More Than Eight Minutes - Extended Interviews

Send us Fan MailAI data centers are overwhelming the power grid — but the fastest, cheapest, and cleanest solution may already be sitting on rooftops. In this episode, Paul Schuster sits down with Sachu Constantine, Executive Director of Vote Solar, to explore why distributed solar and battery storage are the overlooked key to powering America's AI boom.Paul and Sachu unpack why utilities are struggling to keep pace with unprecedented data center load growth, why quick-fix solutions like repurposed jet engines fall short on cost, efficiency, and community impact, and how rooftop solar paired with storage at the grid edge can deliver speed, flexibility, and clean energy at scale.Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailPaul sits with Tim Christophersen, VP of Climate Action at Salesforce and previously Head of Nature for Climate Branch at UNEP. Tim's recent book, Generation Restoration - How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature, digs deep into the broken bond that we have with our natural world. Paul and Tim discuss not only how we got here in the first place, but what the public and private sector needs to do to help us replenish the natural infrastructure of this planet.For more research:Generation Restoration - How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature - Tim ChristophersenFuture Forests Alliance - World Economic ForumFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailLet us know how we're doing - text us feedback or thoughts on episode contentStates have shifted to the forefront of climate leadership here in the US. And one of the tools that many of these States are employing to make it easier and less risky for individuals and companies to invest behind energy savings has been the Green Bank, a financial institution designed to overcome some of the barriers to financing climate action.Massachusetts set up their Green Bank in a novel way, though. They embedded the institution inside of MassHousing and gave it the dual mandate to address not only climate change, but the challenge of affordable housing as well.So, how are they doing? Paul sits with Maggie Super Church of the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank to understand more about how the entity is delivering on its promise to save energy and costs for Massachusetts homeowners.NOTE: Since this episode was recorded, the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank has officially released their MA Energy Savings Finder. If you're interested in how you can take advantage of these programs, this tool is a great one-stop resource for finding all clean energy incentives, rebates and tax credits for your home.For more research:Maggie Super ChurchMassachusetts Community Climate BankAll In EnergyCape Light CompactCenter for ECO TechnologyMA Energy Savings FinderAbode Energy ManagementFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailWith millions of miles of gas distribution pipelines under our feet, the transition away from gas and toward electrification needs to account for that existing infrastructure somehow. And that comes with risks, not only to gas distribution companies but to their customers as well.Understanding, anticipating and managing these risks is a vital part of a safe, equitable transition. To discuss this topic, Paul is joined by Jan Rosenow of Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP). They really dig into what is needed to decommission an entire industry.For further research:Jan RosenowRegulatory Assistance Project"The elephant in the room: How do we regulate gas transportation infrastructure as gas demand declines?" - Rosenow, Lowes & Kemfert"Planning and regulating Europe’s gas networks: breaking up with fossil gas" - Regulatory Assistance ProjectFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailThe demand for electricity continues to go up. But instead of relying upon utilities to build more dirtier gas and oil fired power plants, a more novel approach is emerging. These Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) aggregate together a number of residential or commercial buildings and adjust demand in order to keep the grid operating optimally.Paul talks with Courtney Blodgett, Co-Founder and Director of Strategy at Edo on how VPPs work and how Edo is helping commercial buildings become powerful grid assets.For further reference:Courtney Blodgett"Sector Spotlight: Virtual Power Plants" - Department of EnergyEdoFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Paul sits with Stephanie Doyle, the California State Affairs Director for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), to discuss the changes that California has implemented to their net metering tariff for rooftop solar.NEM 3.0 (or also known as the Net Billing Tariff (NBT)) has reimagined the solar market in California, dramatically reducing the compensation that homeowners receive for generating excess power while incentivizing investment into battery storage and into disadvantaged communities. One year on from the launch of NEM 3.0 and we have a bit of perspective on how the new tariff is working. Paul and Stephanie dig into what NEM 3.0 is all about and the impact it's having on California's solar market.For further reference:Stephanie Doyle"NEM 3.0 in California: What you need to know" - Energy Sage"One Year In: Tracking the Impacts of NEM 3.0 on California’s Residential Solar Market" - Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory"The fight over the future of rooftop solar in California" - Canary MediaFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn order to meet the ambitious climate goals as enshrined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), the state is about to embark upon a far reaching program to ratchet down emissions from heavy emitters. The Cap and Invest program has a lot of similarities to RGGI and other Cap & Trade efforts, with some key nuances on how New York is planning on using this tool to transition to a clean energy economy.Karsten Barde, Director of US Policy and Regulatory Strategy for National Grid, joins Paul to discuss the construct of the program, who it's likely to impact, and what to expect as it navigates its way through this preliminary structuring phase.For further reference:Karsten BardeNew York Cap and InvestRegional Greenhouse Gas InitiativePreproposal Stakeholder Outreach - Preliminary Scenario AnalysesFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailPhilanthropic giving to climate related causes is woefully small. But charitable dollars have a really important role to play because of their flexibility and different motivations. They can catalyze investment in areas where private or governmental dollars can not.In this episode, Paul sits with Randall Kempner, Senior Advisor to the Aspen Institute to discuss the role of philanthropic dollars in the capital stack, why foundations and donors have not contributed as much, yet, and what is needed to further catalyze this funding source.For the Eight Minutes version, visit hereFor further research:Randall KempnerThe Aspen Institute's Energy & Environment ProgramThe Global Methane HubMuch Alarm, Less Action: Foundations & Climate Change - The Center for Effective PhilanthropyGlobal Energy Alliance for People & PlanetGiving to Amplify Earth Action - World Economic ForumFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailPaul sits with Mike Roeth of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) to discuss the current state of trucking and how that industry is decarbonizing. Although trucks only account for 5-10% of the vehicles on the road, they contribute up to a quarter of the transportation sector's greenhouse gas emissions.But whereas challenges remain to fully decarbonize long haul, heavy duty trucking, Mike and Paul dig into the different use cases and opportunities that the industry has to electrify existing vehicles today.If you want to hear the Eight Minutes overview of Paul's interview with Mike, visit Eight MinutesFor further reference:Mike RoethNorth American Council for Freight EfficiencyCalstart - Medium and Heavy Duty EV Deployment: Data CollectionFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailAbout 70% of New York City's emissions come from their buildings. So, getting a handle on this is super important. As one tool to enact, the city implemented Local Law 97 which not only requires buildings to become more energy efficient and, eventually, to reach net zero emissions - but the law ascribes penalties for properties that fail to meet the ratchet schedule. The first year that these penalties kick into effect is here in 2024.Paul sits down with Luke Surowiec of the New York City Accelerator, a program run by ICF on behalf of the Mayor's Office for Climate and Environmental Justice. Luke is the Accelerator's program director and he and Paul discuss the challenges, opportunities and lessons learned from the implementation of this first-of-a-kind building performance standard.Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIt's been about 6 and a half years since Hurricane Maria laid waste to Puerto Rico's power grid. As the island continues its recovery, it is pioneering a more distributed, renewable and resilient power infrastructure that the rest of us can learn from.In this episode, Paul sits down with Javier Rua of the Solar and Energy Storage Association of Puerto Rico to talk about the recovery process and what's next for the island.For further reference:Javier RuaPuerto Rico Energy Public Policy Act - Act No. 17Fossil-dependent Puerto Rico can fully shift to clean energy by 2050, a two-year federal study says - The IndependentFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailThermal Energy Networks are matriced assemblies of pipes and heat pumps where buildings can not only utilize the heat from the ground beneath us, but repurpose heat from the buildings around us to make certain we're not wasting anything. And, because of that, these systems may be a super efficient and cost effective means to decarbonize large swaths of cities and neighborhoods.Paul sits with Matt Rusteika, Director of Market Transformation at the Building Decarbonization Coalition, to talk about these emerging networks, why they show so much promise, and what's holding them back, so far, from a scaled up, mass roll-out.For further research:Matt RusteikaNeighborhood Scale: The Future of Building DecarbonizationBuilding Decarbonization Coalition WebinarFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Paul is joined by DR Richardson and Jan Keleher of Elephant Energy to discuss the challenges of the residential heat pump market. With an array of federal, state and local incentives, a myriad of technology options, sizing requirements, electrical upgrade decisions and other factors that play into installing these units, Elephant Energy has found a niche as a "one-stop shop" in helping homeowners.We explore why business model innovations such as Elephant's may be necessary to ensure that this useful decarbonization technology gets deployed at scale.For further research:DR RichardsonJan KeleherElephant EnergyGlobal Heat Pump Sales Continue Double Digit Growth - International Energy AgencyAfter Maine Surpasses 100,000 Heat Pump Goal Two Years Ahead of Schedule, Governor Mills Sets New, Ambitious TargetFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, recorded a few weeks ago, Paul sits with Catherine Atkin, co-founder of Carbon Accountable and one of the chief architects of California's new carbon disclosure law, SB 253. This legislation will, for the first time, require large companies doing business in California to publicly disclose their greenhouse gas emissions. Paul and Catherine discuss the history of this groundbreaking law as well as the implications and impact that it could have on the climate crisis.For more information on Catherine, please visit her LinkedIn profile:https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineatkin/And for more information on Carbon Accountable, you can visit their website here:https://www.carbonaccountable.orgFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Paul sits down Ashley Allen, Chief Sustainability Officer of the plant-based company, Oatly, to discuss the food system and the impact food has on climate change. In addition to discussing what Oatly is doing to mitigate their impact on GHG emissions, the two also discuss how the company is helping farmers and suppliers adapt to changing climate conditions as well as how Oatly is supporting consumers in reducing their planetary handprint through more informed product choices.For more information on Oatly, visit:https://www.oatly.comAnd for more information on Ashley, please visit:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-n-p-allen-9483b0b3/Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this week's episode, Paul sits down with Kathy Loftus of Retail Business Services, the services company for Ahold Delhaize USA which includes supermarkets such as Food Lion, Stop & Shop, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Giant Food. Kathy, RBS and the local retail brands of ADUSA are doing amazing work in helping to build sustainable supermarkets for the future. In addition to helping reduce operating emissions, ADUSA is also helping to drive down supply chain emissions.  For more information on Ahold and their brands, visit:https://www.aholddelhaize.com/en/Sustainability/And for more information on Kathy:https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-loftus-9105692/Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailNot all of the energy challenges facing us are technical in nature. Equally important to scaling clean energy solutions are in lowering costs, investing in novel, newer technologies, and implementing processes that make it easy for consumers to transition.In this episode, Paul sits with Tom Chase from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, MassCEC, to discuss how that organization is helping needed ideas come to market. And they take a bit of a deeper dive into what's needed to promote high performance buildings.For those wanting to learn more about MassCEC and their programs, please visit:https://www.masscec.comFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailThe next decade could be that of battery storage. Boosted by new tax credits in the IRA, batteries are poised to become one of the most powerful tools in our tool belt for shifting to cleaner electricity. But storage isn’t just about storing solar power for use at night. They represent security, resiliency, flexibility and an opportunity for consumers to take advantage of utility programs designed to lessen the overall burden on the grid. Paul interviews Mike Goldman of Generac Grid Services to dive into behind-the-meter storage, the value stack making these investments ever more affordable, and the policies and regulations enabling this technology. You can find an Eight Minute overview of the discussion on our sister podcast hereAnd you can find Mike on LinkedInFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Paul sits down with Greg Stevenson of Consumers Energy to talk about the utility's challenges and opportunities when it comes to helping the small and medium sized business (SMB) market. SMBs are something of a forgotten middle in the energy transition - as so much focus has been on large companies or on residential homeowners, but Greg and his team are putting in the effort to segment and understand this market in order to better serve it.To find Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gestevenson/Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailNot all renewable power projects are alike. A wind project placed next to another wind project may not have the same impact on reducing carbon emissions as one placed near a coal facility. The location and timing of when the renewable power is produced is important in order to truly maximize the impact. Enter Resurety, an analytics firm that is providing large commercial & industrial consumers of electricity with the data and insight needed to maximize the value from these renewable projects. Lee Taylor, CEO of REsurety, joins Paul to discuss the importance of an Emissions First perspective on project development.The following are resources referenced during the episode:www.resurety.comhttps://www.emissionsfirst.com/principlesFollow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailThe influx of VC money in the 2006-2011 timeframe ignited what is now known as Cleantech 1.0; a boom, and trough, that have some people worried that today's frothy investment cycle may be headed for another sharp correction.In this extended episode, Paul interviews Jon Guerster of Activate Capital to understand how VC firms are thinking about today's Climatetech 2.0 - and the risks and opportunities of investing into this huge market. Activate Capital - https://activatecap.com Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailPaul sits down with Joe Aamidor of Aamidor Consulting to discuss Smart Building Management Systems. The built environment is a huge contributor to global emissions. But energy efficiency and weatherization solutions can only go so far in reducing the carbon from these facilities. Smart Building Management Systems step in to optimize the remaining energy usage and support a further decarbonization.For those interested in learning more about smart buildings, here is the McKinsey blog referenced in the episode.https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/industrials-and-electronics/our-insights/laying-the-foundation-for-success-in-the-connected-building-eraAnd here is Aamidor Consulting's websitehttps://www.aamidorconsulting.com Follow Paul on LinkedIn

Send us Fan MailIn this extended episode, Paul interviews Molly Bauch, head of US Energy Transition Services for Accenture. The two discuss the challenges that residential homeowners and businesses have faced in their journey toward clean energy - and what will be needed as the impacts from the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation start to be felt. Follow Paul on LinkedIn