The Clean Energy Show

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Extreme heat is disrupting more than just summer vacations. This week, we look at how climate change is forcing nuclear reactors in Europe offline, why heatwaves are delaying commercial flights, and how the International Energy Agency has once again underestimated the speed of the global EV transition. Plus, Laos takes a bold step by banning nearly all new gasoline and diesel car imports.

Brian's documentary video and the New York Times story on how things only get worse from here are both free on our pubic Patreon page.
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In This Episode * Heatwaves are forcing nuclear power plants across southeastern Europe to reduce output or shut down entirely as drought lowers river levels needed for cooling. * Record heat is also disrupting air travel, with some aircraft forced to leave passengers behind because hot, thin air reduces lift. * The International Energy Agency raises its global EV forecast, now expecting electric vehicles to account for 29% of worldwide new car sales this year. * Emerging markets including India, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam and South Korea are driving the next wave of EV adoption. * Laos bans imports of nearly all new gasoline and diesel passenger vehicles while expanding EV incentives and charging infrastructure. * Wildfires continue to devastate parts of the northwestern United States.

The Lightning Round * Australia reaches 500,000 home batteries and is installing roughly 2,000 more every day. * Burying Austin's power lines would cost an estimated $50 billion. * China's coal generation remains high, but electricity demand has grown even faster. * 29 countries have now installed more than 10 GW of solar power. * Solar supplied nearly 16% of Texas electricity in May.

The episode wraps up with a sobering look at what today's 1.4°C warmer world is already bringing—and why the decisions we make now will determine how much worse it becomes.

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Many countries are dealing with unprecidented wildfires this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Fire Weather author John Vaillant says entire countries could burn in the coming years as the world warms. Balcony solar finally arrives in the UK, making plug-in solar panels available to millions of apartment dwellers and renters. California's new $3,500 rebate program designed to help first-time EV buyers make the switch to electric. Plus, we look at a major upgrade to one of Europe's most important pumped hydro energy storage facilities.

This Week * Brian and James catch up on wildfire smoke, summer travel, storm insurance claims, and the latest heatwaves across Europe. * The UK legalizes plug-in balcony solar systems, opening rooftop-free solar to renters and apartment residents while paving the way for plug-in home batteries. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/23/uk-households-free-install-plug-in-balcony-solar-panels * July 2026 is becoming one of the worst wildfire months ever recorded. We discuss the fires sweeping Canada and Europe, hear from Fire Weather author John Vaillant, and explain how climate-driven "weather whiplash" is fueling larger and more destructive megafires. * Watch CBC Vancouver's full John Vaillant interview on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod * California launches its new "My First EV" program, offering a $3,500 rebate to first-time electric vehicle buyers after the end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/california-rebate-ev-buyers

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Brian broadcasts from Montreal while James holds down the fort as the Clean Energy Show dives into another week of climate and clean energy news. This episode explores Canada's worsening wildfire seasons, Honda's surprising new AI-powered electric lawnmower, Europe's struggle to adapt to deadly heatwaves, and why it's now cheaper to take an electric taxi in China than drive your own gas car. Plus, former NOAA scientists resurrect U.S. climate data after government cuts.

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In this episode:

Brian reports from Montreal.
Honda unveils a $33,000 autonomous electric commercial lawnmower.
Why Canada's wildfire seasons are becoming larger and more destructive.
The surprising truth about lightning vs. human-caused wildfires.
Smoke from Canadian fires impacts air quality across North America.
Europe's heatwaves expose a long-standing reluctance to embrace air conditioning.
Alberta plans to end seasonal clock changes.
Why electric taxis in China now undercut the cost of driving a paid-off gasoline car.
Former NOAA scientists launch Climate.us after Climate.gov disappears.

The Lightning Round

Ukrainian attacks cripple over half of Russia's oil refining capacity.
Most Americans now connect extreme weather with climate change.
China's grid batteries can shift 21% of its solar generation.
CATL prepares mass production of sodium-ion batteries.

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Electric vehicles continue their remarkable rise around the world, and this week we take a look at the latest global trends from the IEA to see just how far the transition has come since The Clean Energy Show launched in 2020. We also explore new ways to keep the power grid stable during dangerous heat waves, why solar power just hit another major milestone in the United States, and the UK's new mileage-based road tax for EVs. Plus, Brian records this episode from beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, at one of Canada's most sustainable hotels.

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This Week on The Clean Energy Show * Brian records from Victoria's eco-friendly Inn at Laurel Point and its innovative ocean-water heat pump system. * The IEA's latest Global EV Outlook shows electric vehicles continuing their rapid global growth since 2020. * California wins another legal battle over cleaner commercial heating equipment. * Practical ways to keep your home cooler during increasingly intense heat waves. * Solar generates more U.S. electricity than coal for the first time ever. * New York pilots home batteries that power window air conditioners while reducing peak electricity demand.

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Delhi is taking one of the world's biggest steps toward cleaner transportation by banning new gas-powered rickshaws and motorcycles, while Great Britain approves its first new pumped hydro projects in four decades—including one connected to the legendary Loch Ness. Plus, climate change is driving a dangerous invasive puffer fish into the Mediterranean, and the Lightning Round returns with the week's biggest clean energy and climate stories.

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In this episode:

Delhi bans new gas rickshaws starting in 2027 and fossil fuel scooters and motorcycles in 2028 as it ramps up EV charging infrastructure.
Great Britain approves its first new pumped hydro projects in 40 years, bringing long-duration energy storage back into the spotlight.
Greece offers a bounty on invasive toxic puffer fish as warming seas reshape marine ecosystems.
Why pumped hydro acts like a giant battery—and why it's becoming important again.

The Lightning Round

Germany records thousands of excess deaths during the late-June heat wave.
UK heatwave leaves millions struggling to sleep.
U.S. car payments hit a record high.
CATL rapidly expands battery swapping for heavy-duty trucks.
More than 20 wind turbines damaged by extreme winds in South Dakota.
What remains of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.
China's electric cargo ship fleet continues rapid growth.
Pakistan's rooftop solar boom forces the cancellation of LNG imports.

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Thousands are dying in Europe on the fifth anniversary of the heat dome that killed hundreds on the West Coast of Canada. James argues we have to act to prevent deaths as these heat wave get more intense with climate change. Toyota is blaming high gas prices for falling sales even as its EV sales surge, heat pumps are rapidly catching up to traditional air conditioners, and Europe is battling another deadly heat wave. We also look at innovative ways cities are adapting to extreme temperatures, including Paris' growing district cooling network powered by the Seine.

Highlights from Episode 318 * Toyota's global sales decline continues, with the company citing high gasoline prices while EV sales jump 170% year-over-year. * Five years after the deadly Pacific Northwest heat dome, we revisit the lessons learned and discuss what communities can do to better protect vulnerable people during extreme heat events. * Europe's early summer heat wave may already have caused more than 1,300 excess deaths, according to the WHO. * Why heat pumps are on track to outsell conventional air conditioners and why they may be the smartest cooling investment for homeowners. * Paris is expanding its innovative district cooling system, using water from the Seine to help reduce electricity use and emissions while keeping buildings comfortable. * Brian talks about the rammed earth Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and his rammed earth cottage delays. * James shares a hospital story and an update involving solar panels and an insurance company that disappeared.

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What happens when batteries become so cheap that every home can afford one? In this encore episode, Brian and James explore a future where ultra-low-cost batteries transform the electric grid, eliminate blackouts, and make renewable energy even more powerful.

They also take a look at a hydrogen-powered bicycle unveiled in Europe and ask whether hydrogen has any future in personal transportation. Plus, Paris slashes air pollution ahead of the Olympic Games, Italy unveils a plan to support clean energy and food security in Africa, and Ford opens EV sales to all of its dealerships.

In The Lightning Round: Canadian EV sales surge, solar power keeps breaking records, oil demand faces an uncertain future, Switzerland votes for more solar, and China's renewable energy investments reach staggering levels.

All that and more on this encore presentation of The Clean Energy Show.

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James is recovering from surgery so here's a shortened version of last week's bonus episode for our Patreon supporters.

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First, Brian says he's maintaining a nearly 300-day Wordle streak and why a simple word puzzle can become an unexpected source of anxiety.

Then things get much more serious as James recounts a destructive hailstorm that hit his neighborhood. The conversation turns to insurance claims, climate change, and the growing financial impact of increasingly extreme weather events.

The guys also revisit China's auto market, where gasoline-only vehicles continue to lose ground. New sales data shows EVs, plug-in hybrids, and range-extended electric vehicles now dominate the country's best-selling models, highlighting how quickly the market is changing.

Staying with China, Brian and James discuss BYD's plans for Canada and the company's move to bring its ultra-fast flash-charging network north of the border. Could Canadian EV drivers soon see charging speeds that rival a gas station stop?

Finally, they head to Finland, where waste heat from Microsoft data centers is being captured and used to warm entire communities. It's a fascinating example of how creative energy solutions can turn a problem into a resource.

Plus: weather complaints, technology tangents, and the usual bonus-show chaos.

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China's EV revolution is delivering a surprising health benefit. New research suggests electric vehicles have cut air pollution enough to prevent an estimated 262,000 premature deaths, while gas-powered vehicles have completely disappeared from China's top ten best-selling vehicle rankings.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may face an unexpected opponent: extreme heat. New analysis suggests players, fans, and organizers could all be challenged by rising temperatures and humidity across host cities in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.

California's first major eight-hour battery storage facility is now online, providing a glimpse of how solar power could keep the lights on long after sunset and helping pave the way toward a fossil-free electricity grid.

Move over agrivoltaics. Researchers in Denmark are exploring offshore wind-aquaculture, using wind farm areas to grow seaweed that could become food, animal feed, and industrial materials while making better use of ocean space.

We also hear from Eric in California about municipal utilities and why some communities pay far less for electricity than customers served by large investor-owned utilities.

In the Lightning Round: a major uranium enrichment expansion in the United States, an advanced microreactor reaches a key milestone, questions emerge about a much-hyped battery startup, BYD's rapid expansion in Mexico, synthetic aviation fuel, a massive new transmission line linking Quebec and New York City, Waymo's latest acquisition, and more.

Plus, Brian reports from Waterton Lakes National Park, James talks about a recent high school presentation, and we discuss why fossil fuels are increasingly looking like a national security risk while renewable energy keeps getting cheaper.

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The surprising solar phenomenon called the "cloud edge effect" shows how panels can sometimes generate more power than their rated capacity.

Also this week: a new wildfire study reveals that while fewer hectares are burning globally, the fires that do occur are increasingly hitting wealthy, populated areas—causing far greater economic damage. And France's nuclear utility EDF is considering adding cooling towers to some reactors as climate change warms rivers and challenges plant operations.

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In This Episode:

North America's grid enters summer in stronger shape than last year
Why solar and batteries are improving reliability across the U.S.
Saskatchewan remains at risk during extreme heat events
The Philippines experiences explosive rooftop solar growth
Why solar can occasionally exceed its rated output
The "cloud edge effect" explained
Wildfires are burning less land but causing more destruction
Canada records another year of extreme wildfire emissions
How climate change is affecting nuclear power operations in France
EDF's plans to climate-proof its reactors and hydro assets

Lightning Round:

Australians are illegally connecting portable home batteries
Tesla patents a camera-cleaning system for self-driving cars
China's flying car industry takes another step forward

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From Americans now being able to use healthcare savings accounts to buy e-bikes, to a massive new 5 GWh thermal battery project in South Dakota that stores renewable electricity as heat inside giant carbon blocks. James and Brian also discuss the UK's record May heatwave and growing calls for air conditioning in schools and care homes as climate change pushes temperatures higher.

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The guys also explore why rooftop solar is exploding in Pakistan while prices remain stubbornly high in Canada, and they react to listener mail from a Chevy Bolt owner who received an oil change reminder for an EV with "0% oil life remaining."

In the Lightning Round:

Cuba begins installing turbines at its largest-ever wind farm
Tesla launches "Quiet Charging Zones" at some Superchargers
Africa ramps up domestic solar panel manufacturing
China-built car exports to Europe surge
EVs are expected to hit 28% of global new car sales in 2026
Waymo pauses freeway robotaxi trips over construction-zone issues
India surpasses the United States in EV adoption rates
Why even an EV powered entirely by coal can still beat a gas car on emissions

Plus, James shares a shocking comparison between lead pollution during the Flint water crisis and 1970s Los Angeles that helped shape Brian's environmental worldview.

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Pakistan's booming rooftop solar "shadow grid" has quietly grown larger than the country's official grid, saving billions while slashing fossil fuel imports. They also look at the staggering costs of keeping aging coal plants alive in the U.S., including millions spent just to maintain shutdown-ready facilities. Plus: a groundbreaking Inuit-owned hydro project replacing diesel power in the Arctic, bats vs. wind turbines, EV sales exploding in Canada, China's battery charging buildout, and why hailstorms are becoming a major challenge for solar farms.

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Topics this week include:

Pakistan's massive solar "shadow grid" now bigger than the official grid - end of show!
Trump-era coal plant extensions costing hundreds of millions
Coal pollution reducing global solar output
Inuit-owned hydro project cuts Arctic diesel use by 80%
Researchers study how bats interact with wind turbines
OPEC instability and what oil prices mean for the energy transition
DOJ investigates emissions-tuning car app data
BYD rapidly expanding ultra-fast charging stations
Denmark hits nearly 82% EV sales
Texas adding 12.9 GW of grid batteries this year
Renewables overtake natural gas on the U.S. grid for the first time
Hailstorms become the top cause of solar insurance losses
XPeng predicts Level 5 self-driving by 2030

The Lightning Round covers drone strikes on nuclear infrastructure, floating solar over manure lagoons, sodium batteries, Ukraine targeting Russian oil infrastructure, and more.

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In Chile, organized crime gangs are now stealing solar panels and copper wiring from giant solar farms in coordinated nighttime raids. James explains how Saskatchewan could spend over $520 million a year on coal fuel alone — enough money to build massive amounts of solar and battery storage every single year instead. In Ohio, voters accidentally upheld a renewable energy ban because the ballot wording was nearly impossible to understand.

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Plus: China donates 5,000 solar systems to Cuba during ongoing blackouts, the EPA blames Asian pollution for smog in Phoenix and Salt Lake City, Vestas tests red wind turbine blades to reduce bird collisions, Norway hits nearly 99% EV adoption, and Amsterdam bans fossil fuel advertising. Also in the Lightning Round: giant Alaskan tsunamis, Ozempic crushing junk food sales, Meta's Manhattan-sized AI data center, rooftop solar for dairy barns, and why heat pump dryers are secretly amazing.

The Lightning Round includes:

Norway reaches 98.6% EV market share
BYD adds LiDAR to a $10K EV
Used EV searches double in Canada
Meta plans 10 new gas plants for AI expansion
Amsterdam bans meat and fossil fuel ads
Heat pump dryers use up to 60% less electricity
Ozempic may already be reshaping freight demand
The IEA says the fossil fuel era may never recover after the current oil shock

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A global climate meeting in Colombia brings together mostly Global South nations, Europe, and Canada to talk seriously about ending fossil fuels—without binding agreements, but with real momentum. France goes further than anyone else, announcing a full phase-out by 2050.

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CATL signs a massive 60 GWh deal and says sodium-ion batteries are ready for prime time—cheaper, longer-lasting, and ideal for grid-scale use.

Hospitals are a bigger climate problem than you think. One Australian doctor is tackling single-use waste and high-emission anesthetic gases like nitrous oxide, which can be hundreds of times more potent than CO₂. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-04/the-doctor-fighting-medicine-s-addiction-to-plastic-waste

"Guerrilla solar" is booming in the Philippines as frustrated customers bypass slow permitting to install rooftop systems—raising both safety concerns and questions about red tape.

Listener Mail: EV charging from street lamps is coming to Washington, DC.

Lightning Round highlights: • BYD sales shift globally • Alberta adds a solar panel tax • EVs saving Canadian households hundreds per month • Wind + solar beating nuclear on cost https://www.theenergymix.com/renewables-mix-beats-nuclear-on-price-in-future-energy-systems/ • UK solar installs surge • Texas hits nearly 2/3 solar power at peak

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Episode 309 starts with cracks forming inside OPEC as clean energy and EV adoption begin to reshape global oil demand. We look at why producers may rush to sell while they still can, then shift to fusion power timelines that are still far off, a transit upgrade that paid for itself in months—not years—and Spain's grid proving renewables weren't to blame for its massive blackout. Plus, how LEDs quietly crushed one of the biggest sources of household electricity use.

Commonwealth Fusion Systems applying to connect a 400 MW plant
Planned for Virginia's "Data Center Alley"
Would serve part of the PJM grid (65M+ people)
Timeline: not anytime soon

BART Gates Pay Off in 6 Months * $90M upgrade to new fare gates * Expected 9-year payback → actually 6 months

Story: https://growsf.org/news/2026-02-12-bart-fare-gates-10-million/

Spain's Blackout: Renewables Cleared * 2025 blackout initially blamed on solar

Lightning Round * Lithium supply more than sufficient * EV buses: 56% of EU sales * Oslo road deaths ~1/year after redesign * India skipping coal boom thanks to cheap renewables

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A major shift in the global energy transition: clean power is now growing fast enough to meet all new electricity demand, while EVs are hitting price parity (and even beating gas cars) in key markets. Add in CATL's new breakthrough battery tech and cold-climate innovations, and the transition is clearly accelerating.

Highlights:

Clean energy met 100% of new electricity demand in 2025, with solar doing most of the heavy lifting https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/21/clean-energy-generation-exceeded-rise-global-electricity-demand-2025
EV milestone: in the UK, electric cars are now cheaper than gas vehicles upfront, with strong sales growth
University of Saskatchewan researchers develop a frost-resistant heat pump with big efficiency gains https://news.usask.ca/articles/research/2026/young-innovators-usask-researcher-discovering-frost-free-heating-solutions.php
Battery wars heat up: BYD's ultra-fast charging vs CATL's lighter, longer-range next-gen batteries
Humanoid robot beats human half-marathon record (we're fine… probably)

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A turning point is revealed for both clean energy and the auto industry. Legacy giants like Toyota and Honda are now openly warning they may not survive unless they catch up to China's lightning-fast EV market. At the same time, the UK is heading into a strange new phase of the energy transition—so much wind and solar power could be coming online that people may actually be encouraged to use more electricity to keep the grid stable. Add in a potential all-electric cruise ship, surprising research on wind turbines and birds, and a bizarre new trend in climate communication, and you've got a packed episode.

Lightning Round

Emperor penguins face growing extinction risk as melting sea ice leads to mass chick deaths.
Waymo is preparing to enter Canada through Ontario's autonomous vehicle pilot, though concerns about job losses are already surfacing.
Wind and solar installations continue to surge worldwide, with major growth in 2025.
Microsoft dominated the carbon removal market and is backing a major Indigenous-led carbon capture project in Canada.
A new video series is using provocative, attention-grabbing methods—including OnlyFans—to explain climate change.

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From teens taking on gas stoves to a massive cost breakdown showing why keeping coal alive in Saskatchewan could be far more expensive than switching to renewables. James runs the numbers and finds the province could spend over $30 billion to keep coal running to 2050—while solar, wind, and storage come in dramatically cheaper (and getting cheaper every year). Add in EV cost reality checks, listener mail, and a stacked Lightning Round.

Highlights:

Brian brings up the Smell Vancouver app https://smell-vancouver.ca/
Teens in Palo Alto push to ban gas stoves, citing health risks including a 42% higher asthma risk for kids https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electrification/palo-alto-kids-induction-stoves
Even cold climates work: large-scale solar project near the Arctic Circle in Finland https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/pv_solar/sungrow-supplies-inverters-to-largescale-lapland-solar-20250620
Global shift: renewables made up 85.6% of new energy capacity in 2025

Lightning Round:

Google turns to gas for AI data centers
OPEC output drops ~25% https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-07/opec-output-fell-most-in-decades-last-month-on-war-survey-shows?srnd=phx-markets
Tesla expands globally; 80,000 Superchargers

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How clean energy is driving real-world economic shifts—from industries flocking to renewable-powered grids to homeowners rushing toward energy independence. We also dig into how fossil fuel volatility is causing global disruption, why home batteries are finally breaking into New York City, and what potatoes can teach us about the future of solar farming.

South Australia is on the verge of becoming the world's first gigawatt-scale grid running on 100% net.

New York City has officially entered the home battery era. After years of strict fire safety rules, the first residential system has been approved—potentially opening the door for widespread adoption in one of the toughest markets. https://electrek.co/2026/03/27/new-york-city-first-home-battery-storage-system/

A new agrivoltaics study shows potatoes can thrive under solar panels—but timing matters.

And as fossil fuel prices spike, companies like Octopus Energy are seeing a surge in demand for home electrification.

Lightning Round highlights:

Nuclear bans are being reconsidered in multiple U.S. states
Electric trucking in Australia proves faster and ~85% cheaper than diesel
Japan restarts a nuclear reactor, replacing 1.1 million tonnes of LNG annually
Nearly 1 GW of next-gen geothermal projects underway in the U.S.

And finally, a new study shows many homes can fully electrify without upgrading their electrical panels—challenging one of the biggest perceived barriers to ditching fossil fuels. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electrification/many-homes-have-power-to-electrify

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A major shift in the EV landscape as Chinese automakers—led by BYD—prepare a rapid expansion into Canada. What once seemed like a slow rollout is now shaping up to be a full-scale market entry, with affordable, feature-packed EVs potentially arriving in major cities within months. We break down the models, pricing, and why these vehicles are being positioned not just against other EVs—but directly against gas cars.

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We also look at how today's global oil shocks are different from the past. With fuel shortages hitting parts of Southeast Asia due to geopolitical tensions, the conversation is changing—this time, there are real alternatives. Clean energy isn't hypothetical anymore, and countries feeling the pressure are being forced to adapt quickly.

Closer to home, we revisit concerns about EVs and the grid, highlighting new data around energy use—especially the growing role of data centers—and why the narrative around EVs "crashing the grid" doesn't hold up.

In international news, a new Australia–EU trade deal could accelerate EV adoption by removing tariffs and boosting competition, while also reshaping supply chains for critical minerals.

We also cover encouraging developments in clean tech: EV battery replacement costs continue to fall, and new research shows solar panels degrade far more slowly than previously thought—potentially extending warranties out to 35 years and lowering long-term costs even further.

Plus, in the Lightning Round: solar warranties are increasing, EVs are cutting global oil demand, major automakers are gaining access to Tesla's charging network, and new data shows battery storage costs dropping

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Your hosts are shocked to find a massive AI data center planned for their backyard. What it means for their neighbours, their grid and their planet. Honda is facing its first annual loss in nearly 70 years after falling behind on EVs.

Main Topics

Honda is was late to E.V.s then botched it an their bottom line https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/honda-shares-slide-more-than-5-automaker-faces-first-annual-loss-2026-03-13/
The U.S. may pay nearly $1 billion to cancel offshore wind projects

The Lightning Round

Cuba blackout affects 11 million people.
U.S. EV search traffic up 20% amid oil tensions.
Paris making streets near 300 schools car-free.
Nuclear proximity study (post-Fukushima): home values down 4.2%. https://theconversation.com/accepter-ou-non-de-vivre-a-proximite-dune-centrale-nucleaire-une-question-loin-detre-reglee-275150

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BYD has unveiled its second-generation Blade battery along with ultra-fast flash chargers that can take an EV from 10% to nearly full in under ten minutes—even in extreme cold. The batteries also charge significantly faster on existing fast chargers, which could make the EV charging experience much quicker even before the new megawatt chargers are widespread.

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We also talk about the opening of the massive NextStar Energy battery plant in Windsor, Ontario. The $5-billion facility is part of the growing EV manufacturing corridor between Ontario and Michigan and has already begun producing battery cells for electric vehicles.

And in Ukraine, the country is rebuilding its electricity system in a way that makes it far more resilient to attack. Instead of relying on large centralized plants, the grid is shifting toward decentralized solar, wind, microgrids and battery storage—systems that are harder to destroy and faster to repair.

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How attacks in the Middle East sent oil prices up 10% and why the Strait of Hormuz matters so much, with roughly 20% of the world's oil flowing through that narrow passage. Higher fossil fuel prices could accelerate renewables — but also risk boosting inflation and slowing clean energy investment.

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Balcony solar is catching on in the U.S., with Utah leading and 28 other states considering legislation. Inspired by Germany's four million plug-in systems, these affordable panels can plug into a standard outlet and cover up to 15–20% of a household's electricity use.

We dive into a promising new battery paper in Nature exploring higher energy density, faster charging, and fewer raw materials — with the usual reminder that lab success doesn't guarantee mass production.

A New Jersey data centre pairs rooftop solar with 23 MWh of battery storage, showing how large facilities can boost energy independence while supporting the grid.

Plus: real-world data from Montreal shows electric semi-trucks could save fleets about $160,000 per truck over six years compared to diesel.

In the Lightning Round: Tesla begins official sales in Morocco, BYD heads to Pakistan, a major Greenpeace court ruling, record U.S. battery installations, China's solar surge, nuclear plants vs. jellyfish, and Toyota Canada deploying humanoid robots in RAV4 production.

Listener mail covers Nova Scotia's proposed EV fees and 12-volt battery frustrations in a Hyundai Kona — along with practical tips to avoid getting stranded.

Japan conference link: https://www.renewable-ei.org/en/activities/events/20260311.php

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Record-breaking EV milestones, the hidden dangers of fossil fuel crime, and a real-world test of what happens when a country bans new gas cars. In China, Nio pulled off an astonishing 175,000 battery swaps in a single day during the Lunar New Year travel rush — about two swaps every second — with drivers in and out in three to five minutes. It's a massive stress test that shows how battery swapping could compete with, or even outperform, traditional refueling for convenience and scale.

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We also examine how fuel theft in Mexico has evolved from small-time pipeline tapping into a billion-dollar criminal enterprise. Cartels now make enormous profits stealing oil and gas, and the consequences can be deadly. The 2019 pipeline explosion in Tlahuelilpan, which killed at least 137 people, remains one of the most tragic examples of how dangerous this underground economy can be. What began decades ago as localized "Robin Hood" style fuel theft has grown into an industrialized operation that in some regions rivals drug trafficking in profitability.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia's 2024 ban on new combustion car sales is turning out to be less dramatic than critics predicted — and more effective. The move was driven largely by economics, as the country had been spending billions annually on refined fuel imports. With major hydropower expansion, including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ethiopia now has excess clean electricity, growing EV adoption, and dramatically lower monthly fueling costs for drivers.

Plus, South Dakota approves its largest wind farm yet, Waymo surpasses 200 million autonomous miles, France sets a new fusion runtime record, Tesla tops a French reliability study, and a pilot project proves portable solar panels can charge an EV in the sub-Arctic.

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A sixth-anniversary edition packed with clean energy wins, grid chaos, and a few absurd tech headlines. Brian and James start with a major electrification milestone: heat pumps outsold gas furnaces in the U.S. again in 2025, making it two years in a row. Even more telling, in September, heat pumps shipped more than central air conditioners for the first time.

The show then turns to Cuba, where aging oil-fired plants, failing infrastructure, and fuel shortages have led to frequent grid collapses and daily blackouts lasting over 20 hours. But Cuba also hit a solar milestone, generating over 800 MW at midday on Feb. 10, 2026, after adding more than 1 GW of solar in 2025.

In Australia, extreme heat is colliding with prepaid electricity meters, forcing families to top up power in advance or face automatic shutoffs. The episode also highlights solar-powered refrigerated semi-trailers that completed a brutal 1,600 km route with zero diesel burned.

The Lightning Round includes BYD passing Ford, geothermal investment surging, Waymo paying DoorDash to close robotaxi doors, and a drone charged by laser from a mile away.

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Why Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show included a very real reference to the fragility of Puerto Rico's power grid, and what that says about outages, inequality, and the island's long fight for energy reliability. We also cover Japan restarting the world's largest nuclear power plant, and why nuclear is suddenly back in the conversation as countries chase carbon neutrality. In Canada, the federal government is officially bringing back EV rebates, with $2.3B in funding over five years, new eligibility rules, and a $50,000 price cap that leads to some… interesting conversations about who actually benefits. Plus: Australia's grid batteries are exploding in size, battery costs keep falling, and we look at what the last 10 years of EV growth tells us about what the next decade could look like. After the Lightning Round, climate lawyer Glenn Wright joins via letter with an update on coal litigation in Saskatchewan, the backlash facing local communities fighting coal, and a petition that needs signatures before the spring session.

Links and Sources Japan nuclear restart (Power Magazine): https://www.powermag.com/japan-restarts-unit-at-worlds-largest-nuclear-power-plant/

Glenn Wright / SES press release: https://environmentalsociety.ca/press-releases/2026/press-release-ses-and-co-applicants-file-notice-of-appeal/

Read about Bad Bunny and the Peurto Rican power grid in depth on Mother Jones.

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Kiké Dueck, a twelve-year-old climate activist from Canada who is already making waves in the fight for a sustainable future, sits down with James. Kiké shares what inspired them to take action at such a young age, the challenges of being a youth voice in a world dominated by adults, and the creative ways young people can make a difference. From school strikes to community organizing, to suing your government, Kiké proves that no one is too young to speak up for the planet.

We also discuss the role of education, how family and friends react to activism, and Kiké's vision for a cleaner, more just world. Their passion and determination are a reminder that the next generation isn't waiting for change—they're creating it.

Listen in for an inspiring conversation full of honesty, courage, and hope for the future.

Topics:

Saskatchewan Bill 137, pronouns in schools
Suing the Saskatchewan SaskParty Government - TikTok
CBC feature: Kiké's Climate strike

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India is electrifying its economy faster than China did at a similar stage of development — and doing it with far fewer fossil fuels. We break down why access to cheap solar and EVs is changing the growth path for emerging economies.

Also this week: a major court ruling in the Netherlands gives the government 18 months to create a legally binding plan to reach net-zero by 2050, after a case brought by residents of Bonaire.

Plus: new research suggests solar panels can recover from UV damage, and we look at why humanoid robots may become a major driver of solid-state battery innovation.

Brian is now convinced Telsa robotaxies are ready to drive the snowy roads of Canada.

The Lightning Round UN tax proposal for fossil fuel firms and climate damage https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/01/fossil-fuel-firms-may-have-to-pay-for-climate-damage-under-proposed-un-tax

Wildfire smoke reduced solar output (PV Magazine) https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/01/23/aerosol-divide-in-2025-brings-clearer-skies-to-china-and-smoke-to-europe/

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Big Oil gets caught trying to inhibit EVs and renwables. What starts as a climate investigation turns into allegations of a decades-long antitrust conspiracy to block renewables and electric vehicles — and Michigan's lawsuit could have massive implications for the energy transition. James may need the show's defibrillator.

We also head to Newfoundland, where a hydroelectric dam froze for the first time since the 1960s, forcing generators offline and triggering power conservation across multiple cities during severe winter storms. It's a rare reminder that climate change doesn't just mean warming — it means volatility.

The growing backlash against fat-tire e-bikes in Amsterdam, where safety concerns and ER visits are rising fast

This week's rage includes SaskPower doing their best to prevent EV adoption, grid demand fees, misinformation about EV bus fires, and Ford's alleged lobbying around Trump-era climate rollbacks.

On the brighter side, new satellite data confirms EVs are already delivering cleaner air in California, with measurable drops in nitrogen dioxide linked directly to zero-emission vehicle adoption.

Links mentioned:

BYD suspension video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlNpTLie-aw

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Canada's upcoming allowance of lower-cost Chinese EVs and the politics swirling around it, to real-world winter EV performance, portable batteries quietly saving businesses money, and New Jersey's controversial new e-bike law, this episode blends practical advice, myth-busting, and clean-energy reality checks. Plus, we answer some surprisingly common EV questions from a medical professional, including why putting a wind turbine on a moving car definitely won't work.

A Brooklyn bagel shop using portable batteries to slash demand charges. Answering EV myths: wind turbines on cars, coal-powered grids, battery lifespan, and charging time and what first-time EV buyers should actually know before going electric

Links & sources mentioned:

Canary Media on Brooklyn bagel shop batteries: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/brooklyn-bagel-shop-plug-in-batteries

The Lightning Round * Global solar generation expected to grow 50% in the next two years

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Solar panels could deliver nearly twice today's energy by 2050, according to new research projecting efficiencies above 35%. This week on The Clean Energy Show, James and Brian break down what that means for global solar power, costs, land use, and long-term reliability.

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They also unpack talks between China and the European Union to replace steep EV tariffs with a minimum pricing system, and whether that actually changes anything for electric vehicle buyers. Plus, grid-scale battery storage in the UK continues to surge after back-to-back years of massive growth.

The show also looks at how climate change is cracking homes in London, as extreme heat shrinks clay soils and destabilizes foundations, and reacts to reports of giant airborne wind turbines now flying in China, generating power thousands of feet above the ground.

Topics include: • Solar panel efficiency above 35% by 2050 • China–EU EV tariff negotiations • UK grid battery storage boom • Climate change–driven subsidence in London • Airborne wind turbines and high-altitude energy • Sodium-ion batteries, EV market growth, robotaxis, and more

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In this abridged January 2026 bonus episode of The Clean Energy Show, Brian Stockton and James Whittingham kick off the first podcast of 2026 with a packed update on clean tech, transportation, and air quality trends shaping the global energy transition.

The show begins with developments in electric shipping, including Norway's autonomous container ship Yara Birkeland and testing of the world's largest battery-electric ferry, which will carry more than 2,000 passengers between Argentina and Uruguay. Listener mail sparks a brief but heated debate over whether corn is a vegetable, grain, or something else entirely.

The main stories focus on dramatic improvements in Beijing's air quality, with PM2.5 pollution levels down nearly 75% since 2013, driven largely by China's rapid adoption of electric vehicles. The hosts also break down how BYD has surpassed Tesla as the world's largest EV seller, why Tesla's sales declined in 2025, and how brutal competition inside China is squeezing margins for everyone involved.

Other highlights include China's claim of producing the world's first 100% recyclable wind turbine blade, signs that low-cost Chinese EVs could enter the U.S. market as early as 2027, and a wide-ranging Lightning Round covering batteries, heat pumps, solar growth, robotics, and plastics.

The episode closes with a troubling investigation into toxic air contamination aboard commercial airplanes — a hidden pollution problem affecting crews and passengers alike.

For the full, unabridged bonus episode, visit https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod and support the show.

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• U.S. Electric Vehicle Debate James breaks down the ongoing American EV culture wars, why they feel stuck, and how much is political theatre vs. real-world data.

We're off this week for the holidays so we're playing our Patreon bonus episode from a month ago because we think it has some great stories in it.

• EV Market Growth The hosts dig into the latest numbers showing EVs gaining traction globally—and why the economic case keeps getting harder to ignore.

• Stockpiling Critical Minerals A look at why countries are hoarding minerals like lithium and nickel, what it means for future supply chains, and who's preparing well (and who isn't).

• Rivian's Smart Bike Helmet Brian brings up Rivian's unexpected new gadget—a "smart" bike helmet—and the hosts try to figure out why an EV truck company is branching out.

• Corn's Environmental Impact A discussion about why corn farming is causing more climate trouble than most people think, including fertilizer emissions and long-term soil issues.

• Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture The hosts explore ideas and innovations that reduce nitrous-oxide emissions, improve soil health, and make food systems more sustainable.

• The World's Largest Sand Battery Wrapping up with the Finnish energy-storage breakthrough that stores heat in giant silos of sand—cheap, renewable, and surprisingly effective.

Back next week with a new show!

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A look back at the biggest clean energy developments of 2025 — and we reveal why electric trucking in China may be the most important story of the year. We break down record global growth in solar, wind, and EV adoption, explain how renewables are now outpacing fossil fuels in new investment, and explore why China's rising clean power generation is finally pushing its CO₂ emissions lower even as electricity demand grows CES 293 - Google Docs.

(Letters are being held over until our next bonus episode.)

The show also checks in on Norway, the world's EV laboratory, where electric vehicles now dominate both new sales and the overall vehicle fleet. The hosts discuss what Norway's data tells us about the future of gas, diesel, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids — and what it means for automakers still betting on combustion engines. Other highlights include a major San Francisco power outage, Volkswagen shelving the ID. Buzz in the U.S., and encouraging new data suggesting the world may have passed peak air pollution.

Links mentioned

San Francisco power outage (CNN): https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/21/us/outage-sf-power-san-francisco
Norway EV market update (CleanTechnica): https://cleantechnica.com/2025/12/22/evs-take-98-4-share-in-norway-bev-fleet-overtakes-diesel/
World may have passed peak air pollution (Our World in Data): https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/the-world-has-probably-passed-peak-air-pollution
Volkswagen shelves ID. Buzz in the U.S. (Electrek): https://electrek.co/2025/12/19/volkswagen-shelves-electric-minibus-for-us-not-forever/ CES 293 - Google Docs

The Lightning Round * Global EV sales are projected to hit 20 million vehicles in 2026

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How plunging battery costs are turning solar into reliable, around-the-clock power that can compete directly with fossil fuels. Brian Stockton and James Whittingham break down new findings from Ember showing that grid-scale batteries now make dispatchable solar cheaper than many new gas plants, fundamentally changing the energy landscape.

The episode also explores why Big Oil is increasingly betting on petrochemicals and single-use plastics as EVs cut into fuel demand. A new IEEFA report reveals that a 70% global reduction in single-use plastics would deliver a major financial blow to the petrochemical industry while cutting millions of barrels per day of oil demand.

From Canada, a Clean Energy Canada study finds that switching all homes in British Columbia to electric heat pumps could save households $675 million per year, reduce electricity demand, and cut emissions by about 6% of the province's total. Individual households could save hundreds to over a thousand dollars annually.

We also discuss Australia's booming home battery market, fueled by expanded federal subsidies, and Rivian's plans for autonomous electric vehicles that can run errands, self-diagnose, and drive themselves for service as the company builds its own AI hardware and software.

The Lightning Round covers global clean energy milestones including record renewable power in Australia, new solar efficiency records, fusion breakthroughs, EV and battery news, major climate policy moves in Europe, and Tesla opening its northernmost Supercharger in Alaska.

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Nairobi's ride-hailing sector hits 40% electric motorcycles as Bolt logs 4.8 million EV rides. Financing from M-KOPA and Watu helps riders switch to cheaper, cleaner bikes, and local companies like Roam and Ampersand expand assembly and charging.

Norway agrees to study its post-oil future after a deal with the Greens to pass the 2026 budget. EV incentives begin to scale back as adoption goals are met: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/norway-to-examine-scenarios-for-post-oil-economy/.

Thermostats Part 2 with Brian and James reviews the McVeggie. He wonders if it's actually just a mayo sandwich. They react to CNN's Bill Weir covering Trump's MPG rollback (full clip on Patreon: https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod) and look back at The Price Is Right giving away a $112,000 Tesla Roadster in 2010 and other EVs over the years: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPq_I_L2UL4.

A drone strike damages the protective shelter over the Chernobyl reactor. UN inspectors say repairs are needed, though experts caution against panic. BBC link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98nldr06l2o

James wakes up to hazardous air quality as Environment Canada issues a 10+ AQHI alert. LA becomes officially coal-free after the Intermountain Power Project shuts down, ending decades of coal power for the city. More from Electrek: https://electrek.co/2025/12/08/los-angeles-power-supply-is-now-officially-coal-free/.

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Solar power brings new dignity to a Kurdish village devastated by a chemical attack 38 years ago. Steven Guilbeault resigns from cabinet over a pipeline deal he says breaks Canada's climate commitments. North Carolina uses "super-roofs" and catastrophe bonds to cut hurricane losses. And Zillow removes climate risk scores from listings after backlash.

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Sheikh Wasan—attacked with mustard gas in 1987—has been rebuilt with 72 solar systems (432 panels) installed by the Rwanga Foundation. The project restores 24-hour power to homes, schools, and community buildings, offering long-overdue dignity to survivors.

Canada's former environment minister steps down, saying a recent pipeline agreement makes climate obligations unattainable.

Catastrophe bonds now reward homeowners for installing hurricane-resistant roofs, cutting claims by up to 60%. Insurance challenges rise as storms worsen.

Zillow briefly added wildfire, flood, heat, and wind risk data to listings, but removed it after complaints from agents. Buyers now must check climate risks themselves via First Street Foundation. First Street: https://firststreet.org/

Lightning Round * Dominican Republic activates the 162.6 MW Cotoperí Solar complex.

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The COP30 climate conference ended without references to fossil fuels after lobbying pressure. Al Gore criticized petrostates for blocking progress and argued the world has reached "Peak Petrostate." Outside the UN process, 24 countries have agreed to coordinate on fossil-fuel phaseout efforts, with Colombia and the Netherlands hosting the first international conference in 2026. An archival look back at Gore's 1992 Earth Summit warnings underscores the longstanding concerns.

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Arkansas has launched its first-ever wind project: a 135 MW installation using 32 U.S.-made turbines. The project delivers significant local benefits, including $950,000 annually to Cross County and over $50 million to landowners over its lifetime. Microsoft has committed to purchasing all generated power under a 20-year agreement.

Insurance companies are expanding into climate-risk consulting, offering inspections and adaptation guidance before disasters occur. Zurich Insurance now employs dozens of climate risk engineers, reflecting a growing industry segment. According to S&P Global, the world's 1,200 largest public companies face an estimated $1.2 trillion annually in climate-related physical risk by 2050. Some firms cannot obtain coverage without taking mitigation steps.

Tehran Faces Possible Relocation Iran's president warned that Tehran may no longer be viable due to severe ecological strain, including chronic water shortages, sinking land, frequent power cuts, and hazardous air quality. The government has discussed relocating the capital to the Makran coast, though significant financial, infrastructural, and security challenges remain.

Lightning Round * Electric heavy trucks are expanding rapidly in China, reducing lifetime operating costs by 10–26 percent and contributing to an 11 percent drop in diesel demand. * And more!

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Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva is calling on nations to commit to a voluntary and "self-determined" fossil-fuel phaseout roadmap at COP30. Debate continues over how aggressive nations should be and how such a roadmap should be enforced. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/16/have-courage-to-create-fossil-fuel-phaseout-roadmap-at-cop30-brazilian-minister-urges

Sodium-Ion Batteries That Work at -100°C Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated a sodium-ion battery capable of operating reliably in extreme cold. The pouch cell was tested with real wind and solar inputs, raising possibilities for remote, polar, and space applications.

Lightning Round At COP30 there are 50 fossil-fuel lobbyists for every delegate from the Philippines.

The IEA's latest oil-demand forecast assumes no EV growth outside China and Europe—an assumption that defies basic economics and was influenced by Trump-era pressure.

Sky debuts a silent, zero-emission hydrogen + sodium battery power system for film and TV sets. Story: https://fcw.sh/RgGKB0

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A YouTuber powers his entire home using batteries pulled from disposable vapes. It's an ingenious (if slightly dangerous) recycling project that shows how creative energy storage can get.

Germany — the country that started the global solar revolution — actually has worse solar potential than Saskatchewan's darkest month! Still, by inspiring the boom that made solar cheap and widespread, Germany paved the way for countries like China to dominate solar manufacturing today.

Join The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for free and get this month's bonus episode!

Also this week: coal mines are heating homes in the UK, Nissan sells its HQ to stay afloat, Toyota delays its solid-state EV battery (again), and a giant Australian grid battery survives a major failure.

The Lightning Round COP conference coverage vs. cruise ads, Spain nearly coal-free, edible road salt in Sweden, Texas breaks a November heat record, and Germany launches Europe's largest battery storage project.

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Australia's new "solar sharer" program will give every household three hours of free solar power a day—even if they don't have panels! It's a bold experiment to shift energy use to the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.

In California, the state quietly pulled the plug on its long-delayed e-bike rebate program, shuffling the remaining funds into clean car subsidies instead. The hosts argue it's a short-sighted move that favors more expensive solutions over the most efficient ones.

Meanwhile, South Korea now requires solar canopies over large parking lots nationwide—providing clean power, shade, and EV charging. The hosts also mark ten years since the Paris Accord and look back at how renewables blew past early forecasts.

Other stories include Kia's big EV push into Japan, Chery's 800-mile solid-state battery breakthrough, and listener mail about Chinese automakers.

The Lightning Round: Waymo expands robotaxis to new cities, Hyundai's global EV sales surge 47%, France tops global energy efficiency rankings, and a shocking stat—rising heat now kills one person every minute.

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European automakers are scrambling to form new alliances to dodge massive EU fines for missing EV targets. Tesla sits at the center of an ever-growing web of carbon-credit partnerships, giving traditional automakers a lifeline as they rush to electrify.

In the courts, youth-led climate lawsuits are heating up on both sides of the border. Canada is seeing its first-ever federal climate trial — La Rose v. His Majesty the King — arguing that government inaction violates young people's Charter rights. And in the U.S., a recent dismissal of the "kids versus Trump" case may still pave the way for future climate victories after a judge called climate change a "children's health emergency."

Plus, a new company wants to store clean energy under the sea using giant saltwater bladders — like a pumped hydro system without the mountains. Google also backs plans to restart an old nuclear plant in Iowa to secure 25 years of zero-carbon power.

And in the Lightning Round:

Two proposed AI data centers would use as much energy as five cities.
North Dakota's power prices fall as coal declines.
China rebrands "semi-solid-state" batteries.
The last coal plant in New England shuts down — for good.

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Uber Green gets a new name as Uber doubles down on electric rides, the world's largest heat battery comes online in California, a massive new floating twin wind turbine from China smashes records, and California tightens fire safety rules after a major grid battery blaze. Plus, why cold wind actually generates more electricity — and why Kia's newest EV comes with a gasoline-scented air freshener.

Brian goes all the way to Boston to see a Paul Thomas Anderson film in VistaVision then gets stranded there thanks to Air Canada. Then we discuss the Blue Jays going to the World Series. More chitchat in our extended Patreon episode this week.

China's MingYang Ocean X floating wind turbine doubles the size of current designs with 290-meter rotors and 50 MW capacity. James vents about nuclear plans in Saskatchewan

Nissan's Sakura EV gets a solar roof generating up to 3,000 km of free driving per year.
Beyond Meat stock surges over 1,000%.
Chinese automakers outsell Toyota in Japan's EV market.
Fossil-fuel heat linked to a 38% decline in tropical birds.
Finland finds cold air produces more wind energy than warm — but watch out for ice on the blades.

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China opens the world's first underwater data center — and it's using 90% less energy. The Boston Housing Authority tries out saddle-shaped window heat pumps that drape over windows like Pringles chips. James's two electric cars — a Chevy Bolt and a Nissan Leaf — both get modern makeovers with fast charging, heat pumps, and vehicle-to-home power. Plus, Delta Airlines bets on hybrid-electric planes — think Prius, but with less legroom.

The Lightning Round ⚡ * 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to climate fighters * Green hydrogen https://fcw.sh/7OCY5B * Deep Sky building a $500M direct air capture facility in Manitoba — one of the world's largest. * BYD Seagull named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2025. * Chinese automakers now hold 13% of the UK car market, predicted to hit 30% in two years.

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Conservatives actually support climate action. Nigeria goes big on solar, Santiago's air gets cleaner, and renewables finally overtake coal worldwide.

Renewables surpassing coal globally for the first time — even in China and India.
Nigeria's solar revolution: cheap panels, no diesel noise, and whole villages going solar.
Chile's long fight against smog finally paying off — cleaner air for 7.5 million people in Santiago.
Why many conservatives quietly support climate action — and what's really holding back their politicians.

Lightning Round:

Japan's new leader goes all-in on nuclear.
Puerto Rico's rooftop solar boom.
The Vatican's new climate commitment.
VW's EV sales up 231%.
Inhalers linked to climate pollution.
Alberta vs. Norway oil wealth.
World's largest floating wind turbine launched in China.

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Carrier, the company that invented air conditioning, is now adding batteries to its HVAC systems to help stabilize the grid. James compares clean energy progress in Heilongjiang, China, to the situation in Saskatchewan, Canada, where coal is sticking around until 2050. Meanwhile, developing nations may be scaling back their attendance at COP30 in Brazil due to soaring hotel prices in the Amazon.

Join us for free on Patreon for addional content like the hydrogen letter correcting us.

We also dig into listener mail, including a detailed correction on hydrogen vs. SMR math, new EV charging options from Grizzl-E, heat pump dryer experiences, Scandinavian crime drama recommendations, and whether James should just fill his house with snake plants instead of an air purifier. Plus, Glenn Wright weighs in on forests, carbon sinks, and net-zero.

In the Lightning Round:

U.S. nuclear license extensions in Wisconsin
France planning a 1.5 GW offshore wind farm
The U.S. DOE reportedly banning "climate change" from its vocabulary
Renewables beating new nuclear ten to one for climate mitigation
China's clean energy dominance in solar, batteries, and wind
Morocco sending solar power to Germany
Europe backing African renewables
A new sodium-ion battery installation in Switzerland
And just how many solar panels China installs every second

Links to stories we covered:

Carrier batteries for air conditioners (Canary Media): https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/carrier-air-conditioning-help-grid
Heilongjiang clean energy projects (China green hydrogen & e-methanol): https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-29/nations-rethink-plans-for-brazil-climate-summit-as-costs-soar?srnd=phx-green
COP30 hotel crunch (Bloomberg): https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-29/nations-rethink-plans-for-brazil-climate-summit-as-costs-soar?srnd=phx-green
Grizzl-E EV Club: https://grizzl-e.com/ca/ | https://club.grizzl-e.com/ | https://youtu.be/SH7fItzcFbQ
Antarctica wind project: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarctic-operations/stations-and-field-locations/amenities-and-operations/renewable-energy/wind-power
IEA on rising AC demand: https://iea.li/48AjJAc
Morocco–Germany undersea solar cable (CleanTechnica): https://cleantechnica.com
EU renewables in Africa (Bloomberg): https://bloomberg.com

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In this special interview episode, we sit down with economist Brett Dolter to explore the future of clean energy in Saskatchewan and beyond. From the politics of power generation to the technical challenges of renewables in extreme cold, Brett offers a candid and insightful look at what it will take to transition to a greener grid.

Brett Dolter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Regina where he teaches courses in climate change policy, microeconomics, cost-benefit analysis, and ecological economics. Brett's research is focused on modelling the costs and consequences of climate and energy policy. Current research projects include analyzing the distributional impacts of carbon pricing in Canada; modelling the cost of decarbonizing the Canadian electricity system; and exploring public support for competing energy futures in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The report on SaskPower vs fed regulations Dolter published here (PDF)

We discuss why Saskatchewan, despite its world-class solar and wind resources, lags behind provinces like Alberta in renewable adoption, and how monopoly structures and regulatory frameworks have slowed progress. Brett explains how reforming electricity rate structures could accelerate electrification, make rooftop solar more attractive, and help families save money in the long run.

The conversation also covers the engineering realities of renewable energy in cold climates—from wind turbines to heat pumps—and looks at innovations from around the world, including northern China, that could be adapted for the Prairies. Finally, Brett dives into the political dimensions of the energy transition, reflecting on public opinion, partisan divides, and the path forward for renewables in Saskatchewan.

This is an eye-opening discussion about the intersection of policy, technology, and economics—and why the choices made today will shape our energy future for decades to come.

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The future of batteries—including a surprising chemistry that works all the way down to –50°C. We'll also look at New York City's new speed limit for e-bikes, the world's first driverless truck border crossing, and how a listener in Japan pressed Saskatchewan's premier on renewables.

CORRECTION: 600,000 tons of hydrogen does not produce 200 terawatt hours of electricity. It's only 2! AI halucinated and let us down. We appologize.

We explore whether Saskatchewan really is "too cold to decarbonize," with insights from researchers like Brett Dolter and Stanford's Mark Z. Jacobson. Plus, we compare the province's energy choices with bold projects in northern China and the Netherlands, where renewables are surging ahead despite tough climates.

In listener mail, Jon from Japan updates us on solar and EV progress in his city, proving that persistence pays off. And in the Lightning Round, we'll cover fossil fuel declines in Europe, China's new climate pledge, a Canadian wildfire twist that helped crops, India's nuclear expansion, Nigeria's solar boom, and BYD's massive new battery breakthrough.

Wind-solar-hydrogen integrated demonstration project in Manzhouli, China. * Lightning Round: China's climate pledge, U.S. offshore wind ruling, EV oil displacement, Nigeria's solar push, BYD's 14.5 MWh container battery

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A listener letter dives deep into climate despair and tough questions about our future, Newark's historic airport terminal gets an all-electric makeover, and a Canadian teenager fails a driving test because their Tesla was deemed "too high tech." Plus, Norway now boasts more EV charging plugs than fuel nozzles, and we break down what that means for the rest of the world.

We also dig into air quality data, Saskatchewan's forest policies, and whether negative emissions like BECCS can play a role in climate solutions. As always, the Lightning Round brings you the latest clean energy headlines—from BYD's new e-Bus platform to rooftop solar in Puerto Rico, geothermal startups, and the steep adoption curve of EVs.

Links to stories we discussed in this episode:

Rooftop solar boom in Puerto Rico: HubSpot News
Xpeng's first European EVs roll off the line: CNEV Post

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New York just made history as the first U.S. state to officially ban fossil fuels in most new building construction, setting the stage for an all-electric future. Meanwhile, wildfire smoke is proving more dangerous than ever—scientists say breathing it can be like smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, with staggering health and economic costs across North America. And in New York City, the NYPD now has the power to confiscate uncertified e-bike batteries in the name of safety.

We also cover abandoned coal boreholes in Australia leaking methane equivalent to thousands of cars, listener mail about ultra-cold climate 'cascading' heat pumps, and the latest in global clean energy progress.

In the Lightning Round: – Bluetti's sodium-ion power station – CATL's ultra-fast charging EV battery – India's electric vehicle targets – China's solar exports to Africa

And much more!

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Links – New York gas ban (Canary Media) – Abandoned methane-leaking coal boreholes (The Guardian): https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/sep/03/abandoned-queensland-coal-borehole-found-to-be-emitting-10000-cars-worth-of-greenhouse-gas – Flooid Power Systems cold-climate heat pumps: https://flooidpower.com – Video: https://youtu.be/KQNc4VnTOis?si=cqSk9OnZ6cHeZsDM

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How Big Oil is fueling much of the legal opposition to offshore wind in the U.S.—using environmental laws to stall clean energy progress. We break down who's behind the lawsuits, why they matter, and how they threaten America's climate goals.

We also look at new research showing that riding a bicycle could reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia, thanks to the unique brain benefits of cycling. Meanwhile, here at home in Saskatchewan, the provincial government wants to extend coal power until 2050. But one of our listeners is fighting back with a court challenge, demanding accountability and a livable future.

Plus, updates on U.S. tax credits for clean appliances and EVs, listener mail from Europe on smart charging apps, and Mark Jacobson's thought experiment on how little it would cost to power the entire world with solar panels.

We begin with a conversation about our weekend which included musician Emm Gryner!

And in the Lightning Round:

Beyond Meat rebrands to "Beyond"
And a Canadian Tesla owner proves you can drive electric all the way to the Arctic

Links from this episode:

Offshore wind lawsuits and oil ties
Cycling and Alzheimer's risk study
Rewiring America tax credit hub: https://rewiringamerica.org
Saskatchewan climate lawsuit: https://cpj.ca/saskatchewan-legal-action/
Wisconsin youth climate lawsuit: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/22/young-climate-activists-sue-wisconsin

Support the show now:

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James takes us on his 4,000 km electric vehicle odyssey to the West Coast—an audio vacation slideshow with EVs, chargers, and road trip surprises. Brian dives into the strange story of Russian hackers seizing control of a Norwegian dam, while James shares a shocking climate realization from salmon on the Pacific coast. Plus, we unpack the dangers of gas station neurotoxins, and Colorado's new law requiring health warning labels on gas stoves.

Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon.

Episode Highlights:

Colorado requires air quality warning labels on gas stoves.
Gas station neurotoxins and neurological health risks.

The Lightning Round:

Ukraine hits Russia's Druzhba oil pipeline.
Nepal's EV share of new car sales reaches 87.6%.
And: in April, China installed more solar than Australia has in its entire history (abc.net.au). Donate via PayPal

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The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, focusing on the Pacific Palisades community and the implications for urban areas as climate change intensifies. Actor Martin Short's love for that community and how James feels connected to it. Alongside an in-depth look at John Vaillant's book Fire Weather, we uncover the growing wildfire threat to cities and practical ways to safeguard homes and lives.

Encore episode that followed the Pacific Palisades Fires in Los Angeles, January 2025. We will be back on August 14th with our Patreon episode and August 20th with a new regular episode.

UPDATE: CAL FIRE has marked Martin Short's home as 'undamaged'! This is contrary to the previous report by The Wrap.

CORRECTION on the size of screen to protect attic vents. It should be no bigger than 1/8" opening (we said 1/4" which is an out-dated guideline.)

Episode Highlights:

Los Angeles Wildfires: Examining the catastrophic fires in Pacific Palisades, where a tight-knit, picturesque community was largely destroyed. We discuss the human stories, the risks of living in fire-prone areas, and the role of climate change in escalating wildfire events.
Author John Vaillant: Insights from Fire Weather and Vaillant's analysis of urban wildfires as a dire climate threat, with compelling clips from his talks and audiobook.
The Cost of Fire Risk: Why insurers are pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving homeowners scrambling for alternatives like the FAIR Plan.
Tokyo's Disaster Preparedness: A spotlight on Tokyo's remarkable infrastructure designed to mitigate natural disasters, from flood tunnels to seismic standards for buildings.
Home Fire Safety Tips: Learn critical steps to reduce the risk of your home catching fire in a wildfire, including creating defensible spaces, fireproofing materials, and evacuation best practices.

Key Links Mentioned:

Fire Weather by John Vaillant: Audiobook available here
Induction Cooktop Review on Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/copper-charlie-induction-stove-review/
Raw video of Pacific Palisades fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7VVdGcDzE

Support Our Work: Help us continue creating climate-positive content:

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David Suzuki stuns with a message of climate defeat—but is he right? Brian and James unpack Suzuki's pessimism and a powerful rebuttal from climate politics professor Donald Wright, who says the fight is not over.

Also this week:

Germany hits a heat pump milestone, surpassing gas boiler sales for the first time.
🚴‍♀️ E-bike rebate programs are spreading fast across the U.S., from Rhode Island to Oregon to Washington D.C.
Listener Tim follows up with insights on passive solar, geothermal, and his DIY sand battery project.
🚗 James prepares for an all-EV family vacation and shares why even an 87-year-old former gas junkie loves his Bolt EV..

Lightning Round ⚡

☀️ Transparent solar windows installed in Santa Barbara
⚡ EV price parity hits Thailand; major drops in Brazil
🤯 CES Fast Facts™: Microplastics in your brain & deadly cooking fuels in Africa
🧾 Oil & gas write Ohio's carbon capture law
☢️ Renewables add more than nuclear—every two days
📉 Tesla ranks as America's least trusted car brand

📬 Write to us! Email: CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com Voicemail: speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Support: patreon.com/cleanenergypod

Perks include:

🚀 Early episode access
🙌 Shoutouts on the podcast

🎙️ A rerun is coming next week while James is on vacation, but look out for a new Patreon episode Thursday!🎄 See you for the next regular show August 20.

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A viral meme claims Norway installed sea-life-friendly underwater turbines. It's AI-generated nonsense—though there have been real tidal power projects in Norway and Scotland. We unpack the truth behind the clickbait.

The United Nations' top court declares a clean, healthy environment a human right. But what does it really mean for international law and fossil fuel development?

Wildfire smoke chokes Saskatoon in record amounts. And we hear from Aiden, a listener in Lytton, B.C.—a town still devastated from climate disaster four years ago.

Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast!

Also on the show: 🎬 Brian re-views the original Naked Gun 2½ and previews the new reboot.

Lightning Round Highlights ⚡

Formula 1 to use electric/sustainable hybrid engines starting in 2026.
Huawei patents a 2,900 km EV battery (wait, what?).
California's bullet train project gets a surge of public support.
Australia installs over 11,000 grid-scale batteries—in one month.
Tesla survives a brutal Chinese real-world ADAS test (barely).
And: Greenpeace's lawsuit against Eni over climate damage goes to court in Italy.

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UN Secretary General António Guterres proclaims that the fossil fuel era is fading and the clean energy age is rising. Vietnam is banning gas-powered motorcycles in downtown Hanoi by 2026. Meanwhile, a new electric scooter hits 100 mph, and China begins building the world's largest hydroelectric dam.

Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks!

Also on the show:

🚗 James's son's car-buying journey ends terribly—but he gets approved for car share in just two hours!
🏠 Brian explores in-floor hydronic heating after a listener recommendation.
🛵 Vietnam aims to eliminate all gas-powered two-wheelers by 2045—bold for a country with 72 million bikes.
🌍 UN says 90% of renewable projects are now cheaper than fossil fuels.
⚡ China's new megadam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River will generate 300 million MWh/year—more than 3× the Three Gorges.
🛴 Bo's new "Turbo" electric scooter can hit a stunning 100 mph—but it'll cost you $29,500! And your life!
Listener Tim from northwest of Edmonton writes in with advice on radiant heating systems—highlighting both efficiency and comfort.

🌩️ The Lightning Round

🔋 China activates its largest lithium iron phosphate battery project: 2 GWh capacity.
🌊 2025 is now "The Year of the Flood" in the U.S., with record-breaking flash flood warnings.
🐟 Lab-grown salmon arrives at a Seattle oyster bar—cheaper for the planet, not your wallet.

💬 Contact Us: Email: CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com Voicemail: speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

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See you next week for another electric episode! ⚡

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A Canadian Football League game was cancelled after fans waited six hours in thick wildfire smoke—smoked sausages, indeed. We dig into why air quality is getting worse and how it's connected to climate change.

Plus, surprising new research shows that diesel generators are allowed to emit 48 times more nitrogen oxides than natural gas boilers. We explore the shocking pollution double standards that exist across industries.

Meanwhile, in Northeast Calgary, homeowners are struggling to get insurance due to a rise in extreme hail. Some insurance companies are pulling out entirely. What's behind this localized crisis—and why it's a warning for the rest of the country.

And in Reno, Nevada, a startup has installed the world's largest second-life battery grid using hundreds of used EV battery packs. It's powering a data center and showing a viable path for battery reuse.

Also in this episode:

Water use restrictions in England as drought conditions worsen
U.S. Republicans blame Canada for wildfire smoke ruining their summer (but not climate change)
Scientists say cleaning up air pollution might be making global warming worse in the short term

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Amish E-Bikes, Balcony Solar, and a Djibouti Wind Boom

E-bikes are quietly transforming Amish communities, balcony solar panels are powering up UK homes, and the tiny African nation of Djibouti is making huge renewable energy strides. Plus, Brian returns from London with fresh eyes on electric taxis, streetcars, and some eyebrow-raising climate solutions.

We explore how indoor air quality is the our new air quality frontier.

Bill Gates is backing a new kind of wind energy. Plus, climate change delivers catastrophic floods to Texas.

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This week, we're bringing a special treat to the public: a previously exclusive Patreon bonus episode! Brian and James take a October, 2024 road trip in Brian's Tesla Model Y, which was recently upgraded with Full Self-Driving Beta. Yes, the car drove itself—and we captured the whole experience.

The hosts discuss:

Transferring FSD Beta from the Model S to the Model Y
A 30-minute test drive across town with no human input
Real-time impressions and commentary during the drive
Reactions to Tesla's autonomous driving performance
The weird, the smooth, and the occasional sudden stop

This is not just a conversation—it's a rolling commentary from inside the car while the AI takes the wheel. Buckle up for this unique episode!

Back next week with an all-new show!

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New groundbreaking new data on solar-plus-battery affordability, community-driven efforts to fight wildfire smoke, and the global decline of coal power. Brian prepares for a trip to London, and James shares his latest air quality observations from the smoky Canadian prairies.

They also touch on some big global issues: India's indoor air pollution crisis, New York's unexpected plans for new nuclear power, and China's rapid solar and blimp tech progress. Plus, an update on fusion energy from a listener email and the usual dose of humour, clean tech insight, and righteous frustration.

Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon!

Episode Highlights:

A Saskatchewan First Nation installs air scrubbers in homes to combat wildfire smoke
Grid-scale batteries have become cheap enough to enable true 24/7 solar in sunny cities
Ireland shuts down its last coal plant—only to convert it to oil
New York State proposes a new nuclear plant amid rising demand from data centers
Lightning Round

Links:

🔋 Solar + battery now 24/7 cheap (Electrek)
⚛️ Fusion tech breakthrough (Latitude Media)
🏭 Ireland ends coal (Power Magazine)
⚡ Arctic lightning rising (Yale e360)
🍃 Electric lawn tools catch on (Canary Media)
🛩️ China's electric blimp (iThome)
🚗 Car ownership hits $12.3k/year (Bilello Blog)

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Smoke from wildfires in the Canadian prairies drifts all the way to Switzerland, ruining a listener’s hike—and James feels personally responsible. Meanwhile, Brian reports that global banks continue to pump money into fossil fuels, all while hiking credit card interest rates. He sums up their attitude perfectly: “We’re evil, we just can’t help it.”

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The Clean Energy Air Quality Project continues with a new discovery—our local landfill is a serious pollution source. James calls it a “foul, disgusting place,” and the data seems to back him up.

Plus, the UK is sweating through a major heat wave just as Brian plans a visit. Will his timing cool things down? King Charles seems to think so.

Also on this episode:

Global banks’ greenwashing hypocrisy
Citizen science and the ongoing Clean Energy Air Quality Project
The unexpected reach of prairie wildfire smoke
Climate change and travel plans colliding in real time.

Articles

Nepal’s EV Leapfrog – CleanTechnica
Tesla vs. NHTSA Autopilot Probe – The Verge
25-Year Solar Panel Warranty – Electrek
Tesla Battery Recall & Fire Risk – InsideEVs
EV Idle Payment via Smart Grid – Canary Media

Let me know if you’d like this in a different format (e.g., for YouTube or Instagram).

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Our listeners bought an air quality monitoring station for the podcast and we plan to make the most out of it! Already, James is learning about some bad air from industry in his Canadian city.

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Free link to the chapter Ungovernable by Patricia W. Elliott from the book Unjust transition: The future for fossil fuel workers (pp. 88-116), Fernwood Publishing, 2024.

Also on this episode:

Saskatchewan’s air pollution is under the microscope — literally. James sets up a $500 air quality monitor near the Regina refinery and shares his findings with the world. Could data transparency change local air policy?
The UK announces its biggest nuclear investment in a generation.
South Korea’s new government ditches fossil fuels for an electrified future.
John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather, pens a powerful op-ed: zombie fires are now surviving two Canadian winters.

In The Lightning Round:

Protesters torch 5 Waymo robotaxis in L.A.
BYD plans megawatt EV chargers across Europe.
Canada's oil sands emissions fall — but not for in situ operations.A $1.60-per-passenger electric flight lands at JFK.
Hong Kong launches drone-based McDonald's delivery.

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Our city had the worst air quality in the world at the time of recording, with an Air Quality Index of 446 (that’s like smoking over 60 cigarettes a day). We explore what led to these hazardous conditions, how wildfires are affecting our communities and even reaching Europe, and why Canada’s air quality reporting system needs a 21st-century overhaul.

Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon for exciting perks! Our monthly bonus podcast is coming up this week!

The Clean Energy Show received two sustainability awards from the Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE), a United Nations University network promoting Education for Sustainable Development.

The fast fashion industry gets a sustainability report card. H&M tops the chart with a B+ thanks to its real investment in decarbonization. But most brands are still failing. Read more from Bloomberg:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-03/h-m-outperforms-zara-and-shein-on-green-report-card-for-fashion

Swiss authorities averted disaster by evacuating the town of Blatten before a monitored glacier collapsed. But such preventative infrastructure is rare globally. More from Bloomberg: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-03/swiss-glacier-collapse-is-a-lesson-on-climate-disaster-management

Jason Cook-Studer of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band is building microgrids and district heating with salvaged wood while fighting fires threatening his traplines. We share his inspiring work in a featured clip.

Andrew Johnson from One School, One Farm—building bridges between classrooms and climate resilience: We play a clip from his RCE presentation!

⚡ In the Lightning Round:

Used solar panels get second life through Search4solar http://dlvr.it/TL6xmA
Port of L.A. cuts ship emissions 24% with OpenTable-style scheduling https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-06-03/how-to-cut-shipping-pollution-quickly-and-cheaply

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Penguin poop might be cooling the planet by seeding clouds over Antarctica! A new study shows how ammonia from penguin guano helps form reflective cloud cover. Meanwhile, a $10 billion geoengineering plan proposes to deploy 500,000 undersea drones to regrow Arctic sea ice. Can technology save the poles—and should it?

Support our podcast on Patreon and get exciting perks!

We also bust myths about EV fires after The Telegraph claims they’re on the rise.

Plus, an Edmonton pilot project is using secret tech to stop EV charger cable theft—and it’s already working.

Also in this episode:

Solar fences at Zurich Airport could boost solar production 20x by 2040. Read more
Quebec investors rescue Lion Electric, keeping Canadian school bus EV dreams alive. Full story
The new Pope Leo vows to continue Francis’s environmental legacy.

Lightning Round:

Global EV sales rose 35% in Q1 2025. IEA report
Climate change has reduced global wheat yields by ~10%. Source
Hyundai’s robotic EV chargers are live at a Korean airport. Details
Macdonald-Laurier Institute says Canada doesn’t need new oil pipelines. More
Edmonton's secret anti-theft tech leads to arrests at EV chargers. Read

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This week on a special encore episode of The Clean Energy Show, Brian is recovering from surgery, and James wonders if he’s truly on the mend—or if it’s a Schrödinger’s host situation. Either way, they’ve queued up a listener-favorite episode for your enjoyment!

In this replay of Episode 166, Brian and James dive into some wild, worrying, and hilarious developments in the clean energy world:

Climate scientists—especially women—are receiving increasing death threats, but remain determined to keep speaking truth to power.
Ford shocks the auto world by announcing it will adopt Tesla’s charging port standard in North America.
Toyota appears baffled by the concept of a charging network.
Siemens designs a wind turbine just for Americans—complete with baseball fandom and gunfire (well, figuratively).
Australia delays the reopening of a coal power plant… that exploded. (Yes, really.)

Catch all this and more clean energy news, commentary, and comedy in this classic episode of The Clean Energy Show.

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Canada approves its first Small Modular Reactor (SMR), but critics argue it’s a costly, high-risk distraction from cheaper, proven renewables. Ontario Clean Air Alliance explains the financial and security risks

Plug-and-play solar is finally coming to the U.S., launching in Utah this summer with no permits or installers required. EcoFlow’s new modular solar kits, with similar kits already popular in Europe and China, they could revolutionize backyard and balcony power for American homeowners.

Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks!

Also this week: Thames Water warns that London may face water restrictions following the driest spring in nearly 70 years. As Brian plans his summer visit, the city's leaky infrastructure—losing enough water daily to fill 230 Olympic-sized pools—adds urgency to the crisis.

– EcoFlow’s new “Stream” solar energy system starts at $599, with optional battery backup. See ZDNet.

– Manitoba’s skyrocketing EV charging prices spark backlash—$700 for two hours?

– Mazda switches to Tesla’s NACS charging plug in Japan, adding to the global shift.

The Lightning Round:

– U.S. budget cuts all tax incentives for new nuclear – Sweden hits 63.3% EV adoption – U.S. could be powered 1x over by solar-covered parking lots – GM unveils a lithium manganese-rich battery promising higher range and lower costs – Plus: A look at Onox, the all-electric tractor with swappable battery packs via Electrek

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We dive into thorium nuclear reactors — a long-dormant technology with huge safety and environmental potential, now being revived by China. What are they, how do they work, and why aren’t we using them already?

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Meanwhile in Los Angeles, rebuilding after devastating wildfires has sparked controversy. The mayor rolled back an electric-only building mandate to speed up reconstruction — but a new report says building all-electric is faster and cheaper. We explore why gas-free homes make more sense, even in emergencies.

The longest-range electric vehicles on the market, sometimes topping 1,000 km.

Plus:

Pittsburgh Airport is transforming a former landfill into a solar powerhouse.
BC Hydro triples its EV charging network as British Columbia adds 200,000 EVs.
Australia’s rooftop solar boom, EV battery longevity, and gene-edited rice in India.

The Lightning Round:

Uber expands robotaxi services globally with Chinese partners.
Waymo robotaxis: up to 25x safer for pedestrians.
70% of ferries on order now electric.
By 2027, nearly all new homes in England must include solar panels.

We explain how thorium reactors differ from traditional nuclear, their safety advantages, and why they may be key to a cleaner energy future.

Pittsburgh landfill solar: https://electrek.co/2025/04/30/pittsburgh-airport-landfill-solar/ LA rebuild & natural gas: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/carbon-free-buildings/la-fires-electric-construction

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A massive blackout brought Spain and Portugal to a standstill this week, reminding us just how deeply modern life depends on electricity. The outage disrupted everything from subways and air traffic to ATMs and elevators, leading to scenes of chaos in Madrid and emergency water deliveries by tractor. We break down the moment-by-moment collapse of daily life—and what it tells us about resilience and infrastructure.

See our Patreon page for our social media posts and ways to support our work!

In the UK, the Labour government is pushing forward with new overhead power lines, despite public opposition to their visual impact. A study endorsed by Labour shows burying cables is 4.5 times more expensive than pylons—read more from The Guardian.

Also in Britain, protesters frustrated with the lack of textile recycling options are mailing their worn-out clothes back to the CEOs of the companies that sold them. One PhD student’s protest kicked off a wave of “postal activism”—full story here.

We also respond to a heartfelt listener email from California about EV range anxiety. Is it time EVs matched gas vehicles for range? We talk bladder size, cold weather, spousal tolerance, and battery waste. Plus, another listener from Swift Current updates us on his repaired Hyundai Ioniq 5—and reveals a surprise connection with last week’s mailbag guest from Japan.

In the Lightning Round:

Scientists develop a tool that could let courts hold oil companies accountable for climate damages—via Bloomberg.
New York lawmakers push to shut down Tesla stores.
A startup is turning methane into butter.
China approves 10 new nuclear reactors—again.

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Pope Francis had become one of the most influential voices on the moral side of climate change. Back in 2015, he released an encyclical called Laudato Si', where he framed environmental issues not just as scientific or political problems, but as deep moral and spiritual ones. He emphasized that climate change affects everyone—but especially the poor and vulnerable who contribute the least to the problem yet suffer the most from its effects. At the end of the show, we look back.

All links to items mentioned on our show can be found on our Patreon page.

🔋 CATL’s Battery Breakthrough China’s battery giant CATL just unveiled technology that can charge an EV in just five minutes while also performing well in cold weather and offering over 500 km (320 miles) of range. They're even rolling out sodium-ion batteries to replace traditional 12V batteries, reducing fire risk and cost.

🎒 Chicago Teachers Union Bargains for the Planet In a groundbreaking new contract, the Chicago Teachers Union added climate initiatives to their demands. If approved, the deal will bring solar to 30 schools, heat pumps, and clean energy job training — all in partnership with local labor unions.

🗣️ Thomas L. Friedman on China: “We’re Screwed”

🏢 Climate Action in NYC A Manhattan housing co-op has gone fully electric.

📬 Listener Mail: Greetings from Japan

⚡ The Lightning Round

New York injects $30M more into EV rebates.
Robots are fixing China's grid.
Tesla’s mega-charger (168 stalls!) is coming to California.

Pope Francis and the climate.

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In Sierra Leone, solar power is saving lives—literally. A neonatal intensive care unit that once faced constant blackouts is now powered by a solar microgrid with lithium-ion batteries. The result? A surge from 10 newborns a month in 2013 to 140 today, with hundreds of lives saved each year thanks to reliable, renewable power.

(Sorry, we had to remix this episode twice! James does NOT have a brain tumor.)

Watch Michael Liebreich's documentary from his Cleaning Up YouTube channel: https://www.patreon.com/posts/solar-hospital-126744571?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

A historic win for climate accountability: the UN's maritime agency has passed the first international emissions cap for global shipping.

Also this week: New research shows that cleaner air boosts solar power generation.

Plus: A U.S. jury has ordered Greenpeace to pay $660 million in damages over its role in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

Florida has overtaken California
It’s illegal to bike your kids to school in Ontario.
J.D. Vance called the people of China "peasants." We had thoughts.

Links Mentioned:

Solar Brightening Boosts Power Output – Bloomberg
Greenpeace Verdict and the Future of Activism – Bloomberg
UN Shipping Emissions Vote – BBC

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Texas offers billions to build gas power plants—but no one wants the cash. Developers say renewables are just too cheap. Meanwhile, Delhi cracks down on combustion cars, Viking unveils a zero-emission cruise ship, and salmon are swimming free thanks to dam removal.

In this episode:

Texas’ Energy Gamble: A $5B loan program for new gas plants is falling apart. Developers say costs and market risks are too high. Read more
Viking's Hydrogen Cruise Ship: The Viking Libra launches in 2026 as the world's first zero-emission hydrogen-powered cruise ship. Details
Barcelona's All-Electric Ferry: New ferry runs 21 hours on a single charge. Story
Delhi’s Combustion Crackdown: Starting April 15, vehicles older than 10–15 years can’t refuel. Big bans are coming by 2035. Read
UK Adjusts Its Ban: ICE vehicle sales end in 2030, hybrids get a 5-year extension. Details
Salmon Return to the Klamath: Four dam removals bring salmon back to Oregon and California rivers. Watch the doc
Fleet EV Update: James reflects on EV truck adoption and fights battery myths. CATL eyes Nio’s battery swap network. More

Lightning Round:

Russia struggles as oil nears $50/barrel
Toyota plans 10 new EVs by 2027 (link)
Audi halts U.S. deliveries due to tariffs
BYD sells 6,500 EVs in March in the UK (+750%)
Pakistan multiplies solar capacity 17x in 2024
Illinois EV adoption up 50%, fueled by $4,000 rebate
Solar power is doubling globally every 3 years
Over 100 oil refineries face shutdown by 2035
Clean electricity surpassed 40% globally in 2024 Source

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Welcome to episode 256 of The Clean Energy Show! This week, we explore the challenges of allowing Chinese EVs into Canada, the arrival of USB-C charging for electric bikes, and how small amounts of solar power are transforming lives in Africa. Plus, Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions are trending downward, and James Whittingham claims full credit.

The Downside of Chinese EVs in Canada China is testing whether the prospect of big EV investments could sway Canada’s trade policies. The country’s ambassador to Canada has expressed concerns over restrictions that have hindered BYD’s expansion into Canada. Critics argue that China’s trade proposals could reduce Canada to a resource exporter while China dominates global tech and manufacturing. Is this the kind of economy Canada wants?

USB-C Charging for E-Bikes Read more

Electrification in Africa Gains Momentum Plunging solar panel prices and increased international funding are fueling the rise of mini-grids in Africa. These solar-powered microgrids are transforming rural communities, enabling businesses, improving education, and even providing street lighting for safety. The impact is profound, with villages experiencing economic and social growth thanks to electricity access.

Canada’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decline Read more

The Lightning Round * EV sales in China have likely caused gasoline consumption to peak. Read more * Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are emerging as major markets for Chinese solar panels. Read more * Uruguay’s EV market is booming, with battery-electric vehicles reaching over 15% market share. Read more * Hyundai’s Georgia EV plant is now operational, ready to launch the three-row IONIQ 9. Read more * Waymo’s self-driving cars now use external speakers to alert passengers about forgotten items. Read more * Volvo’s latest electric truck boasts a 600km range, 44-ton capacity, and rapid 40-minute charging. Read more * Chinese battery manufacturer Cornex has improved grid-scale battery storage by 50%, with mass production beginning in June. Read more

Eric from the Bay Area recommends the documentary The White House Effect, which is premiering at a local film festival in Sebastopol, California.

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Solar plus batteries are having a breakthrough moment, signaling a major shift in global energy. An aluminum plant in Australia is moving to solar plus battery storage, making its production greener than ever.

We also hear from a listener who connected his heat pump hot water heater to his HVAC system, proving once again that our audience is the smartest around. And in a groundbreaking development, scientists have achieved 100% lithium recycling, which could make EV battery production truly sustainable.

Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon for great rewards from Brian and James like our exclusive Patreon Podcast on Clean Energy!

Meanwhile, a new millimeter-wave drilling technology could revolutionize geothermal energy by reaching depths conventional drills can't handle. Plus, we discuss fossil fuel subsidies in Canada and Alberta’s premier’s threats to national unity over green policies.

Topics This Week:

Solar plus battery storage powering an aluminum plant in Australia
A listener shares his heat pump water heater and HVAC integration
100% lithium recycling breakthrough for EV batteries
Millimeter-wave technology for next-gen geothermal drilling
Canada’s ongoing fossil fuel subsidies and Alberta’s political maneuvers

Listener Mail: Roshan Gervais shares his experience with a heat pump hot water heater in Edmonton, how it affects his home’s temperature, and how he integrated it with his furnace ducts for cooling benefits in summer.

Lightning Round:

China is expanding its grid to keep up with its solar boom
Mercedes-Benz unveils its most affordable and advanced EV sedan
Germany locks its net-zero goals into the constitution
Trump’s plan to kill clean energy tax credits could spike U.S. household energy costs
China’s Sinopec halts Russian oil purchases
Tesla deliveries drop 43% in Europe, while EV sales rise 28%
BYD advances silicon-ion battery technology for improved safety and durability
UK announces its first national forest in 30 years
Global building sector emissions stop rising for the first time since 2020
Landmark youth climate lawsuit in the U.S. comes to an end, but leaves a lasting impact

Join the Conversation:

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James goes on a well-deserved rant about his local government doubling the road tax on electric vehicles. Despite rarely using highways, his Nissan LEAF EV is now subject to a tax that funds road repairs outside the city and it's six times what a similar gas vehicle would pay. It’s a move that highlights how some governments continue to punish EV owners instead of encouraging clean transportation.

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Meanwhile, California has unveiled an ambitious plan to deploy six million heat pumps by 2030. However, despite incentives, the state is projected to fall two million units short of its goal. We discuss what’s being done to promote heat pump adoption and how the initiative could serve as a model for the rest of the U.S.

In a major shake-up for the automotive industry, Chinese battery and car manufacturer BYD has delivered what could be the final blow to the internal combustion engine. With their latest breakthrough in ultra-fast EV charging, vehicles can now recharge in just five minutes—matching the convenience of refueling a gas car. If this innovation takes hold, it could rapidly accelerate EV adoption worldwide.

Also on the show:

London is set to install 570 sidewalk-flush EV chargers, making it easier than ever for city dwellers to charge their vehicles.
The Ultra Low Emissions Zone in London continues to be a success, reducing air pollution significantly and improving public health.
Listener Mail: A real-life experience with Hyundai’s ICCU recall, and a discussion on the future of electric air taxis ahead of the L.A. Olympics.
The Lightning Round: Global BEV sales surge, solid-state battery advancements, and U.S. states wrestling with Chinese automaker investments.

Links & References:

California’s Heat Pump Initiative
London’s Flush EV Chargers
Ultra Low Emissions Zone Impact
BYD’s Five-Minute Charging Announcement

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Alberta has long believed its oil would sell forever, but U.S. refineries are signaling they could drop Alberta crude in a heartbeat. Looks like “forever” lasts about as long as a duck on a tailings pond.

Meanwhile, Korea’s $800 billion pension fund is ditching coal, an 8-year-old activist has forced India’s Supreme Court into action, and Brazil wants to reverse deforestation with reforestation.

Main Stories 🔹 Korea’s Pension Fund Ditches Coal – One of the world’s largest pension funds is divesting.

🔹 Trump’s Tariffs Hammer Canadian Oil – Marathon Petroleum plans to drop Alberta crude due to 10% tariffs. Read more.

🔹 8-Year-Old Activist vs. India’s Supreme Court – The court demands ministries collaborate on climate action after this case.

🔹 Brazil’s COP30 Reforestation Push – Brazil seeks funding for tree-planting as a climate fix.

Lightning Round! ⚡ Erin Brockovich calls for battery storage oversight (Read) ⚡ Fossil fuel lawyer joins U.S. EPA leadership (Read) ⚡ Ontario adds 25% tariff on U.S. electricity ⚡ Montana’s power is 90.4% renewable & cheap ⚡ China aims to cut energy use per GDP unit by 3% in 2025 ⚡ Texas power grid sets wind, solar & storage records (Read)

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The develping country of Pakistan has a terrible power grid but that's why it is experiencing a massive shift to solar, from the ground, up! With a payback period of just 1.5 years, solar is becoming a necessity for many Pakistanis.

Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon for exciting perks!

Also this week:

Mapping industrial heat pump opportunities
BYD and forced labor allegations
Massachusetts launches V2X pilot program – While a great step toward energy resilience, we discuss why it’s time to move beyond pilot programs and into real-world deployment.
Eagle Cam - Watch live here.

Main Stories:

Pakistan’s grassroots solar revolution: We examine how businesses and everyday citizens are adapting to an unreliable grid by embracing small-scale solar installations. Even rickshaws and motorcycles are going electric!
- Listen to the Volts podcast featuring experts Mustafa Amjad and Waqas Moosa discussing Pakistan’s transition.
- Industrial heat pumps in the US: Canary Media has mapped out the best areas to replace industrial boilers with heat pumps to reduce ozone pollution.
- BYD’s Brazil controversy: The Guardian and Reuters have reported on forced labor allegations at a BYD factory construction site in Brazil. Workers were found living in degrading conditions, and labor laws were violated in both Brazil and China.
- Massachusetts' V2X Pilot: Electrek reports on Massachusetts launching a two-year vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program to explore energy-sharing possibilities between EVs and the grid.

The Lightning Round:

Companies shift to ‘greenhushing’ Bloomberg
Japan’s worst wildfire in 50 years
Norway’s zero-emission transport zones – The country allows cities to ban fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Bloomberg
China’s nuclear fusion timeline – Bloomberg
A racist oil change sticker leads to a free EV – After an appalling incident in Wisconsin, a Nissan dealership in New York is giving a free Leaf EV to the victim. Electrek

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In this episode of The Clean Energy Show, James and Brian explore a groundbreaking startup backed by OpenAI's Sam Altman that's turning sunlight into heat stored in bricks. These modular containers can be deployed anywhere, potentially revolutionizing data center power supply. They also discuss how heat pumps continue to outsell gas furnaces in the U.S., signaling a major shift in home heating technology. Meanwhile, Japan's largest nuclear reactor remains inactive, stalled by local political resistance even as public opinion on nuclear power shifts.

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The episode also features a humorous story from the Czech Republic, where industrious beavers thwarted plans for a new dam by building their own—completely free of charge. James and Brian explore the implications of these stories for clean energy adoption and environmental conservation.

Brian revisits a classic SNL clip featuring Mike Myers in a climate change-themed Christmas special, while James shares his thoughts on a YouTube video documenting a train journey from Shanghai to Beijing. He humorously contemplates the highs and lows of communist amenities, including squat toilets.

The hosts dive into the cold hard facts about wind turbines and whether they can function effectively at temperatures below -30°C. They also touch on the challenges of grid stability and energy demands during extreme weather conditions.

In The Lightning Round, they cover a range of fast-paced stories including:

Ram's electric truck with a unique battery reserved just for towing.
India doubling its rooftop solar subsidies to $2.31 billion.
Indonesia’s delayed coal peak timeline and its implications for climate goals.
California’s push towards 100% renewable energy with massive wind energy imports from New Mexico.
China’s clean energy boom, now accounting for 10% of its GDP.
Texas gearing up for its windy season, which could significantly boost wind power output.
A surge in U.S. battery manufacturing, doubling cell production capacity this year.
Solar and battery combinations becoming cheaper than coal and natural gas in key markets.
California’s ambitious offshore wind plans moving forward despite political challenges.

This week’s CES FAST FACT™ reveals how Japan’s largest floating solar plant was redesigned after a typhoon-related fire, highlighting the importance of engineering clean energy projects to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Don't miss this jam-packed episode of The Clean Energy Show!

Contact Us: We love hearing from our listeners! Email us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow.

See you in one week!

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Palm oil is one of the biggest environmental villains, but now a Dutch biotech company has scaled up a breakthrough yeast-based alternative that could drastically cut emissions and deforestation. Meanwhile, New York City is tackling unsafe e-bike batteries by handing out free replacement e-bikes to delivery workers. Plus, France is going all-in on nuclear power to support the AI boom.

Undecided with Matt Ferrell - the popular YouTuber comes to Brian and James's backyard to explore the construction of a wind farm. Great video here. https://youtu.be/rKPYy8RF1RU?si=p8HFcVONNNYHMCks

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Also on this episode:

China’s heavy trucks are electrifying at a record pace.
Russia’s war is increasing global aviation emissions.
New research shows carbon capture may be worse than simply investing in renewables.
Rivian’s electric delivery van, once exclusive to Amazon, is now available for purchase by any fleet.

Listener Mail Weldon in Winnipeg shares a funny experience about driving an EV in -30°C, proving that gas cars aren’t just bad for the environment but also for visibility!

The Lightning Round * BYD’s solid-state battery breakthrough could double EV range. * A new Airbus A321XLR jet cuts fuel use by 30% per passenger. * Data center electricity demand is skyrocketing worldwide. * EV interest is surging, but cost misconceptions remain high. * The cost of installing a Tesla Supercharger stall? About $40,000. * Home insurance costs in Alberta have soared 90% in a decade due to extreme weather events. * China’s heavy-duty truck market is rapidly shifting to electric, hitting 21% market share this year.

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Our special fifth-anniversary episode! This week, we take a trip down memory lane to reflect on five years of clean energy news, predictions, and surprises. James takes us through just how much progress has been made in clean energy since we started the podcast five years ago. The growth is staggering, even compared to the most optimistic 2020 predictions!

The Baltic states have officially disconnected from the Russian power grid and joined the EU grid. Workers literally cut the cord and took pieces home as souvenirs, along with safety, security, and peace of mind.

Celebrating Five Years Our first show aired on February 12, 2020, in Brian’s bomb shelter studio, where we recorded the first five episodes.

How Predictions Held Up Back in 2020, some clean energy forecasts missed the mark—by a lot:

A 2020 climate report estimated 2.5 million EVs on the road by 2030. We’re at 85 million today, with four years to go.

EV Boom in Five Years

In 2020, 2.9% of new car sales in Canada were EVs—by the end of 2024, it was 13.2%.
There were only 4 million EVs in the world when we started. Now, 4 million EVs are sold every two months.

China’s Rapid Growth

In 2020, China exported 1 million cars. By 2024, that number skyrocketed to 6.4 million.
When we started the podcast, there were 8 million EVs worldwide. Now, China alone produces 238,000 plug-in vehicles every day!

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The Lightning Round

Ozempic is reportedly messing with climate predictions by reducing food consumption. Less food, less pollution!
Over $2 trillion was invested in the global energy transition in 2024—a record-breaking amount.
The U.K. would need a forest twice the size of London to offset its airport expansion emissions.
Oxford University, at 699 years old, is replacing gas heating with heat pumps to cut carbon emissions.
The Baltic states successfully cut ties to the Russian power grid and are now fully synchronized with the EU grid.

Thank you for five years of listening! Here’s to the next five!

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Canada’s unprecedented existential crisis caused by bizarre actions from the White House. It could be worse—we could be Greenland. Meanwhile, the long-awaited geothermal power plant near us is finally set to come online next year, initially providing 5MW of power—just enough to keep James’ heated socks toasty.

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Out of Spec YouTube channel

We also take a deep dive into an EV YouTuber’s trip to China and uncover just how far behind we are in EV technology. Spoiler: it’s bad, but still not as bad as Greenland. Plus, while Indian Railways celebrates 100 years of electrification, some North American officials are still convinced electric trains don’t exist.

Also on the show this week:

Turning fiber optics into smart sensors.
James rigs up his old electric car to defrost his windows.
And much more!

Canada’s Existential Crisis The latest U.S. policies have thrown Canada into turmoil, with jobs disappearing and small businesses shutting down. The idea of Canada becoming the 51st state is floating around, but what would that mean? With an additional 343 seats in the U.S. House and 2 in the Senate, plus 345 electoral votes, Canada would fundamentally alter the political landscape—potentially preventing another Republican presidency. But would Americans ever accept us?

Geothermal Power Finally Coming Online The long-awaited geothermal power plant near us will start producing electricity next year. Initially generating 5MW, this marks a significant step in clean energy for the region. Read more: Deep Earth Energy and SLB Canada partnership.

EV Tech in China is Light-Years Ahead Kyle Connor from Out of Spec recently tested EVs in China, where battery swapping is a common practice due to the lack of home charging in massive apartment complexes.

Turning Fiber Optics into Smart Sensors Researchers are developing technology that repurposes fiber optic cables to monitor and optimize the electrical grid. Read more: Electrek article.

Listener Mail The Lightning Round! * China’s EV charging points surged by 49% to 12.8 million in 2024. * The UK now has 8GWh of operational battery energy storage, with nearly 20GWh under construction. * 60 million AAA members in the U.S. and Canada can now get preferred pricing at ChargePoint stations. * Tesla’s sales are plummeting in California while the broader EV market continues to grow. * PV-powered EVs can extend their range by up to 30%, with real-world tests showing an additional 530 km of range. * Enhanced geothermal is expected to reach a levelized cost of $80/MWh by 2027, eliminating the need for coal and nuclear as baseload power sources.

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That’s our show for this week! Email us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com, follow us on social media @CleanEnergyPod, and don’t forget to rate and review us on your favorite podcast app. See you next week!

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The United Arab Emirates is building the world’s largest solar farm with battery storage, capable of providing 1 GW of consistent baseload power, just like a nuclear reactor. We also explore why some trees survive wildfires while entire neighborhoods are reduced to ash, and why Washington State’s e-bike subsidy program is turning heads with its innovative lottery system.

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Plus, we reflect on five years of podcasting and take a deep dive into the state of electric vehicle adoption worldwide. Norway is set to hit its 100% zero-emission vehicle goal this year, while the U.S. and Canada struggle to keep pace. We’ll also discuss how EV price parity is reshaping the global auto industry and why fast charger costs are finally coming down.

Highlights from this week’s episode:

Renaming the Gulf of Mexico: A humorous take on geopolitics as James suggests Canada reclaim the Gulf as “The Gulf of Southern Canada.”
UAE’s Solar Mega-Project: How the largest solar-plus-storage project compares to traditional baseload power sources.
Wildfire Survivors: Why some trees remain standing amid devastation and how homes can be better protected from fire risks.
Washington State’s E-Bike Lottery: A unique approach to e-bike subsidies that could make cleaner transportation more accessible.
EV Adoption Trends: Norway leads the pack with near-total EV adoption, while China outpaces North America in price competitiveness and sales growth.
Listener Feedback: A shoutout to Ian, who reconsidered a winter EV road trip, and Ronnie, who shares insights on nuclear energy from a viral TikTok.

The Lightning Round:

Volkswagen may partner with a Chinese EV manufacturer in Germany.
Extreme heat in Europe is predicted to cause more deaths despite milder winters up north.
France hit 95% carbon-free electricity production in 2024, driven by nuclear power.
Solar energy overtakes coal for the first time in the EU.

Fast Facts:

Texas solar power increased by 64% in one year.
China’s renewable energy investments dwarfed its nuclear developments in 2024.

Book Nook: James revisits Ducks by Kate Beaton, a poignant memoir about working in Alberta’s oil sands.

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Podcast Show Notes for Episode 246 of The Clean Energy Show

In this week's episode of The Clean Energy Show, we explore the intersection of climate, technology, and resilience in the face of a changing world. Highlights include:

Trump’s Second Term and Climate Policy: The U.S. pulls out of the Paris Agreement again. What does this mean for global climate efforts?
Electric Construction Tools in Oslo: Discover how Norway is leading the charge in cleaner, quieter construction sites, where even the loudest sounds come from an art museum.
Understanding Wildfires: Why are trees often left standing after wildfires devastate neighborhoods? We discuss the science of fire behavior and building resilience.
Sweden’s Underground Heat Battery: Learn about a city storing summer heat for winter use, a fascinating innovation in sustainable energy.

Plus, we share listener letters from around the world, including advice for EV road trips in winter, insights on wildfire mitigation, and reactions to the latest energy news. Don't miss our deep dive into the challenges and triumphs of rebuilding after wildfires in California, as well as the science behind humidity and fire risk.

Listener Mail Highlights:

EV travel tips and challenges from Vancouver Island to Regina.
Reflections on climate action and accountability from Ireland and Germany.
A story of nostalgia for winter driving in a 1969 VW Beetle, contrasted with modern EV struggles.

The Lightning Round: Quick takes on the biggest clean energy stories, including:

Oregon’s massive 1.2 GW solar farm.
China’s rise as a nuclear powerhouse.
Europe’s potential to meet 25% of EV battery metal demand through recycling by 2030.

Contact Us: We’d love to hear from you! Email us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail at speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow.

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The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, focusing on the Pacific Palisades community and the implications for urban areas as climate change intensifies. Actor Martin Short's love for that community and how James feels connected to it. Alongside an in-depth look at John Vaillant’s book Fire Weather, we uncover the growing wildfire threat to cities and practical ways to safeguard homes and lives.

Repost of a re-edited episode. UPDATE: CAL FIRE has marked Martin Short's home as 'undamaged'! This is contrary to the previous report by The Wrap.

CORRECTION on the size of screen to protect attic vents. It should be no bigger than 1/8" opening (we said 1/4" which is an out-dated guideline.)

Episode Highlights:

Los Angeles Wildfires: Examining the catastrophic fires in Pacific Palisades, where a tight-knit, picturesque community was largely destroyed. We discuss the human stories, the risks of living in fire-prone areas, and the role of climate change in escalating wildfire events.
Author John Vaillant: Insights from Fire Weather and Vaillant’s analysis of urban wildfires as a dire climate threat, with compelling clips from his talks and audiobook.
The Cost of Fire Risk: Why insurers are pulling out of high-risk areas, leaving homeowners scrambling for alternatives like the FAIR Plan.
Tokyo’s Disaster Preparedness: A spotlight on Tokyo’s remarkable infrastructure designed to mitigate natural disasters, from flood tunnels to seismic standards for buildings.
Home Fire Safety Tips: Learn critical steps to reduce the risk of your home catching fire in a wildfire, including creating defensible spaces, fireproofing materials, and evacuation best practices.

Key Links Mentioned:

Fire Weather by John Vaillant: Audiobook available here
Induction Cooktop Review on Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/copper-charlie-induction-stove-review/
Raw video of Pacific Palisades fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt7VVdGcDzE

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We honor the life and legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, who passed away last week at the age of 100. Carter’s visionary actions, from installing solar panels on the White House to helping clean up the first nuclear accident in Canada, laid the groundwork for today’s clean energy movement.

We revisit the energy crises of the 1970s, examining how the OPEC oil embargo and subsequent events reshaped global energy policy and consumer habits. Meanwhile, New York State takes a bold step in the fight against climate change by passing a law to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for the costs of extreme weather.

Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon for exciting perks! Join at any level to get access to the extended edition of this week's show.

President Joe Biden’s recent ban on oil drilling in nearly all federal waters marks a historic move in the clean energy transition, though its permanence remains uncertain under future administrations.

Other Highlights in This Episode:

The reality of EV performance in super-cold conditions, including insights from Yakutsk, Siberia.
Congestion pricing kicks off in Manhattan, with a reported 40% reduction in travel times.
The return of compact EVs like the Chevy Bolt and the debut of cutting-edge electric trucks and SUVs in 2025.
The fascinating journey of Carter’s original White House solar panels, from their installation in 1979 to their afterlife across the globe.

We also dive into the latest clean energy developments in the Lightning Round, including:

Robotaxis rolling out from Uber and Lyft.
BYD’s record-breaking growth in EV sales.
The IEA’s promising outlook on next-generation geothermal technologies.
Germany’s renewables hitting 125% of electricity demand on New Year’s Day.

Join us as we kick off the year with exciting stories from the world of clean energy and a tribute to a true pioneer.

Bonus Content for Patreon Supporters: A deep dive into 2025’s clean energy predictions, challenges, and upcoming EVs. Support us on Patreon to access exclusive content: https://www.patreon.com/members.

Donate to Support the Show: Help keep the show running! Donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE.

The Lightning Round: Stick around as we wrap up with quick-fire updates on cutting-edge clean energy news and trends!

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In this special year-end episode of The Clean Energy Show, we reflect on the remarkable progress in clean energy throughout 2024. From groundbreaking renewable energy initiatives to significant policy changes and technological advancements, this year has been a monumental one for the transition to a sustainable future. Join Brian Stockton and James Whittingham as they delve into the stories that defined the year, sprinkle in a few laughs, and preview what lies ahead in 2025.

Bonus Content for Subscribers: Paid subscribers and Patreon members get exclusive access to the full-length version of this special episode.

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Highlights from This Episode: * California’s $2,000 Electric Bike Vouchers: A wildly successful program that ran out in minutes. * Record Investments in Clean Energy: A staggering $2 trillion in 2024, double the amount spent on fossil fuels. Learn more * Tesla Co-Founder’s Battery Recycling Breakthrough: Redwood Materials achieves 95% efficiency in critical mineral recovery. Read the full story * Britain’s Coal-Free Milestone: The UK becomes the first G7 nation to close all coal plants, with renewables dominating its energy mix. * China’s Offshore Solar and Wind Records: A 1GW floating solar PV facility and the world’s first 26MW wind turbine set new benchmarks. * Pakistan’s Solar Surge: The country adds 17GW of solar capacity, revolutionizing its energy landscape. Dive deeper * Paris Olympics and Sustainable Transport: A model for urban cycling and reduced car reliance.

The Lightning Round: * Major Victory in Montana Climate Lawsuit: A landmark ruling upholding youth climate advocates' rights. Full decision here * Poland’s Coal Exit Accelerates: On track to phase out coal entirely by 2032. * Hudson Bay’s Christmas Heatwave: Temperatures projected to soar 20°C above historical averages. * Innovative Floating Wind Technology: Mingyang Smart Energy's "V"-shaped OceanX turbine goes live.

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Welcome to episode 242 of The Clean Energy Show! This week, we explore a groundbreaking proposal to connect Europe's and North America's power grids using undersea cables, a move that could revolutionize clean energy by balancing solar and wind production across continents. California is launching a new program offering free e-bikes to low-income residents, but there's a catch: applicants must sit through climate change and e-bike safety videos. Meanwhile, OPEC faces a harsh reality check as oil demand peaks much sooner than anticipated, leaving petrostate politicians scrambling. And in New York City, plans for mandatory e-bike license plates spark controversy.

Also in the show: Mercedes gets the green light for Level 3 autonomous driving in Germany, GM pulls the plug on its Cruise robo-taxi business, and BC Hydro opens a powerful new EV charger in British Columbia. All this and more, including the ever-illuminating Lightning Round!

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Main Stories

California's Free E-Bike Program: Read more.
Transatlantic Power Grids: Full report.
OPEC’s Oil Demand Reality Check: Read the full analysis.

Other Highlights

Mercedes-Benz's DRIVE PILOT gets approval in Germany for Level 3 autonomous driving, allowing drivers to legally read, work, or watch TV while the car drives itself.
GM halts its Cruise self-driving taxi operations after safety incidents.
BC Hydro opens a new 350 kW EV charger in Oyama, BC, significantly improving EV travel in the region.

Listener Mail

The Lightning Round

US Supreme Court upholds California’s right to set its own vehicle emissions standards.
Global renewable energy installations hit a record 560 GW in 2023, compared to just 7.1 GW of new nuclear.
EV battery life may last 40% longer than previously estimated.
Study finds only 1% of EV owners would switch back to gas-powered cars, with cost savings being the primary reason.
BYD plans to introduce 6C charging technology, enabling 10-80% charging in just 7 minutes.

Contact Us We want to hear from you! Email us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow.

Support the Show

Join us on Patreon for exclusive content and to be part of the conversation.
Donate via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE.

We’re also preparing our year-end wrap-up! Let us know what stories from 2024 stood out to you and how you feel about the progress made this year.

Thank you for listening to The Clean Energy Show! See you next week!

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This week, we dive into the latest advancements in clean energy and sustainability! A universal ‘Plug and Charge’ protocol for EVs is set to roll out in 2025, promising a seamless, app-free charging experience for all electric vehicles. In Boston, a groundbreaking program prescribes solar power to low-income patients—an innovative approach to health and energy security. Meanwhile, scientists uncover a surprising factor contributing to global warming: the Earth is dimming, with reduced cloud cover playing a significant role.

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We also welcome back a beloved guest with a special EV announcement and discuss listener mail on passive solar building codes, spinning homes, and solar history. All that and much more, including quick updates on Hyundai’s fast-charging push in India and the Pope’s new electric ride!

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Highlights in This Episode: * EV Charging Revolution: Learn how the upcoming universal 'Plug and Charge' protocol will streamline charging for all EV drivers. Source. * Solar Power Prescriptions: Boston doctors prescribe solar energy to improve health and prevent utility cutoffs for vulnerable patients. Source. * The Earth’s Dimming: Reduced cloud cover is accelerating global warming, adding a new layer of urgency to climate action. * Listener Mail: Insights into passive solar design and how cities like Davis, CA, led the way in sustainable building practices. * Pope’s New EV: Mercedes-Benz unveils an all-electric popemobile, showcasing the intersection of sustainability and tradition. Source.

The Lightning Round * Seaweed for Cattle: Feeding seaweed to cows cuts methane emissions by 40%. * Kenya’s Renewable Transformation: From 60% fossil fuels in 2000 to just 6% today. * Egypt’s Renewable Ambitions: 18.6 GW of new wind and solar by 2030. * Battery Price Drop: Lithium-ion battery packs see the steepest price decline since 2017. Here's a gift link to the Bloomberg article. * Heat-Related Deaths

Contact Us We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts and questions: 📧 Email: CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com 🎙 Leave a voicemail: Speakpipe 📲 Follow us on social media: CleanEnergyPod

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Scientists in the Rockies are developing technology to detect attempts to dim the sun—a safeguard against rogue geoengineering experiments. A proposal for a 2,500-mile subsea power cable aims to deliver renewable energy from North Africa to Britain. Could it revolutionize energy trade or is it an oversized project? The most-watched primetime show in the U.S. is now powered by batteries, drastically cutting fossil fuel use. Could the NFL’s transition inspire other industries?

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Also this week:

Finland’s Nuclear Waste Solution: Finland leads the way with the world’s first permanent geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. Is this the future of nuclear waste management?
Ukraine’s Resilient Renewable Energy: Despite attacks on its grid, Ukraine’s decentralized clean energy projects are proving harder for Russia to destroy and quicker to repair than fossil fuel systems.
UK’s ICE Ban in 2030: The UK confirms it will stick to its 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars, with strong penalties for automakers that fail to comply.
Updates on heat pump performance in extreme cold, a look at Norway’s sky-high car taxes, and Brian's adventures with a cold.
Listener mail: Practical tips for EV owners and insights from parades powered by the F-150 Lightning.
A Lightning Round featuring everything from BYD's vertical integration to agrivoltaics boosting grape yields and Mexico's net-zero commitment by 2050.

Links from the Show * Sunday Night Football Power Backup * Morocco-UK Subsea Cable Proposal * Finland’s Nuclear Waste Repository * Ukraine’s Renewable Energy Strategy * UN Conference on Plastic Pollution

The Lightning Round Highlights * China’s CO2 Decline: A 1% drop in Q2 2024 marks the first quarterly decrease since COVID-19. * BYD’s Sodium-Ion Batteries: A promising grid-scale alternative to lithium-ion. * Heat Pump Policies in Europe: 24 nations now support industrial-scale rollouts. * Plastic Pollution Treaty Stalemate: Talks to curb production hit a wall, with future discussions planned.

Catch us next week for more clean energy news and listener mail! Want to support the show? Join our Patreon for bonus content and early access to episodes. Don’t forget to subscribe and review us on your favorite podcast app!

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The latest developments from COP29, the annual climate summit, where world leaders committed $300 billion per year to help developing nations combat climate change—though many argue this figure falls short of the required funding. Meanwhile, as Australia faces a blistering heatwave, maintenance on coal plants exacerbates the energy crisis, adding fuel to the debate over fossil fuel dependence.

We also cover the groundbreaking approval of Hermes 2, the first Gen IV nuclear reactor in the U.S., which features a unique molten salt cooling system designed for efficiency and safety. Plus, Ann Arbor, Michigan, takes a bold step forward as residents approve a local clean energy utility, furthering the city’s commitment to sustainable energy.

Finally, California makes headlines with a plan to counteract potential federal EV policy changes under the incoming Trump administration, promising state incentives to EV buyers if federal credits are repealed.

COP29 Climate Finance and Fossil Fuel Stalemate
Australia’s Heatwave and Energy Crisis
Nuclear Innovation in TennesseeAnn Arbor’s Local Clean Energy Utility
California’s EV Incentive Backup Plan

The Lightning Round:

San Jose’s Electrified Train: Caltrain switches from diesel to electric on its San Francisco to San Jose route, marking a major shift toward greener transit.
Data-Powered Heat in San Jose: A unique project will use excess heat from data centers to warm six new apartment buildings in San Jose, demonstrating a creative way to reduce emissions.
Maine’s New Renewable Targets: Maine accelerates its renewable energy goals, aiming for 80% clean energy by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
BYD’s Advanced LFP Batteries: China’s BYD announces its next-generation EV battery, designed to offer longer range and greater safety.
California's Potential New EV Rebates: Newsom proposes state-level EV rebates as a countermeasure if federal incentives are reduced under the Trump administration.

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California is embracing wave power technology to generate electricity from ocean waves, which will help power thousands of homes. A new study challenges the long-standing belief that rooftop solar is a burden on California's customers, showing that it actually benefits the state. This update offers hope for the future of solar power in California. Read more from Canary Media.

China's Open Sea Solar Farm: China has just powered up the world’s largest open-sea solar farm, which also incorporates fish farming. This innovative project showcases the potential of combining solar energy with marine aquaculture to boost renewable energy production. More on this from Electrek.
COP29 Climate Talks: As COP29 unfolds, key figures are calling for a complete redesign of the conference. One major suggestion: reducing the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists, who currently outnumber climate negotiators. The conference is in its final week, and tensions are rising over the role of developing countries in achieving decarbonization goals.

More details on COP29 from Electrek.

The Lightning Round:

Air Pollution in India: India is currently experiencing extreme air pollution, with levels up to 130 times above the recommended safety threshold. Flights and trains have been canceled due to the severity of the pollution.
Bomb Cyclone: A bomb cyclone is forming off the coast of the Pacific Northwest, with winds strong enough to rival a hurricane. This rare weather event is a stark reminder of the power of climate extremes.

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Solar panels are built to last, often functioning for decades beyond their warranty. When they’re replaced, many are finding a second life in energy-poor regions like sub-Saharan Africa, where access to electricity can transform communities. Programs like Solar Sister help distribute these panels to power mobile phone chargers, e-bikes, and even entire villages. For example, an original Bell Labs PV cell from 1954 is still producing power 70 years later.

Join The Clean Energy Show's CLEAN CLUB on Patreon or YouTube for exciting perks! 2. This holiday season, Australia will pioneer V2G technology that allows electric vehicles to feed electricity back to the grid, helping balance supply and demand. Learn more about this development in Electrek’s report. 3. Could a single solar panel lift someone out of energy poverty? 4. In a surprising move, Exxon’s CEO has urged the U.S. to remain in the Paris Climate Agreement. This unexpected stance from an oil giant hints at complex motivations. Check out the details in Bloomberg’s report.

Listener Mail:

Alex: A listener and sustainability expert, Alex, wrote in to share insights on the longevity and recycling of solar panels, noting that panels can often be used beyond their initial lifespan for energy-poor regions.
Nate from Oregon Seaweed: Nate, the chief scientist at Oregon Seaweed, left us a voicemail discussing the potential of kelp as a sustainable energy source.
Bob: Listener Bob sent us an article on Canada’s proposed emissions cap on oil and gas companies. Learn more in this piece from the National Observer.
Larry from Saskatchewan Renewable Energy Coalition: Larry invited us to discuss the Saskatchewan Renewable Energy Coalition, a group promoting renewable energy education in Saskatchewan.

Join James at the Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 11 AM for a panel discussion on the films of Lowell Dean.

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Sheep grazing under solar panels in Australia are producing higher-quality wool! Could agrivoltaics be the future of sustainable farming? Scientists predict that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) could collapse in just 15 years, threatening severe weather disruptions. Learn what this could mean for global climate.

Solar Panel Recycling Advances A new plant in Georgia will soon recycle up to 99% of solar panel materials, taking a big step toward reducing solar waste. More details here: Electrek

Listener Mailbag

Damon from Tasmania asks about carbon capture's effectiveness.
Michael on Patreon shares insights into biochar and praises our climate activism.

Automotive Updates

Toyota's Decline: With EV demand rising, Toyota’s production drops for the first time in four years. Electrek
Ford’s F-150 Lightning Halt: Production of the Lightning will be paused for two months. Electrek

Lightning Round

Honda’s Electric SUV Success: Honda's Prologue EV is outpacing the Chevy Blazer in sales, signaling strong consumer interest.
Saudi Arabia’s Battery Push: The kingdom launches a tender for 8 GWh of battery storage, one of the largest in the world.
Remote Work Reduces Emissions: A report finds Ottawa public servants working remotely produce 25% fewer emissions than office workers. The Energy Mix

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Louisville has launched America's first 100% electric garbage truck fleet. These trucks are perfectly suited for waste collection with heavy loads, stop-and-go conditions, and low speeds. James shares insights from The Saskatchewan Survivor's Guide podcast, featuring former center-left Canadian politician Cathy Sproule. Why climate policies often don’t get political attention, even among left-leaning parties. Revised episode!

Listen to the Episode

Biochar: The Carbon-Saving Solution Biochar, a product of burning forest materials at low temperatures, could help sequester carbon when applied to soil, rather than releasing it. This technology offers promising results in fire management and agriculture.
- Read the Minnesota Public Radio Article
- More from the U.S. National Forest Service
- Hurricane Relief with Solar Microgrids Following Hurricane Helene, the Footprint Project has provided North Carolina with solar-powered microgrids to replace polluting diesel generators. This initiative powers essentials, from food trucks to water filtration, sustainably. Canary Media Article
- Electric Hydrofoil Ferries in Sweden Sweden has launched the world’s first-ever electric hydrofoil ferry service, a cutting-edge leap towards emission-free maritime transport. Read More

Listener Mail * Claude from Lethbridge, Alberta: Comments on UCP attack ads in the podcast’s pre-roll ads. Thanks for sharing, Claude! * Derek: Asks about biochar and its applications for carbon reduction.

Lightning Round Highlights * Electricity-powered garbage trucks launch in Louisville, CO. * Bloomberg BNEF analysts find electrification outpacing hydrogen in decarbonizing sectors. Hydrogen Insight Article * Sri Lanka installing solar on religious sites with support from the Indian government. Read More

We love hearing from you!

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EV owners in the path of Hurricane Helene are being urged to move their cars to higher ground—find out why electric vehicles submerged in water are at risk of catching fire. California passes a new law to make the power grid smarter. Will this lead to a greener, more resilient energy future? Solar expert Jenny Chase is back with her annual tweet storm, offering sharp insights into the state of solar energy worldwide. Meta, Facebook's parent company, is teaming up to clean up concrete, an industry known for heavy CO2 emissions. Can AI and green tech revolutionize construction?

Also in this Episode:

Ford is offering free home charger installation with no cost ceiling! We'll explain what this means for new EV owners.
California's governor vetoes a bill that would have supported solar energy installations in schools. How will this decision impact future sustainability in education? Read more here.
Big news: We’re launching a Patreon membership program! Find out how you can support the show and get perks like ad-free episodes, early access to content, and monthly bonus podcasts.

Host Updates:

Brian's Trip to Milwaukee: Electric buses, public bike rentals, and the city’s clean energy efforts caught his attention, though EVs were surprisingly scarce.
James's Saskatoon Adventure: The “Milwaukee of Saskatchewan,” James tested his EV and even found a Florida EV that survived a joyride but was left riddled with bullets!

Main Stories:

Electric Vehicles & Flood Risk: EVs submerged in water can catch fire due to short circuits in their batteries. Florida's governor warned owners to move their EVs before the storm. More on flooded EV risks here.
California’s Smart Grid Law: California has enacted a law that promises to modernize the state's electrical grid, focusing on solar and renewable energy fixes. Read more here.
Meta & Greener Concrete: Facebook’s parent company, Meta, is looking to green up its AI data centers by making concrete production cleaner. Learn more here.

Lightning Round:

The U.S. has officially restarted a decommissioned nuclear plant for the first time. Details on Palisades Nuclear Generating Station's restart.
GM’s Equinox EV LT, the most affordable EV with 300 miles of range, has arrived at dealerships.
The UK has officially phased out coal power as of October 1st, making it the first G7 country to do so.
Fully Charged Show is teaming up with Stop Burning Stuff to raise awareness about the clean energy transition.

Patreon Membership:

We’ve launched a Patreon membership program! Join us to get ad-free episodes, access to a Discord community, early content, and monthly bonus episodes.
Supporter Tier: Ad-free shows, behind-the-scenes content, and our thanks!
Clean Club Tier: Everything from the Supporter Tier, plus text credit on video podcasts and early access to episodes.
Clean Club Plus: $10/month gets you a verbal shoutout in our monthly podcast, name in credits, and time-limited merch discounts.
Clean Club Executive: $20/month includes a verbal shoutout in every weekly podcast, name in credits, and the privilege of naming James's future illegitimate children!

Support Us:

You can support us on Patreon or by donating via PayPal (link in show notes). Your support helps us keep the show going!

Get in Touch:

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Show Links:

California Smart Grid Law: Electrek
Meta’s Concrete Clean-Up: Canary Media
Solar on Schools Veto: Canary Media
Nuclear Plant Restart: Canary Media

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GM’s big move to join Tesla’s Supercharger network, Australia’s rooftop solar overload, and Microsoft reviving the infamous Three Mile Island nuclear facility to power AI. Plus, we’ll discuss a billion-dollar solar-battery project in Utah, some cheeky comments about ice hockey, and much more!

Announcing our Patreon rewards for supporting the podcast! Join now and get perks for helping us spread climate change news and the progress in addressing it!

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Our friend's movie Die Alone starring Carrie-Anne Moss

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWEt2FoIqlU

In Theaters in Canada September 27, USA October 10, 2024.

This Week’s Headlines:

GM EVs Get Tesla Supercharger Access: GM doubles fast-charging options in North America, but you’ll have to pay for the adapter. Full article on The Verge
Australia’s Solar Kill Switch: Australia’s booming rooftop solar power requires a kill switch to manage excess energy. But maybe James’s tanning bed could help balance things out! Read more on Renew Economy
Microsoft and Three Mile Island Nuclear: The once-infamous nuclear facility is getting a fresh start to power AI, thanks to a massive $1.6 billion investment. Full story on Electrek
Utah’s $1B Solar + Battery Project: Ground has broken on a massive solar and battery storage project that could change the energy landscape in Utah. Read the article on Electrek

Main Discussion Topics:

GM and Tesla Superchargers: Why GM's access to Tesla Superchargers is a game changer for EVs, and the impact on charging times for various vehicles like the Bolt EV, Mustang Mach-E, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Plus, how much that pesky adapter will cost! Full article on The Verge
Low Power Demand in Australia: We explore Australia’s struggle to manage rooftop solar surpluses and why they may need to turn off solar generation at times. Read more on Renew Economy
Three Mile Island Nuclear Revival: Microsoft’s massive investment to revive the plant for AI energy needs, and the implications for nuclear energy’s future. Full story on Electrek
Listener Mailbag: A listener asks why the U.S. can’t get cheaper Chinese EVs, and we dive into the geopolitical concerns surrounding Chinese automotive tech. Read the Reuters article

Lightning Round:

China smashes records for wind and solar additions.
UK nuclear decommissioning to cost £132 billion. BBC article
Carrier HVAC launches new heat pumps that work in extreme cold. Full story on Cooling Post
How EV charging stations are boosting retail spending. Study published in Nature

Fast Facts:

The 600 GW of solar being added worldwide in 2024 will produce the same amount of electricity as 150 nuclear reactors!

Mailbag: Listener Paul asks about the future of Chinese EVs in the U.S. following new software crackdown proposals by the Biden administration. We explore the pros, cons, and the bigger implications for global trade and technology. Read more on Reuters

Closing Remarks: Thank you for listening to episode 230! We love hearing from our listeners, so don’t hesitate to reach out at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail at Speakpipe. Subscribe to get new episodes every week, and don’t forget to check out our merch store.

Links Mentioned in the Show:

GM EVs get access to Tesla Supercharger Network The Verge
Microsoft reviving Three Mile Island Electrek
$1 Billion Solar-Battery Project in Utah Electrek
Low Power Demand in Australia Renew Economy
Biden’s proposal on Chinese EVs Reuters

Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you next week!

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The world’s largest battery maker, unveils a battery that lasts 2.8 million kilometers, which is roughly 140 years of average driving—138 years more than Facebook memes claim about EV batteries. California is using robots to control wildfires by creating controlled burns. Think of it as a Zamboni, but with fire! India is spending $1.3 billion to subsidize electric two- and three-wheelers, along with electric ambulances. The Hague becomes the first city in the world to ban fossil fuel advertising!

Re-edited for your listening pleasure. Our Patreon launches next week!

Main Topics: * CATL’s New Heavy-Duty EV Battery CATL is developing a revolutionary battery for heavy-duty vehicles that lasts up to 2.8 million kilometers (140 years of driving). Key features:

+ 15-year lifespan.
+ Can withstand 72 hours of water immersion.
+ Charges 60% in 12 minutes.
+ Expected to enter mass production soon, with 13 companies ready to adopt it. More details here.

California’s Fire-Fighting Robots California is deploying robots that create controlled burns to prevent wildfires, likened to a "Zamboni but with fire."
- Also, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada is accelerating production of water-bombing planes. Read about the robots here, and about the water bombers here.
- India’s EV Subsidy Plan India is investing $1.3 billion to promote electric two- and three-wheelers while also electrifying ambulances.
- EV sales in India could hit 10 million units by 2030, supported by the subsidy. More details here.

Listener Mailbag: * Richard recommends podcasts like The Fully Charged Show and Everything Electric. * Chuck asks about gas stoves and their link to asthma, with studies showing they can increase childhood asthma risks by 30%. More info on the health risks here and here. * David shares his story of convincing his son to switch to an EV after some initial resistance—thanks to lower operating costs and cleaner air!

Hot Take: The 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs in North America could harm domestic automakers by delaying their efforts to catch up with Chinese competition.

Lightning Round: * Spain’s Prime Minister commits €40 million to subsidize e-bikes. * A battery-electric speedboat makes the same roundtrip as a gas-powered one for 95% less fuel cost. * China installs wind and solar capacity equivalent to five new nuclear reactors every week. * Chile leads the world with 9.4% of its primary energy coming from solar in 2023.

Closing: That’s it for this week! Remember to reach out via email at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com, or leave us a voicemail at speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow. Follow us on social media @cleanenergypod.

Links:

CATL’s new battery
California’s fire-fighting robots
India’s EV subsidy plan
The Hague’s fossil fuel ad ban

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Chinese carmaker BYD’s new truck, the BYD Shark, makes its debut on a popular YouTube channel. Both New York and LA are betting big on curbside EV charging, proving that East Coast vs. West Coast rivalries can pause for a clean energy future. Gasoline Demand Peaks? China and the US might be seeing a peak in gasoline demand, causing gas stations to rely more on lottery tickets and questionable hot dogs.

UK Shuts Down Its Last Coal Plant: Conservative politicians respond to the cleaner air by vowing to take up smoking in protest.
Listener Mail Highlights: An EV enthusiast races at Saskatchewan International Raceway with surprising results, and a listener shares a unique fertilizer method using tractor exhaust.

Additional Topics Covered:

Texas's impressive solar deployment growth: from 2.6 GW to over 41 GW expected by next year.
BYD Shark pickup truck: Midsize with half the towing capacity of Rivian or Tesla Cybertruck, but half the price. TFLEV video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4arWPLfoG2A&t=1272s

Lightning Round:

Lithium-ion battery incidents on airplanes hit a five-year high.
China’s CO2 emissions fall 1% in Q2 2024, the first drop since COVID-19.
Tesla integrates Uber navigation into its vehicles.
Texas becomes the US leader in utility-scale solar.

Fast Fact: Over the past 15 years, average fuel economy in the US has increased by 25%, from 20 mpg to 25 mpg.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James shares his experiences with EV charging on a road trip, revealing the challenges of finding hotel chargers. Denver's e-bike voucher program is making waves, selling out faster than Taylor Swift tickets, and James reveals a surprising fact about the water usage of your favorite cotton t-shirt. Plus, listener stories about robotic lawn mowers and more!

Key Topics Covered:

James's EV Road Trip: Hear about the trials and tribulations of charging an electric vehicle during a road trip, including hotel charging challenges and the unexpected camaraderie among EV drivers.
Denver's E-Bike Voucher Program: Discover how Denver's initiative to subsidize e-bikes was a smash hit, with vouchers disappearing in record time, and the unexpected disappointment from Ticketmaster.
The Hidden Water Cost of Cotton: James discusses the staggering amount of water required to grow the cotton for a t-shirt and the innovative entrepreneurs working to change that.
Recycling with Apple AirTags: A Houston resident used Apple AirTags to track where her plastic recycling was really going, with surprising results.
Listener Stories: Jeff shares his success with a robot lawn mower that keeps his cottage lawn perfectly manicured without any effort on his part.

Lightning Round:

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 to be the first non-Tesla with a NACS port.
Global zero-carbon power generation surpasses 40% for the first time.
China’s significant cuts in air pollution and its massive wind and solar expansion.

Listener Mail:

From Tiernan: A listener shares their journey from being laid off to becoming a Senior Procurement Manager for a company making modular green homes. They also ask for podcast recommendations on the technical aspects of the energy transition.
From Jeff: A listener's experience with a robotic lawn mower that has transformed his cottage lawn care routine.

Call to Action:

Contact us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com or leave us a voicemail at speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow.
Support the podcast through PayPal using the link below.

Extras:

Video versions of the podcast are available on TikTok and YouTube with exclusive content.

Links Mentioned:

Denver E-Bike Vouchers: Electrek Article
Tracking Your Recycling with AirTags: AppleInsider Article

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Make a small donation to our podcast today via our PayPal Donate page.

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In this jam-packed episode, we discuss Canada's decision to impose 100% tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), a move that could double the price of imported vehicles and potentially hinder climate action. Meanwhile, Germany is accelerating its deployment of renewable energy by reducing bureaucratic red tape. We also delve into China’s Third Plenum, which emphasizes the need to reduce carbon emissions, and how Norway’s EV transition is impacting gas stations. Plus, we share some fascinating listener feedback and dive into a range of other clean energy topics in our Lightning Round.

Key Topics Discussed:

Canada's 100% Tariffs on Chinese EVs: James explains why this policy could be detrimental, and we explore the broader implications for the EV market.
Germany’s Renewable Energy Push: Learn how Germany is speeding up its renewable energy deployment by streamlining regulations.
China’s Third Plenum: This significant meeting highlights the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, signaling a potential shift in global energy dynamics.
Listener Mail: A listener shares insights on their solar installation with a “Wiser Meter” and the benefits of monitoring real-time power usage.
Lightning Round: Quick updates on Tesla’s declining favorability, record solar generation in Germany, walkable solar panels from Turkey, and much more.

Additional Resources:

Germany Speeds Up Renewable Energy Deployment
Brian's Columbus, Indiana Video
Song/Band featured: Last Birds with Sounds Like Heaven
Hydrogen-Producing Ships

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James sets the record straight for Alberta’s premier on that province's solar potential. The city of Milwaukee is considering constructing a 55-story building made of wood. We dive into the reasons behind the low cost of Chinese EVs and dispel some common misconceptions. The city of Los Angeles is planning to host a car-free Olympic Games in 2028. Find out how Pakistan is quietly making huge waves in the solar energy sector.

Also on This Episode: * Olympic Closing Ceremonies: We discuss the fascinating motorcycle Tom Cruise rode at the Olympics. Read more. * Car-Free Olympics in LA 2028: How does a city with little public transit plan to host a car-free Olympic Games? Learn more. * Listener Mail: Preben shares his thoughts on a recent interview with Alberta’s premier, shedding light on the misinformation spread about solar energy capacity. Listen to the podcast. * China’s Cheap EVs: We explore why Chinese electric vehicles cost so much less and how much they would cost to manufacture in the U.S. Read the NYT article. * 55-Story Wood Tower in Milwaukee: Discover more about the proposal for the world's tallest mass timber building. Check it out. * Pakistan's Solar Surge: Solar is booming in Pakistan as the country imports record amounts of solar modules. Learn more.

Lightning Round: * IRA Impact: Two years into the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act—find out how it has transformed the energy landscape. * Doug Ford's Shift on Wind Power: Ontario reopens the door to green energy. * Global Renewable Energy Updates: Catch up on the latest milestones in renewable energy from around the world.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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In this special interview episode of the Clean Energy Show, host James Whittingham speaks with Steve Mann, Global Lead Director for Auto and Industrial Market Research at Bloomberg Intelligence. Steve shares insights from Bloomberg's latest EV survey, which explores the vehicle buying intentions of U.S. consumers. Despite concerns over charging infrastructure and affordability, the survey predicts a significant increase in battery electric vehicle (BEV) adoption in the coming years.

We're back with a new show next week!

Steve discusses the loyalty of current BEV owners, with an impressive percentage indicating they would stick with electric for their next purchase. The conversation also delves into the revolutionary impact of Tesla on the automotive industry, particularly in terms of design and manufacturing innovation. Steve shares his personal experience as a first-time EV owner, discussing the performance and features of the Chevy Blazer EV.

The episode explores various factors influencing the U.S. EV market, including the role of affordability, the importance of charging infrastructure, and the impact of global manufacturing strategies. Steve also offers his outlook on the future of EV adoption in the U.S., including the potential challenges and opportunities posed by political shifts and international competition.

Key Topics Discussed:

Bloomberg's U.S. EV Survey Results
The loyalty of BEV owners versus gasoline vehicle owners
Tesla's disruptive impact on the automotive industry
Personal experience with the Chevy Blazer EV
The importance of affordability in driving EV adoption
Challenges and opportunities in EV charging infrastructure
The potential impact of political changes on EV adoption
The role of Chinese manufacturing in the global EV market

Guest: Steve Mann, Global Lead Director for Auto and Industrial Market Research at Bloomberg Intelligence

Host: James Whittingham

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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China’s Xpeng Motors: Offering full self-driving on all Chinese roads. Solar Hats: A new solar hat capable of charging your phone is now available. Canadian EV Charging Network: An update on the still problematic Canadian EV charging network. Wildfire Smoke: A new study suggests that wildfire smoke may increase the risk of dementia. We also cover Hertz’s attempt to discourage one of our loyal listeners from renting an EV, provide a deep dive into the current EV market, and much more!

Key Topics: 1. China’s Xpeng Motors: * Xpeng Motors will offer its version of full self-driving on all Chinese roads this month. Learn more about the technology and its implications for the future of autonomous driving.

Solar Hat: * Discover the new solar hat equipped with solar panels on the brim, enough to charge your phone. Or consider a Clean Energy Show hat and simply charge your phone before you leave home!
Canadian EV Charging Network: * James checks on a Canadian EV charging network that’s been almost completely broken for years, revealing the ongoing struggles and ownership by an oil company.
Wildfire Smoke and Dementia: * A recent study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke may increase the risk of dementia. We discuss the implications as wildfire smoke becomes more prevalent.

Listener Highlight: * A listener from Dublin shares their experience renting an EV from Hertz in Ireland, including the challenges they faced and the ultimate success of their road trip from Dublin to Lisdoonvarna.

Hertz EV Rental Saga: * Our listener’s adventure and the Clean Energy Show’s dramatized reenactment of their Hertz rental experience, featuring AI Brian as the Evil Hertz Manager

Listener Mail: * A listener shares their thoughts on Bill Gates’ nuclear advocacy and the future of iron-air batteries versus Chinese LFP technology.

Major Climate Action: * China: Set to establish hard targets for overall emissions from 2026, accelerating its decarbonization efforts.

Other Headlines: * BYD in Canada: BYD plans to enter the Canadian market with a partnership with Uber for 100,000 rideshare EVs. * Tesla’s EV Strategy: Insights into Tesla scaling back its EV ambitions and the impact on domestic EV adoption. * Lion Electric: Cuts workforce by 30% amid slower EV demand. * Amazon EV Milestone: Reaches 15,000 electric delivery vans in service.

Lightning Round: * Netherlands Electricity: Wind and solar generated 58% of electricity in June 2024. * Chile’s EV Plan: Chile to phase out petrol cars by 2035. * China’s EV Market: EVs now account for nearly 50% of all car sales in China. * European Consumer Trends: The percentage of European consumers planning to buy all-electric vehicles has remained steady at 43%.

Links Mentioned:

Solar Hat from Eco Flow
BYD’s Entry into Canada
China’s Emission Targets

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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One of the most beautiful places on earth has been ravaged by an unfightable wildfire. Ironically, the crews spent some of their time protecting a fossil fuel pipeline. Vermonters can get up to $6,000 towards a new EV if their old car was damaged in extreme flooding amplified by climate change. An East Coast city is saving money by buying wind power for its citizens. The grinch power company isn’t happy about losing out. The Olympic city of Paris is going green with a big emphasis on dedicated bike paths between Olympic venues.

Host Conversation:

Brian discusses watching the Olympic opening ceremonies.
James talks about the impact of smoke on photography and the use of EV chargers in Jasper.
James plans a road trip and notes the changes in charging infrastructure over the past year.
Brian shares an update on Cummins and hydrogen powertrains.

Main Stories:

Vermont EV Incentive: Vermonters can get up to $6,000 to swap flood-damaged cars for EVs. Read more
Jasper Wildfire: An intense wildfire in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, with efforts to protect the Trans Mountain pipeline. Read more
Paris Olympic Cycling: Paris is implementing dedicated bike paths and emphasizing clean energy sources for the Olympics. Read more
Saint John Wind Farm: The Burchill wind farm in Saint John is undercutting power utility prices by more than half. Read more

Lightning Round:

A 12-kilowatt solar array on a church roof in Compton, Los Angeles, will cut the congregation's bills roughly in half.
US electricity generation forecast for the next 9 months includes significant increases in solar, wind, and battery power.
A lawsuit in Saskatchewan argues that expanding gas-fired electricity generation violates Charter rights.
A CES Fast Fact™ from Dr. Paul Dorfman: 67% of energy produced by a nuclear plant is lost as waste heat.
China doubles cash subsidies to propel EV sales as economic growth falls short.
A Brazilian cattle rancher has been ordered to pay more than $50 million for destroying part of the Amazon rainforest.
Australia's solar capacity is now 35.6 GW, with two-thirds on rooftops.
Man gets third-degree burns from walking on sand dunes in Death Valley.
Building collisions have reduced the total number of US birds by as much as 9%.
Thanks to Joe Biden’s IRA, there's more factory construction in the US than in the past 100 years.
Earth registered its warmest day in more than 100,000 years on July 21.
Offshore wind is expected to power 20 million UK homes within five years.
Chevrolet Equinox EV is now cheaper to lease than the gas version in the US.
US has ~145,000 gas stations and 65,000 public charging stations for EVs, with experts predicting EV chargers will exceed gas stations by 2032.

Links:

Vermont EV Incentive
Jasper Wildfire
Paris Olympic Cycling
Saint John Wind Farm
Cummins Hydrogen Powertrains
China EV Subsidies
Brazilian Rancher Ordered to Pay for Amazon Damage
Bird Collisions with Buildings

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Host Conversation:

Brian discusses watching the Olympic opening ceremonies.
James talks about the impact of smoke on photography and the use of EV chargers in Jasper.
James plans a road trip and notes the changes in charging infrastructure over the past year.
Brian shares an update on Cummins and hydrogen powertrains.

Main Stories:

Vermont EV Incentive: Vermonters can get up to $6,000 to swap flood-damaged cars for EVs. Read more
Jasper Wildfire: An intense wildfire in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada, with efforts to protect the Trans Mountain pipeline. Read more
Paris Olympic Cycling: Paris is implementing dedicated bike paths and emphasizing clean energy sources for the Olympics. Read more
Saint John Wind Farm: The Burchill wind farm in Saint John is undercutting power utility prices by more than half. Read more

Lightning Round:

A 12-kilowatt solar array on a church roof in Compton, Los Angeles, will cut the congregation's bills roughly in half.
US electricity generation forecast for the next 9 months includes significant increases in solar, wind, and battery power.
A lawsuit in Saskatchewan argues that expanding gas-fired electricity generation violates Charter rights.
A CES Fast Fact™ from Dr. Paul Dorfman: 67% of energy produced by a nuclear plant is lost as waste heat.
China doubles cash subsidies to propel EV sales as economic growth falls short.
A Brazilian cattle rancher has been ordered to pay more than $50 million for destroying part of the Amazon rainforest.
Australia's solar capacity is now 35.6 GW, with two-thirds on rooftops.
Man gets third-degree burns from walking on sand dunes in Death Valley.
Building collisions have reduced the total number of US birds by as much as 9%.
Thanks to Joe Biden’s IRA, there's more factory construction in the US than in the past 100 years.
Earth registered its warmest day in more than 100,000 years on July 21.
Offshore wind is expected to power 20 million UK homes within five years.
Chevrolet Equinox EV is now cheaper to lease than the gas version in the US.
US has ~145,000 gas stations and 65,000 public charging stations for EVs, with experts predicting EV chargers will exceed gas stations by 2032.

Links:

Vermont EV Incentive
Jasper Wildfire
Paris Olympic Cycling
Saint John Wind Farm
Cummins Hydrogen Powertrains
China EV Subsidies
Brazilian Rancher Ordered to Pay for Amazon Damage
Bird Collisions with Buildings

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Make a small donation to our podcast today via our PayPal Donate page.

E-transfer: cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

James Whittingham's comedy podcast Sneeze! with James Whittingham

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See The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to our show.

OUR STORE

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Are Chinese cars of superior quality compared to Western-made vehicles? James shares his thoughts on this and laments the quality of dollar store goods. UK airlines may soon be required to disclose their carbon impact to passengers. Brian discusses the potential impact of this transparency. With the possibility of Kamala Harris becoming the next leader of the free world, we examine her stance on global warming and her past efforts. Could AI be the key to reducing wildfires caused by power utilities during extreme weather? James explores this intriguing possibility.

In-Depth Discussions:

Air Quality: Brian gives an update on the smoke situation in Moose Jaw and revisits the recent evictions in Lützerath, Germany, for coal mining.
Affordable EVs: James talks about his experience with a low-range Nissan Leaf and the affordability of new electric vehicles in Colorado based on Kyle from Out of Spec Reviews. The $19/month new Nissan LEAF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsu0MrzcLJE

Main Stories:

Carbon Impact for UK Airline Passengers: The Guardian reports on the upcoming requirement for airlines to disclose their carbon impact, akin to nutrition labels for food.
Chinese Car Review: Brian reviews the BYD Seal, highlighting its features and performance. Check out the detailed review from Kyle at Out of Spec Reviews.
Listener Mail: Phil shares his excitement about his new all-electric household and plans for solar installation. Thanks for the feedback, Phil!
Kamala Harris on Climate: A rundown of Kamala Harris's contributions to environmental justice and clean energy, featuring endorsements from climate organizations.

Lightning Round:

Heat-Related Deaths in Phoenix: Over 300 suspected heat-related deaths are under investigation.
All-Terrain E-Bike: Birch Grolar's e-bike built for hunting and backcountry adventures.
Shanghai's Offshore Wind Capacity: Shanghai plans to install 29 GW of offshore wind capacity, enough to power half the city.
Shell Canada's Climate Goals: Shell Canada drops its 2050 climate goal from its website due to new anti-greenwashing laws.
Beef's Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Beef emits 30-50 times more greenhouse gases per pound than burning coal.
Canadian Carbon Tax: A new report states the Canadian carbon tax did not cause gas price hikes or inflation.
New York's Largest Offshore Wind Farm: Construction starts on a 924 MW wind farm, set to power 600,000 homes.
Global Renewable Energy Growth: Renewables projected to jump from 30% to 35% of global electricity by 2025.
Cuba's Electric Vehicles: Cuba transitions from 1950s gas guzzlers to zero-emitting electric bikes and vehicles.
Waymo's Robotaxi Vandalism: Waymo sues individuals for vandalizing its robotaxis.
Walkability & Happiness: A report by San Francisco’s Arup highlights the significant benefits of walkability in cities.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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The new UK government has announced plans for a rooftop revolution. Cycling in Chicago has surged as the city continues to hand out free bicycles. The city said the program was necessary since Oprah stopped giving out free cars in 2004. Yes, 2004. That reference is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. China’s battery prices are at a point where the whole world is going to start to change. And you know what? I would like a battery to power me. China is taking steps to green their steelmaking industry. All new steel plants permitted so far this year will be run by electric arc furnaces rather than coal.

Main Stories:

UK Government’s Rooftop Revolution: Keir Starmer’s Labour government announced plans for a “rooftop revolution” to fit millions more homes with solar panels, lowering energy bills and tackling climate change. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband approved three solar farms this weekend, generating 500 MW and 350 MW of power, respectively.

Electrek: New UK Govt Approves 3 Huge Solar Farms, Wants to Expand Rooftop Installs
The Guardian: Labour’s Rooftop Revolution to Deliver Solar Power to Millions of UK Homes

China’s Battery Prices: Over the last year, the price for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells in China has dropped by 51% to about $53 per kilowatt-hour. This price drop is driving a significant shift in global energy dynamics.

Bloomberg: China’s Batteries Are Now Cheap Enough to Power Huge Shifts

China’s Green Steelmaking: China is forbidding new coal-based steelmaking for the first time in years, shifting to electric arc furnaces for all new steel plants permitted this year.

Bloomberg: China Forbids New Coal-Based Steelmaking

Chicago’s Free Bicycles: Cycling in Chicago has surged as the city continues to hand out free bicycles. The program aims to improve mobility justice.

Next City: Bike Chicago Cycle Giveaway Program Is a Win for Mobility Justice

Lightning Round:

Vehicle fleet age is on the rise, with the average now being 13 years.
If all clean electricity projects in Canada currently planned or under construction are successfully implemented, clean electricity capacity would grow by an additional 32%.
China’s thermal power generation fell 7% year-on-year in June.
New research from UCalgary shows that plugging into a standard 120-volt Level 1 charger meets the daily charging needs of 29% of electric vehicle drivers.
Brazil leads the G20 in renewable electricity, with 89% of its electricity coming from renewables in 2023.
EPA reaches a $241 million settlement with Marathon Oil for illegal pollution at nearly 90 facilities in North Dakota.
Hankook Tire has developed EV-specific snow tires that increase range without sacrificing grip in cold weather.
Houston seniors are struggling with heat and power outages following Hurricane Beryl.
Gogoro’s battery-swapping system launches in Bogota, Colombia.
JD Vance is picked as Trump’s VP, promoting the ‘Drive American Act’.
Tesla’s California virtual power plant delivers 100 MW to help the grid during peak demand.
BP projects oil demand growth to peak next year.
Europe is facing heat-related disruptions at oil refineries.
China’s carbon dioxide emissions are on track for a first annual decline since 2016.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James Whittingham's comedy podcast Sneeze! with James Whittingham

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A new study shows that solar parks provide sanctuary for birds. But let’s keep that a secret from Donald Trump to avoid any bird deportations. Congratulations to Pope Francis for achieving net zero at Vatican City. Progressive policies, indeed. Leaked recordings reveal how big oil companies maintain close ties with government officials, even at Costco. The world’s largest solar farm is now online in China, generating power equivalent to the needs of Papua New Guinea!

Main Stories: Vatican Achieves Net Zero * Source: The Independent

Big Oil’s Influence on Government * Source: The Narwhal * Summary: Leaked recordings of TC Energy executive Liam Iliffe reveal extensive influence over government climate policies, including ghostwriting ministerial notes and staging encounters with officials.

World’s Largest Solar Farm in China * Source: MSN

Listener Mail * + Shoutout to T.M. for their generous donation, despite recently being laid off. Bluesky feedback is appreciated and mentioned in last week's episode. * Contact Us: CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com * Voicemail: speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Lightning Round * Heat Record in Death Valley: A new heat record of 127°F (52.7°C) set in California’s Death Valley. * Noise Pollution from Bitcoin Mining: Texas residents affected by noise pollution from a nearby Bitcoin mine/data center. * U.S. Energy Production Stats: U.S. energy production rose 4% while consumption fell 1% in the latest EIA report. * Florida’s Tree Cactus Extinction: The tree cactus becomes the first species in Florida to be killed off by sea-level rise. * Tesla Price Drop: 2023 Teslas now available for $22,000. * UK Renewable Energy Goals: UK Labour Party plans to double onshore wind, triple solar power, and quadruple offshore wind by 2030. * New Car Sales in Germany: 20% of new cars sold are electric vehicles. * Electrify America Pilot: New pilot limits EVs to 85% state of charge. * Birds in Solar Parks: Chilean researchers claim that the 10.8 MW La Colonia solar plant provides a habitat for local bird species, offering protection and favorable conditions for nesting. Source: PV Magazine

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James Whittingham's comedy podcast Sneeze! with James Whittingham

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Chinese battery giant CATL tests long-distance electric aircraft with state-of-the-art batteries, France abandons plans for small modular nuclear reactors, and Britain bids farewell to its last coal-hauling train. Join Brian and James as they discuss these stories and more, including the latest updates on clean energy technologies and listener feedback.

Main Topics:

Electric Aircraft Advances
- Chinese battery giant CATL successfully flies a 4-ton plane using high-density "condensed batteries" with an energy density of 500 Wh/kg.
- Future plans include an 8-ton electric aircraft with a range of up to 3,000 km (1,865 miles) by 2027-2028.
- Partnerships with COMAC, a Chinese aviation company, to advance electric aircraft technology.
- France Abandons Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs)
- High costs lead France to scrap its SMR plans, despite global interest in nuclear energy.
- Britain's Last Coal Train
- The UK's last coal-hauling train completes its final journey, marking the end of an era.
- Impact on the UK's transition to cleaner energy sources.
- Divestment from Fossil Fuels
- Global money managers are increasingly divesting from fossil fuels due to financial and environmental concerns.

Additional Stories:

Updates on Cummins' new battery cell factory and hydrogen PEM electrolyser factory.
Listener feedback from Damon in Tasmania on vehicle-to-grid delays in Australia.
A spotlight on clean transportation options, including trains, buses, and bikes.

Lightning Round:

Affordable car options and clean transportation incentives.
Wendy's restaurants adopting community solar.
A WWII bomb found at Tesla Gigafactory Berlin site.
The world's largest wooden solar carport in Belgium.
SUVs and trucks dominating Canadian vehicle sales.
Clean tech investments projected to reach $2 trillion in 2024.

Listener Mail:

Andy and Michael on Spotify share their thoughts on the show.
Sundance on Bluesky suggests focusing more on non-car clean transportation options.

Links to Stories:

France ends SMR plans
CATL electric aircraft success was from Atlas
Money managers divesting from fossil fuels
Call to end carbon offsets
The end of Britain's coal-hauling trains

The Clean Energy Show is released every week, so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James Whittingham's comedy podcast Sneeze! with James Whittingham

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Hawaii’s historic youth-led pollution lawsuit, Atlanta’s rapid adoption of an e-bike rebate program, and California's innovative mosquito control strategy. We also discuss Canada’s new anti-greenwashing law and China’s accelerated decarbonization efforts. Plus, listener mail from Tasmania.

Canada's Anti-Greenwashing Law: Canada passes a law to combat greenwashing, leading to the shutdown of Alberta’s oil propaganda war room.
China’s Decarbonization Progress: China may beat their 2030 decarbonizing goals with significant reductions in fossil fuel power generation and increases in solar and hydroelectric power.
Personal Updates: Brian shares his latest news and James recounts his experience chasing a tornado.
Cummins Fined: Cummins faces a $2 billion fine for pollution violations.

Main Stories

Hawaii's Settlement with Youth: The state of Hawaii settles a lawsuit with 13 young plaintiffs, agreeing to decarbonize its transportation system by 2045.
China’s Clean Energy Surge: Recent data shows significant declines in thermal power generation and increases in solar and hydroelectric output in China.
California’s Mosquito Experiment: The state is releasing irradiated, sterile male mosquitos to combat population growth. What could go wrong?

Listener Mail

Tasmanian Listener: We hear from a listener in Tasmania, the Australian province known for its clean air and eco-tourism. Brian responds with insights into Tasmania's environmental significance.

Lightning Round

The UK's rapid transition away from coal power.
Wildfire risks for utilities operating without insurance.
The global solar industry’s record-breaking growth.
Innovative pilot projects integrating PV into noise barriers.

And Finally This Week

Atlanta’s E-Bike Rebate Program: A partnership between the Atlanta Regional Commission and Propel ATL aims to make e-bikes more accessible to moderate and low-income residents, with impressive early adoption rates.

Links Mentioned in the Episode

Cummins Pollution Fine
Hawaii Settlement
California Mosquito Experiment
NYC Heat Pump Project

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What a 2030 world with very cheap batteries would look like. A new startup is planning to sell hydrogen-powered bicycles. Is this the future of e-mobility? Could a solution to the migrant challenge in Europe be to assist Africa with developing clean energy? The city of Paris has reduced air pollution in the city by 40% in anticipation of this summer’s Olympic Games. All they had to do was limit their residents’ smoking to a pack a day.

Conversation Brian’s Road Trip:

Chargers south of Minneapolis
House on the Rock and Taliesin, Spring Green, Wisconsin
Cool buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
Columbus, Indiana: 2017 movie with John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson
The Inn at Irwin Gardens (1864), J. Irwin Miller’s contributions
Cummins Engine Company history

James’ Updates:

What’s new at home
Out in Public (No EV Clip)
BookNook

Main Stories Hydrogen E-Bike Unveiled at Micromobility Europe:

A new hydrogen-powered bicycle: Is this the future? (Electrek)
Insights on battery cost predictions by Auke Hoekstra

What a 2030 World with Very Cheap Batteries Looks Like:

Predictable cost reduction in battery production
Impact on the electricity grid and decentralization
Benefits for households and businesses

Ford Enables All Dealers to Sell EVs:

Ford’s strategy and implications for the EV market

Clean Energy as a Solution to Europe’s Migrant Challenge:

Italy’s G-7 plan for food security and energy in Africa
The Mattei plan and its potential impact

Paris Reduces Air Pollution by 40% Ahead of Summer Olympics:

Measures taken by the city to improve air quality

Lightning Round * Canada’s EV sales skyrocketed 53% in Q1 2024! * Global passenger EV sales growth prediction * Renewables now 10 times more efficient than nuclear at CO2 mitigation * EVs with 300 miles of range cheaper than the average US car * One-third of oceangoing ships carrying fossil fuels * Soil stores more carbon than vegetation and air combined * Majority of electric cars in China cheaper than conventional equivalents * Microsoft emissions rise due to data center construction * Ferrari sales outnumber hydrogen fuel cell car sales * Oil demand peak for road transport expected in three years * US solar generation increased by 25.5% in March 2024 * Excess oil production capacity expected due to peaking demand * Swiss voters mandate PV systems on large buildings * China’s renewable investments surpass US, EU, India, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa combined * Seven Chinese solar companies providing more energy than major oil producers

Links and Resources * Hydrogen E-Bike Unveiled at Micromobility Europe * Battery Cost Predictions by Auke Hoekstra * Paris Reduces Air Pollution * Italy’s G-7 Plan for Food Security and Energy in Africa * Ford Enables All Dealers to Sell EVs * SpeakPipe Voicemail

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Reduced emissions in the United States from 2019 to 2022 resulted in a quarter trillion dollars in savings in climate and health benefits. Vermont becomes the first US state to require big oil to pay for climate damages. There’s a downside to cleaning up air pollution: it turns out smog slows the heating of the ocean. As the planet warms, cities around the world have created a new job: Chief Heat Officer. Heat mitigation measures include opening cooling centres, and installing air conditioning in public housing.

Also:

Mexico’s New President: Mexico elects a climate scientist as president.
Nissan’s Electric Future: Nissan, the company with two sorta EVs, says it will stop developing internal combustion engines.
Air Conditioner Program Expansion: The program to give out free air conditioners to address climate change is renewed and expanded.

Chit-Chat:

Brian is off on a road trip and counting the number of nice days.
James discusses recycling, Charlie/stuffed horse, and neighbour deaths.

In-Depth:

Chief Heat Officers: From Bloomberg, Chief Heat Officers are developing a global playbook for deadly temperatures.
Emissions Reduction Benefits: Increasing use of renewable energy in the US yields billions of dollars in benefits, preventing 1,200 to 1,600 premature mortalities from 2019 to 2022.
Vermont’s Climate Superfund Act: Vermont’s bold move to hold oil companies accountable for climate damages.

Lightning Round:

Coal’s Decline in Europe: BNEF projects coal could disappear from European electricity generation in just five years.
Mexico’s Historic Election: Claudia Sheinbaum becomes Mexico’s first woman president, focusing on climate change initiatives.
Hyundai’s EV Sales Surge: Hyundai’s U.S. EV sales were up 42% in May, with the Ioniq 5 having its best month ever.
Scotland’s Advertising Ban: Scotland bans SUV and cruise ship ads.
BYD’s New Hybrid Powertrain: BYD unveils a hybrid powertrain capable of a 2,000 km drive.
Korea’s Renewable Energy Plan: Korea plans to generate 70% of its power from clean, carbon-free sources by 2038.
Alberta’s Hydrogen Highway: A new hydrogen highway in Alberta will feature a network of hydrogen refueling stations along the Queen Elizabeth II highway corridor.
India’s Renewable Energy Milestone: Coal’s share in India’s installed power capacity drops below 50% for the first time since the 1960s.

Closing Remarks: Please contact us at CleanEnergyShow@gmail.com. You can also find us across social media at CleanEnergyPod. Check out videos of our show on TikTok and YouTube, including special content not featured on the podcast.

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China may have peaked its emissions five years ahead of its target. So many cases against big oil are going forward on behalf of the climate. Now they're coming after the CEOs and board of directors. Tornadoes tear down wind turbines in Iowa. What is a marine court, anyway?

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Here's how the show played out:

Intro
Personal Updates
Brian sees a climate movie at the Yorkton Film Festival (The Clean Energy Show is a sponsor)
James captures the pipeline plane that bothers him
Power outage shows how society is right now
BC Hydro expanding stations to northern British Columbia
Charging infrastructure is up by one third in Canada
New survey supports criminal charges against climate criminals
First charges in France
Tornado pummels turbines in Iowa
Mail: Sense Home Monitoring System
More on electric container ships in China
Small island states win victory in marine court
China looks to retaliate on tariffs
The Lightning Round!
China may have peaked its emissions

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View Details

So many cases against big oil are going forward on behalf of the climate. Now they're coming after the CEOs and board of directors. Tornadoes tear down wind turbines in Iowa. What is a marine court, anyway? China may have peaked its emissions five years ahead of its target.

Subscribe to the podcast for new episodes delivered to you every week!

Here's how the show played out:

Intro jokes
Also this week
Chit chat
Brian sees a climate movie at the Yorkton Film Festival (The Clean Energy Show is a sponsor)
James captures the pipeline plane that bothers him
Power outage shows how society is right now
BC Hydro expanding stations to northern British Columbia
Charging infrastructure is up by one third in Canada
New survey supports criminal charges against climate criminals
First charges in France
Tornado pummels turbines in Iowa
Mail: Sense Home Monitoring System
More on electric container ships in China
Small island states win victory in marine court
China looks to retaliate on tariffs
The Lightning Round!
China may have peaked its emissions

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

Our Patreon program is coming this fall! Let us know if you have any thoughts on how we should run it.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

SUPPORT THE SHOW

Make a small donation to our podcast today via our PayPal Donate page.https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE

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Sodium-ion batteries are now powering the grid in China. They're cheaper than lithium-ion and can charge from 0 to 90% in 12 minutes. Electric School buses in Oakland California will be able to supply enough grid power for 300 homes. We will have your summer grid reliability forecast. Once again our home here in Canada is on the list for possible rolling blackouts. EVs set to have a big 2024. James reviews 'beefless pasta,' plant-based frozen dinner.

Weird Elon Musk defense ad on YouTube
Beefless pasta review
List of restrictions for riding a robotaxi in Wuhan, China
Heat pump methods
Micha from http://ebikeschool.com went to Taiwan and we learned some things
Video link re Gogoro scooters from Micha/Electrek: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPZrjxuOddE
Summer grids could have blackouts in North America, including Saskatchewan.
Vietnam worried about outages this summer, and factories like Foxxcon need to cut back
China's grid-scale sodium-ion battery
Letters: Electric school buses in Oakland, California
LA Times link: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-05-18/oakland-unified-switches-to-all-electric-buses
IEA says GDP growth driven by clean energy
Tik Tok videos for this week incl. CATL
Lightning Round!

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cleanenergypod.bsky.social James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2024.

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As China surges ahead with better and cheaper electric vehicles, the United States has chosen not to meet the challenge. U.S. automakers have dropped the ball and the government is putting 100% tariffs on China-made EVs in a blow to climate action.

0:00 Intro 18:36 China EV Tariffs

Federal regulators in the US have decreed that utilities must now make a 20 year plan.

Trump offers to be bought by oil executives for a billion dollars.

Restaurants in California are fighting climate change action.

Smokey skies return to Canada and ruin summer already in early May.
Aurora hunting with James. Once in a lifetime experience.
Bechdel test now a climate test for movies.
Trump's Billion Dollar Bribe Offer
From Elektrek, FERC, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decrees 20 year plan.
Chinese cars will have 100% tax on them for the U.S. market
Shenzhen China, home of BYD now has more fast charging plugs than gas pumps
listener letters
Restaurants in California
The Lightning Round!

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RethinkX says the disruption of labor by humanoid robots is here. The think tank says it will accelerate the energy transition by building things better and cheaper. Battery recycling will blow you away. Elon Musk's hissyfit slows that same transition. Wind power down due to wind being down. Recycling wetsuits.

Cold open: Clip from State of Charge, Tom.

Unfollow Everything, from 9-5 Mac
Tik Tok version of our show
CCS in Saskatchewan, Canada a failure.
RethinkX Humanoid Robots: This time, we are the horses: the disruptions of labor by Humanoid Robots LINK: https://www.rethinkx.com/blog/rethinkx/the-disruption-of-labour-by-humanoid-robots
Wind Power decines in the U.S.
Elon Musk fires Supercharger team of 500 people due to a tantrum, will slow adoption
Clips from Fred Lambert on The Electrek podcast, Batteries Included podcast Tom Maloughney, and State of Charge YT channel.
Letters
Green Energy Futures - Summerside, PEI, Canada smart grid.
Why batteries are more than 100% recyclable.
Patagonia can completely recycle wetsuits
Battery Recycling at Redwood Materials is done environmentally with smart processes.
The Lightning Round!

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The two largest battery makers announced startling improvements in their batteries in the last month that they are immediately bringing to market. This means renewable energy can deploy much faster and electric cars will improve enough to be irresistible. The U.S. plans to upgrade one hundred thousand miles of the power transmission lines. Biden kills coal. Nevada replaces coal with batteries.

Use promo code SUNSHINE to get five dollars off at our merch store. See link below. Limited time only!

Brian catches up on his podcasts
Gasoline Alley cartoon
Mark Z. Jacobson's No Miracles Needed book
Jacobson's evisceration of carbon capture and storage in Texas from the Fully Charged Show on YouTube
Tesla lays off Supercharger staff. James sees this as a let down for car owners of all brands.
Gogoro scooters expand and find second life uses for their two wheeler batteries
Batteries where coal used to burn.
April battery breakthroughs from CATL and BYD
Listener letter from Montreal.
US power line upgrades
Biden's new coal regulations
Honda's investment in Canadian built EVs and batteries is huge
The Lightning Round!

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Electric Vehicles continue to pick up major traction in the US, with adoption continuing to accelerate even amidst growing challenges with charging infrastructure and overall affordability. A new survey from Bloomberg Intelligence found that despite these hurdles to growth, US battery electric vehicles (BEV) penetration is likely to reach 25% by the end of the decade.

We talk to Steve Man, Global Lead Director for Auto & Industrial Market Research at Bloomberg Intelligence and the lead author of this report. He spoke to use from Princeton, NJ where he just bought his first EV, a Chevy Blazer EV.

Applogies for the audio issues, it was a day when nothing was going right.

The survey, conducted with 1,000 prospective auto purchasers, found that 42% of respondents were considering purchasing an electrified vehicle as their next car, with 23% opting for hybrid electric vehicles, in contrast to the current 7% penetration in hybrid electric vehicles. 9% of those surveyed favoring battery EVs, which is higher than the 7% battery EVs penetration last year.

BI’s research shows that prospective auto purchasers who already own an electrified vehicle are incredibly loyal to BEVs, with the report finding that 93% would stick with their current powertrain for their next purchase, compared to 34% of gasoline vehicle owners who are deciding to opt for an electric car. Fuel-type stickiness suggests that EV penetration is unlikely to reverse course as the benefits to an electric vehicle could continue to outweigh costs to current owners; and this continuous preference for EVs is consistent across HEV, PHEV, and BEV owner segments.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Through the new book Unjust Transition, and its launch event, James tries to bring the perspective of local oil refinery workers on the energy transition. James has great empathy for them and tries to dissect their outlook on the future. Battery Turning Point: Batteries supplying more energy to the California grid Sunday night than any other source! It can be done!

Michelin is starting a pilot project to test airless automobile tires with the French postal service.

Disneyland has announced that their Autopia ride at the park will switch to electric vehicles, finally, eventually...

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Book launch Just Transition: The future of fossil fuel workers (Fernwood publishing)
Clip from union leader speaking at the launch
SaskPower battery storage in north east Regina
California grid boasts 25% battery power for a time Sunday evening
Why that is important and will now be a regular thing in spring and fall
Hot Take: Fossil fuels are transition fuels
Disneyland gas powered rides
Book launch: Editor/writer Andrew Stephens clip
Airless tires
What oil refinery workers are saying about the energy transition
New York City's first electric skyscraper
The Lightning Round
Letter: Austria is doing great things on the clean energy front!

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Clean energy ignorance in rural Alberta, Canada, EV tax incentives finally going away for some, an electric car maker struggling with a name, EVs helping the grid and a serious overcapacity of batteries will speed the end of fossil fuels. REV Automotive Group helps Brian, James looks forward to a piece of the action. Gasoline Alley comic storyline involving EVs Tesla full self driving beta monthly subscription doesn't annoy Brian Emily Eaton on her book Unjust Transition Bloomberg analyst gets his first EV. Steve Mann gives us his first impressions. Alpha Romeo EV now called the Juror Quebec phasing out EV incentives Mail and music - this week only! EVs beneficial to power grids Tweet of the Week - over supply of batteries will be a game changer for the transition Bureau of Land Management will eliminate environmental reviews for geothermal projects The Lightnight Round Powering the Future - the very temporary Clean Energy Show theme song. The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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A new book uncovers terrifying environmental misdeeds by a refinery located within the city limits of Regina, Canada, just one mile from the co-host of this podcast. Governments thankful for the positive economic impacts turned their backs on the health of their citizens. The USA’s largest public power utility has announced plans to retire what was once the nation's biggest coal power plant. If you order Uber Eats in Phoenix, Arizona it may be delivered by an autonomous vehicle. The CEO of the automotive group Stellantis says EVs can’t be environmental until batteries weigh half as much. He’s dead wrong and we’ll outline why. Plus UFOs over the podcast headquarters? A listener asks if we saw anything.

Corrections on Larry David and MrBeast
Update on China's coal percentage of the grid
Kia to make cheaper Evs
Jeopard Clip once again
Regina once boasted on highway signs it was the home of Canada's first heavy oil upgrader

Book: "Unjust Transition. The Future for Fossil Fuel Workers" Published by Fernwood Publishing

Book link: https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/unjust-transition

Investigative journalist Patricia Elliot pens the chapter on the environmental problems with the Federated Cooperative Refinery Complex in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. The facts are horrific and everyone in the city is subjected to neurotoxins and VOCs. Government turns a blind eye in favour of the economic benefits. Very few safeguards are in place. The complex's environmental record is abysmal. At least the parts that we know about. Some important information is kept from the public.

Living near refineries like the CRC poses significant health risks due to exposure to over fifty recognized harmful substances, including toxic gases and heavy metals.

Uber Eats autonomous food delivery by robotic cars don't require a tip
Fossil fuel cars mine more than electric vehicles over the course of their lifespan
Listener letters: UFOs over the Canadian prairies?
Tennessee Coal
Tweet of the Week: from @walker79 on the CEO of Stellantis saying EVs need to have batteries that weigh half as much to be environmentally helpful. Why that's wrong.
Tesla beat BYD in Q1 EV sales
The Lightning Round!

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China's manufacturing prowess and efficiencies have drastically lowered the cost of solar, wind and electric vehicles. Without them, hope for a speedy reduction in emissions would be lower. Even though they are building coal plants, China is not utilizing them to the fullest. Plus political strife in Canada over the price on carbon, Volvo has produced their last diesel car and Mr. Beast gives hundreds of e-bikes to people in poverty.

EVs stump Jeopardy contestants again.
Tesla full self driving beta software is finally getting somewhere, so says Brian in his tests.
CBC At Issue panellist mocks Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe's statements on carbon pricing.
James watched the movie Tár with Cate Blanchette and her character drives a Porsche EV.
Solar fences covered by The Financial Times. Cheaper than a normal fence?
Tesla sales numbers for Q1 2024 are terrible. Brian defends the company once again.
Volvo's last diesel goes to a museum.
China is burning more coal plants but burning less coal.
Listener mail and voicemails!
Australia finally has emission rules and they're starting with mistakes already made by others.
Beast Philanthropy gives away e-bikes to people in poverty and how that can help them get out of poverty. Lectric e-bikes partnered for the huge giveaway. Go watch the video and subscribe!
China files a complaint with the WTO over US EV import restrictions.
The Lightning Round!

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Drake Landing in Alberta, Canada inspired James in 2006 by using engineering and the sun to store heat from the summer and use it to heat a housing development in winter. Now it's in poor repair, needing parts that can no longer be found and likely to be replaced by gas. An entire shipping container of ebikes were stolen in a brazen heist. Kraft Dinner noodles to be dried at the factory without fossil fuels, thanks to Biden. EVs 70% cleaner than gas cars during their lifecycle.

Jeopardy clip regarding our content
Biktrix from Saskatoon, Canada gets jacked by professional heist
Failed solar seasonal district heating project in Canada
EVs on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm
An man in Germany built a solar fence see James's Twitter feed @jewhittingham
Clean Whiskey
Lifecycle emission of an EV with a 250,000 KM lifespan
Big Bill Gates agrivoltaics project gets green light in Ohio in spite of opposition
Listener Mail - solar on schools, electric milk trucks and charging at the post office
Lucid gets funding
Trading of Fisker stock halted
Comparing the relative output of various energy sources - you need 4 1GW solar farms to cover the electricity of one 1GW nuclear plan
The Lightning Round!
Green Kraft Dinner

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From snow fences with built in panels to bike paths pre-built with modular solar canopies, there are many new ways solar is being deployed without taking up extra space. Also, Airbus's electric air taxi is quieter than a hairdryer and a proposed undersea power cable between Europe and North America for sharing renewable power. Home battery storage is huge in Germany. India changes it's tariff rules for EVs.

Brian sees Dead Bob, the band.

Christopher Nolan insulted while in a Peloton class. SARM - rural ludites stuck in 1950.

Rivians second to get access to the Tesla Supercharger network.

Other cemetery solar stories missed last week.

Undersea power joining the two Western continents

Airbus air taxi is quiet

Solar news part 1

Germany's home batteries outdoor pumped hydro storage

Solar part II India EV tariff rules changed for the good of India

Letters to the show

Solar part III Hydrogen rail problems in Germany

The Lightning Round! Maximizing our current grid through innovative ways

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New e-bike batteries have a special coating to resist fires. A major battery maker is touting a new formula for cold climates called "Winter Pro." It sounds like a tire. Oil is doomed as these battery makers promise a charge time of 9 minutes and 20 year life-spans. Solar canopies over cemeteries in France. Rest in electrons!

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Brian has a cold
Barry, our cinematographer friend, gets back to us on why he never got solar on the farm but is now.
Brian rightly defends Greta Gerwig and how she was snubbed at the Oscars.
EV startup Rivian has two exciting new vehicles
BYD slashing EV prices even more to kill combustion cars.
The false horse head in Poor Things wasn't far fetched, it's something that happened in a previous transportation disruption.
Solar canopies over a cemetery in France
How has Australia caught up to North America in EV adoption? The answer is Chinese-made EVs.
New York has a program for window heat pumps for apartments
Heat pumps cut emissions even on very dirty grids
Palm oil is starting to be made in a lab just like fake dairy and fake meat
Potted cells for E-bikes offer much-desired fire protection
SK ON battery announcement could spell the end of Oil
The Lightning Round!
A methane-tracking satellite will shame oil companies who leak the greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.

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James investigates an air quality advisory and discovers Oil is to blame. His entire city of Regina, Saskatchewan is within the cancer zone of the oil refinery. Apple kills its electric car program. Alberta shoots itself in the foot by discouraging vast investment in renewable energy in favor of dirty energy. A small city saves big money on electric police vehicles. Taking down Tesla's automation advancements. A nuclear reactor will put almost all its juice into a data center. Cooktops with their own batteries.

How do you charge an EV in a small town or on a farm? (you plug it in)
Battery advancements will disrupt yard equipment even further down the road.
Alberta's punitive EV tax
Ford's Tesla access is 'plug and charge' and that's a great thing!
Saskatchewan premier breaks the law. Is a lawless Purge on the horizon?
Air Quality Statement for Regina, Sask in the middle of winter reminds us that the entire city is at an increased risk of certain cancers.
Who Killed the Apple Electric Car?
Bridgewater, Nova Scotia police highlight their EV savings for the small city.
Alberta's new restrictions on clean energy. (none on dirty energy)
Tesla FSD - the argument that Waymo or others will win over Tesla in the automation race.
Induction ovens and cooktops will soon have batteries, big ones!
Nuclear for data centres
The Lightning Round!

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James reviews the Dr Volts podcast episode on nuclear and tries to see a path to nuclear competitiveness in North America. How it might get to compete with solar and wind plus batteries next decade if we move now. Comedy in climate? Brian discusses a New York Times piece. Chat GPT might need several nuclear reactors worth of energy to run it. And carbon emissions in the airline industry. Is the future of air travel guilt-free?

Oil changes alone are enough to go buy an electric car that doesn't need them
Brian back from Toronto where he color-graded a film
Guilt free flying
Green hydrogen for flight
Out of Spec Reviews take on the Honda Prologue
Peak charging rates don't represent the true charging time of EVs
Climate and comedy - The Juice Media, Rollie Williams' Climate Town, Yellow Dot Studios and "Don't Look Up"
Nuclear discussion of David Robert's DrVolts nuclear episode with Jigar Shah, Dept of Energy Loans.
New Jersey school buses to power schools
Law News - Chicago sues big oil
Bigger offshore wind turbines abandoned in US
Data centre energy use
The Lightning Round!

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With 25% of the vehicles on the roads of Norway being electric, the country provides us with insight into what our EV future looks like. Therapists are seeing an increase in climate anxiety. The Chevy Equinox EV details raise questions about its affordability. Rioters burn a Waymo robo taxi.

Brian buys a Tesla Model Y, his third Musk Mobile
Marques Brownlee trashed the Fisker Ocean EV
James is elated with his Chevy Bolt EV getting plug and charge capability in Canada via the Flo network
Climate Anxiety
Norway: EV Utopia (CNBC link)
Waymo robotaxi set on fire in San Francisco
Equinox EV details - maybe not the affordable EV we've been waiting for
European automakers teaming up to fight Chinese wave of EVs
India plans to spend $8 billion on rooftop solar for the poor
Flattering mail on the occasion of out 200th episode
The Lightning Round! News from the past week.
A New Zealand man wins the right to sue big polluters

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2024 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Proposed Canadian legislation aims to limit fossil fuel advertising that is greenwashing reality. James blasts his local center-left political party for coming out against it. Surprising support for off-shore wind. The EU's collapse of coal and LNG gas. Vertical east-west solar panels amaze. Charging EVs on household outlets.

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Brian orders at Tesla Model Y from his nearby store.
Stellantis on board with NACS charging standard
53 battery electric buses coming to Regina, Saskatchewan
1000 kWh snowplow in Norway
Super Bowl powered by renewable energy in Las Vegas.
Commentary - Fossil Fuel greenwashing in Canada should be abolished from advertising.
Tommy Douglas
US coastal residents support offshore wind in a big majority.
Bifacial east-west vertical solar performs well in snow and cloudy weather.
Mixing solar panel orientation can give a base-load-like curve throughout the day!
YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AVO1IyfA9M&t=612s
Coal and natural gas (METHANE) dropping in the EU
Mail! Jan Rosenow
Micro heat pumps, like AC in an apartment but with heat too!
Why level 1 EV charging may be the way to help apartment dwellers adopt EVs.
Stripping old airplanes to make battery cases.
The Lightning Round!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Ethiopia suddenly bans combustion vehicles, effective immediately. Floating offshore wind. Scientists call for Cat 6 hurricane classification due to climate change. Ford owners first to access Tesla charging network. Consumer Reports should fire its automotive staff. Tidal power for an off-grid island. Paris taxes SUVs when parking.

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- Brian flees California just in time as Palm Springs floods.
- Record rainfall at UCLA
- Dog collar used to light charging port.
- FSD beta for Tesla now transferable and Brian might take advantage.
- Is the coming of NACS charging standards delaying EV adoption?
- Ford will soon send out free Tesla adapters
- VW rolls out plug and charge on new models.
- Rivian tops Consumer Reports' survey for car brands but the staff at CR trash the brand. They're wrong and should be fired says James.
- Tony Seba: "Like many incumbents, Toyota can't even forecast the present."
- Submersible floating wind farm offshore.
- Is there a need for Category 6 hurricanes due to climate change?
- Battery maker CATL building their own wind farm.
- Parisians vote against SUVs in a referendum.
- An off-grid island in the Philippines is switching from diesel to tidal power.
- Ethiopia immediately bans combustion vehicles from entering the country.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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CATL/BYD price war will see some LFP batteries drop another 50% in just the first half of 2024. That's really all you need to know.

Our Fourth Anniversary of the podcast!

From Palm Springs, CA and Regina, Canada this week.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

This week's show:

Brian rents a Tesla Model Y from Hertz in Palm Springs, California.
He notices a large wind farm in the area, some turbines with only two blades.
John Kerry says misinformation is causing the EV slowdown.
Consumer Reports podcast thinks hydrogen will be the fuel for cars in ten years. Fire him!
Alberta oil sands pollution 64 times worse than reported.
Highest uptake of heat pumps in the United States is in the south east.
CBC Marketplace misleading EV show.
Canada refurbisihing a fifty-year-old nuclear reactor.
England using coal mines for heat pump heat source.
Biden pauses LNG exports.
Region in Spain looking to live without rain.
WHAT IS PRECISION FERMENTATION
Clean energy spending hits 1.8 trillion in 2023.
Hydrogen refueling stations down more than they're up.
Cars qualifying for the US used EV tax credit.
Sweeden's heat pump court dates back to 1989.
Listener mail.
The Lightning Round!

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Percision fermentation dairy is already cheaper than animal dairy, sooner than even Tony Seba expected. This disruption will disrupt agriculture starting now. A flurry of misinformation followed the recent cold blast in North America. Some of that misinformation comes from governements, expecially when it concerns the power grid emergency in Alberta, Canada. Also, the refinery fog over Vancouver sickens residents, New York City is looking at replacing natural gas systems with district geothermal, the solar/battery solution for Porto Rico and the Pentagon is looking to plaster their roof with solar panels!

Brian is in Vancouver this week and he salutes film director Norman Jewison who he has spent time with.
Vancouver refinery incident and emergency alert.
Killers of the Flower Moon - oil greed still exists and it continues to kill people.
What really caused the grid chaos in Alberta during the recent cold snap.
Uber Tesla drivers' problems in cold weather explained.
New York district heating.
Porto Rico virtual power plants taking off. That's when residents are part of the power grid, feeding energy from batteries charged by solar panels.
Mail - a correction, a thank you and lement over misinformation, and a Hyundair Ioniq 5 cold weather update from Mike.
Rooftop solar for The Pentagon.
Nuclear News - 2023 was a net loss for nuclear power in the world and even more money is going into Sizewell C in the United Kingdom.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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A deep cold snap grips North America but nowhere was it more extreme than Alberta where there was no sun and no wind as temperatures dipped to nearly -40. Wind turbines are safer for birds than fracking. Hawaii replaces coal with batteries. Are flying cars almost here?

Brian's weather report
This Old House on PBS
James stirs up cold weather hate on the Internet
Bolt loses 50% of its range in extreme cold
Brian's Tesla charges at full speed in -30C thanks to preconditioning of the battery.
Alberta Grid emergency alert to cut power consumption.
Hertz to sell off some EVs
Natural gas isn't fully reliable.
Battery Storage in Hawaii
Wind Turbine bird study
CES flying car
Wood-burning EV charger for off-grid use.
Why some countries use 120v and others use 240v.
Proterra's new owner.
World's tallest wind turbine and also the highest altitude wind turbine.
The Lightning Round!

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Plug and play solar panel kits are showing up on millions of baconies in Europe and China, saving apartment dwellers money. Making ships' pollution cleaner is having a warming effect on the planet. Vertical solar panels are coming to agrivoltaics for the first time in the United States. A Japanese automaker owned by Toyota has admitted it forged the results of safety tests for more than 30 years.

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Cold weather has arrived at the Clean Energy Show's headquarters.
Brian's heatpump isn't liking the cold and needs some attention.
Testing the high efficiency wood burning stove
Chevy Bolts under $20,000 in the U.S.
Tesla Magic Docks in Calgary.
Verticle agrivoltaics.
Leave the World Behind on Netflix.
You Are What You Eat also on Netflix features Tony Seba.
Dihatsu fakes safety.
Solar on baconies in Germany.
Plug-in cars reach 50% of sales in New Zealand.
More heat pump manufacturers meet Biden's cold climate heat pump challenge.
Big OIl loses in court in the United States.
The Lightning Round
Ships's pollution reduction heats the world.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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2023 was a good year for EV adoption but a steller year for batteries and solar. With prices falling through the floor, things will really take off in 2024! Plus, it's too warm for some small town skating rinks, what work on my family tree teaches me about climate lecacy, and the first electric vehicle with sodium ion batteries has rolled off the assembly line.

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Celebrating four years of the podcast.
James was on public radio early in the morning to talk solar and shame his government.
Link to that interview: https://t.co/PeMljFDWGJ
James's family tree research - what will my decendents dealing with a sick planet think of me?
Saskatchewan vs. The Netherlands in solar deployment.
Natural ice problems in Canada ruins hockey.
Ice road problems from a warming climate cut off remote regions of Canada.
A look ahead to 2024 in clean energy.
Sodium ion battery car comes out.
All the EVs coming in 2024.
Heat pump subscriptions in the UK.
UK-Denmark undersea interconnection cable is something to behold!
The Lightning Round!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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James looks back on the remarkable momentum of clean energy and transportation in 2023. Nothing can stop us now! Solar, wind, nuclear, batteries, two- and three-wheeled transportation, the displacement of fossil fuels, rooftop solar powering grids, and unexcected progress in technology that will power the transition even faster!

Brian shows us a big solar farm in Kentucky, using rocks to store renewable energy, and standardizing the Tesla EV connector and port.

No show between Christmas and New Years. See you first thing in the new year!

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The Clean Energy Show's brown Christmas on the Canadian prairies.
Using a car window cover to avoid frost scraping in the mornings.
James may have gotten Covid the one time he leaves the house.
James compares The Netherlands to Saskatchewan, Canada in solar potential and deployment.
James's moments of astonishment in clean energy this year includes a giant wind turbine that operates through a cyclone. Solar canabalization, roof top powering the grid and more.
Kentucky solar.
2023 review of solar's progress and where it's going.
Automated driving setbacks.
Two and three wheelers displace oil.
Wind setbacks and why.
Nuclear rejuvinated.
Ultra-deep geothermal drilling for energy anywhere.
Hot rock energy storage solution.
Rooftop solar's amazing year.
SAE International announces standards for the Tesla/NACs connector coming to all vehicles in North America.
Battery update: New chemistries, falling prices!
The Lightning Round!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Oil interests dominated the U.N.'s COP28 climate conference but reports of trouble lie ahead for oil. What it will look like when oil begins its inevitible decline. Al Gore is angry and he should be. High speed rail to Las Vegas. And solar you can see from space on this special edition of the show!

Brian's heat pump update involves switching to Farhenheit
James's angry viral video on SaskPower and the Saskatchewan politicians who went to COP28.
Canadian premier Scott Moe debunked.
Al Gore TED talk anger ahead of COP.
COP28 oil demand/OPEC NYT link (free)
Electric car news - cuts from legacy automakers trying to make EVs.
Can solar get too big? Yes. But here's how you fix that!
News on various auto company's plans for vehicle-to-home/bi-directional charging plans.
Tweet of the week. Minerals mined for batteries today will still be in use 130 years from now!
High speed rail to Las Vegas.
EV sales not as bad as you've heard in the media.
Ireland's onshore wind boom and what's to come.
Carbon pricing vs. carbon tax in Canadian politics.
Reconsidering the Tesla Cybertruck but would you want it in your driveway?
The Lightning Round - the latest news in climate and clean tech.
Good news on the climate from Al Gore if we can only stop the emissions.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Oil interests dominated the U.N.'s COP28 climate conference but reports of trouble lie ahead. What it will look like when oil begins its inevitible decline. Al Gore is angry and he should be. High speed rail to Las Vegas. And solar you can see from space on this special edition of the show!

Brian's heat pump update involves switching to Farhenheit
James's angry viral video on SaskPower and the Saskatchewan politicians who went to COP28.
Canadian premier Scott Moe debunked.
Al Gore TED talk anger ahead of COP.
COP28 oil demand
Electric car news - cuts from legacy automakers trying to make EVs.
Can solar get too big? Yes. But here's how you fix that!
News on various auto company's plans for vehicle-to-home/bi-directional charging plans.
Tweet of the week. Minerals mined for batteries today will still be in use 130 years from now!
High speed rail to Las Vegas.
EV sales not as bad as you've heard in the media.
Ireland's onshore wind boom and what's to come.
Carbon pricing vs. carbon tax in Canadian politics.
Reconsidering the Tesla Cybertruck but would you want it in your driveway?
The Lightning Round - the latest news in climate and clean tech.
Good news on the climate from Al Gore if we can only stop the emissions.

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With the future of the planet in the balance, COP 28 is providing wins and let-downs. Canadian oil premiers are there bandying about the word "sustainable." James argues the case against the Tesla Cybertruck and how it will end up being a distraction for that important company. Mayors of large cities have called for the end to fossil fuels. That's a good thing because a new study is telling us just how many people are dying from fossil fuel pollution.

Cybertruck delivery event gives final details on the long-awaited electric pickup. But it's largely a disapointment.
World mayors call for an end to fossil fuels.
Letter: Suing the Saskatchewan government on climate inaction
Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada at COP wanting the world to burn more oil
Premature deaths from fossil fuels
Canadian prime minister makes a video explaining what a heat pump is
Michigan passes a law that requires their grid to be clean by 2040
The Lightning Round
Bloomberg NEF goes to China, finds out how much renewables they have (it's a lot more than thought!)

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The UAE is criticized for putting an oil exec. in charge of the annual UN climate conference. Coal has killed more people than first realized. The Pope goes big on EVs.

Brian's heat pump tweaking in cold weather
Norwegian national anthem
Norway leads in heat pumps AND EVs
Artificial Christmas tree off-gassing particulate matter and causing cancer
Saskatchewan, Canada is greenwashing everyone at COP28
The 'Sustainable Saskatchewan' campaign is looking for suckers
Mail: Electric Zambonies
Coal plant pollution more deadly than thought
UAE's controversial COP 28 head
SUV fad burned up 30% more fossil fuels than if it didn't happen
The Lightning Round
Chernobyl wind and solar in the exclusion zone

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Britain's aging nuclear reactors could cost $10.4 Billion each to decommision. Hyundai is going to sell its cars on Amazon.com. Frito Lays electric delivery truck network. Dominos delivers pizza on a heated e-bike. Saskatchewan climate law suit. Canada gets another battery factory, this time in the west.

Local clean energy lawsuit against the Saskatchewan government
Dryer vents in an air-tight house
Local town poisons kids with CO2 from their gas Zamboni
Best and worst cars for miles of range per hour of super-charging
Frito Lay electric trucks
Dominos electric bike
UK nuclear decommisioning costs.
Solar Edge home charger - use solar to charge your EV at home
The world's largest solar farm just came online in the UAE. They installed the equivalent of one Sask Power solar farm per day (10 megawatts), for a total of 2 gigawatts peak output.
Hyundai and Amazon partner to sell cars online
Battery factory coming to British Columbia
The Lightning Round
Nigeria removes fossil fuel subsidies and society is shook to its core!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Looking back 12 years to see how far we've come with clean energy, knowing that we have 12 to go before grids need to be decarbonized. The only SMR in North America to have a contract with a utility, just ended that contract due to skyrocketing prices and lack of subscriptions from utilities. Kim Kardashing creates a bra with built-in nipples as a response to climate change. Keep cool, Kim!

Brian goes on Canadian public radio to talk heat pumps and has a solution to all the confusion.
Brian recalls the seven second delay in radio from his DJ days
Using Chevy Bolts in Saskatoon's parking enforcement
Dunkelflaute
What to say to someone who says, "Canada only produces 2% of the world's emissions."
SaskPower's EV Rewards debackle
Looking back 12 years in clean energy shocks Brian. How far we've come!
Cruise robotaxi problems
Kardashian's nipple bra for climate change
New Jersey and Kentucky grid updates
Tony Seba's modelling for north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Only 4.25 days of storage needed.
Tesla to sell Superchargers to Gas stations
Diablo Canyon Nuclear update
NuScale's problems with their SMR development
The Lighning Round!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Could you solve climate change with just solar panels and batteries if that's all you had? Decarbanizing Alberta's electrical grid by 2035. The Pembina Institute says you can. Humans can't see 30 years into the future, so why do we think we know how the climate gets solved by then? Plus, an electric motorcycle with huge range, a new windfarm for the U.S., elecctric semi trailers, emphasis on the trailers, and heat pumps in Canadian politics.

Brian gets recognized/caught while buying his morning donut.
A followup to Jenny Chase's Tweet storm on the state of solar
Heat pumps in Canadian politics. Brian has one on the Canadian prairies
EV motorcycle with huge range
Mail: Can the Alberta grid decarbanize by 2035?
LINK: Pembina Institue on the Alberta 2035 issue
LINK: A modeler does Saskatchewan the same way
Solar plus batteries in Mr Beast video, helping an African village
BMW electric semi trailers
Chevy Equinox EV U.S. pricing and details - it's still cheap!
Largest offshore wind farm coming to the U.S.
Tweet of the Week - coal waste vs solar waste
Lightning Round!
Looking 30 years into the future: we can never do it!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Renowned solar guru Jenny Chase releases her annual state of solar tweet storm and its full of suprising facts and predictions. We find out what solar cannibalization is. Adonomous ride share company Cruise has suspended its operations after having its licence pulled in California. And electric shoes!

More construction at Brian's house
Vinfast on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Weather stripping and how hard it is to do
Eelectric shoes are wild
Jenny Chase solar update
EV industry update from Brian. It's struggling, for now.
Listener mail: Electric fire truck
Jenny Chase's non-solar thoughts
The Lightning Round!

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

Support the Show

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter or Threads @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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We explore the sins of hydropower generation and why it's not used so much anymore. Japan is testing wireless charging in roads at stoplights. We have a new size record for offshore wind turbines and it's huge! Re-imagining food trucks to be battery electric. James's favorite clean energy podcasts and road fuel sales are dropping in Norway because of...you guessed it!

Demons (1985) with a live orchestra
Evs in Minnesota
Supercharger experience
Wind turbines in North Dakota
Insane Alberta anti-renewable ad is full of fear and lies
Letter re Judge John Hodgman podcast
Japan wireless stop light charging
Hydro electric dams are bad says letter LINK mentioned in letter: https://krdo.com/news/2023/10/17/dam-removal-will-require-closure-on-arkansas-river-near-salida/
Battery food trucks
Hollywood diesel generators on sets
James's podcast suggestion: The Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder
3.5 billion goes to grid improvements in the U.S.
Podcast suggestion no. 2: The Energy Gang
Road fuel going away in Norway
Canadians need to use their clean rebates before a change in fed government
The Lightning Round!

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A listener gets caught up in misinformation from a potential oil schill. A new study of real world trucking companies gives new hope to battery-electric long-haul trucking. Brian's electric drive trip to see the Judge John Hodgeman Podcast in the U.S. midwest. How the solar eclipse affected solar electricty. From St Paul, MN and Regina, Canada.

Judge John Hodgman at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul Minnesota
Safety Last at the Fargo Theater in North Dakota
Electric drive trip through Minnesota to see John Hodgeman
James's air purifier set off by the refinery toxins nearby
Solar output eclipsed by the solar eclipse
E-bike ruling in the E.U.
Letters: caught in a web of youtube manipulation by an oil applogist
New Zealand backtracks on clean grid
7 billion in funding for 7 regional hydrogen hubs
Letters: hydrogen long haul trucking and criticism of the podcast
The Lightning Round

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Pope Francis lambasts fossil fuel companies for greenwashing and destroying the climate. A power utility in Vermont is planning to install batteries in the homes of their customers. Ireland turns down a new Liquified natural gas port on the basis it would be bad for the climate. Wind turbines work in the far north! Plus, the U.S. EV tax credit is now instant. Are robotaxies making progress? EVs are cleaner than combustion vehicles even in a 100% coal-powered grid.

Co-hosted by Pope Francis
Brian buys a harddrive
Windex sets off James's air purifier
James impressed by Electrek's Waymo driverless taxi test drive in LA.
Ireland LNG port
U.S. EV tax credit changing for the better
Mail about James's health
The Lightning Round!

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We tap into Robert Llewelyn's panel and the IEA to bust myths spreading in newspapers and social media about EVs and the green transitionl. They're not just wrong, they're way wrong! A wind farm in Kansas has not airplane lights. How? It uses radar to detect planes before turning them one, thus not annoying nearby residents.

Swedish battery maker Northvolt is opening a massive battery cell factory in Quebec, Canada. The plant is being helped by a multi-billion dollar government subsidy. A Better Route Planner is, indeed, a better route planner.

The world's northernmost solar farm.

Brian gets an energy giving fireplace insert James's air purifier attacks VOCs James has a major medical announcment and it's a good one! AARP is fantaastic in a recent highway test with the dongle and you can rely on it like Tesla navigation. The Riverbend Co-op in Davidson has EV chargers and fine hot dogs Hotel charger experience Chevy route planning app is not good at all right now, even though it uses live weather Kansas wind farm light mitigating tech will blow your mind! Busting myths: EVs are dirtier for the environment Batteries are bad for the environment Cobalt and child labor Tire and brake pollution Grid collapse BEVs are heavy Northvolt massive battery factory in Canada Hydrogen station shutdowns in California IEA busts myths about the green transition to renewables...it's actually cheaper to go green! World's northernmost solar farm! The Lightning Round! A look at the headlines from the past week.

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Electric two and three-wheelers are eating into oil demand more than EVs right now. The U.K. is rolling back zero emission goals, saying it will cost you money. Bringing Tesla-like route navigation to an non-Telsa EV. Heat pump fever gets even hotter in the United States!

James re-enacts a funny dream he has about his finacially-better off co-host.
Brian talks about a new series on Nissan's Carlos Ghosn.
James gets battery powered socks for his birthday and a 12 volt electric blanket for his EV.
Tesla is raising charging prices.
Rishi Sunak disappoints with the U.K. backing off on climate goals.
A new report says energy costs will go from 4% of GDP to just 2.5% by 2050 in North America.
A US heat pump conortium between many US states.
How Taiwan become the E-scooter leader
LINK to the YouTube Brian discusses: Taiwan e-scooters
The Lightning Round with the rest of this week's clean tech and transportion news!

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We imagine an interview with Elon Musk using AI voice cloning for the sake of some laughs. Greta second protesting arrest means she could go to jail for six months. Brian revisits solar in space. Saudis and Albertans don't believe peak oil is closing in on them.

Brian's heat pump wather heater update
What is a Bennet Buggy?
Fake interview with Elon Musk and Scott Moe, a Canadian premier
James finds a hotel with three chargers
Hydrogen cars in Denmark lose all of their hydrogen filling stations
California law suit against Big Oil looks for compensation
Solar in space part II. Wjhy that's a bad idea.
Frequent wildfire smoke this summer causing mental health issues in Canada
UAW strike
Voicemail from Emma Stone (not really)
EV batteries proven to last longer in cold climates
The Lightning Round!

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The IEA says we are at the beginning of the end of the fossil fuel era. They now say peak demand will occur before 2030! Canada’s natural resources minister has declared that Canada’s unprecedented forest fire season may continue into the winter. A strike is looming in America’s auto industry as we reach a critical transition point in the switch to electric vehicles. Plus LED bulbs in the United States, eBike news, and all the billion dollar clean energy factories announced in the last week.

Brian makes it home from Colordado in his Tesla Model S. He compares V2 and V3 Superchargers.
Solar is still advancing! Perovskites have a bright future this decade. Theoretical solar efficiencies mean nothing! (Clip from Energi Media with guest Andriees Wantenaar, solar analyst for Rethink Technologies)
E-bike from Rad Power and Van Moof
LED light bulbs in the United States
Canada's forest fire season may continue into the fall and winter.
IEA moves up peak oil demand
15 billion from Biden to legacy auto for EV factory upgrades
UAW update on strikes
This week's battery factory announcements
The Lightning Round - A summer of the clean energy headlines from the past week

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London succeded in expanding their low emissions zone to practically the whole city. Kia is gathering plastic from the ocean and putting into cars. Rain swamps Burning Man 2023. California signs the non-proliferation of fossil fuels treaty. Electric car adoption reaches a tippoing point in 23 new countries. From the Telluride Film Festival, in Telluride, Colorado.

Brian's 18 hour electric road trip through a bunch of nothing, USA
Telluride Film Festival 2023 impressions including Julia Louis Dreyfuss
James has a message for Emma Stone
A tough summer in Western Canada due to smoke equals less solar production
James's sleep clinic stay
Kia ocean plastic gathering and recycling
Electric car tipping points expand around the world to 23 new countries
California treaty
London ULEZ, ultra-low emission zone expansion
Tesla battery longevity not affected by super-charging
The Lightning Round - latest headlines in clean energy and transportation

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The Democratic-backed bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act would represent the largest climate investment in US history. Interview with Tom Rowlands-Rees, Head of Research, North America for Bloomberg New Energy Finance, and Corey Cantor, E.V. Associate with BNEF. The July Surprise, E.V. incentives, Japanese automakers and the challenges of brining solar manufacturing to The United States. How this legislation is meaningful for the world.

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ReThinkX pours cold water on nuclear ambitions for climate. The Alberta government is attacking wind and solar investment permanently. Not all LED light bulbs live up to incandescent but some do and then some! Why the Tesla charging network will be the only chargers non-Tesla drivers use once they can.

Brian finally sees Oppenheimer
Back in two weeks from Telluride, Colorado
Top reasons why no one will use non-Tesla chargers once they open up the network in 2025
How my Chevy Bolt vacation would have been better with the Tesla network
A 12-year-old radio show talks about the Nissan LEAF noise
Brian on lightbulbs and why color is important
Alberta Wind and Solar Moratorium
EV investment in the U.S. is on fire
The case against nuclear as a climate solution
Canadian wildfires/California hurricane
Candian poll says belief in climate change is strong
Mail bag - High-powered British tea kettles in North America
The Lightning Round - all the latest news headlines

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James takes his small, slow-charging Bolt EV on a massive trip through Western Canada and we see what the current state of charging is like and where it will go shortly. Youth prevail in a Montana court and it's a huge win for climate litigation. Investments in solar power and grid storage have exploded in the US following the Inflation Reduction Act.

James almost renegged on going electric just before he left for vacation
Free charging on the highway
Fixing chargers with a phone call is easy
James tries bike share in BC
The Transmountain Pipeline is drilling through mountains.
The need for plug and charge in the non-Tesla world
EVgo might fill that need
Solar and storage exploding growth in the United States
Montana Youth Climate Case
Albertans gonna Albert
Margarat Thatcher on climate
James recaps his charging experience in detail
Loneliest charger in the world - pic: https://twitter.com/jewhittingham/status/1687920953815359488?s=20
We discuss the fire in Hawaii.
The Lightning Round - latest news in clean energy.

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Co-host Brian dares to bring his astonishingly-beautiful 'ultimate red' Tesla Model S into James's neighborhood. We record his reaction and his screams as it excellerates at light speed. Iran has declared a two-day public holiday over an unprecedented heat wave risk. The United States government has announced 4-8 Gigawatts of new offshore wind areas in the Atlantic Ocean.

James sees and rides in Brian's new, very expensive Telsa Model S in Ultimate Red.
Brian has to remove his solar panels for a roof repair/reshingle.
James's 19-year-old son thinks Brian is wrong to be bullish on the Cyber Truck: A youth perspective.
Climate change is affecting James's hotel booking. No one at Whistler has air conditioning.
More pondering of James's potential big EV road trip in a Chevy Bolt EV.
7-Eleven chargers are getting installed in B.C., Canada.
Iran holiday due to heat wave.
Charging Consortium between seven automakers. What Electrek thinks.
U.S. Offshore wind announcment.
Chicago clean energy project.
Tesla Mega Charger connector revealed.
Two-thirds of oil and gas in the U.S. is wasted due to heat loss.
The Lightning Round!

NOTE: We're off next week for vacay. Back in two!

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Doctors say the current heatwave affecting Phoenix, AZ is causing third degree burns from contact with hot surfaces. New geothermal drilling potential from a laser drill invented for fusion. Chevy is keeping the Bolt EV, a pilot project to cover canals with solar panels is going ahead in California. Canada phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. How low do people let their EV batteries go on the highway? Redneck conspiracies.

Tesla Model S delivery horror story for Brian
Listeners converge on Brian's private estate
Facebook group tells us how low they will let their batteries go on EV road trips
Remembering Kramer on Seinfeld getting a thrill driving when he's nearly out of gas
James and his family are offered a tour of a BC hydro facility
Bolt is back!
Third degree burns and death from hot surfaces in Phoenix heat
Solar covering canals in L.A.
New laser drilling method derived from nuclear fusion research
Stealing Brian's idea for naming heat waves after oil companies.
Canada stops fossil fuel subsidies two years early
Mail: A redneck encounter stirs conspiracy.
The Lightning Round: Latest headlines in cleantech and transportation!

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Planet Earth is on fire. Millions are suffering under unprecidented heat waves. James and his family argue over what vehicle to take on vacation: an EV or SUV. Scientists are naming heat waves. Europe's tough but helpful new laws on EV chargers. A natural gas leak study. Paris is punishing big cars. Landlords in Canada are forbidding air conditioners for the vulnerable and hundreds die in last heat wave.

Induction cooktop update
Natural Gas study
Brian's Model 3 goes down to a rock
Brian teases and new EV for the fam
James explains the way he will fight a gopher overtaking his strawberry patch
James's travel conundrum. To EV or not from Regina to Vancouver with an impatient family of four in a Chevy Bolt or gas guzzling SUV.
Paris charing more for big cars to park.
Ford EV demand questioned
Cyber Truck off the line
Carlos Ghosn interview clips on Nissan LEAF and future of EVs. Why China will win.
Heatwave names
More on world heatwaves this week
BC Air Conditioner backlash
EU charging laws
Mail is delayed until next week due to time
Solar/Salt/Fish farm
The Lightning Round will scare the hell out of you this week.

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The shipping industry has agreed on getting to net zero by 2050ish. Scientists in China are experimenting with covering glaciers in white plastic sheets. Microsoft wants many small nuclear reactors for its servers. The successful demonstration of space-based solar power beamed to Earth and James thinks that's the stupidest thing he's ever heard since the sun already beams to Earth.

Thermocell mosquito device review.

Travel woes continue for non-Tesla EV vacationers.

More on Brian's cooktop and getting rid of natural gas.

Charging more for parking vehicles based on their weight.

How are EV sales really doing?

The Amazon deforestation is slowing!

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AI Transcript

Hello, and welcome to episode 170 of The Clean Energy Show.
I'm Brian Stockton.
And I'm James Whittingham.
This week, instead of addressing climate change, why not just hand out free air conditioners
to everyone?
That's what one government is actually doing.
A research team at the University of Massachusetts has been able to pull electricity out
of nothing but humid air.
Nace airs everywhere reiterated their position that you can't make power appear out
of thin air.
To which the scientists replied, yes, we can.
And then the naysayers said, no, you can't.
And then the scientists said, yes, we can.
JD Power says Canadians are less likely to buy an EV this year, but more likely to get
their sciency news on Facebook.
After blanketing large swaths of the American Midwest, smoke from Canada's wildfires
has now reached as far as Europe.
As Canada's premier clean energy podcast, we will soon be embarking on a worldwide apology tour.
As Canadians, we just love to apologize.
I'm sorry, all that and so much more. I make no apologies for the big fat show.
We have a hit this week on the Clean Energy Show.
I bought a tether, a swimming tether the other day.
What's that?
What's that, you ask? You have no idea, do you?
No, I don't. I'm not a pool guy.
It's a tether that you attach to your waist and it's a big bungee that attaches to something
high on the side of the pool and you swim.
Now it sounds like an incredibly stupid idea, which is why I didn't buy my partner one
for the last 20 years that we've had a pool.
So the idea, it's like you're swimming laps, but you're not moving.
It's like a swimming treadmill.
It seemed like it would be frustrating and stupid, but people love them.
And my wife loves them.
We finally bought one after, well, I guess 22 years of owning a pool, we've finally
bought one because my daughter used one at a party and said it was hilarious and
fun yeah and if that was the case and I figure well yeah and we we had one
installed and the temperature was quite cold yesterday in the pool compared
to our hot tub like temperatures we've been getting for the solar panels on
the pool lately but yeah she loved it and she did it till exhausted Wow just
thought it was great and thinks this is how she's gonna exercise from now
on is just swimming in place in the pool yeah why I know they make these
pools where it just, it's got gigantic pumps
and it just pumps the water continuously
from one end to the other.
And you can kind of swim against the tide,
but that's obviously way more expensive
than a bungee cord.
Yeah.
I've been looking at those for a long time
because it's a small little pool, which
just shoots water at you.
I'm sure that's more enjoyable, but it also,
I mean, it's a lot easier to just stop
and stand on your feet and catch your breath.
That would just shoot you into the back
wall if you got lazy.
So you'd have to really use it or you'd be in trouble.
But anyway, it's vastly different than it was before.
But it's not exactly pool weather.
You asked me last week if I had turned on my heat pump to try it on the
heating setting, because it's obviously the summertime and you know, I had
tried the cooling, cooling works.
And, uh, so yeah, it got super chilly last night.
It was down to like six degrees Celsius this morning.
So I turned it on, on the heat setting.
It wasn't particularly cold in the house, but I tried it out and it worked.
And then, uh, some time passed and I thought, okay, well it's time to, you
know, open up the windows, let, let some air into the house.
And I kind of went out for a while and I came back and the house was freezing
cold, like it just had not warmed up.
I shouldn't have opened all those windows.
So then I had to turn the heat pump on for real and, uh, you know, get
the temperature up a couple of degrees.
How long did it take?
Cause usually they're slow.
I guess it's maybe a little slower.
It's just, I just ran it for an hour and it went up a couple of degrees.
I don't think that'll happen at minus 30.
Yeah.
You know, I think that you'd better maybe, you know, how people set
back to thermostat at night.
Do you do that in winter time?
How many degrees?
Well, like down to 17 at night.
Well, that's interesting to work to whether they make any less noise.
Cause you're talking about the noise last week.
Yeah, it's still loud.
Like the fan is just loud for some reason.
So the installer guy hasn't come back yet.
So I'm going to ask him about that.
We'll find out.
Yeah, I don't know.
It's just awfully loud.
Is it the velocity of the wind that's loud, or the actual fan on the furnace that's coming through the vents?
It seems to be blowing the same amount of air that the furnace would, but just much louder.
Interesting. Well, it must just be the particular unit that's transferring the heat from the heat
pump to the house. Now that has a backup resistive heater, right, when it gets really
cold and it'll kick in and give you some electricity. Inefficient way of heating,
but a backup from freezing to death in the winter.
Yeah.
And that's good, because I don't want to freeze to death.
No, it's never good.
Unless you're cryogenically frozen,
then that'll work out perfectly fine for you, I'm sure.
OK, so I have an update on the induction cooktop.
So I'm getting rid of the natural gas appliances
in my house.
So last week, had an electrician come in,
take out the gas cooktop, and went
to put in the induction, and it wouldn't fit.
So, we have this quartz countertop, and it had been cut for the previous cooktop, and
we needed like about a half an inch on each side.
You don't have a lot of luck lately.
You don't have luck.
You've used it up.
Yeah, it was not much luck.
And at the same time he was putting in, we bought a Tesla car charger for the car
port, so we have a Tesla brand charger in the driveway, and he couldn't finish
that one either because he didn't bring the right drill bit because he needed a
longer drill bit, like the guy putting in the heat pump, I guess, but anyway, so we
had to call a like a granite countertop company to come and shave off a couple, like an inch,
half an inch.
Oh, that's not so bad.
That's not so bad.
They were able to come the next day, which how did they shave it?
Was it like grinded it or yeah, it was like more like a saw.
Like they were like a circular saw.
They were putting into it and they had, there was two people that had one person
there with a vacuum cleaner, pick up the dust.
Cause it was, they basically just turned it into
dust as they, as they went along.
Oh, okay.
So did they do that on both sides of the range?
Like a little from me.
Yeah, exactly.
And, and it just barely fit.
Like it was really, uh, but they, they
managed to get it in there.
So the electrician is coming.
I would be concerned about that.
Well, maybe not with granite, but I would be
concerned about that with say a wooden
arborite, you know, laminated cooktop right
against the cooking surface.
But because it's induction, the surface doesn't get hot, right?
You don't have to worry about that.
I do here, but the tight fit is good because you won't spill crumbs in
between, which is a really good thing actually.
Yeah, no, I think the tight fit is good.
And the electrician is going to come back today at about two o'clock.
So about 45 minutes from now, he's going to come back and finish the job.
And while we're at it, had an update from the Guardian.
And we've talked about this before about how natural gas appliances can emit some nasty
pollution basically into your house.
So there's another new article from The Guardian this week, gas stoves emit benzene levels
above secondhand smoke.
So this is a new study and it's specifically looking at benzene, which is one of the
things you get when you burn natural gas.
And it says here, leaving a single gas hob on for 45 minutes, raise the benzene
levels above that found in second-hand tobacco smoking, or at the boundary of oil and gas
plants.
Oh, shit.
That's not good.
Yeah, because you're at the boundary of a...
Well, I don't know how close I am even to the boundary, but it's, yeah, oh God, oh
God.
So, you know, maybe there's benzene in your air.
But anyway, this is, it's 10 to 25 times higher than the emissions of that kind
from an electric coil stove.
So even an electric coil stove, for some reason, emits some benzene,
but induction does not.
Is it, is it, it didn't explain it, but for whatever reason, you get a
little bit of benzene from electric coils, but for induction, you don't get that.
So, well, that's a plus.
Yeah.
No, we, we, there's so many bad things in the indoor air of
us, middle-class North Americans with all our crap.
Yeah.
And so benzene is one of them.
It's, it's a carcinogen and you just, you know, we, we care obviously about
secondhand smoke to the point where we passed all kinds of laws to protect
people from secondhand smoke.
We're getting it from all these other sources.
It's crazy.
Yeah.
So, uh, it makes sense to also, uh, regulate this kind of thing.
So yeah, this, they, they had some kind of new type of sensors to
sense the benzene and that was the sort of impetus for this study is
that they have a better way now to measure benzene levels.
And yeah, with your gas cooktops, not good.
Well, that's discouraging, and yet encouraging.
Hopefully we can, I don't know.
Poor people aren't gonna be able to afford
to increase the air quality in their home.
So this is gonna be a socioeconomic thing again,
with other people suffering more diseases
because they can't do what's necessary
to have a healthy lifestyle at home.
And you know, around the world, this will eventually shift, obviously
away from these kinds of appliances, but yeah, it's going to take a long time.
All right.
And speaking of air quality, just a quick story here.
This is from NPR and apparently the smoke from Canada's wildfires
has reached as far as Europe.
So obviously not as bad as we're getting it here, but
still that's quite surprising.
It's now just the beginning of July.
This is already the worst forest fire season we've ever had in Canada.
And the season is basically only, what, half over?
Yeah, well, yeah.
Actually, I mean, technically it's probably not like forest fire season.
Probably not even half.
Forest fire season usually doesn't officially start until July in Canada,
because it's, you know, not this year, not this year.
Speaking of not mining gas in Canada, I took my first EV road trip.
Yeah. One where I required charging or I will not make it home.
One has a bit of anxiety. Do you remember your first EV road trip?
Yes. And I mean, I'm looking at you. You're in your house. So, you know,
suspense is gone. You did make it home.
You don't know if I've lost a leg. It's possible.
That's a common problem when you run out of power on a road trip.
Well, I could have to fight for it. Who knows for my survival.
So you had to go to Wadena, the home of Pamela Wallen.
That's what it says.
I'm only one of their signs now because of the
controversy of her Senator in Canada.
She's also the home of my partner Janice, who's
lives there, who grew up there and has a lot of
attachments there.
And we've only been there for funerals for the
past 20 years.
So we finally went there for fun and she was
when she, she bought the bolt EV three months
ago, she wanted to know, can I make it to my
hometown?
And I said, no, but soon.
And then I looked and sure enough, there was
actually a charger on the way already open, just not officially open.
It wasn't working and people were using it, but it wasn't
officially on the apps yet, a flow charger.
It's only 50 kilowatts.
Unfortunately, some of the newer flow charges around here are a hundred kilowatts.
Of course, it doesn't matter with me because I can't, you
know, go beyond that anyway.
It's right beside six Tesla chargers.
So it's kind of funny.
I just want to go over the whole story.
okay, because this was, everything was thought out
and everything was planned and I was nervous.
What was your first EV road trip?
Do you remember it?
No, it was probably the trip to Saskatoon.
So going through Davidson, which is a,
yeah, the standard route.
And the charges were working for Teslas for there.
You have a Model 3.
They were working, they were up and running
at that time, right?
Yeah, no problem, yeah.
Well, I've learned a lot from this
and I just want to share it with,
most of our listeners don't have EVs yet,
but are considering it.
So the Wadena trip is 130 miles or 210 kilometers to this small town, and it was 175 kilometers
to the first charger in the town called Winyard, which is on the way.
That's 110 miles, and that is the only charging anywhere.
I mean, there's not even any level twos that I know of.
This is the supercharging, fast charging speed of the highway.
And, of course, after seemingly a month of calm weather, it was a windy day.
Yeah.
And when we get wind here, we get a lot of wind.
It was 31 mile per hour gusts, that's 30 to 50 kilometers is when it gets windy.
That's what it is.
And it was going against me.
So I was a bit nervous, tried not to show it to my family.
All my family went, by the way, all four people.
So weight-wise, we were all in the car and that cuts down on fuel economy.
I tried to put that into the app accurately, but the good thing is it was only a day trip
and we couldn't pack the kitchen sink, so that was nice because we usually over pack
a lot of stuff.
Had a lot of beverages and things though.
So I charged the full the night before.
What I did is I set, you don't want to leave your EV at a hundred percent.
So I set a timer on it to charge, have it charged to a hundred percent by 9 a.m.
or 8 a.m.
So I had a little bit of leeway in case it wasn't fully charged, but then I wanted
every electron in there I could fit you know just just to make sure the dash
indicated 501 kilometers and it's you know an EPA range of 417 well that
means that we've been driving only in the city where it's more efficient so
my wife has been driving in the city not letting the car run the air
conditioner while not moving or anything like that and that's real
world I mean I've been looking at it and we've been getting 501 and some
people get a lot more we're not driving we're not you know pushing it
anything. The bolt battery, by the way, contrary to what you said last week, is a full 65 kilowatt
hours of usable. I triple checked that. And a better route punter, the app you use to see where
you're going to charge along a given road trip said that I would arrive at the charger 175
kilometers away at 55%. But you have to pay money to get the real world weather from that
day. And I wasn't about to do that. But I mean, if it's got 417 kilometers of EPA range,
I knew that 175, I wasn't worried about that.
Okay.
I was, it was confident, but I was curious and
keeping an eye on things still, and it was
a hundred kilometer an hour road.
It wasn't one of the bigger roads where we
can go 110 here.
So that's, um, not terribly fast.
I drove at about 105, most of the way I did
tests at different speeds, just to make sure.
Uh, so I arrived there 172 kilometers from my
house and it was 21.3 kilowatt hours per
kilometers it said on the dash so my 65 kilowatt hour battery divided by 21.3
equals 3.05 so I figured I would have had a hundred three hundred and five
kilometers or 190 miles of worst-case summer highway range into the wind I
mean there's worse winds but let's yeah let's call it that and it wasn't
warm wasn't bad at all and it means I could make Saskatoon but I probably
wouldn't I would probably charge for that extra
Yeah, even if it's five kilometers. Yeah, so like you really want to stop and rest anyway
Like an idiot my kids don't
God, they're impatient. You know how these generation of people are they're so screwed like an idiot
I didn't know what to do with the charger when I got there Brian. I had no idea
I forgot my flow card at home
I ordered a $20 flow card which is like a credit card that you can tap
Just tap on the front of the charger where it has a little indicator and it will bill your account and start working
didn't have that so I opened the flow app which I should have also been able
to use and you have an app for different charging networks I had one for this one
and I had some money in my account in my wallet as they call it just you know
put some credit card money in there and so you can use it on the road but
it didn't show that charger it's it is a quite a new charger but it
wasn't showing it on my app my wife's app it has the identical flow charger
app and it did indicate it was there so I don't know what the hell is
that. But I was determined to, to carry on with my own. I got a little flustered and a little worried
because there I am 175 kilometers away from home and I don't know what's going on.
So I immediately phoned the number on indicated the one-inch number. It was a holiday. It was a
stat holiday in Canada, which is a bit earlier for our July 4th, if you will. And someone
immediately answered a very nice woman who all can't say enough about her. She was
knowledgeable, communicated excellently and concisely and didn't omit anything for an
idiot.
Like she went over everything that I could, you know, in my fluster state.
I said this is my first time charging, you know, I'm sorry, but I don't know what the
hell to do.
So she said credit she didn't mock you.
She talked me down from the cliff and calmed me down and said, okay, just enter the
number of the charger.
there's a code number on the front of the charger there right by the phone
number you enter that not you go to your app you click on this in your app and
then you enter that number and then you say start charging so I did that and I
heard a bunch of clicks little clicky clickety sounds in the charger but it
still said processing or something and she said that's fine just plug it
in so I plugged her in to the car and it started said on the charger
communicating and doing pre-charge tests with the car.
So what they do, these chargers,
they talk to the car and get information and say,
how much juice would you like today?
And what's your, is everything working okay?
And you know, is there any leaks of electricity?
No.
It's like what it used to be at a gas station
in the 50s when you talk to your gas pump jockey.
Sure, but it's all computers now talking to one another.
So it started charging, much to my delight.
And I thanked her and hung up
And, you know, she was so nice.
She just wouldn't let me go.
She wanted to make sure everything was fine.
She told me how to disconnect it, which I didn't know.
You had to press the unlock button, the lock and unlock button in your car so
that it would let go of the charger.
Cause it's locked on there.
Didn't know that was also when you're charging on my main screen in
the car, it'll say, stop charge and unlock.
There's a button that says that in my particular car.
Um, but I might've sat there trying to get the thing out.
Yeah, and it always locks in the charger because you don't want it to pull out when the charge
is live because you could get an arc of electricity.
Right.
And so they won't do that.
No charger will let you pull it out.
I like a gas pump where you could just pull out the...
Some people do.
Just spray gas everywhere and somebody's smoking a cigarette and you go up on flames.
Like in Zoolander.
Sure.
Exactly like Zoolander.
But it pissed me off because right beside me, a guy in a Model 3 Tesla pulls up
of the Tesla charger, plugs in, walks saunters off.
You know, no problem for him.
He's got plug and charge where you just plug in the car.
It identifies who your car is, knows who to bill and bills you.
Bills your Tesla account.
And I'm, we're hoping that that's what we'll get for
everybody when we use the Tesla.
Yeah.
And obviously it works amazing, but actually the last time I drove to
Saskatoon, we stopped at Davidson to charge and there was a two guys there
finishing a transaction, one guy was selling a Tesla to the other guy.
And because they had transferred the ownership of the car, it wouldn't charge because
it had now switched accounts to the new guy or something and the new guy hadn't put in his
credit card or whatever. So it was the first time I've ever seen that kind of a problem.
So I thought it was sort of interesting. You just have to be careful when you're
transferring ownership. So the guy, he was, I told him he could go in town,
there's a level two charger in town.
So I told him, well, if you're desperate, you can just go to this.
There's a garage in town that has a level two charger.
So I think that's what he was going to end up doing.
Oh, really?
Well, you'd think it'd be, well, maybe he could just do that and
talk to the Tesla people and get it set up or something.
Yeah.
And, and actually that happened too.
On our last trip from Calgary, we charged in Maple Creek.
And then as we were driving to the next charger, the app said,
Oh, sorry, your payment didn't process.
So what had happened was the credit card had expired really before we could charge at the next charger
But all we had to do is open up the app and you know
Just adjust the expiry date on the credit card and then boom we were fine
But oh I see so it was a new credit card same number type of thing different expiry date. Okay
Yeah, well Davidson's in between the two biggest cities in Saskatchewan
So I'm presuming that one Tesla owner sold it to a guy in another city and they met halfway
Yeah, well, I think yeah, I think they were coming one from Regina one from Saskatoon meeting halfway to finish the transaction
Yeah, I see. Anyway, it was cool to charge my car and see the range tick up
You know how you could the the kilometers range ticked up fairly fast
I only got about 47 or 46 or 45 kilowatts going in there
Yeah out of the 54 max and I was around 50% range
The app said I'd get there at 55 and I got there about 46% or so.
So it was, you know, it was close.
Usually a better road planner actually gives you a little bit extra to, you know,
but I've learned that I don't like to get somewhere with 10% range.
I mean, 10% range would be okay with a larger range of car,
but with my car, I think 40 kilometers is, I'd like a little bit larger buffer than that.
Yeah, it can make you nervous.
Yeah, because you never know.
And as my son pointed out, like what happens if there's an accident and the road is closed,
and then you have to like take a grid for a while because my family's had to do that once or twice.
No, the power sort of goes down, the charging curve goes down in the bolt.
Not great. So after it gets to 50, 60 percent, it starts to go down. So it went down into the
low 30s. And so I just stopped a three quarter full of battery power and said, you know,
The town that we were going to was 40 kilometres away, so that's 80 kilometres of range right
there. And I had, I don't know, 284. But we used most of that up. Did a lot of driving around
actually and went out to a lake. It cost me 10 bucks a charge for half an hour
and left with 284 kilometres range and made a trip out to the lake. That was about 50 kilometres
off. And after our day of frivolity, we arrived back at the charger and spent 36 minutes
getting enough range to get home plus a 50 kilometer buffer and it seemed like we were
going against the wind there and going against it back because it was a side wind it was a
west wind going against us so it was really was pushing us around and making it hard.
Yeah well we talked about this a year or two ago that a better route planner actually did a
study about the wind and the wind direction and they found that basically the wind is
you about 70% of the time, like it really, the
wind has to be pretty much exactly behind you to
get an actual boost from it.
And, you know, it's like about a 30, 30% range,
something like that.
And 70% of the time it's against you.
So I had a bit of range anxiety on the way
home. The sun was going down, uh, traffic
after the long weekend was getting heavier.
And yeah, well, we monitored the range on
Google Maps. So I programmed in my house. So it counted down the kilometers to my house
accurately via GPS on my phone. And then we compared that to the minimum, the bolt has
a estimated and minimum range. So we were checking the minimum range that it would
get against the actual distance. And we were down to about seven or eight different,
which we were nervous, but then we got up to like 20 because the wind started to die
And then my son who was driving home went up to 109 kilometers an hour, the maximum
speed without getting a ticket, 68 miles an hour, and a little less efficient than a hundred
or something.
And I mean, if we had trouble, we could have just driven slower too.
That's always the option to do.
I really like the Chevy Bolt display because it's got this estimated range and a minimum
range and it has this little yellow line that ticks down towards the minimum range.
So you actually know where you're at. And that was ticking down, down, down. But then it slowed
down and then it went back up again. So we knew once that happened, we just increased our speed
and it really made the range anxiety doable once you understand that little technical detail.
So back at home, the total distance we put on at that day was 530 kilometers or 330 miles.
The overall efficiency was 19.4 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers.
I found that in my experience that the charging time actually goes pretty fast.
I can't say that for my kids, but the nice thing about that charger,
I thought it was at the Co-op gas station that has a really nice grocery store
in the small town that's newly built by Co-op.
And so it's got a really nice deli and it's got a nice bathroom.
It's got a nice everything. It's just brand new. It's just nice.
And up the service road, there was a subway and an A&W.
So my kid, sorry, my kid went to A&W and my on the way home.
The only thing is everything closes in small towns
early on a Sunday or a holiday.
So everything was closed on her way back at seven o'clock,
which we knew from Google,
but my partner did manage to get a sub on the way home,
but we'd had so much crap that day.
No one was hungry.
So yeah, it was nice.
You could just walk.
I know I probably wouldn't do that in the cold of winter,
but I would go into the grocery store,
deli and get a sandwich or something or a sub or whatever.
I fancied maybe get a coffee, you know, anything you want.
It makes a huge difference what's near the charger,
you know, especially when it's a minus 40
and you don't want to go out at all.
Yeah, so we wouldn't, like I said,
we wouldn't have been able to make this trip
if they didn't install that charger.
And my partner, I have to say, was pretty giddy.
It's her car, you know, she was pretty giddy.
She went into the store and thanked the, um, the
staff member at the till for having an EV charger.
And the staff member had questions about EVs,
like, how long does it take to charge?
My wife said, I'll let you know.
Anyway, uh, it was fine.
And you know, Brian, the bolt is not most cars.
Most cars can charge faster than that, uh, at
least at twice as fast, and if not three,
four times as fast.
So, you know, one of the Korean made Hyundai or Kia cars
under the 800 volt system are supposed to charge
from 10 to 80% in 18 minutes.
And by all accounts, they are doing that in good weather,
good summer weather.
And you know, that's fantastic.
That was nothing.
I couldn't, I myself would, you know,
by the time you get it plugged in and sit
and stretch your legs and contemplate life for a second,
it's done, let alone going to the bathroom
going in and grabbing a sandwich or a coffee or something. I mean, come on. It's pleasant.
Like you say, it's pleasant to stop and take your time.
In the summertime, the charging is often done before I'm ready because I want to go
into the grocery store and get a sandwich or whatever. And it's like, oh,
it's already done. We got to go.
In the winter, of course, it's slower because batteries charge slower
in the winter. And that's just the way it is.
Okay, so an update on the NACS charging standard, which we've been talking about the last few
episodes here.
This is Tesla's connector for charging cars, and it's suddenly taking over in North America
with basically everybody getting on board.
And we think that this is now going to become the standard in North America.
So that's a lot of fun.
So the new additions this week, Polestar is now on board.
They're of course, a part of the Volvo Group and Volvo announced the week before.
So that makes sense.
The Polestar would get on board with this as well.
VW says they're in talks with Tesla.
They haven't committed yet.
Well, that's a commitment to me.
That's just, they're working things out
and they'll do it.
They've made that move.
And it is now an open standard.
So, you know, really anybody can use it.
You don't necessarily need Tesla's permission,
but it sounds like Tesla is making their API available,
like to Ford and to GM.
So they'll be able to better integrate it
into the car's computer to do trip planning
and, and stuff like that.
So, yeah, presumably, you know what the big thing is.
The big thing with that might be plug and charge.
I'm hoping, because if that's integrated with the car's
computer, then you can do the billing.
You can get the VIN number from the car's computer and
charge that would be wonderful.
That's, I think that's where we're headed and, uh, you
know, it won't be till about 2025 with these other car
makers to have it actually integrated, but, um, it's on
the way.
So the state of Kentucky is now requiring
that you have the NACS charger
if you're getting government support
to put chargers in the state of Kentucky.
Texas said something similar.
They haven't finalized it yet,
but then there's a group of charging companies
that are kind of pushing back against that flow
and ChargePoint are saying,
no, no, don't make that a rule just yet.
So Texas is trying to do that.
Washington state is trying to do that as well.
But so far, Kentucky is the only one
that has actually solidified that.
Also Electrify America,
the charging network initially started by Volkswagen
is now on board Electrify America and Electrify Canada.
And as well as Blink,
another charging company that makes chargers.
And the first motorcycle company, so Verge Motorcycles.
This is a Finnish electric motorcycle maker.
They're expected to begin selling their motorcycles
in the US later this year,
and they are getting on board
with the Tesla charging connector,
which makes so much sense for motorcycles,
which are obviously much smaller vehicles.
So to have that much smaller charging port
makes so much sense.
Brian, I just wanted to point out
that we ran a Twitter poll
on who was going to be the last to adapt
to the NAACS standard.
I thought it could be Volkswagen, but it's not.
Yeah.
They're coming on board.
and we had approximately 13 million votes, no, pardon me, 13 votes, and 50% said Hyundai,
Kia, most people, 77% said Toyota, nobody said Honda, and Nissan was 7.7% because you
know, they're still hanging on to the Chattomo standard.
Yeah, I think it's cool, I'm surprised that I'm very happy that VW is getting on board
because they have their own charging network, we were concerned about that.
Yeah.
That they wouldn't, but they're selling, you know, a lot of EVs, which
we'll talk about later in the show.
Yeah.
And like about six months ago when Tesla said, oh, okay, we're
setting this up as an open standard.
We talked about it on the show and both of us doubted that
it would actually go anywhere.
And yet here we are.
Well, this is, this is such a shiny, happy thing because it's a big moment
in the electrification of transportation because that charger is heavy.
You've probably never manhandled one. I should let you come manhandle one because it's ridiculous.
CCS charger is gigantic.
At a fast charging station is like you need three hands, not two even so.
Or imagine plugging one of those into a motorcycle. I mean that would be ridiculous.
Yeah, it's absurd when there's such a better standard that is a fraction of that size.
British Columbia, Canada, the province on the west coast.
Uh, CBC says that British Columbia is actually going to spend $10 million.
You remember they had a heat wave a couple of years ago, or I think 800
people died once they tallied up the numbers.
Yeah.
In both, you know, Vancouver and Seattle, uh, just because it's
normally not that hot there in the summer.
So a lot of people don't have air conditioning.
Huge heat wave was just a massive, massive problem.
So, you know, this is a reality of climate change that
what are you going to do?
So they've decided what we're gonna do
is spend $10 million to provide 8,000 free air conditioners
to elderly, vulnerable, and low-income residents
because those are the people who are dying.
Those are the people, the vulnerable population
that dies in heatwaves, people who are alone especially.
It's a terrible, terrible thing.
And there's nothing we can do about it.
We can't turn climate change around no matter what.
It's still gonna get worse for a while
under the best case scenarios
and this is going to be an increasing occurrence and it's going to be administered to this program
by the BC power company, BC Hydro, starting this year and lasting three years. The health
minister said extreme weather is the reality now for British Columbians thanks to the effects
of climate change with extreme heat events expected to occur more frequently. Vulnerable
people are more likely to experience effects of extreme heat and that's why this program
targets low-income, vulnerable individuals
who are at higher risk.
People applying for a free air conditioner
will undergo a means assessment
or they can be referred to the program
by community home health care providers
and health authorities.
Actually, I'm happy about this.
It's kind of a Jesus, how did we get here moment,
but we're here, but we're doing something about it
so that we don't wanna see 100 people die next time.
Yeah, and the electricity in BC is provided by BC Hydro,
the provincial utility, which is something
like 98% hydroelectric.
So it's clean energy.
It's cheap energy.
It's some of the cheapest electricity in the world,
around $0.06 Canadian per kilowatt hour for most cases.
Which is like half, less than half.
Half of what we pay here with our coal-burning power supply.
Which is a very common price we pay.
So it's very cheap.
It's nice to see that it's not gonna hurt anything, at least.
Yeah, and even if the vulnerable population
still has to pay a power bill for this,
it won't be outrageous because it's,
they have such cheap electricity.
And of course, BC Hydro is the sponsor
for the fully charged live show
that's happening in Vancouver in September.
I was gonna ask you, Brian,
you just got your heat pump,
so you have air conditioning in your house
for the first time.
We've just been through a heat wave.
How do you feel about it?
What's your impressions?
Mostly because yesterday there was a bit of forest fire smoke in the air. And so what did we do? We
just kept all the windows closed and left the air conditioner on. It wasn't super hot, but you know,
I was glad that that was better air to breathe. Right. Yeah. Although, you know, I think we've
been mostly lucky. I don't know. I think, you know, the air in New York and Chicago has been
worse even though we're closer to the fires. We've had one bad day. Yeah. And you were
during that time. You were experiencing that over in Calgary, which was getting
also bad. But there was one where ours was off the charts, way off the charts,
and it was the worst era I've ever experienced in my life, and my kids were
of asthma, were not doing as great as they should be. So. Okay, so moving on
to a story from The Guardian, and this is the kind of story I don't often
like to talk about, because it's very much research that is at the very
beginning, and this is not really going to become practical for a very long
time or maybe never. I just thought it was a fun story because it kind of builds on something
that Nikola Tesla, the Serbian inventor who the Tesla car company is named for, famous
electricity pioneer, this was something that he had talked about in his life was
to try and get electricity from the air, to use the air as a battery. So you
have an upper atmosphere, and the Earth is sort of like having two ends of an enormous
battery.
So this concept is called high-grow electricity.
And nobody had ever really tried it before, but there were these researchers doing something
completely different at the University of Massachusetts.
And it's just a fun story.
Here's the quote here.
To be frank, it was an accident, said the study's lead author.
We were actually interested in making a simple sensor
for humidity in the air.
But for whatever reason, the student
who was working on that forgot to plug in the power.
And now they're rich.
And now they're rich.
And they found that the machine still worked.
The sensor still worked, even though it wasn't plugged in.
Oh, that's cool.
So that's just kind of wild.
So it's an array of microscopic tubes or nanowires
that are producing an electrical signal.
Each nanowire was less than one one-thousandth
the diameter of a human hair,
wide enough that an airborne water molecule could enter
but so narrow it would bump around inside the tube.
Each bump, the team realized,
lent the material a small charge.
And as the frequency of the bumps increased,
one end of the tube became charged
differently than the other.
So yeah, you can get electricity
just out of the air. I mean, I guess this is like, you know,
when you're a science experiment in elementary school,
where you get electricity out of a potato or something like
that. It's a similar idea.
What's the potential for this though?
There is huge potential. They have some funding to further
develop this. So the idea is that, you know,
one of these little modules just barely produces anything,
but they figure that they may be able to put, you know,
a few thousand of them into a machine,
like the size of like a washer or a dryer and have that in
home and possibly creating electricity continuously out of just out of what's in the air.
Who knows? Who knows what could be happening in 30 or 40 years from now?
And when we had decades and decades of cheap oil, none of this was a concern.
We got rid of the electric car which predated the combustion car because it was just easier
and then everything was cheap and easy and free but we were wrecking the planet as we were
doing it.
Yeah.
So, you know, all these years have gone by where we could have been looking at solutions
like this, but it just wasn't really necessary or practical until we realized that we're
just destroying the planet.
Well, you were talking about air quality in Spain being bad from wildfires.
Well, it was bad in Chicago and Detroit a few days ago, like really bad, like
it was in New York.
And I was listening on the radio and it said they had a second and third worst
quality in the world, and the worst was Dubai. And I thought, did they say Mumbai or Delhi?
No, it was Dubai. And this shiny city that I keep seeing on my Apple TV screensaver,
which I don't care for. I don't care for the shots of that city.
But it looks amazing.
It's amazing and weird, but it's all fake. It's all fake. And it's made with slave labor.
You know, that's a major issue, and we might think that Dubai gets all of its money for
all this crap from oil, but it's only 20% of the UAE's revenue is coming from oil
and gas.
But what they did is they used that money in the 70s and 80s to spur an economy to
put it, you know, ignite an economy and it worked on this desert, coastal desert.
And they've got so much growth and construction that I was wondering why their air quality is bad, but it is mostly from trucks and buses and motorcycles to the particulate matter that is there, and industrial areas such as desalination plants.
You know, they're taking the ocean water and making it drinkable by taking the salt out. That uses a lot of energy.
apparently fueled by fossil fuels, because why else would you have the stink?
You should be powering that with your solar and wind, which just seems like a perfect
opportunity to do that.
And it's also driven by the city's population, which is one of the fastest growing cities
in the world, and as well as the occasional dust storm, because it is surrounded by desert.
So that, you know, the sawdust and the from the sign and the construction and
the cement and everything like that adds to it.
But largely, it is from trucks, buses, and motorcycles,
which can be easily addressed.
It's what we talk about mostly on this show.
And the Dubai Road and Transport Authority,
the RTA, has been working on implementing
stricter regulations for vehicles to reduce emissions.
And they are promoting the use
of electric and hybrid vehicles
and also provides incentives
for using environmentally friendly vehicles.
I was looking at the list of the top 20, 30 typically polluted cities in the world.
Saudi Arabia, Damaam has the worst, is usually at the top of the list.
There is seven or eight cities in India that are on that list as well.
And then Cameroon comes in there with a city and then a bunch more from India, a couple
from Pakistan, another from India and Uganda, and a couple more from India.
And then by the time you get down to 19,
you get to the Chinese cities,
which occupy a lot of the 20 places.
So yeah, I feel bad when I see these cities on the news,
Beijing covered in smog and breathing
and indoor air pollution in India,
where it's deadly indoors as it is outdoors,
I feel bad.
And I especially feel bad when I know there's solutions.
But unlike India, which a lot of their pollution
comes from burning crops in a valley that's sort of trapped by the mountains, this is
easily addressable.
Two-wheel transportation, for example, could easily go electric very quickly and should.
Okay.
So I want to move on to talk about wind turbines.
So whenever I'm talking to people about clean energy, I tell them I have a podcast.
Most people roll their eyes.
They often bring up the negative things about clean energy.
And one of the things that frequently gets mentioned
is things like wind turbine blades.
That gets mentioned?
That comes up?
Oh, that's crap.
People are worried about all that.
People around here are worried about wind turbine blades.
Come on.
They read that crap on Facebook.
I'm mad.
I'm very, wind turbine,
they don't even know what a wind turbine is.
getting the defibrillator. I'm okay. Continue. I mean, similar complaints are sometimes lodged
about solar panels too, because they claim, oh, you got to dig up coal to make solar panels
or whatever. Piss off! Yes. Who are these people? It is ridiculous, but it is still
an issue of, okay, well, wind turbine blades don't last forever. So what do you do with
them at the end of life, rather than just throwing them in a garbage pile? What
last forever? Does the giant tankers down the road from me last from ever that holds
billions of gallons of oil? Yes. Do they last forever? Are we questioning that?
Are we concerned about that? No. I don't understand.
Because the people working on clean energy care about the environment and these concerns,
there's actually some solutions in the works for this. So there is a Swiss startup called
turn to sun and they're taking used wind turbine blades and these blades last for I
don't know 10 or 20 years or something out in the field and they're using to mount solar
panels onto so the idea being that okay well you've got to put solar panels onto
something if you've got a ground mounted solar system and wind turbine blades are
sturdy like they're meant to have a long span. So without too many support posts
you could put up a wind turbine blade and attach a whole bunch of solar panels
to it and disturb the ground less. So one of your favorite things,
agrivoltaics, say you're growing crops underneath your solar panels or
you're grazing sheep underneath your solar panels, there's less you know
thing to do with these. And it says in Europe alone, around 25,000 wind turbines will each
reach their end of life in the next few years. So there's going to be 25,000 wind turbines
and these blades becoming available in the next few years.
And you know, I mean, we're such at the beginning of this, it's like,
what are we going to do? What recycling batteries? Well, my car is one of the
first ever made. It's still running. Yeah, the year old leaf.
Right and there's you know, you can use those batteries for a long time before you
can have to worry about recycling. So why are we worried about it? It's a problem
for 25 years from now essentially the big you know when it's really going to
become an issue but they are doing it and doing it well.
No and I have another story here from Electrek. So Denmark's largest offshore
wind farm will feature recyclable wind turbine blades for the first time. So
they have figured out a way, so this is Siemens Gamesa, they've figured out
to make the blades that make them more recyclable.
They're currently installing these at an offshore wind farm in Germany, and about half
of the wind turbines are going to feature these recyclable blades.
So the idea is that at the end of their lifespan, the resin, fiberglass, and wood
can be separated using a mild acid solution, and then all of those components recycled.
So this is just the beginning of this, but, um, you know, they're
figuring out how to do it.
Yeah.
So we've just, for whatever reason, been talking about John Deere a lot
lately on the show, and, uh, this is a story from Electrek as well.
Um, they're now in a partnership with, uh, Ego, which is a company
that makes electric lawnmowers, basically her electric lawn equipment
of, of all kinds, John Deere has one just out now, like a zero
turn riding mower that is electric, but as they have been working hard to transition themselves
to fully electric, John Deere realized, eh, we're a little bit more behind than we want
to be.
So they've come up with a partnership with EGO.
They've got 70 different battery-powered lawn projects for our products, and they're
now going to be available at John Deere dealers and locations.
So they realized that they couldn't ramp up fast enough, so they've created this
partnership.
I wouldn't be surprised if they end up just buying Ego.
John Deere seems like a much bigger company, you know, we'll see what happens with that.
But in the meantime, at John Deere now, you can get a wide variety of electric lawn stuff.
Guess who is Ego's parent company?
Do you know?
No, I don't know.
It is Chevron.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
How did you find that out?
I
Read the article. I read a similar article somewhere else about this
partnership and they mentioned that
Ego's parent company was Chevron the oil national and not one of the good ones if you can say there's a good one
It's one of them. They they trend towards the evil side of the spectrum
Well, if everyone may not want to sell ego then because that's you know, they're gonna need something to balance their you know
Or maybe well, it's just another example of oil companies trying to get into green things tepidly
Oh
Time for the tweet of the week brian
The tweet of the week comes from our friends at cagoro scooters the scooter with the battery swappable power source
Taking over the world literally and their tweet is powering a four-wheeler is difficult. That is an electric car, right?
four wheels. They're used to two and three, mostly two. You have to carry a sofa, the windshield,
and an air conditioner just to go to the grocery store. Two wheelers, however, are different,
five times more efficient per kilometer on energy, and that makes the transition to EVs
easier, says Horace Luke, the founder of Gagoro. Time for the lightning round.
The lightning round is a fast-paced look at the latest headlines in climate.
clean energy and transportation.
Italian state agency publishes Agrivoltaic Location Map.
That is a map to show Italians where the best place to practice agriculture and solar power generation is.
This online map will identify suitable sites for agrivoltaics based on landscape indicators.
it will provide qualitative and quantitative information to facilitate the selection
of appropriate locations for the integration of agriculture.
Thought that was interesting, and I can presume and hope more countries will follow suit.
From Bloomberg, high inflation and rising interest rates are driving up the cost
of new generation of miniature atomic reactors. In other words, small modular nuclear
is becoming more expensive than they thought because high interest rates, actually high interest
rates is affecting everything in the clean transition, but inflation as well, I suppose.
In a revision of the country's energy and climate plan, the Ministry of Italy said it aimed to get
65% of electricity from renewables by 2030, and that is up from 55%. I like highlighting
stories like that because people are increasing their targets. Why? Because, as we know,
Cheaper, cleaner, fast.
From the Guardian, low emission zones are improving health.
You know what a low emission zone is, Brian?
You had one in London.
The center of London is a low emission zone.
You can't drive.
You got to pay money if you want to drive a fossil vehicle in there.
Yeah, and the air quality in London did seem quite good.
So low emission zones are improving health,
the study in the Lancet finds,
particularly clear evidence that low emission zones in cities
reduce heart and circulatory problems,
which is good for me.
It's time for a CS fast fact.
Nuclear energy costs the United States currently level out
to an average of three hundred and seventy three dollars per megawatt hour.
According to the latest estimates by Bloomberg New Energy Finance,
that is significantly higher than solar or onshore wind,
which are sixty and fifty dollars per megawatt hour, respectively,
a six times cheaper than nuclear energy and getting cheaper.
whereas nuclear can be more expensive.
Safety, stuff like that.
Lack of people with the skills to build it.
Wind and solar have generated more US electricity
than coal for a record five months.
As wind and solar grow and coal plants continue to close,
experts expect to see more and more of these records set.
Ooh, it's another CES Fast fact.
Why does the smoke smell like plastic this year?
You know, it's not normal forest fire smoke when it gets really bad, it's just terrible
stuff.
And it's because, according to the Weather Network in Canada, more dense and more potent
this year because the VOCs, the, what is it, volatile organic compounds from the
wildfire smoke, interact with UV radiation to create benzene and formaldehyde compounds
in the atmosphere.
Neither are good, which is why you run your air conditioner when it was smoky out, and
I did not.
These are toxic, Brian.
Toxic air pollutants, and they happen to smell like burning plastic, and that's never
good.
Yeah, and we were talking about benzene earlier with emissions from gas stoves,
so apparently it's just in the air as well.
We have sad news this week.
It is from JD Power.
They have a survey in Canada and they say Canadians are less likely to buy an IV this year
Less likely not more likely less likely
Obviously these jack wagons in Canada are not listening to our show
You know, yeah, come on people give it the program
Literally, so only 34 percent said they would consider an EV and that is down from 47 percent
It's very significant Brian could be the economic issues or like interest rates like we were just talking about by comparison though
So in a similar survey in the United States, 61% of consumers said they are very likely
or somewhat likely to consider purchasing an EV this year.
What the heck?
That is almost twice as much, you know, in the United States, and the United States
is full of disinformation.
Our listener Mike reports the soft-serve machine at the Davidson Co-op Chargers
was out of order over the long weekend, and we plan to stay on top of this story,
people.
Oh, that's breaking news.
That's, uh, that's some sad news there.
Another CES Fast Fact.
Norway has a high proportion of climate skeptics compared to other countries.
Something I wouldn't have guessed.
Uh, every fourth Norwegian does not believe that human
activities affects the climate.
What the hell's wrong with you, Norway?
Are you not listening to our show?
Only one in 10 Italians say the same thing according to a study from 2022.
So that's bizarre, isn't it?
Yeah, that's surprising.
I don't know.
I've been to Norway.
It's a gorgeous country.
It's full of mountains, lakes, and rivers.
Maybe it all just seems so lovely there
that they don't believe it.
And a good education system.
And we've talked about Italy several times this week.
Shout out to Italy.
Send us a letter.
Send us an email.
Rooftop solar in New England has grown sufficiently,
up to 5.1 gigawatts, or 5.1 nuclear reactors,
to cause retirement of one of its dirtiest power plants.
The 1.41 gigawatt Mystic Generating Station,
which was a natural gas peaker plant,
shut it down.
Fairly big plant, you know,
the size of 1.4 nuclear reactors.
Shut it down, didn't need it,
because everybody's got rooftop solar.
How about that?
That's-
That's fantastic.
LGBTQ plus supporters of Just Stop Oil
have disrupted the Pride parade in London,
blocking Coca-Cola's float
and spraying black and pink paint over the road.
Cell phone traffic in downtown San Francisco,
I found this interesting,
is now only 29% of what it was pre-pandemic levels.
This is implying that there are less people
working downtown and less people working from,
more people working from home.
Chicago, it's at 56%,
New York City is 71% of pre-pandemic levels.
But Salt Lake City, it's up, it's 139%.
More people are downtown.
It's like, we wanna get the COVID.
Or we don't like working from home.
Home is bad.
For the Climate Change Institute,
the Earth's average temperature July 2nd
was the hottest single day thus far measured by humans.
Okay, that's not good.
But finally this week,
massive underground deposit of high-grade phosphorus,
rock was discovered in Norway, phosphorus, basically doubling the known phosphorus in
the world just like that overnight.
And phosphorus is used for fertilizers, yes, but also solar panels and electric car batteries.
And that deposit alone, alone, Brian, has enough of that critical mineral to power
all those things for the next hundred years.
So, we worry about these things sometimes, but one giant rock found in Norway will have
enough phosphorus for the next hundred years alone, which is fantastic.
And that is our show for this week.
Please take the time to contact us.
We love, we live, we thrive, we live on hearing from our listeners.
CleanEnergyShow at gmail.com is the easiest way to get ahold of us.
Send us emails, send us your thoughts, your concerns, your anger, whatever is on
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Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for the video podcast and special features
and our merch link is in your show notes.
As always, if you're new to the show, subscribe on your podcast app to get new episodes delivered
every week and the race between climate change and renewables is on.
If you've got a front row seat here on the Clean Energy Show, we'll see you next
week.
See you next week.

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James takes his first road trip in his Chevy Bolt and shares his lessons with listeners. Researchers pull electricity out of...humid air. Canadian wildfire smoke reaches Spain. Sorry! More companies are adopting the Tesla charging standard. A government is fighting climate change by buying air conditioners for at-risk people. Why Dubai has the world's worst air quality on most days.

Brian's heat pump update from his home
Brian induction cooktop runs into a problem
Some electric stoves even emit benzene but especially gas stoves
Smoke reaches Europe from Canada's fires
James's family takes a road trip in their new EV and faces a nasty head wind.
How James sheds range anxiety on the highway
NACS charging adapter standard updates: Polestar and VW seem to be on board
British Columbian buying air conditioners for people at risk because of climate change!
Getting electricity out of thin air
Dubai air quality - why is it so bad?
Recycling old wind turbine blades into structures for solar panels
John Deere partners with EGO to sell electric tractors
Why Gogoro scooters are more efficient that their four-wheeled friends
The Lightning Round -- all the latest clean energy headlines in bite-sized portions

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It was a bad week for fossil fuels not blowing up. District heating in Finland using small modular nukes. Chevy's electric pickup has debuted to applause. One company tries to lower carbon emissions from concrete. Recap of the benefits of an electric lawn tractor. James bought an electric Thermacell mosquito repeller.

NACS update on the Tesla charging standard.

New York City putting millions into electric bike charging stations.

Silverado EV and its huuuuuge battery.

Low carbon cement.

Canadian poll on wildfire-climate change connections.

Massive hydro and solar project in China is incomprehensibly big.

Solar saves Texas during the 2023 Texas heat dome.

New segment - This Week in Combustion. The follies of using and transporting fossil fuels.

The Lightning Round - A fast-paced look at the latest headlines in clean tech and transportation.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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A historic youth climate case, more than ten years in the making, has landed in a Montana courtroom. A few years ago, a group of 16 young people from the state of Montana sued the state for its role in supporting the fossil fuel industry and contributing to climate change. Also: Electric cruise ship, Boeing sees the need for lots more jets, EV maker Rivian acquires the go-to app for EV trips, solar price declines have a long way to go thanks to new tech, what an electric riding mower is like from an experienced user and James gets a new hat!

Happy Solstice/Aboriginal Peoples' Day

Brian is stuck in Toronto for two nights thanks again to Air Canada
Energy use observations from Brian's U.K. vacation
Tenacious D concert in U.K.
Chevy Bolt news disappoints current owners
Fossil fuels collapse a freeway in busy Philadelphia
GM and Rivan join Ford in adopting the Tesla NACS connector and will have access to the Tesla charging network. Why his is unbelievably big news for electrification.
Montana lawsuit
Electric riding mower impressions - it's almost all good news!
Solar progress/price declines in the decade ahead in our Tweet of the Week from Auke Hoekstra, director of Neon Research.
Electric cruise ship
Ebusco electric buses
Mark Z. Jacobson's tweet about Montana drivers saving billions of dollars converting to electric pickup trucks.
Mail: Toyota solar powered plant in Kentucky
We end as always with The Lightning Round, a fast-paced look at the week's headlines in clean energy and transportation.

(Montage clips from Michael E. Mann and Sandy Munroe via YouTube.)

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We're off this week so we present an episode from December, 2022.

Why 2022 was a good year for clean energy (thanks Putin!), our EV of the year, solar on an abandoned nuclear power plant site, Brian gets stranded by the weather, James's Prius has troubles, and more evidence that the Tesla Supercharger network is the one to beat.

The sound of driving next to the Tesla Semi will amaze you. EU emissions are down despite cold weather and a partial return to coal.

Why American's should buy an EV in the first two months of 2023.

The U.S. Postal Service is finally big on electric vehicles and will go full electric soon.

The city of Tokyo mandates solar on the roofs of new homes and buildings.

Lyft is giving insentives to electric vehicle drivers basically covering the lease price of their vehicle, then they can save huge on gas and earn significanly more than than their coworkers driving gas vehicles.

Hydrogen and chip shortages are also covered.

And we wrap of the year that was 2022!

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Brian podcasts from Portmeirion, Wales, the location of the TV show, The Prisioner. The lifecycle cost of a Tesla Model 3 nearly matches the cheapest car you can buy in America, The Mirage. Wildfires in Canada have so far burned 10 times more land than usual at this time of year and you're probably breathing it.Rowan Atkinson says EVs are no good. Sometimes comedians don't know what they're talking about. CharIn, the association behind the CCS charging standard is angry with Ford for adopting the Tesla charge port instead of CCS.

And...

Are EVs unprofitable for everyone but Tesla?
Your letters: When will agriculture electrify?

0:00 We start with the travel woes Brian had getting to Wales. But he loves the trains in Europe!

19:55 News story discussion starts.

50:01 The Lightning Round!

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Ford will use the vast Tesla Supercharger Network and the Tesla connectors. We explain why this is huge news. A new study has found that climate scientists, especially those that are women, are facing increasing death threats. The coal plant that exploded in Australia is getting rebuilt because--actually we have no idea why!

Programming note: June 6, Brian will be podcasting from the United Kingdom and one week later we'll be on hiatus for seven days (with a encore episode.)

Brian updates his heat pump install and learned some good news about cooling effiency.

Siemens is designing a wind turbine for the U.S. market.

Colorado ups it's EV rebate to $5,000.

Why nuclear in Georgia won't ever make up for its emissions.

UK is banning ads for greenwashing. The first culprit: an airline!

We end on The Lightning Round, a fast paced look at the clean energy headlines.

The Clean Energy Show is released every week so be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app to get new episodes delivered to you free!

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Make a small donation to our podcast today! PayPal Donate!https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE

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Follow us on TikTok! @cleanenergypod Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow Follow us on Twitter! @CleanEnergyPod James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow Copyright 2023 with some rights reserved. You may share and reproduce portions of our show with attribution. All music is copyright with all rights reserved.

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Why clean power grids are important to attract business. ChargeX consortium to ensure reliable EV charging. Ukraine keeps the lights on with renewables. Biden looking for climate-friendly jet fuels.

Plus:

Brian is getting his cold weather heat pump installed as we record the podcast (sorry for the sound).
Martin Scorcese's "Killers of the Flower Moon" explores oil industry evil from a hundred years ago.
Two- and Three-wheel electric transport will take the biggest chunk out of oil demand by 2025.
What do you do when the power goes out, EV owners? When you're on a trip!
Latest EV disinformation hoax debunked beautifully by Tyler Krause, a structural engineer and EV advocate.
SaskPower's geothermal plant has gone radio silent. Is it not viable? We're two years late.
A cheap alternative to upgrading your electrical panel when installing rooftop solar.
And we end on The Lightning Round!
Emm Gryner lent the show a little gift of music. Link to YouTube video: Pour Some Sugar on Me

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Three years ago we warned our local goverment that building a gas plant would be building a stranded asset. They didn't listen and now they say they can't meet the federal government's (and the world's) goal of net zero electricity by 2035. We roast the jackwagon Scott Moe and his oil-happy Saskatchewan government simply for being stupid.

Note: We'll be one day late next week! Also note: New improved audio file uploaded.

Brian updates his heat pump installation in a very cold climate.

Then he switches out his Seattle Kracken hat for his new Clean Energy Show hat! Now available again in our merch shop!

We find a newspaper article mentionig heat pumps for Vancouver in the year 1948.

The Davidson, Saskatchewan level 3 Flo chargers are online. This is huge for the EV owners in our area and took forever. We revisit our commercial for the Riverbend Co-op in Davidson and send them our love.

Brian finds a Rewiring America ad with filmmaker Adam McKay behind the humorous commercial promoting Biden's IRA legislation.

James has to search for a new hair stylist after finding out his is a transfobic conspiracty therorist who thinks the fifteen minute city concept is going to lock him in his neighborhood. He also thinks there's not enough minerals for the energy transition. He's wrong, of course.

Plus: Solar farm building robots, Japanese automakers give their EVs names to prevent sales, and Ferrari won't give up on the combustion engine.

In order not to disturb whales and large bubble curtain is being placed around wind farm drilling operations.

A climate scientist warns the Amazon may be past the tipping point.

We end with The Lightning Round!

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This week: How long do city electric buses last? Our city says, 'Not so long.' Tesla refines its own lithium because it has to. Lagos, Nigera gets twelve THOUSAND electric buses. 45% of auto dealers in the U.S. won't sell you an electric car. You can't call someone an enviromentalist just because they want to save the planet from being unihabitable for their grand children.

Colorado is looking to ban gas lawn mowers! Good for them. They follow California.

Speaking of California, they're looking at forcing all EVs sold in the state to be capable of vehicle to grid sharing.

3% of so-called Canadian energy is being stopped due to wild fires in Alberta.

We end with the Lightning Round, a fast-paced look at the headlines in clean energy and transportation.

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Time of day pricing comes to one Ontario utlity that would result in very cheap overnight charging for your car. California has banned the sale of diesel trucks by 2036. A new solar power project has come online in China, and it’s big. The IEA projects oil displacement by 2030 is 5.3 million barrels per day. But how much of that is two and three-wheelers? More than you might think.

Electric school buses will power emergency shelters in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island.

FC Barcelona’s players chose the railway over a private jet when traveling to a recent match against Getafe CF, which plays on the outskirts of Spanish capital Madrid.

Plus the Lightning Round!

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The world's biggest battery maker CATL announced a high density battery twice as good a current batteries and even good enough for aircraft. This while they debut sodium-ion batteries that have excellent cold weather performance and use less cobal and nickle. Canada antys billions to Volkswagen for a huge battery factory. Journalists at the Shanghai Motor Show are so astonished by the dominance and falling prices of EV, they ask, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? It could lead to more congestion or roads and increased car ownership.

Crop dusting is going electric.

GM discontinues the Chevy Bolt that James just bought.

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New data suggests electric school buses increase attendance for kids. In diesel buses, the air can be bad inside the bus. Children breathe in carcinogens from diesel fumes on ICE buses. Not so when you go electric. The city of Vancouver, B.C. is making it possible for film and TV productions to ditch diesel generators for location shooting. They will install power taps at poplular shooting locations around the city. Plus, getting paid to bike to work, Volkswagon eliminating features from its EVs, green hydrogen standards and e-fuels. And we learn which EVs qualify for the U.S. tax credits and which don't.

We start the show with Brian telling us about how he finally mitigated dangerous radon gas from his home.

New Phillips light bulbs.

James things EVs are going mainstream this year.

Eight Sasktachewan residents are suing the provincial government, claiming that expanding gas-fired electricity generation violates their Charter rights to life, security of person, and equality. And to come up with a plan to get to net zero in the oil-rich province. Podcast link (Energi Media).

Why VW is not worried about E-fuels.

IRA EV tax credit list.

Green hydrogen standards.

Letter from a listener who rented an electric car from Hertz.

We end the show as always with The Lightning Round!

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President Joe Biden announced a plan for the toughest rules ever on car pollution. The policy would force automakers to have a majority of sales all-electric in just a few years and fully electric by 2035. Germany closes its last three nuclear reactors this week in spite of the energy crisis brought on by Russia. Walmart is building out an EV network by 2030 which should cover 90% of the US population. Chipotle Mexican Grill has unveiled a new all-electric restaurant design that utilizes 100% renewable energy from wind and solar sources, and will feature EV chargers.

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Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has announced it is banning private jets and taking further steps to reduce noise pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris agreement.

...

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James takes the Bolt on the open road and tries out DC public fast charging. The value of Chinese ICE cars tumble due to EVs. Nuclear doesn't need to take so long to build.

The specs on the all-electric Ram REV pickup truck. It beats the competion on paper.

Brian charges for free at IKEA but at what cost?

Testing our new Chevy Bolt highway consumption.

James gets and video doorbell and finds all kinds of uses for it.

EV charging efficiency losses from a listener letter.

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Free motorcycles in Uganda revisited.

Norway's wealth fund from oil $350,000 for every man, woman and child.

Paris votes to ban e-scooter rentals.

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Brian returns from the Fargo Film Festival with stories of seeing Kevin O'Leary and a documentary on the A & W Whistle Dog. A 1982 hydrogen car in Saskatchewan? A listener points us to an old CBC News story on the subject.

Japan has worked out a clean energy trade deal with the United States and why that's important.

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Zimbabwe invests a Billion Dollars in new coal thanks to investment from China. What could have they done with the same money with solar and batteries in one of Africa's greatest solar regions?

EU ban on combustion vehicle sales passes for the 2035 set date. Germany waters it down and angers the world.

Carbon offset issues and why it gets offset companies into trouble.

Ford is losing $22,000 per EV buy shareholders are happy.

Solar grew faster than nuclear ever did. That's our Tweet of the Week.

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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that global average temperatures are estimated to rise 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels in the early 2030s. Rwandans clean their country one day every month. Oil companies are getting sued in Colorado. 7-Eleven may have one of the biggest electric vehicle charging networks one day soon.

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The Baidu robotaxi may be at the front of the autonomous driving race.

James buys a Chevy Bolt EV and puts his Prius up for consignment with REV Automotive Group.

Brian will travel to the Fargo Film Festival.

Confusion over SaskEV and SEVA, two EV organizations in our home province. Brian deflects invitations for your hosts to appear at events next month, citing laziness.

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Brian's rave review of All that Breathes. Host James buys a brand new EV. What the perfect EV charging gas station of the future will look like thanks to Norway. Biden approves Alaska drilling. A wind farm continues to be built in Ukraine 60 miles from the front lines. It's giving much needed power to residents.

Saudi Aramco cashes in big.

Ohio politicians conspire to defraud the public and may be going up the river for a long time.

A new kind of transparent solar panel may not only work with greenhouses but make the plants even bigger.

A study that proves going electric in your neighborhood saves children from the same area from getting hospitalized due to asthma.

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Tesla's CEO has lost his mind but the company has outlined its commitment and its plan in achieving a livable world. Offshore wind turbines aren't killing birds or whales. We help a listener in his cross country U.S. road trip. New nuclear reactors finally come online in Georgia while most new power in the U.S. is wind, solar and batteries.

What the Tesla Supercharger experience is for non-Tesla EV owners.

UK emissions fall 3.4% in 2022 as coal use drops to lowest level since 1757.

War and Biden have sped up the green transition by TEN YEARS.

Cold weather heat pump innovations.

EU not quite on board with gas ban.

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The Oscar-nominated documentary All that Breathes moves James to research the causes of Delhi's air pollution. He found out that a baby born today will smoke the equivellent of a dozen cigarettes just by breathing. New file!

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We examine the ebikes available at Costco and are reasonably impressed.

Canada's government pension plan invests in Tesla.

Volkswagen is using escape rooms to train employees about electric vehicles.

Floating offshore windpower costs more. Much more.

The room clean energy like solar, wind and transmission will take up isn't much by comparison to oil and gas leases.

Brian runs into WolfCop director Lowell Dean on a plane to Toronto. Hi Lowell!

Concerns about Ford's aluminum.

All that Breathes clip and discussion.

The air in Delhi.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 pricing impresses Brian.

Recyclable bras from Victoria Secret.

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Donate to The Clean Energy Show now!

We examine the ebikes available at Costco and are reasonably impressed.

Canada's government pension plan invests in Tesla.

Volkswagen is using escape rooms to train employees about electric vehicles.

Floating offshore windpower costs more. Much more.

The room clean energy like solar, wind and transmission will take up isn't much by comparison to oil and gas leases.

Brian runs into WolfCop director Lowell Dean on a plane to Toronto. Hi Lowell!

Concerns about Ford's aluminum.

All that Breathes clip and discussion.

The air in Delhi.

Hyundai Ioniq 6 pricing impresses Brian.

Recyclable bras from Victoria Secret.

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Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

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The debate over gas stoves ends now. Induction is the clear winner in the boil water race. An clean energy masters student listener has an existential crisis over cobalt mining in the DR Congo. Biden makes it against the law to have downtime on EV fast chargers. Europe is closer to their combustion vehicle ban. Safety of ebike batteries questioned, and EV owner survey.

Brian's electrify everything (in his house) update.

We celebrate three years on the podcast.

This episode makes use of Adobe Podcasts and its AI tech is amazing.

Europe gas bad story from Brian.

How LFP batteries are replacing colbalt/nickel lithium batteries in cars and that's good for ethics.

Biden charger legislation

Saskatchewan electric vehicle survey done by SaskPower.

Electric flying taxies tesed in Manhattan.

Ebike battery dangers and a call for higher standards.

Today in Focus podcast from The Guardian.

Tweet of the Week from @DrSimEvans

A listener recommends the following video on testing water boiling speed on gas/glass/kettle/induction cooktops. https://youtu.be/_yMMTVVJI4c

Lightning Round: India's COP 26 targets aren't bad at 2030 point.

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Fewer EV ads at the Super Bowl this year but will the ones that did air convince people? Skating rink Zambonis were making kids sick so they've gone electric. EVs top $1 trillion dollars and some automakers are panicing at what they've lost by not going electric.

James asks if he should get a portable induction cooktop.

The Chevy Bolt may be getting discontinued in Novemember, 2023.

Can you save big by importing a used EV from another part of the country that has better incentives? Yes.

New Flo chargers promise 97% uptime. Good luck!

Electric Vehicles and car washes. Not a problem, just remember to roll up the windows!

Climate hacktivism embarasses Toyota for being anti-climate.

Helicopters can't fly in a methane plume over oil rigs. They fall out of the sky.

Michigan steels a battery factory from Virginia.

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James finally preorders a new electric vehicle: the Chevy Bolt EUV and actually finds a salesperson who owns an EV!

James proposes adding 'level 4' charging to the lexicon. Level 3 should be for shopping malls and grocery stores at 50-149kW.

Hydrogen airplane certified has no batteries.

Nazis plot against the Baltimore power grid. Why? Racism.

BMW tilt error.

Wood stoves and air pollution for rich people.

Consumer Reports dislikes the new Toyota Prius.

Wind and solar farms with battery backup are both cheaper to build than natural gas power plants in Ontario and Alberta.

Where is the Tesla Starman right now? Still in our solar system where he'll remain.

Winter range in EVs by brand.

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To meet our Paris targets and keep warming to 1.5 degrees, we need to decarbonize the grid by 2035. Nuclear can't possibly achieve that in twelve years. So why are we extolling nuclear? BP says oil demand may have peaked. Toyota is officially dead. Chinese homes that burn coal inside the house.

Greenwashing: Brian's local airport is capturing carbon in its heating systems. But why?

Driver training a teen in winter is like Tesla's Full Self Driving Beta software.

Latest hit piece on electric vehicles: They'll keep you safe but kill other people. It's a lie.

The 2023 Prius is going waaaay up in price. Sales were down before but not it's in the EV price category.

James updates on shopping for an affordable EV and finds that it's hard in Canada to find inventory.

James's future prediction: Robi-taxi fleets will by 2 or 3 times larger than you think.

BP Oil Peak story.

James listens to a pro-nuclear podcast and comes away even more cynical about the promise of nuclear.

Replacing 99% of U.S. coal plants with solar and wind already cheaper than just the cost of running the existing coal plants.

Coal burning in Chinese houses.

Tweet of the Week: The cost overruns of mega electricity projects will surprise you.

Listener mail!

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A new book says stick with wind, water, solar and storage and we meet 95% of our climate targets by 2035 without new inventions. Plant-based eggs briefly become cheaper than real eggs. We will not have to strip the Earth of its minerals to address climate change: a debunking. Republican states are benefiting the most with Biden's climate bills.

Brian orders a Tesla wall connector before it shoots up in price.
A Canadian film is up for Best Picture at the Oscars
GM invests a billion dollars in V8 engines and are wasting money
No Miracles Needed, a book by Mark Jacobson, demonstrates how we have everything we need to address emissions by 2035. GUARDIAN article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/23/no-miracles-needed-prof-mark-jacobson-on-how-wind-sun-and-water-can-power-the-world
Plant-based eggs cheaper than regular eggs briefly
Pakistan power grid massively down due to aging infastructure
A counter to misinoformation on the planet being ravaged by human addressing the climate crisis.
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Please note: We had a publishing error this week and the file linked here may be replacing a defunct file previously uploaded.

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Brian orders a Tesla wall connector before it shoots up in price.
A Canadian film is up for Best Picture at the Oscars
GM invests a billion dollars in V8 engines and are wasting money
No Miracles Needed, a book by Mark Jacobson, demonstrates how we have everything we need to address emissions by 2035. GUARDIAN article: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/23/no-miracles-needed-prof-mark-jacobson-on-how-wind-sun-and-water-can-power-the-world
Plant-based eggs cheaper than regular eggs briefly
Pakistan power grid massively down due to aging infastructure
A counter to misinoformation on the planet being ravaged by human addressing the climate crisis.
Contribute to us with PayPal Donate!https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE
E-transfer: cleanenergyshow@gmail.com
Buy us a cup of coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cleanenergyshow

Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow

Your hosts: James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

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See you next week!

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Wind farm capacity factor bigger than French Nuclear's in 2022. The large Siberian city where they leave their gas cars running 24/7 all winter. Gas stations will start to disappear in a few years.

A UK company is converting an electric Ford Mustang into a hearse. That’s good news, because if I’m going straight to hell, I want to go electric.
Mazda has announced a plug-in hybrid with a rotary gasoline engine.
VW and Audi cars are shipping without heat pumps
Toyota's BZ4X EV all wheel drive model may not work below -25C, period!
Mustange Mach-E EV hearse and limosine
Canadian's do drive more than Norwegians, but only by 7KM/day.
Amazon’s goal of 100,000 rivian delivery trucks has been pushed back from 2024 to 2030.
Tesla price cuts, part Elon, part interst rates, part supply being met.
An oil executive will be running next year’s COP conference in the UAE.

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Indoor air pollution from gas stoves and fire stoves is bad. There are few EVs that work well for people who can't plug in every night in cold climates.

Brian runs into trouble mitigating radon in his home.

Brian's book report from a previous show inspired long-time listener Barrack Obama to choose the same Canadian graphic novel ('Ducks') for his year-end book list!

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James gets into hydroponics and wants to do more.

A Finnish has almost everyone biking in the middle of cold winters. Their secret? Don't intersect with traffic in anyway and instantly clear them when it snows.

Fast chargers for businesses with a battery backup.

Chinese cars made up 7% of the U.K. new auto market last year.

Heated seat belts at CES do more to keep you warm in your EV.

New records for size in offshore and onshore wind turbines.

Hydrogen pipeline between Germany and Norway.

The Nissan LEAF is the only EV that seems to keep its battery warm when not plugged in. It may be the only choice for appartment dwellers in cold climates.

Tesla's deliveries last year was almost the same as the sum of all their previous deliveries in history.

China may beat it's 2030 clean energy targets by five years!

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Apple will use its waste heat from a data processing center to heat a small town. Uganda will swap out gas two wheelers for E-motorcycles for free. And Hyundai will stop celling combustion vehicles in Norway. This includes PHEVs.

Brian struggles with Apple Music.

James appologizes for getting Brian to buy Tesla stock.

James's LEAF does something weird again.

Chevy Bolt customers in Canada get shafted for 2023.

And the Bolt gets a modest price hike for the United States after the IRA rebates come into effect.

Out of Spec Reviews does some cold weather testing in Denver.

What EVs have battery heaters that world when the cars are unplugged?

More power substation attacks.

Biggest heat pump manufacturers.

Mitsubishi Electric

Carrier Corporation

Danfoss Power Solutions Co.

Daikin America, Inc.

Johnson Controls, Inc. Brian’s Book Report - The Psychology of Money: Timeless lessons on wealth, greed, and happiness by Morgan Housel

James's predictions for 2023. Fleet EVs will rule the day.

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The sound of driving next to the Tesla Semi will amaze you. EU emissions are down despite cold weather and a partial return to coal.

Why American's should buy an EV in the first two months of 2023.

The U.S. Postal Service is finally big on electric vehicles and will go full electric soon.

The city of Tokyo mandates solar on the roofs of new homes and buildings.

Hydrogen and chip shortages are also covered.

And we wrap of the year that was 2022!

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A net energy gain for fusion in a lab is a landmark scientific achievement but we're decades away from commercialization according to experts. We have to decarbonize the planet by 2050. Will fusion energy contribute? Utility solar farm that lays the panels flat on the ground is commissioned. The Salton Sea in California could provide all the United States lithium needs and then some (CNBC video link). And it could be the greenest lithium in the world. The Keystone pipeline spills its wares all over Kansas.

Will traditional nuclear energy be effective to reach our climate goals? A study casts shade on that idea.

17:36 - The fusion breakthrough in California. What it doesn't mean for the race to net zero and what it does mean for our grandchildren.

Free New York Times article on this.

As well we’ll have stories on Canada cancelling fossil fuel subsidies, sorta, an update on the people shooting at a power substation causing blackouts, sails for cargo ships, people who hate wind turbines are more likely to think the moon landing was fake, plus a new study on traditional nuclear helping or not helping the fight against global warming, and much more!

A listener in Virginia asks us about a proposed new community solar farm near him and how he should deal with the misinformation floating around.

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or e-transfer to cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

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@cleanenergypod

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Your hosts:

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Tesla released their 500 mile/800 KM battery electric semi truck, proving that long-haul tranport can be electrified. A Texas fossil fuel foundation is fighting facts with misinformation campaigns and legal action to slow the adoption of clean energy.

Link to NY Times story on the Texas foundation (free link)

New IEA report: Renewables will do in the next five years what they did in the last two decades. And, importantly

Triple A will now charge your dead EV in a number of U.S. cities, relieving range anxiety.

Someone shot up the North Carolina power grid. Blackouts are lasting days.

Tesla hate and road rage is on the rise.

France bans short haul flights but will it make a difference?

Climate scam tweets are way up since Elon Musk took over Twitter.

Nuclear power could be making a comeback in Japan.

A power cable under the sea connecting solar panels in the Sahara Desert to The United Kingdom.

Two thirds of Ford dealers are joining their program to sell electric vehicles.

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James is depressed because his beloved Nissan LEAF needs a new PTC cabin heater with a hefty price tag. The city of Houston has a boil water advisory because of a blip in their power grid. The Tesla Semi is apparenlty for real. Musk says it completed a 500 mile journey pulling an 81,000 pound load. The upcoming Sizewell C nuclear power plant in the UK was in need of public funding.

Why the Saudis have electric busses.

There's a new record size for off-shore wind turbines and it's 16 megawatts.

Why the world needs processed foods. Link to Wired.com story.

Ebike subsidies expand across the United States.

GM dealerships are repairing Teslas. Will they also fix James's LEAF?

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Two hundred billion dollars of oil and gas money to through The World Cup in Qatar. Turns out Qatar is 'new money' and yet has a huge sovereign fund of $300B. Even they know the transition is coming.

The govenor of Toykyo suggests turtleneck sweaters for saving on energy. Will the trend take off?

COP27 was a big, fat compromise and we need to do better but it does seem the world is slowly coming together to oppose fossil fuels.

The sexy new Prius is fast and sporty. Too bad it isn't an electric vehicle. We predict continued bad sales for Toyota.

Biden pours billions into aiding the U.S. power grid to tranisiton to renweable energy.

Canada begins a program to replace oil furnaces on the East coast with heat pumps.

Other topics: GoComics, Carlos Ghosn, Unilever to make precision fermented ice cream could be the blow to dairy we've been prediciting, Mazda might be the only Japanese auto company to get serious about EVs and Volkswagan may be dropping the ball.

A listener bought his first EV and is worried his reduced winter range won't come back. Don't worry, it will!

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Electric truck stops will need as much power as a small town. Heat pumps mandatory in new homes in Washington State. Indoor hydroponic wheat produces 6 crops per year on the same land. LaGuardia Airport will host a pilot project that uses a flywheel to speed up EV charging. SpaceX buys ads on Twitter. Could Tesla be next? Battery espionage in Canada by China.

Tesla proposes a North American charging standard. Should ICE trucks pay highway tolls? New study could show how batteries can have 20% more life cycles (and therefore lower prices).

Half the world's fossil fuel assets could become worthless by 2036.

The price of hydrogen at the pump in California has risen 33%. We compare gas and electric alternatives.

Tony Seba has our Tweet of the Week: Percision fermentation land area to replace all the cows.

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Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Transcript

Hello, and welcome to Episode 139 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week, an indoor wheat experiment is a big success.

A new crop is harvested six times a year.

Wish my hair did that.

Heat pumps are now mandatory in new homes in Washington state.

Also mandatory cheering for the Seattle Kraken electric truck stops will need more power than a small town.

What about the same amount of meth? LaGuardia Airport will host a pilot project that uses a flywheel to speed up EV charging.

This partnership makes perfect sense, because if there's one thing LaGuardia is known for, its speed.

All that and more on this week's edition of The Clean Energy Show.

Welcome, everyone, to what I think is the best podcast on the Internet everywhere.

It's objectively true.

Objectively true.

I think so.

Right now, this is a particular moment.

And also on this week's show, Brian, we also have stuff about SpaceX.

It's buying ads on Twitter because it's CEO bought Twitter.

And we wonder if Tesla could be next, because Tesla has never advertised near her SpaceX.

So maybe this could break ground for that.

We'll see.

The first case of battery espionage has been discovered in Canada.

Hydrogen pump prices are going up 33% in California, half the world's fossil fuel assets could become worthless by 2036.

So keep that in mind when investing today.

How are you? I'm good.

So just an update on my house.

So I applied for the Greener Homes grant here in Canada to do energy upgrades to my house.

All right.

Hoping to put in an air source heat pump, get rid of my natural gas.

And so the first step of that is the blower door test and kind of home energy evaluation.

And that all happened today.

So that was fun.

They put the big blower in the door.

They test the air tightness of the house.

So they got this doorshaped mass that goes all over the door with a hole for the blower.

And the blower only, right? Yeah.

And it blows air in or out, I can't remember.

And then they could also go around the house with the sort of infrared camera thing and with the blower on, kind of show you where the leaks are in the house.

It's wintertime now.

It's super cold out.

Oh, well, then it will be sucking.

It will be sucking it.

And the air will be coming in through the window cracks and things like that.

Yeah.

So did they go around with a smoker? No smoker.

Just this infrared thing.

Maybe they use a smoker more in the summer.

Okay, well, they didn't use a smoker on mine, and they didn't do that on mine.

They didn't go around.

So what did you find out? Not too much yet.

They have to sort of crunch all the numbers because they do a volumetric assessment of the house where they calculate the interior volume of the house.

So then they have to go and take the measurements that they got from the blower door, do some calculations, figure it out, and you get kind of like an Energy Star rating for your home.

And we did this about ten years ago when we did some upgrades.

It was a similar program.

So they give you a number, I think it's out of 100 of what your energy efficiency is, and then as you make improvements, you hope to they do the blower door test again when you're all done, and you hope to increase the sort of Energy Star rating of your house.

This is mostly for air ceiling, right? Yeah, and we could see that a little bit with the infrared camera.

But we will hopefully do some more upgrades.

It's the main thing we want to do is the air source heat pump, and we should get the grant for that kind of regardless of what the blower door result is.

I told you last week there's a TV series shooting across the street from me, and they were actually outdoors shooting today, so I was worried the blower would they come knock on our door.

Because you're a film, you know, the film community.

Old man stalked and wanting money to shut down his blowers so we could continue our production, because people do that on the streets.

They'll run their muscle cars and have to get paid off get paid off to shut it down because the film crew needs quiet.

And I watched The Godfather yesterday, which I hadn't seen in many, many years.

Let me guess.

Blue Ray, 4k? Exactly.

It's this restored version.

It's quite cool.

They did extensive restoration, but a lot of that movie is ADR.

I sort of didn't remember that, but ADR being dialogue replacement, where a lot of the dialogue was replaced in post production.

Like, a lot of it, like, way more than half, I think.

Wow.

So it was a low budget film, more or less, wasn't it? Yeah, I guess that would be the reason.

Like, lots of location shooting and lots of extraneous noises.

But yeah, that was sort of the surprise on that one for me.

Did you just notice it more this time, or what? Yes, I haven't seen it in 2030 years.

You were just a child then, really.

I mean, you naive.

You accepted everything as reality.

Yes.

I wish I was that.

It's a fascinating if you're interested, on the Bluray, and there's these special features about how they had to restore it because the film, when it came out in 72, was just wildly more popular than anybody expected.

And whenever that happens, they have to run more prints so that they have to make more prints of the film.

So the original negative, even though it's only 50 years old, I ended up getting totally ruined.

And the restoration that they had to do was to the point where they were going and taking outtakes they were taking outtakes and cutting them back into the film because certain shots were damaged.

And with the approval of the director, you can do that kind of weird thing.

Oh, wow.

I don't know how I feel about that.

You get used to a film that would stand out to you.

It shouldn't be in any way that you notice it's like literally like just a shot of somebody walking down the hallway or okay, that's different.

It's nothing important.

You know, my childhood home has been destroyed.

There was an explosion in Regina.

That was your childhood home.

No, it wasn't, but it was built next to my childhood home.

And when I say childhood home, I mean I lived there for three months with great eight.

My brother lived there, and I left home in grade eight and went and lived with him and found out he had a girlfriend who became his wife, who eventually became his ex wife.

That building, which is a brick, three story apartment building with, I think, you know, twelve suites, and it was, has to be demolished now because the house next door blew out.

Well, it was kind of like an apartment building that they were building right when I was living there, I think.

And it's like a four suite housing, but nobody was living there.

The whole thing blew up, rain off the ground, boom.

And the only person who was injured was somebody who didn't live there, who lived somewhere.

That window broke.

But this is a story.

Kids at Natural Gas caused this explosion with solar and wind have never caused an explosion.

You know, I had my first clean energy show dream the other night, and it was a paraphrase in the first one.

Brian, I was in the backseat of your Tesla.

You got out and I was concerned.

Did he hit the brake? You got in front of the car and the car ran over you.

And I think I was watching Breaking Bad because I'm just now watching Breaking Bad, and there was a scene of a car running over somebody.

So the same crunch for Breaking Bad was there, and I didn't think it went well for you.

There's another part of the dream.

For some reason, I was in this giant mansion with all kinds of celebrities around people, and I was ready to record my end of the podcast.

And we couldn't find you.

It was just not to be found.

Like I said earlier, SpaceX, as a guest, has bought a package to advertise its Starlink Internet service on Twitter.

Now, SpaceX has never advertised before.

Starlink has never advertised before.

Tesla famously does not advertise because its CEO has always said that the car sells itself.

Until this point, it continues to do so.

But I wonder, Brian, I wonder if either to prop up the company he bought, or could this be the first time that Tesla actually buys advertising on Twitter? Could that happen one of these days.

Well, the explanation I heard was that he wanted to test the efficacy of advertising on Twitter.

So they also bought ads on, like, Facebook and Instagram at the same time to kind of see how the Twitter kind of advertising scheme works.

But it is a sort of demand lever that Tesla could employ.

They still have a big backlog of orders, so demand is super strong.

But if demand ever starts to slip, once they start producing more and more vehicles, they could start advertising to if the demand ever does start to slip, I guess the first thing they would probably do is lower prices because they've been raising prices because the demand has been too high.

The first thing they would do is back off in those price increases and maybe go even a bit further if they had to.

I imagine they're going to I mean, they've got three factories around the world which are going to hit their stride pretty soon, right? Or is it more than 03:00 a.m.

I counting wrong, I guess technically four, if you count three months.

Yeah.

And there was an Arranium, what people think is an Iranians report that Tesla was going to sell the Chinese made cars in the United States.

Some of them.

I've long predicted that ever since I saw what's his name? Sandy Monroe.

Sandy Monroe live his channel.

Yeah, he said that from what he understood and he has expertise in Chinese manufacturing and has consulted with automakers over there that 20% less is what the Tesla can make in China.

Like, they'll save 20% on the price of the car.

And it turns out that the Chinese manufacturing is really good because they're bringing the Chinese manufacturing people over to the States to say, why can't we be as productive as you? Did you ever see that documentary called what was it called? I don't know.

It was a factory.

It was produced by Obama, and it was about Chinese companies that decided to take advantage of tax breaks in Ohio or somewhere to bring back an automotive factory or a factory that was in an automotive town in, I don't want to say Ohio, somewhere like that.

And they just could not get the productivity.

They couldn't understand it, but they couldn't no matter what they did, they finally threw in the towel, I think, and went home, and they visited the factory in China and man, what a different culture.

What a different work culture.

Everything is like calisthenics and unanimity and one team.

I don't like that.

I wouldn't want to work there.

But as a manufacturer, it seems like quite an advantage, and it seems to be effective.

Yeah.

Well, the Tesla Shanghai factory is now operating at a run rate of about a million vehicles a year, so it is likely the largest car factory in the world.

And they've gotten there in pretty short time.

It's only been a couple of years that they've been producing cars.

And it's true that demand in China is down a little bit, and they did cut the prices in Japan a little bit, or sorry, in China a little bit too, because the demand is slipping.

But yeah, and they export those cars currently to Europe, but the Germany factory is going to start filling those orders.

So those Chinese cars, if there's too many of them for the Chinese market, will have to go somewhere.

I don't think it would be North America, because the Texas factory will start filling that in, but more cars to go to Australia or Japan or wherever.

But on the other hand, Brian, you've got the Cyber truck coming and the Tesla semi.

So maybe you could take one of those lines and start spitting out Model YS or something from China.

Or maybe you make the X and the S, which are lower volume.

It's more likely, like the next model that's coming, like they'll eventually be a lower cost model.

So I assume they're planning for that in China, and they could start making more variants, too, like longer range variants as well.

Sure.

So, from Bloomberg, a 35 year old Hydro Quebec employee who worked on battery materials research has been charged with espionage for allegedly obtaining trade secrets for China.

Well, he's in Kandiac, Quebec.

He has a Chinese sounding name.

So I don't know if he was originally from China or if he's an immigrant worker or what his nationality is for sure, but he was arrested following an investigation that they get in August.

I'm concerned about the Chinese government.

They have no shame when it comes to these things.

There's some car companies in China accused of duplicating Tesla's, blatantly copying them, and a lot, even down to the software, this is the first time this happened.

But it seems like they'll do anything to be competitive.

And as we've mentioned before so Hydro Quebec, that's the electricity utility in Quebec, the provincially owned utility, but they've done a lot of research into batteries and battery materials, and they own a lot of patents in that.

So I guess whatever they own there at Hydro Quebec was valuable enough to be espionaged.

And it's a highly competitive batteries are highly competitive.

But if they have, who knows what hasn't been caught? Because it seems like there's been more and more instances of this.

And of course there's computer espionage and all that sort of thing.

That's a concern for all countries, it seems like you have to put a lot of money into that.

What do you think? This is why I asked, Brian.

What do you think about things that I don't know what to think about? So, Brian Tesla has proposed a North American charging standard.

Now, those of you who are new to the game, there is basically two charging ports in North America, CCS and Tesla.

Tesla has its own charging network, which is the largest and most consistent, but it's got a different connector, so that's a problem.

But it's amazing how great that connector is, right? Because it's small.

If you compare it side by side to what everybody else is using for all the other cars, my car included, it's like half the size, but it's basically when you charge your car, you can do DC Direct, fast current fast charging at public charging stations, or you can AC charge at home.

But what I didn't realize until today is they only have two pins on there that does both.

So that's why it's lighter and smaller.

They've figured out a way to do both now and the connector, it's more like a quarter the size of the CCS connector.

So I think it'd be a fantastic idea.

It's definitely the better standard of the two.

So if North America were to standardize on the Tesla charging socket, I think that would be fantastic.

Question is it might be a bit too late.

Like Tesla could have maybe released this a couple of years ago, a couple of years ago, five years ago.

A better chance at this.

Yeah.

So disappointing.

Too little, too late, because it's probably not going to happen now.

Probably not.

But what Tesla said in their press release was that some of the, they've been talking already to the companies that make the charging networks, the chargers for the third party networks that normally are CCS.

And it sounds like they have some plans already to incorporate the Tesla connector onto those.

So, I don't know, there is some hope, but it's probably too late.

And CCS will likely be two standards in North America, CCS and Tesla.

Part of this is the federal government in the United States is giving a lot of money to expand the charging networks.

But when you do that, you have to have more than one charging standard, more than one car company that uses it.

So if just one car company, any car company that sells maybe ten cars a year adopted Tesla's in the clear, they don't have to make the GCs ones, and they could get all the government subsidies for just making their charges that they already make.

Now the government could go and tweak that fine print.

Okay, so here's another one for you.

This is a clean technical op ed.

It says Tolling the highway to green trucking.

Should tolls be implemented on combustion semi trailers once EVs are on the road.

Do you think that would be an effective way to do it? Well, I don't think you'll have to.

It's kind of like the cost of running a combustion truck will already be more expensive, so there's already a kind of a penalty just for using one.

So an extra toll probably not needed.

I mean, what's needed is faster production of the electric trucks and get those on the road.

That's the thing.

This is assuming price parity, that the cost of ownership is going to be the same, right? Well, charging lithium ion cells at different rates boost the lifetime of battery packs for electric vehicles.

So says yet another Stanford study.

We have so many Stanford studies on the show.

According to the study, batteries managed with this new technology could handle at least 20% more charge discharge cycles, even with frequent fast charging, which puts an extra strain on the battery.

So basically they're saying don't charge each of the individual cells at the same rate all the time.

And that actually gives you 20% longer life.

And 20% longer life if you're talking about a fleet of cars of a million cars and a robotxis, or storage for the electrical grid that lasts twelve years instead of ten, the costs on those greatly changes with doing this basically a software tweak.

So that seems quite to me, it seems like it's got a lot of potential if it works, yes.

That's exciting.

There's a lot that can be done with software.

It isn't just the hardware components of a battery or the chemistry's, or the chemistry is where you can improve the life.

Yeah, the software can have a big benefit.

So Ford is officially the number two electric vehicle seller in the United States.

And if you extrapolate out the twelve months of a year, based on what they had in October, ford would achieve 75,000 EV sales.

Which is what's, Tesla right now? Close to a million.

Close to a million.

So that's not much, but that's what your number two is.

A lot of people wouldn't have picked for it to be number two right now.

They would have took GM or more likely Volkswagen.

And that points back to our previous conversations about the connectors.

Standardizing on the Tesla connector has a fighting chance just because Tesla vehicles are so ubiquitous in North America in terms of EVs.

Another thing I wanted to talk about is electric truck stops will need as much power as a small town.

So as Tesla rose out, it's semi next month, hopefully, I think December 1 is when they're having the release.

Are you looking forward to that one? Yeah.

Do you think something special could roll out of the back of that truck? I hadn't thought of that.

The tesla ebike.

The robotic musk.

I don't know.

I do.

Social media platform and we'll roll out the back of the truck.

Yeah.

So it's adding pressure on the truck industry to go green.

But the grid upgrades must start now if the new era is to last.

This is from Bloomberg, and sometimes these stories make me wonder if that is all accurate.

But a sweeping new study.

This is another study of highway charging requirements conducted by utility company National Grid Plc.

Researchers found that by 2030 electrifying, a typical highway gas station will require as much power as a professional sports stadium.

And I would think sports stadiums use less now with all the Led lighting, but it's probably better.

But I know our city built a new football stadium a few years ago, and I don't know if you noticed, but they're all kinds of electrical transformer boxes outside the stadium.

They hid them in the park.

There's a park next to the stadium and they had to try and hide all of these electrical transformer boxes.

And there's a lot of them.

And the power used to go out on the old stadium we had here.

This is a stadium we have for the Canadian Football League, by the way.

Okay, so this is just for electrified passenger vehicles.

As more electric trucks hit the road, the projected power needs for a big truck stop by 2035 will equal that of a small town.

And they think that lots of wiring will have to be done.

Nobody really knows how this is going to play out with trucks.

Like, is there going to be specialized newly built truck stops? Because truck stops are a thing.

You have a shower, you park the truck for a while.

It's a truck resting stop as well.

So I don't know.

How do you think that will play out, if you had to guess? Well, there's usually a decent amount of space at existing truck stops, so I assume there's enough room at the existing truck stops to kind of transform them and have both fuel and electric.

Hopefully they have started working on that already.

Now, just to tag onto that, I want to skip ahead to the story about LaGuardia Airport.

Sure.

Because I think it sort of makes me think of the same issue.

So there's a story here from Electrac about zoo's power that's got this machine with a flywheel.

And this is being installed at LaGuardia Airport to facilitate fast charging of cars, rental cars particularly.

And yeah, I bring it up because the reason this machine exists is that the power available in certain locations can be limited.

Right.

Like if these truck stops are going to need all the power of a small town, well, you don't necessarily have the grid infrastructure where you need it.

I don't think this does an enormous amount.

Like, it's not going to triple or quadruple the amount of power available.

But the idea behind this zoos flywheel machine is that it literally uses flywheels.

And we talked about this before.

Some power plants use flywheels as well.

It's literally just the momentum of a spinning wheel to help kind of even the power output of your hydroelectric dam or whatever.

Anyway, so I guess the idea being that you take a limited amount of power that might be available in a parking lot at an airport, and then you use this flywheel machine.

And some by spinning up the flywheels, you can increase the amount of power available.

It's sort of similar to having batteries on site.

I would think that's going to be the more normal solution.

Like at these truck stops, would be to put a big battery pack, a grid storage battery pack at a truck stop.

But this is a kind of a smaller and cheaper way to add just a bit more power to what's available for your fast chargers.

So with hertz ordering a couple of hundred thousand electric vehicles from Tesla and GM, I wonder how the infrastructure at airports is going to go.

I mean, nobody is panicking about that, but I mean that's going to have to be built up presumably, and larger airports will have a lot of cars sitting there with batteries.

You would have the chance in the low demand because most flights happen 06:00 a.m.

To midnight or whatever.

You could have 6 hours to when people aren't taking those cars, maybe to charge off the batteries for the next day.

And that would yeah, I can see that being an important thing unless they have some off site, like just off the airport type of parking spaces for charging.

Yeah, and like our parking spaces here in Canada at our airports, a lot of them are probably already electrified where we live because it's super cold in the winter and so you have plugins for block heaters.

So at least there's power running to these parking lots.

Whereas of course, in many places there would be no power running there at all.

Half the world's fossil fuel assets could become worthless by 2036 in a net zero transition.

So says an article in the Guardian that I read.

$11 Trillion in Fossil Fuel Asset Crash could Cause a 2008 financial crisis, warrants a new study.

I don't care.

Yeah, that's my hot.

Take it.

Yeah.

It's something I really wonder about and think about.

Like, obviously these assets are going to become stranded and worthless at some point or at least the value start crashing at some point.

But what point does that start to happen? Is it two years from now? Is it six years from now? Is it 20 years from now? It's hard to say, but I wouldn't want to be holding a lot of fossil fuel investments longer than the next couple of years, that's for sure.

I think the big question is when will EVs really take off where there's not a battery constraint? And it sure seems like it's going to be within five years.

It could be two years, it could be five years, but somewhere in that period I think it's really going to grab momentum.

Yeah, but also too, like, as we've discussed, like last week and other weeks, there's not a lot of new money being spent on new oil exploration because they can kind of foresee, okay, there's not really going to be the demand.

It's not worth it to spend this money building.

So that does mean that the supply of oil will be kind of naturally constrained if the system doesn't expand.

So it could be that as the oil industry shrinks, the production shrinks and if the production shrinks enough, then the price stays up.

So countries that are slow to decarbonise will suffer, but early movers will profit.

This is something we say on the show all the time.

You have to move now.

And our jurisdiction is not great where we live.

We live in fossil fuel country with a mentality thereof and our country as a whole starting to make some moves.

But we're basically a fossil fuel country in Canada and even the United States to some extent.

But it finds that renewables that are freed up investment will more than make up for the losses of the global economy.

You're freeing up a whole lack of investment that was going into fossil fuels that can go into other things and expand the economy that way.

And just the renewables themselves will save money, of course.

So it highlights the risk of producing far more oil and gas than required for future demand, which is estimated to leave 11 trillion to 14 trillion in stranded assets, which is a lot of stranded assets.

Brian.

Also, as we always say, we predict that governments are going to have to, and therefore you and I are going to have to pay for the clean up of some of these wells as well.

So the most vulnerable assets are those in remote regions are technically challenging environments.

Most exposed are Canadian tar sands in northern Alberta, us shale and the Russian Arctic, followed by deep offshore wells in Brazil and elsewhere.

And North Sea oil is also relatively expensive to extract and it's going to be hit when demand falls.

I'm worried about this because it could affect us as being an oil part of the world, it says.

In contrast, current oil, gas and coal importers such as the EU, japan, India and South Korea will reap hefty economic dividends from the transition because they will be able to use the money they save on spending those places, spending gobs of money.

We get our gas cheap here in North America, but they're spending gobs of money on fuel purchases and they'll be able to use that money to invest in their own economies.

The lead author of the report said in the worst case scenario, people will keep investing in fossil fuels until suddenly the man they expected does not materialize and they realize that what they own is worthless.

And we could see a financial crisis on the scale of 2008.

Houston Detroit could have the same phase detroit did in the car industry collapsed earlier in this century.

So yeah, it's got to be carefully managed.

If you don't accept that all this is going to happen like people around here, yeah, it's going to be a problem.

That's what I have to say about that.

Yeah.

And when your oil is expensive to extract like it is in the Alberta oil sands, that stuff will be the first to go because you won't be able to sell it at.

A profit.

So you've got another heat pump story.

Heat pumps are the item of the year.

I say yes, absolutely.

No, it's amazing how even when this podcast started a couple of years ago, it was barely in our vernacular.

It was barely in the vernacular.

Yes.

And now it's everywhere.

So yes, electric is reporting heat pumps are now mandatory in Washington State for new homes and apartments as well from July 2023 onward.

But the thing that I think is interesting about this, and it's not really mentioned in the story, we talked about the incredible heatwave that happened last summer on the west coast of North America.

So Seattle area, Vancouver area, they're just an unprecedented heatwave because of climate change.

And so many of those homes and places and businesses and apartments are not cooled.

So this is the other benefit of this.

So not only do you start heating your homes with electricity, but you also in Washington State now are adding essentially mandatory air conditioning, which, especially if it's low income apartments or something, would be a godsend for people who are hopefully won't.

I mean, there was literally thousands of people died from the heat stroke on the west coast last summer.

Well, that's an interesting take in a region that doesn't have air conditioning.

And yet with climate change, we can see this happening a lot more often and now they'll be prepared.

That's an interesting aspect of the story and I have to wonder if it was even part of the planning.

No, I'm not sure.

I mean, it depends on when they started talking about this.

But one of the great benefits is of a heat pump heating and cooling.

You get both in the same machine.

So why just put in an air conditioner when you can put in an air conditioner that also runs in reverse and can heat your home as well? And for people who are new to the podcast or this type of thing, heat pumps are reverse air conditioners, essentially that transfer heat from one place to another, like inside the house to outside.

And air conditioning or outside, even if there's a little bit of energy in that area, it takes it out.

And the idea is to use electricity, which instead of natural gas, right, if you're heating, you want to use electricity and this is the most efficient way to do it.

Yes, and in a place like Washington State, a lot of homes are already heated with electricity.

Like it's not a frigid cold place like here.

So there are more like 99% of homes where we live are heated by natural gas because it's so ridiculously cold.

But in a milder climate, you might have electric baseboards in a lot of homes.

So it is something like 50% already are heated with electricity in Washington state and this will eventually get it up to 100%.

Yeah, that's very interesting.

And a very interesting side effect of going green using solar and wind and so forth for your heating, that you will actually probably save lives from a government policy in future heatwaves.

Who knows when those heat waves will come, but they're going to come more often, those once in a century type heat waves, or once in a thousand years or 500 years, whatever it was.

I want to talk about indoor wheat because we live in a heart of wheat country.

You can't swing a cat with a wheat chief.

It's on symbols for everything.

Where we live, we're the breadbasket of Canada.

And what was the name of your first feature film? I made a film called Wheat Soup.

There you go.

It had to be in the title.

It had to be.

So this is interesting to us because you know how there's hydroponics like indoor gardening, which I'm fascinated with.

They do it in containers, they do it in buildings where they're basically using fertilized water and no soil to grow tomatoes or whatever in greenhouse like conditions.

And I find that very interesting, especially when they can do it up north.

And by the way, I saw another article in Blueberg about the Yukon.

The climate changing, and the people are up there growing potatoes and things that they never used to grow before, and wheat as well, which required a lot of cabbage.

And things like that require a lot of sunlight when they have 20 hours sunlight days in June.

But, you know, it costs a lot to transport fresh food up there.

So it's very expensive and very not fresh.

Carrots is another thing that they're growing a lot of potatoes and carrots.

So that's great.

It's great in one sense because there's an advantage to them.

But in this case, indoor wheat.

Amsterdam based startup In Farm grew wheat without using soil or chemical pesticides, which is nice, and with far less water than conventional farming, which is also nice.

So the first indoor farming company to grow a stable staple crop in a milestone for an Asian industry that has attracted venture capital funding on its promise that its technology can help feed the planet if delivered at scale.

Growing a staple crop indoors has the potential to become a game changer.

Supplies have increasingly been challenged by climate change and logistical issues.

So you could grow well, you could grow wheat in Antarctica if you wanted to, right? If you got this technology down.

And Infarm says that its first trial shows that projected annual wheat yields of 117 tons a hectare, okay? Now, that compares to the average 2022 yields of 5.6.

So let me give you that again.

Indoors, 117 tons hectare annually.

Outdoors, 5.6.

And in the European Union, it's 3.1.

So that's in the European Union, it's actually less than the United States, which surprises me.

It's only 3.1.

Now, part of that reason of the higher yields is they have six crops a year.

Okay? But if you times 3.1 times six, you still don't get 117 tons.

So it's just a lot more dense and efficient to do it that way.

I mean, it's not easy.

We're probably decades away from this being a regular thing and getting the efficiencies and the cost down maybe a couple of decades, it's hard to tell.

But, you know, it depends on what the need is, too.

But this is interesting.

It's going to be perfect, right? You don't spread pesticides on it.

You're not going to have to worry about weeds.

It's just going to be pure indoor stuff and locally delivered.

No.

And the more things, of course, you can do locally, then the more transportation that you can eliminate.

You know, so many things now that, you know, our produce at the grocery stores just shipped in from incredible distances here.

But if all that stuff could be grown locally, it would just be so much more efficient and just kind of save all that energy.

I mean, theoretically, you could, in the middle of a desert in Africa, start up an operation like this and make flour or make proteins for food.

Basically, you would need water, but you wouldn't need as much of it.

So if you could use solar to desalinate water, you could put it anywhere.

You could put it in there because we transport all of our grain by ship, which goes by train from the center of the continent out to the coasts and then onto ships.

I don't think that this is going to completely replace green farming, but it could augment it.

Maybe 100 years from now, it could replace it, but in the near term, this is basically saying that it could just fit in, reduce the challenges of supply, and in certain situations, a lot of land will be required to produce this.

Wheat cultivation takes more than 216,000,000 land, more than any other crop.

So, yeah, wheat takes a lot of land, which we have a lot of land here.

A lot of land.

Most of our province is filled with wheat fields.

It's kind of insane.

So, yeah, they would require very large indoor farms exceeding the area of all the wheat in France, I think.

But they said it could potentially increase its yield by another 50% in the coming years, thanks to better technology.

So it could even be 200 times or 200 tons instead of three tons.

So that's interesting.

Yeah.

Once they learn what they're doing and tweak it and software can play a part, perhaps.

Yeah, it could be amazing.

Okay, so starting here from Hydrogen Insight, and this is about hydrogen pump prices in California.

So this was something I just had never thought about before now.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles do exist.

James, take a guess.

How many hydrogen fuel cell vehicles do you think there are in California, which is currently one of the main markets for them? 410.

There's $10,000.

Okay.

Which is not bad.

It's kind of more than I expected.

And there's a series of hydra.

They're not all the Toyota Mariah.

What are these vehicles? There's a Toyota Mirai there's a Hyundai.

That's really nice.

I forget the name of it, but there's a big Hyundai SUV.

That's a hydrogen vehicle.

They've sold a few of those for sure.

Okay.

But yeah.

So there's hydrogen fueling stations in California, not in too many other places.

But I just was interested in this because, yes, recently they had to hike up the price at the pump of these hydrogen, up 33% in California.

This is a fairly big price jump.

So just in terms of the price per mile, I thought this was really interesting.

So right now is basically what it costs you to drive a hydrogen vehicle in California, roughly in a gasoline vehicle down to California has the most expensive gasoline in North America.

Yeah, well, no, it's probably more expensive here in Canada.

Is it? Because I went there, it was pretty damn expensive.

That was a few years ago.

So $0.22 for gas per mile and for hydrogen.

Plus, you spend a whole bunch more money on your hydrogen car than you do a gas car.

It's a serious technology.

And then if you're driving an EV and you charge it off the grid, you're down to if you have to use a fast charger like a Tesla Supercharger, then you're up to but that's compared to for driving a hydrogen car.

So I just wasn't totally clear on that until now.

The actual cost of driving a hydrogen vehicle is more than gas, way more than electricity.

Now, theoretically, if we were to SuperBuild out the hydrogen infrastructure and kind of get that all pumping again, locality is a key to that.

Like, if each city had its own hydrogen plant or whatever, you had even smaller ones at the filling stations, making the hydrogen there, that would reduce costs a lot.

But for right now, it's super expensive to fill up with hydrogen.

And I don't see that coming down anytime soon.

And the days of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is probably numbered.

If we had no other option, we would be going full steam ahead with hydrogen and trying to get that that still take a while, but we would be trying to get green hydrogen, and then we'll be trying to get that green hydrogen price down so that it would be cost effective.

But since we have an alternative to that called battery electric vehicles, electricity is also expensive in California.

So if you compare it to other places, it would be even a larger variation there.

And as we said, so obviously the electricity for charging your electric car comes from the grid.

And there are certain shortfalls at places, perhaps like truck stops that don't have enough grid infrastructure.

So it's far from perfect.

But any electrical outlet anywhere in the world can charge an electric vehicle.

So that's just an insane advantage over these very rare hydrogen stations.

Yeah, they're expensive.

And transportation and processing of hydrogen is also an issue.

So Amazon is getting heat.

We get heat for not talking about ebikes sometimes.

Well, Amazon is getting heat for selling kits to override speed limits of ebikes.

Now, this is mostly happening in Europe, right? Because there's more restrictions in Europe.

Europe has strict electric bike laws that limit electric bicycles to a sluggish 25 km an hour or 15.5 mph.

Even an old man like me can go well, I can't go 25, actually.

It takes the work to go 25.

Yeah, that is kind of cool.

But solutions range from an electromagnetic modifications or chipping, quote unquote, that can remove digital speed limits.

So people do that with cars sometimes, to hardware hacks to trick the bike speed sensors into thinking it's going slower than it truly is.

And I haven't been able to find out exactly how that works.

So I'm kind of curious.

Yeah, I thought maybe you had done that on your bike where it's like you change the setting and it messes up the speedometer, so it ends up sending you faster than it's what you do is you change the wheel size on your bike.

Didn't work for mine.

It was supposed to, but my bike manufacturer has been kind of savvy to all the tricks, so by the time I get to them, they've figured it out and have eliminated that.

But yeah, if you have like a 29 inch wheel and then you tell that it's a kid's wheel of half that size, then it thinks that one rotation is actually going a shorter distance and yes, and then you won't have a proper speed.

And I have that FETO electric folding bike and I looked on the Internet and apparently there is a hack that you can do by pressing a certain combination of buttons on the little kind of remote screen there where you can hack it to go faster.

But I haven't tried it.

And with mine it was a code.

It was like an eight digit code that you could type in at a certain place.

And that one also did not work.

I was curious, but I think the longevity of James is more important than the thrill of maybe trying out a 50 kilometer an hour.

That's probably all my bike could do if it really wanted to.

It would take a while to get there too.

The important thing to remember in all this is you probably don't need your bike to go any faster.

No, but what does my bike do? My bike does 32 instead of 25.

So that's the next level.

I think that's about what mine does.

And that's pretty fast.

And like I've said before in the show, I get kind of uncomfortable at that speed, and yet some other bastard on an ebike passes me and I think, I wish I had more speed.

I start pedaling, which you can do.

Apparently you can pedal and use the Ebike part.

Well, anyway, I guess Ebike hot rodding as it's called, is much less common in the United States, where E bikes are permitted to go up to 45 km an hour.

That's the United States.

You can have guns and fast Ebikes or whatever you want.

Tanks, cruise missiles, no.

And modifying your car.

Take out the pollution controls, although they have been cracking down on that lately.

Oh, it's time for the Tweet of the week.

This is where we pick a Tweet.

And this last week was for Tony Siba.

It's going to be for Tony Siba again.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Tony Siba is kind of one of our main people that we follow on the show here.

Now, this was a person who was responding to how 5 million, what Tony calls precision fermentation.

This is the future of food.

He believes that will be disruptive based on price.

This is one of the ways that is like beyond meat, that's one aspect.

And then there's cellular meat, which will actually resemble steak and the texture of steak in the future, maybe ten years from now, that will be viable financially.

But dairy is the first one that's going to be disrupted because glass of milk is 90% water and 3% of that is protein from the milk.

So that's really all you're dealing with is that protein because the rest is fat and sugars, which you can get from other places.

It doesn't have to be from a cow.

So as they make these things in like brewery like buildings and disrupt milk.

He says there are 5 million dairy cows in New Zealand.

And so that would require 100 precision fermentation factories to replace all the cows.

Less if they're bigger, which they will be.

So it's just a matter of time and probably less time than most people expect.

And Tony.

Steve assisted that tweet.

Correct.

The total land needed to replace all the cows in New Zealand, 5 million of them, which is more than Canada, by the way.

I believe we only have a million cows in Canada.

I haven't counted lately, but I'm told that it's around a million.

The total land needed would be around 1700 acres.

But you compare that with the Auckland airport, it's 3700 acres.

So basically half the Auckland airport could replace all the dairy cows the land wise.

And then you have all that land.

You can put solar on and do other things.

This is a huge disruption of the world.

Yes.

If you think of a cow as basically a type of food technology, well, it can be delicious.

It's the least efficient food technology.

In fact, I think Tony said that the cow in particular is the least efficient of all of the kind of animal food technologies.

So we get a lot of things from a cow, but the resources and the land and everything needed to get that is kind of insane and is ripe for disruption.

So, as Tony points out, the first disruption will happen in just a few years.

And he thinks that dairy will be bankrupt by 2030.

And the reason is 30% of his business is business to business.

So if you buy a protein shake, you're buying protein powder.

Okay? And if it's cheaper to come from this fake stuff, if you can call it that, fermentation than it is from a real dairy cow, and you're greener people are just going to go, where the cheapest? If you want to buy bulk for a protein bar or a protein shake or whatever, all these things that have chocolate bars and everything and all kinds of foods that are processed will have first that will go and then 30% of dairy's gone.

Yeah.

No.

And he mentioned, too, in his latest video, just the switch, like Coke and Pepsi switched from cane sugar to corn sugar back in the 80s.

Basically, their entire product lines switching over to corn as the source for sugar.

And while there is probably some taste difference, they was definitely not enough taste difference to stop what they were doing, because they completely four years.

Four years.

They did it in just both yeah.

In four years.

Complete switch over.

And this is the main ingredient in their products? Yes.

That means it's time for the lightning round.

A quick look at fast paced energy news and climate news from this past week.

Growing EV dem demand helps Volkswagen reach half a million ID deliveries one year early.

Brian, that is a good news story, isn't it? Yeah, we talked about that a few weeks ago.

They're on track for 500,000 deliveries.

That's Volkswagen this year of EVs, and that's a huge number.

Volvo debuts its first electric trucks made with fossil free steel.

That is steel made with green electricity, and it is also 90% recyclable.

So that's cool.

Yeah.

So Volvo was trying to green their whole lineup of vehicles, and they're doing it partly by switching over to electric, but they're also doing it by going with fossil free steel in their cars, which increasingly more and more manufacturers are going to do.

Cough 27 news, 41 signatories have joined the pledge to stop funding fossil fuels by the end of year.

But problematically.

Brian, four large signatories are not signing.

Germany, Italy, the United States and your favorite country in the world, canada.

No, I'm sorry.

Damn, it just sad.

Can't overuse that, can I? Okay, it's time for a CS festival.

Toyota has sold 4.7 million Priuses to date.

That's no easy feat.

Tesla did 3 million.

But total yeah, that's to date, over the last ten plus years, 4.7 million Priuses are on the road, but nobody buys them anymore.

No.

Did you see the stat of, like, at one time they were selling 500,000 Priuses a year and it's down to 86,000? Yeah.

People who bought them initially wanted an environmentally friendly car or to save money.

Best way to be environmentally friendly or to save money is to buy electric now.

Or at least electric hybrid.

But anyway, solar power already saved China, India, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand.

$34 billion American in potential fossil fuel costs went in the first half of this year.

First half of 2022.

We're just getting started.

That's astonishing.

Yeah.

I mean, spend your money on solar and then you won't have to spend it on fossil fuels.

The US will finance about a third of the $9 billion rooms romania needs to build two nuclear reactors.

That's a lot of money.

They're getting it from the United States, which seems like a bad investment.

I thought I would mention this.

Globally up 13%.

Okay.

That's everywhere in the world.

Europe is up 35%.

I wonder why.

Vladimir, the US is up 15% and China 13%.

So this heat pump thing is, whoever makes the most of the best heat pumps, put your money in them because they're going to pay back.

No, and I assume that I haven't seen announcements, but I assume that there are heat pump factories being built as we speak.

And I don't know, we always hear battery factory announcements and things like that.

I don't hear heat pump factory announcements, but presumably it's going on.

The demand is huge.

Inflation Reduction Act had money for developing better heat pumps, too, so there's going to be some R and D in there.

Friend of the show, Greta Thuneburg thoonberg rather.

I'm kidding.

She's not a friend of the show, but we're working on it slowly.

Global Witness found that more than 600 people are at the talks in Egypt at Cop 27.

They're linked to fossil fuels.

And, Brian, that is more than the combined delegations from the ten most climate impacted countries.

Barf, we're at a critical stage now where we got to say no to fossil fuels.

Just say no.

And we got to stop the green washer, we got to stop the BS right now.

Right now.

No time left.

From Tennessee Valley Authority, that is one of the grids in the southern US.

The three giant cooling towers at the retired paradise coal plant in Kentucky came down this morning, was a few mornings ago now as demolition efforts continued at the site.

And they say we are striving for a cleaner and more efficient energy future as we are building the energy system of the future.

And by God, Brian, we have a clip.

Fantastic.

Here's the initial charge.

The towers are collapsing.

They're coming down completely now.

And they're gone by the doctor.

Goodbye, coal plants.

Three cooling towers in Kentucky, a grave risk of winter blackout speaking of nuclear, is happening in France because electricity prices have surged past $1,000 or, pardon me, €1000 per megawatt hour as more nuclear reactors, more are closing in France, as if enough hadn't closed already.

What this means, Brian, is, on a cold January day, france needs around 45 gigawatts of nuclear energy, and one day last week, there was only 25 available.

Yeah, and there was a lot of reactors down, or at least down partially for repairs.

So the amount of electricity from nuclear in France dropped 34% year over year in October.

Just less power available from nuclear, which everyone always says it's like reliable base load power.

That's one of the reasons it's promoting this is not reliable here.

But it's not exactly that.

You know, it's the pipes, the cooling pipes that are structurally problematic and cracked, and they realize that they're all bad.

So they have this, and it apparently takes a while.

They've hired like, 100 contractors to go in and fix this, but it's not that easy.

Finally this week, Brian japan's government wants to remotely control private air conditioners to avoid power outages.

The Japan Time points out that the government committee is currently working under the concept that the government would only be able to turn down AC units if individual owners have agreed in advance to grant them that authority.

This is something we've seen, or, what, the third time now on the show? Yeah.

And in Ontario, they're working on this.

Here in Canada where remote control california, they do it with text messages where they just tell everybody to stop using so much AC.

But this works.

And no one really suffers if you shave a degree or two off your air conditioning for an hour and say it's much better than a blackout where you have no air conditioning.

So that's not so bad.

That is our show for this week.

Next week I'll be talking about the new Toyota Prius lineup that will be announced between now and then and what excitement that will be.

Because I need a car badly, Brian.

Mine's starting to fall apart.

My FUS is getting long on the tooth.

How disappointed will I be? Tune in to find out.

Maybe I should sell you my car.

Would you buy my Tesla? Well, the street price for that Tesla, unless there's a murder in it, is not going to be good for me.

What if I gave you a really good deal? I'll take two.

Why would you want to? It's not the form factor you want, I guess, but I don't care.

I would take a Tesla.

What would you do for a new car? Buy a why? Yeah, something like that.

You think I want to start? What's interesting, what are your interest rates? How quickly do you break legs? We'll sign over.

Like making a 20 year loan? Pretty much what it would have to be, I think.

Anyway, everyone out there, we thank you for listening.

We do appreciate you and we'd love to hear from you.

So contact us with anything that's on your mind Cleanenergy show@gmail.com.

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As COP 27 kicks off in Egypt, The UN chief says we're not doing enough to prevent a climate catastrophe. On the bright side, France is mandating all parking lots have solar panels over them resulting in the power of 10 nuclear reactors. An analyst says Tesla may never achieve full self-driving. South Dakota produced more energy from wind than any other source. Why a switch in power in the United States Congress won’t kill Biden’s Inflation Reduction / Climate act.

Brian's PTC cabin heater in his Tesla Model 3 had to be replaced and that meant driving in a parka for two and a half hours to the closes service center.

Clip from the Energy Vs Climate podcast with guest Katherine Hamilton.

Netflix has a documentary on Nissan head and current criminal Carlos Ghosn called 'Fugitive: The Curious Case of Carlos Ghosn." He was accused of stealing millions from Nissan and escaping in a storage chest on a plane.

The eight billionth human being is about to be born.

We disguss the Energi Media YouTube channel where Markham Hislop talked to an analyst from Guidehouse Insights about what's taking level 4 autonomy so long.

Porsche has made 100,000 EVs.

Tesla (TSLA) is now earning eight times more per car than Toyota, and they are starting to notice back in Japan.

Pakistan's utility knows going green means consumers pay less for their electricity bill.

Electrek editor Fred Lambert on Elon Musk's feedback loop of constant praise.

The "hydrogen-is-not-all-that" podcast suggested by one of our listeners can be found here.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow

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James Whittingham
https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton:
https://twitter.com/brianstockton

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Transcript

Hello and welcome to Episode 138 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week, several companies are throwing to the towel and full selfdriving, but please keep your hands on the wheel and your attention on the road as you listen to this podcast.

The state of South Dakota and now produces more electricity from wind than any other source.

Must be the hot air coming from Mount Rushmore, am I right? No.

UN Chief Antonio Gutierrez says we are on the highway to Climate Hill with our foot still on the accelerator.

Again, please keep your hands on the wheel and your attention on the road as you listen to this podcast.

In France, the government has ordered that all parking lots must be covered by solar panels, all because President Emmanuel Macron can't get the top back up on his convertible Renault.

All that and so much more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

And also this week, Brian, why a switch in power in the United States Congress, which is voting as we speak, as we record this won't kill Biden's inflation reduction act, but a change in government in Canada actually would be problem for us north of the border because well, I'll get to that later.

And we also have a bit of an update live from Cop 27, sort of.

And what's new with you? How was your trip to Saskatoon? Because last week you're heading north two and a half hours in the snowy Canadian winter to get your Tesla fixes.

That's the closest Tesla service center to you.

Yeah, that's right.

So the heater has not been working right and didn't seem to be working quite right last winter, but kind of not enough to generate an error message.

But now I had an error message, so they seemed to know what to do to fix it.

So drove up Saskatoon, where the closest service center is, and yes, they replaced the whole heater.

That's what they did.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

It's under warranty.

Everything's fine, isn't it? Everything's fine.

When does the warranty end? Let me ask you, because it has, as we pointed out a couple of weeks ago, two and a half years, a quarter decade, getting close to the point where this is going to start killing you in the wallet.

I don't recall when it ends, but I think it might say specs of warrant.

It says in the app somewhere.

Yes, here in the app.

The Tesla app, basic vehicle, limited warranty, expires in March 2024 or 80,000, battery 2028 or 160 and the drive unit 2028 or 160,000 km as well.

So, yeah, a couple more years to go on the basic warranty.

Okay, I see.

This could be a different discussion in the future.

OK, what was it? Was it the PTC heater, the resistive heater? Yeah.

Or you don't have a heat pump, so that's what it was.

No heat pump.

So the resistive heater.

Yeah, for some reason they were sure about that.

They were pretty sure by the time I got there.

Because they have all the data from the car, like everything, the car is digitized and they can see all the data from my car.

So as I dropped it off, they said, yeah, it's probably the whole heater needs to be replaced.

And they were prepared to do that.

And at the same time, too, there's been a recall for the trunk lid harness or something.

I think it's to do with the cables, the wire harness to the camera in the back.

So they did that at the same time.

And it took about like 4 hours for them to do it.

Wasn't too bad.

Is that right? You had an appointment at 08:00 a.m.

And they went right at it and started working on it.

Yes.

Call me around 1130.

And they had the part, which is good again, I assume because they had all the data, they could order the parts ahead of time that they would need.

That's nice.

Yeah.

And they gave me a loaner car, which I drove around Saskatchewan for a while.

And yes, I got back before there was another blizzard.

What was that? A couple of days later, our second blizzard of the year.

Which is not technically a blizzard environment.

Canada doesn't call it a blizzard.

Do not call it a blizzard.

But boy, was it a blizzard.

It was crazy.

Another nasty, nasty one.

And I think we were the epicenter this time.

Last time it was Moose Jaw.

Yes, really nasty.

Tons of snow.

Yes.

Crazy out there.

How was your trip back? Was it okay? And the heater was all hot.

How was it there, though? It was below zero, so I put on my parka.

So you didn't have heat? There was a little bit of heat, not enough.

And the heated seat was still working, but with the parka on, it was fine.

Here's what I'm thinking, and that is the newer cars have a heat pump.

Yeah, that's right.

Newer cars have a heat pump instead of a resistive heater.

So they don't have both then? I don't think so, no.

You'd think that they might need one as a backup.

But maybe the car generates enough heat that it holds.

It's taking heat from the motor, it's taking heat from the from the batteries or something.

There's a loop of different things that heat up here.

But we do know there has been problems with some of the heat pumps as well in extreme cold.

Is it in the heat pump itself or something related to the heat pump? Anyway, that's interesting because you didn't get a price on what that would be.

Didn't show the invoice of what that repair would cost.

No, they didn't.

Just said zero.

I'd be interested.

I guess you could look it up online.

What somebody else did we'll talk more about this sort of thing in future months.

So anything else? You went up? You managed, your feet didn't get cold? Yes.

No.

It was a little bit chilly, but it wasn't too bad.

Was it the most unpleasant trip you've had because you work cold? Yeah, I guess so.

Yeah.

I've got a really warm parka, so it felt almost normal.

With that on, the heat can radiate up from the heated seat and fill the market.

There you go.

And then the other thing that's going on with me is they started shooting a TV show across the street from me here in the neighborhood.

Really? You know, that's happened before, hasn't it? What is it about across the street? Because there used to be somebody of relevant who lived there who was connected to the film industry.

Yes.

They're gone.

Not anymore.

And it's their house that's being rented for this shoot.

That's a weird coincidence, though.

Yeah.

And our good friend Jay is working on the shoot, so I've run into him out there on the street.

Wow.

I bet he doesn't know we're talking about him.

No, probably not.

I assume he doesn't listen to the podcast.

No, he wouldn't.

He's an old man.

I don't think he knows what a podcast oh, he's an angry old man, Brian.

Angry, angry old man who is actually six months younger than me.

So he's working in winter and there's a TV show shooting across the street from you.

I think Jay would prefer to be shooting in a sound stage where there's a lot more room for everybody and it's a lot more comfortable because, of course, it's a blizzard, remember? Why couldn't it be a James Cameron green screen affair? That's what you want to work on.

But yeah, no, there's a lot of traffic on the street, lots of cars parked on our streets.

But it's fine.

Back in the day when I was a kid, I did a couple shows outside.

It's horrible.

Even in the fall when it's warmer than this, to spend 14 hours outside is just not good.

I mean, they're shooting really inside the house, but there's so many crew people that they got to have to spill out into the cars and into the yard and everything.

Is there somebody blocking traffic? No, no one closing off the traffic so far.

Okay, that'd be annoying.

You're coming home, you got to pee.

Some little film student has a stop sign and says, no, you can't.

So it's really weird.

Happened to be on Sunday.

I was biting my own business watching TV.

We were snowed in.

It was a blizzard, as you say, right.

I couldn't do anything.

So my son's home from college, and he took a shower.

And I got to thinking, what is that cable cam on football games called? What is the brand name for that? Because I started thinking about that, and so I googled it, and it's called a Sky Cam.

And then that took me to the Wikipedia page of the sky camp.

And then I found out that the Sky Cam company was bought by this company, then bought by that company, and then it was bought by the person my son hates most of the world, which is Stan Crockey, the owner of the Arsenal Football Club in the Denver Broncos, and a bunch of other things.

He's a bad man, according to people who support the team.

And then I was gravitated towards a section that said incidents, because of course, that's sexy.

I'm going to go there.

There were three incidents, Brian.

One in, like, 1981, when they first invented, and by the way, it was invented by the same person who invented the steadicam.

Yeah.

So that person, I'm assuming, is rich now.

Yeah.

So this is a camera that's on a giant cable that runs across the stage, two cables.

So it's a couple of cables so it can fly over the players during a football game with a camera, I believe it's like a big X of cable, so it can go in three dimensions, back and forth.

And just above the helms of it, you see them, you may not notice them.

I don't think anybody who's paying attention notices them.

Anyway, there was one incident at a small college football game back in the 80s when it was first came out.

There was an incident in like, 25 years ago, and the third incident was an hour before I read it.

An hour before I read it.

It was a game that we didn't have.

Here was the New York Jets game, and apparently the game was delayed by an hour because the Sky Cam fell from the I just thought that was weird.

You're reading three incidents in history and going, this was an hour ago.

The third one was an hour ago.

And somebody had updated the Wikipedia.

And of course they did, Brian, because Wikipedia, it's all about updating quickly.

When we die, our family won't know before Wikipedia knows.

Like, it will be updated instantly.

Well, you know, there's no entry about me on Wikipedia, so if anyone out there well, there will be by then to write one.

Me, too.

I keep begging people to write one for years.

I keep writing it myself, and they rejected, even though I have many awards if you're not allowed to accolades.

And yeah, last night my partner had a grocery store order far away, and we went to the east end of town to pick up groceries because she ordered it in advance before the blizzard without checking the weather.

It was a herring affair.

And we decided to use her coupons for Carl's Jr.

Which she never go to, but we thought that would be exotic someplace.

We have a bit, let's go there and try this coupon out.

And we got there and ordered it all went smoothly.

And we got to the drive through window and there was this car load of teenagers in front of us who had been stuck there for an hour.

And no one at the drivethrough told us anything.

But the car in front of us was stuck right at the window for an hour.

So we had the card that my partner uses and many, many years ago we went to the grocery store chain Superstore and they had clearance, these pieces of rectangular plastic that are grippy that you put under your wheel.

They're like a little tread of plastic that's really pointy.

Yeah.

So it's something you keep in the trunk and if you get stuck in the snow, you put them under your wheels.

Never used them.

Cost about $0.50, like they were discounted from like twelve bucks to fifty cents.

Never used them.

But she had them in the car, put one under the front wheel, cut them out of there in a second.

Wow.

And they threw $20 at me, which I refused, of course, but they were so thankful to get out, they ever would.

And of course it's embarrassing because you're blocking a fat guy from getting his burger behind you and that's no good.

So, yeah, we got them out instantly, which was funny as hell.

Good deed of the week.

Sure.

Now let's get on to some discussions with past stories because I wanted to talk about the Energy Vis Climate podcast.

Okay? This is my name's.

Sake ed.

Woodynham calls himself I call myself Whittingham.

He calls himself Woodynham.

He's from Alberta.

It's 90% chance for cousins.

Okay, I haven't worked it out yet, but two people, there's like six Whittingham in Canada and apparently two of them fell into clean energy somehow.

But whose podcast is more popular, that's what I want to know.

Well, he's a big deal.

He's been in the news for working for governments as a consultant.

So he would have a lot of like this is not the same kind of podcast that people necessarily listen to because it's in the weeds, it's in policy.

There's a lot of policy for people who work in the industry.

That's a huge news.

Well, I do listen to it.

And they had Kathryn Hamilton on, who used to host the Clean Energy or the Energy Gang podcast.

Now she's gone off to other things and I think she worked for the US government for a while.

She's from the States, of course, and she's a clean energy expert and got decades of clean tech and policy in DC.

And she was talking about the US midterms.

And I was worried, I've said before on the show that I'm worried about what's going to happen because it's probably going to change.

Power is going to change in one way or another in Washington, whether it's now or later, it always changes.

How safe is the clean? The big biden thing is not going to be reversed because they're evil, they reverse things.

They don't believe climate change at all.

They're a hoax.

So I just thought she had a really interesting answer that I'll play for you now.

So I don't think that shift will have a direct impact yet on the climate goals.

It will certainly prevent anything additional from happening.

And the US.

Congress holds the purse strings for the federal government.

So just on appropriating funds to keep the government going, that will have an impact.

But the pieces that are in IRA are pretty strong.

I mean, they are tax credit, unless they were to completely rewrite the tax code.

And I'll give you a little secret.

When you give somebody something, don't ever try to take it away.

So you're going to have all of these people taking advantage of credits.

And in fact, manufacturers are already moving into states that are heavily Republican states and the last thing they want is those tax credits to go away.

In fact, during the Trump administration, they never put on the table rolling back solar and wind tax credits.

They just didn't because they knew that was a losing proposition for them.

Yeah, I didn't realize that even during Trump they didn't roll back very much, did they, as far as climate goes, because business people were investing and that's the thing.

Now in Canada, it's a different story.

What they call it, and they refer to it as a runway.

In the states, solar and wind have a ten year runway that it's guaranteed that if you invest, you can keep investing and it will still work out.

You're not wasting your investment.

You need to give assurances and security to people to make these investments because that's what the clean energy transition is.

It's largely investing, but in Canada we don't have that.

So our government is a minority parliamentarian.

Government that may switch to 2025 will probably I mean, the government don't last forever around here either.

And that government hardly wants to get rid of carbon taxes and doesn't seem to legitimately believe in climate change either.

They're not that far off in the Republicans.

But yeah, apparently the Canadian government is working on making that so that it's a guaranteed thing because investors are already threatening.

They might be grandstanding, but they're threatening the one is going to the states because that's where the guarantee is, I don't know.

And there's even definitely companies worried about doing business in places like Alberta because of the sort of backwards looking energy policy that they have there.

If you're a giant business, giant international business, you're going to think twice setting up a business in a place that is denying climate change.

And we were talking about Carlos Gon last week, the former chairman of Nissan who oversaw the implementation of the Nissan Leaf, the first mass produced electric car, which I happen to own a ten year old version of that.

And there's actually a Netflix documentary that just came out a week ago as we were talking about that.

Oh, fantastic.

Well, I don't know that it is fantastic.

I'm not reviewing it.

I'm not endorsing it.

It's called fugitive.

The Curious Case of Carloscone.

And I watched a bit of a lot of talking heads.

It's interesting because it's kind of like a heist movie, right? Because he's accused of stealing millions from the car company he led, he was arrested in Japan and smuggled out of the country by two Americans in a storage chest, who, coincidentally, were also just convicted this week.

As soon as I brought it up, things started happening.

Brian wow.

Okay.

Well, I think I'll check that out.

It was an interesting story just because of that one detail that he had to escape the country in a storage chest.

Yeah.

Oh.

We have some breaking news.

The 8th billionth human being is about to be born in the world.

We go now to Antonio Gutiris, the head of the United Nations.

The 8th billionth member of our human family is born.

How will we answer when baby 8 billion is old enough to ask, what did you do for our world and for our planet when you had the chance? After President Trump announced that America would withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Accord, elon Musk immediately announced he would quit presidential business councils.

We are in the fight of our lives and we are losing.

Greenhouse gas emissions keep growing, global temperatures keep rising, and our planet is fast approaching tipping points that will make climate chaos irreversible.

Twitter owner Elon Musk has told his followers on the platform to vote for a Republican congress.

Tuesday, Musk tweeted, quote to independentminded voters, shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties.

Global warming, which a lot of people think is a hoax.

The Earth will end only when God declares it's time to be over.

We are on a highway to Climate Hill with our foot still on the accelerator.

This is a clean energy show with Brian Thompson and James Whittingham.

Okay, so a quick start here from South Dakota.

Now, we often talk about North Dakota here on the show because we're just above North Dakota here.

In many ways.

In many ways, I love North Dakota.

Home of the Fargo Film Festival.

Home of the Fargo Theater.

Anyway, South Dakota, which is just below North Dakota, it is now getting most of its electricity from wind they previously had.

Hydroelectric was the biggest source, but now 52% is coming from wind turbines in the province there.

So congratulations to South Dakota.

And what I say to that initially is, why not us? Brian why not us? I wonder what led that to happen.

Like, what was it? Private investment? Because we have a utility owned, government owned utility here.

Was it the private sector that saw cheap electricity that drove the investment in? That what sparked that? Because South Dakota is not in the day and age of accusing everything green as being on one side of the political spectrum and therefore the enemy the other, then I'm surprised that a state like South Dakota was able to do something like that.

Yeah, in South Dakota and North Dakota, both tend to be conservative leaning states.

It is slightly surprising, but as we know, it's a great idea.

So we have very similar wind profile here in our province and a little bit of wind power, but it really needs to be cranked up.

You know, it's interesting politically when I was in Fargo with you, that I was asking, because that was just when Trump was becoming a thing and I was trying to get a Trump sign to bring over, was asking around for one.

They were all lefty apologizing for their country.

But it just goes to show that even in very right wing states, you have pockets of people who are, you know, not everybody is going to be one way or the other.

There's always pockets, even in the most extreme leaning states.

Yeah, fargo is a college town.

They've got, like, I think, three universities in Fargo or Fargo morehead.

And of course, people involved in the film festival, I guess, tend to be people in the arts, more left leaning, but as a whole, pretty conservative places.

And my son always points out that Wyoming has Casper, which is also a small college town, because we've been through Wyoming a few times and I've been shaken by some of the images I've seen there.

And there's lots of bad things to look at and signs and messages.

But, yeah, Casper, which is a town we did go to, it was like a Fargo of Wyoming.

It was kind of like a cool little college town with a nice Taco Bell, I may add.

Nice.

And, you know, I wanted to go there for the eclipse.

The total eclipse of the sun that was the closest to us was Casper, Wyoming.

Oh, interesting.

I think we had just done a six week vacation in the mountains with our camper, and I couldn't convince my partner to do it.

I regret that ever since, because it would have been a one day trip to see something remarkable.

No.

And I thought about driving to Calgary or Winnipeg to see Kate Beaton, author of the Duck's graphic novel, which I was plugging on the show.

But these blizzards prevented these blizzards are bad.

You never know this time of year whether we live in western Canada, where you're going to get bad weather, and certainly any mountain pass, even the Sierra Nevada mountains, are getting killed with a whole whack of snow.

I've got a story I wanted to talk about.

I guess a few companies, at least a couple in the last week or so, that have dropped plans, like, Ford has announced that it has dropped plans for a level three driver assistance, which would lead them to robotaxis.

And they're going to focus on level two just for the consumer rather than as a business.

So that's been a big shift.

Mercedes is kind of doing the same.

They say robotaxis are no longer a goal.

We thought that in 2016 or 17, and that's kind of when the neural net sort of became a thing and they thought, well, everything is going to be solved quickly, but now they're backing off of that and they thought they could solve the robotaxi problem quite quickly.

And so did certain CEOs who now social media magnets, but committing to both a ride hailing solution and a passenger driven assistant solution was expensive.

So they thought they just concentrated on the one that make people because people are demanding it now.

They're demanding basically the different versions of autopilot for different cars just to drive itself on the highway.

How was your autopilot, by the way, in wintertime? How is it doing on actual highways? Yeah, generally really good.

It can kind of sense generally through the snow.

Okay, well, self driving taxis that operate all day, every day and all kinds of weather have been a dream for many for decades, including one of the Google people who started their autonomous program, Waymo.

Yes.

So now he's programming trucks to operate within the confines of industrial sites.

Only one of these guys.

And he says the foreseeable future, that's as much as the complexity as any driverless vehicle will be able to handle, in his opinion.

He says, forget about the profits, the combined revenue of all the robotax the robotruck companies, it's not a lot right now.

It's probably more like zero.

So our friend of the show, Mark Hislamp, who is one province over from us or two provinces over, but from where we live, he's got a YouTube show called Energy Media, and he also has a podcast from time to time, and he has a guest on from Guidehouse Insights.

He's an automotive engineer and EV analyst.

His name is Dulce Meade and he's somebody that I go to for EV information and sort of market knowledge like that.

And boy, he's got some cold water to throw on the robotaxi thing.

I got some clips from him.

This is him talking about that it's going to be a while before someone solves this to be at the point where you can really start to scale it up dramatically and get to a level of number of vehicles on the road where you can start to build a really viable business out of it.

It's probably closer to eight to ten years, closer towards the end of this decade than where we are today.

And again, this is Marks YouTube show energy Media.

I'll have a link to it in the show notes, so we can borrow from him without guilt.

And also he's talking about how AI sort of plateaued.

What I was just talking about, the Neuron net development in early 2010s was something that people thought would move fast but apparently he sees a big plateau happening and slowing down.

We had that big advancement in the middle part of the last decade, and that suddenly moved things forward very quickly.

But then it plateaued and it's been climbing very slowly ever since it hit that plateau.

And so that's why it's hard to predict when we'll get to that stage where these systems are at least consistently as good as or better than humans.

Now, there's been a Department of justice investigation into Musk over full selfdriving claims.

According to Reuters, prosecutors in Washington, San Francisco are examining whether Tesla misled customers.

I hear when you look at sort of on stage discussions from people in this space, they're really bad mouthed Tesla.

Now, you could take that with a grain of salt and say it's envy, or I don't believe in their approach, but Tesla is always proving people wrong.

Anyway, this is his opinion, his contrary opinion on the Tesla approach, and he doesn't think much of it.

There are some fundamental flaws in the Tesla approach relying on cameras only, and particularly because of the way they've configured the cameras, where you don't have any stereoscopic imaging, so you can do parallax imaging to get some accurate distance measurement.

Tesla is relying entirely on AI inference to try to measure distance to objects, which is an inherently flawed approach.

The system that they have devised is not really capable of robust automated driving, and probably never will be.

Between the name and what Elon Musk has consistently said for the last six years, since October of 2016, when they launched autopilot version two.

And he started his presentation with starting today, all vehicles rolling out of the Tesla factory have all the hardware they need to get to level five.

Autonomy.

Which was a lie then and it's a lie today.

He's a pinch angry, I think, which is up to the sort of a toad that I hear of these things.

But yeah, well, we'll see.

But Tesla's future is highly reliant on that's one big aspect of it.

It's not just selling cars.

Yeah, well, I suspect that they probably wouldn't do the same thing now.

So that's back in 2016, and Tesla was not in a profitable position back then, so they started selling full selfdriving, I think partly just as a way to get revenue into the company, a future promise of a future feature.

Since then, they've become very profitable and very stable.

So if they were starting this program now, I don't think they would be selling this feature for the future at ten, $20,000.

But, yeah, I suspect back then they just wanted the cash flow.

And another problem that I've seen come up is people like you who have the full self driving beta but aren't using it.

So apparently that's a bit of an issue because it's kind of annoying.

Right? It turns off and you think, Well, I'll just drive normally for now.

Yeah, I've.

Got better things to do.

Sure.

Even as you're retirement.

But this has become an issue because they're getting less data and they need more data, which is maybe one of the reasons why they're trying to roll it out to even people with bad driving scores.

Yeah, but could they possibly even crunch all the data that they're getting? Almost on the inside observer, I have a friend who owns a Tesla, but you I'm amazed at how the promises keep coming that it's later this year, end of the year, next year, and year after year it's always there.

But watching the progress of Auto full self driving beta, it does seem to be a slow crawl.

Something could happen where everything comes together.

I don't know, everything about it to ComEd and maybe they'll solve something that puts everything together and suddenly it makes a giant leap forward.

But right now and we'll see.

We'll see.

Because we're six months away from testing your car again on the same route, and we'll see how it does.

And we had a rainy day last year, so it wasn't perfect, but yeah.

Anyway, France is doing something quite unusual, even for France.

Yeah.

So there is new legislation that was approved this week that requires all parking lots in France with spaces for at least 80 vehicles.

This is both existing and new parking lots be covered by solar panels.

So this is great.

You think that has an 80 vehicle parking lot? What would that be? A strip mall? A strip mall would have that.

Yeah, I guess so.

We have quite a few kind of small parking lots in our city.

I think that wouldn't qualify.

Or even a big hotel.

Brian would have 80 spots, wouldn't it? I mean, if you have 80 rooms, you'd have 80 spots.

Yeah, it just makes sense.

Like, this is schools, maybe.

Yeah, schools.

This is space that it's just there.

And if we put solar panels on it, it will keep the rain off the cars and produce electricity.

It's a nice incentive.

So you have to do this.

Yeah, this is the law.

So according to the government, the potential of the measure could reach up to eleven gigawatts, or the equivalent of the power of ten nuclear reactors at midday on a Sunday in the summer.

So that's interesting.

That's a lot of power just from parking lots.

No, and we've had stories in the past about covering canals.

Like in California, I might as well cover the canals.

It's just all this space that we have that could have a double use.

And parking lots is one of them.

You know, though, I wonder what the business model is for this, what the payback is, because I don't know what France's tariff system is, or if they have any money for just putting out the panels or the feed in of the electricity to the grid, how they pay and what the payback period is.

But let's say that it's reasonable.

You would have customers that would be pretty happy to be parking under a structure, an outdoor structure that shaded you, perhaps shield you from precipitation.

And you could sit and wait for your spousal unit to shop.

And you wouldn't cook in the sun.

He would be shaded and comfortable.

No, we have a real problem here.

We have very hot sun in the summertime, so always better to get a parking spot with shade.

I thought this was interesting.

So it's the bigger parking lots that are going to have to do this first.

Car parks with 400 spaces or more have about three years to comply, and then the smaller parking lots get about five years to complete.

So this isn't just new construction.

This is existing construction.

Existing parking lots.

That is a big deal.

My goodness.

Yeah.

No, and if you think of some of the like, think of I don't know if they have Walmart in France, but you think of Walmart, the Walmart, the giant parking lots that we have for places like Walmart or shopping malls.

Man, that would be a lot of solar panels.

Yeah.

I've been thinking about what we'll use, because the grocery store that we went to last night of the blizzard actually has a bunch of stuff built on the outside of what used to be a parking lot.

There's actually an office building there with yeah, they've been restaurants used to be a gigantic parking lot, but they keep adding businesses to it.

And that confused me because it's hard to find now it's easy to find a store at the end of a giant parking lot that's 10 miles away.

There are walmarts in China.

Do they? Yeah, they do.

Wow.

There's no French walmart in France, so I just Google that.

Of course, there's a French Disneyland, but there's no French Walmart.

It's basically the same, right? Yeah.

Disney.

When we do go to a robot taxi future, we're going to need less parking spaces.

Right.

So the way I envision it is, say I've got a shopping mall close to me that's got lots of parking spaces.

And I think that what they could say is, well, you know, part of this shopping mall can be designated for Robotaxis because, you know, robotaxis will go mostly at the peak of when people get on and off work and on and off school.

It's just like rush hour.

But for the rest of the day, they'll have to sit somewhere.

They'll need somewhere to have they'll need to go somewhere where they can charge and where they can somewhere nearby, different areas of town.

I don't know where that's going to be.

Yeah.

Plus, I imagine it will be like the movie Cars, and they'll want to hang around together at a party, have social issues and things like that.

Of course it will be like that.

But at the same time, I'm wondering if we'll need less.

Well, I mean, that's what Tony Seba says.

We'll need less parking lots.

And there's a significant amount of Los Angeles that has nothing but parking lots.

And that's also a heat gainer for it increases the urban island, t island of cities as parking lots.

Yeah.

Well, hopefully we can densify all of our cities and just start building more building and housing on all these parking lots we're not going to.

Right? And that'll be an exciting future.

Plus like a driven right to the door.

And hopefully some sort of device will lift me up and put me on an automated cart that will drive me around.

Because walking is just too much for sure in the future, I think.

So Porsche has made 100,000 cars.

What does it mean? 100,000 of Brian? This is the Porsche Taycan electric car.

They've now produced 1000 of this car.

So it's been a pretty big success for Porsche.

These are in demand.

They are selling more of these than the 911, which is kind of the marquee car for Porsche.

What I didn't know is it's not a huge company.

This is really a niche player.

So they delivered just over 300,000 vehicles last year.

So they're a small car company niche and of course, very expensive.

Tesla deliver like, one and a half million.

Yeah, and they're just getting going.

This is with two new factories that just went up.

This is just with one.

Yeah.

So they delivered just over 300,000 vehicles total, and 41,000 of them were the all electric Ticans.

So they have plans to electrify more of their lineup.

But like a lot of things, it's been a little bit delayed.

The Macan was the next one that they were going to electrify, and so far they haven't managed to do that.

They've been surprised by that, haven't they? I mean, I think they've been overwhelmed by demand, but they've also stepped up to meet that demand, which is great, too.

Yeah, but it really does make sense if you're someone who's interested in a Porsche, you're interested in performance driving.

And as we know, Electric makes for fantastic performance driving.

And if you're wealthy, then you want to impress your wealthy green friends.

Well, there's nothing more luxurious, though, than driving quiet, so I love that.

I don't know.

Would that impress your green friends to a Porsche can? Some of them seems a little excessive.

I've impressed myself.

Maybe that's really what counts in the car world.

Yeah.

I don't know.

It's a lot of money and you could probably solve the world hunger in a small nation somewhere for the purchase of that car.

But Electric says that Tesla is now earning eight times more per car than Toyota.

And Toyota is basically one of the world's largest automakers, and they're starting to apparently notice.

Back in Japan, according to Electric, for example, tesla reported $3.3 billion in net profit last quarter, compared to Toyota earning just roughly 3 billion.

So.

Yeah, Tesla.

This is despite Toyota delivering eight times more cars than Tesla in the same time period, and Tesla beat them on profits.

That's kind of wild.

It is.

So they made the same money, same profits.

But wow, I mean, the demand for Tesla is high.

There's this whole inflation thing going on.

There's the supply problem, the chip shortages.

So they have eat up their prices a little bit.

Thousand here, thousand there, as a lot of people are.

What do you think it is? It's like a third of profit per car or something like that.

It's really high.

It's higher than most people.

Yeah, I don't know.

But the traditional automakers make more money on things like service and part of stuff.

So this milestone of Tesla beating Toyota and earnings during a quarter is especially impressive when you consider that just a decade ago, toyota owned 3% of Tesla with just a $50 million investment.

Think of how they get rid of that.

So now Tesla generates $50 million in free cash flow almost every day, which is why the CEO can do cookie things and do whatever they want.

So it's now time for the Tweet of the Week.

This is where I highlight a tweet that I like.

There's a couple of good ones.

Maybe I'll do two.

This week from Jenny Chase, solar analyst with Bloomberg NEF New Energy Finance.

It's a casual line from those hippies at Pakistan's National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

And this is basically what they said in their report.

They said the existing average cost of supply electricity to consumers is high, way too high.

And one way to reduce this high cost is to procure cheap electricity from indigenous resources like wind and solar.

Now, if we heard that from our utility in Canada, that would be remarkable.

But this is coming from Pakistan, a very conservative place, who is not known, especially in governmental terms, to talk like this.

But they see the value of this.

No utility talks this way, actually.

But Pakistan is and because she lives in the solar space, she knows nobody else is saying that but Pakistan Solar, or pardon me, the electricity utility is saying that one way that we're going to lower prices is by buying wind and solar.

So good for them.

Yeah.

As we've said before, the fuel costs for wind and solar are zero.

And now a secondary Tweet of the week.

Just because I wanted to do too, and I hate deciding, brian, it's a lot of work to decide.

Why should I have to decide? Fred lambert lambert.

Lambert.

Fred Lambert, editor in chief at Electric.

He says his personal account he says when I talk about Elon's feedback loop being hijacked by superfans, this is what I mean.

And he has a story from the Mercury News in San Jose, California.

And before I go on, I just want to say that Fred owns like, five teslas has been the biggest fan of Tesla and he's a journalist, but he's been reporting on Tesla forever.

He is an enthusiast.

He's cheering them on in every way.

But Elon Musk blocked him once a long time ago because he had something mildly critical to say and Elon couldn't just take that.

So what Fred thinks is that Elon like Michael Jackson and other people, they have this feedback loop of everybody who's constantly praising them.

And this is a story from the San Jose newspaper that says that this one guy who's like a dad was tweeting him like 19 times a day or something.

And Elon was often responding to him because it's such praise.

And the softspoken superfan dad praised him for being fit, ripped and healthy and asked, hey Elon Musk, what's your secret? It sounds like almost a joke, like a comedian might do that because it's the opposite of true.

He's not fit, he's not ripped, he's not healthy.

You look at him and you see a guy who doesn't he's like an It guy who never gets an hour of sleep.

It looks like he hasn't had sleep in years.

And certainly not the healthy lifestyle and certainly no son.

And the world's richest man's response was how do I keep fit and healthy? Fasting and diabetic drug that promotes weight loss.

So good for you.

When you're rich, you get to have the diagnosis.

Drugs that promote weight loss and fasting is not good.

Sumo wrestlers fast.

They don't eat until 01:00 p.m.

In the afternoon.

Yeah.

Wow.

Not to 01:00 p.m.

In the afternoon.

That is a CES fast fact for you.

That's because they store more weight if they don't eat all day.

They train their body to fast.

See, in human history, back when we were in caves and such, ten years ago, if you didn't eat, your body would think it was a famine and it would store extra weight.

It would just change.

So like fat people like me would survive in a zombie apocalypse.

So my nutritionist tells me because we would need 20% less calories because we're that more efficient.

Anyway, so we get a little bit of feedback here from the Twitter says clean energy fraud.

You guys are talking about the future of hydrogen.

So check out this podcast and what was it? It says this guy's super anti hydrogen and has some great points.

And this is from Nelson.

The podcast was our friend Mark Mslop at Energy Talk Show.

He has a podcast as well.

Occasionally puts out a guest, Paul Martin, a chemical engineer with a 30 year history of working with hydrogen and a member of the Hydrogen Science Coalition.

And I'll put a link to that in the show notes if you want to hear some smack talk on hydrogen.

And coming up in the show is the lightning round zoom through the rest of the week's headlines in a fast fashion.

We like to hear from you.

It's really what we live on.

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That sound means it is time for the lightning round, where we'll end the show this way.

A fast paced look of the week in clean energy and climate news.

Canada is putting the break on China's $4 billion lithium acquisition free.

China is here buying up all the lithium they can, and Canada has finally said no.

So Chinese companies have been the biggest financers of overseas lithium projects globally in recent years, including purchases of Canadian listed assets.

And that's a new development, Brian.

Yeah.

So this is new legislation that limits the foreign ownership of some of these critical minerals that we're going to need for the electric revolution.

Call it the biden approach, saying no more China.

The Charging Interface Initiative, a global industry association focused on the electrification of transportation, has launched its new megawatt charging system.

MCs is going to be called.

We have CCS, the non Tesla standard for charging connectors.

This is going to be MCs.

So memorize that term.

Brian.

MCs is the new megawatt charging system standard for North America.

So this will be some specific kind of plug and protocol for how to charge at even higher speeds.

Megawatt speeds for trucks, basically for trucks, big trucks.

Not necessarily all semitransport trucks, but medium trucks as well.

This is interesting.

The 2023 Kia EV six base trim has been dropped.

And the starting price that means has dropped to an unfortunate $50,000 US.

That means brian, I can't afford it.

Yes, that's too bad.

I mean, we sometimes do get different trim levels here in Canada, so we'll see.

But 50,000 is a lot.

Another CS fast fact, the golden toad is the first species to go extinct to climate change.

Put that in your toaster and smoke it.

It's too warm for them.

And I guess the towed has had enough.

Panasonic has broken ground on their EV battery factory in Kansas.

This is what we refer to early red states getting a lot of this EV manufacturing, green tech manufacturing and jobs.

And they'll be making 2070 cylindrical cells.

A Viking bus orders 31 Mercedes Benz E Cetera buses as long distance runners in the country known as Denmark.

Hello, Denmark.

The reason I bring that up is because we've mentioned this before.

When will long distance city to city buses electrify? Well, the answer is, I guess it's starting.

That's great.

The market share of zero mission light duty vehicle registrations in Canada hit 9.4% in the third quarter of this year.

And that's a new record.

It's up from any previous record which shows that the EV adoption is accelerating in Canada.

Yeah, we're definitely past some sort of a tipping point, which is often said to be around 5% of the market.

So, yeah.

Canada at 9.4% EVs.

That's fantastic.

How many Ford Mustang electrics do you see around? I see them almost every day now.

Maybe it's the same neighborhood, I don't know, but I see them everywhere.

The North End, one of 600 EV sold in Europe will be made by Chinese makers of EVs by 2025.

Fitch solution says, according to the China EV Post, So that's interesting.

Something we've been following since the early days of this podcast is when will Chinese EV makers start to make gains in Western markets? Yeah, and I guess you're at first, because it's always Europe first, isn't it? Because they need their EVs over there.

It's physically closer and they have tougher regulations to kind of phase out combustion.

A slight majority of California voters favor the recently announced ban on new sales of gasoline powered vehicles by 2035.

Only 52% and 43% disapprove, but hopefully they'll come around when prices do.

I don't think anyone's going to complain about the range and prices there and charging infrastructure.

Another fast fact air conditioners and heating elements consume 50% of electricity in America.

Did you know that? That's a lot.

No, that's a lot.

Analysis as seen by the BBC shows that the production and transport of LNG causes up to ten times the carbon emissions compared to pipeline gas.

So build more pipeline.

I'm kidding.

This around here, liquid natural gas as opposed to actual gas that goes through pipes.

The greater than 8% electricity from a solar club in Europe for 2021.

Here's the countries that have 8% or more just from solar germany, Spain, Greece, Italy, Netherlands not bad.

And there's a whole bunch of 5%.

A whole whack at 5%.

Good for you.

Greece, by the way.

I always think of Greece as a leader in clean energy, but these things, they sneak up on you.

Amazon is meeting holiday demand this year with a fleet of over 1000 Livian electric vehicle delivery vans.

So we are talking about those for a long time now.

And I guess there's a thousand on the roads for Christmas this year.

Yeah, that's not bad.

But 10,000 next year and 50,000 a year after that or something.

Yeah, they've definitely ordered more than that.

Amazon is a big investor in Rivian and they're desperately trying to scale up their production of these vans and their pickup trucks.

So hopefully things speed up nicely.

And finally this week, Tony Sieve says in a post that speaking of Amazon, amazon created a vast information technology infrastructure, but the use of just five weeks of the year, the holiday shopping season, which is Christmas in November and December where we live, they overbuilt capacity for the rest of the year.

And he says, well, let's call that super data center.

And thus the Amazon AWS cloud was born, which you see advertised on TV.

It's now a trillion dollar business because they overbuilt something.

So the reason he mentions that, Brian, is why? Because this is what's going to happen to solar, wind and batteries.

Because solar is intermittent.

Wind is intermittent.

We need to overbuild it.

But because these technologies are so cheap and getting cheaper, we can easily overbuild it.

So Amazon, of course, a large amount of shopping happens in November and December, the Christmas shopping season here in Canada and the US.

So they had to really beef up their online system to handle all these transactions in December.

And what did they end up with? Amazon Web Services, which is now a trillion dollar business, apparently.

Yes, it's a lot of money just for overbuilding something, because that's what's going to happen with the energy markets, because we're going to have extra solar, extra wind around.

That is our show for this week.

You know what? Next year we're going to have a Patreon.

If you have any ideas for the patreon, let us know what kind of perks you might be interested in.

And by God, write us right now.

Cleanenergytow@gmail.com or clean energy pond everywhere on social media.

If you're new to the show, remember to subscribe to our show on your podcast app to get new shows, new episodes delivered every week.

We'll see you next time.

See you next week!

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Twit Elon Musk may be tarnishing the Tesla Brand as we navigates his way through Twitter ownership. The European Union bans the sale of new combustion vehicles by 2035. Small modular nuclear reactors largely rely on highly enriched urnanium that only comes from Russia. So that's a problem since Russia invaded Ukraine.

A large bank is getting scolded for greenwashing during last year's COP climate conference. Turns out they're really into financing fossil fuels.

The IEA says carbon emissions will peak in 2025, sooner than previously thought. Why? Thanks to Russia invading Ukraine.

British PM Sunak may attend COP 27 afterall. King Charles would like to join him but the government won't let him.

Cruise ships are way worse than travelling by airliner for carbon emissions per person, per mile.

James gets angry at a Nissan ad starring Brie Larson telling people to buy a gas guzzler and not wait for 'furturistic' EVs.

Beyond Catastrophe
A New Climate Reality Is Coming Into View
By David Wallace-Wells

Here's a gift link to the article discussed in this week's episode (no paywall):
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/10/26/magazine/climate-change-warming-world.html?unlocked_article_code=00s0e3fyPujeR6ZZPUmwythO-8EhSgezVhODl8kPm8RXKmxbQukf9ee3Hcyz34OSNFIlx_wXLHnIAbMr3aG5ahMgZRr6zucMwAKyLgCGIuYs2KUa8oicAdA8QzdXJq-8Fs549_949iEdGZggYwjrJ8ZC_eCqz69i5w2sB6YaBtzpBxTBCvKtqDF_VXY0UX0wpOj3jgMywSImQs7H9N3Zgt4tHB0bvqWkQZEmhxvReOE0aeg5QH-soag4aQXaWlDLeE3eR2wi35ecfN3tClOHfo6s-_gGy8226ulDDtGrzdRXOLu6DSz6YiaavnDBPvYZsMNpYUzizeei992Es3rv1AUMLc_9dCsM57OnlSkd8R93De1uRcwl∣=share-url

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel! @CleanEnergyShow

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Toyota may finally be waking up to Electric Car Reality. New U.K. PM Sunak gets a 3 out of 5 on climate. Our city gets an elecric truck and loves the savings. Brian nearly dies in his Tesla Model 3 in a snowstorm but he thinks it should have been called a blizzard. A wind turbine gets hit by lighting off the coast of Ireland and blows up. We have the exclusive footage!

The Fully Charged Live show is coming to Australia and we've yet to be invited.

Canada will need 10x more wind and solar energy, supported by energy storage, to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050. That seems surprisingly small.

Grid adaptation for EV adoption in Calgary, Canada. James is sceptical of the threat to grids by EVs.

Ola Air 1 electric scooter is unveiled at a low price for India.

Biggest component of the fossil fuel system is energy loss.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Tell your friends about us on social media!

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to episode 136 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week, Toyota may finally be waking up to electric car reality.

Turns out they just slept through their alarm, which wet off five years ago.

Fully charged live show is coming to Australia.

James and I are still waiting for our invite to the Canadian show, but we would love to go to Australia and hang out with our two listeners there.

Liz Truss, the UK's solar hating Prime Minister, has resigned.

The new PM is Rishi Sunak, who I think is ahead of Lettuce.

I don't know, I just wasn't really paying attention.

All that is so much more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

I was going to list all the other things that we had to talk about this week.

I apologize to Australia again for my Southern hemisphere ignorance.

Our city buys an electric truck and we hear why they think it's a good idea.

And, yeah, all kinds of wonderful things that we're going to have to speed through, because I got a big fat show for you this week.

I have a big fat story for you this week.

I was on a lovely electric car road trip to Saskatoon, our city to the north, on the way home, decided to stop in Moosejaw, which, as we've said before, is a real place.

Yes.

And, man, I got caught in the worst blizzard I have ever been in in my entire life.

Really? Yeah, because I'm only 48 minutes away from there.

I don't understand.

Why was it so bad? Yeah, well, this was a weird spring storm.

Oh, sorry, fall storm.

We've had really warm weather here, like it was plus 20 Celsius just a few days ago.

And they had some warnings out.

They called it a snowfall warning, but I have a bone to pick with Environment Canada, because it really should have been a blizzard warning.

They have criteria for blizzard warnings, Brian.

It has to be windy and zero visibility in a certain temperature, depending on the region.

It actually varies by region.

This is our Canadian weather service.

That's right.

And I think the one thing we may not have had was temperature, because it was only around zero, but we had all the other things.

So we wanted to stop in Moose Jaw on the way home.

Pictures.

What? It was for work.

My partner had a bit of work to do and it involved taking pictures in Moose Jaw.

So, yeah, the snow starts to fall and we start driving in Moosejaw.

In about 30 minutes out of Moosejaw, the snow was just getting super heavy and thick and cars were going in the ditch.

This is a fairly small highway, just like a twolane highway.

And, yes, we had to slow down to, like, 40 just about lost control of the car.

At one point it started to slide around.

I managed to regain control, but it was a serious white knuckle drive those last 20 km into Moose Jaw.

We were worried we weren't going to make it.

There were cars in the ditch, people slept overnight.

Man, that could have been used.

Exactly how much of a charge did you have at that point? I have to ask.

We rolled into Moose Jaw with a 20% charge, which is not great.

That's not great for spending the night.

Well, I don't understand why you thought that was a good idea.

Because I'm going to flash back to Friday night in the weather forecast here.

Do know that there is a special weather statement in place through much of southern and eastern Saskatchewan and there will be major impacts along with this Natasha, including possibly some treacherous conditions on the road.

So people should prepare for that and maybe some power outages.

So it'd be good to have an emergency kit as well.

I'll full update coming up a little bit later.

It's almost like they saw it coming.

I heard that same report and they said, yeah, some snow and it probably won't stay around.

It'll probably melt.

I don't know.

I don't think we were sufficiently warned.

What do they have to do? Come at you with a Taser? A blizzard warning.

It should have been a blizzard.

Oh, you stupid old man.

A blizzard warning is there for a reason.

It means it's a blizzard.

It means the highways are not going to be possible.

It could be a light freezing rain and a beautiful day.

The sun could be shining.

It could be just treacherous.

A blizzard warning is a blizzard warning.

It was a blizzard.

It was definitely the worst snow storm, whatever you want to call it, the worst one I've ever driven through.

And we just barely made it.

And then we had to stay two nights.

We had to stay two nights in Mousse.

That's absurd because the road was just not did you get your picture? Did you take it at least? No, we did not.

Oh my God.

Yeah, we'll have to go back.

But yeah, we could have maybe driven back on the second day.

Only stayed one night, but the road was still moose Jaw was the epicenter for this storm that it got around a foot of snow in Moussehow.

Yeah, but we got to stay at the lovely Grant Hall Hotel in Moosejaw, which is this historic hotel on Main Street.

And we had power the whole time.

But on the other side of Main Street, no power for about 8 hours.

Half the town was without power, but we were relaxing comfortably in the Grand Hall hotels.

Quite lovely.

All right.

I have here the blizzard threshold criteria for Canada.

The national.

Except for north of the tree line.

Which is while it varies in various parts.

I guess where suddenly it becomes forced and it's not prairie and whatnot when winds of 40.

That's a calm day around here or greater are expected to cause widespread reductions in visibility to 400 meters or less due to blowing snow or blowing snow in combination with falling snow for at least 4 hours.

You're right, I think it should have been a blizzard if that's all it is.

View Details

More information on how renewable use less land that fossil fuels and aren't destroyed permanently in the process. Nikola Motors CEO found guilty of 3 of 4 charges. Some thing EV charging at night won't always be cheap. Greece runs on 100% renewables for five hours. VW has hired Ewan McGregor to help them sell EVs.

Brian expolores a graphic novel that illustrates life in the Canadian Oil Sands. “A masterpiece, a heartbreak, a nightlight shining in the dark.”—Patricia Lockwood
Here's a link!

UK PM Truss not doing well after I called her dumb last week for not wanting to see solar panels on farmland. Scrapped her whole economic reform plan.

Tesla might remove downtown Toronto geofence with FSD Beta 10.69.3.

Kia EV6 Wholesale GLOBAL Shipments In September 2022 Amounted To 6,109. Worse than last year. What's up with Kia and EVs? They make great cars, advertise the hell out of them but never make enough.

Carbon Capture Projects Hit Record but still only 1% of global carbon emissions when built.

Tweet of the Week responds to criticism of climate protesters in recent days.

Offshore Construction Starts on Japan’s First Floating Wind Farm.

JinkoSolar achieves 26.1% efficiency in panels.

Rewewable energy workforce as more female representation than fossil fuels.

Researchers develop a 10 minute EV charging method by adding a thin strip of nickel to batteries for cooling.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to episode 135 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Woodingham.

This week, some facts to compare fossil fuel and land use with renewables.

Your racist cycle is not going to be happy.

The founder and former CEO of Nicola Motors has been found guilty of fraud.

Turns out rolling a truck down a hill and pretending it works can get you in trouble.

It may get more expensive to charge an EV overnight.

And it has nothing to do with the fact that I now get up to pee six times a night.

The country of Greece runs on 100% renewable energy.

For the first time, the Olympic torch is lit by the sun.

So why not all the lights in the country, too? Oh, that is so much more on this edition of The Clean Energy Show.

Well, welcome to the podcast, everyone.

Also this week, VW has hired you and a Gregor to help them sell EVs.

Brian has his first ever book report.

Looking forward to that.

And a corporation based where Brian and I live is betting big on nuclear revival thanks to the war in Ukraine and other factors.

You sound funny this week, Brian.

Are you under the weather? Yeah, I got a cold.

How do you know? I thought colds were eradicated.

Yeah, this is my second cold since the start of the pandemic.

Are you looking telephone poles? What's going on here? Yeah, well, we took a plane trip, as you know, last weekend, to Whistler.

I knew you would get diseased.

Yeah, I mean, I was kind of worried we'd get coveted.

Didn't get coveted, but we caught a cold.

My partner got it first.

I was a few days behind.

I thought I may have escaped it, but it's starting kind of yesterday and my head is slowly filling up with fluid.

It's rather unpleasant.

Oh, no.

You remember before COVID when you used to fly? No.

It always seemed like I would always get a cold whenever I flew somewhere.

I don't know.

I mean, everybody trapped on an airplane like that and not wearing that.

They say that air is recirculated and filtered, but I don't think it's just too close to quarters.

Do you put on an air in your face? Because I'm always a bit warm on planes.

Like I make sure I get the air going on my face.

Do you do that? Yes.

And we discussed that as we got on the plane because I said to my partner, well, wait a minute.

Is this like, COVID filled air that I'm putting in my face or is this fresh, clean air? And it has just gone through the filter.

So presumably that is the fresh, clean air.

It always smells fresher to me.

It always smells like it's mixed like a car vent, like it's mixed in with outdoor air.

I don't know that it is.

It'd be nice if it was, but there's not enough oxygen up there at 35 0ft to do that mixed in with new plain smelling.

I think I would just wear the oxygen mask.

Just drop the oxygen mask and put that on for the trip.

Well, that would be fantastic.

They should just let us have those.

It should be enhanced air with nice, relaxing demerol vaporized or something that just puts you at ease and wake up wherever you're going.

Guess what? The pipeline plane flew over the other day.

I walked up my front door and there it was looking at me.

Well, so it's mac, which is a relief.

Perhaps why I haven't noticed it is I noticed because I went to my app and it's fine a few hundred feet higher than it was before.

It's fine at 200ft before.

Yeah.

Now it's up to 500ft.

I don't know if that has anything to do with the crash that was fatal.

Yeah.

To recap, James has a pipeline behind his house and there's a plane that inspects it pretty much every day.

But, yeah, there was a crash of one of these planes not that long ago and so it disappeared for a while.

And you say now that it's back, it's actually flying higher? Yeah.

I mean, it could be the same plane.

I don't know that it's the one that crashed or if they were grounded or if they re looked at how they did these things, but it seemed like it was gone for a few weeks because I noticed it.

It's hard to say how often it came.

It seemed to vary, but it was multiple times a week, I would say, and I do live in a city, it doesn't inspect it that often outside the city? Just inside the city.

It has frequent flights and that goes right back to the airport 10 minutes later.

Well, you always hear about these pipelines and I don't know, sometimes they're leaking for probably hours or even days before anybody notices.

Well, let's get to some updates to some of the stories that we've talked about over the past.

There's a few.

This week we were talking about PM Trust.

Yeah.

The new UK prime Minister.

And I called her dumb dumb dumb last week.

Yeah, she's really dumb.

And that's because she doesn't like the site of solar panels on farms and she was going to kibash solar everywhere.

How dumb can you be? I ask.

And, well, turns out the country is in agreement.

Not for that reason, but mostly for other reasons.

In fact, how is this Trust doing? 83% say badly, 15% say, well, should she resign? 55% say yes, and I'm in that 55%.

Although who knows who they're going to get in their place.

But come on.

There's so much data for renewables being a good thing in this energy crisis, like saving billions over the summer, reducing the amount of Russian gas imports by 13% from the growth of it.

It's just crazy.

I mean, there's all kinds of numbers you can look at.

We talked about Tesla not having their full selfdriving beta software, which you use, being applicable in downtown Toronto.

You mentioned that before, but now it sounds like it will be.

Yeah, this is a while ago.

So Toronto has streetcars, one of the few, maybe only city in Canada that has streetcars.

Yeah.

The full self driving software thus far has not known how to deal with streetcars.

And so, just to be safe, Tesla has basically geofenced the software.

So anywhere downtown Toronto, where there is streetcars, you can't use full selfdriving beta until they figure out how to program in streetcars.

And yeah, apparently they're getting close because rumors that the geofence will be removed soon.

Yeah.

I was watching one of these informational videos on YouTube about how Toronto is a car city.

And these streetcars everywhere, these have them in Mount Pleasant, where my friend Dan lives up north and all kinds of different places, and they had a vote to get whether they keep them or not.

Everybody resoundingly wanted them.

So what they do, they get rid of them.

They wanted to make room for more cars.

They built the subway to make room for more cars.

That's what I was thinking.

Was it's too bad, because out here in the west, canada is kind of sparsely populated, and our cities are kind of spread out.

But in the central or eastern part of Canada, like Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, that's the densest population that we have in Canada.

So Toronto, particularly, there's several million people that live in Toronto, a lot of them in the concentrated in the downtown core.

So public transit is a no brainer.

Subways and streetcars are a no brainer, and, you know, they've done fairly well at that.

But yes, surprisingly, it is still kind of a car city.

But I have been watching a YouTube channel, can't think of the name of it right now, but there is a guy, a transit nerd in Toronto, who's reporting on all of the transit projects.

So things actually do look bright.

I think things are improving.

There are subway expansions planned and streetcar light rail expansions planned.

They have lots of stuff in the works.

And they've added a lot of bike lanes, too.

That's really a positive sign.

Definitely.

You and I lived there ten or 15 years ago, and there wasn't that many bike lanes 20 years ago.

I guess more than 20 years ago for me.

Jesus.

Oh, my God.

Wow.

Yeah.

I mean, it was still kind of fun to bike in Toronto.

I remember you and I biked there's a nice path down by the waterfront.

You and I bike down and watch the fireworks one night.

That was a lot of fun.

The only thing is that it borders the Dawn Valley Parkway, which is a freeway, and you get all the exhaust and all the pollution.

Yeah.

As a prairie boy, it was very disconcerting to see the distant trees obscured by smog, which just sort of gathered in the valley like that and Stunky.

There's a smell to it always.

But a lot of people die.

Cyclists die in Toronto, so it's not a safe place.

But I remember cycling downtown.

I lived adjacent to downtown, and East York used to take a half hour to get to the heart of downtown by bike, which was more enjoyable in the summertime than taking the subway and waiting and getting stuff like Sardines somewhere and whole noise of everything.

But, yeah, bike lanes are tough in cities like that.

But it's also got the busiest freeway in North America, too.

The 401 is national.

Yeah, massive, massive freeway.

Dozens of lanes.

It seems like the Kia EV six.

Now, I was shocked to learn that that came out almost 18 months ago now, on the spring of 21.

I thought it was in the last three quarters of a year for some reason.

Maybe it's because I heard about it and I didn't pay much attention to it because it was a similar vehicle to the Onik Five.

Although it's not a direct comparison, necessarily, in aesthetics and appeal.

They sold only 6100 units of that worldwide in September.

And if that isn't shocking enough, that's actually down from the year before.

Down? Yeah.

Well, I assume it's just because it's production, not sales.

I mean, I'm sure they can sell everyone that they make.

They just need to make more of them.

Yeah, they're not but that's a major problem.

Brian, that gets my trombone of the Week.

Yes, thank you for the emphasis.

I'm very disgusted by this.

So the narrow EVs sold 4500.

The sole EVs outside of this is outside of South Korea.

The sole EV sold a whopping.

Are you sitting down? Yes, you are.

The Sole EV.

Tell me something.

You can't sit there and your pompous Kia asked and tell me that they're not Asianizing EVs, that they're not taking the same sort of ideas Japan and saying, we don't believe in them because they're making great avs and pisses me off so bad.

I watched a football game and NFL game, and there was nothing but EV ads, including the Onik Five.

Great ad, great car.

Can I buy it? Nope, you can't buy it.

Why are you advertising it? There's lots of other stories like that, too.

Why are they selling them? Why are they pretending that they can sell them? Are they trying to get people into the dealership to sell combustion engines? I mean, what's going on? Are they just trying to look like they're advanced or do they just not give a crap? And I think they're probably trying to stop people from going to EVs that are available.

So if you're a loyal Kia or Hyundai owner, then you can think to yourself, okay, well, there's Kias on the horizon.

There's some reviews out lately on the web of the Ionic Six, which is the upcoming Hyundai.

But it's not coming till next year.

But they've let out some sort of review models and there's lots of YouTube reviews and yeah, it looks like a great car, but again, it's not going to be available for at least a year.

It's premature to even do that.

I'm going to forget about it by the time I could actually order one.

I mean, it's going to be ancient history.

But it also looks like a great car.

Well, yeah, of course it is.

That's the frustrating part.

If they weren't great cars, it wouldn't be so frustrating.

Wouldn't it? But they're making great cars.

They seem to know what they're doing.

But have they secured the batteries? Do they want to make them? Doesn't seem that way.

Yeah.

Well, we have an update coming up later on from VW that addresses some some of these issues.

And when you can buy them, you certainly can't buy them where Brian and I live because we're not in a Zev zero emission vehicle jurisdiction or anything like that, and we're not in Europe, so that kind of sucks.

Yeah.

You have one here.

Greece was powered by renewables.

Yeah, I just always like good news stories like this.

It's going to become more prevalent.

So at a certain point, we will have to stop reporting on these because it's just too common an event.

But yeah.

Greece, for around 5 hours ran on 100% renewables on October 7.

Yeah, I just love stories like that because it's a sign of things to come.

It shows us that this stuff is working.

I assume the people who are against clean energy take it the opposite way, like, well, it only ran for 5 hours.

That doesn't count.

We get the 2050 people.

I tell you, when our jurisdiction runs on 100% renewables for 10 seconds.

I'll soil my dance on the podcast.

No, that'll be a day for celebration.

We'll have some championships.

Tell you what, dig up my corpse and put a birthday cake on it when that happens because it's going to be something from Bloomberg.

Carbon capture projects hit a record.

So the pipeline of carbon capture projects rises to 153.

Pardon me, 30 are operational right now, including one in our jurisdiction, which is at a coal plant, one of the first in the world.

And it's not performing up the specs at all.

Planned projects that are planned, remember, not existing, but planned, would mitigate less than 1% of CO2 emissions.

And the problem, in addition to just being 100%, is that it continues investments in fossil fuels.

It's another way of prolonging fossil fuels, which, as anyone who listens to the show on a regular basis knows, makes James angry.

James doesn't want to be angry.

Takes days off my life.

Brian well, as I've said before, I was kind of in favor of this because we are a coal burning place where we live.

And they started talking about this 2025 years ago, and back then, it's like, oh, that kind of makes sense because we just didn't know enough back then.

It was exciting.

I was excited.

It was very exciting at the time.

But also, bureaucracies are lumbering and slow, so it took them forever to get it off the ground.

And now that these things are running, we know that they're just too expensive and they don't produce the results.

So let's just buy solar panels with the money instead.

I remember when they opened it, they invited dignitaries from around the world into a tent.

But it has a weird vibe.

It's like there was no one commenting on it, no one's had anything to say.

And they were hoping to export the technology.

Not only did they invest billions of dollars, but they wanted to export that technology, which I'm sure they've learned a couple of things that they can export and maybe patent.

But critics argue that it's expensive, ineffective technology that just prolongs the life of fossil fuels, which I'm sure our local governments here would love to do.

Yeah.

And I guess there was a possibility that they could take what they learned and refine the technology and make it cheaper and make it more viable, but so far, that has not been the case.

Well, I'm excited, Brian, because it's time for a brand new segment on the show.

the first time you've sang on a sink and probably the last.

Hey, I harmonize with myself.

Yeah, I watched my friend Who Can Sing do that for video projects that I used to work on.

So I tried it and it kind of worked.

But, you know, next time you got multiple tracks there if you want to let's play that again.

Yeah, because we may never hear it again.

So yeah, I have to play it twice.

Well, it seems unlikely.

Yeah.

It's not often that it's going to be appropriate to talk about a book.

I mean, how many can you read? You're just retired.

Yeah, and I certainly don't typically read books about climate or clean energy or climate change or whatever, but this one is an exception because it's a picture book, which barely even counts as a book.

It's a graphic novel, really.

It's a graphic memoir.

So this is a book called Ducks my memoir.

Two Years in the Oil Sands.

Yeah.

Ducks.

Two years in the oil sands.

And it's by Kate Beaton, and it is published by my favorite publisher, which is Drawn in Quarterly.

They publish graphic novels of all different kinds.

That's a good name for a publishing company that publishes Drawn In Quarterly.

They're the best.

But yeah, this book is really great.

So Kate Beaton is an artist from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

From here in Canada.

The east coast of Canada.

And she graduated from university with a history degree around 15 years ago or so.

And graduated with a mountain of student debt.

And so she was kind of looking at the jobs that were available to her with a history degree, like working in museums and stuff, and she was like, oh my God, I'm going to be 90 years old by the time I pay off my student debt.

So she like a lot of people from Cape Breton, from Newfoundland, from the east coast of Canada, took a job in the oil sands of Canada, which is here in Alberta, next door to us in Alberta.

This is kind of based around the city of Fort McMurray, kind of northern Alberta.

That's the kind of base for many of these oil sands operations, which are, as we discussed before, the dirtiest oil on the planet comes from there.

The amount of energy you have to expend to extract this oil because it's all mucked up with sand and everything.

So it's a very, you know, carbon intensive, energy intensive way to get oil out of the ground.

But, you know, with the price of oil, it's been a lucrative place for many years.

So, yeah, she spent two years in the oil sands, paid off her student debt, which is the happiest part of the book, like she did completely after two years.

Wow.

Yeah, you make a lot of money.

You're often provided housing.

Sometimes you live in the town of Fort McMurray, which is a fairly big town, so that's kind of civilized.

But quite often you work on site or you work in these work camps where the oil rigs are and all this stuff.

So it's kind of isolated work, and you'll often work like twelve days on and have two days off, that kind of thing.

And yeah, with your housing kind of paid for, you can just bank a lot of money or spend it on cocaine, which is apparently a thing that also happens a lot.

I never said that again.

Yeah, it's a really beautiful book.

There are many things about it that are heartbreaking, but yeah, it's just awesome.

Highly recommended.

It's a real honest portrait of what goes on in the oil sands.

So there's sad parts about it, but also funny parts and fun parts, and there's a real humanity to it.

Highly recommend.

Well, send me a link and I'll put it in the show notes for Gosh.

Thanks.

So check your show notes, people.

I assume that there will be a link close to the top of the notes there.

Okay.

Because my son's got a buddy who was in psychology at our local university.

He switched over to history and I just, my God, that's worse than film.

You and I did, I felt chills come over me.

It was kind of bad, like, you poor bastard.

Psychology.

We need lots of people in psychology more than ever.

History, not so much.

Yeah.

And the author, Kate Bean, she's most known for a book and a website called heart of Vagrant, which is history based.

She sort of did these humorous cartoons about history, which she knows a lot about because she has a history degree.

But if you've ever wondered what life is like in the oil sands, this is probably your best chance to find out what that's like.

Well, there's a new Stanford University study that Forbes had a piece about.

It about EV charging at night may not stay cheap through the EV adoption curve.

Now, the thinking is that with everybody having EVs, they're all going to charge at night.

So the power, they're not going to have excess power at night.

They're going to have enough or they're going to have to keep up even.

I don't know how much you drive, but I might charge like an hour or two a day.

You know, a lot of things that I'll just charge an hour or two.

I'm not talking to people with long commutes or buying EVs to save money, and that's obviously a different story.

And highway travel and vacations.

But typically, I mean, statistically people travel 2030, 40 miles a day, and that's an hour or two of charging, essentially.

And, you know, we come home and we turn on our clothes dryers and our ovens every night and the grid doesn't go down.

So we've gained a lot of efficiencies in those things too, right? Yeah, I guess the only issue would be that they're used to having very low usage overnight.

So a lot of the systems within the grid are planned for that.

But they should be able to tweak those plans and make more power available overnight.

Well, here's what they said.

They said that the researchers estimate the impact of rising EV ownership in the western United States could boost power demand by as much as 25% by 2035.

That's the year when California has banned the sale of new gasoline vehicles.

Doesn't mean they're all going to be EVs by then, of course.

It just means that you can't go out and buy one.

So charging after eleven will get more expensive, they figure, and push utility operators to boost their power generation.

They say that more EV charging should be done during midday hours, ideally at work or public stations.

Now this is when maybe this is not necessarily every day, right, but when the solar.

There's days when they have access.

Solar.

It's already happening in California.

We talked about it.

Lots of news stories talk about it.

So when wind and solar power suppliers are at their peak, sometimes producing more energy than the grid can even handle.

So California is set to have 5 million EVs by 2030.

That's about 30% market share level.

It's coming.

And at that point, the electrical grid will experience significant stress, they think, according to that, unless there's increased capacity or behavioral changes.

But this gets me to thinking, Brian, that we're going to just need a smarter grid, we're going to have to start thinking and being incentivized to charge when there is excess solar, when there is, because if I had a normal EV that you could buy for 4500 range, I would probably charge it once a week in the summertime, right? I mean, I wouldn't charge it very often.

Well, maybe I wait until I get a note on my app saying power is free for the next 2 hours.

So I take up my other app and my EV starts charging.

Maybe something like that, maybe that's a little too cute and easy, maybe, but we're going to have to maybe in order to accommodate renewables start because we're always doing it.

They're already experiments, like you had a story a week or two ago about government's utility controlling thermostats as an experiment, right.

So when they have access, when they don't have enough power, they adjust your thermostat a little bit and they did that voluntarily in California.

So I know by having electric vehicles capable of charging to the grid, discharging to the grid, that's another thing, right.

I mean, that would maybe even offset a lot of the problems when you have those little peaks because these that are charged might be able to backfire and if they make it worth your while financially and I think they would, that could help flatten the curve.

Yeah, downsides to having all those EVs on the grid, but also potential upsides.

Yeah.

And then there's school buses on city buses and things like that that will be sitting around and able to pick up because a lot of times you build a grid for the worst case scenario.

Now if you got a million EVs out there that can cover that, worst case, 10 minutes or something like that, then it really changes the game.

So, yeah, I'm just starting to think like that.

The average mileage per day, by the way, is 20 miles in the UK, 37 miles in the United States, and EVs won't be charging more than once or twice every week or two.

So looking forward to that.

Plus your battery doesn't get messed with as much if you're not charged as much.

Certainly a lot more charging for us in the winter when it's deadly cold.

So Nikola is back in the news now.

We used to talk about Nicola all the time when we started our podcast two and a half years ago.

Anyway, I mean, it was an exciting potential good thing.

It was the rivian of, let's say long distance semi trucks.

But no.

Yeah, so this has been going through the courts for quite a while, but Trevor Milton was the founder of Nikola Motors and one of the founders and was the CEO.

And yeah, he's now guilty of fraud, three of four counts, guilty on three or four counts, basically guilty of pumping the stock.

So Nicola was working on like a hydrogen semitruck and this is the most fun story is that they just rolled it down a hill and shot video of it and sort of tricked everyone into believing that they had a working prototype, which they did not.

And then at other things, like they would show these trucks and vehicles at shows, and people with an eagle eye would spot that there would hey, wait, this is plugged into an electrical cord underneath there.

So they were just fudging the truth.

But when you're a publicly traded company, you're not really allowed to fudge the truth like that, and it ends up with fraud charges and guilty.

But Nicola still exists.

This is a real company.

They still have hundreds or perhaps even thousands of employees working on, I think, less hydrogen and more battery electric now, but they are do you think they'll try to dig themselves out of this hole? You think they'll come up with an electric pickup truck anytime soon? I'm not picking up truck with a truck long distance.

Yeah, I think there's a good chance.

Like, even when all this controversy was happening, I sort of thought to myself, well, wait a minute, I mean, there's still a giant headquarters here and there's still hundreds of people working there.

They have to be working on something.

It's not like they're all just sitting around drinking coffee all day.

I still hope for the best for Nikola, because the more players we have in this space, the better.

Yeah, especially with long distance trucking.

But they were hoping to have hydrogen powered trucks and build out their own hydrogen network of not just seem like a daunting prospect financially and logistically, and they would get an awful lot of people backing them in order to do that because it's tough.

Just like Tesla, they could start with pre prescribed routes between bottlers and distribution centers and stuff like that.

Grocery stores and distribution centers that are unknown length and maybe not even too long, but it's just even had places that were going to fix them on the road, too.

We even had a series of shops that were ready to fix them.

Yeah, and also at the time, like, it really wasn't clear that even though this is just a few years ago, that battery electric semis, people weren't sure how viable that would be.

So as we reported last week, the first deliveries of the Tesla semi are going to be on December 1.

I think there are other big trucks out there, so we'll know soon that battery electric should work for semi truck.

Now, last week, I touched on sort of this myth that goes around that land use of renewables is a bad thing.

How can we possibly power grid? What are we going to do, cover every square inch of solar and wind turbines? And then I pointed out the fact, and this is the fact that there is more land use by oil and gas right now than what it would take to.

Have a renewable energy in the world.

So there's no recent studies.

But I came across, and this is actually when I was making the TikTok video for that segment, I came across a study which I found interesting, and now it's already seven years old.

It was published in 2015.

It was peer reviewed and published in the scientific journal Science.

And it estimated that 30 0 km² have been lost to oil and gas well pads, storage tanks and associated roads just in the period from 2000 to 2015, just in that 15 year period, 30,000 km² just for oil and gas.

So the amount that that is the equivalent of lost range lands is equivalent of approximately 5 million animal units per month.

I don't want to think about what that is.

I think I know.

And the amount of biomass lost in croplands is equivalent of 122,000,000 bushes of wheat, something we have here where we live.

Lots of wheat.

So the thing is, the 3 million land lost is likely, unlike renewables, long lasting and potentially permanent.

Permanent, yes.

Because this is toxic.

What's left is toxic.

Yeah.

We mentioned a hydrogen plant that's trying to build on an old oil and gas, I don't know, what do they call it? A gray site or there's a brown site.

Brownfield.

They call it brown field.

It's like a gas station, a corner gas station type of house.

Where there was a corner gas station, that land is contaminated forever.

Yeah, but if you put in an EV charging supercharger there, you take it out, it's fine.

You take a wind turbine out, fine.

Solar farm.

You can not only have agriculture taking place under the solar panels, you take them out and it becomes a farm again or whatever you want.

Disneyland.

So the gas power plants themselves occupy a rather small landscape footprint.

It says you must take into account that those power plants also require significant infrastructure to operate well pad, storage tanks, pipelines access roads and refineries, just to name a few.

The pipeline behind my house goes on for many hundreds of kilometers and I can't imagine the hectares that it in itself takes up.

But you cannot do anything on it.

I know, because I get a pamphlet in the mail every ten days telling me I can't so much fart on it because they don't want me to.

I can't bring in a back loader because I don't have an alleyway here.

I can't bring in a small tractor, I can't bring in anything at all they don't want because I talked to them on the phone, because I get, you know how you dial before you dig while I do that.

And guess who calls? The pipeline companies actually call when I do that, put out that request to put in my above ground swimming pool and yeah, they tell me you can't do anything like that.

Nothing at all.

So they kill the gopher.

So the ledge is pointless.

They mow it.

They do go over with a tractor and mow it once a month.

But other than that so the Department of Energy estimates the amount of land used by wind turbines would require 3200 square kilometers, or 790,000 acres by 2050 when we met our Paris climate targets.

And that's roughly a 10th of the land used by oil and gas, which is yes, electricity could be coming from wind for a 10th of the land used by oil and gas.

And that's just in the States, right? So the National Renewable Energy Lab, 1 Ha or two five acres is what you need per gigawatt hour of solar generation, if you want to talk solar now.

So for 3 million Ha lost oil and gas in that 15 year period, you could put up solar power that would generate 75% of America's total annual electricity generation output.

You can put it anywhere.

You don't put on farmland.

You can put on rooftops.

You can run schools, factories, and you should be and I don't know why they're not.

Remember, this is just oil and gas.

This doesn't even talk about other fossil fuels like coal or entire mountaintops are removed.

So that's my story on that.

This is a clean energy show with Brian Stockton and James Winningham.

All right, so Volkswagen this week.

So we were talking before about Hyundai and Kia maybe not making that many battery electric vehicles, even though they're quite great.

But I thought this was worth mentioning.

We've mentioned Volkswagen's output before, but, yeah, Volkswagen is on track to make 500,000 EVs by the end of this year.

So 500,000 output in a year, that's behind Tesla, which is going to be around 1.4 million.

So just between those two companies, that's around 2 million battery electric vehicles.

So this is starting to ramp up.

Volkswagen is taking this seriously, and they're taking it so seriously, they've hired you and McGregor as their next spokesperson.

And of course, we talked about that show that was on Apple TV called The Long Way Down.

A long way up.

Yeah.

Great show.

Excellent show.

If anyone's interested, you and McGregor likes to do these tours on motorcycles.

So that's the newest iteration of that show.

I think there's been three seasons, and it's on Apple TV Plus.

And they started at the tip of South America and drove up to California, I think it was, on electric motorcycles and with prototype rivian electric pickup trucks just for the scenery, but also to see if it could be done electric.

And it turned out to be an awesome show.

So, yes, clearly, Ewan McGregor is an EV enthusiast.

He's a big Volkswagen enthusiast.

He owns several Volkswagens that he's restored, including one that is a 1954 Beetle that he had converted to electric.

So he drives a 54 electric Beetle around Los Angeles.

And so, yeah, I think that's kind of fun.

Yes.

I will point out that there are three iterations of this series, but they started like 20 years ago.

So when they flash back, he's very young and Same has a buddy that he takes with him.

And they both like motorcycles and racing and stuff and live it on the edge.

And it was very much a struggle with electricity in South America to charge a prototype Harley Davidson livewire before they became the earlier previous seasons are just like shot on kind of old standard definition video, so they don't look that great.

But the newest season that's on Apple TV, it's all in HD, looks fantastic because it is essentially a travel log show.

And I became fascinated with South America.

What a beautiful continent, if I may.

And they were able to shoot it in glorious HD with lots of drones and different things and the technology that is compact and fits in the motorcycle operated and unoperated.

And then the first few episodes were the struggle to charge, and then it became more like logistics and things.

And the Inexplicably went through Mexico on a school bus that they want to find.

Don't think it was too dangerous.

There was a nasty tourist murder going.

Yeah, Ewan McGregor is a great guy.

He's one of the few Hollywood stars I would like to have a beer with.

You know, like, he just seems like a great guy, and most people aren't.

I'm not.

I wouldn't want to have a beer with me.

I'm a terrible human being.

Somebody flaws.

But he seems to have everything worked out.

Volkswagen promised such lofty things, right, that they were going to do this, and we were hoping they would cause in dieselgate.

They've sort of abandoned everything and said, okay, we're going all into EVs.

But are they really? And a lot of people were skeptical, but it seems like are you fairly comfortable that they are? Oh, yeah.

I think 500,000 is an amazing figure to hit this year.

It's not an easy thing to ramp up all those batteries and new platforms because it's better to start with a new platform than to convert a gas car to electric.

So, yeah, Volkswagen is well on their way.

When I saw you doing the story, I watched the Star Wars commercial with him, and it sort of he drives off in a Volkswagen ID buzz the Volkswagen EV version of their minibus van, which is by all accounts, horrendously overpriced, but also very cool.

And if I was on a money tree, I would certainly have one of the driveway for the cool factor going to be available in Europe very soon, from what I recall.

Yeah.

Well, the Financial Times has a story on nuclear revival in that Westinghouse Electric, which is a US.

Nuclear power company.

It's being bought by a private equityback consortium in an almost $8 billion deal for four years.

That's four years after it emerged from bankruptcy.

So it was nuclear is bad going bankruptcy, not making money because of the war in Ukraine is, in their mind and their view, spurring fresh interest in an industry that had fallen out of investor favor.

So we've seen how important energy is and nuclear is available now, but also they're partnering with a company that right here in our own province that doesn't have a lot of companies.

We have a big multinational corporation called Chemical which mine uranium in the far north of our province province, you know, hours and hours and hours and hours away that we're into the wilderness where there's a weird little city called Uranium City.

You wanted to make a film there once because it was like this abandoned mining town in the middle of nowhere.

No, it's a fascinating story, if you want to kind of Google it.

Uranium City.

It was a whole city that was built around mining uranium, and thousands of people were living there at one point, but it's now been more or less abandoned.

So there's a whole abandoned city up there that I don't know, I'd like to just go hang around.

It's very interesting to look at it from the air because you see the aerial photos and there are what don't seem like dilapidated houses that are completely caved in because some little water thing got in there and then one thing led to another with an unoccupied house and then they all sort of collapsed and looks like it has 30 years left on the shingles.

Kind of a weird image, actually.

Yeah.

So Chemical is apparently big on nuclear and which is why they are lobbying a few provincial governments in Canada like ours to go with small modular nuclear reactors as the solution and as a way to waste our money and prolong fossil fuels.

So the purchasing of Westinghouse, I guess they make 440 nuclear reactors in the world, about half of them.

So I don't know, they say it's the best market fundamentals we've seen in a while.

I'm skeptical.

I would not advance, I would not invest in that.

I would not invest in a billion dollars because by the time you put a brick in the ground, I mean, forget about it.

It's going to be over.

So well, I'm pleased to bring back the tweet of the week.

I've had a hard time finding one this week, so I had to go with a thread, I'm afraid.

Usually I find an inspiring tweet, something that I really like, but this one, there's been a lot of climate protesters in the news that has made people uncomfortable throwing supine paintings and things like that, and it's become a part of the discussion.

So aside, rezook somebody I follow on Twitter, energy Insider, clean Energy Insider, in support of the malign of these climate protesters, he says, we have triggered a once in a hundred million years climate change event.

Government falls here on the world, doesn't appear to give a hoot about it or our future.

Why? Well, let's read between the lines of what climate science is saying.

The probability of 1.5 degrees heating compared to preindustrial times by 2100 is today about 99%.

The probability of two degrees is 90%.

The probability of four degrees or higher is 10%.

And that, of course, is absolutely catastrophic.

So it's like playing Russian roulette with a ten chamber gun and one bullet in it.

And it's the future of humanity and life on Earth is at least temporarily going to be disrupted if that happens.

So three degrees is unadaptable for most people and will result in tens or hundreds of millions of climate refugees.

Four degrees or more implies in exile to high latitudes north Canada, Siberia, north New Zealand for millennia.

That is the most depressing thing I've read in a long time.

Remember that the probability four degrees is actually 10%.

So now, if you are faced with these not unlikely outcomes, would you not throw soup at a goddamn painting or stop traffic or strike or block an interest to BP or Shell or Exxon oil terminals? That is his thoughts we like to hear from you on the Clean Energy show.

Coming up next is what is it, Brian? It's the lightning round roll.

Zoom through a bunch of headlines and get through the show real quick.

Get out, Japan.

Get out.

Your typewriter is cleanenergychow@gmail.com.

And we have the Clean energy pod.

That's our handle.

Clean Energy Pod.

One word on Twitter and TikTok.

We've got a YouTube channel with special features, and we have a voicemail option online where you can leave us an online voicemail speak, pipe.com slash clean energy show.

lighting round, fast paced look of the weekend clean energy news.

Brian, the show's gone by fast.

They all go by fast.

That's how we're at 135 of them already.

I don't know what's going on.

Maybe the cocaine from the oil industry has gotten into my coffee in the morning or something.

But offshore construction starts on Japan's first floating wind farm.

It is, in total pretty small.

Now, the biggest wind turbines that we often mention are 14, though, that those are not floating.

So I don't think the floating works for turbines quite that big.

But it's nice to see Japan is finally getting going with because, remember, they've got a deeper offshore, so they need to do the floating in a lot of cases there.

Yeah.

Jinko Solar has achieved 26.1% efficiency in their solar panels.

This is not Perk solar panels, which we're used to, but NType top con solar panels.

So the new record was confirmed by China's National Institute of Metrology.

Is it Metrology? Metrology? Sure.

Let's say that it's the science of measurement, Brian.

And a word that I didn't previously know, because I don't measure things.

So Perk adds a passivated film to the back of ordinary solar panels to absorb more light than may have passed the initial cell surface.

This is how they get this higher efficiency.

Now, the panels on our houses might be, what, 89% efficient or something? Maybe 20%, something like this is significantly higher for the same panel.

And they seem to say that the cost will be very close to they're basically adding this ultra thin oxide layer on top as another barrier to contain a absorbed light.

They're just trapping more light.

And when you talk about bifacial panels picking up stuff on the bottom as well well, normal panels only pick up 70% of light in the bottom direction, but these pick up 80%.

So that's a 10% gain, which is nothing to sneeze at if you are making a bifatial solar family farm, which sometimes apparently, can be vertical just to smooth out the curve of the power generation during the day.

Yeah, I'm always excited about these advancements in solar panels.

Female workforce share in the renewable energy sector, 32%.

Oil and gas, 22%.

So we're spreading out the jobs a bit better as we transition to renewable.

Something to think about.

Few markets are electrifying, quite like China, Brian, where EVs have gone from less than 1% of light commercial vehicle sales to 10% in the last ten years.

At last, two years.

Okay, that's fine.

Two years, basically nothing, 10%.

And this is like commercial vehicles are not like you and I.

They're driving all day and they're bigger.

The vehicles use more energy, so they're bigger and they drive all day.

So this is a big impact on oil.

And I expect very much that this is going to happen soon, because we see it every day in the headlines.

New small commercial vehicles and trucks coming online that are electric.

Oh, it's time for a CES fast fact.

Yes, it costs about $1,300 to install a public EV charger on a lamp post.

$1,300.

You know, we talk about how we're going to deal with apartment owners and stuff like that.

Yeah, that's not much.

This is the whole kit and the bootle and the fact that it charges you, too.

The whole billing system is built into it.

$1,300 us.

No.

We have tons of cars that park on the street all day long, so why not give them an option to charge? And keep in mind, you use your own cord for stuff like this.

It's basically a socket.

In Europe, they bring their own cord.

Audi wants its EVs to clean the air while they charge or drive.

If I had a segment, the weird story of the week, this would be it.

Brian this is weird.

And by the way, I once saw a thing where they had a train that was going to carbon capture as it drove, but I lost the story.

But instead of talking about the show about six months ago so audio wants to do this with their cars.

The vehicles will be equipped with the systems of filters particles out of the air.

This is a test as an experiment.

They'll do it passively when they're driving it and actively with a fan when they're charging.

And they're just going to take particles out of the air through I don't know.

It's not going to make a difference.

It's going to add cost to the car.

Why are they doing this, Brian? Why? It seems like the dumbest thing ever.

Pennsylvania State University researchers develop ten minute charging method.

Now, we hear about this stuff all the time, and we don't mention it on the show.

Why? Because we don't know if it's real or not.

However, this was published in the journal nature, which is the journal.

It's a tough journal.

This is no bigger journal than nature.

As far as I love it.

It's my favorite journal.

Absolutely.

They have that written on the cover.

Brian Starship's favorite journal.

And it's only when I mention it because adding a thin layer of nickel to the battery, which is also why I mention it, because it's not a huge, weird thing that may or may not work right.

It's a minor thing that is actually helping it cool the battery.

Something like Tesla might develop something like that while they're adding a thin layer of nickel in the spooling to help with the cooling.

And that means that they can charge in 10 minutes.

So that might be a thing.

Okay, it might be a thing, yeah.

I mean, it might potentially add too much cost because nickel is one of the more expensive materials for batteries, but we'll see.

Oh, it's another CAS.

Fast fact.

All of the lithium mine last year would last just one month.

In 2041 month, all the lithium mine last year would last one month.

And in 2050, that magical year where we have to get to zero, it would last two weeks.

So this is based on, I guess, current projections of how much lithium we're going to need to put into batteries and such in 20 years.

It could be wrong.

We could be on to batteries that don't require any lithium by then.

I'm hoping it's possible, especially for grid and stuff like that.

Electric miners are cutting CO2 emissions in half by switching to electric vehicles.

So I know that mining was ripe for electric vehicles because you have to clean the air as you go down to the mines.

That's an issue to have a diesel truck running or equipment.

So if you electrify it and you throw out a solar farm, even better.

No.

There was a story this week about a hockey rank somewhere switching to electric powered zambonies to clean the ice.

If you've ever been in a hockey rink, it's ridiculous.

Like, they have these gas powered Zambonies driving around, especially in a smaller community size rink.

The fumes are ridiculous.

We shouldn't be breathing in those fumes.

And it's the same thing with mining.

Like, you don't want to be burning fossil fuels down in a mine.

You want clean battery, electric.

And like every decent Canadian, Brine was born on the blue line of a hi suki rank, weren't you, back in the day, many years ago? Many, many years ago, yeah.

But you know what surprises me, though, is it's half the emissions from mining can come from electric fine.

The vehicles.

That's really good.

I didn't know that it would be that great because that's easy.

And by the way, we've seen even years ago, early in the podcast, giant super sized trucks that are electrified, that are going up and down, coal mines that just completely recharge on the way down.

And they don't even have to charge during the day.

They just regenerate.

Going down with the regenerative.

Branking by dad, three scored five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test.

Now, the reason why I bring this up is because I've often pondered with you on the show, what are the Chinese cars going to be like when they come? Are they going to be safe? Now, that's a bit of maybe an unwanted, undeserved prejudice that is coming from bad Chinese manufacturing equality from past decades in the eighties and 90s.

But then a lot of people said that about the Koreans.

And actually the Korean cars weren't great at first, but they became quite they're among the top reliable cars now.

They're great.

So this is the first sort of indication that I've seen that the Chinese cars can do and will strive to have high safety ratings because we're all in North America here going to be craving good, safe cars.

That affected my buying decision last time.

Oh, another fast fact.

US.

Wind power currently generates enough electricity to serve the equivalent of 43 million American homes.

That's right.

Now, already just with wind power.

Just with wind power.

That's what it's capable of.

At its best case scenario from carbon tracker, new findings from Rised Energy show that 2022 capital spending on wind and solar could hit almost half a trillion dollars, and that would eclipse the 446,000,000,000 for upstream oil and gas production.

So this is kind of the first time that the capital spending has switched from bad to good.

And they say it's not going back, that this trend will continue quite rapidly going forward.

Absolutely.

One last story for you, Brian, the World Meleeurological Organization, rather, is that occurrences of severe weather disrupting the operation of nuclear power plants increased fivefold in the last three decades between 19 92,019, with a notable acceleration since 2009, something that we've been mentioning on the show that I found quite surprising.

And yes, climate change screwing things up already.

Yeah, extreme weather is not great for nuclear power plants.

And that is our time for this week.

I mean, we could go on forever, but my throat will start to bleed very shortly.

Brian will pass out.

I've got a cold.

He's got to be barely alive, man.

He's probably got some sort of new version of COVID that can't be detected.

That's what I think.

It's not a cold.

We'll hope you're here for next week's show, so we'd love to hear from you.

Remember, clean energy show@gmail.com, twitter, TikTok, yada yada, yada.

Leave us a voicemail.

And if you're new to the show, remember subscribe on your podcast app, because we have new shows every week and you wouldn't want to miss that.

So we'll see you next time.

See you next week.

View Details

It's getting to be easier to find an EV charger in Manhattan than a gas station. Nissan's second EV is pricey! This Old House talks EV chargers in your home. Ford is actually making EVs you can and should buy.

Tesla semi has finally entered production, first deliveries to Pepsi Dec 1. Porsche is going public And how much space would solar panels take up to power the entire world? The Straight Pipes review an F150 Lightning and Out of Spec Reviews buys the cheapest EV in North America.

James gets soaked by the repair shop for a bearing job on his Nissan LEAF.

Tweet of the week!

From Carbon Tracker -- "With talk of solar panels & farmland - a reminder the land req'd for solar panels alone to provide *all global energy is 450,000 km2 or 0.3% of the global land area – less than the current land footprint of FossilFuel infrastructure."

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Tell your friends about us on social media!

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to episode 134 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Woodingham.

This week, EV chargers outnumber gas stations ten to one in Manhattan.

Same ratios, rats to people.

Interesting, nissan has finally released pricing information for their Aria EV.

Said a Nissan spokesperson, we know James Winningham has a Nissan lease, so we wanted to make sure the Aria was out of his price range.

Canadian doctors exposed blatant green washing by the Canada Gas Association.

This after they turned to the left and coughed without being asked.

A former coal power plant has been selected as the site for a fusion energy project in the UK.

The power source of the past meets the power source of the never.

All that and more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

And also this week, Brian, we have the Tesla semi is finally entered into production, if you can believe it.

Pepsi, december 1.

So that's interesting.

Porsche is going public.

I didn't know they weren't.

And how much space would solar panels take up to power the entire world? How was your trip to BC? Yes, it was great.

So this is my first time on an airplane in about six years.

Yeah, the planes were all full.

Pretty much full.

Really? Massed or unmasked? I would say five to 10% mass.

That's it.

On a plane? Oh, God, yes.

So the restrictions in Canada just were lifted just at the start of the month, I think.

And, yeah, everyone's pretty much given up on it already, but so far I'm not sick, so we'll see how that goes.

But, yeah, first time on an airplane, it was weird to go back on a plane.

But, yeah, I went to BC, went to Whistler for a family function.

So we flew into Vancouver and a couple of things.

First of all, the Vancouver airport has these giant signs up about how they're going to be carbon neutral by 2030.

At the Vancouver Airport.

They have a specific plan, I guess, to do that.

I assume that doesn't include the airplane.

I assume not.

Maybe the toilets.

Yeah, a shuttle picked us up at the airport and drives us up to Whistler, which takes a couple of hours, but so you have to drive through Vancouver on the way to Whistler.

Yeah.

I just wanted to give an update because the last time I was in Vancouver was about two years ago when we talked about it then on the podcast.

And back then, two years ago, there were quite a few Teslas on the road in Vancouver.

The number now is insane.

Like, there are so many Teslas on the street in Vancouver.

I couldn't believe it.

Within two minutes of driving out of the airport, I'd seen a dozen Teslas.

end of excerpt

View Details

A small town in Alberta thinks solar panels give off radiation and won't allow an important fast charger be built. But a small Saskatchewan Co-op embraces electrifcation and kindness!

Link to video version of the commercial we made for the Riverbend Co-op in Davidson, Saskatchewan to thank them for support electric vehicles.

Small modular nuclear reactors will not solve climate change. Loblaws has deployed fully driverless trucks on city streets in Toronto. The upcoming Tesla Cybertruck will work as a boat for short periods of time.

My first repair to my 10 year old Nissan LEAF
The green community that survived Hurricane Ian and kept the lights on
India’s home-grown ten thousand dollar EV
And in spite of supply chain constraints, EV sales are on track to where they need to by by their 2030 benchmark for global warming
Brian and I welcome the long-awaited 3rd party charging to a much needed location where we live. And it has soft serve ice cream!

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Transcript

Yesterday, the governor announced that all new cars purchased in New York State will be zero emission cars, which is what lawmakers in California mandated in our state last month.

This will take effect starting in 2035, if we make it to 2035.

And while it's never going to be the same when a cabbie's yelling you to go F yourself from a Nissan Leaf, it's definitely for the best.

Hello, and welcome to episode 133 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Woodtingham.

This week, small modular nuclear reactors will not solve climate change.

This in spite of the fact one powers Brian's $1700 expression machine.

It was only 1400.

Loblaws has deployed fully driverless trucks on city streets.

In Toronto, there is still a human in the passenger seat.

Just as a courtesy so other drivers have someone to give the finger to.

We reveal the stupidest place in North America, and it's not wherever Donald Trump is.

The upcoming Tesla Cyber truck will work as a boat for short periods of time.

If it floats, maybe it can toss a lifeline to the Tesla stock price.

Oh, all that admora this edition of the a Clean Energy Show.

Brian, we also have this week my first repair.

My knees are leaf.

It's ten years old.

And in spite of supply chain constraints, EV sales are back on track where they need to be by their 2030 benchmark for global warming targets.

And Brian and I welcomed the long awaited third party charging to a much needed location where we live.

And it has soft serve ice cream.

Wow.

I can give it the charging long charging sessions with lots of ice cream.

All right, so update on my house.

We spray foam the ceiling in our kitchen, and it was, like, super messy and dusty for about a week, but the drywallers have finished, so that's now all sealed up, well, drywallers.

They have to keep coming back and back over and over again, don't they? Yeah.

They don't have to spend a whole day.

They come, they do some mudding, they have to let it dry, and they come back and sand do a bit more mudding.

So the whole thing took about eight days, which wasn't too bad, but the kitchen was kind of closed off with sheets of plastic, and so we had kind of limited access to our kitchen, which was annoying, but that's now all done.

And then next week, they're going to do the other half where the living room is, and so it continues.

So we'll have a very wellinsulated ceiling, which is great.

Did you eat out a lot? We did a lot of door dashing and that kind of thing.

What's your favorite during that time period? Bar burrito.

I'm a big fan of bar burrito.

What kind of food is that? Mexican burritos and tacos.

So what specifically did you eat? I need to know.

Ground beef burrito.

Classic.

Nothing too fancy.

Nothing too unusual.

But you're Taco Time fan, but you like that.

Tell me about that.

Yeah, I think, Barbara, it's a little bit more like real food, really.

TacoTime is very fast foody kind of thing.

But how much more expensive would you say it was? Not 20%.

Maybe I should try it.

They have multiple locations or just one? No, multiple locations.

Let's do it.

Barbaros well, we could use a sponsorship on the show, too.

Please reach out.

Barbarito.

Oh, I have another one.

Milu.

Vietnamese place.

It's been here a while, but I just discovered it.

Fantastic.

Vietnamese vermicelli, noodle bowls.

Love it.

Amazing.

I guess we both got the Bivalent vaccine.

Is that what's yeah, I had a lot of side effects.

I might still be feeling that after a week.

It was mainly one day, but I kind of felt good the second day.

But then when I actually did something and then when I mean did something, I mean, go to the fridge or something, I didn't have a lot of stamina.

Like, it wore down fairly quickly.

It's a good thing I wasn't employed or something.

Yeah.

So yesterday we had wonderful news because we've talked about the two cities in the province where we live is Regina and Saskatoon.

They're two and a half hours away.

My son is up there now, coming back on Friday, and he's going to school there.

We make lots of trips.

You make lots of trips.

You make more trips than most people do out there.

And it's a great, stupidly great city.

It's just I don't know if I've told this story before, but the ones I was doing a madly off in All Directions, a CBC radio comedy series, a one off where I was guesting on stage at the Broadway Theater in front of 500 people with my comedy partner.

And we naively.

We both grew up in Regina, the sister city kind of, to that city.

And we said, we're from Regina, and the whole place booed us.

Why? Why would they do that? I had no idea that they hated us just because we have the center of government here.

I mean, they have everything else.

And my assessment of the situation is the people in Saskatoon have a rivalry with Vagina, but the Regina people don't care.

I've always considered them superior.

Why would they care? Why would they not just pity us now? They're much bigger.

When I was a kid, they were smaller than us.

That's right.

So the halfway point is a town called Davidson, Saskatchewan, and it got a Tesla V, three supercharger stalls a few years ago, right? Two or three years ago.

Yeah, about three years ago, which changed life for Tesla's.

People like you could easily go to Saskatoon and top up for the hell of it, or use it in very cold weather when your range is reduced and give you security.

It was one of the reasons I bought my Tesla.

Was it made that trip by there was no third party charger there for three years.

And we've been begging everyone online.

I've been Tweeting A and W who says there's these cluster of different businesses.

There Tim Hortons, the Esso station, which is one thing at a Dairy Queen, and then there's a across the street there's an ANW, which I sometimes go to.

You've gone to the and w, sure you've gone.

You've probably done everything there.

But up the road there's a Coop gas station, and that's where the supercharger is.

That's kind of the Prairie Gas Station, one of the brands that also run grocery stores.

So they have that.

But they just announced yesterday that they're getting the flow charges, which are 100 kilowatt.

Before, these gas stations had different branded chargers, which are 50 kilowatt.

And they were always broken, like always.

Yeah, the Coop branded ones, yeah.

So apparently these flow chargers are, I'm told by the EV Association, a lot more rock solid because it's something we talk about on the show all the time, is the reliability of charging non Teslas like non Tesla charging networks are terrible.

And I hear that all the time, especially in the States.

It's no different.

So I naively expressed regret online yesterday that I wished it was at the place where I go, which is the AEW, and I don't go to the Tim Hortons, but it seems like I might because I enjoy the Tim Hortons donut shop in return.

And I found out that the EV people have been trying really hard for years behind the scenes to do something, and I'm not supposed to talk about what went on, but I'm very happy that the co op is in charge.

Right, but I also made a joke online when I said that.

Why isn't that this other place? They said, Are you disappointed? I said, I'm not disappointed.

The Coop responded to me and said, Are you disappointed? I said, no, but I will be reviewing your pizza.

Clearly they said they welcomed it.

Then they offered to give me free pizza.

But is it a review if they give you a free pizza? I mean, is it an honest review if you get something for free? I mean, as a clean energy food critic, I should be going in there in disguise or something.

That's just the way it is.

Yeah.

Okay, well, this is great.

I should add, too.

So Tesla has finally made the CCS adapter available for tesla vehicles in north America.

So 99% of the time, if you've got a Tesla, you're going to charge.

It a Tesla station, and there's lots of them, but other cars use the CCS connector, and the adapter is finally available in North America.

So if I were stuck some time and the Tesla supercharger wasn't working, I could get this adapter and charge at the flow or charge at the co op or whatever.

Anyway, I went to order one online and it said, oh, sorry, your car can't use this yet.

We're going to do a retrofit next year.

So cars built before a certain date are missing something that the CCS adapter doesn't work.

So my car was built just before that date.

So sometime next year there'll be a retrofit available and then I'll be able to buy one.

So they didn't sell it to me.

They're probably trying to control the number of these that go out, and since they know that my car can't use it, they wouldn't sell it.

How old is your model? Three? It's about two and a half years old.

Two and a half years.

Wow.

Time flies.

It's a quarter of a decade, Brian.

Yeah, it really has.

Yeah, I guess we had just started the podcast, I think.

Oh, right, that's true.

There was a couple of months into the pandemic and they did a touchless delivery to you.

But I'm not done with the Riverband co op in Davidson because I asked them.

I was in a discussion with my son who's going through there on Friday.

As I said, if they have fresh donuts, because the co ops are known for great donuts at grocery stores, especially in small towns, they're somehow better in small towns like that.

Yeah, for sure.

My wife's not right is maybe the best owner sake one outside of the gourmet shop.

So anyway, I asked them if they did and they said no.

But for you, though, I can say we are discussing it.

We are discussing it at the highest levels in the boardroom of the Davidson coop, whether to bring in fresh baking from the grocery store inside town.

And I said, well, give us a heads up when you're passing through.

At least we could do is get some donors to the grass bar for you.

And everyone is just so happy that because without the co op, we would not have charging in Davidson, there was no other possibility to do it.

No one willing to do it.

So this is incredibly important to EV adoption for people who not only live near there, but live anywhere else, or you're traveling through the province in that direction.

And so I'm incredibly grateful to them.

And Matthew Pointer from the Sask EV association says this is arguably one of the most important charging locations in the province.

So, Brian, what I did, I made them a commercial.

Okay? I made the Riverband coop in Davidson a commercial because they deserve it.

And here it is.

Come to the Riverband Coop gas bar in beautiful Davidson, Saskatchewan, conveniently located on scenic highway eleven.

Enjoy our pristine citrus, citrus washrooms as you stop to charge your Tesla, one of our lightning fast superchargers.

And for our nontech industry friends, we are pleased to announce 100 kilowatt flow chargers coming in January.

If you're still driving a gasguzzler, be assure that we here at coop sell only talk to your gasoline made to the highest Canadian standards.

While you're here, satisfy your cravings with fresh cut veggies and sandwiches lovingly made at our grocery store just for you.

Or twist it up with a smoothie by mixing a slushy soft drink of your choice with ice cream.

Why pee anywhere else? The River Band.

Coop in Davidson.

More than a gas bar to heavenly oasis on a long road home.

This commercials have improved by riverbank Coop flow charges 23 no responsible price screen trips on your floor of the seats.

Very nice.

So there you go.

Free commercial for the Riverband Coop.

Put that online, too, in video form.

Thank you, Riverband Coop, for being good people.

Yeah.

And Davidson, Saskatchewan, they still have a newspaper as of a couple of years ago, and they were having a contest to give away the newspaper.

I don't know if you remember that I considered, yeah, and you're supposed to write a letter and whoever writes the best letter would get the newspaper.

I don't know what ever happened with that.

Maybe somebody knows.

We'll have to Google.

We have a lot of local people listening.

Okay, another personal news.

The Leaf I had to take in to get fixed because I determined for a long time now, almost a year, that I had this tire noise.

And I thought it was because my original tires were wearing out, they were becoming bald, and I thought, okay, no trad, they're becoming noisy, bought new tires, but they were cheap.

They were half the price of the tires that you're supposed to buy.

And so I thought, okay, well, it's a bit better, but it's still pretty noisy, and then I get noisier noiser.

So I determined through online sleuthing that it's my bearings, my wheel bearings on my front left wheel, and because it gets noisier when you steer in one direction than the other.

So I did that.

But there's no place my Nissan dealership doesn't service EVs.

And I looked up on how to do this repair, and you do have to kind of take one of the EV motor drive components out of the wheel hub, because it's a whole not just the actual little tiny bearing, but whole hub of bearings that has to be replaced, any specialized torque tools in order to do this.

And I considered it, but then I thought, no.

And anyway, I got the price from a place called okay Tire on Park Street in Regina.

Because they are certified, they actually sent their people away to the United States to get training in servicing EVs and hybrids.

Whereas the one Nissan dealership we have here and even several around us don't do they're not certified to do TVs.

Even though Nissan sells the Leaf for well, minecar is ten years old, and twelve years ago they started selling them.

So it was frustrating, but I took it there on the advice of others, and I wasn't happy with how it went because it's $1,400 for the front two hubs.

And I thought it was just one hub, but they say, oh, no, the other one's going to be making noise as well.

And also they charge you, like, $200 just to diagnose things.

Okay.

Right.

It could be $200 to diagnose it.

But then they diagnose everything on your car and get a big print out to make sure that everything else is okay.

And they don't need to spend money fixing it out of your money.

So that's complimentary.

But the diagnose the problem is up to $200.

So it's just BS.

And I hate dealerships, and I can't afford it.

So I'm in a pickle because my kid, my youngest, is going on a trip, a school trip to Quebec because we sent the first one.

And as soon as we send the first one somewhere and my wife, by the way, wanted to set up the Uruguay was it Ecuador or Ecuador? To the ecological things out there.

And I said, we do this.

It's twice as much as you think it is because we have to send the other kid.

There's no way of not sending the other kid.

It doesn't work that way.

So whatever you do for one, you do for the other.

And so we're doing that for her now, and we have to get her to raise money.

But they don't raise very much.

And it's got to be a hard, economical year.

Bad timing.

That's too bad.

And I'm giving away free commercials to cooperate anyhow that's that the car is supposed to be done.

The beautiful thing is I've lost the EV joy because it's noisy.

It's not giving me the luxury.

And I can't wait.

I can't wait, Brian, to get that back.

But I also have to get more work done on the later.

It's all related to tie rods and ball joints and stuff like that.

And they send you a little video clips, part of their app to do that, to show you the wiggle.

It's always great when you can spend money and really notice a difference.

Like, that at least makes you feel better about it.

Like our ceiling in the kitchen, it costs a fortune to do that.

And all it does is look like it's supposed to.

All it does is look like a ceiling.

You don't get any satisfaction of it suddenly somehow being better.

Right.

It just doesn't lease.

Now, this is hopefully something that I will just fall in love with again.

But I started to fall out of love with car ownership because it's been a long time since I had to deal with car repairs because we've bought new cars.

And the Leaf I've had for five years, and I haven't done anything to it.

Like, it's just there's no oil to change.

There's nothing to break down.

I did buy the new tires a year ago, but other than that, I haven't done anything.

How many kilometers on it? About 115 or something like that.

It doesn't have fast charging.

It was a rock bottom price.

So it's only been a city car for anyone.

But my family has been asking me, how long do I think it's going to go? And I don't see it not going indefinitely.

Like I said, I don't have any reason to believe it won't go indefinitely.

But if you don't do the tie rods or something, then maybe the tires are going to wear out.

Well, the car could crash, things like that.

One of the wheels could go.

I've seen people do this on the roads.

The wheel just goes all the way to one way and you get it towed.

I won't be using it on the highway, let's put it that way.

So, yeah, it's frustrating.

And I can see the joy of maybe a subscription service to a robot taxi one day where you pay $20 a month and you never have to worry about car repairs because that is the biggest pain in the butt.

That's why people buy newer cars.

No, that's the future for sure.

I mean, yeah, that's so much simpler.

I've been talking about the pipeline plane that flies over my house.

And then we got into it and I mentioned that there was a crash 13, 2013.

And then there was one between our last two episodes of our podcast.

Well, curiously, there's been no pipeline plane since that crash.

So I got to feel weird about that because I feel like I have a connection with them because I'm in the mespeedo floating in the pool.

God knows we've had some intimate contact.

You've never seen me in my Speedo.

These people have, and now they're gone.

They're perished.

So I just feel or maybe they've rounded pipeline planes or I don't know.

But on the other hand, on the flip side, who's looking at my pipeline to see if it's not being inspected? Yeah.

So that's kind of concerning for me as well.

So here's a bit of trivia for you.

In the year my Leaf was made, 2013, 130,000 EVs were sold globally that whole year.

Brian yeah.

Now more than that are being sold every week in the world.

And that road, of course, is expanding rapidly.

That's fantastic.

That's great to hear.

So my Leaf is like almost I've seen it referred to in videos on YouTube now by car reviewers as kind of like the Model T of EVs because it was the first mass produced it was produced even before Tesla's Model S.

It was really the first mass produced EV in the world.

So it's iconic, maybe worse, something someday.

And I wanted to get to some updates to some stories that we've covered in the past.

And we were talking about hurricanes in Florida and Will Walker in Florida.

He was happily charging his allelectric Chevy bolt at a gas station charger while all the gas pumps were roped off, not because of electricity.

The gas station was on a gas? Yes.

And you can't just snap your fingers and get more gas in when there's a hurricane.

So these places and we found this in the maritimes of Canada when Hurricane Fiona went through a couple of weeks ago.

Gas stations are out of gas because everybody wants their generator running and everything.

Right.

Well, this is another reason gas stations don't operate with electricity during these situations, but they often don't operate when they do have electricity because they are out of gas.

But he had electricity there and he was happily charging away.

So he says, I can't count all the times that people ask me about what do you do when the power goes out? So it's just a joke to people who own TVs.

Yeah.

The New York Times, Florida, the post hurricane here, Jerry Jewelsk waited for about 6 hours to fill up for cans of gas.

He was frustrated.

Where is all the fuel? He asked.

Every gas station or filling station was supposed to, under Florida law, have a generator prepared to go at all times.

But that did not happen.

Wow.

In a news conference a couple of Saturdays ago, mr.

DeSantis, or Satan, as I like to call him, said 1.6 million gallons of fuel had been removed pardon me? Had been moved to southwest Florida.

But he acknowledged that some stations may not have had the electricity to operate their pumps.

I'm laughing if you're in Florida, I'm not laughing at you.

I'm laughing at the whole freaking idea and stupid things that happen.

You need both.

You need the fuel and you need the electricity.

And on the electric car side, you just need the electricity.

We've been talking about India a lot over the course of our podcast episodes, and we have concerns over the air quality and how great it would be for EVs to move in there.

Well, Tata Motors, one of India's largest vehicle manufacturers, has announced a new Made in China pardon me, a new Made in India electric five door hatchback starting around $10,000 US.

And it only has a 19.2 kilowatt hour battery with only 3.2 charging.

That's kind of what my car is now.

Started at 24.

That's kind of your leaf range and charging speed.

Look at this.

It's supposed to have a range of 250 km.

Yeah, well, I've made improvements since your car was made.

Well, I'm thinking A is pretty darn light and it may not have an airbag and seatbelts or high tension steel or anything to protect the person.

I don't know.

I'm being kind of cynical about it.

Yeah, but as we talked about, there's a lot of, like, two stroke engine vehicles in India.

Small mopeds and motorcycles and stuff like that.

And those things cause extra pollution.

So if those kind of small vehicles, which is what this is going to sort of replace, can go electric, this will go a long way to improving the air quality in India.

So for around 14, 500, US.

Drivers can upgrade to a 24 kilowatt hour battery.

That is what my car wasn't doing.

But 315 range and 7.2 kilowatt charging, which is twice my car now.

So that's I don't know, man.

Maybe I should go to Indian, buy a car.

Parts will be hard to get.

Yeah.

So driverless trucks in Toronto, we have reported on this before, but there's sort of more updates for it.

So there are level four autonomous trucks, which began in August after the Ministry of Transportation approved them after a big audit.

So this is Lablaws, the grocery chain from Canada, and they've got five routes going between Labs retail stores and a micro fulfillment center.

So you can order your groceries online, go to this place, and pick them up.

And this appears to be moving the groceries from the stores to this pickup center.

So they've got five routes and five trucks.

They are now driving fully autonomously.

They do still have a human driver in the passenger seat.

I'm not sure why he doesn't just sit in the driver's seat just in case they're showing off, but they say they have a safety record so far.

This has been going on for quite a while now.

And the person in the passenger seat is just there kind of as a courtesy.

And also from feedback from the police department and the fire department, who said in case they need to pull the truck over, they wanted a human to interact with.

And that does make sense.

And of course, these are electric, and they can charge at sort of both ends of their trip, and that's what they do.

And they're planning to expand this to something like 15 trucks in the near future.

So, yeah, level four autonomous trucks.

So this is Geofenced.

They can only go on these specific routes.

They couldn't just snap their fingers and expand this to other markets or other cities.

They've carefully mapped out these routes.

And the trucks take the same routes every day, but still quite remarkable that it is totally working.

And they've driven tons of miles with these things, and 100% safe so far.

Teller me surprised.

I'm actually quite surprised by that, especially if you told me it was Los Angeles docks or something, I would believe you.

But I'm surprised it's Toronto.

Yes, Toronto streets can be kind of busy and crazy.

That's an understatement.

And some of the worst streets, worst traffic in North America.

But you just start thinking about the math for this in terms of business.

So not only are you saving on fuel because it's electric instead of gasoline or diesel, and then saving on the driver.

And just imagine, as this slowly rolls out and expands, the amount of money that can be saved by so many businesses.

Expect your grocery prices to go down, thanks to freedom of energy in the world like that.

And I do use their service in our city.

It's PC Express.

How's that work? It works well.

You order online, you pick up.

We have had it delivered one time.

All right.

I have an update from the International Energy Agency and EVs are now at 13% of all new car sales globally this year.

That's world market share.

That's fantastic.

I didn't know we were there yet.

That is an inflection point, Mr.

Stockton.

We are toying with inflection rates here.

It's doubled since last year, so that has not been happening.

It's taken more than two years to double.

A little bit more than two years.

But now doubling in a year is not two years.

So it's like 1718 months or something.

Something weird like that.

Like a year and a half.

But now it's a year and we are on track.

According to the IEA of reaching when they did the Paris Climate Accord, we need to do this, this and this to reach our climate targets.

While the number of EVs on the road by 2030 was a checkpoint goal and they have saying that we are on track for it, in fact, we're better than on track.

Areas not on track include improving the energy efficiency of building designs, developing clean and efficient district heating.

That's when you hit like a heat.

A neighborhood with one heating system phasing out coal powered generation.

That's a little behind.

Eliminating methane flaring, shifting aviation and shipping to cleaner fuels and making cement, chemical and steel production cleaner.

That's from CNBC.

Yes.

So the transportation sector doing well.

These other sectors, not so well.

Yeah, but it's encouraging because we live in a place where there's so much cynicism about EVs that it's always good to see these stories.

Yeah, that's great.

All right, we have several Tesla stories this week.

The first was, of course, they had AI day 2022, where they had a big presentation, basically a recruitment event.

They're trying to convince people to come work for Tesla and work on their artificial intelligence stuff.

They demonstrated the prototype of the Tesla bot.

I didn't watch the whole thing because it was like three or 4 hours long.

I watched a condensed 20 minutes version.

So the robot doesn't do that much.

So the stock market and casual observers were not for you.

Was the robot more human than Elon Musk? Yes, it was okay.

But I don't know if you had any thoughts about the Tesla bought.

I do, and I did watch a lot of it.

And I came away feeling pretty negative about Tesla and Musk and AI because there was nothing major announced.

The robots didn't impress a lot of people because who's the company? I can't remember.

The Boston Dynamics.

Boston Dynamics.

Who's been making those robots that flip and dance and they seem like years ahead.

They're not humanoid, but do we need what is the need of having a humanoid robot rather than.

Being creepy.

I don't care what the thing looks like that does my dishes.

It can look like a scorpion for all I care.

Just do my dishes, you stupid robot, and answer my door and brush my teeth.

Well, I think it's the same principle behind, like, what they're doing with selfdriving in the car.

Like, the idea behind the Tesla selfdriving car is to replicate the humans.

So humans drive with eyes in a brain.

So Tesla's taking that approach with their car cameras and a computer eyes and a brain in the car.

So my feeling would be that since the world is designed for humanoid form, that that's the most useful form for somebody who's going to do work.

Well, are you going to test an FSD Beta Tesla robot in your home and hope it doesn't break your dishwasher handle? Sure, if they want to send me one, I'll take the interesting thing is they think that one day they'll sell them for $20,000.

Seems low.

I don't know.

Does it? Brian, does the $35,000 model three seem low to you? That never happened.

It was sold for, like, a couple of weeks, I think.

Yeah, and very frustrating.

Why announce these things? You have to have faith in their AI software for cars.

We're not at that point yet.

We're having a lot of faith because things are dragging on so slowly.

It's just a super long process.

So this stuff is potentially decades away.

So what bothered me about the event was they invited all their Internet fanboys to it, so it became like a Tesla event.

Oh, you're God, present your genitals.

I wish to photograph them.

This is stupid.

I just hate that stuff.

But the whole point of the event was to recruit because they want to bring on people to recruit.

They need the best and AI people to develop this product.

It's a recruiting day, so why invite all the fanboys? I guess you get some free advertising that way.

But it just seemed I don't know, I'm pretty cynical about this, and I'm pretty cynical about Mr.

Musk, who has decided, apparently, to buy Twitter.

Yeah, it sounds like that's going through.

Yeah, and I'm not happy about that.

I'm not.

I'm not happy at all.

I mean, Twitter's not golden, but I need somewhere to go, Brian.

I can't go on Facebook.

It's not safe.

It's killing the world.

And now he's got to put what's his name back on there, the former POTUS.

And why am I going to hurricane have killed him? Why is it killing his people? See him floating away on a piece of rock anyway? I don't understand.

I'm worried.

I'm worried about the world.

And the world was quieter.

It was quieter without him on it, and now he's going to be on it and all these horrible voices of conspiracy and BS.

I don't know.

I'm not happy with Musk.

I mean, Musk is the guy I doubt for saving the world because he puts a cyber truck on stage, smashes the window, and suddenly Ford is releasing electric trucks a couple of years later.

Right.

I mean, they're in dealerships say they're at dealerships around our province, even a lot of them have moved here, I'm told.

But kudos to Ford for actually making some vehicles because the Amaqui is like, I think, the number two selling electric vehicle in North America.

No, there's actually some EVs in stock around us, and it's mostly like the Mustang and the F 150.

So, yeah, the needle has moved.

And I guess we're at 13%.

We're at a near time where they say they have the stock and they don't actually have it.

It's coming in.

It's like it's coming into somebody who's ordered it.

So unless somebody canceled their order and somebody did cancel their order for Chevy Bolt, but it was an older one and I didn't want to take it, people were pointing me towards that.

But yeah, I'm told there's a year wait list, but I mean, even that's not bad for a truck.

But I don't know.

Megapack is arriving in Hawaii, and I just wanted to mention this, mostly because we had reported on the final shipment of coal going to Hawaii a few weeks ago.

The last shipment of coal for their coal fired electricity plant, which they're going to close down.

Well, it turns out at pretty much the same time, a whole whack of Tesla Megapack batteries were delivered to Hawaii.

Hawaii's got an aggressive goal to get off fossil fuels.

I think they've got some time.

I think it was like 2045.

They're going to be 100% green.

I have a feeling they might be able to do it sooner than that.

But they have tons of solar.

Hawaii has the highest amount of solar deployed per capita, and they just need more batteries.

And they are on their way to 100% clean energy, which is great.

Yeah.

You don't hear about non Tesla companies making power packs.

I know they exist because they do exist.

Yeah, they're putting some up around us.

I don't know who's making them, though.

We don't hear about who's making them.

I don't know.

I mean, the main battery makers are probably making them, like LG and what's the other one? Panasonic? Yeah.

Or CATL.

Yeah.

I have heard other brands and their storage solutions, I just don't know off the top of my head.

Well, that's something to look forward to.

It's pretty cool that Hawaii can do that.

And most people disregard batteries.

I say this all the time.

They poopoo them like you can't power.

I know it seems far fetched because there's like thousands and tens of thousands and millions of little AA sized almost batteries, right? That power a grid.

Come on.

That's science fiction.

But they are doing it and it works.

And it meets the power fluctuations and saves them money.

Instantly saves the money.

If you're a casual observer, it probably seems absurd, but to the casual observer, I often hear hydrogen as the solution.

But solar wind and batteries, as we often say, that's all you need.

It is all you need.

Not for maybe airliners and stuff like that, but for a lot of things.

And the cybertruck musk has been talking about the cyber truck as well.

Yeah, I guess, prompted by the recent hurricanes and flooding in Florida, that the cyber truck will travel temporarily as a boat for approximately 1100ft.

Really? Yeah, it'll operate as a boat tweeted that's enough to get through a flooded underpass.

Yeah.

So we have seen this before, like with regular teslas and flooded underpasses that they can do fairly well getting through.

We did a guy in the EV association who flooded his car in saskatoon and other claims, big fat insurance claim, battery gone, ruined his battery.

So it's certainly and it's not an advertised feature, but this is now technically an advertised feature of the cyber truck that it can operate as a boat for a short period of time.

So presumably they're just thinking about this more.

I don't imagine they were thinking about it too much with the cars.

But now that they know that the cars are fairly waterproof, they've, I guess, done a little bit of extra work and, you know, cyber truck will float for a while.

Well, the rivian r 150 pickup truck, the all electric pickup truck from them, it was supposed to do a meter and a half of water, and they didn't say for how long, but they said anymore, and it floats.

So they didn't want it to float floating back.

Yeah, because then you lose control there.

Yeah.

Well, what do you do in the cyber truck? Do you take out a paddle? I mean, what do you do? I'm not sure, but they often show it with those big knobby tires.

So it's possible the big knobby tires would give you a little bit of traction and steering.

Give me the aqua tread when you're ordering tires, like summer all season and water.

Well, there was that water aqua car.

Somebody in town owns one from, like, in the 50s.

Somebody made a car that works in the car? Yes.

It's a convertible, right? Yeah, it's a convertible.

Somebody in town owns one and every once in a while drives it in our local lake, which is saying a lot.

You go down there, you're a dead person.

Because it's nasty water.

Yeah.

So it has technically been done before.

I don't know.

Maybe they could add a little propeller on the back of that because that's what the aqua car has, like the one from the 50s.

It has a little propeller at the back for one.

Floating in the car.

That would be an option, I suppose.

Maybe you could outboard it to your trailer hitch or something and just sort of put a propeller on back there.

Yeah, that would be great.

Well, I wanted to talk about it over small nuclear reactors because CBC had an article on it and there's been well, there's always lots of stuff, and I'm always reading from people.

I'm not against it.

It's just not realistic.

People love the new solutions.

We'll solve climate change with this.

This is great.

I saw a video on it.

I saw six videos on it.

It's great.

It's not great because they don't exist.

You can't go to Walmart and buy one.

You can go to Walmart and buy a solar panel.

You can go to Walmart and buy a battery.

You can go to Walmart and even buy a wind turbine in some stores.

Come on.

What we have is all we need.

And I'm not saying other things aren't good, but if they cost ten times as much for one unit of electricity, and if you don't need them, then why are you wasting your time on it? Because our government, another government, and the Ontario government as well, are investing, and they're going to waste all our money in these damn things, putting money into it, and it's also just delaying climate action.

Yeah.

So here's something.

This is Suzanne O'Donnell.

She is an adjunct professor at the University of New Brunswick and St.

Thomas University also works with a coalition for responsible energy development.

And she has been researching SMR specifically during the last two years.

And she was asked, what do you think of Saskatchewan and your province looking at building a small modular nuclear reactor? She says there's a huge leap she says diplomatically, there's a huge leap between having a design for an SMR and then getting to the point of having an engineer design where you can actually apply for a license to build one.

The most advanced design for an SMR in the US is called New Scale, and they've spent almost a billion dollars on the engineered design, and they just got a license to build it.

It's another huge leap between building a prototype that might actually work in a laboratory to getting one that actually commercially works in the real world.

Why then, she was asked, with four provinces be looking at them? And she says, I'd have to say that the decisions around SMRs, at the federal level and certainly at the provincial level, where they're all conservative provinces, are political decisions rather than based on science.

From reading peerreviewed science in three different countries, canada, the US.

And the UK.

It really doesn't make any economic sense.

However, what we have happening here is very, very powerful industry, the nuclear industry, that has a long history in Canada, and they have been lobbying like crazy to get these things off the ground, because unfortunately, nuclear power hasn't been very successful financially, especially lately.

So in New Brunswick, the Point La Puerto reactor has been a financial disaster for the province, has put US $3.6 billion in debt.

And that's what we have to look forward to in our province because of idiots.

I don't want any more debt.

I don't want to know we got enough debt.

My God.

But making stupid decisions because you want to put off the climate action and not make the woke left happy, then you gotta do what you gotta do and waste all taxpayers money and then you drive the provinces of the ground.

So I'm mad about that.

Mad, mad, mad.

So it's just bad.

I don't like it.

Okay, so I've got a story here from CP 24, which is a news outlet in the Toronto area of Canada.

I thought this, it reminded me of the Apple story that we mentioned a couple of days ago that Apple is working on software for their phones that will sort of calculate the cleanest time of the day to charge your phones.

I don't know, there's just a lot of activity around smartening up the grid.

And so what they're going to do in Ontario is pay some customers to run their air conditioning less as part of an investment in energy efficiency program.

So they're going to have networked smart thermostats in people's homes that can literally be controlled remotely by the power utility.

So when they have these days when the grid is strained and everybody's air conditioning is cranked up, if you've agreed to be part of this program, you have one of these smart meters, they're going to creep up the temperature in your house, take away some of your nice cooling airflow from your air conditioner.

And if you've got enough homes in this program and enough people willing to do it, and they will pay you to do it, like there's an incentive to do it, they'll give you some money for this.

They will just turn up your thermostat a couple of degrees and you'll use less electricity for your air conditioning.

And the more of these kind of smart grid strategies we can come up with, the more we can weather these coming storms of power supply as we kind of transition over into all clean energy.

Well, again, I'm surprised.

I'm surprised that Ontario is doing that.

And it's very interesting.

It would be interesting to see how it goes, what they learned from that.

It reminds me of the summer heat wave in California where they texted people or an emergency alert and they responded, and they responded in times when they turned down the power because they said, if you don't, then we're going to have a power outage.

I would rather have some power and maybe a couple of degrees warmer in my house than no power at all.

And that's another great tool to have.

But just imagine if somebody at the California Power Commission just has a switch where they can just turn up everybody's air conditioning.

Like just imagine how that would drop the power going to the grid, like instantly.

I'm not sure what some people would like the government coming to their homes.

But you get paid for it.

But you get paid for it, so you're compensated for it, that's the thing.

But this is kind of the future that when we talk about smart grids, we are also talking about homes where we can suck a little bit of juice out of your EV for ten minutes just to balance the grid.

And you get paid for that more than what it costs you to put it in.

So, yeah, there's all kinds of different things and if this is one of those methods, then cool.

No, and there was some progress on that in the US.

They introduced the Bidirectional Act, it was introduced in the US Senate to promote electric school buses feeding into the grid.

So I don't think this is all kind of fully plat passed or anything, but as they expand to electric school busses, they're trying to work this into the infrastructure where all of these school buses can feed into the grid.

So it's nice to have some actual legislation to support that.

Coming up in the show is the lightning Round, where we speed through the week's headlines in fast format.

Brian, I've got a surprise new segment for you this week.

What it's called? The Tweet of the week.

Oftentimes I see a great tweet that I'd like to highlight on the show.

Yeah.

This is until I leave Twitter next week, so it could be a very shortlived segment.

Here it is.

It says, you know, who isn't in denial about climate change? The entire insurance industry.

There will be entirely uninsurable areas of the populous places near coast sooner than you think.

This is from MMA, who works in the real estate industry and was reteeded by many of my climate follows on Twitter.

It's something I think about a lot in Florida, of course, top of mind because of the recent hurricane, but Florida, so many low lying areas in Florida and you just got to wonder when the real estate prices are going to hit the wall and people are going to have to retreat it.

That hasn't happened yet, as far as I know.

But, yeah, certainly I think there is already some places that are uninsurable in flood prone areas and the insurance industry doesn't mess around.

I know because my life insurance just went up last week, tripled for some reason, because they saw you eating a box of donuts and they're like, damn it, they heard me talking about Davidson Gas Station donuts and just bingo.

So my other tweet that I was considering has something to do with a politician down there saying, well, we will rebuild.

And the other person said, Why? Yeah, why would you rebuild a place that's destroyed by a hurricane? You think it's not going to happen again? I mean, these happening, they're happening more frequently and more importantly, more powerfully and slower moving and more damaging.

The same hurricanes because of climate change.

Brian, we got a whole host of feedback this week.

Sometimes the mailbag empty, dust bunnies fall out, nothing there, you know? And then sometimes it just rains, rains feedback.

So I wanted to dip into it.

Here's an email, says, hey, guys, big fan of the show from Martinsburg, West Virginia, USA.

Not all of us in mumf, Egypt, are as narrow minded as our former commander in Cheeto when it comes to the environment.

I can't swear on the show.

You see, if I swear on the show, I have to change it to explicit.

That's a whole lot of paperwork.

I can't do that.

So I just got an email from my power company asking if I was interested in enrolling in a new program they are starting up, which seems to be a solar collective.

Do you think these types of programs the page is very vague.

Have a place in the future for those who can't afford or non solar friendly areas like us? Cheers to here in Mendez.

Now, I looked at it and basically, if your household uses X amount of kilowatts per month, you pay extra to have solar, to have clean power.

Now, this is something that we did here 1215 years ago in my old house.

Yeah, I would pay for extra money for clean energy credits.

And we had wind back then and only when basically still do for the most part, and a small amount of wind.

And of course, they sold out.

So they stopped the program.

They couldn't do it anymore, or that was their excuse.

But you could pay a little bit extra on your power bill every month and know that you were getting clean power.

Right, but here's my point.

Clean power is cheaper than regular power.

Yeah, right.

And they want to charge you.

Shitloads, sir, I swore crap loads of money more.

It's like $40 a month extra just to have clean power, which is cheaper to them than it is the coal power or whatever.

Like in West Virginia, solar is going to be incredibly cheaper than coal.

It's displaced coal as the cheapest form of electricity by far.

So my question is, where will the solar facilities be located? So they plan to build, own and operate five solar facilities located within West Virginia on property owned by the power company or its affiliates.

They include a 26 acre reclaimed ash disposal site, a 51 acre adjacent to the power substation, 27 acres of retired ash disposal site.

This is all coal terminology that I'm not familiar with, even though we do have coal mines here.

So, yeah, they're reclaiming all this land from coal and putting solar panels on it and then charging people extra.

Do you have any thoughts on this? My thought is the typical.

It says for little $2 a month, but nobody uses 50 month.

And my garden shed used more than that.

You're more likely to spend over $40 a month to have clean electricity for that money.

I think there's places that will.

Sometimes if they let you put solar on your roof, you can lease solar for your roof and for like the same price as electricity, you're not paying anything extra.

And then eventually, I think you make extra money.

Yeah, it's going to be different.

In every province, state, every city, it's going to be different.

I know around here there is one or two solar cooperatives, and that's mainly for people who live in apartment buildings.

So you don't necessarily have access to a roof that you can put solar panels on.

So a bunch of people can get together and spend like, $100,000 on a solar farm somewhere.

And basically, you live in an apartment.

You can buy a share in that, and just everybody owns a piece of the action, and it feeds into the grid, and you get your benefit from your share of the thing.

Whether this particular one makes any sense, I don't know.

But certainly people should look into this wherever they live.

Well, shout out to Mornsburg, West Virginia.

And Mr.

Mendez.

Thanks for writing us.

We really appreciate it.

So here's another one.

Good evening, gentlemen.

My name is Landon Yereski, and I discovered your show earlier this year as listening material while taking our newborn for walks to fall asleep, which is interesting, Brian, because I always wonder what people do when they listen to our shows.

I remember my first podcast in the very early days of podcasting in the early 2000s.

Somebody said that they listened to me on the subway in Australia, and it blew my mind.

It's like, wow, there's somebody doing that to my little show.

Like, wow.

Yeah.

Community and of course is a popular thing, but taking your newborn out for walks to fall asleep, hadn't thought of that one, you know? By the way, I listen to podcasts to fall asleep when I want to have a nap sometimes.

Ours, it's not that they're boring.

The more interesting they are, the more I can focus my mind on something and then drift off.

Right.

They can't be too boring.

That works for me, too.

Yeah, it's got to be something to focus my mind.

So I have been listening weekly ever since.

He says the content is fantastic.

And given I also live in the same city you do, I find all the commentary very relatable.

Now he says I'm a business owner, and that piqued my interest, Brian.

So I Googled his name, and it came up with his LinkedIn page and found out that he owns my favorite pot shop, Wid w I ID it's actually on the other end of the city from me.

They have a great online portal, okay.

And they have a whole craft load of inventory of all kinds of different things.

And you can order it and pick it up in your leaf you're cartastic.

And little did I know that the pot shop that I've been supporting supports green energy.

That's great.

And we're always looking for sponsors.

Remember, everyone got free beer.

The first plug is free.

Brian made a joke.

Okay, so he's also a board member of the Saskatchewan Electric Vehicle Association, something I reference here a lot.

And he says, I love to use the insight on your show to help align my business with sustainable goals and get insight for the association.

A fellow board member recently sent me this article I thought would be a great discussion point on your show, and it is, from Airdry today.

Now, Airdri is a little city north of Calgary, the big mega city of Calgary, Alberta.

I wouldn't call it a mega city, but it's a big city.

Millions of people, he says a Rocky Mountain.

I think it's a great discussion that could be had regarding NIMBYism, which is I had to look that up.

Not in my backyard ism and fudd.

You want to explain what fudd is again? Fear, uncertainty and doubt.

That is things that people put around misinformation and bad information about new technologies to discourage either investment or adoption.

And especially in this changing world that people are uncomfortable with how fast things are changing.

The fact that that municipality rejected tens of millions in investment and permanent jobs due to false information is astounding.

Keep up the good work.

Now, the story is about somebody who wanted to pull up a charging station, much like we were talking about, because it's between two major cities, calgary and Emmetton.

Just like that corridor needs lots of charging with people going back and forth.

Ours does between Regina and Saskatoon.

And this town also ran into problems because they didn't want anything to do with the charging station.

Now they claim the problem with the charging station.

I'll read you an excerpt.

Okay, this is from the story objections raised because they wanted to put a solar installation with it, which is a business decision for them, because you supply electricity for someone, you want the cheapest electricity wholesale, right? That is what it is.

So you build a little solar farm for your charging station, for your highway supercharging station.

But the objections raised were more to do with the solar than the EV chargers.

Apparently.

He says objections raised included potential noise concerns with the cooling plant associated with the proposed solar farm, which is absurd.

A person's air conditioner in their home is less noisy than that, and it's certainly closer to people than that would be increased vehicular traffic on highway 72.

The solar farm would have increased traffic.

I guess people going to see the solar farm or people going to charge their EVs next one taking farmland out of production.

This is something that is coming up a lot lately, which is of course, crap.

If the farmer wants to take his damn farmland out of production, he can, or she can.

But you could also do mixed use.

Farmers don't use every square inch of their land.

Sometimes they have little bits of land that they mold with garden tractors that they could put up a huge installation on.

And some more speculative complaints about the potential radiation hazards of building such a facility in close proximity to people living in the area.

Rocky View, County Alberta you are officially the stupidest place on earth.

So is that like solar radiation? Like everyone's going to get a suntan? Is that what they're saying? If I knew, I'd be in pain.

You think you've heard it all? You think you've heard all the stupidest things that were people get passed around on Facebook.

It's just utter BS.

And by the way, whenever there's somebody like this, whenever there's people like this, they're always racist.

You know, if you're stupid in one way, you're probably a racist too.

So screw you.

Rocky View, County Alberta.

Get off the planet.

Go somewhere else.

Elon's, got a place for you on Mars.

Lots of radiation up there.

And Brian, I hope you're sitting down because we've got a rare voicemail click from our speak pipe page.

Can you believe it? What? I cannot believe it.

I thought that we should stop doing the speak pipe because nobody was calling.

Well, I crossed my mind too, but this is Sean in Ireland.

Hi.

It's Sean from Ireland.

Dublin, Ireland.

Just want to say we love the show, love listening to it every Wednesday when it comes out.

There is two big announcements in Ireland in the last few weeks regarding solar.

Is no planning permission needed.

Now, if you have solar panels on your roof before, if you wanted solar panels on your roof, you have to get planning permission.

And there's been houses where people put up solar panels didn't get planned permission.

The government made them take them down.

So now you don't need plan permission.

And also they've announced that they are going to give schools free solar panels so school supplies, and if they're suitable, they will get the price of the solar panels covered 100% by the government.

Thanks, that's fantastic.

I mean, that's crazy, right? Why isn't everybody doing that? We often ask questions like that.

Schools, perfect place for solar panels, but giving them to them and then what do they do with the savings? They can put more money to music programs and educating your damn children.

Yeah.

I will say the high school right next to me where I went to high school, they've actually had solar panels on their roof for about 20 years now.

And it was because I think some students and maybe a teacher or two were interested in the technology and they realized it was a good learning experience.

So it was about 20 years ago, so they would have been much lower powered solar panels.

But still, they've been generating power over there for 20 years and educating kids, and they could probably.

Look up the doohickies to see what the sun is doing and probably be aware that solar panels generate electricity and cloudy days, for example.

Yeah.

And so also, the other thing Sean brought up is we got to get rid of the red tape involved in installing solar clean energy of all kinds.

This is a climate emergency.

We got to move fast.

We got to make all this stuff as easy as possible.

Now, Sean, we're so thankful that we said that.

We would wish you a happy birthday on your birthday.

So let us know when your birthday is, and if not, happy birthday in advance.

Thank you, Sean.

Yeah.

I appreciate it.

It's lovely to hear your voice and we'd love to hear from you.

We're on TikTok for now.

Clean energy pod.

Is our handle there? Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for special features.

Leave us a voicemail like Sean did@speakpipe.com.

Cleanenergyshow.

It's time for the lightning round, Brian.

We have to whizz through this one quickly and it's a fat one, so it's going to be a challenge to get through.

This is a fast paced look at the week and clean energy news.

California becomes the first state to commit to ending the sale of polluting heaters.

All fossil fuel heaters are gone by 2030, not far from now.

Right, that's fantastic.

And California often sets the tone for the rest of the US on clean energy things, so hopefully other states follow suit.

Clean Energy canada predicts 1840 people will be employed in the Canadian EV industry by 20, 30, 26 times what there was in 2020.

And, you know, I think that number is more than the number of people in oil and gas.

So that's just EVs.

That's not clean energy in total.

Yeah, that's just EVs.

Time for a fast fact.

According to the IEA, the International Energy Agency the International Energy Agency, only 50% of the worldwide market is now using Led bulbs.

Outraged, are you? Wow.

Yeah, I mean, I guess that makes sense.

It does take a hell of a long time to change all the how many humans does it take to change all the light bulbs in the water? I could do them all.

I'll start tonight.

Come on, people.

Unscrew those stupid incandescent bulbs and put in an Led from your local dollar store because they're cheap.

And imagine how much energy will be saved once we do that.

Well, you know, those old bulbs don't last very long, so it's not going to take that long.

Would it last a year at best or something like that? It's not good.

The Nordstream Pipeline, which is the one that they claimed was bombed or sabotaged, it stopped leaking, but not before emitting the equivalent of what UK cars consume in a year.

And there are 1.8 million oil pipelines in the world, some of them apparently leak.

Yeah.

So this is the pipeline between Russia and Germany, which has been the site of much discussion and problems in the UK world.

But, yeah, this is a leaking and even just in your home, right? Like if you have a gas cooktop that can leak and release pollutants and ruin the air quality in your house and contribute to all these problems.

From Bloomberg.

The United States utility scale solar is now about one third cheaper than gas fired power.

Wow.

Well, onshore wind is 44% less expensive than gas fired.

This is onshore wind, which is notoriously more expensive than offshore wind.

So solar and wind now present a deflationary opportunity for electric supply costs.

Deflation something I like to hear.

Let's hope the inflation rates come down.

You know, I watched this video by an engineer, a wind engineer, talking about how big can wind turbines get offline? I love that topic.

It's very in depth, but apparently there's a cost of the machine returns.

But I might get to that in a bit.

We'll see.

Another fast fact in 2022 and 600 million people in Africa still don't have access to electricity.

And I can go to the hardware store and buy a solar panel and power my camper and lights and stuff and phones.

Much of those without power are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.

Research suggests that covering all of California's canals, which span roughly 4000 miles with solar panels could save up to 63 billion gallons of water.

That's just putting them people say there's no place to put solar panels.

You take up farmland, put them on the damn canals, safe water, billions of gallons of water.

And I believe they have started at least one pilot project.

So that's what it would look like if they did it all.

That's amazing.

Yes.

And there's even some going on in Europe.

And they said if you did that, you'd have like 13 nuclear reactors worth of peak output.

So that's pretty cool.

The two Chevy bulk variants set a quarterly sales record at 14, 700.

GM says it will increase global production.

This is interesting to me.

So I'm following it to more than 70,000 units for the 2023 calendar year, which is almost double if it's 44,000 this year.

So they're selling all the damn things and they've got to make more.

Yeah, and presumably they've ramped up their battery supply, which is the other thing.

So they presumably have enough batteries to do that, which is great.

And for the regional leader, Post, our local newspaper, we have an oil ban.

New York follows California in banning the sale of gas cars by 2035.

That legislation is moving forward.

So good to hear.

World's largest wind solar hybrid complex.

This is wind and solar in one piece of land is now 600.

It goes online in India.

It's the largest hybrid complex.

Fairly big.

Toyota president calls meeting California zero mission requirements difficult, even though in 2035, you can still have 20% of your new car sales from your company be long range PHEVs plug in hybrids.

Yeah, well, it's not like Toyota is like a world leader in making cars or anything.

No, I don't know how they could possibly do it.

They don't want to.

Tesla Giga, Nevada to receive recycled battery materials from Redwoods closed loop campus.

That means, Brian, you could buy a Tesla and people say, oh, where did that battery come from? It was mine.

While some of it might be recycled now already, and that's going to weigh go up in the future as more that's great.

Yes, redwood is one of the big players in battery recycling started by one of the founders of Tesla.

But, yeah, we were always worried about not having enough supply of batteries to recycle.

But it's slow, but sure it'll come.

It'll be a closed loop system one day.

The Harris Ranch Tesla supercharger in California, that is the big one, the first one actually ever, and it's between San Francisco and Los Angeles, will have a 25 megawatt of solar installed.

That is two, five times the solar farms they're putting in Saskatchewan.

Okay, just for reference, at a very rural part of the I 500 stalls, that's 100 stalls, including some for towing.

They're going to have some stalls.

People are calling for that now that the trucks are out.

So it's a halfway mark between La.

And the Bay Area.

So, yeah, cool.

The EPA is doubling money for electric school buses, which you mentioned earlier due to overwhelming demand from all 50 states.

Yeah, so the 50 states asked for money, and it was way more than they expected them to ask for.

The state, the people, the school boards, the people, they want electric school buses, and they should because diesel bad for kids.

Currently, only 1% of the country school buses are at electric.

And you know what? I'm a little surprised that it's even 1% more than maybe I would have thought.

And Brian, finally this week I'm going to end on good news from Asad Razuk, which I sometimes do, and good news on the climate fight that we could all use this week, ireland to put solar panels on every school.

Okay, our caller already covered that.

James, you didn't need to put that there, but we broke that news.

India to go 50% renewables by 2030.

Some more Indian news.

We have listeners in India, so they're going to go 50% renewables.

That's not bad for a country that said that maybe we can't because we want the middle class to expand and you guys have already had for 100 years, and we're a huge country, but, you know, things may be starting to move along there.

That's great.

That's our time for this week.

Remember, clean energy show@gmail.com.

We really appreciate you listening.

Please subscribe to the show.

So you get our shows every week.

And we'll see you again next time.

Next week.

See you next week.

Close Video.

View Details

Al Gore correctly calls the World Bank president a climate denier. California the latest state to allow human composting. Ford is moving to a direct sales model for EVs that will eliminate dealer markups. The Fully Charged Live event is coming to Canada. Reducing costs in massive solar farms goes beyond the cost of the panels themselves.

We get a letter from Denmark and here is the link we talk about:
https://dk.karnfull.com/

General Motors Co (GM.N) said on Tuesday it backed establishing tougher federal emissions standards to help ensure at least 50% of new vehicles sold by 2030 are zero-emission. This may be meant to harm Japanese auto companies who are way behind.

The founder and owner of the outdoor apparel brand Patagonia, Yvon Chouinard, has given his US$3-billion company away to a specially-designed trust, ensuring all profits—in perpetuity—are used to fight climate change and preserve wild spaces.

Gas stoves can release hazardous air pollutants while they’re operating, and even when they’re turned off, according to a new study.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Tell your friends about us on social media!

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to episode 132 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week, Tesla's boring AI team members from its autopilot program to work on the humanoid robot.

I predict a lot of broken dishes.

Ford is moving to a direct sales model for EVs that will eliminate dealer markups.

But dealers are skeptical and are rapidly researching alternative ways to antagonize and anger their customers.

GM is pushing electric vehicles and American football fans.

What's next? Low fat nacho cheese? The fully charged live event is coming to Canada.

As Canada's foremost clean energy podcast, I propose that James and I be invited to participate.

I could hook the panel while James could do crowd control and some light housekeeping.

What all that? More this edition of the Clean Energy show.

And also Brian on this week's show.

Reducing costs and massive solar farms goes beyond the panels.

And California will allow human composting in 2027.

I'm way ahead of you, California.

I'm studying a compost myself internally.

I had a bad week.

Feeling sick.

Yeah, well, I know you told me you had some type of terrible stomach flu, and you're definitely looking better, and I hope that you're better.

I just don't want to hear too much about this.

okay.

Let's just say I said to my ask this morning, can you do me a solid? And it did.

That's all.

Everything worked out.

Yes.

I don't know where it came from because you know, I never leave home.

You never leave the house and no one brought it home, no one else was sick.

So where the hell did this come from? But it just goes to show you how you could have gotten covered under the same situation too.

From what, though? The neighborhood cat.

Do I pet thing in the yard? Other people come in and out of your house.

You know them as your family.

Well, I do, but it's an awful thing.

And I'm one of these people who has a phobia of being sick, as you know.

I don't know if it's a terrible phobia, but I really hate being sick and I don't do it.

Ask any of my family members.

Like, I'm the worst patient in the house.

I'm just kill me.

Yeah.

So my wife is of course, as a rock, she burst children.

Something I couldn't do if I wanted to.

It's just aying I can't handle being sick.

I'm just not good at it.

I'm sorry.

I'm just glad it's over.

And I don't want Covent.

Yeah.

I really don't want coven.

So far, so good.

So far so good.

What's new with you around this house here? It seems like this often happens when we're recording the podcast, but you may hear some banging and crashing in the background because you're like working brown.

You're always getting your house renovated constantly.

That's right, yeah.

What was the name of that guy? I can't remember.

Is that like Sheldon? Or something? No, I don't think Oswald or he had a good name, but he was Peter Albert.

I don't know.

Yes.

So the kitchen half of my vaulted ceiling has now been spray foam, and the drywall guys are there already to fill it in.

So we're half done, and once that's done, we open up the other half and do that.

So I'm going to have a freshly spray foam ceiling, and I'm real excited about that.

Well, I don't know why you don't have a live microphone in your kitchen.

That's what I would do.

Yeah, I know that's what you would do, but I prefer podcasts to have that studio sound without well, I just want to check in on them to hear if there's any sound.

It's interesting.

Something like that weird sounds would be nice.

And then the other thing was so I bought a brace for my back.

I was having back troubles.

You bought a back brace? Yeah, it's a shocking news.

It's like a belt thing that sort of just tightens up and supports your spine when your spine is feeling weak.

And then I know you had this horrible stomach flu this week.

So my new idea for the podcast is these are our sponsorship possibilities, James, like all of our old man health problems.

So this brace is from a company called Braceability, and they're not a sponsor? They are now.

But hey, if they want to sponsor us, I could be a spokesperson for this product.

I thought it was really great.

Does it work? Yeah, it totally works.

This is your future commercials on Fox News.

And it's better to have on hand now.

Like, I needed it sooner than I got it, but for the next time this happens to my back, I'll be able to I think when it happens yeah, it'll be able to move around sooner if I have this brace.

And what does it do exactly? You put it in your lower spine, and it's like having a lumbar support.

Like, I realized that when I drive a car, I have an extra lumbar support pillow in the car, like the one in the built into the seat is not enough.

So when I'm sitting in a chair, I need a lumbar support.

And I just thought to myself, hey, well, I need a lumbar support while I'm standing up.

Surely there's a product like that.

And I just started researching it and yeah, you get these lower back braces, and it's like an artificial spine on the outside of your body.

Now you're endorsing it.

And if you're not from North America or younger than us, which most people are, by the way, shit.

Murphy Brown was a TV show in the 80s, early 90s, maybe 80s.

National news anchor.

Was it Elden? Eldon.

Eldon.

Very good.

That was the guy's name.

Give it some time and those old brain cells, with the help of a back brace, will kick in and you can help your brain cells with this new product.

See, that's how it works.

Oh, my gosh, you're such a good spokesperson.

I would have you endure.

I would listen to that old man sitting in front of a couch in the fireplace recommending something to me.

The car hunt continues on my end.

A couple of interesting developments on Front when I found out the Prius is coming out with a new plugin prime that is through spy websites and rumor websites.

Could be 100 kilometer range, which would be interesting.

However, it's too little, too late, right? I mean, I want a freaking EV.

My partner wants an EV.

I don't want to get an oil change again.

That would do me, and I wouldn't have to worry about charging infrastructure for the next few years.

Not that that's a terrible issue, but the infrastructure is there.

It's just not working, essentially, and just the inconvenience of it taking slow speeds.

But the Equinox, as we mentioned last week, from Chevy, which is a small SUV, they have the gas version of it with a very popular vehicle, and now they're having an electric version of it, as well as the what is it? The Blazer.

Chevy Blazer, as well as silverado pickup truck.

Anyway, the Canadian, where we live of pricing is $34,400 for the Equinox.

For the Equinox, which is a small that's really good SUV.

The bolt is a hatchback, which I'm shopping for, maybe would have probably bought if there was one on the lawn, but I can't because there's not one on the lawn, and it's a lottery shoot to try and get one crap shoot.

But the bolt sells for 38 for something like that.

Yeah, and it's not the Equinox.

It's a small car.

They should be marking those down, but they're not.

And they have in the States that would explain the $6,000 reduction in the States, something like that.

So they said, Canada, we're not going to do it because we don't need to, because we don't sell any there because the demand is too high.

There's no competition.

So screw you, Canada.

This tells me not to buy a bolt.

I'd be stupid to buy a bolt, especially at the current price, because let's say I buy one, and a year from now, people are starting to buy a $34,000 car that's less and better, and they're going to have to lower the price of the bolt.

Absolutely.

They're going to have to 8000 less.

It's going to probably have to be $8,000.

It's a real conundrum.

And ideally, you would like to buy a car now, not a year from now or two years from now.

Ideally, yes.

The Prius is still fine, but right now, the Prius has an incredible resale value, and that's what I was hoping to take advantage of and get into the game.

But you know what? At the price of $34,000, it doesn't matter so much what my resale value of the Prius is I could go and buy that car.

Yeah, that's because it's about the same price as the Prius if you factor in the gas savings over four or five years at most.

And that's normal gas prices, by the way, not the ones that we have now or had had recently.

There was a thing going around the Internet that everybody was sharing saying the Saskatchewan, our province in Canada, which is a prairie province with oil and lots of mineral resources and potash and stuff like that, and farming would be a perfect place for battery minerals for manufacture, bringing it to Canada, because there was an article about that and everybody's talking about it.

And I have this contention that is a problem with our province, that is that our grid is very dirty.

It's 45% coal, and they're cleaning up very slowly with very small solar projects and small wind projects.

My thinking is that a lot of these companies who want to buy minerals and build batteries want them clean.

Why do it with a dirty grid? So our province, in being backwards and trying to cling onto fossil fuels, a jurisdiction there's many of around the world, including the United States, in parts of the United States that you're not going to be competitive.

Why would we go to A, the dirty one that has a larger carbon footprint for a battery that we make in your place, then B, that has a clean grid, and 80% of the Canadian electrical grid is clean because of all the hydro, especially in Quebec and BC.

Right? Yeah.

So I think it's a competitive disadvantage for us to drag our feet and few people talk about that stuff.

It makes me mad.

Yeah.

And if you're sourcing minerals for batteries and you have a choice between a place that can source them more cleanly, you're obviously going to go for the more clean source.

And speaking of our province, which I vow that I'm going to do less of because nobody knows what we are, our power utility, South Power, which is a government owned utility, has identified two places to put small modular nuclear reactors.

Now, small modular nuclear reactors is something that you claim to study if you want to put off fighting climate change.

You claim that now we can only use these technologies and they're not ready yet.

So they'll decide on this in 2029.

But right now to warm us up and claim that they're doing something so they can continue mining fossil fuels and grease up their buddies on the golf course.

Estevan and Elbow, there's two predominant winds where we live in our city, and it's both downwind from those two places.

For what it's worth, I'm just putting it out there.

Radiation travels, Brian.

And I just want to point out that there is a town in our province called Elbow.

There's a town called Climax.

Name me some weird Saskatchewan towns.

Virginia rhymes with fun.

As Mick Jagger once said, there's one called Kipling, which is the only town in the world named after Rudyard Kipling, the famous author of The Jungle Book.

Oh, really? That's what he's named after? That's what they named him after.

How does that happen? The town of Kipling? I don't know.

I like this book.

So we're going to name it Kipling? Yeah.

There you go.

That's the town where the paperclip story went.

Yeah, the red paperclip story.

Look it up if you want a boring story about the Internet.

And Corbin Bernstein made a movie there, too.

Why? Because it was famous for a day.

It's a long story, but I don't know.

I was once in a movie with Corbin Bernsen.

We were eating services together.

Yeah.

Did you have any lines in that movie? I had lots of lines.

I was quite nervous about the amount of lines I had.

Like acting with carbon.

Bernson no, but I was acting with someone else and I can't remember his name.

I'm sick.

Okay.

I've got a bit of a fever.

Yes, somebody famous.

It was somebody famous.

It is somebody famous.

So probably know you know who Corbin Bernstein is.

We have to stop making old man references.

Brian it's just Murphy Brown and now all that was a TV show called La Law.

Yeah.

See, this is all going to be in the transcript and people are going to search this and they're going to be linked to us.

This podcast talks about Ally Long, corbin Burns, corbin of your'listing if you looked up your own name because you're unemployed between shoots.

Hello.

What's? The podcast? Yeah.

Ate a lot of that rice pudding.

That's all I'm going to say.

You went to town on it.

Let's get on with some updates to surpass stories that I want to start with this because I have a clip about.

We've talked a lot about Beyond Meat, the fake meat, and how it's going to clean up the world.

And I'll tell you why later, because regular beef has a lot of carbon emissions, which I'll get to later.

But in Arkansas, plant based company Beyond Meat COO.

Was arrested for biting a man's nose.

Well, of course he did give the guy a Slim Jim before he kills again.

Apparently it was a road rage confrontation in a parking garage.

And when police arrived, they found two males with bloody faces at the scenes, which Ramsay said, actually, it's beet juice.

It tricks your brain.

You're just thinking you're eating real nose.

Yeah.

So that has taken a dark turn.

The view on meat story, brian well, I mean, how could you not make jokes about that? It writes itself.

Because I mentioned it last week and it's kind of weird that I mentioned it last week.

And then this happened in real life.

I was talking about pipeline inspection planes and I happened to reference a 2013 fatality crash and it actually happened between the last week's show and this week's show, it actually happened right here in Saskatchewan.

Like another crash? Another crash with two fatalities, two people on board.

It was near Swift current.

The federal agency, the transportation agency in Canada confirmed that a pipeline inspection flight crashed 11 km southwest of Sean of in Saskatchewan, the town of 1700 people, 350 km southwest of Virginia, where Brian and I are podcasting from.

And that took off from South Korea on Sunday morning, headed to Esteban, which is about 400 drive away by car.

I don't know how much that is in miles exactly.

So nobody knows why, but that actually it's just weird that I would talk about it and then the freaking happened.

Now I can't talk about anything.

I don't want to talk about anything.

Vladimir Putin died by apple choking.

Why doesn't that happen? You heard it here first.

Why doesn't that happen? Jeez.

It's an unfortunate thing and I was really pumped last week to talk about Bloomberg opinion piece on how the supply chain for solar to reach in that zero world.

What we determine, the amount of solar we need for a net zero world is already being built.

Because I thought it was surprising and so did they.

The people at Bloomberg think it was surprising and inspiring piece.

So if you look at the current prices of volatile commodities, they say you won't understand the direction of investment, which is the important thing, is what people are investing in, where the action is, what's actually happening.

People talk about, well, gas is up, so oil is good, solar is up, so that's bad because there's a big demand and supply chain shortages for different things in clean energy as well.

But the direction of investment is insane.

We talk about battery factories, gigafactories almost daily, maybe even daily.

Such spending is a forecast made flesh.

They write a bet on the direction of future demand, taking the physical form of property, plant and equipment.

But anyway, I just thought it was interesting that solar as a whole generates like 20% of the time.

So if you have the equivalent of a nuclear power plant, it's only actually going to be 20% if you look at the rating of those two things.

But the nuclear power plant generates like 80, 90% capacity because they have downtime.

So yeah, it's not an entire comparison like that, but 940 gigs of connected panels would be sufficient to supply about 5.8% of the world's current electricity demand and then another 5.8% every year.

But this is what they're going to be manufacturing soon, is that 5.8% and that amount of gigawatts.

But what I didn't mention was the equivalent of adding the generation of all the world's nuclear power plants every 20 months, which is incredible.

In solar, I'm not talking about the maximum output, I'm talking about the actual output of 20% of the solar max.

And keeping in mind, if you did have to double the number of nuclear power plants that exist in the world.

It would take like, 20 years at least.

Yeah, that's optimistic even.

That's if we started today.

Right.

I mean, it's crazy.

Yes.

I was listening to the Energy media podcast from Mark and Hispan.

They were talking about these kinds of issues and an important point that people aren't quite wrapping their brains around, because we're used to energy scarcity, and as we use up the oil reserves around the world, the price goes up because these things get harder to get and it gets more scarce and the prices go up.

But the exact opposite thing is happening in clean energy.

Abundance is every time we build a solar panel, we're creating more abundance, and so the price trends down and not up.

And it's just something that people are just not used to.

They're not used to it, and they just can't wrap their heads around it.

I wanted to start this week with a bit of breaking news, if there is such a thing in the podcast world.

By the way, I've never listened to a true crime podcast before.

Have you? Yeah.

Yes, a couple.

Well, I listened to Cereal because it was in the news, because they exonerated the person or person that got released.

So I listened to it and it's exactly the same as the Hulu show.

The music is almost identical.

It's almost like a ripoff of the actual theme of Cereal.

They didn't even try not to exactly duplicate it.

You're talking about only murders in the building.

Only murders in the building, yeah, only murders in the building.

They drew heavily from cereal.

Yes.

And the woman does sound exactly like Tina Fey, which is kind of like the replacement for Cereal, the big podcast.

If I told you she was Tina Fey, you would believe me.

You didn't know better.

Right? It's just kind of hilarious.

Anyway, today at an event hosted by The New York Times, al Gore claimed the World Bank president is a climate denier.

Later, on the same stage, the World Bank president, David Malpass, was asked by The New York Times climate reporter David Gals if he believed in the scientific consensus that the man made burning of fossil fuels is rapidly and dangerously warming the planet.

Here is the painful clip of that.

I also want to give you one more chance to directly address former Vice President Gore's claim that he made on this stage that you were a climate denier.

His words so very odd.

I've never met him.

He's not involved in the efforts that we're doing.

He may present as a climate person.

I don't know what impact that's having.

Okay, let me just be as clear as I can.

Do you accept the scientific consensus that the manmade burning of fossil fuels is rapidly and dangerously warming the planet? I don't know if everyone wants to comment on that.

What we are doing is having impactful projects that reduce will you answer the question? We have a mission of a World Bank that's powerful.

Will you answer the question? I don't even know.

I'm not a scientist.

What a douchebag, if I may say so.

Yeah, well, I mean, he's not a scientist, but that's hardly I can't comment on it.

I'm not a scientist.

You're not a scientist.

So we should erase all the episodes of our podcast because we're not scientists.

I guess so.

I'll get out the magnetizer for our younger listeners.

Audio used to be recorded on magnetic tape, which you could erase with a magnet.

What? That's crazy talk.

I don't know what you're talking about.

How do you erase audio with a magnet? Brian? You truly are not a scientist.

I have a bulk tape eraser in this room.

Well, it's a good thing you didn't turn it on with my magnetic head, because my head is mostly metal now.

So yeah, I guess the answer to that is yes.

The World Bank president is a climate change denier.

This is a clean energy show with Brian Stockton and James Whittingham.

GM is looking to football to capture a broad consumer base and bring all of its nearly 30 US dealerships on board to sell EVs for the Equinox.

Chevy is banking on a 300 miles full charge as the pivot point for consumer appeal and for football's fascination with commercials to open the door so EV cynics might take a second look.

And I was actually watching football on the weekend and saw these commercials and said, Dang, I want one of those.

The GM estimated up to 300 miles range on full charge and a starting price around $30,000.

It's everything you want in an electric SUV.

Chevy equinox.

EV.

Finally, an EV for everyone.

I mean, that's true.

It is an EV for everyone.

Yeah, because it is the form factor that people buy the most after trucks, I guess.

It is a very popular size.

You can't say it's small, you can't say it's expensive.

EVs are too expensive because it's only 30 grand in the States.

And they're telling you that in the commercial.

That's 35 grand less than the model one.

How many are they going to make and when is it for sale? It's for sale starting in a year.

Production as any EV will ramp up slowly, perhaps faster than Tesla.

Because they are a more established manufacturer.

They know what they're doing.

These are going to be made in Mexico.

They say they have enough batteries for a while.

For a long time, actually, for 30 grand, though it's hard to argue that it's half the car of the Tesla.

Tesla's going to have to, once they do make these, and it'll be two years from now before they're up to full, let's face it.

But once that happens, they're making the Blazer, they're making the Equinox, they're selling them at prices that people can afford.

EV.

Adoption acceptance has moved a bit further down the road.

A year from now, Tesla is going to have to lower their prices.

I mean, they're a bit high now.

Oh, yeah, they're definitely high.

But they still have a backlog of orders, so they don't have to lower prices anytime soon.

But this is what we've been waiting for.

This is all good news.

I mean more available.

This is what the world needs.

And Hurt is going to buy a bunch of them.

Yeah, this is sort of an addendum to that story.

Hertz had previously ordered 100,000 teslas.

That was supposed to be by the end of 2022.

I'm not sure if they're on track for that, but they are now going to add 175,000 EVs from General Motors.

This is from different brands of General Motors.

So this would include Chevy, Buick, GMC, Cadillac Bright Drop, which I think are those vans? So this will take a while.

But this will also impact you again, because if you want one of these yeah, I was thinking about Chevy Equinoxes.

It could be that Hurts is in line in front of you.

We're still going to have these supply and demand problems for a long time to come.

We learned a bit about on a previous episode a few months back about how this works.

Usually an automaker gives a huge discount to these types of rental car companies for buying huge volumes of cars.

And then the point where it becomes profitable to resell it is actually very quick.

It's under six months, sometimes three months.

So they very quickly resell these cars because they got them at a price that makes a profit to sell them already because of the discount.

Right.

And then they always have new cars in stock to rent.

Right.

So they find the sweet spot where it's the most profitable and you're selling a practically brand new car that's three months old or whatever.

Lots of kilometers, perhaps.

Perhaps not depending on how it's used, but yeah.

And then they make profit off it.

Now.

Tesla notoriously did not give one penny discount.

Elon Musk said yes because they didn't need to and they couldn't make the cars any faster than they're making them.

So why give a discount if you have too many orders to fill? Anyway another thing is fully charged is coming to Canada.

If you don't know, this is primarily a YouTube channel hosted by Robert Lueellan.

Probably the premiere clean energy and electric car channel on YouTube.

Fully charged.

And they've done live events in the UK.

Before.

And they've done two live events in the US.

In Austin, Texas.

And then the most recent one was San Diego, which just finished.

I'd kind of been hoping that you and I might get down there for that one.

But we didn't.

But now it's coming to Canada a year from now, in 2023, the fully charged live show So I thought that was a super fun announcement.

They cited several reasons for coming to Canada.

I think the main one, though, is that BC Hydro, the electric utility, seemed to have offered them a large sponsorship.

So they seem to be the primary entity that's inviting Fully Charged to come and do this live show in BC.

So BC Hydro, the province of British Columbia, 98%, clean grid, mostly from hydroelectricity.

And so they're very interested in clean energy.

And they, I guess, are fans of the Fully Charged channel.

So they decided to invite them to Vancouver.

So this is September 2023, and if anyone from Fully Charged his listing, please invite James and I to come.

We'd love to come.

I think we should get our fans to lobby for us to be there.

Yes.

So, yeah, send emails.

Both knock on Robert Lola's door if you know where he lives.

Three in the morning, you want to make sure you got his attention.

So don't do it during daylight hours.

Yeah.

Sorry, Robert.

So, yeah, I think that's going to be a lot of fun.

So this is kind of a large sort of trade show and gathering of clean energy enthusiasts and electric car enthusiasts.

So there'll be lots of panels and discussions and places where you can go and look at electric cars and presumably, like home heating stuff.

They're very big on heat pumps in British Columbia.

They're somewhat milder climate for Canada.

So heat pumps makes perfect sense for British Columbia.

And BC Hydro has sort of subsidies and programs to help people buy heat pumps.

So, yeah, I think that's going to be a lot of fun.

So you anticipate us being there, don't you? Yeah, I think we should totally go.

Well, I'm going to have to start a go.

Fund me then, like right now.

Well, I can drive you in the Tesla.

I can pay for the charging.

That'll be the place where I get covert.

But if I got covert somewhere you got covert at a conference.

Yeah.

So maybe I would too.

Well, this will be at the Vancouver Convention Center, which is a big, nice open area kind of place.

We should also say that it's Canada in the Pacific Northwest, that they're kind of making it kind of for the whole region up there because it is a long way to go down to San Diego and Austin for us.

Yes.

But this is very close to Seattle is the American city just across the border.

So this is definitely the Seattle Vancouver area.

And I think that's going to be great.

You can buy tickets now.

They're about $75 for the weekend for the three day thing.

You can also get sponsorships and you could sponsor the event.

You can set up a stand there as well.

So we should do that, I don't know, just a tiny little 1 m² booth.

We have a little table and we can sell podcasts on cassette tapes or something.

Sure, get your podcast.

Here, 50 USB drives or something.

Okay.

And sticking to EV news for a second here, ford is looking to change up their dealer model going forward under EV.

So they're trying to split their business into kind of three sections at Ford.

And Model E is going to be the electric division.

Then there's going to be Ford Pro that handles commercial vehicles, and Ford Blue Oval, which will be their legacy internal combustion thing.

But anyway, so they're trying to revamp the model for their dealerships.

They want to keep the dealerships, but they need to change things up in order to be competitive in the 21st century.

So it's going to go to more of a direct selling model, like with Tesla.

And so the dealers are going to have to choose, much like General Motors is doing this as well.

You got to choose to be into the program with Model E, and it will cost the dealer some money to kind of set themselves up for that.

But it seems like a good strategy.

There needs to be a rethinking of the dealership model, especially if you're trying to compete in the new world of EVs.

But also, nobody really likes haggling for prices at dealerships.

It's the worst thing in the world.

So this would set a set price for their cars going forward.

Everybody pays the same price.

Haggling at a dealership is the worst thing in the world.

It is for everyone because we have one Toyota dealership here, so I couldn't walk elsewhere.

I'd have to go quite a ways, actually.

I'd have to go hours away.

Well, 1 hour away.

But that dealership was owned by the same company.

But with Chevy, there's one on every street corner.

There's a Chevy dealership in every 200 person town, pretty much.

And it's weird how it sort of developed this way because we are not a haggling culture.

Like, we don't typically haggle for prices in Canada.

You just walk into a store and you pay the price.

It's a common thing in other places sometimes to haggle, but for some reason, it's only cars, and it's an expensive thing.

So if you do it badly, it costs you a lot of money.

Yeah.

And culturally in North America, the man of the household goes and does the dirty deed and then brags to his friends.

Right? Yeah.

And if you don't, then you're not a man.

You're a terrible human being.

A failure.

Yeah.

I hated it.

I did enjoy the experience of buying a Tesla online, which you do online.

You put the deposit down with the credit card.

I will say there was more human interaction than I expected, because when you're exchanging a large amount of money like that, you still need to talk to a human.

So I had to talk to the Tesla place in Calgary, which was the closest at the time.

And then we had to do a wire transfer for the final payment for the car, which was kind of nerve racking because it's a large amount of money.

And somebody at the bank said this is really important that you get every digit right or anything.

Like your money could just go off into the ether, I think a lot of money.

I spent ten grand to Montreal for my leaf.

I felt that experience and I was like I didn't hear back.

I was like, yeah.

And then the bank people spent an hour and a half walking in the back room trying to complete it.

And the manager came out, the janitor came in and was offering his two bits and it was like tense.

It was terrible.

And then ultimately the other thing this is weird about this, and I know this through just sort of online banking transfers and stuff, for some reason these take a couple of days.

Even though it's electronic, it takes a couple of days.

So I had to send a screenshot of the wire transfer to the Tesla people in Calgary because they wanted to release the car.

Like they had a truck leaving to deliver it.

And they're like, we got to release the car, so send us a screenshot to prove that you sent the wire transfer because they hadn't gotten it yet and they had to send the car.

I mean, they didn't have to, but they sent the car on its way before they actually got the money.

I wouldn't even think it would haggle me, I don't think, if I didn't read online that the average haggle price down for this particular model in your region is this much money.

One $700.

And I thought to leave $1700 table.

Who am I? And there's more resources now on the internet for us for that kind of information.

But it doesn't really make it easier.

It just makes it more because now you feel the pressure.

You know what you have to do.

And they know that, you know you have to do it anyway.

San Rafael, California based ojo.

This is a company that makes solar mounting hardware for solar farms.

They have a new way to mount solar panels.

And the reason why I mentioned this is because we always talk about the reduction of costs and the efficiency increases of the panels themselves.

Well, there's other stuff involved.

There's hardware.

And if you can get that down in price over and you're putting on literally millions of panels and then you reduce the cost of the things that hold those panels up, that's a lot of money.

So they're talking about using 50% less steel and labor, because labor is an issue too here, than the conventional pile system, which is what we saw at the solar farm here.

So the Earth trash combines it's patented hardware with a drilling machine.

They have their own drilling machine, specialized drilling machine.

And basically they have two piles that go in and form a a shape.

And at the top of that, a shape mounts onto the pivot of the solar array that holds up panels, and neither tilts or is steady, so it's just 50% less steel.

They're always coming up with new things to bring down those costs.

And when you bring them down, then the cost of solar electricity, period, becomes less.

Yeah, it's crazy.

And they're doing that.

They're also improving panels, too.

So that's happening.

Yeah.

All those efficiencies in whatever business make a huge like, I'm staring at a box of Apple MacBook Pro boxes that I've bought over the years.

And even though the laptops often get bigger, the packaging gets smaller.

And it's because, like, every millimeter that they can decrease the size of the boxes the more they save money.

First of all, people want less packaging, but the smaller the package, the more you can put in a truck or on a ship.

Every little bit counts.

All right, coming up with the show so Lady Randall breeze through the latest of the week's clean energy Headline news, and we have some feedback this week.

Let's dip into the mail bag.

It says, Hi, I'm a big fan from Denmark, embracing green energy, driving to Tesla.

They have solar panels on the roof and an air to air heat pump to keep the house warm.

So going all electric.

I enjoy listening to your program.

I think it is great what you do to enlighten people on the progress on clean energy and also in a fun way.

Thanks a lot.

He says, thank you, God.

It always boosts our wind in ourselves when we hear nice letters like that.

And he says, I just wanted to share with you how far we are here in Denmark and Europe.

The electricity prices are going up and down like crazy.

Here in Europe, the price varies from hour to hour, but the price is determined by the most expensive source, which is usually gas and coal.

Interesting.

I won't read you the whole letter, but I'll read you parts of it.

Many homes have variable price contracts with their provider, which you could choose freely.

You can even choose Swedish nuclear if you want.

And in Denmark, we have no nuclear power, but a lot of wind turbines that produce around 45% of our electricity on average.

And on windy days like today, when he was writing this letter, it was 120% was coming from wind.

So that means that they exported their energy to the neighbors, and the price goes down.

And sometimes it's negative.

Already we're seeing negative prices.

I can't get over that.

So green energy is the only source that can bring the price down in this crazy time.

And he has some other information and some things that he has done.

He's got a 6.6 kilowatt peak power solar system with a 6.5 kilowatt hour battery, able to charge the battery at night when the power is really cheap and use it in the morning, sell it back to the grid.

Yada, yadda, yadda.

You know how it goes.

So the battery can also be used in the winter where there is little sunshine in denmark is as far north as La.

Lash is in Saskatchewan.

And what a great guy for looking up our local town to give us an idea where Denmark is.

That's very sweet.

And Lash is quite a bit farther north from where we are.

Yes, hours and hours and hours.

So we live on a massive everything in Canada is massive.

Ontario is like I think it's the size of some planets it takes days to cross.

But Saskatchewan is very tall and most of us have never been anywhere near the top third, let alone it's just insanely big and becomes wilderness up there as well.

So the future is here now, and I think the future looks bright for clean energy.

And thanks again for a great show.

Best regards from Sven the Green Viking in Denmark.

Yes, and then there was a link to a website where you can look at a graphic that kind of shows you where the energy is being generated there in northern Europe and Scandinavia and which direction the power is going.

Sometimes it's going from Norway to Sweden and sometimes from Sweden to Norway and Denmark and so forth.

So, yeah, I thought that was really interesting.

So.

Thanks, Ben.

We got another note from someone who said that my son's university profit, like my son Jameson, my son, he said there's not enough lithium in the world.

I was mentioning in the show last week, and he gave us a link to a YouTube video.

But it's just some dude.

You can't rely on everything from some dude.

I know it's true, but maybe that's not the best link.

Yeah, so we love to hear from you, as you could tell, especially when you send us praise.

Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for visualizations of this podcast and other things and special features.

And Brian, it's time for the world famous Lightning round.

It's time for the Lighting Round, a fast paced look at the weekend clean energy news.

General Motors said on Tuesday it is backing Aestablishing tougher federal emissions standards to help ensure at least 50% of new vehicles sold by 2030 or zero emission.

Now, you'll recall that the Cafe standards that California and other states set before were opposed by some car companies.

Yeah, and Toyota was one of them.

Just got to mention that.

But now General Motors, who are all in an EVs, say, bring it on, hell, speed it up.

And you know why? Because their competition in Japan are going to be screwed.

Yeah, they're ahead of Japan.

Way ahead of Japan.

And then arguably ahead of a lot of people who are not Tesla or Rivian or other people who are fully EV, the founder and owner of the outdoor apparel brand Patagonia Yvonned, we'll call him yvonne has given his US $3 billion company away to especially design trust, ensuring all profits in perpetuity are used to fight climate change and preserve wild spaces, which is unusual.

He gave his whole company worth $3 billion.

That's amazing.

Powerful statement from Antonio Guters yesterday at the UN general assembly.

He is calling on nations to tax fossil fuel companies.

It's high time to put fossil fuel producers, investors and enablers on notice.

Polluters must pay.

And today I'm calling on all developed economies to tax the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies.

Those funds should be redirected in two ways.

Two countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, and to people struggling with rising food and energy prices.

I hope people do that.

I hope developed countries do do that, because I've had it with fossil fuel companies.

Yeah.

And as we know, wealthy countries tend to do better in these sorts of things.

And the poorer countries are the ones that are getting the short end of the stick.

As usual, it's time for a clean energy.

So fast fact beef has the worst average kilograms of Co 2 food at nearly 100.

That is to say 1 beef.

That seems insane.

Can you guess? Brian Stockton, what major food group that James loves comes in second in terms of CO2 for us in terms of CO2, and I won't tease you any longer, it's dark chocolate, which is what at half? Oh, no.

Can we not have good things? Oh, man.

Do we have to stop eating dark chocolate? I love dark chocolate.

No one's talking about stop eating to eat dark chocolate, but we're talking about stopping eating beef.

We eat a lot more beef and kilograms of dark chocolate, except for possibly meat.

For every kilogram of beef, there's a kilogram of dark chocolate in meat.

That's basically the two things I eat.

A little bit of beef, a little bit of dark chocolate.

Washing it down from Auris Technica.

We talked about gas stoves releasing hazardous air pollutants before while they're operating, but even while they're turned off, according to a new study, some of these leaks can go undetected.

And although gas distributors adding odorant to the natural gas to ensure that people smell the leaks before there's an explosion risk the smell may not be strong enough for residents to know.

Smell leaks.

Some people have a much stronger sense of smell than others.

My daughter was telling me this the other day and I thought she was crazy.

No, they're super smellers.

There are people with insanely sensitive noses, and you have to think the guy at the supermarket who smells with terrible bo is one of these people who can't smell.

Like, what happens with those people? They just get used to it or what? Yeah, but people have different senses of smells.

I just want to know if my deal isn't working, if you people would tell me.

I hope you would.

In particular, those who have lost their sense of smell, whether from culvert or other causes, may not smell large leaks.

Even so, one study found that 5% of homes had leaks.

That's terrible.

Do you still have natural gas in your stove? I do the cooktop, but I've been shopping around for induction cooktops and hope to put one in soon.

And they'll probably put it in during the podcast.

Yes, I've been hearing drills and saws I don't know.

Hopefully it doesn't make the microphone here.

I think I color up the podcast.

Wonderfully.

Add some texture to it.

Beyond my illness.

This week, the same study showed that leaking natural gas contain multiple hazardous air pollutants, including benzene and cancer causing agents.

So boo to that.

From clean technica Pan African resources.

Ten megawatt solar plant in South Africa saves $170,000 a month on the gold mines electric bill.

That takes about five years to pay off, but after that brian, it's gravy.

Gravy.

It's like having a gold mine.

Totally.

I'm laughing at myself.

Uber has announced its Comfort Electric program is expanding to Canada and rolling out to more cities in the United States.

The Comfort Electric program launched back in May, allowing customers to specifically request a ride in an electric vehicle, like a Tesla Poll Star, Ford Mustang mocky.

What do you think of that? Yeah, that's interesting.

And I don't normally take Uber because I have a car, but when I had my back problem, I needed to take it to an appointment I had.

So I took an Uber.

And you could choose an eco.

Uber was one of the options, so I thought I better try that.

And gives me something to talk about on the podcast.

So the car that came and got me, it must have been like a Corolla hybrid or something.

I was hoping for a Tesla, but now it seemed like a normal Corolla.

But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it was.

It was a four cylinder, which qualifies as a new car around here.

But then on the way home from the appointment, I thought, well, I'm in a hurry.

I'll just pick whatever.

And I got picked up by the largest SUV I have ever seen in my life.

Is that right? Why use that as an Uber? Why? It seems an odd choice to use as an Uber vehicle.

Oh, my God.

Especially nowadays.

Yeah.

From wind power monthly.

Update your subscription, people.

NorDx boosts a six megawatt onshore wind turbine rotor, and it's going to be 175 meters off the ground.

That is taller than the Washington Monument.

This is almost half that, and it is onshore.

Interesting.

Oh, it's time for another CES fast fact.

How many of the giant GE Halead X offshore wind turbines, which I just mentioned, which are 14 MW, would you need to power all of Great Britain? Brian? 60 00 60 00 60 00 to power all of Great Britain? Did I say the US? At first? I don't remember.

Check the tape.

Don't listen to the show.

Get the magnetizer out.

Erase the tape.

These old men on this podcast we're talking about magnetizers.

Ram promises electric pickup lineup that will challenge Ford and Rivian in range and beyond.

So, finally, Ram is the last people you're wondering what's coming.

There we are.

It's all coming.

Bring it on.

Dimeler has unveiled their long range transport truck.

This is a semi for the highway.

Has a 600 kilowatt hour battery and a 500 kilowatt meter range.

There's about 300 miles.

We use LFP batteries, which is the cheaper batteries, less energy dense, resulting in shorter range for the same weight.

But Mercedes says it is gaining in longevity because the company says it expects the vehicle to last for ten years, which is a lot for a semi truck and 1.2 million.

Then you can probably just put a new battery because the other components are probably in pretty good shape, I'm guessing.

Yeah, I'd be a little surprised if LFP batteries are kind of energy dense enough to work for a semi, because a semi has also got to carry a big load.

So if the batteries are too heavy, it kind of takes away from your payload.

But obviously they think it'll work.

Oh, look at this.

A bonus.

CES fast fact.

Brian, the boldest solar park in India is the largest solar farm in the world, about $1 billion per gigawatt.

That's a nuclear reactor is about a gigawatt, right? Okay.

So it produces 2.5 gigawatts of power, or about 2.25 nuclear reactors.

Given solar is 20% of its peak overall PowerPoint, that means about $5 billion per equivalent nuclear reactor without any storage considerations.

So you wonder what it's just another case of what the cost of solar is.

Nuclear is without storage, and it's about $5 billion per reactor right now, but that's getting cheaper, and we expect that it's going to half in the 2030s.

So that's incredible.

And from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, we have not cited them as a source before.

California is planning legislation to allow human composting starting in 2027, californians will be able to choose human composting as an alternative burial option.

Great.

Oh, sure, you clap now, but it's one more recyclable to keep track of.

I know eggshells and coffee grounds are okay, but what about Uncle Rick? Is he compost or disposal? The first state to allow human composting was Washington in 2019.

Other states that have legalized the practice include Oregon, Colorado and Vermont.

It is a problem because we cremate a lot of bodies and we probably don't need all those carbon emissions.

And finally, this week, tesla loses its infamous most shorted stock title to Apple.

Your thoughts? Brian Stockton wow, that's a man.

I had not heard that.

I mean, Apple is probably a bad choice to short as well.

I don't know why people would short Apple.

These are two things that you love, tesla and Apple.

Yeah, you just cited all the Apple boxes you have, and they're not for apples, they're for MacBook.

Yeah, no, it's true.

Certainly the growth days of Apple are behind them.

So they're maybe not the powerhouse stock that they once were, but they seem on very solid ground.

So shorting Apple is probably a bad idea, just like shorting Tesla is a bad idea.

Well, that is our show for this week.

We'd love to hear from you again.

Our contact email address is cleanenergy show@gmail.com.

Pick up your pen right now.

Send us a message because we love to hear from you.

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So if you're new to the show or to subscribe on your podcast app to get new episodes delivered every week, reading review when possible, and we'll see you next week.

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View Details

The IEA has a number for the required solar to halt climate change and it's being built right now! Heat waves make people angry, Californians respond to text alert to save power and blackouts were averted.

Link to Bloomberg article: The Solar Supply Chain needed to Halt Global Warming is Already Being Built

Tesla’s production cost per vehicle is 42% of what it was just five years ago and it’s not due to falling battery prices. Some grids in the US have so much excess power, prices are often going negative. They pay you to use power. This is going to become common as we move forward with decarbonization.

The specs for the Chevy Equinox have been announced and it's clearly going to make the Chevy Bolt EUV obselete instantly.

James's son's geology professor says there's not enough lithium for 100% electric car sales. He's wrong.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Transcript of this Episode

Brian: Hello, and welcome to episode 131 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

BBC News Anchor: We're interrupting our schedules for the following announcement.

Buckingham palace has announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Brian: What is this, the London Bridge protocol?

James: Yes.

We've been waiting decades for this, and it's finally happened.

Brian: No.

Podcasts do not have to follow the London Bridge protocol.

Come on.

They don't it's fine.

But I will say the Queen is dead.

Long lived the king.

James:I'm James Whittingham.

This week, my son's geology prof says there's not enough lithium to go 100% electric anytime soon.

I promptly advised my son to quit university and educate himself on Facebook.

This week.

California didn't have enough power.

While other grids in the US.

Have so much excess power, prices are often going negative.

If I can get the grid to pay me to use my fancy coffee machine, I'll be rich.

Tesla's production cost per vehicle is 42% of what it was just five years ago.

And it's not due to falling battery prices.

It's actually Elon Musk not having to buy horses anymore due to the woke mob.

Okay, I don't understand that, Joe.

Really? No, I don't.

He got a massage and promised a woman a horse.

I got it.

The California power grid avoided severe blackouts after sending a text alert to citizens.

The text said, you up, followed by turn off your lights.

All that and more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

And Brian, this week we also have something from Bloomberg opinion that says the energy transition and its supply chain are at what we need to beat climate change.

Already.

It's already being constructed.

It's quite remarkable.

Even apparently, lithium.

Yes, high temperatures are making people angrier online.

And how are you this week? I'm good.

So here's my two updates.

I got the latest full self driving update on my Tesla, which is it a big one.

Yeah, it's a big 110.69.2.

This is the first update I've had since actually getting the full self.

Oh, I didn't know that.

Yeah, it's the only one I've had since getting the full self driving software.

Only had it a day, only used it once, and it still did that.

Same thing where a lot of our streets don't have a line painted down the middle, and it's two lanes, and it started to drift to one side, so I canceled it and just kept driving.

Well, Joy? Yeah.

And he says they're going to be out by the end of the year.

Come on.

Yeah, well, a lot of the testing miles have been done in California, so it sounds like the software works way better in California.

And we are, sadly, many miles from California, so it's going to be a bit of a struggle here for a while, I think.

Do they paint the streets of California? Is that the issue? We don't paint them here.

Yeah.

Well, I'm assuming all the roads are better in California, but the grass is always greener, as they say, although not during a drought.

But anyway, my other updates so I think I said last week, I've applied for the Greener Homes grant, which is Canada's subsidy for retrofitting your home to put in clean energy stuff, insulation.

And I'm still hoping to do a heat pump, an air source heat pump for my house, get rid of my furnace.

So the process is moving.

I've been approved.

I'm in the program.

They can't do the blower test.

So what they do is a blower test on your house to test the tightness of the house, and then you do the upgrades, and they do another one.

But because our ceiling, the drywalls opened up in the ceiling in the kitchen, because we were trying to fix those leaks, they can't do the blower test right away.

But anyway, I just wanted to mention that I am hoping to go through this process.

This is what it's available in Canada, and as we've covered on the show before, the new Inflation Reduction Act in the US.

If you're in the US.

There's lots of kind of similar subsidies for home improvements and upgrades and energy efficient appliances and vehicles and everything.

And of course, different states and different provinces all have incentives, too.

And like, our natural gas utility has a little bit of incentive to go to higher efficiency furnaces, gas furnaces and stuff.

So anybody listening, always check your local area, your local state, your local province to see what the possible subsidies are.

Okay, well, the Chevy Equinox, they finally announced the specs on it.

Yeah.

So this is the next big electric vehicle from General Motors, which is an SUV that's going to be at a reasonable price.

They said this is a small SUV under $30,000 US.

Is that cheaper than the Bolt? It's not cheaper than the Bolt now because they lower the Bolt in the US.

But the equivalent Canadian pricing would put it lower, I think, than the Canadian pricing, current Canadian pricing of the bolt and worldwide as well.

Yeah, and if that's the price for the Equinox, one would think they would eventually drop the bolt below that because that's a smaller car.

The Equinox is actually making it hard for me to buy a Bolt because of two reasons.

One, it'll render the Bolt obsolete.

Even if it's really close in price, it's a bigger vehicle, seems like a better vehicle.

It's not as well fitted.

Maybe they have some bare bones stuff with the base model.

You get a power driver's seat on the base model of the boat and a few other nice things.

In Canada, you get ten years of connectivity, or eight years of connectivity.

A long time of connectivity.

Maybe it's five, but it's a few years.

That cover most of your ownership, usually.

So I'm just worried about it.

Plus, they got the LTM battery pack with that.

So that should be approved to charge faster, three times as fast.

Peak charging doesn't mean that it's going to charge three times as fast, but the peak charging is three times as fast.

So that's what the big drawback of the Bolt is.

Well, it's size and it's charging speed on the highway.

Well, and I think we're still in a situation where if you decide you want one, you're going to have to head down to GM as soon as you can and kind of put down a deposit because the supplies are going to be limited, especially where we live.

So I think that's going to be the situation for the next couple of years, no matter which electric vehicle you decide to buy.

And it's going to be at least two years before I get a base model of the Equinox.

But let's say I have a four year loan or four year lease of a Bolt.

Maybe leasing is the way to go because the Bolt could be under severe price pressure.

Right.

If the price does go down and I bought the vehicle, then I've got like a dud on it when I'm trying to sell it in three or four years to get an equal option, but at least would give you a sort of a guaranteed buyout price or something.

Yeah, but at least they're not too sexy with their offers on the leasing right now.

So I really don't know what to do.

So I got a message from my son at his geology class.

It's not basic geology, it's engineering related.

Geology is something that requisite that he's taking.

And he says the prof was going on about not having enough lithium.

Like this was the day that California solidified their 100% electric vehicles by 2035.

Well, he says there's no way, no way in hell, because there's not enough lithium.

He's a geologist.

He knows there's not enough lithium.

That's not true, though.

No.

From what I understand, and I'm not a lithium expert, but apparently you are, it's not so much that there's plenty of lithium.

It's the processing of the lithium that's the difficult part to make it usable for batteries.

Yeah.

So I looked it up, and I found some sources in the journal Nature, and lithium itself is not scarce, as you said.

But a June report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance estimated that the current reserves of the metal are around 20 million tons.

And that's not enough to carry the conversion EVs through to mid century.

So the actual amount there, it's the refinery of it, the mining of it.

He said it takes ten years to mind to get well.

Do your math.

It's more than ten years away, and we're going to have a story later about the solar supply chain going gangbusters enough to actually beat climate change.

And where there's a will, there's a way.

And this is what's happening.

Solar is ahead of everybody else.

But batteries are coming now and there's money to be made.

So presumably if there's money to be made, it seems possible that there will possibly be some lithium bottlenecks where we won't have all that we need.

There was an announcement from Tesla recently that they are trying to get a lithium mine or processing plant going in Texas.

So the fact that Tesla is getting into it indicates that, you know, maybe they are worried there's not quite enough lithium, but it's all part of the ramp, so I'm not worried.

But, hey, I'm not a geology professor, and we're also going to talk about Tesla having an advantage because five, seven years ago, musk was talking about lithium and he was on top of this, wasn't he? No, I mean, this is the advantage of Tesla, is they've been working on all of these things for at least a dozen years now.

They've got a nice head start in figuring this stuff out.

We were just before we went to record, there was a threat in California of power blackouts, wasn't there? Yes.

So they've got a crazy heat wave going on there and they were predicted just at the time that we were recording.

They had managed to stave off blackouts for the previous couple of days, but it was all coming to a head just as we were recording our show last week.

And they saved the grid.

And how did they do it, James? They sent out a text message alert.

Yeah.

And Brian? It worked.

It totally works.

It's a crazy thing.

It worked.

People said, okay, I will turn off my draw up for a couple of hours, or whatever they do in California.

And it worked.

Yeah.

No, I thought that was quite remarkable.

There was some graphs posted online of, like, exactly when the text went out and how power dipped.

Obviously not everybody's going to listen to that, but that is one of the advantages of everybody having a cell phone here in our province.

We had a bunch of emergency alerts for safety reasons a couple of weeks ago, and they were quite alarming to get.

Definitely necessary for everybody's safety.

Certainly I want to be informed and stuff like that.

So if you and I were living in California, we would absolutely have gone and turned off some lights, turned off some power hungry things, and clearly enough people think like us and did that as well.

So I've got a pool pump running, right? Yeah, it's about 1000 watts.

Wow.

Yeah, it's not fun.

Swimming pools are not the most environmental thing there, but heating, although you do run yours with thermal solar panels.

I heated with solar, yeah, but there's chemicals and water.

I should probably do an assessment of that and compare it to having a hot tub, because maybe a hot tub is more my thing.

I like the freedom from gravity, Brian.

That's what I've been really enjoying the last couple of years is the freedom from gravity.

The fatter you are, the lighter you are in water.

So I figure I wave it as much as I would on the moon.

And can you put a bunch of salt in the water and be even more buoyant? You could, but I wouldn't be able to touch the ground and I don't think I would be walking around floating like a bob, bobbing up and down like a buoy.

That's a horrible sight, especially in my speedo.

I just bought a bunch of chemicals even after I closed the pool, because I had to.

I have to keep it treated until it freezes.

And then in the spring, I have to treat it again and kill all the LG.

You have to do that with a hot tub, but it's less.

But then you heat it.

And I can't heat it with heat, with solar panels, but I can't heat it with my thermal heating.

Anyway, the pool is closed in winter is here.

And that emergency alert that we had, a Saskatchewan resolved itself.

The person was caught and died in custody, for what it's worth, but I won't dwell on that.

The fact is, Brian, 500,000 homes in California and businesses have been warned that they might lose service.

And within five minutes it was all but over.

That's all tough.

It's five minutes.

Maybe people are more conscious of energy demands these days.

We never used to think about it before, but maybe now it's not such a crazy thing to send in a text.

Yeah, I mean, I think maybe they'd run into problems if they were sending out one of these alerts every couple of days.

Eventually people would get tired of it.

But if they can limit themselves to once or twice a year, then they can keep people's attention and they'll do it.

Maybe we'll have smarter homes.

Like my pool pump runs on a smart timer, a smart switch.

Maybe if I connected that to the power utility and allowed it to turn off, things like that, I don't know what else it would be.

My air conditioner thermostat goes up a degree.

Yeah, something like that.

Well, actually, Apple has announced a new feature coming, I think with the next update of their iOS, their mobile software is apple is actually going to have a thing where your phone will only charge when there's the maximum amount of green electricity on the grid.

They're going to figure out that's cool.

Why don't we have a story about that? What's wrong with you? You're the apple guy here.

This is it right now.

Sorry about it.

Tell me everything.

Presumably it will figure this out for each jurisdiction because the grid is different every place.

But yeah, it'll figure out when there's the most green power on the grid, and it will only charge your phone during that time.

See, phones take a lot of power now.

They take 20, 40, 50 watts, some tablets take 100 watts.

Yeah, that's getting a little bit more serious, especially since we don't have 100 watt light bulbs anymore.

We have Led light bulbs.

No.

And when you think about pretty much every single human being in North America has a smartphone.

That's a few hundred million smartphones just in North America.

So, yeah, that's a lot of juice when you add them all together.

But I've said this before on the show, that I wanted to know when is the greenest time to charge my car? Because we live on a power grid that has 45% coal, something like that.

And I want to know, is there more hydro in the mix at three in the morning than, say, if I plugged it in and charged it at seven in the night or something, or even during the day, the business day, and I couldn't get a response from the utility source power.

I want to know that.

I don't know if they know that.

I hope they know that.

But yeah, that's a very interesting question.

So we'll have to see if Apple figures out our jurisdiction.

Yeah, I'd be curious.

Maybe they'd listen to Apple and not you.

Well, maybe Apple figures it out and then I'll learn from that.

And you will know when to charge our cars, because all electric cars have preset timers on them that you can do.

A lot of them you can do from an app.

And I don't have an app for mine because I bought the base model, but I do set a timer on it every time.

Millions of Californians, though, received these alerts that the grid was apparel.

Millions of them.

Right, interesting.

I just wonder, though, if we can integrate our homes into the power grid better, because we're getting smart meters on our house.

So that tells the utility what's going on faster in real time.

And maybe they can say, well, Joe Schmo at 205th Avenue uses a lot of electricity between five and seven, and he's crashing the grid.

Maybe he could find something to cut down on, and maybe they wouldn't send an alert to somebody who has a trickle of electricity because they're gone during that time.

Well, that makes me want to skip ahead to one of the stories we were going to have this week again from Bloomberg.

And this is about negative power prices.

And I've heard about this in the UK and in other jurisdictions, but I didn't realize it was happening quite so much in the US.

And so this definitely relates to what we're talking about now.

I think basically what you're just asking about here is basically the grid just isn't smart enough yet.

It will eventually get there, and it's also not interconnected enough.

So in the US, there is seven different utility grids and they're not all connected.

It's basically seven regions of seven grids in certain places at certain times.

There's excess wind and excess solar.

So much so that they have too much power at certain times of the day.

This results in negative pricing and encouraging people to just use extra power.

And if the grid was further developed, was smarter, there's more home batteries connected to the grid, there's more EVs connected to the grid, and all of those can go either into the grid or out of the grid.

That's going to eliminate these problems.

So once you start hitting negative prices, boom, that's when your car charges.

That's when your home battery charges.

And it's coming, it's just going to take a long time.

I thought we'd talk a little bit about Tesla this week because there's a lot going on and it's kind of interesting.

One thing that I'll start with is a bit of information I learned on Twitter, and that is, you know how supercharger pricing is creeping up, right? It's getting more and more expensive all the time that Tesla sets the price for the superchargers.

Yeah, it was super cheap.

When I got my car two and a half years ago, it was almost nothing, just a few bucks a charge.

And now it's more like 15, $20 a charge, which is annoying, but it's still way better than gas.

And it is what it is.

Well, now they're saying that it's now the equivalent of a 30 to 40 miles per gallon gas car, which isn't even that great because the Prius is 50 miles per gallon.

So it's saying it's like that.

Yeah, that's supercharging.

By the way, November, you don't always supercharge.

You mostly charge at home if you can.

Yeah.

So that's the caveat there.

Yeah.

So, yeah, it sucks to pay that much when you're on the road, but still way cheaper than gas.

Yeah.

And electricity is usually a lot cheaper at home.

Plus, if you're like us, you have the option of making it even cheaper by if you can invest in some solar panels and you have a good enough situation with your local utility.

Yeah.

Martin Avisa, the vice president of investor relations at Tesla, said Monday during the presentation at the Goldman Sachs tech conference in San Francisco, tesla currently has all the supply it needs.

This is courtesy of Business Insider.

This is an interesting statement.

This is a shift from Tesla is always supply constraints with their batteries.

Now they have all they need.

What happened? Well, it's just all that groundwork that they laid is starting to pay off, which is they basically just saw this coming before everybody else.

And it's an obvious thing to you and me, it's like, okay, well, the world needs to get off oil.

So what do you do? You do the math and it's like, well, guess what? We need an insane number of batteries.

And Tesla figured this out ten or possibly as much as 20 years ago.

And so they've been working on this problem for ten or 20 years, and they're just far ahead of the game because that's always been their ethos.

It's like, well, no one else is doing it, so we have to do it ourselves.

Since they were the first ones up to bat, as it were.

So they've just got a big head start, and the other players are figuring it out too.

And as we always say, there are announcements every week of new battery factories and such.

So as a Tesla investor, it's great news that they are not constrained by battery supply.

They're buying them from everybody that will sell them CATL and panasonic.

And as well as starting to ramp up their own batteries, we're hitting the S curve of EV adoption, and it is constrained by supply.

Yeah.

If I want to order the bolt, I have to wait months and stuff like that.

It's not just a chip shortage, right? Yeah.

And I think there is still a bit of a chip shortage.

So they didn't say, like the last I heard was that the chip shortage was the limiting factor for Tesla.

They had enough batteries, but they were still a bit iffy on the number of chips.

But this more recent statement suggests, okay, well, maybe they've got enough chips now.

Well, the statement says, for the first time I can remember, we can access all the supply we need for both businesses.

This is something startling as well.

The price of manufacturing is only 42% of what it was five short years ago.

And it's not due to battery prices falling as expected.

It's due to factory design and large castings, like making one large piece of the car instead of a whole bunch of little ones.

Efficiencies.

Like that.

Yeah.

All the stuff they set up ten or 20 years ago is starting to pay off.

That also makes me think they're making a killing on the markup.

So the cars that they make in California at Fremont are a lot more expensive than China.

Obviously, Santa Monroe thought they'd be 20% less than China, but they say also in Germany, they're cheaper to make in Germany as well.

Yeah, just because it's the new factory with the new design.

Their original factory in Fremont was something that they bought from somebody else and kind of had to repurpose it, and that kind of gave them the knowledge to, okay, if we're going to build this stuff from scratch, what's the better design, the more efficient design? And that's what they've got in Texas and Berlin and wherever else they might be building in the future.

Yeah.

So we have Tesla factories in China, in California, in Austin, Texas, and in Berlin, Germany, and who knows where else down the line.

But those are the main ones that are coming online and starting to hit their stride in production, right? Yeah.

And really, I think that would be the case if any Automaker was kind of starting up.

Now, the problem that the legacy Automakers have is they've been in business for 100 years and they've been doing things a particular way.

The businesses have grown in a particular way, and they don't have the luxury of just blowing everything up and starting over again and building new factories.

They've kind of got a jerry rigged as they go along.

So that turned out to be Tesla's big advantage, was the ability to start from scratch like that.

Of course, it meant they nearly went bankrupt several times, but once they passed, once they got over the hump, it's all gravy from this point.

Well, I thought it was interesting to know that 10% of the batteries are going into storage, because we had an email about that last week.

I think there's an insatiable demand for storage as well.

Obviously, it's just a matter of price.

When the price hits a certain point, it's going to go crazy because the grid is greening and we need that storage.

For yes, and from what I understand, they would maybe do more than 10% of the batteries to storage, but the profits are just way better in the cars.

So 10% is all they can manage right now, but eventually more batteries, more grid stores, etc.

For so you're basically just selling the batteries with a little bit of equipment, whereas the car is the batteries with a lot of equipment.

And so the mark up comes from the bigger spend.

So, yeah, it's quite remarkable.

And it makes me think that the other manufacturers might be further behind than I thought, which is good if you're a Tesla investor like yourself, because the demand for electric car, man, I tell you, I see so many Teslas, I keep thinking it's you.

And it's never you.

It's never you.

No.

I was driving with my partner the other day and I said, look, I have an announcement to make.

I'm now going to stop pointing out every Tesla that I see because it's just become too annoying.

I used to do that.

Hey, there's a Tesla.

No more.

So, yeah, if you're new to the podcast, full disclosure, I am a Tesla investor.

Yeah.

Wow.

That's actually a big announcement, Brian, because I haven't stopped doing that, and my daughter hasn't stopped doing that.

And sometimes she'll text me Tesla.

That's what she'll say in the text.

It's the punch buggy of our time, really.

Exactly.

So the supercharger, version four is apparently being set up in Arizona with a mega pack.

That's the grid size, truck, container size, storage of batteries, and solar, which is something that Elon has been promising for years, that all superchargers would have a solar installation either adjacent to them or right on top or around them.

No, that makes sense.

We always see those renderings of the car park of the future where there are solar panels.

You park underneath to protect your car from rain, but you also get some free solar charging.

So eventually I think most car charging spots will include some solar.

It's probably never enough to actually fully supply the cars, but that's fine.

So we don't know the speed, the maximum charge rate of these new chargers.

In fact, has there even been an announcement on it? I mean, what do we know? No, we don't know too much other than these are going to be prepared for cars other than Tesla's.

More so than the other ones.

There was going to be maybe a second cable, but now it's sounding more like it would be an adapter.

There will be an adapter included with each one.

So we think every Tesla charger can be adapted to charge non Teslas, but these ones are going to be designed that way.

I wonder how they'll do that with the adapters so people don't steal them because they're worth hundreds of dollars.

Yeah, hooked on with a wire or something.

I don't know.

Maybe lots of video cameras, too.

We don't know the charge speed, but what's the maximum charge fees of the version three? It's currently 250, but we believe that even on the version three chargers, they can probably up it to 300, 350, but they haven't done it yet.

So most of the third party chargers that are out now, let's call them non Tesla chargers, do 350 like the Electrify America or they are capable of they don't do 350, but they're capable of it.

That 1350 is not too difficult to get to that's based on the voltage, I think.

So supercharger V four is out and I guess they'll start testing them and maybe announcing what exactly they do.

Everybody sort of expects that they'll bump it up a little bit, maybe perhaps for the cyber truck.

What do you think? Yeah, like up to just 350 kw or something.

Yeah.

My car is limited to 170.

Have not found that to be a real problem on the highway trips.

So I think 250 is fine, 350 is fine, whatever they can do.

So they're cranking out tesla's cranking out 6500 power walls.

This is the battery packs for home storage a week and 9000 battery packs a week in Nevada.

The battery packs are 9000 in Nevada for vehicles per week and 6500 power walls.

That's pretty good.

People are going to start buying these suckers and battery prices have to go down at some point if we don't run out of lithium.

Geology professor they're testing new side repeater cameras with a wider field of view.

What do you think of that? What's the deal with that? Is it anything to do with self driving improvements? Or is it just a feature for coolness, for having a better surround view of.

The car? I would think it's probably both.

I mean, there's always going to be upgrades, there's always going to be new camera modules available, so why not move to the new ones? This is the Clean Energy Show with Brian Stafford and James Whittingham.

Every now and again, Brian a Twitter thread.

Blows my mind, blows my little head.

And this is one of those Twitter threads.

It was from David Fickling, a Bloomberg New Energy opinion writer for Bloomberg.

He says that solar is on an unstoppable path to solve climate change.

And this is something that he didn't know.

He's not telling us that.

He said he looked into it, he talked to all the analysis and found out that solar is going gangbusters.

And not only that, but it's enough to solve climate change on paper and then some by 2050.

This is where we have to get to by 2050.

He says there's more than enough being built now, basically, to be easily on that path.

He says the energy supply to solve the climate is already under construction right now, and it's enough even if the current factories only run at 70%.

So it's not like everybody's going to 100% and steam is coming out of the buildings and people are running around.

It's like casual 70% is nothing.

Anybody who runs less than 70% is not profitable.

So he says, I was absolutely astonished to discover this.

The solar supply chain we need to reach net zero is already under construction.

Current planned and under construction capacity for solar poly silicon industry would be sufficient to support a solar sector producing nearly one terawatt of PV panels every year.

That's 1 TB every year.

So new solar only generates about 20% of the time.

Okay, this is for reference.

Nuclear does about 90%, 50% for coal and gas and offshore wind, which surprised me.

I thought offshore wind was a bit better than 50%, and it's 35% for hydro.

And onshore wind, 35% for hydro.

I always grew up with the belief that hydro was a constant.

They always say hydro is like a base power, but we're finding out with climate change and droughts that it's not and also seasonal.

So it's not.

So if hydro is only producing 35% of the time, of course pumped hydro works as battery storage because you just pump it back upstream.

You lose 20% of your energy doing that, but batteries lose something in the hand off, too.

So, yeah, it makes sense.

Pumped hydro is hydro that doesn't depend on nature.

This is one terawatt.

It's equivalent to 5.8% of annual global electricity consumption.

That's right now, right now, every year we are going to make 5.8%, almost 6% of global energy production in solar alone, starting very soon.

Not in the 20, fourties very soon.

That's amazing.

To give it in a bit more context, he said the IEA last year worked out what you need to do to get to net zero this is the International Energy Agency.

We worked out last year what you need to get to net zero by 2050, which is our target for climate change, to keep it at 1.5 degrees of warming and start to bring global warming to a halt.

Instead you would need an average of 63 year installed between 2000 and 32,050.

And he says one of solar alone is getting output now very soon.

Under the construction is there to have one terawatt every year.

So current polysilicone capacity construction is about $20 billion more than the current production at factories and constantly underestimating growth.

Five years ago, the IEA estimated what the solar capacity production would be right now and they are 40% low.

And it's the big underestimate of everything we do talk about on this show.

So regulatory roadblocks, though this is caveat, are likely to be bigger bottleneck than the supply chain because wind has a lot of regulatory roadblocks and bottlenecks, I guess things like that.

Mining too, like we were talking about lithium.

Part of it is the permitting process for processing lithium and most panel construction production rather is in China.

So political issues could arise.

But the gold rush on poly silicon will likely cause prices to crash even further.

So this is very positive for the world and it's hard for us to say that the technology and prices are going to solve climate change because the people who are at the forefront of that are hopeful.

But it's just hard to say that.

But it seems like there is a lot of positive news and this is basically the thesis of our podcast that prices of the technology we talked about is going to change the world and perhaps save it.

Yeah, clean energy will win because it's better and cheaper.

High temperatures are making people angrier online.

So this is another article from Bloomberg.

Somebody did a study about when temperatures rise above 30 degrees Celsius or 86 Fahrenheit, hate speech increases on social media when the temperatures go above 30 Celsius.

You're kidding.

This is maybe not too surprising.

I mean, people get hot and they get angry.

Actually makes me think of you remember do the Right Thing, the great Spike Lee film from 25 years ago or so.

That film takes place on the hottest day of the summer in Brooklyn, right? Yeah.

Tempers start to flare because it's so damn hot.

And so I don't know, it's maybe just common sense, but somebody did a study and this is a thing that you can measure.

You go on social media and you can evaluate the posts and absolutely more hate speech and bad behavior when the temperatures rise.

And with climate change, the temperatures are going to be rising more often.

You know, whenever there's the first hot day of a season or a hot day after a cold snap, I find that people have road rage around here a lot.

Yeah, the speeding and I think the police should model on forecast and other traffic enforcement.

Brian, it's time for what do you think? What do you think? This is where I asked Brian what he thinks about topics that I am unsure of.

BMW confirms it will adopt Tesla's four six, eight cell format pledging billions of dollars for six global factories.

What do you think? Yeah, it sounds like a smart idea.

I wasn't sure everybody was going to adopt up the Tesla 46 80 sell.

I mean, it'll still be one of many, I guess, but it's a very new form factor.

So interesting that other people are adopting it.

Electrify America is rebranding it's 350 kilowatt and 150 kilowatt fast chargers and the one will be hyper fast and the other will be ultra fast.

Do you know which one is which? I don't know.

I think those names are useless because who knows what's faster, hyper or ultra.

Tesla solar now has to come with powerwall.

So if you buy solar from Tesla, you have to get a powerwall with it, which aren't cheap, by the way.

There are thousands and thousands of dollars.

I don't know why.

What do you think about that? What's the point of that? Well, I mentioned it has to do with their limited ability to they've had some difficulty expanding their solar, so I don't know, they've crunched the numbers and they can only serve a limited number of people anyway, so they might as well do it the way they want to.

Elon Musk still says that 6 billion Tesla FSD full self driving beta miles driven by consumers like yourself are necessary for global regulatory approval.

Do you know where they're at now? What does that mean? Yeah, it just means there's a lot of miles before it's going to work or what? Yes, I'm surprised that there's any kind of a number attached to it.

I mean, the main thing is the software has got to work, so who knows how many billions of miles they're going to need.

And they can't process all the data from all those miles, so yeah, I'm not sure what that means.

All right, let's briefly dip into the mail bag, Brian.

And also the lighting round is coming up later in the show where we'll skip through the rest of the week's headlines.

Dear Clean Energy Show, I am an autistic boy named Name withheld to talk about ammonia and hydrogen vehicles in your podcast.

Here are some videos about it.

And he gave us about 90 links to YouTube videos.

And I'm not even exaggerating, there is dozens and dozens of links that he gave, which is great.

And he says, credit me under the alias Clasol Blano for giving you the suggestion and the research, please.

Fame isn't for me.

Have a nice day, gentlemen.

That's one of the problems when people write into the podcast, Brian, is fame, instant fame that you have to deal with.

And fame is not something for everyone.

We understand that it's very fleeting.

Very fleeting, yeah.

But I definitely want to know more about ammonia and hydrogen.

Those are both interesting possible things that can be done green in the future.

Absolutely.

And we will use some of your research and look at it.

And we are hoping to know more and talk more and have some interviews coming up as well, perhaps.

So we like to hear from you.

We're on Twitter and TikTok.

Hello.

We're everywhere.

Brian, don't forget our YouTube channel and our Speak Pipe Cleanenergy Show is our handle on Speedpipe.com Cleanenergy Show.

And now, of course, it's time for the lightning round.

It's time for the lightning round.

A fast paced look at the week in clean energy news.

And Brian, this week, this year, rather, germany moved to a goal of 100% renewables by 2035.

They doubled the goal for onshore wind, tripled solar goals, quadrupled offshore wind guards, all in the space of a few weeks.

Thank you, Russia.

Thank you, Putin.

Yeah, that's working out great.

Under the climate change file, unprecedented floods killed 1400, injured 13,000, and damaged 1.17 million homes and destroyed another half million more and washed away livestock and crops in Pakistan, something we haven't mentioned on the show and is under reported in the news.

Perhaps we did mention it briefly a couple of weeks ago.

I know, but it's true.

This is a massive story and all of our thoughts to people in Pakistan dealing with that horrible tragedy.

And it's time for clean energy.

Class Fact.

Brian, a single Tesla megapack.

That is the semi truck size utility megapack and hold enough energy to charge how many Tesla vehicles? 40.

That's not bad.

I mean, the battery packs and cars are pretty big, so, yeah, that's good to know.

From Electric Autonomy, Canada.

Toronto Fire Services, Canada's largest municipal fire department, is buying his first electric pumper truck.

Unfortunately, it'll cost twice as much as a standard one, $2 million.

What do you think of that? Wow.

I mean, more upfront, but probably cheaper in the long run.

That's usually how these things work.

They told electric Autonomy, Canada.

North American firefighters prefer something bigger and more traditional looking in the fire truck department.

So we decided that we were going to build a truck that looked and felt like a North American fire truck, which sounds like it's overbuilt and it's just going to run an electric instead of diesel.

Well, time for another clean energy show.

Fast fact.

In 2020, 70% to 80% of lithiumion battery costs were raw materials this year, but in 2010, it was only 20% to 30%.

So, yes, the rest of the battery has come down the raw materials, not as much.

But that just goes to show you that making a lot of batteries reduces the prices.

Interesting.

From Bloomberg, the United States is estimated to host about a third of global crypto asset operations.

And get this, it currently consumes about zero 9% to 1.7% of total US electricity usage.

Yeah, turn off your crypto in California when the power might go out.

Guys, that's the first thing you should start in a clean energy future.

Not a big deal, but right now, we don't need that.

Panasonic scoped two potential sites in the United States, kansas and Oklahoma for a $4 billion investment in a new lithium ion battery assembly plant likely to support Tesla EV assembly in Texas.

They initially selected Kansas, but after the big biden bill, the IRA, the Inflation Reduction Act passed.

They said, what the heck, why not both they doubled it.

They doubled just like that.

There you go.

Sign of the time.

It's not the future, it's now.

No more coal ruling.

The EPA recently announced the living of millions of dollars in fines against companies for selling equipment designed to circumvent pollution controls illegal under the Clean Air Act.

And I say, God bless you.

About time.

We don't want any more damn coal.

Related that is our time for this week.

We like to hear from you.

As I said, our email is Cleanenergy show@gmail.com.

Get out your typewriter now and send us a message.

We're on Twitter.

TikTok clean Energy Pod.

Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel because we are there in visual form and you can leave us a voicemail@speakbite.com cleanenergyshow.

And we will mention your birthday on your birthday.

And if you're new to the show, remember to subscribe to our podcast us, because every week you get more of this great content.

And God save the king.

See you next week.

View Details

The U.K. Conservatives have elected a new PM, Lizz Truss, who doesn't like to look at solar panels. Battery fires get E-Bikes banned in New York City public housing. California pays poorer people not to own cars. General Motors offers to buy out Buick dealers who don't want to get with the electric future. A word for all the awefull people who fear a green future. California suffers its worst drought in twelve hundred years and you can't put gas in a gas car without electricity.

Also this week:

Pipeline patrol planes
Russia cuts off the gas yet again
American Top 40 used to get sent to radio stations on vinyl LPs says Brian
Germany offers cheap train passes to offset high energy prices
France is looking to cut energy use by 10% which means lowering the thermostat to 19 degrees/66 F.
Ethanol plants can give off terrible pollution that is harmful.
Tesla Canadian factory rumors.
All about Metathesiophobia from a Chevy Bolt owner
Feedback on our light pollution episode from May
End-of-life batteries from electric vehicles are not likely to be the primary source of recyclable material until the mid-2030s, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence
Trump goes on nonsensical rant about electric cars: 'We need to rid of them'
Four years of Boston Consulting Group’s US electric vehicle sales forecasts, compiled by RecurrentAuto show how bad EV adoption predictions are.
Electric school buses in Massachusetts provided energy back to the grid for more than 80 hours this summer, helping to reinforce the grid during some of the hottest summer days when electricity was most in demand.
10 of 13 ‘Flagship’ CCS Projects Failed to Deliver, IEEFA Analysis Concludes.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

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Transcript of this episode (done by A.I.)News anchor: The United Kingdom Conservative Party announced Monday that Liz Trust was selected as its new leader.

Lizz Truss: It's an honor to be elected as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party.

And I think one of the most depressing when you're driving through England is seeing fields that should be full of crops or livestock, full of solar panels.

Various people: You got to be kidding me.

You got to be kidding me.

You're kidding me.

You're kidding me, right? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? Yeah.

Nope.

Hell, no.

Brian: Hello, and welcome to episode 130 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton,

James: And that must be I'm James Whittingham, and this week, British conservatives have indeed elected their new PM, and she doesn't like the site of solar panels.

Oh, Boris.

Who would have thought I'd ever miss your puffy ass? And you know, that thing on your head?

In a shocking announcement, General Motors offers to buy out any Buick dealers that don't want to sell electric vehicles. It's shocking because I had no idea Buick still existed.

I learned a new word that describes everyone you hate on Twitter.

And it's not donkey knobbler.

Nobler California suffers an unprecedented heat wave and the worst drought in 1200 years.

Worst of all, it's become unfashionable to say, but it's a dry heat.

All that and more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

Also on this edition of I hope you're not wearing white, because it's after Labor Day.

Brian, the pipeline plane that flies over my house is flying lower than expected.

Much lower.

Californians are asked not to charge their electric cars.

Russia has a clog in their oil pipes again.

And a wildfire warning in Alberta reminds people you can't run a gas pump without electricity.

First of all, how's your back this week? Yeah, definitely better.

I am walking without a cane for the first time.

You literally walk with a cane.

I was really walking with a cane.

You were literally a hobbled old man for a while.

Absolutely.

But yeah, I think I'm doing okay.

Although I will have to probably switch my seating position halfway through the show.

All right.

As we record this, our whole province of Saskatchewan in Canada is in international news.

And I thought it would be weird if we didn't talk about that.

Yeah, we've been having all kinds of emergency alerts on our phones night and day of a terrible tragedy that has taken place on the First Nation and around and for a while, the mass killer has been believed to be hiding in the city that we live in.

If you listen to the show and you hear us talking about it while you've heard it in the news, and here we are.

We're both here.

Brian safe and his farm shelter.

Our thoughts go to all the victims.

And, yeah, it's not too often we make international news, and sometimes it's for good reasons and sometimes not so good.

Let's hope for a good outcome and better things in the future.

Yeah.

So speaking of our hometown, it came up on a podcast this week.

So remember when I retired, I said my retirement project was going to be making my own shoelaces? Yeah.

So I learned that from a TV show called Going Deep with David Reese, one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

I absolutely loved it.

It covered things like how to tie your shoes.

Fantastic show, right? Anyway, David Reese and John Kimball have a podcast called Election Profit Makers, and it's a humorous podcast about political commentary, American politics.

But they go off on a lot of tangents on the show, which is why I like it.

And they started talking recently about the old American Top 40 show with Casey Cases.

And so I decided to write them a letter.

And they read my letter on the show this week, which was a lot of fun for me.

And it mentions our hometown, and we have a clip.

Clip of another podcast: Brian writes in: Dear Kidmitas and Long John Silver.

As a teenager in the early 1980s, my first real job was as the overnight DJ on CK CK, the Top 40 radio station in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

In addition to overnights, I would often operate the American Top 40 show on Saturday afternoons, and it would come in on four vinyl LPs every week.

Incredibles per side.

I can't believe they used to do the radio shows on records.

Yes.

Now he says, I managed to keep a souvenir from my time at this station, and that's the complete vinyl set of the 1983 Top 100 Countdown from American Top 40.

And he attached pictures along with a picture of the skyline for Regina, Saskatchewan.

It's pretty sweet.

I'm telling you.

Canada, pretty much every city in Canada has a great skyline.

James: That one guy sounds like me.

And going off on tangent sounds like us.

Brian: Yeah, there's a very similar dynamic on the show there, I would say.

And perhaps I'm the straight man, you're the funny man.

But, yeah, they like to talk about skylines.

That's one of the tangents, the aesthetic qualities of city skylines.

And so they appreciated the skyline of our city.

And, yeah, in their opinion, most Canadian cities have a fantastic looking skyline.

And I don't know, I would have to kind of agree.

Yeah, sure.

They're not bad.

I remember somebody from going through town once, I told the story in the show before.

I was going to a newspaper conference, a student newspaper conference in Winnipeg.

And he went through Johnny, he said, hey, your town looks brand new, because he just drove by to look at the skyline.

And it's all glassy towers.

At least it was 30 years ago when I was in university.

And apparently wherever they were from didn't have that.

And the other nice thing about our skyline, it rises out of a completely flat prairie.

It's very unusual to have a city built on a completely flat thing.

But then the other part of the call so, yeah, it makes me sound super old to be relating this story, but I used to operate the American Top 40 show.

It came in on records.

They would make a record every week, four LPs.

And that's how we would play the show on the radio.

That is amazing.

In the mail, I guess.

I don't remember, but so I have the complete Top 100 countdown from 1983.

It was usually meant to be played, like, on New Year's Eve.

You start at 04:00 p.m..

The show wraps up at midnight top 100 hits of the year.

So next year it'll be the 40th anniversary of this 19 8100.

So I've always been ready to have like a New Year's Eve party or something where we play the 1983 Top 100 countdown.

But I don't know.

Then I'd have to stay up till midnight, which I don't think I would.

Oh, that's tough for you.

That's tough for you.

You'd need an injection of some sort.

Yeah.

So huge.

Thanks to David and John and the election profit makers show.

That was a lot of fun.

And you can go on ebay and discogs and you can find them for sale.

You can buy them.

Sometimes I think the one I've got is probably worth a couple of something.

Was it like the Casey case I'm talking was on vinyl too? Oh, yeah, everything.

So you didn't have to do anything.

I would have to insert the commercial break so he would say, and coming up next, right after this and then you'd have to pause the turntable, play the commercials and then start the turntable back up again.

Have you ever paused a turntable while it was playing someplace? And I went, don't remember doing that.

No.

But we used to play songs on carts.

They were sort of like eight tracks.

That's how all the songs were played on the station.

So sometimes there's a few songs that have pauses in them.

Like the music stops for a second.

So sometimes for fun, we would pause the pause for a little extra.

You dirty bastards.

On late night radio, screwing is a lot of fun.

You rebel.

That's funny and weird.

So that's our broadcasting heritage here at the Clean Energy Show.

Well, that is so weird.

Like, you've never mentioned that to me before.

That's such a weird thing.

I wonder if it was just practical because they could stamp them out at the time.

Like nowadays they could stamp a CD, I suppose.

Yeah.

There were enough stations to play the show.

There must have been a lot they would have had to make.

Yeah, like 1000 or 2000, maybe, who knows? Well, I was driving into my North Regina subdivision, I guess, made in the late 70s so it's still at the edge of the city.

And I saw a plane flying over the subdivision here.

From a different perspective, it was the pipeline plane, from a different perspective, wasn't flying over here.

I thought the damn thing was landing like it was so low.

So I was kind of curious.

And I used a flight Tracker 24 software online than in my app to track it sometimes to see where it's going.

And it says Calibrated 2100ft, but I thought that was 2100ft because that's where the air ambulance, helicopters fly.

It's not, though.

It's not above terrain.

It's above sea level.

And we're 1900ft above sea level.

So that sucker is 200ft above the ground.

Yeah.

And this is the plane.

I've got a toy drone, Brian, that almost goes that high.

And if I hacked it, it would like it's a very serious subject, but it's not out of the question that anybody could be flying a drone at a couple of hundred feet and run into this airplane, which, by the way, inspects the pipeline for leaks.

Yeah.

So I did some research on pipeline inspection planes.

They call them pipeline patrol pilots.

And apparently in the old days, not that long ago, they would fly 50 to 100ft off the ground.

Now, I'm sure they wouldn't do that over a city because there would be cell towers and things like that.

And by the way, a cell tower is probably that high in some cases, so that's interesting.

But somebody died in Edmonton in 2013 doing it because they were taking pictures.

Their job is to take photographs and fly the damn plane by themselves.

Wow.

Well, I remember I made a film one time where we rented a helicopter and we filmed some stuff from a helicopter.

And my recollection back then was a thousand feet was as low as the helicopter was allowed to go over the city when we were flying over the city to take some shots.

So the pipeline planes must have their own special kind of regulation.

It gives us PTSD here, it sounds like World War II because they sound like they're flying right over your head.

Incoming.

Always yell incoming when it comes to my family, just as a joke.

Nobody gets it, but I am using myself.

And that's how it goes.

That's all that matters.

Yeah, this plane just does the pipeline through the small city we live in of 200,000 people or so.

Just does that stretch.

So it takes off and lands in about less than 15 minutes and it's done its whole work.

Wow.

The other day, though, I tracked it and it took off and did it twice, and then it took off down the pipeline, which also splits our bedroom community of Emerald Parkwite City diagonally.

Just splits it in half.

You're on the wrong side of the pipeline.

I know, but, well, it's still fun.

And there's lots of golfers out there.

And I heard on the radio that they're going to stop poisoning the little bastards.

They can be annoying, the Richardson ground squirrel, which we have here in abundance, and they will reproduce.

They will come into my yard and eat my strawberries and assert themselves and get cocky.

I've spent lots of time staring at them and they chirp.

They make this high pitched chirp and it's just really irritating after hours.

It's kind of bad, like having a really nasty crow around or something.

By the way, the crows disappeared.

I mentioned that.

We started the summer, lost the crows, they're gone.

I don't know who shot them or ate them or whatever.

So they're gone? Yes, they're moving on.

CBC had a new story that perhaps my ears up on California.

I guess the government down there asked them to not charge your EVs.

Try not to use too much electricity in those key hours.

And the key hours are between 04:00 p.m.

And 09:00 p.m..

Even electric cars, supposedly a long term solution to fossil fuel usage, are part of this problem.

Owners of Tesla's and other Ecars are being asked not to charge their vehicles during that five hour period, prompting some to ask questions about an eventual complete conversion to electric cars.

Severn.

Vormstein is with the University of California.

There's no way we could keep up right now if we suddenly went to 100% clean cars.

What do you think of that? Yeah, well, it's annoying because of course we can't immediately switch to 100% electric cars.

It's a gradual thing, but there's certainly a number of factors being stacked on top of one another that is turning this into a much more difficult year for energy grids than I think we ever expected.

So with California, it's this massive heat wave.

They're well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in California and the worst drought in 1200 years.

Did you see that? No.

This is the worst drought in 1200 years in the western United States.

Well, it's been a weird pattern.

And I heard somebody say that it was El Ninja.

The ocean current was sticking around for a second and possibly third winter.

Wow.

And that has done weird things.

And one of the things is bunched up the systems in North America.

So we got this big ridge going way up to Alaska, and that gets hot.

And we get hot here in central western Canada.

And yesterday was the hottest day on record for Regina for this day.

Yeah, it was the second hottest day of the summer.

The hottest day of the summer was also in September, where it got to 36 deg.

It's crazy.

I mean, that's never happened before, ever.

I've lived here almost all my life, and I was at a weather geek when I was a kid.

I paid attention to these things and yeah, it's weird.

So I heat my pool with solar panels, like thermal solar panels, and it's the first time I've ever been in the pool in September without a gas heater in my pool.

And it's weird because it doesn't work as well as it does in June.

The sun goes down early, and it goes behind trees, my neighbors trees.

So the pool itself gets shaded.

And it's unpleasant to be in there when you're not in the sun.

So it takes a longer time to heat up anyway.

It's just weird.

Yeah.

And of course, the other thing that's happening with a massive drought and this is not just California, but places in Europe is happening, too, is the hydroelectric cannot run at full capacity because they just don't have the water behind the dams that they normally do.

So the Hoover Dam, lake Mead.

There was another mob body found the other day in Lake Mead.

So Lake Mead is the reservoir for the Hoover Dam.

Produces lots of hydroelectric power, but it's down to something like 30% of its maximum level now.

And so they can't generate as much electricity as normal.

And, yeah, they're finding bodies now.

The water is so low, they're finding bodies in there that have been there for decades.

And the rivers are low in Germany, so you can't transport coal.

And the water is too hot to cool some of the nuclear plants in, I believe, France.

And now, this isn't a hundred years from now, this isn't 50 years from now.

All this weird stuff is happening now.

Posing problems for non solar and wind.

I would say yes.

And the only thing I would mention here is I think we talked about it, but there's a Tesla virtual Power plant pilot project going on in California.

So they've run it three times now, and they're probably running it again today.

So today is expected to be perhaps the biggest peak of this energy crisis in California.

They may have to go to blackouts today in California as we record this because they may not be able to produce enough energy.

But anyway, it's not enough to save the grid.

But these virtual power plants in California can output up to 50 MW, which is a promising start.

Imagine eventually when every home has a backup battery that would be enough to kind of stabilize these problems with the grid.

But I thought that was super encouraging.

And when called upon, they can all shoot power to the grid at up to 50 MW, apparently.

And 50 MW is five times the peak capacity of the solar plant that I visited in Saskatchewan.

What are the first ones that came on? The only ones that they're allowing now is 10 MW.

So 10 is five times what that is.

And that just further illustrates how puny that solar farm from SAS power is.

Yeah.

So they're expecting rolling blackouts is expected to be 115 deg today in Sacramento.

That's 46 Celsius.

That would be a record.

And people are going to turn on the air conditioners.

They're telling people not to charge their electric cars, especially during peak hours.

I don't think people do because in California there's like peak energy demand, right? Yeah.

I was posting this on Twitter.

If you have an EV, you can get a special plan on the grid.

There the utility and they'll charge you less overnight.

So if you have an EV plan, you pay, I don't know, it's a third or something like that of what the demand is during the day, in the early evening, and then you can charge all you want from eleven on or something.

Yeah, and that's a good example of how we are going to adapt and we're not going to switch to 100% electric cars overnight.

But that's one of the strategies going forward as we slowly transition to electric.

And I should say I think it's like $0.25 overnight.

So that's almost twice what we're paying.

I guess ours are creeping up too, but twenty five cents per kilowatt hour per kilowatt hour.

That's still kind of pricey.

It's not like the $0.03 that some places are talking about charging EV owners to charge overnight.

But that is one way your neighbors will say, well, the grid can't handle it because they write it out a meme on Facebook, that's BS.

If we charged overnight, we have the capacity to meet what the peak demand is and it falls off overnight.

And there's lots of buffer there between what overnight use is and what the peak is that you could charge in some grids right now.

You could just charge all the electric.

If everybody had an electric car, you could charge them all and it'd be fine because they're only charging for a couple of hours too, like at most usually.

Yeah.

And it's an example of how these grids just need to plan and manage.

And just the extreme weather that we're having this year is kind of revealing, maybe, who has done the best planning and who has not.

I mean, the governor could have easily said don't cook supper in your oven or don't do a load of laundry.

But they went after electric cars and said don't charge them.

And very few people are charging them anyway.

What they need to do is say turn up your thermostat by a degree or two and just take it easy because the peak we don't want to rolling black.

And do your thing if you can, if you want to, and then the industry can help with that as well.

They can slow down their shifts at factories or whatever, but yeah, so we'll see what happens if there are in fact, I guess there are 5000 MW short of its power supply, peak demand, that's forecasted by the computers.

And that will hit at 05:30 P.m.

Pacific, which is a couple of hours after we're recording this.

Yeah, we'll see how that goes.

Russia has again stopped supplying gas to Germany through the pipeline that we've been talking about over the past few weeks on the show.

So again, Russia has said, no more gas for you.

Germany, they were trying to build up gas reserves in Germany.

And Germany has said finally, that they are still planning to close those three nuclear power plants that are scheduled to close by the end of the year.

They're going to go ahead with it, but the kind of compromise is they're going to keep two of them on standby, whatever that means.

I guess if they completely mothballed everything, they couldn't start it up again.

But they're going to not completely mothball everything and have two of the three on standby until April so that they possibly could be restarted if they need to.

There's a remarkable thing that you talked about last week.

If you missed last week's show, you might want to go listen to that because there's a lot of stipulations going on with those plants that they have to fix or not fix.

And it's a challenge.

Yeah.

No, I often think about Mad Max.

The Mad Max movies, which I love.

And it's all based around gasoline because it's the wasteland in Australia and gasoline is the precious resource after society has collapsed.

But if we were to have this Mad Max future now, it'd really be solar panels and batteries would be the precious resource.

And it's a much, much simpler thing than having to make gasoline and store gasoline or process it or whatever you have to do.

And the same thing with nuclear power plants.

Like, a nuclear power plant is not going to be much use in a post apocalyptic world because it's too complicated to run.

And yeah, so I did enjoy that segment on last week's show.

It's not as simple as just deciding to keep a plant open or close it.

Nuclear power plants have so many rules and regulations and laws, they would literally have to change the laws in Germany to keep those power plants open.

And hats off to the employees of the nuclear power plants in the Ukraine, which are essentially prisoners of the Russians and who have decided, because speaking of not being used in an apocalypse, well, you have to have the expertise there, and they're basically forcing them to be there.

It's just a horrible situation.

And Brian, speaking of emergency alerts, we've gotten a whole bunch of alerts, but Alberta has some emergency alerts that I'm going to make fun of or at least make light of because Jasper National Park in Alberta straddling the Alberta BC border.

It is arguably one of our national park's best areas.

It's amazing.

So beautiful and less touristy than bank because it's a bit more out of the way.

It is experiencing, unfortunately, a wildfire due to the heat wave that we've been talking about.

And it was started by lightning.

But here's what the CBC news story said about it said before Jasper lost power Sunday evening, the Alberta Emergency Alert System advised residents to prepare for a possible power outage in the town of Jasper, including advising people to fill up their vehicles fuel tank as gas stations rely on electricity.

And people come to us and say what do you do with the power comes out? They come up with those parking lots with their EVs and they say what do you do if the power goes out? As if they run out of extension cords.

The fact is you charge them and you have hundreds of kilometers of range if the power goes out.

And then you drive like you would.

And if the gas station has no power, if you had no power, you could drive to where there is power and charge it up if you needed to.

Yeah.

And Jasper has always had kind of an isolated electricity system because it's in kind of a remote place and I think there's only kind of one power line going in and out.

So they have frequent blackouts in Jasper.

So perhaps the residents are used to this.

But I remember being in Jasper a few years ago and the power was out.

It was out for hours.

But where did we go? We went to the one restaurant or there was a couple that had generators like this happens frequently enough that this restaurant had a big enough generator to keep themselves running.

Well, it's wilderness.

It's mountain wilderness.

You have power lines that are hard to get to.

You have to helicopter people in there.

That's a perfect place for a battery backup system when they become available.

Yeah, and I think they are working on that.

They're running generators to do the well, I think the power is out right now.

So if anybody in Jasper is listening to us.

Hello.

Yeah.

So General Motors is going to offer buyouts to their Buick dealers.

So this is very similar to a story we had last year where they were offering buyouts to Cadillac dealers.

So these are sub brands within General Motors.

When they offered it to Cadillac dealers, about 320 out of the 880 retailers accepted the offer.

And apparently the buyouts for the Cadillac dealers was in the range of $300,000 to a million dollars a payout to get them to stop selling Buicks or stop selling Cadillacs.

And this is because General Motors realizes they have too many dealerships.

They cannot go forward with this many dealerships in an electric vehicle future.

So this is a sign of the times and good on General Motors for planning for the future like that and we'll see how it goes.

So there's about 2000 Buick dealers and they're all going to be offered this deal and some of them will have to go away.

And of course switching to an EV dealership is going to be perhaps an expensive proposition.

There'd be money involved and so I think this is a buyout, really, for the kind of the smaller dealerships that don't think that they can make enough money off of EVs.

As we've discussed many times, they don't need oil changes, they need much less maintenance.

It's for those dealerships that just think they don't want to make the effort or spend the money to go to EVs because they don't think it's going to be worth it.

My elderly neighbors will be disappointed because they bought a Buick recently.

Oh, really? That's what I said to myself.

Oh.

I didn't know Buicks existed anymore.

Yes.

I don't know why they don't just shut out the brand.

Because the average age of the buyers got to be in their seventy s.

Seventy s? How about one hundred eighty s? One hundred.

I'm thinking old people who are living in the don't want to buy a Cadillac or a Buick.

But you know, the Cadillac lyric is pretty.

It checks all the checkboxes.

It takes off a lot of things, fast charging range.

But maybe I'll end up with just one of those one of these days.

Some more news from Germany.

So over the summer, they introduced this really interesting deal for cheap rail in Germany.

And they did this because of the high fuel prices in Germany.

This is really part of the whole strategy energy crisis in Europe.

Fuel is just too expensive.

And of course, also the more people drive, the more it contributes to greenhouse gasses.

So over the three months of the summer, germany offered for $9, which is about €9 a month, a train ticket to go anywhere in Germany.

And this has worked really well.

It has saved about one 8 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

And yes, people took advantage of this.

It makes a lot of sense.

And of course, it's not necessarily as possible where we live in the isolated prairies, but when you have a proper rail system, like they do in pretty much all the countries in Europe, why not offer incentives and get people to use it? And it benefits everyone.

I wonder if that will spread through Europe just because there's a big crunch coming on energy and maybe that idea will spread and that will also maybe change some people's habits.

Yeah, I hope so.

And of course, it's also just a bit of a help because gasoline is just so expensive.

So it's a way to help out your population and give them a break on the high fuel prices.

This is a clean energy show with Brian Stockton and James Whittingham.

Brian.

The UK finally has a new Prime Minister to replace Mr.

Boris Johnson.

Right.

So, Liz Truss, I haven't seen a picture.

What's her hair like? It's more organized, I would say.

Definitely more organized.

Okay, that's a good sign.

It doesn't seem to have a life of its own.

It seems fine as every other person in England has normal hair.

But not Boris.

Yeah, so she's weird.

She doesn't like the sight of solar panels.

And I think one of the most depressing sights when you're driving through England is seeing fields that should be full of crops or livestock, full of solar panels.

The hell is wrong with her? She started as a Social Democrat and she was an anti nuclear activist when she was young, but at some point at university, a switch went off and she became hard.

Right.

And she's vowed to be a very Conservative Conservative because that's what she campaigned on.

I always think it's fantastic when I see a field of solar panels, but also Agravoltaics, which you talk about frequently.

You can have both.

You can have crops and solar panels.

You can have sheep grazing, you can have goats grazing.

It's a win win.

It's sad that she's insane.

It's sad that she's dumb about this, as many people in her party are, but, you know, there's only 14% of Brits are against the net zero plan for us.

Johnson 14% of people are against sunny days.

That's unheard of.

Like, there's a very strong support for clean energy in that zero.

Yeah.

So that's a weird stand for her to she's making it a sort of culture war, using the climate as a culture war thing.

She doubled down on her comments during the leadership campaign that farmers feel shouldn't be full of solar panels, and several Conservative MPs have raised it.

And solar farms in the UK currently account for 0.8% of total land use.

That's very little land use right now under the government's net zero plan.

Solar farms.

This is getting rid of climate change, right? Addressing climate change, Paris Accord targets and all that over the next 30 years would be .6% of all land use.

About half of 1% of land use would be solar in the UK.

And that's not accounting for efficiency improvements as we move forward.

We'll need less panels, and maybe there'll be different ways to deploy them.

Yeah, it's a strange thing to plant a flag on.

Anyway, Brian, I just want to add one thing.

Solar energy.

UK says that this amount of land use will be less than the amount of land currently used for golf courses.

That is the .6% of UK land.

And saving the freaking planet is less than golf courses.

No.

And golf courses are kind of notoriously bad for the environment because they take up so much space for the enjoyment of so few people and they take so many resources to water and maintain those lawns that apologize to golfers.

Let's take all the golf courses in the world and just put solar panels on them.

That would be great.

All right, so, staying in Europe again, European energy crisis.

France is looking to cut their energy use by about 10% this year.

So, again, energy crunch.

France is having problems with their nuclear plants.

They aren't able to share as much energy back and forth with other countries like Germany who's having their problems.

So coming into the winter, they have said that they want to cut energy use by about 10%.

So in the winter, this is going to mean setting your thermostat in your house at about 19 Celsius or 66 Fahrenheit, which is a genuine sacrifice.

I would not want to do that.

We've been very spoiled of just being able to kind of set the temperature.

So 19 would be freezing for me.

Yeah.

Where am I? I'm around 21, I think.

Winter has been so far behind us and yet so close to tennis.

But that's up.

It's up.

When I first moved to this house, I was a 20 degree man.

Brian.

Yes.

Now that I'm old, I'm not making energy anymore in my body.

I'm just getting old.

I'm supposed to eat less.

That's why the seniors menu 55 plus is cheaper at Denny's, because I'm supposed to eat less.

Yeah, I don't feel like you feel like you do the same thing I did when I was 20.

There's going to be a lot of sweaters sold in France.

That's all I got to say about that.

Yeah, get into the sweater business and Brian from the Nebraska examiner and I know you have subscription, Brian.

Do you have a subscription to that one? No, but next time I'm on the PressReader app, I will look for the Nebraska shout out to the Nebraska examiner staff.

A southwest Iowa ethanol plant has been ordered to pay $10,000 fine for its repeated air emissions of excessive cancer causing compounds in the last five years.

I live near an oil refinery, heavy oil operator refinery.

And I complained about the smell and I told you that there's an author and a team of journalists looking at that over four years and they're looking to go to ethanol and stuff like that and biofuel fuel for planes and stuff like that.

They're trying to diversify and there's even canola crushing plants going up around it.

But this proves to me the reason why I mentioned it is that even these plants can have horrible emissions like formaldehyde.

This plant was spewing out formaldehyde and other byproducts of its fermentation process that are known to have adverse health risk like cancer.

So actual harm to the environment and public health may have occurred since this order from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and due to the amount of pollutants that were and are being admitted.

So, yeah, it's just something to keep in mind when you think that, oh, good, your refinery is going bio.

It can be bad for you as well if you live near one.

Yeah, no, I've never been a fan of the bio fuels.

It's a stop gap that we probably don't need.

Okay.

So rumors are heating up about a possible Tesla factory here in Canada.

Public companies have to disclose their lobbying efforts.

So Electric and others have reported on this.

Apparently Tesla is looking at Quebec and Ontario for some type of factory.

I mean, it could be a car factory, could be a battery factory, could be both, who knows? What's your bet? Where's your bet going right now? I'm thinking it will be a car factory, and I'm thinking Quebec.

There is a long history of not only automobile production in Ontario and Quebec, but also mining a lot of the minerals.

And of course, Tesla is trying to local source as many of the minerals and metals and stuff needed for electric cars for the batteries.

So, yeah, best case scenario, a battery and car plant.

And I'm leaning towards Quebec, but that's really just a guess.

I'm leaning towards not being a normal car plant.

Like not XYZ three, not a full blown thing.

No, it could be batteries or it could be something weird like cyber trucks and semis.

That's my guess.

Yes.

Because they both take up a lot of batteries.

So maybe they'll just make the batteries for those two things and I don't know, they'll be able to transport them to the east coast because that's kind of one of the challenges of the Texas plant, is having to transport all that stuff to the other half of the country and the eastern half.

Yeah, and like I say, there's a huge history of doing this.

Like all the major car brands have factories or have had factories in Ontario and Quebec, in Canada.

So clearly there's a decent reason to do it.

If others have done it, then probably it'd be a work for Tesla.

And on the Great Lakes, that's a port.

That's access to a port.

So if you wanted to ship to Europe, that's another option.

Yeah, it's not just the eastern part of North America is a shorter shipping route to Europe where a lot of these things are going to be bought over the next little while.

So, once again, I know I mentioned this a lot, but I was on the Chevy Bolt user group that is largely the United States.

There's so many people there compared to Canada.

That is a post every couple of minutes and it eats up my Facebook feed, but I always find it interesting.

Brian there's a guy named Randy Moffatt, which is interesting because I went to high school with the person with that name and the fear of change.

This is something that he pointed out in a Facebook post talking about all the hate that EV owners were getting.

And so he came into this and he said, the fear of change has a word, it's called oh God.

Meta the SEO phobia.

No.

You do.

Finland pronunciations.

Why can't you do this? No, I think you did it slowly, but you did it above.

So it is the fear of change.

And I hadn't heard of this one before.

Have you heard of that? One.

I've heard lots of phobias.

Yeah, this is basically what's going on in the world.

If you were looking at Facebook hate and people uncomfortable with DVS.

So why do they give a crap? I mean, you could say, well, they're forced to in 2035 or in California and other places, but that's not really a pressing issue right now.

It's not here before us.

Why do people hate on EV so much? And it is a fear that people are going through, a fear of change.

And the fear of change is evolutionary in humans.

Our internal predispositions teach us to resist change, mainly to always feel in control.

So these people are feeling out of control on these people who like to feel in control the most in our comfort zone.

Yeah.

And of course, it isn't just a hatred of EVs.

It's just a reaction to people are scared about getting off fossil fuels, which seems like a weird thing to us because it's a whole new dawn of a fantastic new day.

It's nothing but good news getting off fossil fuels.

But yeah, people are just scared about change.

And you see it a lot in Alberta, our neighboring oil province, where people are just absolutely dead set on sticking with what they know, which is oil and gas.

Here's a quip from YouTube.

We are all afraid of the uncertainty that comes with change.

We would rather things be not so great then go through the risk and process of change.

This specific phobia can reduce one's will to live.

So this is pretty extreme.

Wow.

The phobes who have this often feel like they have no control over their lives on the cost and changes.

She tends to live in the past and may also be depressed.

So there you go.

Therefore, you make them unwilling to move.

So Randy says on this Facebook post, I became interested in computers in the early 1970s and learned a program so that's very early, like, very few people were doing it back then.

I was always on the cutting edge of technology.

The amount of hate was palatable with people accusing me of being a Satanist.

Randy S from the States, where there's lots of, you know, Baptists and religion and stuff, people said they would never own one.

This is a computer.

Okay, yeah.

So we are going through this again.

He says.

However, now the government is issuing mandates for this transition to EV is making the fear even worse.

When I got my first EV almost nine years ago, I had neighbors calling me crazy.

My next door neighbor said he would never own one.

Last weekend he told me he just ordered his third.

So be patient, be nonconfrontational, just set a quiet example and someday, just like computers, they will figure it out.

And I thought that was a great post.

I wanted to share with their listeners.

This happens all the time.

Like, I follow photography and cameras and stuff.

And there's a move now from optical viewfinders to electronic viewfinders and cameras, and it's progressed enough that people have accepted it.

But two or three years ago, you had people just hatred for electronic viewfinders on cameras.

Like, people just hated the idea of it, and one by one, they're all moving to it.

It happened too quickly for them to comprehend.

I don't know.

As soon as I found out about it, I thought it was fantastic, and I couldn't wait to switch.

So, yeah, this is definitely a mindset.

Conservatives versus progressive.

I had one on a point and shoot camera 15 long time ago, a lot of years ago in the digital camera age.

Didn't care for it, of course.

They weren't focused.

You couldn't do anything.

I'm sure they're getting a lot better, and I've not actually used one myself.

It was very clear to me early on it was the way of the future.

But, yeah, people just take much longer, generally speaking, to catch on.

All right, let's stick it to the mail bag.

The user feedback this week comes from Doug in Colorado, who wrote about our May 2 show.

Doug, you're behind.

You put a lot of catching up to do.

Take some time off work if you have to.

Binge listen our show.

So he says to us, thank you for highlighting the problem of light trespass from harsh, glaring Led street light fixtures.

And he says an excellent resource is the International Dark Sky Association.

They have everything people need to know about light pollution, including model lighting ordinance.

And also, thanks for coming to Ups.

Replacement gasoline, mail delivery, van, contract debacle.

Hoping canada learns from the United States.

US is making big mistakes and hopefully pushes Canada to do much better.

Yeah, so I vaguely remember talking about Led lighting back in May.

That was a long time ago.

Led lighting, I think what we said at the time, it's a fantastic opportunity to upgrade things and make it better and reduce light pollution.

But since Led lights are still kind of new technology, a lot of the designs aren't great.

Cities don't quite know how to implement them yet.

And yeah, a lot of the times they're just too harsh.

But, yeah, my pet peeve is the brightness.

We have the ability now to put them on timers and control the brightness.

So street lights could come on at full power, kind of in the dusk times, and then you could eventually back those off at three in the morning, just turn all the street lights down.

And if you've ever been out in the middle of the night, you don't need a whole lot of light to see once your eyes are adjusted.

I'm surrounded by a ridiculous amount of light pollution.

I'm thankful that they changed the street lights in our neighborhood here to Led that have a slight warmth to them, and they're less bright than the previous, I would say overall they disperse them better, and they even that out, and that's fine.

However, my neighbor across the street, across the boulevard, he's the person with the police stickers all over his house, he's scared of getting killed.

And he's got this bright white LEDs just glaring on his property like a landing strip for an airport.

And then across the Pipeline Field, which is, I don't know, 50 meters across, 50 yards across, there's another guy who has a giant white light in his backyard, and it shines, and I can see the gophers and anything going around in the night.

And then there's a school there as well, which is further away from me, but they have this anti never do well lighting to keep people from doing things there, because people do do things.

But it's blindingly bright, and it shines in my drapes, and it's a long ways away, and it's light pollution.

And all these lights that I speak of are not on the spectrum of warmth.

So they're the bluer side, and they bounce, and those are the wavelengths that bounce up into the sky the most.

And I think I talked about this on the show, but I've got a street light just right outside of my house.

And a couple of years ago, the ball went out, and it was the greatest, because I don't want that giant street lamp shining in my windows at night.

It was so great.

I was very disappointed when they should have rented a bucket truck and went up there and put some tape over it just a little put in a low wattage bulb.

And also yesterday I was coming home from Home Depot and I saw two pickup or two trucks with Amazon delivery vehicles on them, like there was four Amazon Delivery Prime trucks, the kinds that look like the EVs that they're coming out in the States.

So, of course, I went and checked them out and saw the giant tailpipes on them.

Was very disappointed.

But they looked those four transit vans converted, and they should look they should be EVs, and they're not.

We don't have those around here.

We have a third party delivery service, don't we, in Virginia? No, it hasn't been great for electric sort of trans advance around here.

Yeah, but there was one place remember last week we talked about a place in Saskatoon? They got one for delivering at a bakery, and it's just and they're saving money, handover it's free.

They said there's paying for the payments to save money.

They save for the payments for the new vehicle.

So how great is that? And of course, we'd love to hear from you.

So right now, get out your pen.

Get out your typewriter.

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Here we go.

Brian.

The Clean Energy Show Lightning Round, where we breeze through the headlines and end the show on a fast pace.

End of life batteries from electric vehicles are not likely to be the primary source of recyclable material until the mid 2030, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Yeah, I think we talked about that last week of the week before that.

It's going to be a very slow ramp up because electric vehicle batteries are just lasting way longer than people thought.

Our friend Donald Trump has gone on a nonsense, cynical rant about electric cars the other day at a rally.

He says we need to get rid of them.

The story was on electric and we have a clip, but I'm not going to play the man, okay? I said to myself, how can we cover this and not hear his stupid freaking voice? You already said his name.

Which gives me I'm sorry.

I like how Steven Colbert does it.

They have Twitter.

People come up with nicknames, which always makes for him every.

But this is very similar to the British PM with the rant about solar panels is kind of the same thing.

This is trying to make it into a culture war type of issue.

Well, speaking of Britain, I had a computer read his text in a posh British accent.

So here it is.

A friend of mine wanted to do something for the environment.

He went out and bought an electric car and he made a certain trip, I won't say from where, kentucky.

And he is a good person.

He wants to do what's well, and now he understands, hey, not so good.

He bought an electric car and he made the trip often from Kentucky to Washington.

And he made it.

He would drive down, put the car away and drive back.

He was getting like 38 miles per gallon.

It took me more time to charge in the damn car than I could spend in a drive in.

It took me two and half times.

My name is Donald J.

Trump, and I'm an idiot.

A complete and total idiot.

Please enjoy listening to the Clean Energy Show.

Hopefully Brian isn't drunk this week.

Okay, well, that was a bit added on at the end there, but you get the idea.

It makes no sense at all.

Yeah, and we all know electric cars work great for road trips.

They do.

And the author of that electric piece, Freslinber, pointed out that he went from New Orleans up to Quebec, didn't have to stop for more than 30 minutes and he had to dine anyway.

I had to eat something and go to the bathroom and stretch his leg.

Yeah, it wasn't an inconvenience at all for him and his Tesla.

Yeah.

With the caveat that the Tesla charging network is definitely the best and the third party charger is maybe not as good and you might still have some issues there.

Have you heard of Boston Consulting Group before? Often it is quoted in the news on different things.

It is a major consulting group.

So four years.

This is four years of Boston Consulting groups.

US.

Electric vehicle sales forecasts.

This is something that Wall Street relies on, consulting groups like this.

And this is an evolution of how their forecasts have changed.

We talked about this type of thing on the show, that people are always revising their forecast and we could have told them differently.

So in 2018, they said 21% of sales will be EVs in 2030.

This is the United States.

Two years later, they said, Oops, 26.

Year after that, 42.

That's a big jump.

And then this year, they're now saying 53%, which is a lot more common.

And even that is like, we doubt that.

We think it's going to be more than that.

Things are going to tip.

This is an S Curve adoption, and we're at the steep part of the S Curve.

This is going to go up way faster than people think.

Just think back to when smartphones were first introduced and everyone's like, that's kind of a weird thing.

And then you blink and a couple of years later, everybody had a smartphone.

And that's how fast it goes.

You're looking at the chart now on our script.

Look at where it levels off.

It levels off between 55 and 75%.

Yeah, they're still kind of doing it wrong.

They're still underestimate.

Curves of adoption don't level off until around 90%.

Like color TVs, cell phones, stuff like that, when the last 10% is the hard to get.

Yeah.

And I will say, like, manufacturing cars, electric cars, is a lot more difficult, probably, than manufacturing something like a smartphone.

So it maybe won't go as quickly as the smartphone, but it is going to go fast.

From carbon tracker.

Just over 30 solar installations are being carried out every week in Britain, and that is up from 1000 a week just two years ago.

So it's tripled the home.

That's a lot.

The home solar installations have tripled in two years.

That's crazy time for CS.

Fast fact hawaii produces more renewable energy than all of Canada.

Were you sitting down for that? Oh, yes.

Your posture is excellent this week, by the way.

I'm happy to see your back is better.

Yeah, I haven't had to change position, but yeah, we reported a couple of weeks ago they got their last shipment of coal for their last coal fired electricity plant.

And that plant did close down just the other day.

So that's great.

So, yeah, the regulatory consequences are clear.

If utilities fail to meet their renewable targets, they are forced to pay penalties, which must be covered by company, the shareholders, and rather than the taxpayers.

And that's the way it should be.

That should be the lesson for everybody.

The shareholders should have to cover it, not the ratepayers.

Electric school busses in Massachusetts provided energy back to the grid for more than 8 hours this summer.

That is a lot of hours of emergency heat wave protection from buses that weren't doing anything because they are electric.

They were sitting around all summer.

And this is a great use case in the United States where they have less severe winters, but summer heat waves need that grid backup.

And those electric buses which are just starting to trickle in, really, for schools, are there and useful.

So that's awesome.

Fantastic.

Ten of 13 flagship CCS that is carbon capture and Sequestration Rhine SEQUEST projects failed to deliver, according to IEFA analysis, and that's 50% of goals haven't even been reached.

And that's what our boundary dam they mentioned.

The boundary dam is the first thing they mentioned right here in this catch one.

Yeah, we had one of the first carbon capture on a coal plant, and they have captured some carbon, but nowhere near what they thought they were.

Mars Technica ebike battery fires are pushing New York City towards a ban in public housing.

That is, public housing is banning ebikes.

This is quite disturbing, but so is the reason why so poorly made cells, tough work and lack of space, I guess, in these places, are causing deadly rise of fires.

A deadly rise of fires in the New York City.

That was a lot.

I mean, laptops can do that, too.

Ebike battery is made up of dozens of individual AA sized batteries wired together and managed by a battery management system.

And you were talking last week how you were told that you have to unplug.

You can't just keep charging us.

Maybe that's the reason.

Yes.

My ebike doesn't have a battery management system, so you're not supposed to leave it plugged in.

But yeah, I could see where this could turn out to be a huge problem.

By the way, my partner shops at Shoppers Druckmart, and they had an ebike in there for $250 for the weekend, but it was just this tiny little thing that didn't have pedals, it just had spikes to put your feet on.

Yes.

Anyway, that's interesting.

Sometimes those things are mismanaged.

The charging is mismanaged, the faulty, they are damaged, they're waterlogged.

But a five year old was killed in a fire, and it's very tragic.

And just be careful.

If you have an ebike battery, don't read the manual and be aware that you're not supposed to leave it.

In many cases, you're not supposed to leave them charging indefinitely, but they're not inherently dangerous either.

But anything that is a battery that charges I mean my charge and lead to acid battery in my house for my RV.

So you got to be careful.

Washington Post amid a bonanza of measures passed to cut the state's carbon emissions in California as fast as possible, the legislature in California approved $1,000 refundable tax credit to poor Californians who don't own vehicles.

So it's paying people not to own vehicles if you are poorish.

I might even qualify.

It will head to the desk of Newton soon and he's going to sign it.

He's expected to sign it.

The bill offers the tax credit to single filers earning up to $40,000 in joint filers up to $60,000 who live without personal cars.

And you can get it whether you make a lot of tax money or not.

And you can just get that $1,000 regardless.

Yeah, that sounds great.

And maybe that's something we'll start to see other places.

I've heard the concept before, but this is the first time I've seen it getting passed.

Another CS fast Fact from Nat bullard from Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

There are 148,026 convenience stores in the United States.

OK, 148,000.

What he's saying is look out.

Change is coming.

And Brian, that is our time for this week.

It's been fun as always.

Glad you're feeling better.

We'd like to hear from you.

Remember, contact us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com and all the rest of the places.

And if you're new to the show, remember to subscribe to get our podcast cast every week, and we'll see you next time.

See you next week.

View Details

James visits his first solar farm in Saskatchewan: a single axis bifacial 13mW site near Weyburn. A closer look at Green Hydrogen and Canada's new agreements with Germany to produce it.

Brian finally finds an air-source heatpump installer in his home town.

What’s faster than a Lamborghini and a Ferrari? A Kia. No joke.

Anti-lock brakes are coming to electric bicycles.

Dodge has wrecked the idea that electric vehicles will be quiet because the Dodge Charger EV will make noise. A lot of noise. A V8 amount of noise.

Will Germany balk at shutting down all of its nuclear power by the end of the year?

How far does a wind turbine have to be away from shore before it's not an eye sore: Wind Turbine Visibility and Visual Impact Threshold Distances in Western Landscapes Study link (pdf)

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Tell your friends about us on social media!

==transcript==

Hello, and welcome to episode 129 of the clean Energy show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week, I take a closer look at green hydrogen.

Apparently, there is a whole, whole rainbow of hydrogen, Brian.

Gray, blue, purple, turquoise I'm not even kidding.

And even black and white hydrogen.

And that's when you watch old footage of the Hindenburg exploding.

What's faster than a Lamborghini and a Ferrari? Aka.

That's right, Akia.

In other news, up is down, black is white, and James is a handsome son of a bitch.

You're damn straight.

Plus, we asked, and sure enough, there is a study on how far out offshore wind turbines have to be before you can really see them.

It's roughly the same distance that France keeps the United Kingdom away.

Antilon brakes are coming to electric bicycles.

That's right.

The nanny state wants you to stop flying over your front handlebars, all in the name of safety.

All that and more on this edition of the clean energy show.

And also this week, Brian, I visit my first utility solar farm and Dodge.

Dodge? Yes.

They're making an EV, and they've wrecked the idea that electric vehicles will be quiet, and I'm quite angry about that.

And will Germany block it, shutting down all of its nuclear power by the end of the year? I hope you're doing well.

You were off last week due to back injury.

Yeah, I never thought it would be bad enough that I couldn't record a podcast, but I did contemplate, like, lying flat on my back and somehow getting a microphone.

But that would have been so much work to set up.

If I had a servant to kind of set all that up for me, I could have done it.

Yeah.

In the meantime, it's now manageable, I guess, and hopefully it doesn't happen again.

It will.

It keeps happening.

I mean, is this the worst it's ever been? Yeah, I would say so, but I don't know.

I feel like I've got a handle on the right stretching that I need to do, so hopefully it's okay.

Well, glad to hear, because all the preparation I had for last year, I've forgotten it now.

I had a lot ready to go with that.

Seemed like distant memories.

Now it's only a week ago.

Wow.

My opening jokes.

I wrote those last week.

Last week.

I thought they seemed dated.

Yeah, that news is a little bit stale, but I thought they were both worth talking about.

So right after I guess it was Friday, I went to a utility solar farm in Waburn that is an hour and a half south of us.

Now, my son and I just he was feeling I basically said, we can't do the vacation he wanted to do.

So I said, hey, let's just go on a little road trip.

And then I thought, well, maybe I should go look at that solar farm an hour and a half south because it's the direction we haven't gone very often and found it fairly easily.

It's not far from the small city of, what, 10,000 people or something like that.

And it is the first one that I've seen in our own jurisdiction here ever because they just started putting them online.

It puts out up to 10 MW into the system.

It's rated at 13, though.

So basically in the summer when it goes over ten, they waste whatever is over ten.

The grid can't handle it.

It's near a substation.

What struck me disappointingly, though, was how small it was.

Okay, this is run by this is a partnership between, I think, two First Nations, a solar company from Halifax, Nova Scotia, the east coast of Canada that we actually get some information from because I have some questions on the previous show and they're very helpful.

But I was struck at how small it was.

I haven't seen a lot of solar farms in my day.

I've been through California and Arizona, and I probably haven't seen them all down there, but I saw a few, and what I saw were old and big.

And this struck me as 2005 ish like it just seemed like, give it the times, man.

Yeah, you're late to get on the grid, but what do you need to prove? What about solar? I mean, I've had solar for how many years have you had it? Five or six years now? Yeah, five or six years.

We know it works and we're hooked up to the same utility.

Why can't you just, I don't know, triple the size of it? But isn't that also encouraging? Because it kind of looks small, but you're still getting 10.

Seems pretty good.

It's not, though, compared to the size of what they're building now, including in our neighboring province of Alberta, they're building things many times that in one fell swoop.

Well, first of all, when I got there, I heard this noise and I thought, oh, solar panels make noise.

And I looked up and it was a guy in a riding lawn mower.

At first I thought the panels weren't working.

So let me describe what this is.

This is a single access solar farm.

So if you're new to what that is, I'm going to describe it in simple terms.

Imagine a rod going from south to north, hoisted up above the ground by about, let's say six or seven, 8ft up.

And then the panels are placed elongated on there along that tube, and they rotate to the east in the morning when the sun comes up in the east.

And at noon, they're flat.

But I was there at 04:00 in the afternoon and they were flat.

So I think they made them flat for the guy who was mowing, because there was a few off in the distance that were where they should have been, which is facing west.

So they will track the sun from east to west and get more power in the morning than they otherwise would.

Ultimately, normally, a fixed panel faces south at the best angle to get the most sun year round over the course of a year.

Well, these follow it.

So the pattern of that, if you look at the chart that I have there, you know how our charts are.

They're kind of a bell curve.

Is that fair to say? Yeah.

Shaped like a bell? Yes.

This one is kind of like a flattened bell, so instead of gradually going up, it shoots up fairly quickly and then it's flat throughout the most of the day up around where our peak is and then comes back down again.

So I don't see how it can get as much sun midday as a panel that's fixed and facing an optional direction.

Maybe that peak should be a bit lower on that chart that I'm showing you.

But that's basically the idea that you put this money into tracking equipment and extra hardware and it will give you more sun throughout the day from the same panels because it will track.

And then also, Brian, of course, these are bifacial, so they will pick up sun off the ground, so they're spaced out so that there is some unshadowed ground to pick up.

But also when they announced this, they said there was going to be goats and or sheep grazing there, so it could be multi use.

But that hasn't happened yet.

Maybe eventually it was a bit underwhelming.

I was hoping for something bigger.

Basically, they're making another one near the landfill in Regina here, and I drove by that on the way home to see what's up with that.

It's going they're actually marked out where everything's going to go and they're going to have a battery installation project there.

It's just that Brian, we're the sunniest place in Canada.

Come on, man, we could do better than this.

Plus, we've got like half of our grid is coal powered.

We could do better, it seems like.

Oh, we don't trust this, we're scared of this.

Maybe we need to build a big places near the coal plants, which would work out fairly well because that's part of our sunniest belt is down where the coal plants are.

Ironically, that would be cool.

Yeah.

Well, maybe that's how all the coal ended up there was from all the sunshine.

Well, I remember you had a story about coal plants shutting down in the United States and they were putting solar around because the grid ties were already there.

Yeah, no, it totally, absolutely makes sense.

And yeah, like, of course, on my own house, I've got solar.

You've got solar.

But I am trying to electrify everything in my house, so I'm quickly finding out that I should have installed maybe three times as many solar panels when I initially did my project.

How could you do that? No, there's not much room left, but it is what it is.

But I did finally talk to somebody who was willing and HVAC installer, willing to put in an air source heat pump to heat my house.

How did you find this person? Just googling and making an inquiry on the web.

Okay, where did you make the inquiry to the person you Googled? Yeah, the company.

Okay, well, that's cool.

Yeah.

And I think I had maybe contacted them a few months ago and they never got back to me or everybody's super busy in the trade.

But I finally did hear from them and yes, they do air source heat pumps in our ridiculously frigid cold climate.

I was just worried I would not ever find somebody who just wasn't even willing to take out a natural gas furnace.

But anyway, so it is possible it is being done around here.

They also do geothermal, but they don't typically recommend that for urban properties, they prefer to do geothermal.

For rural properties, where you have more space, you can do a horizontal pipe rather than if it's in the city, you've got to do a vertical, and those aren't quite as good and very expensive.

So this is still expensive in our source heat pump, but it's going to be a lot less than geothermal.

And I think this is definitely the way of the future, even around here.

So I think I'm probably going to do it.

My son was asking me about this because I was telling them and he was saying, why is Brian spending so much money to be first to have a zero footprint? And I said, I don't know.

I've just been thinking about it for years and years.

As soon as I went solar, my thought was, okay, excellent, I've got the solar.

Now how do I get rid of my furnace? It just seemed like the logical next step.

It's just you're spending a lot of money on these things and you're not getting the payback for it, you're doing it, and you're not really saving the planet, you're just lowering your own footprint, which is admirable, of course, to everyone listening to the show.

Yeah.

The catch here is, of course, like 30% of our grid is coal fired.

So I think in terms of my carbon footprint, I'll probably end up kind of it'll be a bit of a wash, but of course, eventually the grid here will clean up.

And the other thing is, we do have grants available for this in Canada.

It's not as generous as the ones recently announced in the US with the biden.

What was that called again? Inflation Reduction Act.

That's correct, yes.

I did the first step, which is apply for the Canada Greener Homes grant.

You fill out a thing on the web, so they're going to do an evaluation of my home, and then you get up to five grand for green type renovations, and there's a little bit of a provincial tax rebate, so I might get a couple of grand back there.

Yeah, it's expensive.

But again, the other impetus was we don't have air conditioning here and so I just didn't want to put in normal air conditioning and then 510 years ago from now have to rip it up because everyone's going to have to get rid of their natural gas in five or ten years.

So it's definitely going to cost more than just putting in air conditioning, but it gets rid of my natural gas.

So yeah, we'll see how it goes.

Will it get rid of your natural gas? Will you use resistive heating as a backup? Yeah, this unit has resistive heater backup which is not efficient.

And not cheap to run no, once it hits -20 the heat pump has difficulty so the resistance heat backs up.

Right now my natural gas bill is $110 a month, equalized throughout the year, so I should be able to get that to zero.

So it probably will still end up costing more than that.

It will be probably more than an extra $100.

Are we talking water heating here too? Yeah, so the unit that they showed me, it's a Nordic heat pump.

It doesn't heat your hot water, but apparently it preheats it.

So this is a function of this particular one that they're selling to me.

It does like 30% to 50% of your hot water needs, so it sort of preheats your hot water and then you need a regular hot water heater to kind of finish it off.

But the idea like I have a natural gas water heater too, so switch that out to a heat pump water heater hopefully.

Okay, well, it's tricky where we live because it does get down to -40 it can you have to plan for the worst case scenarios.

Yeah, and certainly minus twenty s and thirty s celsius and minus forty fahrenheit celsius is possible.

Yeah, but this was super encouraging to find that this is actually being done around here, that we are still going to be the last probably to get off natural gas because this is not going to be cheap and there is a subsidy, but it's still going to be kind of expensive.

But yeah, this is totally possible and hopefully I can prove that and report back well, I do expect subsidies to come down in Canada too, eventually because this is planned and we are heavily influenced by what the state does with policy.

Sometimes that hurts us and sometimes it helps us.

But also heat pumps are generally put into highly insulated houses.

It's like an electric car.

When you make an electric car, it can do as much as maybe you want it to with the battery size.

So you make the cars lighter.

You use carbon fiber, you use aluminum, and in the case of a house, you make it the most energy efficient you can.

So are you taking any steps there? Yeah, well, we have over the years like we've upgraded the windows.

And we have spray foam, a bunch of my bomb shelters spray foam here.

As I mentioned last week, it's also patty in case there is a bomb.

Nice and soft.

And we're doing our part of our roof this year as well.

So I was reporting we've got leaks in our roof, so we're going to spray foam that over the next several months so the house will be much better insulated than when we bought it.

And then the only thing left to go would be, like, the bedrooms and the living room could still use some extra insulation.

So we probably will do that next.

But having our vaulted ceiling properly installated will actually help a lot.

Oh, Brian, I want to say a shout out to Matthew Pointer, who pulled up beside me and his Tesla yesterday, and much to my daughter's amusement, had a conversation with me between cars.

She's never seen that before.

I said, Girl, in the old days, people used to stop and talk.

Strangers would talk.

But he's one of the people in the local EV community, and he had roof racks on his Tesla.

I asked him, Why are the roof racks on? And he says, Because I might use them for skiing.

And of course, it's not skiing season, water skiing season.

I guess it just leaves them on and they're cool roof racks.

The Tesla roof racks, they look slick, but he says they're also pretty easy to take off and don't affect his range, to go out of range in his car.

Another thing I wanted to mention is that I saw a commercial because we downloaded this app called Fubo for soccer, because that's where the English Premier League soccer is on this year.

They're always changing rights.

Now it's a different app, by the way.

It's better than The Zone, which it was last time, but more expensive.

And they have weird ads on these things, okay.

Because it's new and they don't know who to sell ads to.

So I saw lots of ads for North Dakota repeated over and over again.

Okay? Apparently, North Dakota is a cool place with one tall building, which I believe we stayed in when we went to the Faracle Film Festival there.

I'm not North Dakota.

I love it.

There's many aspects of North Dakota I love.

And I just saw an ad for lab grown diamonds, and we just talked about that on the show not long ago, and now I'm seeing ads for it.

It's commercialized, but I'm wondering now that it's real, if you were a person who I don't like diamond.

I don't give a crap about diamonds.

I'm not married.

I don't believe in that stuff.

I'm not an old romantic person.

But if you were with a lab grown diamond, be a cop out compared to a real diamond for people.

I'm asking you to speculate here, but do you think that there'd be any difference or would you even tell the person you're giving it to? Hey, it was growing a lab hunting from a Big Mac that was rotting in the corner.

Is it the kind of thing where a guy could put on one of those loops in a diamond shop and look at it and go, oh, this is lab grown, this is crap? That's a good question.

And if you are a listener, we have a lot of smart people listening to the show email as Cleanenergy Show at a@gmail.com that's a question I'd love to know the answer to.

That's a very interesting question.

Yeah, because I think it's something like cubic zirconia.

That's another one where the professionals can tell the difference between a cubic zirconia and a diamond.

But you and I probably not.

So they'll have less value if they're easier to make.

The question is because Canada's North relies on diamond mining, it's a big industrial economic impact up there.

Will it be affected? I don't know.

However, of course, lab grown diamonds have less environmental impact, which is why we're talking about them in the first place.

Another thing I saw when I was searching for cars, trying to buy one, as I was on the Hyundai Canada website and I noticed something new there.

They said, try an EV before you buy an EV, so you can book a multi day test drive with an EV.

I think it's a great idea.

And they're using the service, what's it called? Turtle, which I guess is in some Canadian cities now, I think Vancouver and Toronto, perhaps we can't do it everywhere.

But that would be one where you could manually just go rent one at Turtle in the States, people have done that and just had one for a few days to see how they like it, because it's hard.

I'd like to drive one and see what they're like, really.

But Hyundai also, they're having a hard time keeping up with demand.

So do they really need a program like this to sell EVs? Because they tend to sell out pretty quickly.

I think I saw somebody on Facebook had an EV six, and where we live are they out already? I didn't know they were coming.

They caught me by surprise.

Yeah, there's at least one around.

So they're starting to trickle out.

The question is, how many will they make? Because I'm hoping the demand is there.

The reviews are still flowing in for the iconic Five.

And we talked last time about Mike having one, a friend of mine, and he really loves it.

No.

And we have an update coming up as well on the EB Six.

But also I wanted to mention I saw Arivian in the wild.

Aribian R one T electric pickup truck.

I didn't know that any had made it up here, anywhere near here, but it was just outside of Moosejaw, my favorite town.

Moose Jaw on the Trans Canada.

The number one that goes coast to coast, east to west.

Yeah, and that's interesting because other people have spotted them previously in the summer.

I wonder if somebody's test driving one back and forth or what's going on with that.

I don't know, but hopefully the charging situation is okay for them since they were on the Trans Canada.

As we've said many times, the Don Tesla charging situation isn't great.

Also, I thought I'd mentioned, because I am looking as a Chevy Bolt EV, that there was a fellow on the Chevy bolt form that had 200,000 miles on his 2020 bolt, and that's 322,000.

These were mostly highway miles because he has a really long commute.

I don't know why.

Maybe he's a drug dealer, who could say? But he's charged to do a run runner, he charges you 100% every day and using it all plus one or two fast charges per day for a very long commute.

And by my calculations on what he showed off the dash, it may have lost 15% of its range, which isn't bad.

I mean, this is no, you don't expect any car to last 322,000 km or 200,000 miles.

And the fact that this isn't just handed off to some teenager to use for local driving at that point, which is how I see EVs going when they lose their range.

But it's still a pretty good range and he's still using it for that purpose.

He's having to fast charge it maybe a bit more often, especially in the wintertime, he says, when it gets cold.

I don't know what his definition of cold is.

And also a shout out to Nestor's Bakery up in Saskatoon, our sister city here in the province, that has an electric transit van, a Ford Transit van electric, which is I didn't think we see any of those around either.

There's a picture of it on Facebook, and they say they save enough in gas by switching discs to make the van payment.

I believe it's free and good for the environment, good for your business brand.

They're not even factoring in maintenance.

So that, Brian, as we know, as we say all the time, is what's going to really move things along when people start to realize because money speaks, money talks, and when money starts making a difference.

Let's get into some updates from past shows.

Finland's new nuclear plant has had to cut power to zero from a failed turbine.

Yeah, we've mentioned this nuclear plant before because it was finally coming online.

And I think I initially reported on this because it was a good news story, because we seem to be sort of bashing nuclear a lot lately because it's so expensive and there's all these delays and cost overruns and it's literally taking decades to get these things up.

But since this one in Finland was coming online, I thought, okay, we better report on this.

But yeah, power dropped to zero on Monday, so they're still in trial operations.

It's not in full blown operation.

And they had a turbine fail, sort of killed the whole thing.

Nothing dangerous, nothing exploded or melted down or anything.

But this reactor was supposed to start production in 2009.

That's how long it's taken.

And it's going to be apparently a few months more because it's not working right now.

Brian, when things are 13 years overdue, money gets spent in that time.

So it's not just time, it's money.

Yeah.

And it's a 1.6 gigawatt reactor that's going to be the fifth reactor in Finland and its biggest reactor, and this is expected to produce 14% of the country's electricity.

You put up a solar farm, can put it up in a few months, and it will work.

Yeah.

And you and I aren't nuclear scientists.

Well, no, technically.

So that will influence our decision around these things.

But solar, wind and batteries are so damn simple.

Why don't we move to that and we'll talk about that a bit more when we get to Germany later on? And I know I bring him up, but my boy says, dad, you know what the world's biggest greenhouse gas is? Do you know the answer to this? That's right there in the script.

So of course you do.

Like the biggest admirer the biggest greenhouse gas that is there in the atmosphere is water vapor.

Okay.

And you know what? Hydrogen emits water vapor.

Is this going to be a problem? Well, I heard about it on a podcast, a good podcast.

Was it ours? And it wasn't ours.

It was actual people who it was really an in the weeds podcast with experts in the field, talking to other only experts who are working in the industry listen to it.

And they said that more study needs to be done because it hasn't been studied.

So if you're looking at airliners flying around and emitting water vapor, is that a good thing? Maybe people have some comments and you know how to get a hold of US clean energy show@gmail.com.

But I just wanted to throw that out there because he was giving me a hard time about that.

And now something for some extremely disappointing news.

We tried to focus on the good news.

Here's some disappointing news.

The Dodge Charger, that is the muscle car that you hear driving down your street at night, eleven at night, waking you up because some teenager has got to feel better about himself.

So he bought a Dodge Charger, a muscle car, as they call them.

They still exist.

They were a big thing in the know.

You had a Pinto and called it a muscle car.

Was it a Pinto or something? No, I had a grand.

Grand.

It's even worse, I think.

I think I had a Pinto like a week before it broke.

Literally.

I'm not even kidding.

Yeah, so they're making an EV, and they're going to make them all EVs, but they have noise, pretend noise.

Brian in fact, the whole back is this pretend exhaust was essentially a dispersion speaker for V eight engine noise.

And this is what it sounds like.

Yeah, I'm going to boo that guy off the road.

The first person to buy one of those, because you'll have the option of turning the stupid thing off.

And then you go to a muffler shop.

Muffler shops will now be like an audio visual place where they'll put in a bigger amp to make the car louder.

Yeah.

You know what? That's probably a really good business to get into.

There you go, kids.

If you're just still in high school, there's a business opportunity for you, and that is just depressing.

We don't want cars to make noise because if you get beat by a Porsche, the Porsche doesn't make any noise.

What are you emulating? You're emulating a slow car.

Good for you.

I know.

People keep telling me on the street, I like the sound of the smell of fumes.

Well, you're going to die early and good luck to you.

I don't know.

Brian and Elon Musk news this week, and I hesitate to even mention his name anymore.

He says, Population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilization than global warming.

I'll repeat that population collapse due to low birth rates is much bigger risk to civilization than global warming.

This is a guy who's trying to save global warming by advancing, speeding up the electrification of transportation, which he has successfully done, I would argue.

I've known this.

We've all known this.

We all knew that we would solve hunger and the world would become more equitable and we would educate people would get access to education.

We'd stop having 20 babies, right.

The birth rate would go down to what it is in, say, Quebec is like 2.0 per person, and that is a declining birth rate.

So you bring in people from other countries, eventually everyone's going to catch up.

We're all going to have a middle class and maybe not make so many babies.

I mean, it's not like we're all going to go to make babies.

Brian that's my argument.

We're not going to go out and say, oh, I got to save the planet and make 20 kids like he is and name them weird.

Yeah.

No, there was another quote of his in the news this week, too, where he said we got to keep drilling for oil and gas.

But that's just kind of an obvious statement.

But anything he says tends to make the news.

So yeah, I don't know if it's as big a problem as he says, but I don't know.

It's a slow moving train wreck.

We'll hopefully have time to figure that out.

Well, the economies work on expansion, like our right wing government here in this prairie province.

Farming agricultural centric and oil centric brings in immigrants so that the population can expand because nobody wants.

To live here.

Our population is expanding, our economy is moving because we need to build houses, we need to build more restaurants, we need to build more clothing stores and expand roads and construction and all that.

Yeah, we need an equilibrium where maybe we have stable population.

But this is something that rethink X, Tony Siba at all have talked about.

They're starting to talk about deep things like this, like the world in the future, guaranteed incomes might be necessary.

We have to rethink how people will make money when AI takes over a lot of jobs and so forth.

So yeah, it's a big question and I don't think a lot of people are actually thinking about that because sometimes these things sneak up on you.

Sometimes they can come faster than ever.

Back to Kia, we were talking about the EV six not long ago.

So they've got a GT version coming out.

This is the all electric Kia EV six.

The GT version is going to be even faster.

And I just like the headline here.

We'll beat a Ferrari and a Lamborghini in a race.

This is from the electric website.

So yeah, this is faster than a Ferrari Roma, faster than a Lamborghini Hurricane or an Evo spider.

And this is a reasonably priced I don't think they've announced the price yet, but this will be available to customers later this year.

Will this be something similar to your little sports car that you had? Your, what is it? The Hyundai Veloster? Yeah, I would still call it a hatchback, but it's probably called a crossover.

It's the same as the EV six crossover that we've talked about before, which is a nice little car, but the lostr was sold as a sporty vehicle for those that live prices or perhaps young people.

Yes, this is definitely more of a sporty version, but it's got the same body shape.

It's basically the same car.

Yeah, I don't know.

And no word on the range either.

The range on these is just kind of okay, I think.

And you'll probably lose a bit of range with the extra fast version.

But I don't know, I just think that's super fun.

A Kia that goes that fast.

The mythical Tesla Roadster version two, which has been promised forever since the cyber truck.

Or that's not the cyber truck.

The semi would go, what, 2.9 without the rocket? Pass.

No, be under 2 seconds because the plat is already under 2 seconds.

Also be like 1.9.

Yeah, maybe even quicker.

They're talking about putting a SpaceX rocket.

It's going to have to shoot like adhesive down on the roadway so that it can not spin its tires at that speed.

Yes, that's always an issue.

Wow.

Tire manufacturers are going to have to keep up.

At first they were making low rolling resistance, fuel efficient tires vs.

Now they have to make them so they can hug the road and not turn into dust just when you accelerate.

Brian, something I'm very interested in that is the wind turbine visibility.

I asked this question on our last show, and I said, does anybody out there know, is there a study? And sure enough, there is.

The US.

Government, of all people, studied this very thing, and they did studies with get this professional lookers.

I don't know who these people are or what it takes to become one, but I commend you for having that on your business card because that is impressive.

So the concern here is that if we put a bunch of offshore wind turbines off the coast, it's going to be unsightly and people will be upset.

An ocean view is a beautiful thing.

Now you've got your ships out there, and in a lot of places you have warships, I noticed, like down in San Diego, and not only were there warships, there were helicopters doing drills right off the beach.

In fact, there was one that hovered, I swear, for an hour and a half it's probably Tom Cruise just shooting.

It could have been Tom Cruise.

What am I thinking? It was Tom Cruise.

Of course it was Tom Cruise.

Anyway, we talked recently about the Great Lakes because there was a study that said the Great Lakes can do well.

There's some that are deeper than others.

The smaller ones could do a significant power.

But the Great Lakes hold enough potential for wind energy to power the entire United States.

And that's interesting because they're close to population centers, close to grid tieins.

Well, these professional lookers came up with they have different categories, lettered categories, de and so forth.

And you've got your giant wind turbines, which are basically the ones that the extra large ones.

So they have ratings for that.

They have ratings for small, medium, and large.

They've rated them because you can see them in the distance where you can barely notice them, or you can see them right in front of you and say, oh, that's ugly, and see the whole thing spinning.

Or you can barely notice them, or you cannot see them at all.

These are the different categories.

So category D was clearly visible, with moderate impact becoming less distinct.

E was less distinct, size is reduced.

Then you get down to negligible or no impact anyway.

So negligible or no impact at all for a small offshore wind turbine is 20 km or 12.4 miles.

Okay? Now, your biggest turbine, your extra large ones, is up to 40 km or 25 miles.

So that's the answer.

And it's easy because there's always environmental impacts and things like that.

You don't want to have people disrupted.

Like Ted Kennedy Jr.

He was against wind farms off his coast, which are just now finally got approved this week.

Yeah, that's how far it goes back, because he's no longer with us for a long time, somewhere in the middle.

The low impact of movement is noticeable in good light, but not normally.

And so that's about 10 for a small one and 22 to 27 km, or 13.7 miles for the biggest ones.

Yeah, there is a way that's not that far, because on the east coast of North America, there is a large ocean shelf that makes oil drilling and this sort of thing really practical that hasn't been exploited yet.

So there's great potential there.

And we were talking about Japan recently, which only has a 25 kilometer shelf, but floating wind turbines could go further than that if you wanted to.

So, yeah, I'll put this chart in the show notes and you can have a look at it yourself.

And again, it was the US.

Department of Energy.

So the biggest turbines, again, suggest about 40 km away and smaller ones 20 km if you don't want to have any negligible visual impact.

And getting back to what I was just talking about from Clean Techa, the Cape Cod Offshore Wind Project, america's first, believe it or not, is finally, officially moving ahead after years of opposition.

The Vineyard Wind One is described as the nation's first commercial scale offshore wind farm.

The project will utilize 60 213 megawatt heliodx wind turbines.

Those are the big mothers, the big ones, the biggest ones there are.

They're talking about slightly bigger ones now, but those are huge.

I think the wind sweep is like two football fields.

It's just massive.

And they're also going to have an offshore substation out there and that power will be transferred to shore via 220 volts cables.

This is the thing that the locals were concerned about.

They weren't concerned any longer about the offshore visibility, they were more concerned about the cables.

They had to go through town.

So what they did is they made a deal with the town and said that they're going to it's called Covels Beach, and they're going to dig up the roads and put the cable under the roads.

And while those roads are dug up, they're going to fix the infrastructure of sewers and whatnot, and storm drains, and that's going to save them money.

So the 800 megawatt project that is approaching a nuclear reactor in output is located 15 miles off the coast, so it's fairly close.

And these are the big ones, so you will see them and they will generate electricity for more than 40,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and create 3600 full time equivalent job hours.

That's not jobs, that's job hours.

And, of course, what we like to talk about, it's going to save customers of electricity $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation.

So clean energy, people, saves the planet and saves your wallet, because energy I saw a study that said people's electricity bills, even by 2030, will be reduced by $9 a month or something like that.

So, yeah, it's happening.

And by the time we get to our climate goals, hopefully at 2040 to 2050, electricity is going to be given away a lot of times.

Fantastic.

OK, another story here from Electric.

They're reporting on Bosch, the Electric motor and appliance company.

They've come up with antilock brakes for electric brakes, which is something I never thought of, never thought was even maybe necessary, but I just liked this story because it's a good example of the progress that we could make once we start taking these kinds of things seriously, like electric bikes.

So, yeah, we've had anti lock brakes in cars for years.

I didn't like them at first because it seemed like kind of unnecessarily complicated and I was worried it was just going to be one of those things that breaks on your car, like quit working doesn't mean brakes.

Yeah, I don't know, they've been great.

Antelope brakes are great where we live in the winter because you can stomp on the brakes and not slide around on the ice.

You can still keep steering your car when you just lock up the wheels in your car.

You can't steer, you just have to slide around like an idiot.

But antilock brakes give you a little bit more control, so it only makes sense to do this on bicycles as well.

So these were shown off at Eurobike 2022, an exhibition recently in Europe, and Electric took these for a ride and it looks fantastic.

Have you ever locked up your front brakes on a bike and flown over the handlebars? I don't even want to talk about it.

That's how bad it is.

We were talking before the show about the evolution of home videos and the cameras.

Well, that little flip camera, guess how it got broken going over your hand on my handlebars down a hill.

It was a mountain biking course and it did go down quicker than I thought and there was just I could have paralyzed myself.

I basically did a somersault as a much lighter man, but it was not pleasant.

And this was only about eight years ago, seven years ago, yes, it was scary and whole body feels like it got hit by a truck and then you start to shake it off.

Is anything broken? So the answer to your query, yes.

One time in my twenty s, I went over my front handlebars.

It's no fun, but yeah, Antelope breaks will absolutely be fantastic.

So hopefully that starts to become and they mentioned here in the article that it's great for things like cargo bikes.

So electric cargo bikes are going to be a huge thing in cities for doing deliveries and stuff, and that's a particular case where you can get a lot of momentum with kind of a heavy cargo bike and you don't want to be locking up those wheels in any way.

So, yeah, this is a nice step forward.

I'd be curious to try them.

And, you know, I remember when I used to go to the bicycle shops a lot, that they used to go away to the bike shows this time of year.

This is the exact time of year when the bike conventions are on and all your greasy bike mechanics from the local shops go out and on vacation.

Duke God knows what in Las Vegas.

Ebikes.

Not e, motorcycles.

Not electric motorcycles.

But bikes are going over highway speeds now because occasionally you will see them with that spec with a new bike announcement on electric or somewhere.

And I'm thinking, okay, that's not good.

But it's all about control, right? So if you do have any lock brakes, then that may change the equation.

I mean, I'm scared going at my peak of my ebikes, 25 miles an hour type of thing.

So I don't know.

Brian we've got many press releases and I got one that I was kind of interested in doing the interview on, and that is because last week the Chancellor of Germany was coming to our country to make various announcements and agreements.

And on his last day on Tuesday, he went out to the east coast of Newfoundland and Labrador and was making an announcement about green hydrogen.

And one of the countries in Canada that is trying to do green hydrogen out there got a hold of me and wanted me to interview the CEO.

Now, our schedule is never hooked up, but I started doing research into it and I started to get ill feelings about the whole thing about A, green hydrogen and how is this viable and B, like, are these companies just sort of jumping on the government teeth at the time when they're desperate to fight climate change? And is this legitimate? I'm starting to feel like I was just getting bad vibes about the whole thing.

So I did some research into green hydrogen and I came to the conclusion that the first thing that we should use green hydrogen for is not Germany's.

Electricity needs to get off Russian fuels, fossil fuels, but to use it for what it's used for now.

And it's used in oil refinery, refinery, refinery oil refinery.

Ammonia production and methanol production as well as steel production.

And I think maybe some cement production is possible as well.

So ammonia is used in fertilizers.

So if we can get off the ungreen hydrogen now, that makes emissions.

When you make that hydrogen, that's where we should first apply.

This 4% of hydrogen in the world is currently green.

That's not very much.

And there's a great expense to how they do it.

What they do with green hydrogen is use process called electrolysis, where you put basically two high electric probes in water and you split the water's atoms and separate the hydrogen from it.

That's very energy intense.

And those electrolysis machines are very expensive now and they're trying to get them down in price like wind and solar.

But there's some debate as to how that's even possible.

So they're talking about shipping it to Germany.

And in order to do that, because hydrogen is not like gasoline, you have to cool it down and make it solid, okay.

Because it just takes up so much volume.

So you have to make it really cold.

Now you can make Ammonium cold, but not as cold, and do that.

You don't have to make it as cold.

You can turn it back into hydrogen again on the other side.

But the person we were going to talk to, he bought this brownfield oil storage facility in Nova Scotia, and he plans on putting up wind turbines, 100 or so wind turbines to power the place phase one and offshore for phase two.

And he's put $100 million of his own money into it because he's a rich guy with lots of investments from prior times and he has expertise in setting something like this up.

But, yeah, I mean, it's 160 wind turbines on Charlotte the locals aren't thrilled about.

And they started getting that shoved down their throats really quickly.

They haven't had time.

And that's all these things take time.

But he's got this brownfield oil storage place, which apparently is great.

And there's a deep shipping channel there.

I think it's like 27 meters or something.

So you can get ships in and out to ship it.

And that's all you that's a big step forward for this particular company.

But there are, critics say, 24 separate government agencies right now that have to provide the stamp for this to go forward.

For something like this, that's a lot.

And that means years and years and years.

Yeah.

Well, back to that issue of Complication.

It's so much more complicated than solar, wind and battery.

And that's my thought.

It's complicated as expensive.

And in Alberta, they streamlined oil exploration and development so that you go to one agency and they take care of everything.

We're going to have to do something like that if things like hydrogen are going to be sped up, because that's a problem with solar.

Like Australia took away the green tape, or the red tape rather, and replaced green tape and makes it cheaper and faster.

Faster means cheaper because you don't have to sit around and all that.

It's just a better process.

So it expanded really rapidly once they did that.

So there's also blue hydrogen, which they're making next door in Alberta and the oil rich profits of Alberta.

But they say they're going to capture that carbon that's from natural gas.

So you have to capture the emissions from that.

And that's not practical.

Yeah, so green hydrogen is made with clean electricity, so it should be 100% emissions free.

Blue hydrogen is made from fossil fuels, but you can capture the carbon and then make it kind of clean.

And there's lots of hydrogen projects going on in the world, lots of them and this will be maybe one of the first in North America.

But the thing is, it's just going to take so much time.

I don't doubt there's going to be an appetite for a market for it.

Okay.

There's going to be an insatiable market to buy green hydrogen, just like there's an insatiable market to buy green energy.

Amazon wants to have green energy.

They put up a million solar farms or whatever, like dozens, and counter do them, I don't know.

And they'll just do that and Microsoft, et cetera, et cetera.

Well, that's happening.

And people will want green hydrogen as well.

And green steel made from green hydrogen.

So we'll see.

Yeah, Germany seems to be definitely on the forefront of this hydrogen.

And there was a story, this was from CNN that the very first hydrogen powered train line has now started running full time in Germany.

So they've got 14 hydrogen powered trains.

These are fuel cell hydrogen vehicles, so emissions free.

And as long as the hydrogen is made in an emissions free way, then this is an emissions free system.

I don't know, it doesn't say how the hydrogen is made.

I'd be surprised if it's fully green hydrogen.

But yeah, this is a thing that is actually working now.

And they still have some diesel trains that they plan to replace, but this project has started.

They have about a 1000 kilometer range on these hydrogen trains.

So they can run basically do their route all day without refilling.

But they just have refilling stations at either end of the line.

And yes, this is the thing that's now working well in California.

California has like, I don't know, maybe 34 hydrogen refilling stations for cars.

There's like six in maybe Vermont or somewhere for Bernie's friends, but they're all in California.

Half of them aren't working.

It's very expensive to fill your car, very expensive.

They're hoping to get the cost of these electrolyzers down where they could fuel a vehicle and be cost competitive with fossil fuels.

And they won't even need blue hydrogen, but you need to be able to commit to that.

Then there needs to be just the difficulty of refueling and transporting is just such a major thing to do.

Yeah, it's almost like you need your green hydrogen plant right next to where the storage is, like for this train line.

If they could actually make the green hydrogen at both ends of the rail line, but it's just probably not practical to do that everywhere.

We're going to potentially need this hydrogen.

The question my partner asked when they were watching the news story on TV is why doesn't Germany make their own dammarine hydrogen? Well, I looked into that and they do have a coastline, they do have places to put wind, but they claim it's just not enough coastline as other people.

Nova Scotia is very windy.

They don't have good solar resources.

And Newfoundland and Labrador also have good very good wind resources.

And ironically, I'm looking at the solar chart for Newfoundland.

You know, where the best solar potential is for Newfoundland, it's way better, the most extreme north as you go.

So it's actually just a weather thing.

I think there's just a lot of clouds in the south, less cloud.

You're getting really close to the Arctic up there in Labrador.

And then this is better solar resources than there is down south.

Okay, so there was a fantastic article this week from Power magazine written by Sony Patel, and I just wanted to talk about this because it's really a follow up to a lot of these things that we're talking about, the complications, these different types of power.

So we've been talking about Germany.

They have been trying to phase out their nuclear power plants.

This is really part of a political platform.

People in Germany don't really want their nuclear power anymore.

So they have so far shut down three of the six nuclear power plants that they have had in Germany.

So just last year, nuclear was supplying about 12% of the electricity needs in Germany.

That's now down to 6%, which is these three nuclear power plants remaining.

But of course, as we know, Europe, and Germany in particular, is in a bit of an energy crisis this year because they've been relying on fossil fuel imports from Russia.

And those are now in doubt.

And nobody really wants to talk to Russia anymore.

We don't want their stinky oil and gas.

So there's been a lot of talk about, well, should they delay the closing of these last three nuclear plants in Germany? And it's like, on the surface, well, that seems like a great idea.

This is a carbon free form of electricity.

Just keep them running a little bit longer, another year or two, then maybe they can find a different plan instead of relying on this Russian oil and gas.

But this article was so great because it really went through the complications in doing that.

That sounds like a simple thing, just keep the plants running for another year or two.

But I'll go through some of the legal and regulatory hurdles that was mentioned in this article, because, of course, solar, wind and batteries, something like that, it's fairly simple.

Like, you and I could literally build a solar wind and battery power plant.

Basically, like, you have one in your camper, you put out the solar panel, you charge it in a battery, boom.

It's pretty simple.

But nuclear can be extremely dangerous.

So over the years, we've created all of these laws and regulations.

So the first hurdle, the reactors cannot be operated beyond 2022.

December under Germany's Atomic Energy Act and prolonging their operation will require an amendment to the law.

They would literally have to change the law, which they can do to keep these plants running beyond 2022.

There would also be an environmental impact assessment that would have to be done.

And this would have to abide by a European Court agreement as well.

There has to be a comprehensive risk and benefit assessment by Germany's legislature that would balance assessments.

This was created after the Fukushima accident in 2011.

Regulations got more severe, so there's a bit more here in terms of regulations.

The reactors would need to address safety and security requirements because they're slated for shutdown in December 20.

So they're already three years past.

They were given a sort of a special exemption.

So continuing beyond that, they're already 13 years past the last major kind of safety inspections.

Continued operation would only make sense if the safety review were significantly reduced in scope and the test depth or extensive retrofitting might be kind of simplified.

You'd have to basically change all of these safety rules and kind of let everything slide for a couple of more years.

They are also running out of fuel.

So the fuel elements in the plant have been largely used up.

They have enough fuel for only about 80 days of extended operation past that December 2022 shutdown point.

Procuring new fuel is a lengthy process that could take between 18 and 24 months.

If you did a super accelerated version, maybe twelve to 15 months.

So the fuel is a huge problem.

There would also have to be testing of this new fuel.

Like, you don't just come up with nuclear fuel.

It's an extremely difficult process, making sure there's enough staff so they could have staffing issues if they continue beyond this date.

I imagine a lot of the staff have already made other plans to go onto other jobs.

So there would have to be extensive human resources coordinated and people trained.

It's just a long nightmare of things.

There's the financial consideration.

So again, doing all of this stuff to extend it beyond its normal date.

This is going to cost even more money than it has been costing.

This is going to be expensive electricity if they keep it running.

Now, there is, of course, a nuclear business and technology association called ChemD.

They disagree with some of these conclusions that in their view, basically it's worth it.

This is a massive crisis facing Europe and Germany, this massive energy shortage.

So they think that all of these extra measures that would be needed are probably worth it, but I'm not so sure.

And the fact that they're down to only 6% of the German electricity generation with these last three plants, hopefully they can come up with another 6% somewhere.

Russia could just go home and get out of Ukraine and be nice.

Yeah, and hopefully punished somehow.

But it's phenomenal.

I understand they are going to try and keep three running, right? They're going to do their best.

Yeah.

There's been sort of conflicting reports.

They had said, no, we're not going to extend them.

But now it sounds like they're considering it, and I guess we'll see.

Well, Brian, we're going way over on the show this week, but I want to mention, coming up in the show is a lightning round where we'll have a skim of the rest of the week's headlines.

Real quick, let's dip into some of our feedback from the web.

We have a DoorDash driver, says he bought a Chevy Bolt EV.

That's a slightly larger version of the Bolt with the crossover styling.

Took the Evo DoorDashing this evening.

This is a person who works as a DoorDash delivery person.

It's a great car for food delivery.

The first order of the day pays for all of the fuel I need.

And again, and I can sit in the AC listening to music between orders without worrying about overheating.

And this is the person who was down in the States, and it's perfect DoorDash car.

We hear that a lot.

Yeah.

And of course, one of my pet peeves we've mentioned on the show is you'll often see people around here sitting in normal weather with the engine running, and I always am confused by that.

It's like, do they really need the AC running? It's not that hot out, et cetera, et cetera, wasting all that fuel.

But I was in my gas powered car the other day just with the engine off and listening to the radio, and after about a minute, a warning comes up on the screen saying, oh, you shouldn't be running your AV system without the engine running, because you're going to run your battery down.

So maybe that's why everyone's running their cars.

Well, they don't have to, because the little no, it's telling me it's life experience.

And I can't believe you've never had this experience.

You've never run your battery down and been stranded from that very thing.

It takes a long time.

Mr.

Stockton, with his good quality batteries, not so much.

He stretches the life of his battery because he's poor.

Well, I've run into that before when I was a kid, and I've learned my lesson, and I think a lot of people have, and that's why they don't turn it off.

You know, what I'm hearing a lot of now is people like pickup trucks automatically shutting off the engine that stop lights.

But really, how much is that saving you? It's a minute or two of idling here and there.

It's a little bit it's something that should have been implemented 20 years ago, and that might have made a difference, but it's a little too long because the engine literally has to start just like you're turning the key over.

It seems like it's wearing air on it a lot.

You need a more robust starter, but I think at the end, it does save a bit of fuel.

All right, I have a question here on Twitter from alternative frequency that's his handle.

He has a trucker who says the trucker in the United States says we are one of his five favorite podcasts.

I thought they listened to Fantastic.

And some of the others are Dr.

Volts, which is a paid podcast on substance.

And inside EVs, of course, is a popular one.

Undecided Matt Farrell, which has been off of his YouTube channel.

I use Matt Farrell's undecided for information.

He is not a professional, but he does research well and has good videos.

So, question for all of us, and we are the only ones that go back to them because we're good and decent people.

Brian, even with your back, it says home batteries seem to cost roughly $1,000 per kilowatt hour.

But the F 150 Lightning pickup truck has 93 kilowatt hours for about $40,000.

And the Silverado announced Silverado EV will be 200 kilowatt hours for about 40 kwh.

And I don't think either of those are actually 40K, by the way.

They're already under prices like Tesla inflation, yes, but that's the whole cost of the vehicle.

Or just the cost of the battery.

That's the starting price.

The supposed starting price.

I mean, this is for the fleet version of those vehicles.

But the question is, is home storage price too high? And are EV trucks price too low? Is it not about the capacity? I think that's a complicated question with a complicated answer with multifaceted.

I'll add one before you do.

Tesla, for example, wants to sell their vehicles.

That's their primary motivation is to keep their company going by selling vehicles.

So they'll put their batteries into the vehicles and they'll overprice the battery storage so that everybody's not buying it.

I'm sure the battery storage could be cheaper for Tesla, maybe half as much.

And we'd all buy got a waiting list for everything.

We use all their batteries, and that would kill their business.

That's one reason.

Do you have other reasons? Not really, but I think it's a little bit of both.

I mean, the home batteries have seemed awfully expensive to me.

Also quite possible that Ford is losing money on these trucks and that Chevy is going to lose money on these trucks.

We don't know for sure.

Well, I'm not really sure if you have any thoughts cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or on Twitter.

On Facebook.

We're not on Facebook.

It took us off Facebook.

We're on TikTok, of course, and you to check us out.

We have SpeakPipe.

Comcleenergyshow to leave us a voicemail message, and we'd love to hear from you anything you have to say on this or any other subject.

Brian it is time for, of course, the Lightning Round.

The Lightning Round is where we skimmed through a few more headlines, really quick to end the show, and it's one of our favorite shows.

It was a new segment almost two years ago, almost celebrating the two year anniversary of the Lightning Round.

And believe me, there will be cake this year.

I hope tesla says autopilot is preventing 40 crashes per day from wrong pedal error driving.

And when this came out, somebody had crashed their car into a building.

No, they crashed it into a wedding on the west coast of Canada and killed two people.

And you occasionally see the elderly doing this in front of a store.

I was teaching my daughter how to drive, and she wanted to use her left foot for the brake.

And I said, no, there's a reason for that.

And this is the reason.

You stick to the right foot and you go back and forth.

So the use of the auto pilot sensor to mitigate torque when it's sure the car is sure that the input was a mistake.

Yeah, well, it's like saving 40 crashes a day means this is a really common, a way more common problem than I might have thought it is.

Because if it's just 40 a day in Tesla, imagine the entire fleet of cars.

But I think when we first talked about this a couple of years ago in the podcast I mentioned, I think it was called the Audi 5000.

So way back in the late 70s or the early 80s, audi had a huge PR problem in North America because of sudden unintended acceleration.

And it was believed that these Audi cars were faulty and they would just suddenly accelerate into a building, they would accelerate into traffic, et cetera, et cetera.

And it was eventually determined it was just driver error.

But there was, I think, like a 60 Minutes report on it that suddenly scared everybody off of buying an Audi.

So this is apparently a very common problem, people pressing the wrong pen.

And there was also something just about Priuses that killed their popularity, that was a big dent on them because toilet was such a reliable vehicle.

It turned out it was just a format sticking on the driver pedal formats now so they can't move.

I've had problems with my floor mats and different cars, too.

Yeah, it took them forever to figure it out, too.

To absolutely figure it out.

A small Vermont utility which uses Tesla power walls from customers, speaking of this very thing, in a virtual grid backup system.

So there's 4000 Tesla power walls hooked up in people's homes to the grid, and they found out that the first thoughts on this is that it's saving them a lot of money.

In fact, $1.5 million in one week this summer.

Now, I don't know what how you save one? I don't understand the nuances of grid.

I mean, you have to fire up a plant.

Maybe you lose some hardware during the situation that you wouldn't have otherwise lost.

But they're sure that they've saved 3 million since in 2021 and just 1.5 million in the heatwave this summer.

So, yeah, again, there's another virtual power plant project happening in Japan right now.

There's a big one happening in California also with Tesla powerwalls.

They could all be networked.

Yeah.

I think eventually it won't really be so much about saving money necessarily, it's just kind of stabilizing the grid.

But stabilizing apparently saves money.

I don't understand why, but it is.

Yes.

Oh Brian.

It's time for a clean energy show.

Fast fact pakistan is responsible for 1% of global emissions, yet it is the 6th most climate vulnerable country in the world, proving that the climate change impacts affect poor countries disproportionately.

Yeah.

And of course there's been massive flooding in Pakistan this last week or so.

Absolutely devastating.

Kind of what was normally once in a hundred year kind of situation is now sadly much more frequent.

Speaking of which, new scientists says that the heatwave in China this summer is the most severe ever recorded in the world.

People in large parts of China have been experienced two months of extreme heat and that's been 40 degrees and terrible things.

The worst one in history, Brian.

But we have to go.

We'll see you again next week for another edition of the clean energy show.

See you next week.

View Details

We're off this week due to illness. Sorry about that!

View Details

Brian is unavailable this week due to skeletal concerns. We'll be back next week though!

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Tell your friends about us on social media!

View Details

We dig into why Japan is not making use of their abundant wind resources. Tesla will begin shipping their electric semi truck this year. We look at the details for EVs in the new Biden climate bill. Mazda sold only 8 electric vehicles in the month of July. It’s a headline and punchline all in one!

we’ll talk about …

An update to the US sending oil to Germany, F150 lightning towing range for my specific situation of a tent trailer, as big as the Biden climate bill is, it’s still less then Europe and China, it’s not just Volkswagen cheating on emissions.

A chinese automaker is upping what supercharing speed can be and, it turns out backyard chickens lay tainted eggs, which was the name of an all-girl punk band at my high school.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

Transcript of this episode-----------------------------------

Joe Biden: Progress does come.

Your dad was right.

And when it does, like today, people's lives are made better and the future becomes brighter and the nation can be transformed.

That's what's happening happening now.

Brian: Hello and welcome to episode 128 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

James: I'm James Whittingham.

This week I dig into why Japan is not making use of their abundant wind resources.

Turns out Godzilla is only partially to blame.

Tesla will begin shipping their electric semi truck this year.

No word yet if they'll be shipping them via Tesla semi truck.

We look at the details for EVs and the new biden climate bill.

Small detail not talked about.

You have to wear aviators while driving any rebated car.

Mazda sold only eight electric vehicles in the month of July.

It's a headline and a punchline all in one.

All that and more on this edition of the Clean Energy Show.

Also this week we're going to talk about an update to the US sending oil to Germany F 150 Lightning towing range for my specific situation of Toyota dent trailer.

As big as the biden climate bill is, it's still less than Europe and China.

It's not just a Volkswagen cheating on emissions.

A Chinese automaker is upping what supercharging speed can be.

And it turns out backyard chickens like tasted eggs and Tatted Eggs was the name of the allgirl punk band in my high school.

Brian, I just wanted to add something to last week.

We were chatting about my new electric bicycle, the ride one up V, two roadster, gravel edition.

It does have a smaller battery, which I was saying is one of the main the downsides of it, but you can buy an extra external battery from the company and it clicks into the kind of water bottle spot there on the bike.

So for $240 you can buy an extra little battery.

What are the stats of that battery, Brian? I do not know the status of the battery.

How do I really care? Well, is it a nine volt that you took out of your smoke detector for $200? Or is it actually do something for you? Yeah, it does something.

It's a battery the size of a water bottle a little bit bigger.

I was talking to you that it was odd because we actually got a press release from Saudi Arabia, from Saudi Arabia arabian energy company boasting about their solar.

We've been speculating for a long time because we keep charging in Saudi Arabia whose listed us in Saudi Arabia and if so, send us a message.

No one has sent us a message, but someone is listening.

By the way, I want to talk to you about shower heads.

Why? It's because I just vacationed at your cottage and you're building a new one.

And I was thinking all the decisions you have to make, it's like being in a film.

What color do you want this car in the background? What color do you want this hat on this extra? Being a director means making countless decisions, actually, until the point where your brain is dead.

But you're going to have to make decisions like that on your house because you're building a brand new house.

You're going to have to say, I want a faucet.

Now.

You use your water from a tank, it's shipped in and probably replenished after my family has been there with our desire for showers and cleanliness.

Yeah, there's no running water.

Everybody has their own cistern, but your tap, when you turn on the tap in your washrooms, it comes out like a fire hydrant.

There's nothing restraining it.

So I'm thinking, well, first of all, you could probably if you were still going to live there, you could probably buy some sort of aerator to put on.

That would be the simple thing to do, just to I mean, we did change the shower head in the guest house to a low flow one because it wasn't before.

The showers are the most important.

And the toilets, of course, because you want them to be efficient.

It's really important.

It's not just environmental.

It's a matter of conserving water because it's hard to get water.

You don't want to run out and keep filling it.

Right? Yeah.

And we think that we can use kind of a gray water system or we can maybe use rain water or something for the sinks in the toilets.

And then I've always wanted I don't know if it's practical for us, but you can get clean drinking water out of the air.

They have these things that run, like off the solar panel that just collects moisture from the air and goes through a filter.

And that's a possible way to get your drinking water.

Yeah.

And you don't drink your water out there because you don't trust your tank, right? Yeah.

We drink it separate from the water that runs through the house.

So that might be a way of getting good drinking water.

Hell, I felt my drinking water here in the house, and it's still not great.

Is that right? It's still not great.

We've got a good filter under the kitchen sink that it's supposed to take out lead.

It's like it's the highest level of kind of home water thing, including lead.

Oh, that's interesting.

I've got an interesting story coming up on lead and chickens buckle up for that one.

It's a good story, though.

Yeah.

So I don't know.

And of course, lighting and a lot of people have exterior lighting on their architecture.

It's nice to have but is it necessary as it causing light pollution in a provincial park? When you want to see the stars, your star gives it yourself.

Are you going to have a driveway? Yeah.

Are you going to like the driveway? Yeah.

No, those are all great questions.

Like, we renovated our kitchen five or six years ago, so we have some taste of what that is like.

It's like, yeah, you got to make a decision about the light above the sink.

You got to make a decision about the pole handles on the cupboards and the finishes for the cabinets and the flooring, like, what pattern for the flooring and all that.

So, yeah, absolutely.

Tons of questions to answer.

So when I arrived at your cottage, it was a very hot day, and I kind of roasted my fat self a bit broiled, I guess, or deep cooked, or I don't know how you want to put it, a pressure cooked, but I was a bit uncomfortable thinking I got there's no overhangs in this house.

The sun is just beating in, but there's no overhangs on my house.

Yeah.

At all.

In fact, there's less overhangs on my house than there is in your cottage.

And I seem to manage fine here.

I think it's better insulated.

I mean, that helps.

The right kind of windows help, but the right reflectivity on modern windows helps keep the sun away in the summertime, lets it through in the winter when it's more lower in the sky and a more of a direct angle through the window.

So, I don't know.

Your architect has come up with a stunning design that is just I really look forward to seeing it like it's just incredibly cool.

Yeah.

Are you still doing a round window for the bedroom, by the way? I have to ask.

No, at the moment it's not round.

How come? Probably just matches better if it's not.

It's also like, floor to ceiling windows and places.

So that's going to be, I mean, in the future, as we said last week with our letter, electricity will be free.

It'll be inconsequential that you could heat whatever you wanted to heat or cool whatever you wanted to cool, rather.

But right now it could be hard to keep that place cool, depending on how it is in the summer.

Yes, I think we're okay because the rest of the walls will be very thick and super insulated, so you kind of allowed a certain amount of glass area before you kind of screw up that envelope.

So I think it'll be fine.

And then you have presumably, in the round earth construction that you're considering or going ahead with.

Is that fair to say? You're going ahead with round earth considering, hopefully.

Okay.

What's it going to look like? There's no ram, dearth.

Then it's going to look like no, that would be a whole different plan.

Yeah, we'll see.

Well, it's very interesting, though, because the rand earth has sort of stored heat energy.

It can take store the cool from the night and let it off slowly.

It can store the heat from the day and sort of moderate the house.

Now, regardless of how you're making it, if you chose, say, a concrete floor, that would be one way of having heat storage in the house.

You might want to go down with a boiler, then that goes through the floor.

That's what a lot of people do these days.

But then boilers are complicated, as you found out for your rental house.

As far as getting heat pumps for them.

Yeah, in floor heating seems the most likely.

But there are many different ways of heating the liquid that's in your in floor heating.

So I don't see that as being a big problem.

And then you got to build a podcast studio out there.

A little sound booth with good airflow.

Well, there's a little kind of home theater room.

So I'm hoping that area will work for a podcast.

Sure, as long as it has a good view of the lake.

Yeah.

Then you could shoot yourself as a backdrop then, if you wanted to.

Maybe the whole house should be designed around that principle.

Brian.

I don't know.

Anyway, I just wanted to mention that.

And another thing I wanted to mention was I was just now looking at the local EV Facebook group as I scrolled through Facebook and I laughed my ass off at something.

Somebody bought a brand new EV and they're asking the question that people often ask, where do I charge? What credit cards do I need? Do I need an account with people from different charges? And this is Western Canada, by the way.

And Cam Roger responded to this person and said that you will likely find the flow card as being the most useful, as well as charge point to experience the reliability of a Petrol Canada charging session, purchase a lottery ticket.

That is to say, your chances of it working are about the same as winning the lottery.

I do like a bit of sarcasm, especially when you're angry at something.

That really makes me feel good to read that.

Some updates to some previously discussed stories.

I wanted to mention to our listeners that Connecticut has a new law that EV chargers have to be repaired properly.

However, I can't find any information on it.

I saw it mentioned on Twitter by someone reliable and I can't find it again.

So if you know about Connecticut having a recent law that ensures that EV chargers are repaired within a certain time frame, send me an email cleanenergyshow@gmail.com, because we'll talk about it later.

Yeah, I'm sure we have at least one lesson in Connecticut.

And my friend Mike mike Noblock bought his first EV.

He bought me Ionic Five and I asked him how's it going? He had it for, I think about ten days or so now, and he says it's awesome.

It's everything I hoped for and more.

It's really fun to drive.

Accelerating up to speed so quickly is fun every time you do it.

And Mike is not a race car driver, but he's finding this fun.

He's a reasonable guy.

The ride is really smooth and the seating is very comfy.

It's insanely quiet and love charging at home instead of going to a gas station, which is something that people don't realize.

People worry about where you're going to charge it all the time.

But the fact is you don't take your cellphone to a gas station to charge.

It's really cool to do it at home.

Imagine we didn't do that.

Okay.

An update to the ongoing dispute with Germany and Russia.

There is a pipeline supplying oil from Russia to Germany, and this is kind of important for Germany.

And we've just been keeping tabs on how that's going.

There's a second tanker of crude oil coming from America to help kind of fill in the gaps.

So 570,000 barrels is due in Germany soon.

And this is the second shipment from the US.

To help bridge the gap.

And Germany is hoping to reduce their reliance on Russian oil and gas by about 90% this year.

So let's hope they can manage that.

Well, you know, inflation is starting to slow down, at least here in Canada.

We had the latest numbers.

Yeah.

And the price of gas has come down.

It's amazing how if everyone drove an EV, it wouldn't be affecting inflation as much.

Right.

You still have to pay for goods.

Goods will go up in price because gas with trucking and so on, until we get long haul trucking sorted out with electrification, which is coming.

And Biden is about to sign the inflation reduction as we speak, right? Yes.

We've been talking about this for a couple of episodes now.

This is a massive, massive bill in the US.

I always forget what it's called.

What's it called? The Inflation Reduction Act or the IRA.

Yeah.

And you expect it to be called something like the Carbon Reduction Act.

Biden climate bill for is what some people call it, climate bill.

But there's a nice article on Bloomberg this week, and it's called the Inflation Reduction Act is a Climate bill, just don't call it one.

So it's just a nice little article here about the kind of the vagaries of politics and the importance of naming these bills.

It's like governments can kind of force the conversation in certain directions by calling it something they used to just follow boring naming conventions for these kinds of things.

But they realized some years ago that PR is an important part of this.

It sort of reminded me of do you remember when Walmart was kind of coming into Canada? Like about 30 years ago, walmart came into Canada and really started kind of taking over town to town.

They were building Walmarts and putting kind of our local stores out of business.

And it was obviously a huge change and a huge thing.

A lot of people were upset about it.

And it's like this big, massive corporation moving in to take things over.

And what did they do? They started these TV commercials.

I don't know if you remember this, but it was like they started featuring individuals that worked at Walmart, the Walmart Greeters and the Walmart Cashiers.

And they kind of made it sound like it was a small town store.

Like it was like the people that work at Walmart are just like your neighbors because they are your neighbors.

And there were commercials that focused on exactly the opposite of what Walmart actually is, which is a giant corporation.

And it was kind of annoying and sickening.

But it's like, well, that's the world of PR.

That's kind of how this goes.

So the other aspect of that I wanted to kind of mentioned, which we just touched on briefly is so, yes, it is called the Inflation Reduction Act.

Is that what it's actually going to be or do? And so there was an analysis that suggested that 41% of our current inflation is attributable to fossil fuel prices.

So if this can bring down the price of fossil fuels, bring down the demand of fossil fuels, then, yeah, it actually should reduce inflation.

So as you were talking, I looked up a list of ridiculous US.

Legislation names that have nothing to do with one, and the Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act was one.

Okay, well, I think that was one in Canada.

Actually.

That is one in Canada.

Serious time for the most Serious Crime act.

The Unborn Victims of Crime Act.

Yeah.

So that was an abortion related one in the States.

It gets weirder, too.

And ultimately it's just the name of the bill.

Whatever's in the bill obviously, is the important thing.

So the other thing I just wanted to mention, which again comes from Bloomberg, our new best friends over there at BNEF, and they crunch the numbers in terms of this new climate bill in the US.

And it's $374,000,000,000, which is a lot of money.

But their conclusion and these numbers are always kind of difficult to calculate because what's being done by government, what's being done by private.

So it's always a bit fuzzy on the numbers.

But their conclusion was that this is a really good spend, but the EU and China are spending a bit more than the US.

Is with this climate bill.

Is that right? Well, that's interesting.

Yeah.

China being the biggest spender right now on clean energy transition.

Getting back to the naming of this act, though, I think there was a column in the New York Times yesterday about how climate has become part of the culture wars.

If you're woke, you care about the climate.

I don't understand.

A little bit worried about where the world is going.

In fact, I'm a lot worried where the world is going.

Also.

I think just today people were sharing a Global mail article that was a Canadian national newspaper about the F 150 all electric lightning pickup trucks, two of them being owned in the prairies here where we live, including one here nearby, Brian and I, and we've mentioned him on the show before I assume the Globe listens to our show.

I assume everybody does high ups in Saudi Arabia.

Biden's probably listening right now.

I know.

Sure.

So this guy's Lightning says he can this was interesting to me because I've been interested in facts about my own use scenario because I imagined only to pick up traffic and Holly, my tent trailer, my pop up camper, as some people call him, and he says he has one, he's got almost about as big as a Pawpaw trailer as you can have.

He says he got 600 km driving around the city of Range, but 330 on the highway with that large pop up camper.

So that gives me valuable information as a person who may want to do that in the future.

Yeah, that's a good indication of the actual reality of it.

Because towing reduces the range by a lot, apparently.

But, you know, if I just drove our SUV, gas powered SUV, to the lake, if I towed my Camper, it would have half the range.

It would have half the range as well.

So that's not bad.

I was thinking, oh, you'd have to charge every hour and maybe it'd be worth it because it costs so much, but that's every 3 hours.

You don't want to stop that anyway, right? I stopped an hour and a half just to put more oil in my damn engine.

Which you won't have to do in an EV.

Praise the Lord.

My God.

I hate that.

Yes.

No, I had a Nissan Sentra where we had to drive it with a bunch of extra cans of oil, which I put in that movie where we shot at that gas station.

I was thinking of putting a hose with a funnel on it inside the cabin so I could just add while I drive.

That would be great.

Oh, yeah, and one other personal update I forgot about.

So I drove my Tesla up to Saskatoon, to the nearest Tesla service center because I had an issue.

The suspension started squeaking and the steering wheel was squeaking.

So, yeah, they replaced the I should find the exact name of it here.

Just give me a second.

Is duhickey and the wording at all schmengee.

They told me that the left front upper control arm ball joint had seized.

So they replaced that one and proactively replaced the other one as well, which it was still working fine.

But I think this is probably an issue that they've experienced before.

So they went and replaced the upper control arm ball joints, the left and right on the front.

Yeah, it took about 3 hours.

It's a two and a half hour drive to get up there to start with.

But I got there first thing in the morning and they gave me a Tesla Model X as a loaner to drive around town while I was there.

I may go up there this weekend.

Do you think they'll give me one for no reason.

No, I don't think they will.

This is from Drive Tesla, Canada.

And this is just our opportunity to mock Mazda or Mazda, depending on where you live in the world.

Only sold eight of their electric cars in the US in July of 2022.

This is a very sad and pathetic number, but it really is, I don't know, a compliance car.

I don't know who would buy this or why.

It's only got 100 miles, range 160 km.

Somebody who really likes Mazda.

Someone who really likes Mazda.

And I could see it maybe, I don't know, certain business case situations where you're making short little trips or something, but this is not much range than your 25th.

You should buy one just to sell because it's going to be such a rarity if they stop making yeah.

Like the actual numbers.

This is going to be one of the most rare cars you could possibly own.

That's incredible.

Yeah, they've got a very short range.

The reminiscent of the early Leafs, right? Absolutely.

No, this is similar range to your car.

Yeah.

Why would you do that nowadays? My car was made a lifetime ago.

So I'm going to have some details here.

But the inflation Reduction act for EVs, because we didn't get into details about this, consumer Reports broke it down the other day.

So, among other provisions, the new bill will do the following.

It offers a tax credit up to $4,000 on used EVs.

This is new, but they have to be put into service after December 31 of next year.

December 3118 months from now.

The vehicles built and registered 18 months from now will be possible to buy them used with a $4,000 credit.

So that's a ways off.

It takes away the $200,000 vehicle cap on tax credits that made EVs and plug in hybrids from Tesla, GM and Toyota ineligible for tax cuts because they've sold more than 200,000 of those vehicles in the United States and have used up their tax credits.

So, people, that's one reason why GM dropped the bolt price by $6,700, you asked or something to make up for that.

Because Tesla doesn't care.

Because they have way more demand than they can do.

But it does away with tax credits for pricey EVs.

This is something that we see criticized locally here in Canada in the news.

Why are you giving tax credits to 150,000 more cars like the Model X or something? So it doesn't weigh with today's tax credits for price EV such as the Hummer EV, the Lucid Air, Model S and X, and Poll Star, I would imagine, and Porsche and stuff like that, it eliminates tax credits for vehicles not assembled in North America.

This is a critical one here because this is going to eliminate the tax credit for the BMWs, the Hyundai Ionic five, the Kia EV six, the Toyota BZ four, X not assembled here.

Maybe one day they will be because like Nissan with my car.

They did two years in Japan and then they opened up a factory in Tennessee and one in the UK.

Maybe they'll do that and maybe they'll be selling a lot more vehicles.

But most important, the bill also immediately restricts the full tax credit on new EVs to vehicles with battery minerals sourced from countries that the US has a free trade agreement with, or recycled in North America.

So you can buy a car that has recycled batteries if they're recycled in North America, but you can't buy Chinese ones.

So starting in 2024, if any materials, minerals or components are sourced from foreign entities of concern, you know who you are, china and Russia, the vehicle will not qualify for tax credit.

So that is tricky.

We're going to continue to talk about that, Brian, because nobody seems to know how that's going to wash out.

Yeah, because it could be difficult to ramp that up, because I think China in particular is kind of the world leader in sourcing these minerals and processing them.

And so it does make sense that we often talk about energy security.

I mean, if you've got to rely on shipments of oil from places like Russia, you realize suddenly when they go to war, oh, man, that was a really bad idea.

All this stuff impacts the security of your country if you can't source it yourself locally and Russia start going to war.

Stupid idiots.

Yeah.

Please stop that.

The Tesla semi truck is going to ship this year, Elon Musk announced on Twitter, and it's going to have 500 miles of range.

And the Tesla Cyber truck with 500 miles of range is going to start shipping next year.

So this is a fairly definitive statement.

We've been really wondering when electric semi trucks are going to finally start rolling.

There's still not much in terms of semi truck charging infrastructure, so I'm still expecting to hear more about that.

We've only heard of a handful of places that have the new Tesla semi charger infrastructure for charging.

So this will be kind of a slow roll out, I think, because of that, because of the lack of charging infrastructure.

But they can probably, in some cases, charge at the existing Tesla chargers.

But trucking is a huge part of carbon emissions, so once semis all go electric, this is a massive step forward in carbon reduction.

I'm looking forward to the next cyber truck event where they update the preproduction, what's actually going to really happen for real.

And we'll notice back the costs.

The cost might go up.

Yeah.

No, they pulled the prices down off their website several months ago amidst this massive inflation that's happening.

But I wouldn't be surprised if the prices are double what they were originally close to.

That so much for my order.

Yeah.

One day, Brian.

One day.

My son and I have often discussed Japan.

I can't remember the details of why, but we have this long discussion.

I said, well, one day I'm going to look into why Japan has no wind.

He says, Why don't they do wind? Because he thinks they don't have any wind because nuclear is so great.

While they shut down their nuclear, they're bringing it back tepidly a little bit at a time.

But when they had their Fukushima disaster, they shut down a bunch of their nuclear.

It's easy for us to say nuclear is safe, but when you're there and you're experiencing what they did, you're going to probably have a different opinion.

So I looked at the reason.

I finally found an interesting paper and article about this year and a half old.

It says that there's limited understanding of the seabed conditions surrounding Japan, unlike other locations such as the United Kingdom, because they benefited from oil and gas exploration for decades.

Right.

So in that north coast there, off of Europe, lots of oil and gas exploration for decades.

So they understand it.

Now, there's another benefit to oil and gas, is just understanding the seabed for.

So they have a limited understanding of what the seabed even is because they don't go down there looking because there's not oil and gas there.

It is the 7th longest shoreline in the world.

So there's lots of wind opportunity there.

Another reason they've been slow is conservative government policies.

Lots of different departments not working together.

They actually permitted some wind projects that were three years long and kelsey breeze, there was no bitters.

This is a 40 year thing, Brian.

Another problem is their water gets very deep very quickly, down to 200 meters.

It's only 50 meters close to the shore, but after a while it gets down to 200 meters, which is quite too deep for offshore wind.

But there's new technology around that wasn't there ten years ago, including floating.

So there's a huge opportunity for floating wind potential.

And the wind potential, to my surprise, is not great on Japanese land.

Not that great at all.

So the best potential is in the ocean.

Another setback or drawback is that most of the wind potentials in the north with is less population.

So you have to unfortunately send that power.

I wonder if they couldn't do it through the ocean.

If you were in Japan and you had a whole bunch of wind in the north, all these countries are doing undersea DC high power cables, maybe because nothing gets disturbed.

You just drop it on the seabed and you don't have to build towers and bridges and do land studies.

You just drop it down there and nobody gets hurt.

Not even a fish.

Fishing concerns.

They're concerned about fish.

The nuclear disaster, as you said, they temporarily shut down 54 power plants, which is a lot I don't even know.

They began shipping coal and natural gas.

That's no way to go, but that's not good for the planet.

So Fukushima was a turning point.

For the nation's attitude towards nuclear power as the associated risks and costs and costs became apparent.

We always talk about the cost of nuclear.

And even though a limited number of reactors are being restarted, it's unlikely that nuclear power will ever return to such a dominant position in the Japanese energy mix.

So, yeah, the water depth drops to 200 meters, around 20 offshore.

So you have a little bit of space to work with.

And nevertheless, Japan has a large resource potential.

This is a study done with the potential of win of 61 gigawatts in relatively shallow waters.

That's just the shallow water potential.

It's not floating there or anything like that.

And remember, a gigawatt is about a nuclear reactor, so you might say, James, the wind doesn't always blow well on the ocean.

It does in some places.

It does almost around the clock.

And by the way, this is a bit of an aside, but the first North American freshwater offshore wind farm will be in Lake Erie.

Did you hear about that? Yes, I did hear a little something, yeah.

So, Lead Co asserts that the Great Lakes hold enough energy potential in wind to power the entire stinking United States.

The winds of Lake Erie alone could meet over 10% of the electricity needs by 2030.

Just in Lake Erie.

Lake Erie is not a big lake.

Lake Erie is a small lake.

But, yes, Chicago, the Windy City and all these places, there's wind out there and terrible polluted waters that you could stick wind turbines in, and they're not so deep that you can't do it.

That's interesting.

I wondered when that's going to happen.

Well, I would wonder about the I don't know, unsightliness of it.

It makes more sense to me if they're off in the ocean.

People might be annoyed if the Great Lakes are full of wind turbines, but I don't know.

Hard to say.

Now, I'd be interested to know what the distance is.

Maybe one of our listeners can send in an answer to this.

What is the distance where wind turbines start to fade? Not from the curvature of the Earth, but just the atmosphere sort of blurs them out? Because you see ships offshore in the ocean, they're kind of faded.

They're barely visible because even on Toronto, off Toronto, you see them like that.

So how far do you have to go before it's an ISO? I guess it's my basic question.

Yeah.

And farther out would be better.

As long as it doesn't get too deep, I guess.

Okay.

There is a story here.

I got this from CNET, and the story is a couple of weeks old, but I thought it was worth talking about it because we didn't mention it before, but Fiat Chrysler has been ordered to pay $300 million in fines over their diesel emissions fraud case.

So it's not just Volkswagen that was cheating on emissions.

Fiat Chrysler, which is now owned by Stallantis 300 million in fines for lying about the emissions of more than 100,000 Jeep and Ram diesel vehicles.

So this was been going on since 2017.

They were first accused of doing this, and it takes a long time for this kind of stuff to wind its way through the courts, but it has finally come down and they are guilty.

And it's 300 million is the penalty.

The US Department of justice this week announced that FCA has been sentenced in federal court to pay about 300 million in criminal penalties in addition to serving three years of organizational probation.

What do you suppose that is? Organizational probation? Probation for the organization, I guess.

Oh, wait, I think we have a clip.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down, and that foot is me.

Then as of this moment, they're on double secret probation.

Ah, that's what it is.

They're on double secret probation.

What movie is that from? I was wondering if you would recognize it.

Is it a Naked Gun related movie? No, it's Animal House.

Oh.

And it's extra fun because that's the great Vernon Agapsawitch, known to the world as John Vernon, who is from our city of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Yeah, but yeah, I just always remembered that clip of double secret probation.

He passed away a few years ago.

Yes, not that long ago.

And he ended up making a movie here and late in his career before he died, which was nice.

I forget the name, but it had Molly Parker and Callum Keith Rennie was in it.

It was shot.

I visited the set one day.

I actually took pictures of John Vernon on the set of this kind of western.

That's really cool.

But Brian, it's time.

It's time.

It's time for the clean energy show.

Lightning around.

A fast look of the rest of the week's headlines in clean energy and climate change.

Brian, where has the time gone? China's CATL plans a massive 220 1 battery factory in East Hungary.

Yeah, because why? It's Tuesday or Wednesday or Thursday.

It doesn't matter.

Because there's a new day, there's a new $7.5 million battery factory every week.

The planet will be capable of outputting 100 gigawatt hours of batteries a year.

That is 100 nuclear reactors powering for an hour per year from this battery factory.

And Mercedes Benz has already gone on record stating that it will be its first customer.

You know what the sound is? Time for a clean energy show.

Fast fact.

Charging your electric car at home costs equivalent of or less, which is about a dollar 20 a gallon.

Tesla is reportedly going to build model wise with BYD blade batteries in a gigafactory Berlin.

What do you think, Brian? Because I'm kind of curious.

Yeah, this is interesting.

This is a battery form factor that Tesla has never used before.

But since Tesla's goal is to dominate the Earth, they're really buying and using whatever possible batteries they can get their hands on.

So BYD has been making these blade batteries, which are not exactly blade shaped, but they come in these sort of flat panels and they're all kind of packed together in a battery pack.

So, yeah, I guess Tesla has figured out how to stuff those into their vehicles.

So I don't know.

It should be good.

More supply batteries, the better.

Oh, it's another fast fact.

And this brings us back to backyard hens, which I've been waiting to talk about.

Yeah.

Backyard hens eggs contain 40 times this is backyard hen in cities, okay, not in farms, contained 40 times more lead, on average, than shop eggs.

You think you're growing your own eggs and they're healthier? No, that doesn't sound good.

It depends on the lead levels of your soil, where you live, which vary across various cities and then vary within the city.

In older homes, close to city centers, contaminated soils can greatly increase people's exposure to lead through eating eggs from backyard hens.

And I was thinking, again, a chicken Brian, because they make good pets.

Sorry.

Most lead gets into the hens as they scratch the dirt and peck food from the ground.

Can you imagine the lead levels where I live? I've got a refinery, I've got a smelter over yonder.

I mean, it's not good at all.

It's probably not good.

And if any of our listeners, if you have hands and you're eating the eggs, maybe they're somewhere nearby where you can get them tested, maybe good advice, because I think that there probably is somebody listening to our show or some people, and they're going to be soiling their pants right now and not very happy about that because I know you don't want to talk about it.

It's just that bad.

It's one of those things that I came across that I thought was important from carbon tracker.

The UK government's Oil and Gas Authority has estimated the total bill for Northeast oil decommissioning will be £51 billion.

Now, because of the government's tax policy, the British taxpayer will be responsible for at least 40% of that cost over the coming decades.

This is something we're going to be talking about a lot.

It is.

The reality of gas going away.

We are going to get stuck with the bill, aren't we? Yeah.

And there's been a lot of talk in the UK lately.

There's some sweet tax deals for oil and gas companies in the UK.

They're getting a bit of a free ride, which is unfortunate.

California has adopted 2045 as an offshore wind target plans on installing 25 gigawatts by that time.

That is, again, 25 nuclear reactors worth of almost I mean, not quite, but optimistically, if the wind never stopped, that's what they would be.

And just as a comparison, it's not insignificant.

That is a lot, a lot of power by 2045.

So Xpeng is releasing its S four superchargers.

This is a chinese EV manufacturer.

They've just announced their S Four superchargers on Supercharger Day.

That's not Tesla supercharger day.

That's a Chinese company.

They've opened 1000 superchargers so far in China, and they say, and they demonstrated this with their new model of car, 210 km, or 131 miles of charging in range and five minutes of charging.

And they demonstrated that.

So ten to 80% of a full modern large battery in as little as 20 minutes.

This is an 800 volts class EV charger with a peak power output of 480 kw, which I think is probably around where we're going to stop as around there.

I don't think we're going to go I don't think we need to, really? Yeah.

And you always wonder at a certain point it will maybe degrade the batteries if you end up charging too quickly.

But I think those figures are we probably don't need to go faster than that.

And with new battery chemistries allowing for stronger and stronger charging and things like that, who knows what's going to happen? But that, Ryan, is our time for this week, for the summer show fires an email right now, cleanenergyshow@gmail.com.

We're on Twitter, we're on TikTok or even on Instagram.

We're everywhere you want us to be.

We have two YouTube channels now, by the way.

One for audio, one for everything else that has video.

So go there, find us, watch the show, watch our clips, tell your friends.

And if you're new to the show, remember subscribe, subscribe on your podcast app because we put out new shows every week and they'll be delivered right to you.

And we look forward to talking to you.

Bye for now.

Next week.

See you next week.

View Details

The U.S. looks to pass the largest climate spending in history, providing incentives for electric vehicles, manufacturing, solar, wind and many surprising home upgrades.

Massive oil fire at a storage facility in Cuba.

James outlines clean energy-related stories from his vacation.

Chinese cars are invading Japan. Are Chinese cars the new Japanese cars?

Brian describes his new e-bikes.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

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Tell your friends about us on social media!

TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE

Okay.

Yeah, sorry I was gone for a bit there, but I'm ready to go for episode 126.

It's 127.

No, I checked.

It's the last episode.

Yeah.

No, it's 126 now.

Brian, I did a show yesterday.

I did an interview show yesterday with B NEF.

That's not possible.

You can't do a show without me.

Well, it went really well.

It's in my contract.

You can't do a show without me.

Well, you were there in spirit.

What? You son of a hello, and welcome to episode 127 of the Clean Energy Show.

I'm Brian Stockton.

I'm James Whittingham.

This week.

I apologize to Joe Mansion.

He's clearly a saint.

After approving the largest climate action in US history, the Inflation Reduction Act, a massive fire has been spreading at an oil storage facility in Cuba.

Our only hope now is that the fire spreads to a Cuban cigar factory so we can all enjoy the sweet, smooth, smoky aroma.

And I outline everything clean energy related for my vacation.

And as Brian predicted in the last episode, I did, in fact, almost die.

Chinese EV maker BYD is entering the Japanese market with three models.

Japanese car makers have stated publicly that they're not worried.

Privately, they stated, oh, yeah, we're totally doomed.

All that and more on this post vacation edition of The Clean Energy Show.

Brian, when I got back from your cottage, I wanted to record a podcast.

I was not ready to put my feet up anymore.

I can't stand it.

I don't know what I'm going to do if you die, if you get run over by a bus.

I'm just not going to be able to expound my clean energy thoughts.

I'm desperate.

I'm booked on this now.

Yeah, well, maybe you could improvise with you could pretend that I'm doing two voices.

Like do a dumb voice for you, like a public voice, something like that.

It seems to work well.

Yeah.

So we got a fat overblooded show for you this week to get everything out of our system.

So listen to it at two times speed if you have to.

Yes.

And of course, we had prerecorded our last full episode because you were taking a week off and with the hope that nothing major happened.

And it did kind of wait until you were back, but lots of major things happened, and so much so that you recorded an episode without me.

And then here we are to do another one.

Yes.

So the episode without you is episode 126.

It is the interview with two analysts from Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Terrific conversation with those people.

I hope you listen to it.

It's not just about the United States, as we learned throughout the podcast, it is for the world that this is very important, and not just for the reduction of emissions, but because it influences the rest of the world.

The United States taking action is a linchpin for everyone else to do action on climate change.

Yeah, no, I did hear the show.

It was awesome.

And yes, I think it's true.

Lots of symbolic value as well as dollar value.

You have a little bit different sound this week.

Yeah.

Look at this.

I got James a new microphone.

Can you believe it? I'm stunned, Brian.

I'm stunned.

We now have matching microphones.

Did you ever see that documentary Metallica some Kind of Monster? I watched some of it a little bit.

Yeah.

This is the microphone.

They use the microphone in the film, so you know it's got to be good.

Yeah, I saw it on I don't know, my daughter is watching a Taylor Swift document.

You see it all over the place.

It's a very common microphone.

What is it? The A.

Sher SM seven B.

And it's a bit of a cliche as a podcast microphone, but that's probably because it's the best.

You know I've been watching.

Only murders in the building.

You haven't been watching that? No, I have.

I love it.

Really love it.

Yeah, I love it, too.

It's different podcasts people talk about because the storyline is that they're podcasting a true crime podcast as it happens in their building.

Yeah, but only in their building.

Yeah, steve Martin, Martin Shorts, and there's a murder in their building.

And they make a podcast about it while they're doing it.

So, yeah, I'm always kind of looking for the podcast elements, which are semi realistic.

Like they're always kind of pulling out a phone and recording something.

They're sort of doing it just enough to make it believable.

I think it was kind of funny, though.

If you watch the premiere, the initial episode of the series, they start with really bad mics and they constantly go up.

And Martin Shorts character is the one doing the buying because he's the enthusiastic one, but he doesn't have any money because he's an out of work Broadway director and he owes money on his building piece.

So he says he's going to take them back after 30 days, but he keeps getting better equipment and they've got boom mics at the end and different things, and they record it in the closet.

Yeah, my 14 year old daughter is watching it with us and she's just loving it now, too.

And terrific shows.

If we're lucky, they'll be some kind of murder nearby.

And we can include that on the show.

Yes.

Spin off.

Only murders on the podcast.

And did you get your bike yet, your second wife? Yes.

So I did want to update you on that.

We got the second one.

So my partner and I have matching bikes.

This is the ride.

One up roadster, v two gravel edition electric bike.

And we ordered them online from the company.

Ride One Up.

So, yeah, we got the second one.

We've been going out on bike rides.

Absolutely love it.

This bike really so great.

I have nothing but good things to say about it.

It's just super fun to ride.

It's the right kind of size and shape for a bike for me.

Like, this is the kind of bike that I like.

It's very light.

In terms of an electric bike, I think it's £33.

Wow.

That's about as light as they come, I think.

So for electric bikes, the batteries integrated into the frame, so it's not the biggest battery, but we don't go on particularly long trips, so, like 20 miles, 30 km is kind of the max.

But we've come nowhere near to hitting that.

I got it up to 22 miles an hour, the speedometers in miles, and so that's about 35 km an hour, which is about as fast as you can do because it is only one gear.

It's got a belt drive with only one gear and the gearing is not really tall enough to go any faster than that.

But who needs to go faster than 22 miles an hour? That's plenty fast.

Tons of fun.

And my only other sort of maybe quibble about it is that there's not much of a battery management system, so they recommend in the literature not to leave it plugged in.

It's the kind of thing where yeah, mine did the same.

Yes, when you plug it in to charge it, they recommend, like, set a timer on your phone to unplug it after an hour, or whatever you need, because it's not good for the battery if you just leave it plugged in.

So I've been doing that and also trying to keep it they recommend keeping the battery between 30% and 80%.

That's hard to do because there's no precise kind of measurements, but basically go for a bike ride, leave it plugged in for 20 minutes or something like that, and then make sure to unplug it.

But yeah, absolutely love it.

Nothing but good things to say.

Mine says that you may need to run it down all the way and then charge it full in order for the computer, the onboard computer, to understand the range and charge.

Not the range, but the charge percentage.

Mine didn't say that, but even with a laptop, it's sort of recommended that you do that every once in a while, just to kind of recalibrate the battery to get it down to zero.

Having said that, my portable drill and portable weed whacker has battery management of the charger and knows when to stop.

So I'm disappointed that electric bikes don't.

They're smaller batteries, mind you, I'm not sure why.

And also, this is definitely on the low end of price, but again, that's one of the reasons I love the bike.

Like, it's $1250.

Getting it here to Canada was maybe one $800 for each bike, which is definitely on the low end, so you don't expect maybe all the bells and whistles.

But this is the gravel addition, so it's a slight upgrade from the regular roadster, which is that one is like $1,050, so you can even get a slightly cheaper one.

This one has upgraded tires and I think maybe a slightly upgraded belt drive or something like that.

But yeah, it's great.

Did you go for a romantic bike drive ride with us? Definitely, yes.

And this is the kind of electric part of it is like, we went out on our bike path here in town.

We have a nice bike path that goes through the city and long ways.

We started coming back and we realized, okay, well, we'd like to get home now, so maybe we'll go off the bike path and drive through the city streets because that's the shortest route to get home.

And then we realized, oh, no, wait, we'll just put the speed onto number five, take the long route, stay on the bike path.

It's twice as long, but there are five power levels, and so if you want to go quickly or you're feeling lazy, just put it up to number five.

So we were able to take the scenic ride home and arrive in kind of the same amount of time, but power level like one, two, and three is kind of the general range where I put it.

It's a bit like shifting gears.

Like level one is fine for flat terrain and no headwind or anything and a bit more of a workout, but if you've got a headwind or you're heading up a hill or something, you can just pop it up to level two or three.

What happens to your other bike, your folding bike, your first bike Ebike you bought? Yeah, I'm just going to keep that one as a sort of a specialty bike because you can fold it and put it easily in the trunk of the car.

So I think we discussed I'm actually going up to Saskatoon on Friday because I have a Tesla service appointment.

I've got a squeaky steering wheel and a bit of squeaky suspension, and they're going to take care of that there.

So I'm going to throw the folding Ebike into the trunk and be able to sort of ride around Saskatoon when the cars dropped off.

Okay, well, that's good.

Are you going to take the bikes to the lake at all? Yeah, I mean, it's almost the end of the season, and we're not sure when we're going to get out there again, but that's the hope.

We originally kind of bought them for the lake.

Are you going to disassemble them and put them in the back of your three or what? We could definitely fit one in the back of the three.

I don't know.

We sometimes take two cars out to the lake, so that might be the case because I don't have a bike carrier, and I don't really like bike carriers.

I don't want to go through that.

Hassle you got burned by a bike carrier one? Yeah, but it's definitely going to be my main bike because I really like it.

All right, enough of this, Brian.

Let's get to my vacation.

I didn't have much of a vacation.

It was a short vacation.

I went to your cottage, which we were very generous to lend us.

And by the way, I asked you if you're going to keep anything from your cottage for sentimental reasons, for the new cottage that you're going to not really know you didn't want to.

And I told my son this, and he was offended.

He says, oh, my God, I have more emotional attachment to that place than Brian does.

My kids really have, to my shock and surprise, an emotional attachment to your cottage.

Wow.

It's hard for them to leave.

Even when they want to.

They start taking pictures and looking around like it's the last time they'll ever see it.

In this case, it might be true, it might be and just capturing the thing.

And we took two cars out.

My kids went together in the Prius and we of course, my partner packed the kitchen sink and a few other things.

Honestly, you would have been shocked.

And I threatened to show that I was going to show you what all the things, because it's a cottage, it's not camping in the woods.

You have most of what you need.

Why do you have to we literally pack to an SUV in a car full of, like, telegram and then still, I had to come back and get something because I forgot it.

And she did.

And, yeah, we were late, so they got there half hour early and they found we were able to get in and sort of put their feet up on the deck and really just had it as their own.

And you could tell that they were really enjoying the adult experience of having their own place in nature for even if it's just a half an hour.

So, yeah, they had a good time.

And my son went on as he does.

He took the My Ebike, my 55 pound mountain bike.

It was £55 when I got it, but I actually changed a few things, like, the forks were really heavy, so I saved a few pounds, actually, by changing the forks to better ones.

He likes to go off because there's so many paths out there and he just loves exploring.

This is something that goes back to his early childhood.

He still likes doing it.

And he came back and usually when he comes back from these things, he's really happy.

It's like the happiest I ever see him is when he comes back from a trip up there.

And this time he was a bit off.

And I said, what's wrong? And he says, There was a cows.

And I said, well, why? I ran into a herd of cows and they were mean to me.

They moved at him and offended him somehow.

So he says, I don't feel bad about eating meat anymore.

He's come to the conclusion that he doesn't like cows because they were mean to him.

Yeah, well, I think that area around the park is public grazing land that you can if you're a cattle rancher, there's public grazing land that you can use.

He continued on after the cows because the herd eventually fled.

But what if there was an angry bull in that? That might be as dangerous as, like, running into a bear or something you don't really, really expect to run into.

It's a provincial park, by the way.

He wanted to go to the edge of the park, the end of the park, and he did.

And about a kilometer before the end of the park, he ran into oil rigs in the park and took pictures.

So there are oil rigs in Kenosis Provincial Park in San Diego, in Canada.

So you did not know that.

I guess I didn't know that either.

They'd be sort of toward the edge there.

Yeah, but yeah, that's wild.

Yeah.

So he ran into things he didn't expect.

But no, he did have a good time and he probably would have done more, but it really rained that night and then never stopped.

It just kept raining.

And the roads get to be impassable out there after a while because they're made of dirt.

So my partner went kayaking.

When she comes back from kayaking, it is the happiest I ever see her when she goes to the lake.

Right.

This time, not happy.

Was it cows? No, she didn't really tell me because I went into the side of Little Kenosey Lake into the shore, and there's these little picnic areas there and I chose one of them that had a view of the lake and I could see her coming because I was worried.

She actually was gone a long time and I thought, great, she's having a good time or she's dead either way.

And she comes back and she doesn't tell me.

So I get to the shore, to the docking station.

By the way, they got this great thing for loading kayaks now, this wooden thing at Little Kenosis.

It's got little rollers on it and it makes it so easy for novices like us who do it once a year because you could just sit in your kayak and just give it a little touch and it'll just go right into the water.

And if you hit it right, you can come and come on shore.

You just need somebody to smash that bottle of champagne on it and that's enough to have it slide into the anyway, what was wrong was just where I was looking at her at these little picnic areas.

The next picnic area over there was a nude photography shoot.

Okay.

You did not see that coming, did you? No.

Is that kind of thing allowed with the sanctioned I don't know.

I posted on Facebook and I prevented you from seeing it because I wanted to have a natural reaction on the show.

So I spent time waiting around there for a long time, so I knew who was there, who wasn't.

And I did not see this with my own eyes, but I saw the people, like a woman photographer and a woman model of some sort going there.

And the woman was half naked and holding a beer can.

She was posing with an ear can, a beer can.

So keep it classy.

Saskatchewan.

Yeah.

So I had follow up DM's questions on that for my male friends.

Yeah, she got more nature than she bargained for.

So you may see some what is it? Only fans erotica with my partner in the background looking confused in a kayak.

Yes.

I told my son this.

He said, dad, you don't understand.

This is what people do nowadays.

It's instagram accounts.

Yeah, but they seem to know what they are doing.

And they seem to but from the dialogue that she repeated to me, they seemed to be a professional outfit.

But there was a sleazy guy hanging out by the dock and the truck that said Monster on the side.

So I don't know if he was because he was flirting with them earlier.

I don't know if he was sticking around to get a view.

But me without my binoculars on that day, what else did I do? Well, the morning after my kids bike trip, it was raining, so it wasn't much we could do.

It was kind of cool, which was nice because it was hot the first day, by the way.

I preferred the cool.

And we didn't have a breeze.

I hate it when there's no breeze.

It's always windy.

It's always hurricane forest wind where we live.

And then when you need a breeze, it's never there for you.

So there was nothing there.

It was a little warm.

It wasn't as bad as last year, but it was just one day.

So we took off.

We did a little drive through Red versus Catch One, which is home to the Nazi Party of Canada, or at least the Nationalist Something Party.

And he was always talking about it.

The teacher came from that town.

So we went through there and we kept on going into Manitoba.

We saw this incredible infrastructure of oil just across the border in Manitoba.

You don't think of oil in Manitoba, but we saw literally hundreds of pump jacks in a very condensed space.

The most condensed I've ever seen.

So I'm thinking it's fracking because there's like four of them in a row and they're going off in different directions.

And there was practically a refinery there.

Like, it wasn't a refinery, but it looked like a refinery because it all had all these huge storage tanks and there was no cell service, there was no town, there was nothing there.

So it was kind of a weird little drive we had into Manicoba Twilight Zone episode that something weird was going to happen.

Well, believe me, it's crossed my mind.

Yeah.

And then later on, we did a day trip in the Manitoba.

Decided to have some adventure because it was only 4 hours to Winnipeg.

So we took off to Winnipeg for a day.

Nice.

And we stayed in a nice little hotel there in a bad part of town, but it was a nice little trip.

We did a few things.

Should have done more, perhaps.

The drivers are terrible in Manitoba.

If you're listening to Winnipeg, you have terrible drivers.

The speed limit there is a bit faster than most places.

We were down by the Forks where the rivers meet, and we saw a bike accident right in front of us.

This woman was driving, riding a bike and suddenly just went right into the ground for no reason.

She just said she didn't turn sharp enough and just completely fell over and wrecked all of her clothing.

And Jen, who had just taken a first aid course, ran up to her and she said her face was bleeding and all kinds of things.

And the woman was just knowing, get away, I'm fine.

People get embarrassed by these things.

Totally.

God knows I've been there.

But it wasn't good for her.

I have no idea why it happened.

Right.

So it wasn't a collision I was expecting with the terrible windowga drivers.

Collision.

There was a story going around online a couple of weeks ago that police in Toronto were actually giving out speeding tickets to cyclists.

Did you hear that story? Oh, yeah.

I don't there's a speed limit for cyclists.

I believe it was Toronto's High Park.

And they were literally out there with a radar gun giving out tickets to cyclists for going too fast.

And sure, there's probably better things for the police to be doing with their time, but I do know it is oftentimes on those shared paths, the cyclists often do go too fast.

So who knows? It was on a shared path.

I believe so, yeah.

Like a biking trail.

It could have been you.

It could have been me, yeah.

My new bike can go faster than our school zone speed limits.

And that's what my daughter, who took the bike out just before the vacation, was so thrilled when she came back.

Dad, I broke the law because only 30 km an hour.

What is that in miles? Like 22 or 20, something like that.

So it's not very much.

Also, I had a whistle dog as a and W brought back the whistle dog.

It was a perfect vacation.

Hot dog.

It was wonderful.

They're doing it better than they used to for the hot dog aficionado.

Well, it's more like for my childhood memories, Brian, because I used to have the whistle dog platter come with a little close lawn, a plastic tray.

Those were the days.

Simpler times.

So my hotel room had power lines right outside the window.

So we are on the second floor, and if the window open, you could touch them.

Okay? And like, there was two of them right there, like less than a foot away from the window.

That's where they decided to put them.

And if you were going to rescue me in the fire, it couldn't be done.

So I questioned that and I thought I'd mention that because I've never seen anything like that before.

They have a nice hotel.

I popped into a Chevy dealership, the biggest in Manitoba, in Winnipeg.

Winnipeg is a city of almost a million people, 900,000 or something like that.

And I thought, I keep seeing an auto trader that they're getting Chevy bolts in.

But apparently I went there and didn't go well.

I went to the front desk.

I said, Cockily, is there anyone that knows anything about EVs that I could talk to? And she just went on the intercom and said, Sales to the front.

Sales to the front.

The first yahoo came up.

Young guy said, do you know anything about EVs? And he says, I know a few things.

Good.

But when we drove in, there was a bolt EUV.

This is a little bigger version for about $80 more right where you drove in.

So I said, Great.

We can sit in the seats.

We can try out the seat.

This is really what we want to do in case we want to order one.

And we did, and they were good.

They were firm, but the foam was firm.

But you weren't sitting against hard plastic.

But it was fairly firm.

Probably not that different.

Actually, I think it did have fake leather, so it's kind of leather seats sort of get packed in a bit tighter.

So it was fine.

I don't think there's going to be they're not as nice as my Leaf.

They're not as nice as the Prius, but they're okay.

They'll do fine.

But the guy was like, I know everything.

And he said, no, we've hardly sold anything.

Maybe three of these.

I've seen three come through your thing in the past month, let alone the past, what, five years that they've been selling them? Maybe four in that particular place.

So he's full of crap and discouraging me from Eve.

He didn't try to sell me something else.

He did say at one point, they're great.

They got a low center of gravity.

Lots of people are ordering the Blazer, which is the SUV that's coming next year.

So I think he's starting to come around.

And that sounds like what a lot of the GM employees are starting to do.

But we got into an argument because he said I asked him about the charging, because it's supposed to come with a dual voltage charger.

So you can plug into a normal 110 volts outlet here in North America, or you can plug into a dryer plug.

Maybe you have one in your garage, maybe you can have one installed for it.

You don't have to pay anything, you just have to pay for the electrical work.

And actually, GM is paying for that electrical work to around $1,000 US.

I think he claimed it didn't come with one.

So I was taken through the trunk and I found the charger, and then I found a detached dryer Volt ponytail plug on it.

And I said, well, look, here it is.

He said, wow, they must have paid the extra $800 for that option.

And I said, no, it comes with it.

He said, well, you learn something every day, I guess.

He did say it would be $600 to ship at 550 km over here.

He said, it's no problem for Dubai out of Province, they would write as a check for the extra sales tax because I have to pay sales tax here.

And people are sort of craving all wheel drive, which is coming in the Blazer.

But, yeah, he was just and he didn't want to tell me.

I was thinking, okay, he's going to take my number.

Didn't do it.

I offered it, he didn't take it.

I'm not going to be honest with you.

We're not going to get any he told me three years, which is bull crap, it's a lie.

The local people aren't doing that.

And he said, well, the local people must be getting more.

But we're in a small city.

Compared to them, it's just crap.

I mean, I'm sure there is a somewhat limited supply and they're advertising them.

I can't watch a baseball game without seeing five ads for them.

How could they advertise something that's not available unless they're only going to be seeing the bigger markets like they would in the states that have? Ontario is where I watch my Blue Jays games, and they seem to advertise for Ontario, and Ontario doesn't have any incentives.

Well, they would certainly have more gasoline cars on the lot, so that's probably what they try and sell you.

All right, well, let's get on with some things here.

Brian, I can't take up the whole show with my own life.

You know that Toyota, the wheels are falling off from electric.

You said on a previous episode that it was just the lug nut issue.

Well, it's actually more than that.

They're literally falling off and they can't fix it.

They're telling people not to drive them.

Well, thank you, Toyota, for this great endeavor into electric vehicles.

For the first time in Toyota history, they've made something that they can't literally keep the wheels on and people can't drive them.

This is worse than the Bolt.

The both they made them park outside of the garage and only charged 80%.

Well, you buy this wonderful new car and you can't drive it.

No.

And they're offering to even buy them back from the owners.

Right, right.

Or give them a $5,000 fuel credit.

And it's stupid.

And this is a segment of.

What James learned, because it's interesting.

I learned something I always like to share with the listeners when I learned something.

Something called profit parity.

So EVs may be more expensive than internal combustion engines to buy, but they also make more money for car makers.

And Audi says that that moment is now.

So we talk about sales.

EV parity, like it'll have the same price tag on it as like, Comp.

And they say that it's starting to happen now with the premium vehicles.

Well, Audi is saying that the point where they make profit is at parity now with what they make profit on other vehicles, like gas vehicles.

Interesting.

So that means you know what that means, right? It means they're going to make them.

It means that the onus is now on them.

They want to make money so that they start taking the reins of the EV revolution.

And that is a fantastic thing, although still less to be made in terms of maintenance and for the dealers, like oil changes and stuff like that.

Yeah, that's certainly true.

Gosh.

I hate oil changes.

There's a small town Saskatchewan person who posted on a local Facebook Easy Group page, melville Tesla owner, he said he bought a Tesla and it was showing it off, as people do on these pages.

But he was in Melville, which is a small town in town.

Yes, I've some redneck relatives there.

So I asked him how the townspeople are reacting to his electric car, and I had to laugh at his response.

He says it's like a weird science experiment that's driving around if you ask that.

Also, I just got a YouTube comment that I saw from a couple of episodes ago, and it says, this is from John.

Can you upload just one version of the podcast? Because we have a video live version.

I would prefer the ones with the video.

It's kind of annoying to sport when you watch and listen to one version.

Then you have the live version with the people in it come in the middle of the night.

I don't know.

There's not anything I can do about that except for starting a separate channel for the audio, which some people recommend you do.

I wish you could subscribe to a playlist because it's on different playlists, but do you have any thoughts? Yeah, I mean, I'd be fine with just putting the one version on there, like the video version.

When people tune into YouTube, they prefer to have visuals with it.

So can't we just do that? Well, we do have a fairly good audience of people who just like the audio.

Maybe it's because that comes first.

I don't know.

But when you listen to Lipson and other people who are on the server side, they say that there is a good demand for there are people who listen to audio only podcasts on YouTube.

And that is a good way to get people in because it's a different way of expanding your audience and people finding you, because it is hard for people to find podcasts in this day and age.

This is from Bloomberg on Tuesday.

The UK government is preparing for a winter energy crisis that includes a reasonable worst case scenario.

This is because they have less energy because France isn't exporting.

They've only got half their nuclear.

That's one reason.

There's some other countries that may not be able to export electricity into the UK.

Bloomberg hasn't exclusive on this and they think that they're planning they're planning for a bad case scenario where for four days in January, the peak demand could surpass their capacity.

And this is what we talked about for a summer heat wave, which we haven't really gotten here in our province, where they might have been planning for that as well.

But this would include organized blackouts for industry and even households.

So you could have rolling blackouts in the UK this winter if there's a cold snap.

Yes.

And of course, the dispute continues with Germany and Russia.

There's still not the full amount of gas flowing to Germany, not a huge amount of developments there.

Gas is going through from Russia to Germany, but at a reduced amount.

And there's still a bit of a standoff, a stalemate over how to resolve that.

This is the Clean Energy show with Brian Stockton and James Whittingham.

Brian, the Inflation Reduction Act was passed and it is a consequential, bloody miraculous piece of legislation that we did not see coming.

In fact, there was this computer chip manufacturing in the US bill that the Republicans were going to support, but only if Mansion didn't support the Climate Act.

So he said, there's no way in hell this is mid July that I'm ever going to support the Climate Act.

So they passed the Chip Act and managed it about Face, which shocked the hell out of absolutely everyone, including the EV analysts and energy analysts that we talked to on the last episode of Bloomberg New Energy Finance in New York.

They were flabbergasted as well.

Anyway, Brian, this does a lot for EVs.

It does a lot.

It's a bill that does a lot of different things.

Of course, it's supposed to reduce inflation.

We'll get to that in a moment.

But it also does a lot for the climate.

Close to up to 40% reduction of emissions by 2030 in the Isa, which is groundbreaking.

No, it's remarkable.

And of course, we talked about this extensively, like, I don't know, a year ago or something, when it was called the Build Back Better bill.

And we talked about it then because it seemed like it was likely to pass.

And I felt like a chump for having spent all this energy thinking about it and talking about it, and then to have it just die like that was very disappointing.

And, yeah, complete surprise to have it suddenly brought back under a different name.

It felt like Joe Manchin was stringing people along and saying, junk, no, I'm not going to ever do anything but trying to appease me.

Now, there is some stuff in here for fossil fuels, including a pipeline in his own state, of course.

Yeah.

But the consensus is that that's minor.

The CO2 that adds is minor compared to the biggest spending bill in US history on climate, and it's a huge thing.

So, yes, the $7,500 tax credits that people get for EVs have been used up by Tesla, GM and Toyota, believe it or not, further plug in electric hybrids.

So, yeah, there was a 200,000 vehicle cap on that.

But now that's all gone, they'll be able to do it again as long as the criteria is met by the automakers, which is sourcing a lot of that stuff locally or within their free trade zone.

So there's also a used EV credit of $4,000, both at a point of sale, if you buy it from a dealer, if you don't have to wait for the tax time.

Yeah, I think both these things can be supposedly done at a dealer plugin.

Electric vehicles qualify with batteries of at least 7 kw, which is not much.

Yeah, that's unfortunate.

It's a battery that small where it doesn't cost very much, so it's a rather large subsidy for it's.

A few Ebike batteries.

Yeah, for not doing much.

So that's one of the more unfortunate things, that this will maybe prolong the life of the plug in hybrid, which we need to move away from and from inside EVs.

This pushes US automakers to become more independent from China.

In order for cars to qualify, they have to source materials in North America or a country that has a free trade agreement with North America or with the US.

Rather.

The percentage of these materials increases over the years of this.

This goes to 2032, which I brought up with the Bloomberg people is a bit absurd.

I mean, if we hit price parity for all vehicle segments saying 2028 and they go down from there, and then you're giving a rebate in 2032 might be a little bit weird.

Yeah.

Although a great response on that, which is if this is largely about carbon emissions reduction, then why not keep it out to 2032? And $840 to offset the cost of a heat pump, closed, dryer or electric stove.

So, yeah, that's pretty good.

I mean, I wish I had that.

I'd probably go get one.

Yeah, those are both that'd be great.

$8,000 for a heat pump for your house.

$4,000 for an electrical panel upgrade, which is interesting, isn't it? Because a lot of people need an electric panel upgrades like you do.

No, and as I said, mine costs about 6000 Canadian, which is not much more than that.

That's great.

$2,500 for improving electrical wiring in your home if you need it.

That might qualify for what you did because you had to change your connection to the grid.

Yeah, I think that might have covered the whole thing.

As I said at the time, this is something like, everybody in my neighborhood is going to have to do this in the next ten years or so.

Many neighborhoods are just 100 amp service, and that's just not going to fly in the era where we electrify everything.

So these are the kinds of things that I haven't heard of before, the kind of incentives.

So it's interesting to see how it plays out.

One thing about this is that they're trying to bring solar manufacturing to the United States.

And almost all the chips for solar panels are made in China.

They're made cheaply there.

The United States seems like the last country that can compete with manufacturing on an economic scale, so we'll see how that works.

But the Bloomberg people did point out that wind turbines, which will also be big, so it's good to make them local, even though the blades have to be I don't know about the turbine, the actual generator itself, but we'll see about that.

Anything big and heavy.

So this was originally called build Back Better.

It's now called the Inflation Reduction Act, which is, I guess, the flavor of the moment.

But the question is, and it's really a climate and infrastructure spending bill, and not maybe that it matters, but is this actually an inflation reduction? Well, I've read several pieces on this saying that it is.

I've read a couple of saying that it's not.

I've read a lot more saying that it is.

I think this is still a lot of analysis going on here, but they made some arguments that are above my pay grade.

Just clean energy in general is a reduction of inflation because electricity, for example, costs less.

So that reduces things, right? Yeah.

And the way that fossil fuel prices have spiked recently because of the war in Ukraine, that's a large part of the inflation that we've been having.

So, yeah, in theory, if you cut demand for oil and gas, that should bring down inflation because it'll bring down prices.

If all this goes through 40% reduction in emissions in the US.

By 2030, like, that's a remarkable amount.

And yeah, that should hopefully ease up demand for oil and bring the price down.

Okay, well, Ups is given some money, right? Yeah.

USPS.

Postal Service.

Not us, different organization.

And this is a story we've talked about before.

Many people upset with the US Postal Service for not going fully electric in the new fleet of vans, delivery vans that they've been planning, and they've kind of increased the amount a couple of times, but they were still planning to buy lots and lots of gas powered vehicles for the US.

Postal Service.

But this new bill includes $3 billion for the US.

Postal Service to buy electric trucks specifically, which was kind of the figure that they asked for it's like, oh, we'd need $3 billion to do that.

And yeah, guess what? They've got it.

And hopefully now this means all electric for the US.

Postal Service.

So again, we talk about this extensively with people who are about as expert as you can get from Bloomberg, a new energy finance.

One is Tom Rowlands Reese, who is the head of research for North America, and the other is an EV analyst, Corey Cantor.

This is an episode 126, which we dropped yesterday.

So it's just behind this episode.

It's a good interview and good information from people who absolutely know their stuff.

And we will cover that act more extensively there with those experts.

And I encourage you to listen to it.

I also encourage you to give us feedback if you're interested in interviews.

We did one before, right? We did one with Yuri, Yuri territory from the street pipes.

And we got some good feedback on that.

People seem to enjoy listening to that.

So yeah, we could probably do that from time to time.

And in addition to the show that we normally do.

Okay, so there has been a massive fire in Cuba and an oil storage facility.

And this is from a lightning strike.

Not something you hear about necessarily all that often, but oil is flammable and therefore susceptible to things like lightning strikes.

So this is turning out to be a huge problem there's.

Now a fourth tank has caught on fire at this facility.

So it's a massive fire burning out of control.

And speaking of like brownouts and blackouts and electricity system, cuba was already predicting that they were going to have electricity problems this summer and they actually already have planned blackouts for Havana.

And this is potentially going to be worse because of this because this oil storage facility was supplying oil to be burned at thermoelectric plants for some of the electricity system.

So Cuba already in trouble in terms of their electricity system.

Now it's going to be worse because of this fire, which is still not out yet.

But the other thing that sort of brought to mind to me was just that we're at this inflection point where we're switching to clean energy.

But we're also at this inflection point where just a lot of the infrastructure I think.

Is really aging.

Like all over the world.

Certainly in North America here.

Like our electrical grid and our province.

They put up a zillion power poles 50.

And guess what? 50, 60 years later, they're all kind of starting to fall over.

And I think a lot of the grid structure in North America and really all over the world is kind of on its last legs.

And maybe the clean energy revolution is not going to come fast enough because these are sort of coinciding issues.

But it sounds like Cuba was in a bit of a problem already.

Aging infrastructure was kind of bringing things down and then, boom, a lightning strike.

And now they could be in trouble.

Yes.

And people will go around saying that clean energy will bring down the grid and have rolling blackouts.

No, actually we keep seeing information and studies saying that the clean energy will eventually make the grid more stable, that it'll be more reliable that those batteries than people's EVs working in a two way function.

Everything is going to be more stable once we finally get it figured out.

We're just in this transition period where anytime there's a grid problem, the ProClean energy people are going to say, hey, it's the fossil fuels that are the problem.

And the anti clean energy people are going to say, no, it's the windmills that are the problem.

Windmills? They're not windmills.

Well, that's what they'll say.

That's what they'll say, but they'll be wrong.

Idiots.

Brian, there is one crucial bit of information for my vacation that I overlooked that this reminded me of.

Yeah, you might say, james, what did a Cuban oil refinery or oil storage fire remind you of for your vacation? Good question.

If you had asked that, I was minding my own business, driving to your cottage in beautiful Kenosi, and we went through the town of Kipling, as one does, and we slowed down because there was a lower speed limit in town and there's a few bunched up cars in front of us, so we're going slow.

And then suddenly I see this river of fluid flowing across the road from left to right along gravitational lines.

And I'm thinking, okay, it's a clear liquid and it's just flowing like a river.

Like, what is this water main break or something? And just as I'm about to drive over it with my hot exhaust, I look over and there's these two guys in a pickup truck trying to get this tank desperately back onto the back of a truck.

Oh, no.

And it smelled horrible.

And I'm fairly certain that it was diesel.

And I didn't go too slow, so the guy kind of gave me a dirty look, but what the hell was I to know? And this is this instant frame capture, second moment of time that burns in your mind.

And that's what I saw.

I think some yahoo was taking some diesel, a big tank of it, back to the farm or whatever.

That probably happens.

Other people are doing that during this trip.

And it fell off and spilled everywhere.

Like probably $2,000 worth of it, I would guess, at least.

But the thing is, if you're driving over and it splatters up on your exhaust, your hot exhaust, which I had an SUV, gas powered SUV, which, by the way, $2 a gallon or $2 a liter, and it went down through the trip, the gas prices were falling fast, by the way.

Yeah, but yeah, that could have set me on fire and set him on fire and it was just a dangerous, stupid what the hell? Where did this come? But my car smelled like that the whole trip on the outside.

If you walk near it to get a bike or something off the rack, then it was like, it still smells, and it's like this horrible smell.

And I kept checking Twitter to see if anybody was tweeting about if there was a subsequent explosion, but this is an environmental catastrophe.

What were they going to do, just run away and just leave it into the groundwater, the well water, and it was going to come back in the well water of this town or something? I mean, I don't know where they get their water, but it could be yeah.

So that's the James almost died.

So there's always some way of me almost dying on a trip to your cottage.

But I often say, like, fossil fuels are often the most unpleasant thing about the cottage because even though you're supposed to be commuting in nature, everybody's got these giant SUVs and jet skis and everything, and then your car has to drive through a bunch of diesel and then stink the whole time or maybe burn down and I have to breathe it, too.

So it was a long weekend.

It was the August long weekend in Canada, and I've been there in the July long weekend.

And that's where people party and there's thousands and thousands of boats out in the river or the lake rather, and people blasting music.

So, yeah, I look forward to an electrified future.

I told my son that because of course he wants to buy a cottage now, thanks to you.

So I don't know where he's going to get one, but they're hard to come by now.

Yeah.

And I said, well, maybe it'll be quieter when you have one.

Because of modification.

Forbes magazine says electric car batteries are lasting longer than predicted, and the automakers were ramping up for recycling programs, but they've all been delayed because I'm an example of that because I have one of the earliest EVs that have been mass produced, and it's going strong, and it's also a terrible battery.

So there's only better batteries than what I have, even if I crashed it.

And the modules could be used for various things, they still have a value before the recycled.

So almost all of the electric car batteries, according to Nissan executive Nick Thomas, are still in the cars.

And people this is one of the naysayers things that people say all the time, and he says, we've been selling them for twelve years.

Wow.

I'm just going to leave it at that.

But the deal is the EV batteries will last.

The car people don't get.

Even EV buyers don't get that.

Yeah, but that's the deal.

And there's lots of reasons why.

And there's usually a second step, as you say.

The car gets totaled, you can still take the cells out, you can put them in home storage.

There's a second use before you get to the eventual, which is to crack it all open and take the minerals out and recycle them.

So my car has lost some of its range over the ten years that has existed.

But what some companies do is buy a pack at a record, say from another Nissan Leaf.

We'll take the best modules out of there and replace the worst ones in your car, and then they'll send the rest of the recycling.

But what people don't realize is electric cars have sophisticated battery management systems that guard the long term health of the batteries.

Most manufacturers offer warranties of eight years, or 100,000 miles even.

And there's an industry expectation that EVs will last longer than that.

So they should not live the cars.

Yeah, and they're definitely going to get better.

They're only going to get better.

Like, Tesla is talking about million mile batteries and 1.5 million mile batteries.

So we'll see what happens in the next ten years.

Yeah, you can expect a bit of degradation, but your battery should last for the life of the car.

I mean, right now, people trade in their cars after three years, five years, your EV should be able to go a lot longer than that.

Okay.

A story here from Drive Tesla, Canada.

This is a couple of weeks old, but I thought it was important just because we talked about the Japanese car manufacturers quite a bit, and that is that BYD is planning to enter the Japanese car market.

This just struck me as a really big deal.

I'm a person who grew up on Japanese cars in the that's all I was interested in owning was Japanese cars.

And now here we are.

BYD from China is going into the belly of the beast, as it were.

This is a very interesting development, Mr.

Stockton, isn't it? This is very symbolic in many ways, isn't it? That's what I thought.

They're going into Toyota Nissan's backyard, and they're just going to scoop up market share.

That says so much.

The Japanese automakers I see thriving with their plug in electric hybrids, but people really don't want them anymore.

There's some places that do, but people generally want the full meal deal.

They want a battery electric vehicle.

And you see that with many of the sales reports in most places.

In a lot of places.

What do you think? Brian, it's time for what do you think? And let's breathe through this quickly, please.

This is where I ask you, what do you think of things that I'm not sure what to think about? So Tesla is not going to only add eight new factories, which is entirely possible by 2030, but increase average volume production capacity from the 450,000 average to cross the four current factories to 1.66 million per factory to reach 20 million per year.

What do you think? Yeah, I think this is entirely possible.

They've been saying for a while that 20 million vehicles per year is their goal, and this would be way more than anybody's currently doing.

The Tesla factory in Shanghai is at a run rate approaching a million vehicles a year just at that one factory.

They haven't done that for a full year, but their current run rate, and they just had some more upgrades and they've opened a new line.

So just in the past month after their shutdown, they had a shutdown for Covet, then they had a shutdown to upgrade the factory.

And it's only been a few weeks, but they appear to be producing vehicles at a rate so far unheard of for Tesla.

So they're definitely on track for a million vehicles out of the Beijing factory, and no reason to think that they can't replicate that.

They're looking for maybe a dozen factories to make 20 million a year to take the crown of the world's biggest automaker away from Toyota, which they're already kind of on the verge of doing with the Toyota Corolla.

It seems a bit weird because they really don't have that many models.

They've got the model Y and the model Three Those are the mass market ones.

But the cyber truck is coming.

The Tesla Semi is coming.

They started teasing like some kind of a van or a people mover vehicle.

So there'll be probably some more announcements of different form factors for the car.

So I think that's what the naysayers are mostly questioning.

It's like, well, how are they going to make 20 million? Because they've only got a couple of models and they'll keep it small, they don't need that many models.

But, yeah, it seems entirely possible.

And there should be a new factory announcement soon, possibly Canada, which is the next thing on your list here for things to ask me about.

We don't really know the details other than Tesla had to release that they've been lobbying, I believe it was the Ontario government in Canada, the province of Ontario.

Whenever you do lobbying of the government, it has to be announced.

So they did that.

So it could be a factory in Canada, but they could also just be lobbying for battery materials or mining or something like that, too.

But yeah, I think potentially good news for Canada.

Musk has teased it too.

He has teased Canada.

So we'll have to see.

I wouldn't be surprised because the government is pointing all the stops to get EV manufacturing here, which is good because it is the future and we do need jobs.

Yeah, I think our government would be on board with that.

And there is a history of automotive manufacturing, particularly in Ontario, but also Quebec.

We make a lot of cars here.

A lot of the American branded cars are made here in Canada.

So there is the kind of base of knowledge yeah, to start that here, for sure.

So the California Public Utilities Commission makes california, the first state in the nation to allow EV owners to measure an EV's energy use independently from the owner's main utility meter through submetering.

Any thoughts on that? Yeah, it's an interesting idea.

I mean, we often talk about the coming smart grid.

It hadn't occurred to me that this could be one of the uses of a smart grid, but there could be some useful parts of monitoring your grid use separately.

EVs could then be kind of modeled out in your electricity bill and be somehow treated differently.

Maybe that's where they could put, like, a gasoline tax.

Gasoline tax? Where everyone is wondering why we're not going to be getting our gasoline taxes anymore.

Depends on how they want to treat.

That would be the sort of bad news, is maybe that's where they'd put the gasoline tax, as it were, onto your EV bill.

Yeah, it depends on how they want to treat.

As temperatures rise, shifts and travel patterns are likely to become more common in Europe, with researchers describing as a hotspot for severe summer heat.

So many travelers are setting their sites on Scandinavia or switching to the spring and fall for traveling as a person.

Yeah, we talked about my trip to Europe, which turned out time to be the hottest summer on record for Europe.

It's been surpassed since then, but yeah, it's not very pleasant traveling somewhere when it's blistering hot like that.

So, absolutely, this makes a lot of sense.

We're all going to maybe have to start thinking differently about when and where we travel.

And speaking of tropical vacations, hawaii has received their final shipment of coal, all new at six.

One month to go until Hawaii no longer burns coal for electricity.

Tonight, a closer look at the final shipment from Indonesia arriving in Kalai.

Long a huge milestone as experts believe we have enough renewable resources coming online to meet Oahu's energy needs.

There's no use for coal for electricity anywhere in the world.

Yeah, I just wanted to include this because, especially with an audio clip, it just seemed like a really great good news story of Hawaii has been using coal as part of their electricity generation.

But as they start to move to more renewable sources, they have literally received their last shipment of coal that's going to be burned for electricity.

And this will take a while to get through.

And I suppose there's a danger in the next year or two of maybe, oh, we made a mistake, we did this too quickly and maybe we'll need more coal, but I don't think so.

And as we know, renewables are fairly quick to put up, and as long as they've made all their plans correctly for the grid needs the last shipment of coal, this is just fantastic good news.

That's amazing.

You also want to have kind of energy autonomy.

There should be no reason to ship anything into Hawaii to burn to make electricity.

You've got.

All the sunshine and wind that you need to be independent and you don't have to worry about your shipment of coal getting wiped out by a tsunami or something.

About your shipment of coal getting wiped out by a tsunami or something.

All right, Brian.

The show would normally be over by now, but no, due to vacation.

We've got so much to give, so much to get out.

We have a mail item here.

Reminder, though, the coming up is the lighting headlines briefly, but let's dip into the mail bag from the maggot.

He wrote us a couple of weeks ago.

He says on your show yesterday, there was a discussion about wasteful.

Normally your team, that you and me, Brian, we're the team is super odd point, but I have to disagree this time.

The old wave of environmentalism was miserly moral kind.

The old wave of environmentalism was the miserly moral kind.

I must suffer to save the world.

People are advised to adjust their circumstance.

Drive small cars or slow cars, eat less.

But the new technology environmentalism is a focus on solving problems completely, rather than doing slightly less bad things through efficiency.

So when people see this new view as a threat to their lifestyle, they grow up throughout barriers.

Climate denialism isn't just about science.

People just basically don't want to change.

But he says that this is something we talked about for the future.

Cheap power.

Free power, cheap heat for your home.

This is all about the story leaving the doors open at shops in France with the air conditioning running.

And you don't like wastefulness.

But yeah, we're not there yet, are we? No, that's the only point.

Yeah, this is an absolutely valid point.

I think that is definitely our future.

But for the time being, especially in this era when Europe facing energy shortages, they're having problems with some of their nuclear, there just isn't the kind of excess power on the grid that there used to be.

So particularly for the next couple of years in this transition, they still have to close the doors on those shops in France.

And there was another story, I think, from Italy, where they're regulating the amount of electricity.

You're not supposed to set your AC lower than 27 Celsius or something like that in Italy.

So we're still in a power crunch.

We still need to conserve.

But absolutely, this is our future.

This is going to be an abundant future, particularly what Tony Siba talks about from Rethink X.

He thinks it's going to be a super abundant future with essentially free electricity is kind of where we're headed.

Yeah, we're just not there yet.

He makes a good point, and I take that point because it is hard to get your head wrapped around that.

But that is our future, and it will affect the way I talk about things a little bit as we move forward.

It's just hard for people to wrap their head around it unless you're on the forefront of this.

And that's the thing.

But yeah, I don't think my neighbors would understand anything I was talking about if I said we're going to get free electricity in the future.

You'll be able to leave your door open in winter and just let the fresh air in if you wanted to because don't tell your neighbors they'll call socially.

We'd love to hear from you.

So thanks for leaving us that email.

Write us right now.

Cleanenergyshow@gmail.com.

We're on Twitter.

You can get updates to our show schedule there.

If we change our show schedule around at all or have special episodes like we did this week, ticktock, we're there.

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Don't forget to check out our YouTube channel for talking heads video of us doing the show unedited, so leave us a voicemail at speakfight.

Comcleanrgy.

Lightning rounding round five minutes, ten minutes ago.

It's time for the lightning out, but here we go.

Brian, hang on.

Buckle in.

This is a fast look of the rest of the week's headlines and clean energy that I wanted to talk about.

Rainwater everywhere on earth is unsafe to drink due to Forever chemicals.

That was the name of my alt rock pan in the 80s.

Forever Chemical.

There was a movie damn.

And I forget the name of it.

I just watched a movie on the furry of our chemicals lawsuit.

This is like frying pans and nonstick and how they stick around and they are making people sick in some place in the southern states.

So University of Stockholm study finds that this is true for drinking water even in the Antarctic.

These per and poly floral alkal substances are PFAS are large family of human chemicals that don't occur in nature.

They don't go away.

And yes, don't drink the rainwater, people.

Tip from the clean energy show.

A new study by Stanford University says that prices would immediately drop and all of upfront costs for switching to 100% renewable energy will be paid back in six years.

So if we suddenly right now switch to 100% renewable energy, it would pay back itself in six years.

Yeah.

And this is the other thing that your neighbors probably wouldn't understand and they would call you crazy if you said that.

But it is absolutely cheaper to just ditch this stuff as soon as possible.

Go clean energy.

That's the way to go.

So up in Nordic space, the world's first subsidy free offshore wind farm has started to produce power.

Just that I mentioned that because it's kind of a milestone to have subsidy free wind farm start.

They didn't even ask for subsidies when they put in the bid.

That's cool.

So the failure in French nuclear is increasing electricity prices all over Europe, not just in France.

France already had more nuclear than they could use themselves in the past and was a net exporter during nighttime and low French demands.

Now France has a huge electricity import, further increasing the prices have gone out of control in France.

France is an interesting case study right now.

Yeah.

The UK is also in a bit of a power crunch, and it's partly because they've often relied on France to send them some excess power.

So, yeah, lots of potential shortages and brownouts and blackouts coming in the UK and other places.

Brian, it's time for a surprise new feature, the Clean Energy show, Fast Fact.

That's right.

I'm going to randomly insert fast facts into the show now.

From time to time, electric vehicles require fewer workers to assemble than gas or diesel vehicles, according to The New York Times.

Wow, that's pretty cool.

And just one more reason.

Is it maybe just the evolution of these things? I mean, car factories are just getting more automated over the years.

If you look at a combustion vehicle, the hoses and the clamps and the welding and the exhaust pipes yeah, I can see I can see how it would be here's.

Another 175 of the 180 nuclear power projects examined in a study found the final cost exceeded the initial budget by an average of 117%.

I hope you were sitting down for that.

And took an average of 64% longer than projected.

So that is a study that has proven that nuclear never comes in on time or on budget.

Why don't we have another facet? The land requirement for the world to go carbon neutral is less than that of the current energy infrastructure.

That's remarkable.

So putting up people say, my son even says, where are you going to put all the solar panels? How about on the oil wells? Lands.

On the refinery? Land? On the pipeline? Land? Come on.

So we don't often talk about that, but all of this or that oil storage facility in Cuba that we were talking about earlier, it's not just a fire hazard, but it's a massive, massive place that could easily use that land for solar.

And apparently you wouldn't even need that much from our friends at Bloomberg.

I think we can say that now.

Francis EDF utility is lowering its nuclear power output because the temperature of the river it relies on for cooling is getting too hot in a heat wave this summer driven by climate change.

You know, everything fits together, Brian.

Everything we talk about, it all fits together like a perfect puzzle.

It's all connected.

Yeah.

Nuclear, even nuclear.

I mean, this is after Reuters reported that the Rhine in Germany, its main shipping artery was getting too shallow to transport coal to power stations.

It's almost like God is saying, Hurry the hell up.

Nature is acting back.

There's these loops of things that are happening no.

In the Hoover Dam in the US, which I believe it's Lake Mead, which is backed up by the Hoover Dam.

The water level has been dropping for years.

They may not be able to generate electricity there at some point.

This is from Eco Watch, hot off the fresh.

A new study has found that as climate warming increases overnight temperatures these hotter nights could increase mortality risks in heat waves by as much as 60%.

Because remember, we were talking about this a couple of shows ago.

It's not just about the temperature of the day, it's the temperature at night.

Which is why we have heat warnings based on nighttime temperatures in Canada because you don't get any relief from it.

Your house doesn't cool down.

And that was the case last summer here where we live.

It just was not cooling down at night.

So it was definitely the hottest summer that I've had living in this house this year.

Fortunately, it's kind of acting more like the old days and it has been cooling down at night.

We've had maybe one night this summer where it was difficult to sleep.

But yeah, it's been cooling down at night and it's been an absolute dream.

It's been okay not to have air conditioning this summer.

And finally this week on this fat overstuffed show from the journal Nature rapid battery cost declines accelerate the prospects of an all electric inter regional container shipping routes.

So as battery prices of $100 US per kilowatt hour as they approach that, the electrocution of interregional trade routes of less than 1500 km, which if you ask me is still pretty significant, is economical with a battery ship with a minimal impact to the ship carrying capacity.

So that is to say it's not displacing much of the ship's capacity to stuff it with batteries because of the cost and including the environmental costs.

That's not including the environmental, but if you include them, the economical range increases to 5000 batteries achieve a $50 per kilowatt hour price point which we expect them to sometime next decade, maybe earlier than later.

The economical range nearly doubles to up to 10,000 or 3000 without the environmental impact.

So that means that shipping is 14% of pollution in the states of US is coming from shipping.

So yeah, it's not insignificant to electrify some of that.

And that's something we also haven't heard about before.

That's a positive thing to end the show on.

Ryan nice.

That's our time for this week.

If you're new to the show, remember to subscribe on your podcast app to get new episodes delivered weekly.

And we are always here every week, Brian with the latest news and discussions thereof.

So we'll see you next week.

See you next week.

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The July Surprise, E.V. incentives, Japanese automakers and the challenges of brining solar manufacturing to The United States.

How this legislation is meaningful for the world.

We will return with our usual episodes in the near future.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

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EVs sales are hitting the tipping point of adoption in the United States. Verticle bi-facial solar panels facing West may offer a more steady flow of electricity throughout the day and thus require less storage expense.

The Oil industry may have developed a rather large war chest to fight climate action.

The U.K. is going ahead with new nuclear reactors.

A large US offshore wind farm project has hit a snag: They’re discovering unexploded munitions!

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

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James wonders why it's cost-effective to insall bifacial single axis solar panels on utililty solar farms in Canada. The builders of the Weyburn, Saskatchewan solar farm get back to us on why.

GM offers live EV advice online.

France orders air conditioned shops to keep their doors closed when the air conditioning is on.

Major airlines have all backed a plan to capture carbon from the air.

.......................

Letter from NaturalForces renewable energy company on our questions about how bifacial and single axis tracking pays off in Canada:

There are a few factors at play here and obviously these figures are rough;

- Fixed tilt versus single axis tracker for Pesakastew we got approximately 14% bump in production
- Bifacial versus monofacial modules gave us approx. 4% increase in production

A key consideration in this is the ground cover ration – i.e. how closely you stack your modules together (row to row) the more they are spread out the less shading there is from one row to another and the more effective the bifacial generation is.

The level of generation in Weyburn during the winter is very low roughly 3 or 4% per month of total annual production November through Jan relative to 12 – 14% per month May to August.

The tracker is a mechanical system which works well in other cold environments including the US on more recent projects the tilt function can be used to shed snow.

The extra cost of the tracker needs to be considered with the foundation requirements but you’re looking roughly at a 30% increase in costs for a tracker relative to a fixed tilt system.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

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Our prediction has come true: Wind, Solar and Batteries will outcompete Nuclear on cost which, in turn, makes Nuclear even more expensive.

The U.K heat records, Russia/Germany natural gas fight, how Canadian carbon tax rebates work (in the four provinces that did not come out with their own climate plan), who has the best climate reporting, the truck that claims my EV runs on fairy dust and unicorn piss and so much more!

The Onion has a piece entitled Americans Explain why they prefer gas over electric cars.

Is Tesla Model Y already best selling car in the world? An expert, who is a former high school classmate of Brian's thinks so!

The 1973 electric car in Seattle.

Using good news in the climate fight to forget about Joe Manchin.

Brian recalls a heatwave in Europe when he was there in 1994.

The Chevy Blazer EV is announced.

Joe Biden set to declare a climate emergency.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Germany is worried that Russia may cut off their supply of natural gas. Environmentalists are worried Russia WON’T cut off the supply of natural gas. The world's largest sand battery has come online in Finland.

Gas/diesel cars catch fire 10X more than E.V.s per capita.

Consumer Reports survey shows 14% of U.S. car buyers would definitely buy an EV and 22% would seriously consider it.

Brian loses the Tesla shareholder lottery and has to deal with a kook at the hair salon who doesn't want to see the oil industry bashed.

New Ukrainian immigrants to North America notice the size of our giant automobiles before anything else.

Electrifying the heating in your home continues to be a challenge for Brian and some of our listeners but we delve more into that topic.

A Swift Current, Saskatchewan man puts his Ford F150 Lightning all-electric pickup truck on Plugshare so people desperate for an EV charge can 'hook up' with him.

The European Union clamps down on fake PHEV claims. Turns out plug-in hybrids use their gas engines more than buyers assume.

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The Supreme Court rules against the environment but does it really have the power it thinks it has to destroy the world? Cruise robotaxies rebel against humans. Hyundai/Kia may have a dieselgate scandal of their own.

GM will reimburse owners of 2020-2022 Bolt EVs, although it's unclear if all owners will get the full $6,000. And the reimbursement program doesn't apply to Bolt EV leases.

Bloomberg highlighted the plight of an Uber driver who had the option of keeping her extremely common ICE vehicle, the Toyota Camry, or renting a Tesla Model 3.

A new study in the UK shows that 100% of new car buyers in the country are ready to go electric for the right price.

Wildfires from electrocuted birds.

Deleting Your Period Tracker? Don’t Forget That Your EV Tracks You, Too, says Cleantechnica.

We're on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Check us out and follow the podcast for weekly shows delivered right to you.

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Investigative journlists ask James questions about the oil refinery near him and it's got him frightened. Hawaii ditches coal for batteries, GM cars could charge like Teslas, just plug and go.

Brian returns to the show after a bout of the 'Rona. Turns out he may have lingering brain fog in spite of being quad-vaxed.

CATL has announced a new EV battery that is more energy dense than Telsa’s new cells.

Cruise begins charging for driverless rides in San Francisco.

Single-use plastics banned in Canada from 2025.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

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Abortion resources:

https://abortion.cafe/ - this is a collection of abortion resources
shoutyourabortion.com - this is a campaign to normalize abortion
https://donations4abortion.com/ - donate to support abortion funds by state
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/supportabortionfunds - donate to the national network of abortion funds (donations split between 80+ abortion funds)
https://usow.org/repro/volunteer/ - this is a list of abortion clinics across the country that need volunteers
https://dontbanequality.com/ - this is language for companies to use to stand against the ruling
plancpills.org/ambassadors - here are early abortion access pills you can store in your cabinet
https://prochoice.org/ - this is an abortion access hotline
https://natalist.com/products/early-pregnancy-test-strips - buy early pregnancy test strips
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control - get info on types of birth control
https://choice.crd.co/ - this is a collection of these above links and more. Managed by @starplanes - DM them on twitter to add more
https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/abortion-policy-absence-roe - abortion policy by state as of June 1, 2022
More in-depth version: https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/countries-abortion-legal-illegal-laws-rcna27505 - this is an article showing a map of abortion laws worldwide and their restrictions
https://abortoenmipais.ipascam.org/ - mapa interactivo sobre el acceso al aborto en Latinoamérica
https://abortion.eu/ - this is an initiative to fund abortion access for Polish people
https://www.safeabortionwomensright.org/i-need-an-abortion/abortion-funds/ - this is a list that contains abortion funds from the U.S,. Mexico, Poland, Germany, and the UK
https://www.mamamia.com.au/abortion-pill-australia/ - information about accessing abortion pills in Australia, including tele-abortion
https://www.nwci.ie/abortionaccess - abortion access campaign options for Ireland, where even after the repeal, accessing abortion is still nearly impossible
https://mesaborto.cl/quienes-somos/ - espacio de articulación integrado por diversas organizaciones involucrados en la lucha por los derechos sexuales y reproductivos en Chile
https://www.aware.org.sg/information/abortion/ - AWARE Singapore provides information on abortion laws and access as well as a helpline
https://www.babes.org.sg/ - Babes is a Singaporean organization to help pregnant teens with information, support, and links to resources
https://www.madamasr.com/en/contributor/ghadeer-ahmed/ - a journalist who collects stories about abortion in Egypt, where it is highly restricted to only save a life
https://nafcanada.org/donate/ - fund to provide abortion care across Canada

From your friends at The Clean Energy Show, please take care.

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Brian didn't come back from Alberta without Covid so he's off this week! We go for a harrowing ride in his self-driving (FSDbeta) Model 3 and James tries not to soil himself. Eighties band A-Ha is remarably responsible for Norway's extremely high electric vehicle adoption.

Here's a link to our FSD drive on YouTube if you'd like to watch what happened.

Brian will be back next week for a normal show. We think.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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EV myths and misinformation culminating in 'EVs killing dogs.' Brian joins us from Banff, Canada and we talk cable news green energy commercials, summer gas prices, and the U.S. military's solar plunge.

Plus James takes a ride is a Tesla with full self-driving beta software and isn't impressed.

Co-op gas stations claim they're serious about EV charging and want to fix their broken hardware.

Nuclear in South Korea.

CNIB wants EVs to make a variable noise, not a constant one.

David Suzuki rides in an EV across Canada and isn't happy with the way fast chargers work.

A new bill has been introduced in North Carolina to try to eliminate free charging for electric cars at businesses.

Our show is on YouTube this week so check it out.

And find us on Twitter and TikTok @cleanenergypod

Tell your friends! Subscribe to come back next week!

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Our Canadian co-host tries out his self-driving Tesla and narrowly avoids and giant pit. James confronts an EV naysayer at his hardware store. The Chevy Bolt EV gets a huge price cut in the U.S. only. Plant-based meat is having a hard time in 2022 and Joe Biden injects solar with a much needed boost.

Mazda has vowed to make its factories carbon neutral by 2035 while still producing combustion vehicles.

James solves Dolby Atmos.

The F150 Lightning can charge a Tesla, but when do they ever need it in the first place?

Toronto Western Hospital waste water heat pump.

Synthetic Graphite discovered in Welland Ontario worth Billion$!

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

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Top Gear takes the electric F150 pickup truck to rural Texas! Los Angeles and The European Union ban natural gas. Plus so much more clean energy news!

Musk says Tesla might forgo Bluetooth for better audio quality without compression.

Silverado EV may cut charging time in half by using two charging ports.

J.D. Power’s U.S. Electric Vehicle Consideration Study shows a lot of American consumers still need to simply get a ride in an EV.

A Newstatesman column written by a chair of a nuclear consulting group says renewables not nuclear will do the heavy lifting in the energy transition.

Modvion is developing wooden wind turbine towers instead of steel or concrete.

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Australia's huge election win for the climate, batteries that last 100 years, forcing gas stations to install EV chargers and more! Getting towed after a town has all its charging stations inoperable.

Must says no driver needed in one year. That's what he said last year.

Brian's roof may be leaking due to solar install.

Ottawa, Canada storms cause gasoline shortage. Gas stations can't pump gas when the power's out but you can power your house with your EV.

Gogoro update on the battery swapping scooter company.

Waymo employees will be able to hail fully autonomous rides in Downtown Phoenix in the coming weeks.

For the past 10 years, Australian states and territories have had to go it alone in the transition to renewable energy. Not anymore.

James learns what a solar garden is.

Joe Biden offers 5 billion dollars for electric school buses.

It used to be cheaper to switch from coal to natural gas, but now it's cheaper go directly from coal to renwables.

NERC warns of a challenging summer for electrical grids in North America, including Saskatchewan.

Predictions for the future of wind power in 2035.

John Armitt of the financial times wrote an op ed calling on the UK to come clean on the costs of nuclear power and urges the gov to be upfront about the cost to electric bills.

Global heating is cutting sleep across the world, study finds.

Electrify America says its charging network will be entirely offset by solar energy next year, and that its electricity is already 100 percent renewable as of April.

Thanks for listening to our show! Consider rating The Clean Energy Show on iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to our show.

Check out our YouTube Channel!

Your hosts:

James Whittingham https://twitter.com/jewhittingham

Brian Stockton: https://twitter.com/brianstockton

Email us at cleanenergyshow@gmail.com

Leave us an online voicemail at http://speakpipe.com/cleanenergyshow

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Motor Trend calls the electric F150 pickup truck the best version F150 and the best value vehicle there is. Monopoly utilities work to discourage solar so they can make money according to John Oliver.

American's can buy solar panels at IKEA.

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James Whittingham and Brian Stockton