Thermostats Part 2 with Brian and James reviews the McVeggie. He wonders if it's actually just a mayo sandwich. They react to CNN's Bill Weir covering Trump's MPG rollback (full clip on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod) and look back at The Price Is Right giving away a $112,000 Tesla Roadster in 2010 and other EVs over the years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPq_I_L2UL4.

A drone strike damages the protective shelter over the Chernobyl reactor. UN inspectors say repairs are needed, though experts caution against panic. BBC link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98nldr06l2o

James wakes up to hazardous air quality as Environment Canada issues a 10+ AQHI alert. LA becomes officially coal-free after the Intermountain Power Project shuts down, ending decades of coal power for the city. More from Electrek: https://electrek.co/2025/12/08/los-angeles-power-supply-is-now-officially-coal-free/.

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Solar power brings new dignity to a Kurdish village devastated by a chemical attack 38 years ago. Steven Guilbeault resigns from cabinet over a pipeline deal he says breaks Canada's climate commitments. North Carolina uses "super-roofs" and catastrophe bonds to cut hurricane losses. And Zillow removes climate risk scores from listings after backlash.

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Sheikh Wasan—attacked with mustard gas in 1987—has been rebuilt with 72 solar systems (432 panels) installed by the Rwanga Foundation. The project restores 24-hour power to homes, schools, and community buildings, offering long-overdue dignity to survivors.

Canada's former environment minister steps down, saying a recent pipeline agreement makes climate obligations unattainable.

Catastrophe bonds now reward homeowners for installing hurricane-resistant roofs, cutting claims by up to 60%. Insurance challenges rise as storms worsen.

Zillow briefly added wildfire, flood, heat, and wind risk data to listings, but removed it after complaints from agents. Buyers now must check climate risks themselves via First Street Foundation. First Street: https://firststreet.org/

Lightning Round

• Dominican Republic activates the 162.6 MW Cotoperí Solar complex.

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The COP30 climate conference ended without references to fossil fuels after lobbying pressure. Al Gore criticized petrostates for blocking progress and argued the world has reached "Peak Petrostate." Outside the UN process, 24 countries have agreed to coordinate on fossil-fuel phaseout efforts, with Colombia and the Netherlands hosting the first international conference in 2026. An archival look back at Gore's 1992 Earth Summit warnings underscores the longstanding concerns.

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Arkansas has launched its first-ever wind project: a 135 MW installation using 32 U.S.-made turbines. The project delivers significant local benefits, including $950,000 annually to Cross County and over $50 million to landowners over its lifetime. Microsoft has committed to purchasing all generated power under a 20-year agreement.

Insurance companies are expanding into climate-risk consulting, offering inspections and adaptation guidance before disasters occur. Zurich Insurance now employs dozens of climate risk engineers, reflecting a growing industry segment. According to S&P Global, the world's 1,200 largest public companies face an estimated $1.2 trillion annually in climate-related physical risk by 2050. Some firms cannot obtain coverage without taking mitigation steps.

Tehran Faces Possible Relocation

Iran's president warned that Tehran may no longer be viable due to severe ecological strain, including chronic water shortages, sinking land, frequent power cuts, and hazardous air quality. The government has discussed relocating the capital to the Makran coast, though significant financial, infrastructural, and security challenges remain.

Lightning Round

• Electric heavy trucks are expanding rapidly in China, reducing lifetime operating costs by 10–26 percent and contributing to an 11 percent drop in diesel demand.

• And more!

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Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva is calling on nations to commit to a voluntary and "self-determined" fossil-fuel phaseout roadmap at COP30. Debate continues over how aggressive nations should be and how such a roadmap should be enforced. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/16/have-courage-to-create-fossil-fuel-phaseout-roadmap-at-cop30-brazilian-minister-urges

Sodium-Ion Batteries That Work at -100°C

Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated a sodium-ion battery capable of operating reliably in extreme cold. The pouch cell was tested with real wind and solar inputs, raising possibilities for remote, polar, and space applications.

Lightning Round

At COP30 there are 50 fossil-fuel lobbyists for every delegate from the Philippines.

The IEA's latest oil-demand forecast assumes no EV growth outside China and Europe—an assumption that defies basic economics and was influenced by Trump-era pressure.

Sky debuts a silent, zero-emission hydrogen + sodium battery power system for film and TV sets. Story: https://fcw.sh/RgGKB0

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A YouTuber powers his entire home using batteries pulled from disposable vapes. It's an ingenious (if slightly dangerous) recycling project that shows how creative energy storage can get.

Germany — the country that started the global solar revolution — actually has worse solar potential than Saskatchewan's darkest month! Still, by inspiring the boom that made solar cheap and widespread, Germany paved the way for countries like China to dominate solar manufacturing today.

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Also this week: coal mines are heating homes in the UK, Nissan sells its HQ to stay afloat, Toyota delays its solid-state EV battery (again), and a giant Australian grid battery survives a major failure.

The Lightning Round COP conference coverage vs. cruise ads, Spain nearly coal-free, edible road salt in Sweden, Texas breaks a November heat record, and Germany launches Europe's largest battery storage project.

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Australia's new "solar sharer" program will give every household three hours of free solar power a day—even if they don't have panels! It's a bold experiment to shift energy use to the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.

In California, the state quietly pulled the plug on its long-delayed e-bike rebate program, shuffling the remaining funds into clean car subsidies instead. The hosts argue it's a short-sighted move that favors more expensive solutions over the most efficient ones.

Meanwhile, South Korea now requires solar canopies over large parking lots nationwide—providing clean power, shade, and EV charging. The hosts also mark ten years since the Paris Accord and look back at how renewables blew past early forecasts.

Other stories include Kia's big EV push into Japan, Chery's 800-mile solid-state battery breakthrough, and listener mail about Chinese automakers.

The Lightning Round: Waymo expands robotaxis to new cities, Hyundai's global EV sales surge 47%, France tops global energy efficiency rankings, and a shocking stat—rising heat now kills one person every minute.

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European automakers are scrambling to form new alliances to dodge massive EU fines for missing EV targets. Tesla sits at the center of an ever-growing web of carbon-credit partnerships, giving traditional automakers a lifeline as they rush to electrify.

In the courts, youth-led climate lawsuits are heating up on both sides of the border. Canada is seeing its first-ever federal climate trial — La Rose v. His Majesty the King — arguing that government inaction violates young people's Charter rights. And in the U.S., a recent dismissal of the "kids versus Trump" case may still pave the way for future climate victories after a judge called climate change a "children's health emergency."

Plus, a new company wants to store clean energy under the sea using giant saltwater bladders — like a pumped hydro system without the mountains. Google also backs plans to restart an old nuclear plant in Iowa to secure 25 years of zero-carbon power.

And in the Lightning Round:

• Two proposed AI data centers would use as much energy as five cities.
• North Dakota's power prices fall as coal declines.
• China rebrands "semi-solid-state" batteries.
• The last coal plant in New England shuts down — for good.

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