A special live, on-location episode of The Power Connect this past weekend as we went to the Forward Party Kickoff Convention at the Bayou City Event Center on the southside of Houston. The event was headlined by Froward Party Founder Andrew Yang, former Presidential candidate who tells folks what the party is about and shares their thoughts on energy independence and what’s needed for the US to stay energy independent. Former NJ Governor and EPA Chairman Christine Todd Whitman is also part of the movement and talks climate change and whether the Inflation Reduction Act does enough and we round it out with local Houston politician Bill King who says the Forward Party isn’t planning on an immediate impact - but has something else in mind.

Fore more on the Forward Party.

It’s easy to see why folks love working in the solar and renewables field when you meet people like Devin Paris. The Sales Director of Solar Foundations USA, Paris found his way into solar sales through a LinkedIn because he needed a gig and 13 years later he works for the premier solar racking company in the United States. A doting father to boot, Paris talks his journey in solar, how Made In America kept Solar Foundations USA one step ahead of its competition during the pandemic and with the ongoing supply chain issues and he dishes on what’s made him a better sales person over his career and more. It’s a fun conversation with a great person.

Learn more about Devin Paris and Solar Foundations USA.

I had to kick things up a notch for Episode 40 and did so in a big way with longtime writer, professor and celebrated author Robert Jensen. With 16 books to his credit, Jensen discusses what might be his most controversial piece, ‘An Inconvenient Apocalypse,’ which he co-wrote with another legendary scribe, Wes Jackson. In the book, Jensen and Jackson’s take an unpopular stance in terms of how the current global climate crisis will fare - that it’s not going to end well for civilization regardless of what measures are taken. In this episode, Jensen also shares the feedback he’s received on the book and how there is a growing contingent of folks who believe a societal collapse is inevitable and that it’s preparation on the other side of the collapse that’s most important. He details how crises of consumption and meaning are at the root of the impending calamity and that a societal fix isn’t likely. But this isn’t some doomsday prophecy and Jensen shares how love has fueled this project that’s been more than 40 years in the making.

Learn more about Robert Jensen and purchase his book here.

A talented and determined entrepreneurial type makes their way to the United States from Austria and immediately makes an impact in the space and educates - and entertains - the masses along the way… Sound familiar? Of course it does and that’s the path Dr. Veronika Wright aka ‘Electrified Veronika’ has charted since her arrival in the United States less than two years ago and the Social Entrepreneur and Battery Expert is on her way to becoming a household name in the battery and electrification space. Author of the book, ‘The Drive to Electric,’ Wright has an inspiring story of love, dedication and the ‘Gilmore Girls’ that have led to her Electrified Veronika brand and the latest project she and her husband, Don, have taken up as they convert a ‘99 Jeep Wrangler to an EV.

Learn more about husband Don Wright and Veronika and their Jeep Conversion Journey.

In a nearly 30 year career in the automotive industry, there’s not much when it comes to technology and performance that Don Wright hasn’t seen. That’s why when he talks about makes electric vehicles so appealing, he’s coming from a place of honesty and experience, and he breaks all that down in today’s episode. Wright discusses the challenges EV’s are facing when it comes to infrastructure and improving battery life and sourcing, but he also explains how the circular economy plays a vital role in the evolution of the EV moving forward. Plus, in this first part of back-to-back husband and wife episodes, Don shares how his wife’s love of the TV Show ‘Gilmore Girls’ inspired their current ‘99 Jeep Wrangler EV conversion experiment.

Learn more about Don Wright and his wife Veronica and their Jeep EV conversion.

The Great Resignation was one of the effects of Covid and after 25 years working for a billion-dollar behemoth like Enterprise Rental Cars, Brett Frazee decided it was time to chart his own path as well, and took a plunge into the Venture Capital world. Now, the 50-something entrepreneur is using those skills that made him successful at Enterprise and transitioning into the mobility and micromobility space as a Partner with EFO Ventures. In today’s discussion, Brett tells us how a cross-country trip with his family spurred the bug to make a move; how crowded the sustainability and mobility space is right now for investing; how much going with your gut is the decision maker plus why incubation may be more important that the initial investment.

Learn more about EFO Ventures and Brett Frazee.

Sometimes you meet folks who look and sound exactly like their name - and Hawkins ‘Hawk’ Dunlap fits that bill. This 32-year Oilfield Veteran from Longview, Texas may not look like a global businessman and world traveler at first glance, but after a few minutes you realize this man has seen firsthand what oil and gas means to the global economy and the importance of investing in oil and gas wells. From West Texas to Singapore and hundreds of points in between, Dunlap shares how he got his start as as well control specialist; the causes of well fires across the globe; the mercenary nature of his job; how Nigeria is doing a better job than his home state at capping wells and how a Covid forced him back home - and a chance meeting with Sarah Stogner led him to helping out her campaign. It’s a helluva podcast debut from one of the more well-traveled oil and gas professionals in the world.

Learn more about Hawk Dunlap.

From defending his country as a Navy Pilot to now defending his country’s energy independence, Michael Eyman is leading the charge at Origis Services with doses of optimism, diligence and realism. In today’s episode, Eyman, the Managing Director for Origis Services, shares its genesis and why joining them made sense for him personally and professionally; why litigation isn’t always the answer; the need for more transparency in the solar industry and how the Inflation Reduction Act might make things a little more difficult before it gets better in the renewable sector. Eyman also shares the big Day Zero event happening at the Origis Operations Center in October that’s been postponed the last two years - thanks to you guessed it - Covid. Definitely one of the best Power Connect episodes yet - Eyman pulls no punches and makes it clear that Origis Services is ready to take the lead in solar and renewable operational excellence.

Learn more about Origis, Origis Services and Michael Eyman.

Data collection leading to better energy efficiency? It’s one thing to suggest it and it’s another thing to demonstrate it. However UtilityAPI Founder and CTO Daniel Roesler and his team have uncovered that and more in the last eight years since they looked to streamline and improve the process in which companies acquired utility billing information and now UtilityAPI has become the go-to clean data collection company leading the energy transition. They’ve also become active in the data and consent regulatory space and are helping municipalities and companies alike achieve better energy efficiency - and - why Daniel says you won’t see UtilityAPI joining the analytics fray anytime soon.

Learn more about UtilityAPI and Daniel Roesler.

What makes someone detour from acting to climate activism? We ask that of Aria McKenna, who spent years honing her craft as an actress but the pull to do improve the planet for her daughter was even more important so she combined both loves and is now both a climate activist and working to bring more green entertainment to the small and big screen. Aria shares her story and details what viewers will learn on her newest program, Becoming the Change, and she details how she’s trying to make climate a more prominent story line in entertainment without it always having to be doom or gloom or documentary style. It’s a marvelous story about making two passions work together.

Learn more about Becoming the Change and Aria McKenna.