This is a partner podcast episode, brought to you by Intersect Power.

The U.S. grid is in trouble. It's old; it's really hard to build new transmission lines; and that is limiting the amount of wind and solar we can add to the system.

Sheldon Kimber, Founder and CEO of the clean energy developer Intersect Power, says the grid is “broken.” But he has a plan to get around those constraints. 

In this episode, produced in partnership with Intersect Power, Sheldon Kimber talks with Stephen Lacey about creative strategies for building renewables that don't rely on overhauling the grid. 

If you want to read more about Sheldon's vision on how this strategy will play out, he has an op-ed published at Latitude Media. 

Intersect Power is a clean energy company bringing innovative and scalable low-carbon solutions to its customers in global energy markets. The company develops, owns, and operates some of the world’s largest clean energy resources – providing low-carbon electricity, fuels, and related products to customers for U.S. consumption and international export. Learn more about Intersect's projects and business model.

Microsoft was an early mover in integrating OpenAI’s LLM into its Azure cloud services. And now every part of Microsoft’s technology stack — from cloud infrastructure to data analytics to consumer apps — will be “reimagined” for the AI era, said Nadella. As a result, every industry will inevitably be impacted by AI.

Utilities will also find themselves at the center of this shift, even if most aren’t yet actively investing in AI for grid management. Generative AI will increasingly start to influence back-office operations and customer support inside utilities for “focus and efficiency,” explained Microsoft’s Hanna Grene, on stage at Latitude Media’s Transition-AI: New York conference.

This week, we feature a conversation from our Transition-AI conference with Hanna. We talk with her about how large language models and other forms of artificial intelligence are making their way inside utilities – and why AI isn't as intimidating as it seems.

If you want more news and analysis like this in your inbox, subscribe to Latitude Media's newsletter and Canary Media's newsletter.

This episode of Carbon Copy is brought to you by the Energy Show, hosted by Barry Cinnamon. Questioning if that cool new product or service really pencils out for customers? Curious about customer adoption of IRA policies? Wondering how the grid can keep up with home electrification? For the real-world scoop on clean energy technologies with a focus on the customer perspective, don’t miss the Energy Show at www.energyshow.biz.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

Wind, solar and batteries have seen steady, fairly predictable cost drops over the last two decades. But a combination of pressures – supply chain turmoil, grid constraints, interest rates, labor costs – has raised costs for products and projects. And they’re challenging the commercial viability of emerging sectors like offshore wind and hydrogen.

So how will the market work through this inflationary blip? And are there other policy interventions to ease pressures? This week: we’ll explore the inflation problem for clean energy.

Then, the International Energy Agency says peak fossil fuel consumption is upon us. But what does that actually mean? We’ll put the “peak” into perspective. 

Joining us this week are Katherine Hamilton of 38 North, Michael O’Boyle of Energy Innovation, and Maria Gallucci of Canary Media.

Stories we mention in this episode:

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This episode of Carbon Copy is brought to you by the Energy Show, hosted by Barry Cinnamon. Questioning if that cool new product or service really pencils out for customers? Curious about customer adoption of IRA policies? Wondering how the grid can keep up with home electrification? For the real-world scoop on clean energy technologies with a focus on the customer perspective, don’t miss the Energy Show at www.energyshow.biz.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The industrial sector is set to overtake power generation and transportation as the biggest source of planet warming emissions in the US by 2035, according to The Rhodium Group.

The sector’s impact is even greater on the global scale. Industry around the world accounts for more carbon dioxide emissions than all forms of transportation combined – largely driven by steel, cement, and chemicals.

There are a lot of ways to decarbonize industry, but the pathways are much less clear than for electricity or automobiles. 

In this episode, we’re joined by Jeff St. John, Maria Galluci, and Julian Spector, who’ve been exploring the varied paths for cleaning up the products that are foundational to the world around us.

Stories we mention in this episode:

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Savant Power. Savant’s end-to-end power systems provide energy generation, inverter and battery storage, generator control, flexible load management for every circuit, and level two EV charging. Learn more about the only company that can deliver an integrated smart home and energy solution controlled via a single award-winning app at Savant.com.

There are a lot of quarterly ups and downs in venture dollars deployed across climatetech. But the trend is generally up. Since 2021, more than 200 new climate investment funds have been created with $121 billion under management, according to CTVC.

Earlier this month, Canary Media Editorial Director Eric Wesoff explored the evolved state of climate investing at Canary Media's live event in Berkeley. 

The panel included: Nancy Pfund, managing partner at DBL Investors; Mona EINaggar, a partner at Valo Ventures, and Elaine Hseih, a senior advisor at the US Department of Energy.

They discussed what sectors are most promising, the pathways to commercial success, and what America’s green industrial strategy means for investors.

This episode is brought to you by SPAN, a smart electrical panel that helps homeowners save on their energy bills. Interested in having a SPAN Panel installed in your home? Visit span.io to learn more.

This episode is brought to you by Nextracker, a leading provider of intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used in solar projects around the world. Learn more at Nextracker.com.

California is at a crossroads. The state has already installed nearly 1.8 million rooftop solar systems, 5 gigawatts of batteries, and 1.6 million electric cars. But it is also facing some serious challenges.

The list is long: controversial policy changes, extreme weather threats, and backlogs – lots and lots of backlogs.

It is facing serious backlogs in interconnecting utility-scale solar and storage projects, keeping fossil gas-fired power plants open that were supposed to shut down years ago. And that’s not even counting the gigawatts of offshore wind, geothermal power, long-duration energy storage and other clean, firm resources called for in the state’s long-term plans — none of which we’ve built yet. 

This week, Jeff St. John, Canary Media’s director of news, sits down with three prominent people who are trying to move the state forward: State Senator Josh Becker; GRID Alternatives Executive Director Arthur Bart-Williams; and California Solar and Storage Association Executive Director Bernadette Del Chiaro. 

This conversation was recorded live at Canary Live: Bay Area.

We have a flash sale for Transition-AI: New York through October 9th. Use the code FLASH30 to get 30% off your ticket price to our event on AI + energy. Spots are limited, so don't miss out!

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a public relations, strategic messaging, and social media agency dedicated to elevating the work of climate and clean energy companies. Learn more about FischTank’s approach to cleantech and their services: fischtankpr.com.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Sungrow. Now in more than 150 countries, Sungrow’s solutions include inverters for utility-scale, commercial & industrial solar, plus energy storage systems. Learn more at us.sungrowpower.com.

Just as the auto industry resolves supply chain problems from the Covid pandemic, a new disruptive force has emerged: labor disputes.

Nearly 20,000 American auto workers are on strike as they ask for higher pay. At the heart of their concerns: will the shift to electric cars make them worse off? 

We’ll look at a strike that is raising big questions about how to support the companies making electric vehicles for the masses – and support the workers who make them. 

Then: the push for green steel. Are automakers critical for getting low- and zero-carbon steel into mass production?

Finally, as the presidential campaign gets noisier, we look at how Republicans are talking about climate and energy.

Joining us this week are Maria Gallucci of Canary Media and Katherine Hamilton of 38 North.

Stories we mention in this episode:

Don’t forget to grab your tickets for Transition-AI: New York and Canary Live: Bay Area, coming up in October.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Savant Power. Savant’s end-to-end power systems provide energy generation, inverter and battery storage, generator control, flexible load management for every circuit, and level two EV charging. Learn more about the only company that can deliver an integrated smart home and energy solution controlled via a single award-winning app at Savant.com.

Renewables and electric vehicles are on a tear, and they’ll soon likely attract $2 trillion in yearly investment. But global emissions have not peaked. 

So what are the new frontiers of technology that will make renewables and storage more valuable – and draw down emissions at the speed needed?

This week, we’re going to reflect on that question coming out of RE+, a major American conference where our editors were covering emerging tech. 

Then, the battery recycling boom is on. It’s attracting billions of dollars in investment. Will it address supply chain security and a looming waste problem?

Finally, Hawaii’s difficult transition away from coal. Why couldn’t it build renewables and batteries fast enough to fill the gap?

Joining us this week to talk through these stories are Jeff St. John, Julian Spector, and Lisa Martine Jenkins. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Don’t forget your tickets to Transition-AI: New York on October 19th. Our listeners get a 10% discount with the code pspods10.

And make sure to get your seat at Canary Live: Bay Area on October 3rd.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Savant Power. Savant’s end-to-end power systems provide energy generation, inverter and battery storage, generator control, flexible load management for every circuit, and level two EV charging. Learn more about the only company that can deliver an integrated smart home and energy solution controlled via a single award-winning app at Savant.com.

In the last few months, three major projects in Europe and America have been delayed or canceled, thanks to rapidly rising costs. 

Those projects make up more than 10% of current offshore wind capacity in the EU and US, according to Bloomberg. Another 9.7 gigawatts are at risk in America, as developers look to renegotiate contracts.

The complexity of offshore wind magnifies the technical and financial risks. And the financial picture for some projects has worsened over the last two years as inflation has driven up the cost of materials and labor across the supply chain.

This week: offshore wind is taking a hit. We'll talk with Jan Matthiesen, director of offshore wind and maritime decarbonization at The Carbon Trust, about whether financial challenges in the industry will encourage more technical innovation to bring costs down.

Are you looking to understand how artificial intelligence will shape the business of energy? Come network with utilities, top energy firms, startups, and AI experts at Transition-AI: New York on October 19. Our listeners get a 10% discount with the code pspods10.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Savant Power. Savant’s end-to-end power systems provide energy generation, inverter and battery storage, generator control, flexible load management for every circuit, and level two EV charging. Learn more about the only company that can deliver an integrated smart home and energy solution controlled via a single award-winning app at Savant.com.

As the carbon dioxide removal industry grows, engineered solutions like direct-air capture are getting more attention.

According to the IPCC, novel methods for carbon dioxide removal are necessary to meet the Paris climate targets. 

But another UN body, the UNFCCC, recently sparked controversy by concluding in draft language that “engineering-based removal activities…pose unknown environmental and social risks.” That language could have ramifications for how carbon removal gets considered in upcoming international climate negotiations.

Amidst the debate over the role of carbon removal, the US government is stepping up with some large investments in direct-air capture hubs and R&D support for novel technologies, creating a positive signal for the market.

This week, Savvy Bowman, a program manager at ClearPath, joins us to explain what this all means for the future of carbon removal technologies and policies.

Are you looking to understand how artificial intelligence will shape the business of energy? Come network with utilities, top energy firms, startups, and AI experts at Transition-AI: New York on October 19. Our listeners get a 10% discount with the code pspods10.

The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a specialized climatetech PR firm dedicated to bringing meaningful results for companies in sectors spanning grid edge, solar, energy storage, battery, EVs, alternative fuels, VC and green building. FischTank helps clients stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy space. Visit FischTank PR to learn more.

The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Savant Power. Savant’s end-to-end power systems provide energy generation, inverter and battery storage, generator control, flexible load management for every circuit, and level two EV charging. Learn more about the only company that can deliver an integrated smart home and energy solution controlled via a single award-winning app at Savant.com.