The Clean Energy Show

Canada's upcoming allowance of lower-cost Chinese EVs and the politics swirling around it, to real-world winter EV performance, portable batteries quietly saving businesses money, and New Jersey's controversial new e-bike law, this episode blends practical advice, myth-busting, and clean-energy reality checks. Plus, we answer some surprisingly common EV questions from a medical professional, including why putting a wind turbine on a moving car definitely won't work. A Brooklyn bagel shop using portable batteries to slash demand charges. Answering EV myths: wind turbines on cars, coal-powered grids, battery lifespan, and charging time and what first-time EV buyers should a...

Solar panels could deliver nearly twice today's energy by 2050, according to new research projecting efficiencies above 35%. This week on The Clean Energy Show, James and Brian break down what that means for global solar power, costs, land use, and long-term reliability. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our members-only Discord community and thank-yous in the credits of videos and shoutouts on our podcast! Starting at just $1 per month! They also unpack talks between China and the European...

In this abridged January 2026 bonus episode of The Clean Energy Show, Brian Stockton and James Whittingham kick off the first podcast of 2026 with a packed update on clean tech, transportation, and air quality trends shaping the global energy transition. The show begins with developments in electric shipping, including Norway's autonomous container ship Yara Birkeland and testing of the world's largest battery-electric ferry, which will carry more than 2,000 passengers between Argentina and Uruguay. Listener mail sparks a brief but heated debate over whether corn is a vegetable, grain, or something else entirely. The main stories focus...

• U.S. Electric Vehicle Debate James breaks down the ongoing American EV culture wars, why they feel stuck, and how much is political theatre vs. real-world data. We're off this week for the holidays so we're playing our Patreon bonus episode from a month ago because we think it has some great stories in it. • EV Market Growth The hosts dig into the latest numbers showing EVs gaining traction globally—and why the economic case keeps getting harder to ignore. • Stockpiling Critical Minerals A look at why countrie...

A look back at the biggest clean energy developments of 2025 — and we reveal why electric trucking in China may be the most important story of the year. We break down record global growth in solar, wind, and EV adoption, explain how renewables are now outpacing fossil fuels in new investment, and explore why China's rising clean power generation is finally pushing its CO₂ emissions lower even as electricity demand grows CES 293 - Google Docs. (Letters are being held over until our next bonus episode.) The show also checks in on Norway, the world's EV laboratory, wher...

How plunging battery costs are turning solar into reliable, around-the-clock power that can compete directly with fossil fuels. Brian Stockton and James Whittingham break down new findings from Ember showing that grid-scale batteries now make dispatchable solar cheaper than many new gas plants, fundamentally changing the energy landscape. The episode also explores why Big Oil is increasingly betting on petrochemicals and single-use plastics as EVs cut into fuel demand. A new IEEFA report reveals that a 70% global reduction in single-use plastics would deliver a major financial blow to the petrochemical industry while cutting millions of barrels per...

Nairobi's ride-hailing sector hits 40% electric motorcycles as Bolt logs 4.8 million EV rides. Financing from M-KOPA and Watu helps riders switch to cheaper, cleaner bikes, and local companies like Roam and Ampersand expand assembly and charging. Norway agrees to study its post-oil future after a deal with the Greens to pass the 2026 budget. EV incentives begin to scale back as adoption goals are met: https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/article/norway-to-examine-scenarios-for-post-oil-economy/. Thermostats Part 2 with Brian and James reviews the McVeggie. He wonders if it's actually just a mayo sandwich. They react to CNN's Bill Weir covering...

Solar power brings new dignity to a Kurdish village devastated by a chemical attack 38 years ago. Steven Guilbeault resigns from cabinet over a pipeline deal he says breaks Canada's climate commitments. North Carolina uses "super-roofs" and catastrophe bonds to cut hurricane losses. And Zillow removes climate risk scores from listings after backlash. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our members-only Discord community and thank-yous in the credits of videos and shoutouts on our podcast! Starting at just $1 per...

The COP30 climate conference ended without references to fossil fuels after lobbying pressure. Al Gore criticized petrostates for blocking progress and argued the world has reached "Peak Petrostate." Outside the UN process, 24 countries have agreed to coordinate on fossil-fuel phaseout efforts, with Colombia and the Netherlands hosting the first international conference in 2026. An archival look back at Gore's 1992 Earth Summit warnings underscores the longstanding concerns. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks! Arkansas has launched its first-ever wind project: a 135 MW installation using 32 U.S.-made turbines. The project delivers significant local benefits, including $950,000...

Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva is calling on nations to commit to a voluntary and "self-determined" fossil-fuel phaseout roadmap at COP30. Debate continues over how aggressive nations should be and how such a roadmap should be enforced. Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/16/have-courage-to-create-fossil-fuel-phaseout-roadmap-at-cop30-brazilian-minister-urges Sodium-Ion Batteries That Work at -100°C Researchers at Purdue University have demonstrated a sodium-ion battery capable of operating reliably in extreme cold. The pouch cell was tested with real wind and solar inputs, raising possibilities for remote, polar, and space applications. Lightning Round A...

A YouTuber powers his entire home using batteries pulled from disposable vapes. It's an ingenious (if slightly dangerous) recycling project that shows how creative energy storage can get. Germany — the country that started the global solar revolution — actually has worse solar potential than Saskatchewan's darkest month! Still, by inspiring the boom that made solar cheap and widespread, Germany paved the way for countries like China to dominate solar manufacturing today. Join The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for free and get this month's bonus episode! Also this week: coal mines are heating homes in the UK...

Australia's new "solar sharer" program will give every household three hours of free solar power a day—even if they don't have panels! It's a bold experiment to shift energy use to the middle of the day when the sun is strongest. In California, the state quietly pulled the plug on its long-delayed e-bike rebate program, shuffling the remaining funds into clean car subsidies instead. The hosts argue it's a short-sighted move that favors more expensive solutions over the most efficient ones. Meanwhile, South Korea now requires solar canopies over large parking lots nationwide—providing clea...

European automakers are scrambling to form new alliances to dodge massive EU fines for missing EV targets. Tesla sits at the center of an ever-growing web of carbon-credit partnerships, giving traditional automakers a lifeline as they rush to electrify. In the courts, youth-led climate lawsuits are heating up on both sides of the border. Canada is seeing its first-ever federal climate trial — La Rose v. His Majesty the King — arguing that government inaction violates young people's Charter rights. And in the U.S., a recent dismissal of the "kids versus Trump" case may still pave the way for...

Uber Green gets a new name as Uber doubles down on electric rides, the world's largest heat battery comes online in California, a massive new floating twin wind turbine from China smashes records, and California tightens fire safety rules after a major grid battery blaze. Plus, why cold wind actually generates more electricity — and why Kia's newest EV comes with a gasoline-scented air freshener. Brian goes all the way to Boston to see a Paul Thomas Anderson film in VistaVision then gets stranded there thanks to Air Canada. Then we discuss the Blue Jays going to the Wor...

China opens the world's first underwater data center — and it's using 90% less energy. The Boston Housing Authority tries out saddle-shaped window heat pumps that drape over windows like Pringles chips. James's two electric cars — a Chevy Bolt and a Nissan Leaf — both get modern makeovers with fast charging, heat pumps, and vehicle-to-home power. Plus, Delta Airlines bets on hybrid-electric planes — think Prius, but with less legroom.  Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our members-only Discord community and thank-you...

Conservatives actually support climate action. Nigeria goes big on solar, Santiago's air gets cleaner, and renewables finally overtake coal worldwide. Renewables surpassing coal globally for the first time — even in China and India. Nigeria's solar revolution: cheap panels, no diesel noise, and whole villages going solar. Chile's long fight against smog finally paying off — cleaner air for 7.5 million people in Santiago. Why many conservatives quietly support climate action — and what's really holding back their politicians. Lightning Round: Japan's new leader goes all-in on nuclear. Puerto Rico's...

Carrier, the company that invented air conditioning, is now adding batteries to its HVAC systems to help stabilize the grid. James compares clean energy progress in Heilongjiang, China, to the situation in Saskatchewan, Canada, where coal is sticking around until 2050. Meanwhile, developing nations may be scaling back their attendance at COP30 in Brazil due to soaring hotel prices in the Amazon. Join us for free on Patreon for addional content like the hydrogen letter correcting us. We also dig into listener mail, including a detailed correction on hydrogen vs. SMR math, new EV charging options from Grizzl-E...

In this special interview episode, we sit down with economist Brett Dolter to explore the future of clean energy in Saskatchewan and beyond. From the politics of power generation to the technical challenges of renewables in extreme cold, Brett offers a candid and insightful look at what it will take to transition to a greener grid. Brett Dolter is an Associate Professor in the Department of Economics, University of Regina where he teaches courses in climate change policy, microeconomics, cost-benefit analysis, and ecological economics. Brett's research is focused on modelling the costs and consequences of climate and...

The future of batteries—including a surprising chemistry that works all the way down to –50°C. We'll also look at New York City's new speed limit for e-bikes, the world's first driverless truck border crossing, and how a listener in Japan pressed Saskatchewan's premier on renewables. CORRECTION: 600,000 tons of hydrogen does not produce 200 terawatt hours of electricity. It's only 2! AI halucinated and let us down. We appologize. We explore whether Saskatchewan really is "too cold to decarbonize," with insights from researchers like Brett Dolter and Stanford's Mark Z. Jacobson. Plus, we compare the province's energy choices with bold...

A listener letter dives deep into climate despair and tough questions about our future, Newark's historic airport terminal gets an all-electric makeover, and a Canadian teenager fails a driving test because their Tesla was deemed "too high tech." Plus, Norway now boasts more EV charging plugs than fuel nozzles, and we break down what that means for the rest of the world. We also dig into air quality data, Saskatchewan's forest policies, and whether negative emissions like BECCS can play a role in climate solutions. As always, the Lightning Round brings you the latest clean energy headlines—fr...