Cleaning Up: Leadership in an Age of Climate Change The Electrotech Revolution Will Not Be Fossilized | Ep231: Kingsmill Bond
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Nov 3, 2025 
Kingsmill Bond, a strategist at Ember and co-author of the Electrotech Revolution report, discusses a radical shift from fossil fuels to electrified technologies. He argues that this transition represents abundance, not sacrifice. The conversation covers how solar and wind are outpacing fossil fuels globally and the implications of China's leadership in the energy sector. Bond emphasizes the need for Western nations to adapt and compete. They also touch on how sectors like transport are nearing fossil peaks and the significant role of heat pumps in decarbonization.
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Personal Berlin Memory From 1989
- Kingsmill Bond recounts being in Berlin on 10 November 1989 while studying German in Munich.
- He describes that night as feeling like 'freeing Europe', which shaped his connection to the city.
Peaks Hidden Below Global Averages
- Fossil fuel demand peaks are visible in many countries and sectors though headline global fossil use can still grow.
- China drives most recent electricity-sector fossil growth, but its solar and wind rise now signals an electricity peak there too.
Build New Before Breaking Old
- Build the new electrified system before trying to retire the fossil system; focus on scale first, then squeeze the old.
- Prioritize deploying affordable electrotech at volume to enable later reduction of fossil assets.
