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English coverage of home energy equipment, DIY systems, markets and climate policy. Check the country and product context of every source; manufacturer channels provide commercial viewpoints.
Latest podcasts
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A historic El Niño is coming that could cost the world trillions: Odd Lots
Zero is on a break this week, so we’re bringing you an episode from Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast. Hosts Tracy Allowayand Joe Weisenthal speak with Justin Mankin, professor of geography at Dartmouth College and director of the Climate Modelling and Impacts Group, about the enormous impacts El Niño could have on the global economy. This episode was originally recorded in August, but with El Niño already roiling industries and continuing to strengthen, it feels as relevant as ever.
[Episode #285] – Covering Demand Growth
Over the summer, the IEA projected that carbon emissions from the world’s power sector are on track for a new record in 2026. Electricity demand is expected to grow 20% faster than it did a year ago, and this year’s gas shock has pushed some countries to use more coal.
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AI’s Power Boom Could Pull Factory-Built Nuclear Down the Cost Curve
Get in touch - leave me a message AI data centres are creating an extraordinary new demand for electricity. The harder question is whether clean, firm power can be built quickly enough to meet it, without falling back on gas. My guest in this episode is Matt Loszak, co-founder and CEO of Aalo Atomics, which is developing small, factory-built nuclear reactors initially for AI data centres.
How AI went from climate hero to villain
Not long ago, we were asking if AI would save the climate. Now we’re asking if it will wreck it. The truth is somewhere in between. But it’s easy to see why sentiment swung so radically. When the AI race kicked off, we were promised rapid breakthroughs in materials, a business model revolution, and a radically more intelligent energy economy. But many people feel like we got hulking gas plants, higher electricity prices, and broken emissions promises instead.
Can energy security and climate action work together? From Climate Week NYC
Energy security has surged up the policy agenda as geopolitical shocks have exposed the risks of relying on imported fuels. But replacing oil and gas with renewables, batteries and electric vehicles can create new dependencies of its own. The question running through Climate Week NYC was whether countries can strengthen energy resilience while curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Host Ed Crooks held a series of conversations with leaders in energy policy and business about managing the trade-offs between energy security and climate action. First,
Climate change is delaying Minnesota’s peak fall colors
The colors of fall foliage are important to many Minnesotans, and timing for peak colors is wrapping up in the northern portion of the state. But future generations may get to enjoy those vibrant colors later in the year.
Is Fusion Really 30 Years Away?
Is fusion still “always 30 years away”? STEP Fusion’s program director, Dr James Cowan, sets out the UK’s plan to build a prototype commercial fusion plant by 2040, covering the engineering, supply chains, funding and economics as well as the physics. 00:00 Intro 02:29 What is STEP Fusion? 04:13 Why fusion isn’t “always 30 years away” 07:33 How fusion works, and the neutron problem 18:59 What STEP is building at West Burton 24:00 Delivery plan: partners and a 2030 construction start 32:12 Who pays for it?
Cross border consequences of responses to climate change: Risks and opportunities
This episode discusses how climate change mitigation and adaptation policies implemented by individual nations generate significant cross-border effects that affect other countries. Nine policy domains are mapped out to illustrate these dynamics including energy, trade, and finance, that alter five types of transnational flows, including trade, technology, and people. These alterations are transmitted internationally through four core mechanisms: prices, production factors, social norms, and security considerations.
How Tech Billionaires Broke Democracy | The Spill
Tech billionaires have increasing influence over all aspects of our lives, and it’s not by accident. Amy Westervelt and Gil Durán both recently published books examining the ideas and individuals driving the phenomenon. They discuss what it has to do with the climate crisis and the deterioration of democracy.
We Got $9.99 Problems, and Energy is One
The war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz created a global energy supply crisis. And while gasoline prices didn’t reach the extreme highs some predicted a few months ago, the global markets are still in flux. “What has been disrupted most is the confidence in the old energy system where you could reliably and affordably dig up a source of energy thousands of kilometers away from where you expected to ignite it and expect that process to be smooth,” says Gerald Butts, chairman of political risk consultancy the Eurasia Group.
Why VIP climate shocks aren’t the worst thing, with Dana R. Fisher
Listen to Why VIP climate shocks aren’t the worst thing, with Dana R. Fisher from Climate Curious. When Nicholas Cage’s Malibu home nearly got swallowed by a sinkhole last month, we knew climate change had hit the rich. And after a summer of deadly heatwaves sweeping Europe and North America, governments and businesses were forced to sit up a little straighter and start clocking the climate crisis.
The truth about data center water usage
Of all the concerns surrounding the AI boom, data center water usage tops the list. Opponents claim that massive hyperscaler facilities threaten local drinking supplies and drain aquifers. Proponents say data centers use a negligible amount of water, at least compared to agriculture or conventional power generation sources.
Data centers and the race to power AI (part 2)
In the first half of our two-parter on data centers and the U.S. energy system, we dug into the challenges that these huge, concentrated electricity users pose for communities and power grids. In this second installment, Prof. Costa Samaras of Carnegie Mellon University and Dr. Vijay Gadepally of MIT return to talk through some of the options on the table for responding to these challenges.
Data centers and the race to power AI (part 1)
At the heart of the explosion in artificial intelligence, there are data centers. Companies are pouring money into these facilities to train and run AI models—and with this massive buildout comes a remarkable appetite for electricity. In the first installment of our two-parter on data centers and the U.S. energy system, Prof. Costa Samaras of Carnegie Mellon University and Dr. Vijay Gadepally of MIT walk us through some of the challenges posed by this surging electricity demand.
Tasmania’s electric shipping bet: Bloomberg Australia
Zero is on a break this week, so we’re bringing you an episode from the Bloomberg Australia podcast. A shipyard in Tasmania has delivered the world’s largest electric ship, a 130-metre ferry powered by more than 250 tons of batteries. Host Rebecca Jones talks to David Stringer, Asia Managing Editor for Bloomberg Green and ESG, who toured the vessel and met veteran shipbuilder Robert Clifford. They explore what Tasmania’s maritime innovation could mean for an industry under pressure to cut emissions.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Hashmi opposes NextEra-Dominion merger as public hearings begin
“We are disappointed by the lieutenant governor’s decision and respectfully disagree with it,” Neil Nissan, a spokesperson for NextEra Energy, told Utility Dive. State regulators are set to hold their first local hearing on the case Wednesday.
Smart thermostat aggregator rebrands, launches ‘whole-home’ virtual power plant
Renew Home is now Everyday Electric. CEO Ben Brown told Utility Dive its flagship Everyday VPP can reduce the need for new centralized generation and mitigate costs for all ratepayers.
Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Action in African Cities
This Rest is Climate Podcast highlights a newly published systematic review examines the implementation, effectiveness, and feasibility of nature-based solutions and ecosystem-based adaptation across one hundred and twelve studies in African cities. The research demonstrates that while these green initiatives are widely deployed to mitigate urban heat and reduce flood risks, documented evidence remains heavily concentrated in a small number of large metropolitan areas.
The Tesla Alum Trying to Turn GM Into an American Battery Juggernaut
There are two big trends in the American battery sector at the moment. The first is that the electric vehicle market is deteriorating. GM, for instance, sold just 25,000 EVs in the third quarter of this year. Ford sold 6,000 EVs. Even the long-awaited return of the Chevy Bolt sold just 8,000 units — a small fraction of the vehicle’s already-limited production run. At the same time, the data center boom and the return of electricity growth is boosting batteries of all kinds not designed to power EVs.
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