Factor This

A roundup of global energy turmoil after the Iran conflict and how fuel dependence shapes geopolitics. Discussion of Asia reverting to coal as gas supplies are squeezed. Warnings about aging U.S. grids and the national security risks they pose. Big Tech’s experiments with virtual power plants and home batteries to cover data center demand. Britain’s new rules requiring solar panels and heat pumps for new homes.

Matt Wakefield, Director of Information, Communication & Cyber Security Research at EPRI, researches advanced metering, DER data use cases, and grid cybersecurity. He contrasts old meter-focused AMI thinking with a capability-first NextWave AMI. He highlights grid visibility, DER integration, stacked benefits from platform upgrades, and the need to align people, processes, and data governance.

Jennifer McDermott, a reporter for the Associated Press who covered Revolution Wind, discusses the project now sending power to New England. She talks about how Revolution Wind pushed past legal and security hurdles. She outlines the uncertain permitting landscape for future offshore wind and previews Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind as the next milestone.

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Chuck McCutcheon from Axios, who wrote about a new coalition of companies, including tech giants like Google and Tesla, which is aiming to make better use of underutilized capacity on the U.S. power gridThis week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Samir Pendse, CEO at Coral. New York–based Coral provides instant rebates for energy and HVAC upgrades and recently raised $7.5 million in pre-seed and seed funding. The company is working to expand access to affordable financing for sustainable home upgrades at a time when energy bills are rising. Congratulations, Samir!This Week in Cleantech — March 13, 2026 Jefferies Makes the Case to Double Down on Clean Tech Investments — BloombergDemand for AI Data Centers Sends Prospectors Hunting for Land and Power – The New York TimesSolar group takes revenge on Chip Roy over tax credits — E&E NewsThe Electric: Its Sales Sliding, BYD Fights Back With a New Battery — The InformationExclusive: Google, Tesla unite to fight energy costs — AxiosWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

Don McPhail, VP of Market Development at eSmart Systems with ~20 years in energy, spotlights AI-driven imagery and digital twins for grid resilience. He discusses shifting from asset-focused fixes to community-first planning. Conversation covers how high-res imagery reveals tiny defects, why AI finds more issues, and how digitization creates audit trails and measurable value.

Evan Halper, investigative reporter for The Washington Post who covers energy and politics. He walks through why some MAGA influencers are warming to solar. The conversation touches on politics, economics, and how data centers and affordability are reshaping Republican attitudes. Short, topical, and timely.

Elizabeth Weiss, USA Today reporter who maps county-level roadblocks to wind and solar. She discusses how local bans and copy‑paste ordinances are spreading. She explores the roles of social media, newcomer cultural dynamics, and common objections like viewscape and farmland loss. Short, sharp reporting that tracks the rising web of local resistance to renewables.

Brian Fellon, Senior VP of Power Solutions at Expansive, brings energy markets and trading experience to utility-scale battery planning. He discusses why digital control and algorithms are becoming central to battery value. He covers scaling from pilots to gigawatt storage, pairing batteries with renewables for firm power, and using storage to manage volatile demand and avoid costly grid upgrades.

Arcelia Martin, reporter for Inside Climate News covering energy and climate, explains how retired EV batteries are being repurposed to support Texas’s grid. She talks about the B2U project reusing batteries as storage. Conversations cover scalability, tradeoffs between reuse and recycling, performance and maintenance, and broader grid and material impacts.

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Matthew Daly from The Associated Press, who wrote about how the EPA has rescinded the 2009 “endangerment finding,” the scientific and legal basis under the Clean Air Act that allowed the federal government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to address climate change.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Brian Hurley, executive director of Friends of Deckers Creek. He and his team are turning toxic, rust-orange acid coal mine drainage into clean water again with low-tech pond systems that bring back fish, salamanders, and frogs. And the cleanup is now helping recover rare earth minerals too, turning pollution into a resource that can fund even more restoration. Congratulations, Brian!This Week in Cleantech — February 13, 2026 Are faked public comments about to tank an Ohio solar farm? — Canary MediaTrump Administration Is Delaying Hundreds of Wind and Solar Projects — The New York TimesWind and solar beat fossil fuels in EU power mix in 2025, energy think tank says — ReutersGeothermal could replace almost half of the EU’s fossil fuel power — GristTrump's EPA revokes scientific finding that underpinned US fight against climate change — The Associated PressWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com