Factor This

Factor This
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Jul 7, 2025 • 20min

This Week in Cleantech (07/07/2025) - How can data centers become more flexible?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Maeve Allsup from Latitude Media, who wrote about how a a new startup allowed an Oracle data center using Nvidia GPUs to cut its power consumption 25% during hours of peak grid demand without sacrificing performance.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is JoeBen Bevirt, founder of Joby Aviation, a company developing electric air taxis for commercial passenger service. This week, its electric air taxi completed a series of piloted, vertical-takeoff-and-landing wingborne flights in Dubai. Congratulations, JoeBen! This Week in Cleantech — July 07, 2025 Ford Forced to Idle Multiple US Plants on China Magnet Shortage – BloombergChina's Clean Energy Boom Could Win the Race to Power the Future – New York TimesClimate threat to U.S. infrastructure is accelerating. Here's what's most at risk – CNBCRed States–And AI–Are Big Losers From Trump’s Clean Energy Massacre – ForbesNvidia and Oracle tapped this startup to flex a Phoenix data center – Latitude 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
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Jun 27, 2025 • 21min

This Week in Cleantech (06/27/2025) - Can we meet climate goals without fixing our food?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Michael Grunwald from the Atlantic, who wrote aobut how we won’t meet climate goals without fixing our food system.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Kakani Katija, creator of the gaming app FathomVerse. This summer, Katija’s team plans to test an AI underwater robot that will search for specific marine species and collect data. The goal is to deploy a fleet of underwater AI-enabled drones constantly monitoring marine animals to gain insight into the ocean’s impact on global climate.This Week in Cleantech — June 27, 2025 The U.S. Gave Up Its Lead in Clean Energy Sectors Before. It Might Be Doing It Again. — The Wall Street JournalBlackouts, Brownouts, and Freaked-Out Grid Operators: The Summer of Load Has Arrived — Heatmap News‘Throwing us off a cliff’: Megabill could derail hundreds of planned clean energy projects — POLITICONew York to Build One of First U.S. Nuclear-Power Plants in Generation — The Wall Street JournalHumanity Can Quit Fossil Fuels—But Not Food — The AtlanticWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Jun 25, 2025 • 38min

Preparing the grid for the climate of tomorrow

Laura Fischer and Andrea Staid from EPRI’s Energy Systems and Climate Analysis Group discuss the Climate READi initiative, which aims to bolster the power sector's resilience against climate risks. They highlight the collaborative efforts of over 40 utilities and various organizations in creating standardized guidance. The duo dives into the complexities of climate impacts on utility infrastructure and the need for improved data practices. They also emphasize the importance of workforce knowledge transfer and making climate data publicly accessible to enhance collaboration.
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Jun 23, 2025 • 20min

This Week in Cleantech (06/23/2025) - Is Trump crippling climate research?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Scott Waldman from E&E News, who wrote about how the Trump administration is "crippling" the government’s ability to research global warming.This week's "Cleantechers of the Week" are the slain and wounded MN legislators, Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman. Rep. Hortman was the key legislative leader who shepherded Minnesota’s landmark climate and clean energy bill in 2023. With the passage of that legislation, Minnesota became the 22nd state in the nation to commit to 100% carbon-free electricity, requiring the state’s investor-owned utilities to be fully carbon-free by 2040.This Week in Cleantech — June 23, 2025The winners and losers of the Senate's take on the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' – Factor This!The U.S. invested in EV battery plants. Now they may be stranded – The Washington PostEnergy Abundance Won’t Fix Electricity Bills – The AtlanticWhat a pioneering project means for ocean carbon removal – TrellisHow Trump’s assault on science is blinding America to climate change – E&E NewsWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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Jun 6, 2025 • 16min

This Week in Cleantech (06/06/2025) - Trump wants to repurpose Biden's green bank

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Ari Natter from Bloomberg, who wrote about how the Trump administration plans to repurpose Biden’s $400 billion green bank to fund loans for nuclear, geothermal, and critical mineral projectsThis week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Mayor Mondale Robinson of Enfield, North Carolina. He led a plan to build a solar farm, resilience hub, and weatherization center in Enfield, cutting $650 monthly energy bills, replacing crumbling grid infrastructure, and using clean energy to bring jobs and economic independence to a historically Black, underserved rural community.This Week in Cleantech — June 6, 2025The Supreme Court Just Started a Permitting Revolution — HeatmapU.S. Oil Companies Are ‘Battening Down the Hatches’ — The New York TimesWhy Wind And Solar Make Grids More Vulnerable to Blackouts — The Wall Street JournalChinese battery glut plugs into solar boom to power Pakistan — The Financial TimesTrump Plans to Tap Biden’s Green Bank to Make Billions in Loans — BloombergWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 30, 2025 • 20min

This Week in Cleantech (05/30/2025) - The solar industry needs a win

In this episode, the hosts discuss BYD's impressive achievement of surpassing Tesla in European EV sales. They also tackle a pivotal court ruling that questions the administration's tariff policies, which could reshape the clean tech landscape. Attention turns to the future of nuclear energy with new executive orders, while the solar industry faces challenges from potential legislative changes in Ohio. The highlights include a creative student project that showcases the power of solar energy, embodying the hope for a brighter, greener future.
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May 23, 2025 • 18min

This Week in Cleantech (05/22/2025) - A breakthrough in EV batteries?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Jack Ewing from The New York Times, who wrote about how Massachusetts start-up Factorial Energy, led by Siyu Huang, has successfully tested its solid-state battery in a Mercedes-Benz EQS sedanThis week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Carlo Angeles, of the Biodiversity Credit Alliance who posted about how defaunation is breaking our forests. He shared that there is a 68% decrease in forest regeneration when key dispersers are gone, along with other information that we’ll include in our episode writeup. Congratulations, Carlo!This Week in Cleantech — May 22, 2025 Tax bill passed by House Republicans would gut Biden-era clean energy tax credits –– AP NewsSwiss Clean-Energy Startup Produces Diesel From Solar Power –– The Wall Street JournalTrump orders the government to stop enforcing rules he doesn’t like –– The Washington PostRenewable Energy Is Booming in Texas. Republicans Want to Change That. –– The New York TimesA Decade-Long Search for a Battery That Can End the Gasoline Era –– The New York TimesWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 16, 2025 • 18min

This Week in Cleantech (05/16/2025) - Is it time for a zeppelin resurgence?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Nico Rivero from The Washington Post, who wrote about how some startups are are reviving zeppelins as a low-emissions option for cargo and tourism.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is one of our previous ‘This Week in Cleantech’ guests, Michael Thomas, founder at Cleanview and Distilled. He analyzed Cleanview data showing that 78% of post-IRA clean energy projects—and $100 billion in investment—benefit Republican districts, warning that repealing the IRA would hurt those communities most. Congratulations, Michael!This Week in Cleantech — May 16, 2025 US House targets big climate, clean energy rollbacks in budget proposal — ReutersHow Donald Trump blew the offshore wind industry off course — The VergeHow this coal company could help break U.S. dependence on China for rare earths — CNBCEnergy prices push chemicals groups to explore exit from Europe — The Financial TimesWhy these start-ups think zeppelins could be the future of air travel — The Washington PostNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 14, 2025 • 17min

Utilities, data centers, and grid flexibility: How does the customer benefit?

Tell us what you think of the show! Utilities are doing all they can to accommodate large load customers like AI data centers, but some worry those efforts come at a cost to other customers. On this episode of the Factor This podcast, West Monroe Partner Sam Uyeno explains how the proliferation of data centers could actually lower electricity prices. In a far-reaching discussion, Uyeno and host Paul Gerke touch on demand flexibility, the potential benefits of AI in grid planning, and the complexities of co-location and supply chain issues. Uyeno also previews his participation in the upcoming DTECH Data Centers & AI event in San Jose, California.Want to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com
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May 9, 2025 • 21min

This Week in Cleantech (05/09/2025) - Are Trump's cleantech cuts undermining his mineral plans?

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 in 15 minutes or less featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week’s episode features special guest Alex Kaufman, who wrote for the The Atlantic about how Trump’s administration is fast-tracking domestic mining projects, pushing executive orders and green-lighting new rare earth and mineral ventures to reduce reliance on foreign sources like China.This week's "Cleantecher of the Week" is Meredith Connolly, who shared a story from her first road trip in an electric vehicle. Charging her car cost just $22, but the station was in front of a Target so she ended up spending more inside the store than she did on charging. Her point: businesses should want EV chargers, because they bring in more customers.This Week in Cleantech — May 6, 2025Why Going Nuclear Is the Only Good Choice: Merryn Talks Money — BloombergRepublicans say EVs don’t pay their fair share. Here’s the math. — The Washington PostIndia Sees a Future Making Solar Panels for Itself, and Maybe the World — The New York TimesUnited Bets on Photosynthesis and Limestone to Fuel Net-Zero Flight Path — The Wall Street JournalThe Missing Part of Trump’s Minerals Math — The AtlanticNominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.com

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