The Clean Energy Show

Fighting Wind in the USA (Encore)

An encore of episode 275, featuring stories about the forces fighting offshore wind in the United States, the health benefits of cycling, Saskatchewan's decision to keep burning coal until 2050, and a listener taking the province to court over its climate policies. We also look at expiring U.S. clean-energy tax credits, the falling cost of solar, EV charging across Europe, and plenty of clean-energy developments in the Lightning Round. Highlights: • Offshore wind faces a growing wave of lawsuits in the U.S., with fossil-fuel interests and climate-denial groups linked to some of the opposition. • New research finds cycling is associated with lower risks of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. • Saskatchewan plans to continue coal power until 2050, prompting legal action from climate advocates. • U.S. homeowners face expiring clean-energy tax credits, including EV incentives. • A thought experiment looks at what it would cost to power the electrified world with solar. • A European listener explains how charging apps can help EV drivers find the cheapest way to charge. • A listener takes us on an EV road trip through northern Canada with charging available along major highways. • The Lightning Round delivers a rapid-fire look at surging solar and wind generation, batteries, EV adoption, China's clean-energy growth, air pollution, land use, and more. The Lightning Round: Green power surges in the UK, solar reaches new heights in Greece and the Netherlands, California batteries meet a huge share of evening demand, China's battery storage passes 100 GW, EV adoption takes off in Turkey, and a 740,000-kilometre EV proves that even the Canadian North is becoming electric. This is a replay from a year ago — a chance to revisit an episode that shows just how quickly the clean-energy story was already changing. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

The Wind Turbine Built for Almost No Wind

Saskatchewan could save billions by moving away from coal, France debates air conditioning as deadly heat waves intensify, London homes are cracking as drought dries out the city's clay soil, and China builds a wind turbine designed to generate power in places with barely any wind. Plus, cruise ships, solar schools, air ambulances, the surprisingly long history of electric cars, and a packed Lightning Round. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Solar, Solar, Solar!

China's latest donation of solar-and-storage systems to Cuba, a new generation of perovskite-silicon solar panels that could push efficiency well beyond 30%, and an Australian homeowner who has decided the grid is no longer worth the connection fees. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including our monthly bonus podcast out now! • China has donated another 5,000 solar systems to Cuba, this time with significantly more battery storage than the previous batch. • Cuba is also introducing new incentives for renewable energy, including a renewable electricity rate and exemptions from customs duties for solar equipment and other clean-energy technologies. • Tandem PV says its new perovskite-on-silicon solar panel has reached 30.4% efficiency and will go on sale later this year. • The company is aiming for 37% efficiency by 2030 — potentially producing dramatically more electricity from the same physical footprint. • Higher-efficiency panels could mean less land, fewer panels and lower balance-of-system costs, helping make solar even cheaper and accelerating grid decarbonization. • But perovskite-silicon technology still has to prove its long-term durability, bankability and ability to scale up manufacturing. • And in Australia, rooftop solar and cheap batteries are making it possible for some homeowners to seriously consider — or actually abandon — their connection to the electrical grid. • We also talk about a fascinating DIY-style microgrid using solar, repurposed Tesla Model 3 batteries and an electric car to power three rental units. A quick summer episode this week, with a full show coming next week — plus a bonus episode on the way. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Perpetual Motion Solar Car?

California's new "My First EV" rebate is proving that people really do like free money, with the $270 million incentive program already being snapped up. Plus, Clemson University students have built a remarkably lightweight solar-powered EV designed to generate more energy than it uses, and a centuries-old British cheese maker is saving money and cutting emissions with a heat pump that uses warm milk as its heat source. Supplemental material for this episode is posted on our public Patreon page. No need to sign up. This week on The Clean Energy Show: California's $270 million "My First EV" rebate program is being rapidly exhausted, offering $3,500 toward new EVs and $1,750 toward used EVs. Clemson University's Deep Orange 17 solar EV packs more than 1,700 solar cells into its body and weighs just 550 kilograms. The solar car could potentially add about 50 kilometres of range from a typical 20-kilometre urban commute. Barber's Farmhouse Cheesemakers, operating since 1833, is using "milk-source" heat pumps to simultaneously cool milk and heat water. The heat pumps have cut the cheese maker's electricity use in half, saving about $94,000 a year and reducing emissions by nearly 66 tonnes annually. The Philippines is cutting red tape for small self-consumption and zero-export solar installations. More than 7 GW of Chinese solar panels have been imported or are on their way to the Philippines this year. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. E-transfer donations can be made to whittingham.james@gmail.com Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Heatwaves Kill Nuclear & Laos Bans Gas Cars

Extreme heat is disrupting more than just summer vacations. This week, we look at how climate change is forcing nuclear reactors in Europe offline, why heatwaves are delaying commercial flights, and how the International Energy Agency has once again underestimated the speed of the global EV transition. Plus, Laos takes a bold step by banning nearly all new gasoline and diesel car imports. Brian's documentary video and the New York Times story on how things only get worse from here are both free on our pubic Patreon page. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast coming up this week! In This Episode Heatwaves are forcing nuclear power plants across southeastern Europe to reduce output or shut down entirely as drought lowers river levels needed for cooling. Record heat is also disrupting air travel, with some aircraft forced to leave passengers behind because hot, thin air reduces lift. The International Energy Agency raises its global EV forecast, now expecting electric vehicles to account for 29% of worldwide new car sales this year. Emerging markets including India, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam and South Korea are driving the next wave of EV adoption. Laos bans imports of nearly all new gasoline and diesel passenger vehicles while expanding EV incentives and charging infrastructure. Wildfires continue to devastate parts of the northwestern United States. The Lightning Round Australia reaches 500,000 home batteries and is installing roughly 2,000 more every day. Burying Austin's power lines would cost an estimated $50 billion. China's coal generation remains high, but electricity demand has grown even faster. 29 countries have now installed more than 10 GW of solar power. Solar supplied nearly 16% of Texas electricity in May. The episode wraps up with a sobering look at what today's 1.4°C warmer world is already bringing—and why the decisions we make now will determine how much worse it becomes. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

A Whole Country Could Burn

Many countries are dealing with unprecidented wildfires this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Fire Weather author John Vaillant says entire countries could burn in the coming years as the world warms. Balcony solar finally arrives in the UK, making plug-in solar panels available to millions of apartment dwellers and renters. California's new $3,500 rebate program designed to help first-time EV buyers make the switch to electric. Plus, we look at a major upgrade to one of Europe's most important pumped hydro energy storage facilities. This Week Brian and James catch up on wildfire smoke, summer travel, storm insurance claims, and the latest heatwaves across Europe. The UK legalizes plug-in balcony solar systems, opening rooftop-free solar to renters and apartment residents while paving the way for plug-in home batteries. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/23/uk-households-free-install-plug-in-balcony-solar-panels July 2026 is becoming one of the worst wildfire months ever recorded. We discuss the fires sweeping Canada and Europe, hear from Fire Weather author John Vaillant, and explain how climate-driven "weather whiplash" is fueling larger and more destructive megafires. Watch CBC Vancouver's full John Vaillant interview on Patreon for free: https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod California launches its new "My First EV" program, offering a $3,500 rebate to first-time electric vehicle buyers after the end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit. https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/california-rebate-ev-buyers Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media

Now Cheaper for Chinese Drivers to Take a Taxi

Brian broadcasts from Montreal while James holds down the fort as the Clean Energy Show dives into another week of climate and clean energy news. This episode explores Canada's worsening wildfire seasons, Honda's surprising new AI-powered electric lawnmower, Europe's struggle to adapt to deadly heatwaves, and why it's now cheaper to take an electric taxi in China than drive your own gas car. Plus, former NOAA scientists resurrect U.S. climate data after government cuts. 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! In this episode: Brian reports from Montreal. Honda unveils a $33,000 autonomous electric commercial lawnmower. Why Canada's wildfire seasons are becoming larger and more destructive. The surprising truth about lightning vs. human-caused wildfires. Smoke from Canadian fires impacts air quality across North America. Europe's heatwaves expose a long-standing reluctance to embrace air conditioning. Alberta plans to end seasonal clock changes. Why electric taxis in China now undercut the cost of driving a paid-off gasoline car. Former NOAA scientists launch Climate.us after Climate.gov disappears. The Lightning Round Ukrainian attacks cripple over half of Russia's oil refining capacity. Most Americans now connect extreme weather with climate change. China's grid batteries can shift 21% of its solar generation. CATL prepares mass production of sodium-ion batteries. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Smarter Cooling Is On the Way

Electric vehicles continue their remarkable rise around the world, and this week we take a look at the latest global trends from the IEA to see just how far the transition has come since The Clean Energy Show launched in 2020. We also explore new ways to keep the power grid stable during dangerous heat waves, why solar power just hit another major milestone in the United States, and the UK's new mileage-based road tax for EVs. Plus, Brian records this episode from beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, at one of Canada's most sustainable hotels. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast! This Week on The Clean Energy Show Brian records from Victoria's eco-friendly Inn at Laurel Point and its innovative ocean-water heat pump system. The IEA's latest Global EV Outlook shows electric vehicles continuing their rapid global growth since 2020. California wins another legal battle over cleaner commercial heating equipment. Practical ways to keep your home cooler during increasingly intense heat waves. Solar generates more U.S. electricity than coal for the first time ever. New York pilots home batteries that power window air conditioners while reducing peak electricity demand. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026.

Climate Change's Deadly Fish Problem

Delhi is taking one of the world's biggest steps toward cleaner transportation by banning new gas-powered rickshaws and motorcycles, while Great Britain approves its first new pumped hydro projects in four decades—including one connected to the legendary Loch Ness. Plus, climate change is driving a dangerous invasive puffer fish into the Mediterranean, and the Lightning Round returns with the week's biggest clean energy and climate stories. Join us on Patreon for exciting perks! In this episode: Delhi bans new gas rickshaws starting in 2027 and fossil fuel scooters and motorcycles in 2028 as it ramps up EV charging infrastructure. Great Britain approves its first new pumped hydro projects in 40 years, bringing long-duration energy storage back into the spotlight. Greece offers a bounty on invasive toxic puffer fish as warming seas reshape marine ecosystems. Why pumped hydro acts like a giant battery—and why it's becoming important again. The Lightning Round Germany records thousands of excess deaths during the late-June heat wave. UK heatwave leaves millions struggling to sleep. U.S. car payments hit a record high. CATL rapidly expands battery swapping for heavy-duty trucks. More than 20 wind turbines damaged by extreme winds in South Dakota. What remains of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. China's electric cargo ship fleet continues rapid growth. Pakistan's rooftop solar boom forces the cancellation of LNG imports. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media

Deadly Heat Waves Only Get Worse From Here

Thousands are dying in Europe on the fifth anniversary of the heat dome that killed hundreds on the West Coast of Canada. James argues we have to act to prevent deaths as these heat wave get more intense with climate change. Toyota is blaming high gas prices for falling sales even as its EV sales surge, heat pumps are rapidly catching up to traditional air conditioners, and Europe is battling another deadly heat wave. We also look at innovative ways cities are adapting to extreme temperatures, including Paris' growing district cooling network powered by the Seine. Highlights from Episode 318 Toyota's global sales decline continues, with the company citing high gasoline prices while EV sales jump 170% year-over-year. Five years after the deadly Pacific Northwest heat dome, we revisit the lessons learned and discuss what communities can do to better protect vulnerable people during extreme heat events. Europe's early summer heat wave may already have caused more than 1,300 excess deaths, according to the WHO. Why heat pumps are on track to outsell conventional air conditioners and why they may be the smartest cooling investment for homeowners. Paris is expanding its innovative district cooling system, using water from the Seine to help reduce electricity use and emissions while keeping buildings comfortable. Brian talks about the rammed earth Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and his rammed earth cottage delays. James shares a hospital story and an update involving solar panels and an insurance company that disappeared. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

The Future of $1,000 Home Batteries (Encore)

What happens when batteries become so cheap that every home can afford one? In this encore episode, Brian and James explore a future where ultra-low-cost batteries transform the electric grid, eliminate blackouts, and make renewable energy even more powerful. They also take a look at a hydrogen-powered bicycle unveiled in Europe and ask whether hydrogen has any future in personal transportation. Plus, Paris slashes air pollution ahead of the Olympic Games, Italy unveils a plan to support clean energy and food security in Africa, and Ford opens EV sales to all of its dealerships. In The Lightning Round: Canadian EV sales surge, solar power keeps breaking records, oil demand faces an uncertain future, Switzerland votes for more solar, and China's renewable energy investments reach staggering levels. All that and more on this encore presentation of The Clean Energy Show. Donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=VMDCRPHLNR8YE For updates on James's operation, see our free Patreon page: https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

The Hidden Cost of Hailstorms and Climate Change

James is recovering from surgery so here's a shortened version of last week's bonus episode for our Patreon supporters. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks! First, Brian says he's maintaining a nearly 300-day Wordle streak and why a simple word puzzle can become an unexpected source of anxiety. Then things get much more serious as James recounts a destructive hailstorm that hit his neighborhood. The conversation turns to insurance claims, climate change, and the growing financial impact of increasingly extreme weather events. The guys also revisit China's auto market, where gasoline-only vehicles continue to lose ground. New sales data shows EVs, plug-in hybrids, and range-extended electric vehicles now dominate the country's best-selling models, highlighting how quickly the market is changing. Staying with China, Brian and James discuss BYD's plans for Canada and the company's move to bring its ultra-fast flash-charging network north of the border. Could Canadian EV drivers soon see charging speeds that rival a gas station stop? Finally, they head to Finland, where waste heat from Microsoft data centers is being captured and used to warm entire communities. It's a fascinating example of how creative energy solutions can turn a problem into a resource. Plus: weather complaints, technology tangents, and the usual bonus-show chaos. Thank you for supporting The Clean Energy Show through Patreon. Your support helps keep the show independent and growing. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

FIFA's World Cup 2026 Climate Problem

China's EV revolution is delivering a surprising health benefit. New research suggests electric vehicles have cut air pollution enough to prevent an estimated 262,000 premature deaths, while gas-powered vehicles have completely disappeared from China's top ten best-selling vehicle rankings. The 2026 FIFA World Cup may face an unexpected opponent: extreme heat. New analysis suggests players, fans, and organizers could all be challenged by rising temperatures and humidity across host cities in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico. California's first major eight-hour battery storage facility is now online, providing a glimpse of how solar power could keep the lights on long after sunset and helping pave the way toward a fossil-free electricity grid. Move over agrivoltaics. Researchers in Denmark are exploring offshore wind-aquaculture, using wind farm areas to grow seaweed that could become food, animal feed, and industrial materials while making better use of ocean space. We also hear from Eric in California about municipal utilities and why some communities pay far less for electricity than customers served by large investor-owned utilities. In the Lightning Round: a major uranium enrichment expansion in the United States, an advanced microreactor reaches a key milestone, questions emerge about a much-hyped battery startup, BYD's rapid expansion in Mexico, synthetic aviation fuel, a massive new transmission line linking Quebec and New York City, Waymo's latest acquisition, and more. Plus, Brian reports from Waterton Lakes National Park, James talks about a recent high school presentation, and we discuss why fossil fuels are increasingly looking like a national security risk while renewable energy keeps getting cheaper. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

The "Cloud Edge Effect" on Solar Panels

The surprising solar phenomenon called the "cloud edge effect" shows how panels can sometimes generate more power than their rated capacity. Also this week: a new wildfire study reveals that while fewer hectares are burning globally, the fires that do occur are increasingly hitting wealthy, populated areas—causing far greater economic damage. And France's nuclear utility EDF is considering adding cooling towers to some reactors as climate change warms rivers and challenges plant operations. Join the Clean Club on Patreon for exciting perks including our always-entertaining monthly bonus podcast! In This Episode: North America's grid enters summer in stronger shape than last year Why solar and batteries are improving reliability across the U.S. Saskatchewan remains at risk during extreme heat events The Philippines experiences explosive rooftop solar growth Why solar can occasionally exceed its rated output The "cloud edge effect" explained Wildfires are burning less land but causing more destruction Canada records another year of extreme wildfire emissions How climate change is affecting nuclear power operations in France EDF's plans to climate-proof its reactors and hydro assets Lightning Round: Australians are illegally connecting portable home batteries Tesla patents a camera-cleaning system for self-driving cars China's flying car industry takes another step forward Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Giant Thermal Battery Goes Live in South Dakota

From Americans now being able to use healthcare savings accounts to buy e-bikes, to a massive new 5 GWh thermal battery project in South Dakota that stores renewable electricity as heat inside giant carbon blocks. James and Brian also discuss the UK's record May heatwave and growing calls for air conditioning in schools and care homes as climate change pushes temperatures higher. 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! The guys also explore why rooftop solar is exploding in Pakistan while prices remain stubbornly high in Canada, and they react to listener mail from a Chevy Bolt owner who received an oil change reminder for an EV with "0% oil life remaining." In the Lightning Round: Cuba begins installing turbines at its largest-ever wind farm Tesla launches "Quiet Charging Zones" at some Superchargers Africa ramps up domestic solar panel manufacturing China-built car exports to Europe surge EVs are expected to hit 28% of global new car sales in 2026 Waymo pauses freeway robotaxi trips over construction-zone issues India surpasses the United States in EV adoption rates Why even an EV powered entirely by coal can still beat a gas car on emissions Plus, James shares a shocking comparison between lead pollution during the Flint water crisis and 1970s Los Angeles that helped shape Brian's environmental worldview. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Rogue Solar Bigger than the Grid

Pakistan's booming rooftop solar "shadow grid" has quietly grown larger than the country's official grid, saving billions while slashing fossil fuel imports. They also look at the staggering costs of keeping aging coal plants alive in the U.S., including millions spent just to maintain shutdown-ready facilities. Plus: a groundbreaking Inuit-owned hydro project replacing diesel power in the Arctic, bats vs. wind turbines, EV sales exploding in Canada, China's battery charging buildout, and why hailstorms are becoming a major challenge for solar farms. 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! Topics this week include: Pakistan's massive solar "shadow grid" now bigger than the official grid - end of show! Trump-era coal plant extensions costing hundreds of millions Coal pollution reducing global solar output Inuit-owned hydro project cuts Arctic diesel use by 80% Researchers study how bats interact with wind turbines OPEC instability and what oil prices mean for the energy transition DOJ investigates emissions-tuning car app data BYD rapidly expanding ultra-fast charging stations Denmark hits nearly 82% EV sales Texas adding 12.9 GW of grid batteries this year Renewables overtake natural gas on the U.S. grid for the first time Hailstorms become the top cause of solar insurance losses XPeng predicts Level 5 self-driving by 2030 The Lightning Round covers drone strikes on nuclear infrastructure, floating solar over manure lagoons, sodium batteries, Ukraine targeting Russian oil infrastructure, and more. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Organized Crime Targets Solar

In Chile, organized crime gangs are now stealing solar panels and copper wiring from giant solar farms in coordinated nighttime raids. James explains how Saskatchewan could spend over $520 million a year on coal fuel alone — enough money to build massive amounts of solar and battery storage every single year instead. In Ohio, voters accidentally upheld a renewable energy ban because the ballot wording was nearly impossible to understand. Buy us a coffee Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks! Plus: China donates 5,000 solar systems to Cuba during ongoing blackouts, the EPA blames Asian pollution for smog in Phoenix and Salt Lake City, Vestas tests red wind turbine blades to reduce bird collisions, Norway hits nearly 99% EV adoption, and Amsterdam bans fossil fuel advertising. Also in the Lightning Round: giant Alaskan tsunamis, Ozempic crushing junk food sales, Meta's Manhattan-sized AI data center, rooftop solar for dairy barns, and why heat pump dryers are secretly amazing. The Lightning Round includes: Norway reaches 98.6% EV market share BYD adds LiDAR to a $10K EV Used EV searches double in Canada Meta plans 10 new gas plants for AI expansion Amsterdam bans meat and fossil fuel ads Heat pump dryers use up to 60% less electricity Ozempic may already be reshaping freight demand The IEA says the fossil fuel era may never recover after the current oil shock Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

The Plan to Phaseout Fossil Fuels; Hospital Emissions

A global climate meeting in Colombia brings together mostly Global South nations, Europe, and Canada to talk seriously about ending fossil fuels—without binding agreements, but with real momentum. France goes further than anyone else, announcing a full phase-out by 2050. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon! CATL signs a massive 60 GWh deal and says sodium-ion batteries are ready for prime time—cheaper, longer-lasting, and ideal for grid-scale use. Hospitals are a bigger climate problem than you think. One Australian doctor is tackling single-use waste and high-emission anesthetic gases like nitrous oxide, which can be hundreds of times more potent than CO₂. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-04/the-doctor-fighting-medicine-s-addiction-to-plastic-waste "Guerrilla solar" is booming in the Philippines as frustrated customers bypass slow permitting to install rooftop systems—raising both safety concerns and questions about red tape. Listener Mail: EV charging from street lamps is coming to Washington, DC. Lightning Round highlights: • BYD sales shift globally • Alberta adds a solar panel tax • EVs saving Canadian households hundreds per month • Wind + solar beating nuclear on cost https://www.theenergymix.com/renewables-mix-beats-nuclear-on-price-in-future-energy-systems/ • UK solar installs surge • Texas hits nearly 2/3 solar power at peak Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

• Transcript

OPEC Splits Because of Clean Energy Trajectory

Episode 309 starts with cracks forming inside OPEC as clean energy and EV adoption begin to reshape global oil demand. We look at why producers may rush to sell while they still can, then shift to fusion power timelines that are still far off, a transit upgrade that paid for itself in months—not years—and Spain's grid proving renewables weren't to blame for its massive blackout. Plus, how LEDs quietly crushed one of the biggest sources of household electricity use. Commonwealth Fusion Systems applying to connect a 400 MW plant Planned for Virginia's "Data Center Alley" Would serve part of the PJM grid (65M+ people) Timeline: not anytime soon BART Gates Pay Off in 6 Months $90M upgrade to new fare gates Expected 9-year payback → actually 6 months Story: https://growsf.org/news/2026-02-12-bart-fare-gates-10-million/ Spain's Blackout: Renewables Cleared 2025 blackout initially blamed on solar Lightning Round Lithium supply more than sufficient EV buses: 56% of EU sales Oslo road deaths ~1/year after redesign India skipping coal boom thanks to cheap renewables Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

ANOTHER Battery Breakthrough to Save the Planet

A major shift in the global energy transition: clean power is now growing fast enough to meet all new electricity demand, while EVs are hitting price parity (and even beating gas cars) in key markets. Add in CATL's new breakthrough battery tech and cold-climate innovations, and the transition is clearly accelerating. 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! Highlights: Clean energy met 100% of new electricity demand in 2025, with solar doing most of the heavy lifting https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/21/clean-energy-generation-exceeded-rise-global-electricity-demand-2025 EV milestone: in the UK, electric cars are now cheaper than gas vehicles upfront, with strong sales growth University of Saskatchewan researchers develop a frost-resistant heat pump with big efficiency gains https://news.usask.ca/articles/research/2026/young-innovators-usask-researcher-discovering-frost-free-heating-solutions.php Battery wars heat up: BYD's ultra-fast charging vs CATL's lighter, longer-range next-gen batteries Humanoid robot beats human half-marathon record (we're fine… probably) Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.