Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future
by Megan Kjar
This is Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future—a podcast where we dive into the innovations transforming clean energy and the real business challenges of making sustainability scalable. From breakthrough technology to the tough decisions behind growth, we explore what it takes to build a greener future—at scale.
Episodes
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Why Most Commercial Buildings Are Missing Out on Utility Energy Efficiency Money
Most commercial facilities are sitting on energy efficiency opportunities they don’t even know exist. In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan sits down with Alex Mouton, founder of M3 Services, to discuss the overlooked world of utility-funded energy efficiency projects — and how contractors…
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Energy, Chaos, and Control: What's Really Happening in Global Supply Chains
The energy conversation has never been more complex—or more important. In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, Megan sits down with supply chain expert and author David Jacoby to break down what’s actually happening across global energy markets. With over 30 years of experience...
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The Hidden Climate Problem in Every Grocery Store (And How to Fix It)
In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, Megan Kjar sits down with Fritz Troller, CEO of Thurm, to discuss one of the most overlooked climate opportunities hiding in plain sight: refrigeration and the food supply chain. Refrigerant gases used in grocery stores and cold storage...
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The $10 Trillion Climate Lever Nobody Is Talking About
Most people think their climate impact comes from things like driving an EV, installing solar panels, or reducing waste. But what if the biggest climate impact you have is hidden inside your retirement account? In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, Megan Kjar sits down with...
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What Most Companies Still Don’t Understand About EV Charging
In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan Kjar sits down with Nick Casas, CEO of Uptime EV Charger, to talk about the realities of EV infrastructure deployment in a changing market. Nick shares how Uptime approaches enterprise EV charging rollouts, why the company focuses on transparency and...
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Solving a 100-Year HVAC Problem: How Clean Coils Unlock Massive Energy Savings
Buildings account for roughly 40% of global energy consumption and carbon emissions, yet one of the biggest drivers of that energy use remains largely invisible: HVAC systems. In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, host Megan Kjar sits down with Jim Metropoulos, founder of…
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Why Focus Beats Hustle: Scaling Appadana Energy with Lev Buslovich
What does it take to scale a clean energy company without losing focus, culture, or profitability? In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Lev Buslovich, President of Apadana Energy, to explore leadership lessons behind sustainable growth in clean energy. Lev shares…
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Tribal Autonomy in Renewable Energy
The conversation with Dave Harper delves into the intersection of renewable energy, indigenous sovereignty, and cultural preservation. It highlights the challenges faced by tribal communities in the development of renewable energy projects and the importance of trust, dignity, and collaboration…
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Founder Makes the First Sale: Commercializing Climate Tech Beyond the Lab
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Tim Raines, a climate tech commercialization advisor specializing in SBIR funding and go-to-market strategy. Tim shares what separates successful SBIR applicants from those that stall out—and why technical excellence alone isn’t...
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The Hidden Bottleneck in the Energy Transition (And Why AI Forecasting Changes Everything)
The clean energy transition isn’t just about building more solar and wind — it’s about making the power grid smart enough to handle them. In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Dan Travers, co-founder of Open Climate Fix, to explore how AI-powered forecasting is...
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Solar without Panels? How PowerMarket is scaling Community Solar Nationwide
What if you could benefit from solar energy — without installing panels, investing upfront, or taking on risk? In this episode, Megan Kjar sits down with Jason Kaplan, President of PowerMarket, to explore how community solar is unlocking clean energy savings for renters, apartment dwellers, and...
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Digital Twins and Drones: Reinventing Renewable Asset Management
What if inspecting a wind turbine or solar farm was as simple as pressing a button? In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan sits down with Itai, Chief Revenue Officer at VHive, to explore how AI-powered digital twins are transforming infrastructure management across wind and solar energy.…
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The Iron Man Suit for Climate Investors: How Better Data Is Driving Billions Toward Real Solutions
How do we make sure more capital flows to the right climate solutions? In this episode of Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future, Megan Kjar sits down with Noah Miller, co-founder of Rho Impact, a climate advisory and software company helping investors, consultants, and capital allocators forecast...
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The End of “Dead Lakes”? How Biology Is Replacing Harsh Chemicals
The conversation with Darrell Liski, co-founder of EnBioorganic Technologies, explores the challenges and opportunities in the adoption of biological solutions for environmental problems. It delves into the unique bio-organic treatment system developed by EBioorganic Technologies and the...
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The Uber for Logs: How Tech Is Powering the Carbon Smart Wood Movement
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Jeff Cohen, Head of Sales at Cambium, a pioneering climate-tech company redefining how we value wood. Cambium’s mission is simple but powerful: transform fallen or removed trees into Carbon Smart Wood — durable, traceable lumber...
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Carbon Credits That Actually Work — Grassroots Carbon’s Ground-Up Approach to Climate Impact
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar speaks with Henk Mooiweer, co-founder of Grass Roots Carbon, a Texas-based company helping businesses like Microsoft and Nestlé meet their climate goals by investing in regenerative ranching. Henk explains how mimicking natural grazing patterns...
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Turning Real Estate Green: How EcoSmart Solution Is Revolutionizing Building Efficiency
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Chris Gray, CEO of EcoSmart Solution, to talk about how simplicity, scalability, and strategy are driving the next generation of sustainable real estate. Chris shares how his background—from HVAC technician to PhD in...
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Why Businesses Are Ditching Traditional Cleaners for This 3-Ingredient Solution
What if the most powerful cleaner didn’t come from a bottle of chemicals — but from water, oxygen, and electricity? In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Michael K. Webb, Strategic Partner at CleanCore Solutions, a sustainability company based in Omaha, Nebraska…
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Turning Real Estate Green: How EcoSmart Solution Is Revolutionizing Building Efficiency
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Chris Gray, CEO of EcoSmart Solution, to talk about how simplicity, scalability, and strategy are driving the next generation of sustainable real estate. Chris shares how his background—from HVAC technician to PhD in...
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Micro Turbines, Massive Impact: Recovering Thermal Energy at Scale
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Dave Wells, VP at NLINE Energy, to explore how micro steam turbines are transforming wasted pressure into renewable electricity — without burning additional fuel. With 30 years in the energy industry and a track record in...
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Surviving the Turbulent Energy Market: Strategy, Credits & Long-Term Vision with Brad Pleima
How do companies — from two-person startups to global giants — navigate the chaos of sustainability, regulatory shifts, and volatile energy markets? In this episode, Eco-Engineers President Brad Pleima breaks down how his firm helps organizations understand the carbon markets, calculate lifecycle...
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Fusion in a Box: Avalanche’s Journey to Compact Clean Energy
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Brian Riordan, CEO and Co-Founder of Avalanche Fusion, a Washington-based company pioneering compact fusion energy. Brian shares how his unconventional background in ocean engineering and team-building led him to tackle one of…
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From Waste to Worth: How Rubbish Ideas is Powering the Circular Economy
What if waste was the starting point for innovation? In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Connor, co-founder of Rubbish Ideas, to unpack how circular economy thinking is transforming the events industry — and beyond. Connor shares his journey from growing up with...
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The Solar Coaster: Financing, Resilience, and the Future of Distributed Energy
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Brad Stutzman, founder and CEO of O3 Energy, to discuss the evolution of the solar industry and what it takes to scale renewable energy projects. Brad shares how O3 Energy went from financing “scratch and dent” solar projects to...
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Scaling Climate Solutions from Halifax to the World
How can the ocean help us fight climate change? In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar speaks with Dr. Will from Planetary Technologies, a company pioneering ocean alkalinity enhancement. From his transition from academia to startup science, to Planetary’s milestone of delivering…
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Making Sustainability Tangible: The Veritree Approach to Verified Reforestation
I n this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Derrick Emsley, co-founder and CEO of Tentree and Veritree. Derrick shares his journey from launching his first carbon-offsetting project at age 15 to building Tentree, a global apparel brand planting over 100 million trees, and...
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Beyond Lithium: Joely Michaelson on the Future of Energy Storage
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Joley Michaelson, founder and CEO of The Sun Company. From her early career in healthcare to leading national sales at Tesla and SolarCity, Joley's path to renewable energy has always been driven by values and vision. She shares...
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From Forests to Communities: The For-Profit Model Saving Nature
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar speaks with Anton Espira, co-founder of Eco2Librium, about reimagining conservation through a for-profit lens. Anton shares his journey from tropical forest ecologist to entrepreneur, explains how Eco2Librium develops financially sustainable...
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Breathing Better: How DocAir is Redefining Indoor Air Quality
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Barry Westbrook, founder of DocAir, to explore the hidden world of indoor air quality. Barry shares his journey from engineering and construction to becoming a building scientist and leading DocAir for over 20 years. Together…
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How Molecule Systems is Helping Businesses Double Their Clean Energy ROI
Adam Boucher is no stranger to clean energy innovation. From launching one of the first solar finance companies in the U.S. to now leading Molecule Systems, Adam has always been ahead of the curve. Molecule’s platform enables developers and businesses to rapidly deploy energy management systems…
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The Business of Composting: OrganiCycle’s Journey to a Cleaner, Greener Michigan
When landfills began to overflow in West Michigan, entrepreneur Dan Tietema saw an opportunity — and a responsibility. What began as a simple hauling service in 2011 evolved into Organicycle, a company that now collects, processes, and transforms food, paper, and yard waste into nutrient-rich...
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Earth Recovery Partners: Closing the Funding Gap for Carbon, Water & Biodiversity
In this episode of Green Disruptors, we sit down with George Kelly, founder of Earth Recovery Partners and a veteran of environmental markets. With decades of experience in policy, mitigation banking, and nature-based solutions, George shares how ERP is filling the critical funding gap for…
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Can Race Cars Save the Planet? | Martin Popilka, P1 Fuels
Motorsports might not be the first place you look for climate innovation—but that’s exactly where today’s guest, Martin Popilka, found a powerful proving ground for synthetic fuels. In this episode, Martin shares how P1 Fuels decarbonized everything from Formula One engines to historic rally cars...
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Reforesting Futures: How Forest Gardens Are Restoring Land and Lives
Agroforestry may not be the flashiest climate solution—but it just might be one of the most effective. In this episode of Green Disruptors, Cate O’Kane of Trees for the Future shares how the organization has spent 35 years transforming degraded land into vibrant Forest Gardens across sub-Saharan...
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Turning Ashes into Assets: Brando Crespi’s Vision for Bio-Based Climate Solutions
In this episode of Green Disruptors, we sit down with Brando Crespi, founder of Global Biocarbons, a company turning wildfire-damaged biomass into biochar and sustainable biocarbons that could replace fossil-fuel-based carbon black in cement, plastics, and even electronics. Brando shares his...
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From Grid to Great: How PowerVault Makes Energy Storage Personal
Can a home battery help fight climate change and cut your electricity bill? In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan sits down with Robin, CEO of PowerVault, to explore the role of behind-the-meter energy storage in building a more resilient and intelligent power grid. From the evolution of...
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Reclaiming Hydrogen: How SKYRE is Turning Industrial Waste into Clean Energy Wins
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Mark Lillis, SVP of Engineering at SKYRE, to unpack how his team is tackling one of industry’s best-kept secrets — wasted hydrogen. With a background in electrochemical systems dating back to the Gemini space program, SKYRE is...
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Veteran Roots, Global Reach: Jim Holland’s Mission to Heal Planet and People
What does it say about your business if you're supporting veterans and the environment? According to Jim Holland, it says you're a business that cares. In this inspiring episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Jim — co-founder of Carma, a veteran-founded B-Corp that’s planted...
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Eco-Ethical Lithium: How NextGen is Rethinking Resource Extraction
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Mike Riley, CEO of NextGen, a Utah-based materials startup tackling one of clean tech's biggest challenges: where—and how—we get our critical materials. From pioneering a low-impact method of extracting lithium from waste piles…
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The Future is Flow: Safer, Cleaner Batteries with Tom Chepucavage
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with Tom Chepucavage, co-founder and CEO of Flow Aluminum — an innovative battery startup out of the University of New Mexico. Flow is developing a carbon-negative, aluminum-based battery that’s safer, more sustainable, and...
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From Table to Farm: Rust Belt Riders and the New Compost Economy
In this episode of Green Disruptors, we sit down with Robert, Sales Director and worker-owner at Rust Belt Riders, a Cleveland-based composting co-op transforming food waste into a force for good. Learn how they’re diverting tons of organic waste from landfills, supporting regenerative farming…
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Turning Energy Stress into Opportunity: How N-Response Orchestrates the Grid
How do you scale a clean energy platform that works behind the scenes of everyday businesses — from supermarkets to water pumping stations? In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar sits down with James Muraca, CTO of N-Response, to talk about how their cloud-based automation software…
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Turning Residuals into Results: The BC Biocarbon Story
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar speaks with Pavel Hejsek, CEO of BC Biocarbon, a Canadian cleantech startup turning wood residuals into Blackberry Biochar — a soil amendment that both boosts plant health and traps carbon from the atmosphere. Pavel shares what makes their...
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Turning Waste into Impact: How FoodMesh is Rescuing a Million Meals a Month
Nearly half the food we grow is wasted—but not if Jessica Regan has anything to say about it. In this episode, host Megan Kjar sits down with the founder and CEO of FoodMesh, a Vancouver-based company that’s building a digital marketplace for surplus food. Jessica shares how her team is now…
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Solar 2.0: Scott Wharton on the Perovskite Breakthrough at Tandem PV
Scott Wharton, CEO of Tandem PV, joins Green Disrupters to share how his team is reinventing solar energy with a breakthrough material called perovskite. Tandem PV’s ultra-thin, high-efficiency panels use 90% less energy to produce and deliver 30% more power—while being built right here in the…
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How Arsenic Became an Asset: Rethinking Tailings with Bactech
What if toxic mining waste could actually boost profits and protect the planet? In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan talks with Ross Orr, President and CEO of Bactech Environmental, about a radical shift in mining sustainability. Using bioleaching—aka "bugs eating rocks"—Bactech transforms...
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Solving Every Clean Energy Problem: A New Model for the Future
In this episode, Megan sits down with clean tech veteran Daniel Dus to explore how his platform is transforming the way renewable energy projects are managed and deployed. From system engineering to legal consulting and project delivery, Daniel's team offers a fully integrated solution that...
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The “Gigacorn” Blueprint: Inside AeroSeal’s Global Push to Cut Building Waste
What if climate impact didn’t require behavior change — just better building practices? In this episode of Green Disruptors, Megan sits down with Ross MacPherson of AeroSeal to talk about the power of air sealing. From ductwork to entire building envelopes, AeroSeal’s technology is transforming...
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Scaling Through Uncertainty: The Exactus Energy Story
From Basement Startup to Solar Powerhouse: Exactus Energy’s Path to Resilience In this episode, Megan sits down with Eddie Obeliunas, co-founder and CEO of Exactus Energy, a professional services firm supporting solar projects across North America. Eddie shares the story of how Exactus grew from...
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Trace to Transform: How Sustainium is Simplifying Carbon Accounting for Every Business
In this episode of Green Disruptors, host Megan Kjar talks with Ravi Kiran Polepeddi, co-founder of Sustainium, a sustainability platform helping businesses take control of their carbon footprint—without the complexity. Ravi shares how his childhood in India inspired a lifelong passion for...
About this show
This is Green Disruptors: Scaling the Future—a podcast where we dive into the innovations transforming clean energy and the real business challenges of making sustainability scalable. From breakthrough technology to the tough decisions behind growth, we explore what it takes to build a greener future—at scale.
Hosted by
Megan Kjar