Factor This

Andy Quick, former Entergy Chief AI Officer now advising utilities at Noteworthy AI, brings decades of utility and AI experience. He discusses how AI became the sector’s biggest disruptor. He outlines where AI adds value, how to choose buy versus build, and the need for organizational champions. He stresses prioritizing real problems, confronting change, and aiming for transformational uses.

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 Jeff St John from Canary Media, who reported on a 21 gigawatt solar and battery storage project in California, which is potentially the largest project of its kind in the world.This week's "Cleantechers of the Week" are Tim Sahay and Kate Mackenzie, hosts of the brand new podcast, The Polycrisis. This podcast will cover geopolitics, climate change, finance and industry. This Week in Cleantech — April 03, 2026 What Americans Really Pay For Electricity — Heatmap NewsTop energy developer warns on overbuilding power supplies for AI — The Financial TimesUS AI Data Center Expansion Relies on Chinese Electrical Equipment Imports — BloombergA Winter Without Snow Depletes Europe’s Clean Energy Reservoir — Bloomberg‘We’re harvesting the sun’: A huge solar project grows in California — Canary MediaWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

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.