243 episodes
Volts David Roberts
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- News
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4.8 • 396 Ratings
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Volts is a podcast about leaving fossil fuels behind. I've been reporting on and explaining clean-energy topics for almost 20 years, and I love talking to politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world's most important fight. (Volts is entirely subscriber-supported. Sign up!)
www.volts.wtf
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The energy transition's 5 supervillains and 5 superheroes
In this episode, longtime clean-energy analyst Michael Liebreich assesses five causes for pessimism about the net-zero transition, alongside five causes for optimism.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe -
Making geothermal heat pumps work for big buildings
In this episode, Joselyn Lai of Bedrock Energy describes hardware and software improvements that enable geothermal heat pumps to be installed more quickly and less expensively, even in large commercial and industrial buildings in tight urban spaces.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe -
Rising electricity demand requires new gas plants? Not so fast.
What’s the best way to handle rising US electricity demand? Contrary to what some large utilities and regulators think, it’s not building new fossil gas plants. In this episode, Eric Gimon and Michelle Solomon, coauthors of a new report from policy shop Energy Innovation, make the case that utilities have more effective options to address both short- and long-term demand.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe -
Why "transferable" tax credits are such a big deal
The Inflation Reduction Act made it much easier for companies to sell clean energy tax credits that they cannot make use of themselves. In this episode, CEO Alfred Johnson of Crux Climate explains how this seemingly wonky tweak has created a market that is already providing billions in new clean-energy investment.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe -
What's going on with China these days?
Is China on track to reduce its carbon emissions? If so, why is it building so much coal power? In this episode, researcher Lauri Myllyvirta brings data to bear on China’s recent decarbonization efforts and helps demystify the country’s larger intentions.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe -
Fashion's climate impact and how to reduce it
In this episode, I speak with Maxine Bédat, a former fashion startup CEO and founder of the nonprofit New Standards Institute. We talk about the source of the fashion industry's emissions, what can be done to reduce them, the need for regulation, and the right way to think about fast fashion.
This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe
Customer Reviews
Clean energy, explained
David Roberts has incredible curiosity about all things energy and a keen intellect in analyzing new ideas from his backgrounds in philosophy and journalism. If you want to hear everything from policy to financing to grid operation to novel forms of clean energy explained in layman’s terms with humor and wit, this is the podcast for you.
Consistently great guests
I keep coming back to this podcast (I’m a subscriber) because the content is always on point and the guests are amazing. The questions from the host are incisive and the discussion is always engaging. Can’t rate this highly enough.
Best Energy Podcast
Can there really be a “best” energy podcast? I’m not sure, but this is consistently a great listen, informative, with new content. I always learn something, and sometimes I learn a lot! Keep it up Dr. Volts!