Shift Key with Robinson Meyer and Jesse Jenkins
Every week, Heatmap News Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton University Professor and energy systems expert Jesse Jenkins make sense of the biggest shift of our time -- navigating the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Drawing on their years of experience reporting on and researching climate change and decarbonization, Meyer and Jenkins unpack the most important issues of the week and how the impacts of climate change and efforts to address it are transforming our economy, politics, and society at large. Music by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E33 · Wed, April 02, 2025
The Least-Noticed Climate Scandal of the Trump Administration
The Inflation Reduction Act dedicated $27 billion to build a new kind of climate institution in America — a network of national green banks that could lend money to companies, states, schools, churches, and housing developers to build more clean energy and deploy more next-generation energy technology around the country. It was an innovative and untested program. And the Trump administration is desperately trying to block it. Since February, Trump’s criminal justice appointees — led by Ed Martin, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia — have tried to use criminal law to undo the program. After failing to get the FBI and Justice Department to block the flow of funds, Trump officials have successfully gotten the program’s bank partner to freeze relevant money. The new green banks have sued to gain access to the money. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Kristina Costa , who has been tracking the effort to bankrupt the green banks. Costa helped lead the Inflation Reduction Act’s implementation in the White House from 2022 to 2025 — and is a previous Shift Key guest. She joins us to discuss how Trump is weaponing criminal law to block a climate program, whether there’s any precedent for his actions, and what could come next in the legal battle. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The Hardest Working $27 Billion in the IRA How Democrats Are Trying to Trump-Proof Their Big Climate Law Washington Post: Top-ranking career prosecutor resigns after declining to block FBI program Denise Cheung’s resignation letter Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift . -- <p
S2 E32 · Wed, March 26, 2025
What’s Really Holding Back New Data Centers
If you care about decarbonizing the power grid anytime soon, you have to care about data centers. The AI boom and the ongoing growth of the internet have driven a big new cycle of data center construction in the United States, with tech companies trying to buy amounts of electricity comparable to those used by large cities. Peter Freed has seen this up close. As Meta’s former director of energy strategy, he worked on clean energy procurement and data center development from 2014 to 2024. He is now a founding partner at the Near Horizon Group, where he advises investors and companies on emerging topics in data centers and advanced clean energy. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Peter about whether AI and new data centers are going to blow up the grid and break decarbonization. What are the real-world constraints on developing a data center in 2025? Are tech companies beginning to run out of natural gas to burn? What do their investments in clean energy mean? And could the rise of AI prompt an accidental return to coal? Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: A Skeptic’s Guide to AI and Energy Growth Peter Freed and Allison Clement on how to reduce data center speculation Exxon’s announced plans to use CCS for data centers The Natural Gas Turbine Crisis Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift . -- Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E31 · Wed, March 19, 2025
How to Crash America’s Manufacturing Renaissance
Republicans in Washington are pushing for at least two big changes to the country’s car-related policies. In Congress, some lawmakers want to repeal the $7,500 tax credit that helps consumers buy or lease a new electric vehicle — as well as a matching tax credit that lets companies buy heavy-duty zero-carbon trucks. And at the Environmental Protection Agency, officials are trying to roll back Biden-era rules encouraging dealerships to sell more EVs through 2032. What will that mean for the climate — and for the slate of new EV and battery factories popping up around the country? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk about new research from Jesse’s lab, the REPEAT Project, about what will happen if Congress and the Trump administration get their way. What will happen to America’s factory boom? How soon would the effects be felt? And would tariffs stem the bleeding at all? Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: The REPEAT Project’s new study on repeal of the EV tax credits and EPA clean car rules 94% of Germans say they won’t buy a Tesla car WSJ: How Tesla’s sales are shifting across the US “ Detroit killed the sedan . Trump’s trade war will make them wish they hadn’t.” Jesse’s downshift ; Rob's sorta upshift . -- Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E30 · Wed, March 12, 2025
How Trump Has All But Halted Offshore Wind
Donald Trump’s second term has now entered its second month. His administration is doing much to slow down renewables, and everything it can to slow down offshore wind. Jael Holzman is a senior reporter at Heatmap and the author of our newsletter, “The Fight,” about local battles over renewable permitting around the country. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk to Jael about the bleak outlook for offshore wind, the use of presidential authority to impede energy development, and why solar has been spared — so far. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: The Fight Heatmap Pro Offshore Wind Faces Its ‘Worst Case Scenario’ Under Trump Trump is targeting Dominion’s Coastal Virginia offshore wind project in Virginia A Wave of Anti-Renewables Bills Hits State Legislatures New York’s Battery Backlash How Bad Information Is Breaking the Energy Transition Solar’s Growing “Prime Farmland” Problem Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E29 · Wed, March 05, 2025
Why Solar Might Be Better Off Than You Think
Longtime listeners of Shift Key will recognize the name Intersolar and Energy Storage North America, one of the country’s premier solar industry conferences. Shift Key was live at this year’s event, hosting a panel on the present and future of the solar industry featuring a pair of marquee panelists: Tom Starrs, currently the vice president for government and public affairs at EDP Renewables, North America, who has more than 30 years of experience in the renewables industry; and Maria Robinson, until recently the director of the Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office and now the president and CEO of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. (Robinson is also a repeat Shift Key guest.) On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with the panelists about the momentum propelling solar energy forward in the U.S. and whether the uncertainty created by the Trump administration could put a damper on that. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: Previously: Maria Robinson on Shift Key Solar Was the Biggest Non-Loser of Trump’s First Day Solar and storage lead planned new energy additions in 2025 Advait Arun on the looming natural gas turbine crisis Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift . -- Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E28 · Wed, February 26, 2025
The Early Lessons of Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’
Congress is still debating the fate of the Inflation Reduction Act, but the Trump administration has already torn up energy and climate policies across the federal government. It’s time to step back and try to take stock. How much damage has the Trump administration already done to decarbonization? What’s most worrying? What was going to happen anyway? And what might still be saved? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse go agency by agency to understand the most important changes and try to understand the deeper agenda — including potential points of incoherence or disagreement. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: Trump’s effort to undo the EPA endangerment finding The incoherence of Trump’s energy agenda Offshore Wind Faces Its ‘Worst Case Scenario’ Under Trump Trump’s effort to block the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund How Tesla gets rich selling EV compliance credits The next front of Trump’s legal war is contract law Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E27 · Wed, February 19, 2025
How to Talk to Your Friendly Neighborhood Public Utility Regulator
The most important energy regulators in the United States aren’t all in the federal government. Each state has its own public utility commission, a set of elected or appointed officials who regulate local power companies. This set of 200 individuals wield an enormous amount of power — they oversee 1% of U.S. GDP — but they’re often outmatched by local utility lobbyists and overlooked in discussions from climate advocates. Charles Hua wants to change that. He is the founder and executive director of PowerLines , a new nonprofit engaging with America’s public utility commissions about how to deliver economic growth while keeping electricity rates — and greenhouse gas emissions — low. Charles previously advised the U.S. Department of Energy on developing its grid modernization strategy and analyzed energy policy for the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk to Charles about why PUCs matter, why they might be a rare spot for progress over the next four years, and why (and how) normal people should talk to their local public utility commissioner. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: PowerLines MIT’s Utility of the Future study Who’s controlling our energy future? Industry and environmental representation on United States public utility commissions Previously on Shift Key: How to Fix Utility Bills in America Rob’s downshift ; Jesse’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Download Heatmap Labs and Hydrostor ’s free report to discover the crucial role of long duration energy storage in ensuring a reliable, clean future and stable grid. Learn more about Hydrostor here . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. <p style='color:grey; fon
S2 E26 · Wed, February 12, 2025
What Senator Brian Schatz Wants Climate Advocates to Know
The first few weeks of the new Trump administration have seen an onslaught of anti-climate actions: an order punishing the wind industry, an attempted reversal of the Environmental Protection Administration’s climate authority, and a brazen — and possibly unconstitutional — attempt to freeze all spending under Biden’s climate laws. Democrats’ climate legacy seems to be under assault. How will they respond? Senator Brian Schatz has represented Hawaii in the U.S. Senate since 2010. He is the chief deputy whip for the Democratic Party. A self-described climate hawk, he helped shape what became the Inflation Reduction Act, and he has emerged as an early voice of opposition to the second Trump administration. He was previously Hawaii’s lieutenant governor and a state lawmaker. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk to Schatz about congressional Democrats’ plan to push back against Trump, what the clean energy needs to do for the next four years, and whether this climate backlash to Trump should be different than the last one. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: The Courts Blocked Trump’s Federal Funding Freeze. Agencies Are Withholding Money Anyway. How Government Grants Actually Turn Into Cash Jesse’s downshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Download Heatmap Labs and Hydrostor ’s free report to discover the crucial role of long duration energy storage in ensuring a reliable, clean future and stable grid. Learn more about Hydrostor here . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E25 · Wed, February 05, 2025
The U.S. Auto Industry Wasn’t Built for Tariffs
Over the past 30 years, the U.S. automaking industry has transformed how it builds cars and trucks, constructing a continent-sized network of factories, machine shops, and warehouses that some call “Factory North America.” President Trump’s threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports will disrupt and transform those supply chains. What will that mean for the automaking industry and the transition to EVs? Ellen Hughes-Cromwick is the former chief economist at Ford Motor Company, where she worked from 1996 to 2014, as well as the former chief economist at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She is now a senior visiting fellow at Third Way and a senior advisor at MacroPolicy Perspective LLC. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse chat with Ellen about how automakers build cars today, why this system isn’t built for trade barriers, and whether Trump’s tariffs could counterintuitively help electric vehicles. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Robinson Meyer, Heatmap’s executive editor. Mentioned: Trump’s Tariffs are a Warning Rob’s downshift ; Jesse’s up-ish-shift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Download Heatmap Labs and Hydrostor ’s free report to discover the crucial role of long duration energy storage in ensuring a reliable, clean future and stable grid. Learn more about Hydrostor here . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E24 · Wed, January 29, 2025
The Trump Policy That Would Be Really Bad for Oil Companies
On February 1 — that is, three days from now — President Donald Trump has promised to apply a tariff of 25% to all U.S. imports from Canada and Mexico, crude oil very much not excepted. Canada has been the largest source of American crude imports for more than 20 years. More than that, the U.S. oil industry has come to depend on Canada’s thick, sulfurous oil to blend with America’s light, sweet domestic product to suit its highly specialized refineries. If that heavy, gunky stuff suddenly becomes a lot more expensive, so will U.S. oil refining. Rory Johnston is an oil markets analyst in Toronto. He writes the Commodity Context newsletter, a data-driven look at oil markets and commodity flows. He’s also a lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy and a fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute and the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines. He previously led commodities market research at Scotiabank. (And he’s Canadian.) On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Jillian attempt to untangle the pile of spaghetti that is the U.S.-Canadian oil trade. Shift Key is hosted by Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, and Jillian Goodman, Heatmap’s deputy editor. Robinson Meyer is off this week. Mentioned: How the U.S. and Canadian oil industries evolved together Johnston on how tariffs could disrupt a finely calibrated relationship Jesse’s upshift ; Jillian’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us. Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E23 · Wed, January 22, 2025
How Wildfires Destroyed California’s Insurance Market
The Los Angeles wildfires have killed at least 27 people, destroyed more than 17,000 structures, and displaced tens of thousands. In the next few months, the billions of costs in damage to homes and property will ripple through the state’s insurance market — and likely cause its insurer of last resort to run out of money. Benjamin Keys has studied how natural disasters, rising sea levels, and increasing exposure to risk have driven up insurance costs nationwide. He is a professor of real estate and finance at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, and one of the country’s top experts on climate change, home values, and insurance markets. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Keys about how California broke its insurance market, why insurance costs are rising nationwide, and how homeowners, home buyers, and communities can protect themselves. They dive into President Donald Trump’s dizzying first day of executive actions and how they’ll affect the future of energy development. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Keys’ testimony to Senate budget committee about climate risks in the housing system Keys’ research on climate risk in mortgage escrow data This pre-wildfire reporting on California’s insurance system and the site of the Eaton Fire Rob’s downshift ; Jesse’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us. Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E22 · Wed, January 15, 2025
A Beginner’s Guide to the Hydrogen Economy
Hydrogen. What are you even supposed to think about it? If you’ve spent serious time focusing on climate policy, you’ve heard the hype about hydrogen — about the miraculous things that it might do to eliminate carbon pollution from cars, power plants, steel mills, or more. You’ve also seen that hype fizzle out — even as governments have poured billions of dollars into making it work. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse give you a rough guide for how to think about clean hydrogen, which could help decarbonize the industrial — even the molecular — side of the economy by storing energy and helping to make clean steel and chemicals. Do we really need hydrogen to fight climate change? Where would it be useful? And why has it failed to take off in the past? What will Trump and China mean for global hydrogen policy? Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: How the Haber-Bosch process was transferred after WWI There’s Something for (Almost) Everyone in the Hydrogen Tax Credit Rules The Hydrogen Ladder Why it’s so hard to ship hydrogen The hydrogen tax credit could have had unintended emission consequences — here’s the study about why Jesse on why Biden’s hydrogen rules are on the right track Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us. Music for Shift K
S2 E21 · Wed, January 08, 2025
Have China’s Emissions Already Peaked?
China’s greenhouse gas emissions were essentially flat this year — or they recorded a tiny increase, according to a recent report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, or CREA. A third of experts surveyed by the report believe that its coal emissions have peaked. Has the world’s No. 1 emitter of carbon pollution now turned a corner on climate change? Lauri Myllyvirta is the co-founder and lead analyst at CREA, an independent research organization focused on air pollution and headquartered in Finland. Myllyvirta has worked on climate policy, pollution, and energy issues in Asia for the past decade, and he lived in Beijing from 2015 to 2019. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Lauri about whether China’s emissions have peaked, why the country is still building so much coal power (along with gobs of solar and wind), and the energy-intensive shift that its economy has taken in the past five years. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The CREA report: China’s Climate Transition: Outlook 2024 Chinese EV companies beat their own targets in 2024 How China Created an EV Juggernaut Rob’s upshift ; Jesse’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us. Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E20 · Wed, January 01, 2025
Answering Your Questions on AI and Energy, the Economics of Solar, the GND’s Legacy, and More
Happy new year! On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse answer some of the questions they’ve received from readers throughout the year. Hot topics include: What happened to the Green New Deal, and is the Inflation Reduction Act part of its legacy? Should U.S. policy prioritize solar manufacturing or solar deployment? And how can normal people keep AI-driven data centers from blowing up the grid? Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: How vehicle-to-grid works Carnegie Endowment report on which clean energy supply chains should be prioritized Jonathan Koomey’s skeptical take on AI load growth A new pitch for off-grid solar-powered AI data centers (with gas backup) Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E19 · Tue, December 24, 2024
So, What Does AI Really Mean for Decarbonization?
The rise of artificial intelligence and the associated expansion of data centers is driving surging demand for new power supply. Earlier this fall at the annual meeting of Princeton University’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Jesse sat down with a panel of experts to discuss how society can meet the growing energy demands of AI while staying on track broader decarbonization efforts. How will we power the growing demand from AI and data centers? What role can nuclear power really play? Will AI lock us into a new generation of gas power plants? Are regulators prepared for what's coming? Jesse dives into all this and more with Allison Clements , former commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Matt DeNichilo , partner at energy investment firm ECP, and Lucia Tian , head of clean energy and decarbonization technologies at Google. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Rob is off this week. Mentioned: More on the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment Previously on Shift Key: A Skeptic’s Take on AI and Energy Growth Rob on AI and energy demand -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' r
S2 E18 · Wed, December 18, 2024
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on What Comes After Biden’s Climate Agenda
Jennifer Granholm has long been one of the most interesting figures in the Democratic Party. A former federal prosecutor, she was the governor of Michigan from 2003 to 2011, leading the state during the Great Recession and subsequent auto bailout. Since 2021, she has been the 16th U.S. Secretary of Energy. While there, she has overseen the department’s transformation from an R&D-focused agency to an aspiring engine of industrial strategy. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob sits down with Secretary Granholm in person in New York to conduct an exit interview, of sorts. What climate policies is she most proud of — and what does she hope Democrats do better next time? What does she wish that Democrats understood about fossil fuels? And what does she think the outlook for clean energy is in the years to come? Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Jesse is off this week. Mentioned: Biden’s long game on climate change , by Rob The DOE’s Earthshots initiatives The DOE’s new Office of Technology Transitions and its liftoff reports A Governor’s Story , by Jennifer Granholm And here’s a transcript of the episode -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean ene
S1 E20 · Wed, December 11, 2024
Shift Key Classic: How China Created an EV Juggernaut
The Chinese electric automaker BYD is entering a new stage in its history. Last month, it sold more than half a million electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. BYD has already shipped more cars this year than Ford and Honda, and it is fast coming for Volkswagen, GM, and Toyota’s crowns as the world’s three largest automakers. Earlier this year, Rob and Jesse spoke with Ilaria Mazzocco , a senior fellow with the Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. She has watched China’s EV industry grow from a small regional experiment into a planet-reshaping juggernaut. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, we’re re-running that conversation — one of our favorites ever to happen on the show. We’ll be back with a new episode next week. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Why Ford and GM are scared of Chinese electric cars President Biden’s announcement of new tariffs on Chinese EVs . The EU’s lower tariffs on Chinese EVs Trouble for Gotion's Michigan plant Rob on the Biden administration’s China thought Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at <a href="https://watershed.com/" rel="noope
S2 E17 · Wed, December 04, 2024
How Democrats Are Trying to Trump-proof Their Big Climate Law
The Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s landmark climate law, is the biggest investment in clean energy in American history. It is also in danger. In January, the Trump administration and a GOP Congress will take over the federal government — and they have made a variety of promises about how they’ll disrupt the law, ranging from full repeal to a more “surgical” reform approach. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Kristina Costa , who has worked since 2022 to implement the IRA’s climate provisions at the White House. She joins us to discuss what went right about the Biden administration’s rush to implement the law, why state government capacity is holding back Democratic policy goals, and why the federal government needs more tools to support energy innovation if it wants to keep up with China. She also discusses how the administration is trying to Trump-proof the law. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned : Biden has obligated more than $100 billion in IRA grants The administration’s three big tax credit goals by the end of the year : hydrogen, advanced manufacturing, and technology-neutral clean electricity Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . (And here’s what’s 250 miles from three cities: Newark , Chicago , Las Vegas .) -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and develop
S2 E16 · Wed, November 27, 2024
How Trump Could Dent EVs in America
It’s been a news-filled few weeks — so it’s time for a roundup. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk about what Trump’s cabinet selections might mean for his climate policy and whether permitting reform could still happen. Then Rob chats with Corey Cantor, senior EV analyst at BloombergNEF, about promising Q3 sales for U.S. automakers, General Motors’ turnaround, and how much the Trump administration might dent America’s EV uptake. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Heatmap: Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary is a big league fracking executive Chris Wright’s 2023 speech to the American Conservation Coalition , a GOP-aligned youth climate group What we know about Trump’s “whole of government” approach to energy Heatmap: Trump’s OMB Pick Wants to Purge the Government of ‘Climate Fanaticism’ California could replace the EV tax credit , but Tesla would be excluded EV sales hit a record high in the U.S. in Q3 Jesse’s midshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow
S2 E15 · Wed, November 20, 2024
The World Will Miss 1.5C. What Comes Next?
Here’s the bad news: The world is almost certainly going to miss the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. The needed emissions cuts are too large and the direction of policy too slow to lead to any other outcome. In the next few decades, global warming will slip past the 1.5 degree mark — and temperatures will keep rising. What does that mean? What comes next? And how should we feel about that? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse chat with Kate Marvel , an associate research scientist at Columbia University and the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. We talk about why every 10th of a degree matters in the fight against climate change, the difference between tipping points and destabilizing feedback loops, and how to think about climate change in a disappointing time. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The UN Environmental Program’s emissions gap report The IPCC’s monumental report on the risks of 1.5C of temperature rise Jesse’s post-Trump op-ed: Trump Is Not the End of the Climate Fight Rob’s piece from 2023 on the “end of climate science” Trump’s Energy Secretary-designate Chris Wright’s speech at the American Conservation Coalition Summit Jesse’s downshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow inves
S2 E14 · Wed, November 13, 2024
Trump, China, and Climate Change: What Happens Next?
The rollbacks are coming. Donald Trump’s incoming administration is expected to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, weaken the Environmental Protection Agency’s rules for power plants and tailpipe pollution, and — potentially — rewrite or repeal big swaths of the Inflation Reduction Act. Each of those actions would seem to provide an opening for the world’s No. 1 polluter — China — to assert global leadership and zip ahead in the next generation of clean energy technology. How will it respond? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse chat with Jeremy Wallace , the A. Doak Barnett Professor of China Studies at Johns Hopkins University. Wallace, a Heatmap contributor, helps us understand how China is thinking about Trump, the current state of China’s economy, and why China sometimes flexes its climate leadership — but just as often doesn’t. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Jeremy Wallace on how China will respond to U.S. reversals Jeremy’s writing on China, clean energy, and trade Rob on how the Biden administration thought about China and clean energy The Draghi report: EU competitiveness: Looking ahead -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To lea
S2 E13 · Wed, November 06, 2024
The Inflation Reduction Act Is About to Be Tested
Last night, Donald Trump secured a second term in the White House. He campaigned on an aggressively pro-fossil -fuel agenda, promising to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act, Biden’s landmark 2022 climate law, and roll back Environmental Protection Agency rules governing power plant and car and truck pollution. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob pick through the results of the election and try to figure out where climate advocates go from here. What will Trump 2.0 mean for the federal government’s climate policy? Did climate policies notch any wins at the state level on Tuesday night? And where should decarbonization advocates focus their energy in the months and years to come? Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Rob’s post-election story: Trump Won. Now the Fight Over the Clean Energy Economy Begins. Heatmap’s rundown of climate election results around the country How clean energy stocks are faring post-Trump’s win -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S2 E12 · Wed, October 30, 2024
Climate-o-Rama: EVs, Oil, Trump, and More
It’s all happening. The presidential election is a week away, and our cohost Jesse Jenkins is back from vacation. There is so much to talk about in the world of decarbonization and energy. So we tried to catch up on all of it. Are EV sales starting to rebound in the U.S.? What’s up with the Cybertruck? And what about Senator Joe Manchin’s permitting reform bill? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob attempt to discuss all those questions and more. Peak oil demand — the IRA’s focus on manufacturing — the emerging political economy of decarbonization — we hit it all. Or we try to, at least. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Q3 EV sales ; GM beats expectations Is Tesla struggling to convert Cybertruck preorders? Jesse was wrong about Cybertruck sales: Exhibit 1 , Exhibit 2 The IEA projects peak demand for fossil fuels. The importance of local PUC elections New York’s hydrogen hub is on ice Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at <a href="https://watershed.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"
S2 E11 · Wed, October 23, 2024
Are Democrats the Party of Nuclear Now?
Over the past two months, the country’s biggest tech companies have announced a flurry of deals with advanced and conventional nuclear companies. At the same time, Democratic candidates running for federal office — including Kamala Harris and a handful of Senate candidates — have touted their support of building new nuclear power plants. Has nuclear’s moment finally arrived? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, we have Josh Freed , the senior vice president of Third Way’s climate and energy program, discussing why nuclear might be about to boom, why Democrats are embracing nuclear, and whether a Trump administration could derail the investments. This episode of Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jillian Goodman, Heatmap’s deputy editor. Shift Key co-host Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University, is out this week. Mentioned: What Makes Amazon’s Big Nuclear Deal Different Microsoft’s Mega Deal Is a Massive Victory for Nuclear Power Google’s deal with Kairos Energy Democrats Embrace Nuclear Power In Heated Senate Races , by Alexander Kaufman Jillian’s upshift/downshift , Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting <a href="https://en.sungrowpower.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer"
S2 E10 · Wed, October 16, 2024
Talking Permitting Reform, Trade, and More With Biden’s Top Climate Advisor
What’s next for the Biden administration — and for climate policy in the United States? Should Democrats negotiate with Republicans over permitting reform, even if it means making concessions to fossil fuel interests? And how should the country’s trade policy handle the problem of carbon pollution? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob speaks with Ali Zaidi , the national climate advisor to President Joe Biden. Zaidi leads the White House Climate Policy Office, which coordinates domestic climate policy across federal agencies. Before joining the White House in 2021, Zaidi was the state of New York’s deputy secretary for energy and environment. This interview was recorded live on October 10 in New Haven, Connecticut, at the Yale Clean Energy Conference. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Jesse is out this week. Mentioned: Rob on housing policy as climate policy Hydrogen Tax Credit Rules Will Be Done by the End of the Year Rob’s upshift , and his other upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' t
S2 E9 · Wed, October 09, 2024
Want to Decarbonize Your Life? Here’s How.
How can you fight climate change in your daily life? Last month, Heatmap published our attempt at answering that question: Called Decarbonize Your Life, it’s a series of stories and guides to help you make decisions that nudge the energy system away from fossil fuels. We consulted studies, ran our own analysis (with help from some friends), and used our expert judgment to arrive at six big, high-leverage actions you can take to fight climate change. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob speak with Heatmap’s deputy editor Jillian Goodman and founding staff writer Emily Pontecorvo about what those actions are, how the guide came together, and why big choices matter so much more than small ones. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Decarbonize Your Life Quantifying the potential for climate change mitigation of consumption options Emily on WattTime’s work with Apple Emily on heat pumps Jillian on the climate food rules Rob on switching to an EV Rob and Emily on why we don’t include flying Jesse’s downshift (sorta); Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at <a href="htt
S2 E9 · Thu, October 03, 2024
How Climate Change Shaped Hurricane Helene
This is a special Hurricane Helene edition of Shift Key. Our regular programming will resume next week. Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene made landfall, we are still coming to terms with the scale of its destruction. The storm killed at least 182 people, making it the deadliest cyclone to make landfall in the continental United States since Katrina. From Tampa Bay to Asheville, North Carolina, it caused the worst hurricane-related damage in a century. Why was Hurricane Helene so bad? Why did it cause such horrible flooding in western North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia? And did climate change have anything to do with its destruction? To answer these questions, Rob and Jesse speak with Gabriel Vecchi , a Princeton geoscientist and one of the world’s top experts on hurricanes and climate change. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer is the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins is a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Vecchi’s study on how hurricanes will get wetter as the climate warms An early attribution study on Hurricane Helene and climate change The Wall Street Journal: Why Helene Devastated an Area So Far Inland The Average U.S. Hurricane Kills 7,000 to 11,000 People In terms of organizations on the ground, we like World Central Kitchen and the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology
S2 E8 · Wed, October 02, 2024
The Local Elections That Matter for Decarbonization
In just over a month, America will elect hundreds of thousands of people to state, county, and municipal offices. While those elections might lack the splashiness of the race for the White House or Congress, they could shape how and whether the United States fights climate change. So which elections matter most? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob speak with Caroline Spears , the executive director of Climate Cabinet, a group that tries to do ‘Moneyball for climate policy,’ analyzing the races that could matter most for the country’s decarbonization. A winner of the Grist 50 award , Spears formerly worked in the solar industry and now leads the growing organization. We dive into which offices have the most sway role over adaptation and mitigation and which races deserve your attention in 2024. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Climate Cabinet Rob’s upshift , Jesse’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Intersolar & Energy Storage North America is the premier U.S.-based conference and trade show focused on solar, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure. To learn more, visit intersolar.us . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://aca
S2 E7 · Wed, September 25, 2024
The Hardest Working $27 Billion in the IRA
It’s potentially one of the most important — but least understood — provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, and it’s finally out in the world. Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency spent $27 billion to set up new green banks across the country. These new lending institutions could direct billions of dollars to supercharging decarbonization, financing new solar farms, geothermal projects, EV chargers, and more. They’ll also recycle their funding indefinitely, meaning they will likely last longer than any other provision in the law. On this week’s show, Rob and Jesse bring you a user’s guide to these new green banks and what they might mean for decarbonization. The episode features two conversations: First, Rob speaks with Jahi Wise, the former director for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program at the Environmental Protection Agency. Second, Rob and Jesse chat with Dawn Lippert, the founder and CEO of Elemental Impact , a climate tech investment and nonprofit organization. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The EPA’s $27 billion GGRF announcement The three big new green banks: Climate United , Coalition for Green Capital , Power Forward Communities Elemental’s $100 million in new funding from GGRF Jesse’s upshift (and the new facility in Flint, Michigan ); Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks,
S2 E6 · Wed, September 18, 2024
Why Geothermal Is So Hot Right Now
Geothermal is getting closer to the big time. Last week, Fervo Energy — arguably the country’s leading enhanced geothermal company — announced that its Utah demonstration project had achieved record production capacity. On the whole, enhanced geothermal — which borrows drilling techniques from the oil and gas industry — seems poised to become a player on America’s coming clean, 24/7 power grid. Why is geothermal so hot? How soon could it appear — and what advantages does it have other zero-carbon technologies don’t? On this week’s episode, Rob and Jesse speak with Sarah Jewett , the vice president of strategy at Fervo Energy , which she joined after several years in the oil and gas industry. Wilson Ricks is a doctoral student of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton University, where he studies macro-energy systems modeling. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Fervo’s Tech Day announcement The Department of Energy’s Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Next-Generation Geothermal report Wilson’s preprint paper on flexible geothermal in Nature Energy Is Geothermal About to Become the Solar of the 2020s? Jesse’s upshift , Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks,
S2 E5 · Wed, September 11, 2024
A Beginner’s Guide to the Interconnection Queue
Maybe you’ve never heard of it. Maybe you know it too well. But to a certain type of clean energy wonk, it amounts to perhaps the three most dreaded words in climate policy: the interconnection queue. The queue is the process by which utilities decide which wind and solar farms get to hook up to the power grid in the United States. Across much of the country, it has become so badly broken and clogged that it can take more than a decade for a given project to navigate. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob speak with two experts about how to understand — and how to fix — what is perhaps the biggest obstacle to deploying more renewables on the U.S. power grid. Tyler Norris is a doctoral student at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Claire Wayner is a senior associate at RMI’s carbon-free electricity program, where she works on the clean and competitive grids team. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Tyler’s study on “energy only” interconnection rules Heatmap’s Matthew Zeitlin on the big problems with PJM FERC Order 2023 Advanced Energy United’s report on unsnarling the grid Subscribe to Heatmap Plus Rob’s downshift ; Jesse’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at <a href="https://waters
S2 E4 · Wed, September 04, 2024
What 2024 Will Mean for Clean Energy — in Megatons
You don’t need us to say it: The 2024 election will have enormous stakes for America’s climate policy and the planet’s climate. But how well can we quantify those stakes? What would a Trump presidency — or a Harris presidency, for that matter — really mean for the country’s emissions trajectory? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob speak with Sonia Aggarwal , the chief executive officer of Energy Innovation, a climate policy think tank that operates across North America, Europe, and Asia. She was previously special assistant to the president for climate policy, innovation, and deployment under President Joe Biden, and she co-chaired the Biden administration’s Climate Innovation Working Group. She and Jesse — another top-notch modeler — dive into what the data can and can’t tell us about the election and how to think about energy system models in the first place. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The REPEAT Project’s annual report on U.S. emissions pathways Energy Innovation’s report: “The Second Half of the Decisive Decade” Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Antenna Group helps you connect with customers, policymakers, investors, and strategic partners to influence markets and accelerate adoption. Visit <a href="http://antennagroup.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" targe
S2 E3 · Wed, August 28, 2024
How 2025 Could Reshape Climate Policy — No Matter Who Wins the Election
It’s time to start talking about a big year for climate politics and policy: 2025. No matter who wins this fall’s elections, next year’s executive and legislative climate policy will be huge for America’s decarbonization strategy. Congress is all but guaranteed to negotiate over key parts of the country’s tax code, and whoever controls the White House will have to finalize the Inflation Reduction Act’s last few big programs. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Jesse and Rob are joined by Josh Freed , who leads Third Way’s climate and energy program, to game out the most likely scenarios. If Trump wins with a Republican Congress, will they repeal the Inflation Reduction Act? What if Trump wins but Democrats take the House? And what would Kamala Harris do with a trifecta? Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Jesse’s article for Heatmap: Manufacturing Is Back, Baby The IRA’s Labor Provisions Look Like They’re Working To Win a Climate Election, Don’t Say ‘Climate’ Are Pollsters Getting Climate Change Wrong? What are the Trump tax cuts expiring in 2025? The $500 million grant for Ohio’s Middletown Works Jesse’s and Rob’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter techno
S2 E2 · Wed, August 21, 2024
This Isn’t the Same Kind of Climate Election
Democrats are gathering in Chicago this week for their quadrennial convention and to celebrate Kamala Harris’s nomination for president. This year’s convention will look different from 2020’s for many reasons — but one of them is that we’re likely to hear far less about climate change. Unlike in 2020, when President Joe Biden described global warming as one of “four overlapping crises” confronting the country, Harris has been more subtle when discussing it. So … is that a problem? Should we be freaked out? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse discuss the modern electoral politics of climate change. We talk about whether the electorate’s interest in climate issues has faded, how the Inflation Reduction Act could affect voting, and why a “quiet on climate” strategy might be okay. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Jesse on how the IRA is actually bringing back American manufacturing Rob on how housing could be Kamala’s housing policy The IRA’s labor provisions look like they’re working The Harvard Institute of Politics poll on young voters in 2024 Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Antenna Group helps you connect with customers, policymakers, investors, and strategic partners to influence m
S2 E1 · Wed, August 14, 2024
Why Treasury’s No. 2 Official Wants Permitting Reform
Two years ago this week, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in clean energy and climate mitigation in American history. It contained roughly two dozen new or expanded tax credits that will — if the forecasts bear out — provide hundreds of billions of dollars in funding over the next decade. The administration is now rushing to finalize those provisions before the November election. Perhaps no official has been more central to setting up those tax credits than Wally Adeyemo , the deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department. He is also the Treasury’s No. 2 official and chief operating officer. Adeyemo has led the agency’s effort to implement the climate law, overseeing a group of tax lawyers and political appointees who are critical to the legislation’s ultimate success. He joins Shift Key this week to help us kick off our second season and talk about how the effort to implement the climate law is going, what could stand in its way, and why he wants some kind of permitting reform. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The First IRA Tax Credit Data Is In Senator Manchin and Senator Barrasso’s permitting reform proposal Why Energy Wonks Love the Permitting Deal The Inflation Reduction Act: A Summary Jesse’s upshift , Rob’s shift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow
S1 E25 · Wed, July 24, 2024
Humanity’s Most Abundant Material Is a Huge Climate Problem
The world uses about 30 billion tons of concrete every year — more than any other material except water. It is the most ubiquitous human-made substance in the global economy. It’s also a huge climate problem. Producing cement, which is the key ingredient in concrete, generates roughly 8% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions. Cody Finke has a plan to change that. He is the chief executive officer and cofounder of Brimstone, a startup that says it can cheaply produce ordinary Portland cement — the kind used in construction worldwide — without carbon emissions. This week, Rob chats with Finke about why cement’s carbon emissions aren’t from fossil fuels, why there are fewer cement plants than you might think, and the all-important difference between cement and concrete. This episode of Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap. Jesse Jenkins is on vacation. Mentioned: Brimstone There Will Soon Be More Concrete Than Biomass on Earth Projecting future carbon emissions from cement production in developing countries -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E24 · Wed, July 17, 2024
How to Decarbonize the World’s Biggest Ships
Shipping is the backbone of the modern economy. At least 80% of all goods worldwide are shipped as ocean cargo, and the global economy rises and falls on the free movement of gigantic ships across the sea. But container ships and bulk carriers burn what’s known as bunker fuel, one of the dirtiest fossil fuels. The international shipping industry generates 3% of global carbon emissions, a proportion that’s projected to rise through the century. Most proposals to decarbonize ocean freight have focused on using ammonia or other zero-carbon liquid fuels. But Fleetzero, a Bill Gates-backed startup, is trying to use the only technology that it says can get cheap enough to compete with oil: batteries. The Alabama-based company is building batteries big enough to hybridize — and, eventually, power outright — the world’s largest ships. This week, Rob chats with Steven Henderson , the cofounder and CEO of Fleetzero and a graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. They talk about Steven’s history in the oil and gas industry, why batteries will beat liquid fuels, and how to put out a fire in the middle of the ocean. This episode of Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap. Jesse Jenkins is on vacation. Mentioned: Fleetzero The Emma Maersk , the world’s largest ship at the time of its construction in 2006 The legal and regulatory background on the Jones Act -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E23 · Wed, July 10, 2024
What the Supreme Court’s Rulings Mean for Climate Change
Jesse is on vacation until August, so this is a special, Rob-only summer episode of Shift Key. Over the past few weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court has profoundly changed how the federal government does its day-to-day work. In a series of landmark rulings, the high court sharply curtailed the ability of government agencies — including the Environmental Protection Agency — to write and enforce rules and regulations. That will change how the federal government oversees the products we buy, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. But it could also alter how the government regulates heat-trapping greenhouse gas pollution. But how, exactly, will these new rulings affect climate law? And is there an upside to the deregulatory revolution? This week, Rob holds a roundtable with two environmental law experts about what the high court’s rulings mean for America’s decarbonization project — and whether the court just inadvertently made the country’s already burdensome permitting process even worse. They are Jody Freeman, a Harvard law professor and former Obama administration lawyer, and Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor. This episode of Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap. Mentioned: This year’s four big decisions: Loper Bright , Corner Post , Jarkesy , Ohio v. EPA The Supreme Court Is Slowly Breaking the EPA How the Supreme Court Just Changed Climate Law, According to 9 Lawyers The Big Winners of This Supreme Court Term , by Nicholas Bagley Other important cases to know: • Massachusetts v. EPA established that the agency could regulate greenhouse gas pollution • West Virginia v. EPA codified “the major questions doctrine” -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure an
S1 E22 · Wed, July 03, 2024
How Europe and America Are Weatherproofing Climate Policy
Jesse is on vacation until August, so this is a special, Rob-only summer episode of Shift Key. — The far right is rising across Europe. The global order seems to be deteriorating. And American politics is careening toward a crisis. Where does climate policy go from here? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob chats with two leaders at Breakthrough Energy, the Bill Gates-funded climate venture capital and advocacy group. They are Ann Mettler , a former EU official who is now Breakthrough’s vice president for Europe, and Aliya Haq , its vice president for U.S. policy and advocacy. We talk about why Europe was surprised by the Inflation Reduction Act, where American policy goes from here, and how to prepare climate policy for an era of rising geopolitical tensions and security concerns. This episode of Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap. Mentioned: More on the Breakthrough Energy Summit Macron’s frustration with the IRA Europe’s Green Deal How anxiety over China is reshaping the global economic order The latest statement from the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology. Discover why Sungrow is the essential component of the clean energy transition by visiting sungrowpower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. <p style='color:grey; font-siz
S1 E21 · Wed, June 26, 2024
America’s Nuclear Policy Is Getting … Pretty Good!
Congress just passed perhaps its biggest support for zero-carbon energy since the Inflation Reduction Act. The ADVANCE Act, which the Senate adopted overwhelmingly last week, aims to keep America at the cutting edge of the global nuclear industry by cutting regulatory fees, making it easier for U.S. companies to build nuclear power plants abroad, and reforming the agency that oversees it all, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Ryan Norman , a senior policy advisor at Third Way’s climate and energy program, about how America got here. We talk about why nuclear is such a bipartisan issue, what the ADVANCE Act will actually do, and how soon new nuclear power plants could actually get built. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Nuclear Energy Is the One Thing Congress Can Agree On Everyone Wants Nuclear Now, But Will Anyone Pay For It? A summary of the ADVANCE Act from the law firm Hogan Lovells Third Way’s update on the state of the nuclear industry How the Inflation Reduction Act supports nuclear energy Rob’s downshift ; Jesse’s downshift -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by … Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solut
S1 E20 · Wed, June 19, 2024
How China’s EV Industry Got So Big
China’s electric vehicle industry has driven itself to the center of the global conversation. Its automakers produce dozens of affordable, technologically advanced electric vehicles that rival — and often beat — anything coming out of Europe or North America. The United States and the European Union have each levied tariffs on its car exports in the past few months, hoping to avoid a “China shock” to their domestic car industries. Ilaria Mazzocco has watched China’s EV industry grow from a small regional experiment into a planet-reshaping juggernaut. She is now a senior fellow with the Trustee Chair in Chinese Business and Economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Ilaria about how the industry got so big, what it means for the world, and how to think about its environmental and national security impacts. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Why Ford and GM are scared of Chinese electric cars President Biden’s announcement of new tariffs on Chinese EVs . The EU’s lower tariffs on Chinese EVs Trouble for Gotion's Michigan plant Rob on the Biden administration’s China thought Rob’s upshift ; Jesse’s upshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data y
S1 E19 · Wed, June 12, 2024
How to Fix Electricity Bills in America
Have you looked at your power bill — like, really looked at it? If you’re anything like Rob, you pay whatever number appears at the bottom every month and drop it in the recycling. But how everyone’s power bill is calculated — in wonk terms, the “electricity rate design” — turns out to be surprisingly important and could be a big driver of decarbonization. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk about why power bills matter, how Jesse would design electricity rates if he was king of the world, and how to fix rooftop solar in America. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Shift Key’s rooftop solar series, featuring Mary Powell , Severin Borenstein , and Heatmap’s own Emily Pontecorvo Jesse’s distributed energy research at MIT Australia’s Solar Choice Price Index More on Texas’ Griddy debacle Leah Stokes et al. on utilities’ climate record Rob’s upshift ; Jesse’s upshift -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery inverter technology
S1 E18 · Wed, June 05, 2024
How California Broke Its Electricity Bills
Rooftop solar is four times more expensive in America than it is in other countries. It’s also good for the climate. Should we even care about its high cost? Yes, says Severin Borenstein, an economist and the director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. In a recent blog post, he argued that the high cost of rooftop solar will shift nearly $4 billion onto the bills of low- and middle-income Californians who don’t have rooftop solar. Similar forces could soon spread the cost-shift problem across the country. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with Borenstein about who pays for rooftop solar, why power bills are going up everywhere, and about whether the government should take over electric utilities. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: California’s Exploding Rooftop Solar Cost Shift What rooftop solar costs customers without it , from the California Public Advocates Office Borenstein on California’s new income-graduated fixed electricity charge Borenstein on what constitutes a fair electricity bill Jesse’s upshift ; Rob’s downshift . -- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed ’s climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . As a global leader in PV and ESS solutions, Sungrow invests heavily in research and development, constantly pushing the boundaries of solar and battery invert
S1 E17 · Wed, May 22, 2024
How to Unlock Super Cheap Rooftop Solar
Why isn’t rooftop solar cheaper in America? In Australia in 2024, a standard rooftop system can cost as little as $0.90 per watt. In the U.S., a similar system might go for $4 per watt. If America could come even close to Australia’s rooftop solar prices, then we would be able to decarbonize the power system much faster than we are now. Mary Powell has the answers. She is the chief executive officer of Sunrun , a $2.6 billion company that is the largest rooftop solar and battery installer in the U.S. Sunrun has set up or managed more than 900,000 rooftop systems across the U.S. Powell previously led Green Mountain Power, Vermont’s largest investor-owned power company. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk about how the rooftop solar business works and what’s driving America’s higher costs. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Previously on Shift Key: Does Rooftop Solar Actually Help the Climate? Mentioned: What solar panels cost in Australia The Department of Energy’s quarterly solar update Introduction to solar soft costs – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . FischTank PR uses its decade-plus experience working in the climate tech space to introduce clients to top-tier journalists at the right time, for the right story. We don’t tire-spin — we take action and understand we are hired to get results. To learn more, visit fischtankpr.com. Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E16 · Wed, May 15, 2024
It Was a Big Week for the Power Grid
Transmission has been one of the biggest obstacles of decarbonizing the power grid in America. In the past week, however, the country has taken two big steps toward finally removing it. Last week, the Department of Energy published a list of 10 high-priority areas for grid development, called National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors, designed to help accelerate some of the most annoying aspects of the siting process. Then on Monday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission passed a new rule directing grid planners to take a longer view on what America’s future electricity needs will look like. On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse talk with two special guests — Maria Robinson, who leads the Energy Department’s Grid Deployment Office, and Heatmap reporter Matthew Zeitlin — about what these measures mean for the Biden administration’s climate policy and how soon we might see new power lines get built. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: America’s Power Line Problems Just Got a FERC Fix Rob on the headache that is permitting reform Jesse on what it will actually take to electrify everything FERC’s lone Republican talks with Heatmap The NIETC map Jesse’s version of the NIETC map Jesse's downshift ; Rob’s upshift – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed
S1 E15 · Wed, May 08, 2024
Elon Musk Is Putting the EV Transition in Peril
Tesla is now facing its worst crisis in years. Last week, CEO Elon Musk laid off the automaker’s roughly 500-person Supercharger team and what remained of its policy and new vehicle teams. Before that, it reported its first-quarter financial results — and they were even worse than the lackluster performance that investors were expecting. Already this year, Tesla has cut around 10% of its employees. Now Musk is promising that it will shift toward becoming an “AI” company. Does Tesla, long a stalwart of America’s EV transition, now pose a danger to it? On this week’s episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse discuss the automaker’s turn away from EVs, and why Musk’s decision to lay off the Supercharger team could throw the entire country’s EV transition off track. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, the founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: Previously on Shift Key: The U.S. Has a Tesla Problem Tesla’s Identity Crisis Gets Hardcore Tesla’s Q1 2024 investor report BloombergNEF on Superchargers’ profit potential Rob on how to make sense of Elon Musk’s wacky moves – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E14 · Fri, April 26, 2024
The EPA’s Carbon Crackdown Is Finally Here
One of the most important pieces of the Biden administration’s climate policy has arrived: On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency issued new rules restricting climate pollution from coal-fired plants and natural gas plants that haven’t been built yet. The rules will eliminate more than a billion tons of greenhouse gas pollution by the middle of the century. They are the long-awaited “stick” in the Biden administration’s carrots-and-sticks climate policy. So how do the rules work? Why do they emphasize carbon capture so much? And is this the end of coal in America? On this special episode of Shift Key, Rob and Jesse dig into the regulations and why they matter to American climate policy. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer is founding executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins is a professor of energy systems engineering at Princeton University. Mentioned: The New EPA Power Plant Rules Are Out — and Could Change the Calculus for Gas The White House Also Has Some Transmission News The EPA’s announcement of the new rules Massachusetts v EPA (2005) West Virginia v EPA (2022) – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com
S1 E13 · Wed, April 24, 2024
How Jigar Shah Thinks About Risk
Jigar Shah might have more control over America’s new wave of industrial policy — not to mention its climate policy — than anyone not named Joe Biden. And he’s not even a Cabinet-level official. As director of the Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office, which is akin to its in-house bank, Shah oversees how roughly $400 billion in lending authority will be spent. That money will help finance new EV factories, geothermal wells, carbon capture sites, and more. On this week’s episode, Rob sits down with Shah to discuss the philosophy that he brings to his role. When financing new projects — many of which are the first of their kind — how does he think about cash flow, about technological innovation, about risk? Robinson Meyer is executive editor of Heatmap News; Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems engineering professor at Princeton, is off this week. Mentioned: The Loan Programs Office: Building a Bridge to Bankability The Race to Spend the I.R.A.’s $100 Billion in Grants Has Begun Ezra Klein’s theory of “ everything-bagel liberalism ” Rob on the questions swirling at one-time LPO beneficiary Tesla – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E12 · Wed, April 17, 2024
The U.S. Has a Tesla Problem
It isn’t just bad vibes: Electric vehicle sales are slumping in the United States. Fewer than 300,000 EVs were sold nationwide during the first three months of 2024 — although it could be more than 350,000, depending on how you count and whose data you trust. That’s a slight decline from last quarter at a time when EV sales need to be accelerating. What caused the slump, and what can be done about it? And could hybrids or plug-in hybrids help solve the problem? In this week’s episode, Rob and Jesse chat with Corey Cantor, an EV analyst at Bloomberg NEF. They talk about Tesla’s spiraling problems, whether Detroit can pull its EV strategy together, and whether plug-in hybrids can co-exist with a climate strategy. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor of energy systems engineering. Mentioned: BloombergNEF’s EV market outlook for Q1 2024 Jesse’s 2023 story on the EV market’s bad vibes Rob’s story on Tesla’s slumping Q1 sales Rob asks: Is Tesla Even a Car Company, Anymore? Tesla Has Built a Charging Business to Be Taken Seriously Reuters’ report on the Model 2’s cancellation – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Lea
S1 E11 · Wed, April 10, 2024
Is This a New Era of ‘Climate Capitalism’?
Can capitalism solve climate change? Wrong question, argues the author and journalist Akshat Rathi: In fact, you can’t solve climate change without capitalism. Look around the world, as Rathi does in his new book Climate Capitalism , and he says you’ll find companies and leaders who are proving that cutting carbon emissions is not just possible, but also profitable. The venture capitalist Sophie Purdom, the founder of Planeteer Capital, spends her days looking for those profitable climate companies. She says that a newer, smarter generation of climate startups is on the way. In this week’s episode, recorded earlier this month live at Princeton University, Rob and Jesse host a special in-person conversation with Rathi and Purdom. They talk about the rise of Chinese EVs, what interest rates mean for the energy transition, and the proper role of policy in decarbonizing. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor of energy systems engineering. Mentioned: Akshat Rathi’s Climate Capitalism Sightline Climate Martin Wolf’s The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E10 · Wed, April 03, 2024
A Skeptic’s Take on AI and Energy Growth
Will the rise of machine learning and artificial intelligence break the climate system? In recent months, utilities and tech companies have argued that soaring use of AI will overwhelm electricity markets. Is that true — or is it a sales pitch meant to build more gas plants? And how much electricity do data centers and AI use today? In this week’s episode, Rob and Jesse talk to Jonathan Koomey , an independent researcher, lecturer, and entrepreneur who studies the energy impacts of the internet and information technology. We discuss why AI may not break the electricity system and the long history of anxiety over computing’s energy use. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor of energy systems engineering. Mentioned: Koomey’s paper on worldwide electricity use in data centers . Smart Everything: Will Intelligent Systems Reduce Resource Use? A 2017 estimate of the electricity intensity of internet data transmission . Meeting Growing Electricity Demand Without Gas RMI report on previous forecasts of electricity demand . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Watershed 's climate data engine helps companies measure and reduce their emissions, turning the data they already have into an audit-ready carbon footprint backed by the latest climate science. Get the sustainability data you need in weeks, not months. Learn more at watershed.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. <p style='color:grey; font-s
S1 E9 · Wed, March 27, 2024
Why a Climate Startup Is Building the World’s Biggest Airplane
Radia is a $1 billion climate tech startup with an unusual pitch: It is trying to build the world’s largest airplane. Its proposed aircraft, the Radia Wind Runner, would be as long as a football field, nearly as wide as a New York city block, and capable of carrying 12 times the volume of a Boeing 747. Such a plane could ferry massive wind-turbine blades, unlocking what the company calls “gigawind” — the ability to build offshore-sized wind farms on land. In this week’s episode, Rob and Jesse talk to Radia’s chief executive officer, Mark Lundstrom. (Jesse’s consulting firm did some research for Radia while it was in stealth mode, in 2020 and 2023.) We discuss why the world needs a bigger plane, how such a new aircraft gets licensed, and why massive wind turbines could be such a big deal for renewable electricity. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor of energy systems engineering. Mentioned: The Wall Street Journal: How the World’s Biggest Plane Would Supersize Wind Energy The National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s report on why big turbines could unlock more wind energy How big are offshore wind turbines? Really big. Jesse’s downshift , Jesse’s upshift . Rob’s downshift , Rob’s upshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we
S1 E8 · Wed, March 20, 2024
What the New Rivians Say About the Future of EVs
Earlier this month, the electric-car maker Rivian announced its new SUV, the R2 — a $45,000 family hauler that will get more than 300 miles in range. It also debuted the R3 and R3X hatchbacks, which entranced online car nerds. These new Rivian models are sleek and important, but they won’t go on sale until 2026 at the earliest. Can Rivian last that long? In this week’s episode, Rob and Jesse discuss Rivian’s quest to survive, how electrification is changing car design, and the coolest EVs coming down the pike. Shift Key is hosted by Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap, and Jesse Jenkins, a Princeton professor of energy systems engineering. Mentioned: Look Closely at Rivian’s New SUV. You’ll See a Survival Strategy. Why 2024 Is a Make or Break Year for Rivian Rivian R2, R3, R3X Honda Crosstour 1991 Toyota Previa Why Do Animals Keep Evolving into Crabs? Watch a Hyundai Ioniq 5N Lap the Nürburgring Dodge Charger Will Live on as an EV Jesse’s downshift , Rob’s downshift . Rob’s upshift , Jesse’s upshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean
S1 E7 · Fri, March 15, 2024
A Conversation With Biden’s Former Top Economic Advisor, Part 2
Few people have shaped Bidenomics more than Brian Deese. From 2021 to 2023, Deese led the National Economic Council at the White House, serving as President Joe Biden’s top economic aide. He’s now an Innovation Fellow at MIT, where he helps lead the new Clean Investment Monitor project. In part two of Shift Key’s conversation with Deese, we discuss electric vehicles, the future of U.S.-China trade relations, and whether the Big Three automakers can survive. Shift Key is hosted by Heatmap Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton Professor Jesse Jenkins. Mentioned: The Clean Investment Monitor Why Ford and GM Are Scared of China’s Electric Cars China’s Electric Vehicles Are Going to Hit Detroit Like a Wrecking Ball Trade Wars Are Class Wars , by Matthew C. Klein and Michael Pettis – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E6 · Wed, March 13, 2024
A Conversation With Biden’s Former Top Economic Advisor, Part 1
Few people have shaped Bidenomics more than Brian Deese. From 2021 to 2023, Deese led the National Economic Council at the White House, serving as President Joe Biden’s top economic aide during such events as the post-pandemic recovery, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. Before that, Deese was global head of sustainable investing for Blackrock and a senior political advisor to President Barack Obama. He’s now the Institute Innovation Fellow at MIT, where he helps lead the Clean Investment Monitor, a project that tracks investment in climate technology and infrastructure across the U.S. economy. On this episode, Deese joins Shift Key for a two-part conversation. Part 1 focuses on the future of Bidenomics, Biden’s State of the Union speech, what the 2024 campaign might mean for the politics and policy of climate change. Shift Key is hosted by Heatmap Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton Professor Jesse Jenkins. Mentioned: The full text of Biden’s 2024 State of the Union speech. Why Biden Talked Up the IRA Without Saying Its Name – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power & infrastructure, and intuitive asset management to unlock energy strategies across a myriad of applications. Explore more at korepower.com . Music for Shift Key is by Adam Kromelow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
S1 E5 · Wed, March 06, 2024
Does Rooftop Solar Actually Help the Climate?
For a few weeks now, Heatmap’s staff writer, Emily Pontecorvo, has been trying to figure out if installing rooftop solar panels on your home actually reduces carbon pollution in a systematic way. In other words: If you own a home, and install solar panels on it, are you doing anything to change how much fossil fuel gets burned in your region or around the world? Or — somewhat counterintuitively — will your panels just increase the cost of electricity near you while shifting demand for those fossil fuels around? On this week’s episode, we try to answer these questions in a satisfying way. Heatmap Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton Professor Jesse Jenkins welcome Emily to the podcast to discuss the messy truth of distributed solar power. Mentioned: An NREL report on the cost of rooftop vs utility-scale solar in the USA. The most recent Energy Department report on the solar industry. Seel, Barbonse & Wiser (2014), "An analysis of residential PV system price differences between the United States and Germany" Jesse’s upshift ; Jesse’s downshift. Emily’s upshift ; Emily’s downshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy
S1 E4 · Wed, February 28, 2024
The Next Big Climate Tool: Little Chunks of Rock
When we talk about carbon removal, we often focus on “direct air capture” facilities — big factories that suck carbon dioxide out of the ambient air. But a simpler and easier way to remove carbon from the atmosphere may exist. It’s called “enhanced rock weathering” — grinding up rocks, spreading them out, and exposing them to the ambient air — and it works, essentially, by speeding up the Earth’s carbon cycle. Enhanced rock weathering recently got a major vote of confidence from Frontier, a consortium of tech and finance companies who have teamed up to support new and experimental carbon removal technologies. In this episode, we speak with Jane Flegal, a former Biden White House climate adviser and now the market development and policy lead at Frontier, about the promise of enhanced rock weathering and why Frontier just spent $57 million to do it. Mentioned: Why Big Tech is pouring $925 million into carbon removal . More about Frontier’s commitment to Lithos . Enhanced weathering in the US Corn Belt delivers carbon removal with agronomic benefits . Rob’s downshift , Rob’s upshift . Jesse’s downshift , Jesse’s upshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV power
S1 E3 · Wed, February 21, 2024
Is Biden’s Climate Law Actually Working?
A year and a half ago, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest climate law in American history — and arguably in world history. But is it actually working? A new report from a coalition of major energy analysts — including our cohost Jesse Jenkins’ lab at Princeton — looks at data from the power and transportation sectors and concludes that yes, the law is starting to decarbonize the American economy. But it isn’t working in the way many people might expect. Robinson Meyer, the executive editor of Heatmap News, and Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert and professor at Princeton University, talk about how and why. Mentioned: The new report: Clean Investment in 2023: Assessing Progress in Electricity and Transport Jesse’s story on the EV bad vibes . American carbon emissions fell last year for the first time since the pandemic . Jesse’s downshift , Jesse’s upshift . Rob’s upshift , Rob’s downshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scal
S1 E2 · Wed, February 14, 2024
Has Offshore Wind Finally Hit Rock Bottom?
It has been a catastrophic 12 months for offshore wind in the U.S. Large projects have been canceled, and Orsted, the world’s biggest offshore wind developer, has laid off hundreds of employees. Is the industry dying? Maybe it’s actually about to turn a corner. In this episode, Robinson Meyer, the executive editor of Heatmap News, and Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert and professor at Princeton University, discuss the future of the sector. Mentioned: Orsted’s troubles: FT A wind farm powers up: Heatmap . New offshore contracts and auctions: NYTimes & Reuters Global Wind Atlas Lease areas in the U.S. Jesse’s downshift , Rob’s downshift . Rob’s upshift , Jesse’s upshift . – This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by… Advanced Energy United educates, engages, and advocates for policies that allow our member companies to compete to power our economy with 100% clean energy, working with decision makers and energy market regulators to achieve this goal. Together, we are united in our mission to accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy in America. Learn more at advancedenergyunited.org/heatmap KORE Power provides the commercial, industrial, and utility markets with functional solutions that advance the clean energy transition worldwide. KORE Power's technology and manufacturing capabilities provide direct access to next generation battery cells, energy storage systems that scale to grid+, EV powe
S1 E1 · Wed, February 07, 2024
The Messy Truth of America’s Natural Gas Exports
Last month, President Biden announced the federal government would temporarily stop approving new export terminals for liquified natural gas. The move was hailed as a victory by climate activists and lamented by fossil-fuel companies. But what will the pause mean for the climate — really? Will it stop exports from rising in the near-term, and can we say with any certainty whether it will make carbon emissions go up or down? In this inaugural episode of Shift Key, Robinson Meyer, the executive editor of Heatmap News, and Jesse Jenkins, an energy systems expert and professor at Princeton University, unpack the president’s decision and try to figure out what — if anything — it means for the climate. Mentioned: Research by Shuting Yang, et al. Robert Howarth’s unpublished paper on natural gas’s effect on the climate Bill McKibben’s reaction to news of the pause The People on the Front Lines of the LNG Fight , by Jeva Lange The Biden administration’s fact sheet on the approval pause Jesse’s upshift , Jesse’s downshift . Rob’s upshift , Rob’s downshift . —- This episode of Shift Key is sponsored by KORE Power and Advanced Energy United… KORE Power provides functional solutions that push the front line of the transition to clean energy and form the backbone of the decarbonized future worldwide. KORE Power’s manufacturing capabilities and robust portfolio of products provide the commercial, industrial, utility and defense markets with next-generation battery cells, advanced energy storage systems that scale to grid+, intuitive asset management, a
Trailer · Mon, February 05, 2024
Welcome to Shift Key, a new climate podcast from Heatmap News
Every week, Heatmap News Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and Princeton University Professor and energy systems expert Jesse Jenkins, make sense of the biggest shift of our time -- navigating the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Drawing on their years of experience reporting on and researching climate change and decarbonization, Meyer and Jenkins unpack the most important issues of the week and how the impacts of climate change and efforts to address it are transforming our economy, politics, and society at large. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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