Podcasts about decarbonisation

ARENA’s ReWired podcast is back for a new season, with ‘Aussies in the ARENA’ spotlighting the Australians turning big clean energy ideas into real-world impact. In this episode, host Danny Kennedy speaks about what it takes to decarbonise industry with special guests: Tanya Hodgson, Investment Associate Director, Heavy Industry Portfolio at ARENA Michael Parks, Global Director of Sustainability at Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) Together, they discuss why industry matters to Australia’s journey to net zero, the technologies helping reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors and how regional projects can create learnings that travel beyond one site. Episode links ARENA’s Powering the Regions Industrial Transformation Stream: https://arena.gov.au/funding/powering-the-regions-industrial-transformation-stream/ TWE Barossa Decarbonisation Project: https://arena.gov.au/projects/twe-barossa-decarbonisation-project/ ReWired podcast: https://arena.gov.au/rewired-podcast/ Season episodes: https://arena.gov.au/rewired-podcast/season-5/ Subscribe to ReWired: https://omny.fm/shows/rewired/ Acronyms ARENA: Australian Renewable Energy Agency ITS: Industrial Transformation Stream DRI: Direct reduced iron GDP: Gross domestic product IGCC: Investor Group on Climate Change TWE: Treasury Wine Estates FMCG: Fast-moving consumer goods H2: Hydrogen LPG: Liquefied petroleum gas R&D: Research and development See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Get in touch - leave me a messageSoil health is starting to look less like an environmental side issue and more like infrastructure. The real question is whether regenerative agriculture can improve resilience and economics without asking farmers to absorb years of financial pain.My guest is Tim Weaver of Holganix, working at the intersection of soil health, regenerative agriculture and measurable environmental outcomes. We look at the pressures farmers and companies already recognise: volatile fertiliser costs, water scarcity, supply-chain risk, and the growing demand for credible soil carbon claims rather than estimates and greenwash.We examine what changes when soil outcomes can be measured using cores, probes, farm equipment data and satellite imagery; why AI still depends on having enough reliable data underneath it; and whether water may ultimately matter more than carbon. We also challenge the assumption that regenerative agriculture necessarily means lower profitability before the benefits arrive.Listen now to understand why soil is moving from the sustainability conversation into the risk, finance and infrastructure conversation, and what that could mean for farmers, companies and investors.Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.Support the showPodcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:Anita KrajncCecilia SkarupaBen GrossJerry SweeneyAndreas WernerStephen CarrollRoger ArnoldAnd remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

Host: Tom Angus, Director of Conferences, Decarb ConnectGuest: Clay Bedwell, Associate Director of Platform and Partnerships, 3DegreesFor years, ambitious corporate renewable energy goals were built on simple targets and Excel spreadsheets. Today, those programs have expanded into complex portfolios spanning physical PPAs, virtual PPAs, spot RECs, green tariffs, and behind-the-meter solar across multiple jurisdictions. What was once a straightforward procurement task has quietly turned into a persistent drain on internal time, budget, and risk capacity.In this episode, Clay Bedwell outlines why software automation alone cannot solve modern portfolio friction, why customer revenue protection is redefining how organizations buy energy, and how sustainability teams can build a compelling case for portfolio risk management to skeptical CFOs.Key TakeawaysWhy corporate renewable portfolios have outgrown traditional spreadsheets.As organizations accumulate multiple contract types and counterparty arrangements, manual reconciliation becomes unmanageable. Escalating demands from internal stakeholders (spanning P&L impact queries from finance, audit preparation from sustainability, and target reporting from leadership) mean manual data aggregation is no longer operational.Customer revenue protection as a new driver for renewable allocation.Corporate buyers are no longer procuring renewable energy solely to meet internal target metrics. Using an example from the metals sector, Clay illustrates how commercial customers increasingly demand specific, audited renewable allocations before purchasing products. Demonstrating compliance at the customer level has transformed procurement into a tool for safeguarding revenue.The critical pairing of software platforms with human trading expertise.While software excels at routine PPA hygiene (such as invoice validation, production tracking, and contract management) it falls short during non-standard edge cases. Managing complex counterparty events, such as developer insolvencies or contract restructuring, requires direct market relationships and real-world trading experience alongside digital tools.How to frame the business case for skeptical CFOs.Repeatable financial value rarely comes from chasing quick, one-off PPA savings. Instead, the core ROI lies in portfolio risk management: stress-testing downside scenarios, evaluating long-term contract strips, and providing financial leadership with the confidence to scale programs responsibly as standards evolve.Navigating policy shifts and future-proofing buying strategies.With upcoming changes to the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard and GHG Protocol Scope 2 guidance, corporate buyers must shift from short-term compliance mindsets to long-term strategic planning. Early adopters are moving away from bloated PPA exposure toward structured portfolio risk models and 24/7 carbon-free energy tracking.LinksConnect with Tom Angus on LinkedIn and discover how to engage with the Decarb Connect community.Connect with Clay Bedwell on LinkedIn.Learn more about 3Degrees Meridian.Sign up for the Decarb Connect Newsletter: Industrial EdgeLearn more about Industrial Connect Group's global events and membership network. 

Get in touch - leave me a messageCheap solar, batteries and EVs are no longer merely cleaner alternatives. Their falling costs are undermining fossil-fuel economics, and leaders may be misjudging the speed of that shift.My guest is Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and a long-time IPCC contributor whose work has focused on cities, transport and automobile dependence. We examine how China's manufacturing scale is turning clean technology from a policy ambition into mass-market competition, while tariffs and legacy planning risk slowing adoption elsewhere.We look at why cities are the decisive arena: where renewable power, transit, density and affordable housing either reinforce one another or remain disconnected. We also challenge the assumption that EV charging will remain the infrastructure problem, and ask when petrol and diesel networks themselves become the constraint.Listen now to understand how clean-technology economics is changing fossil-fuel risk, and what cities, businesses and policymakers need to get right before the shift accelerates. Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.Support the showPodcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:Anita KrajncCecilia SkarupaBen GrossJerry SweeneyAndreas WernerStephen CarrollRoger ArnoldAnd remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

The race to decarbonise logistics is gathering pace—but can ports become one of the industry's biggest catalysts for change?In this episode of Logistics Business Conversations, we speak with John Trenchard, Vice President of Sustainable International Supply Chains Europe at DP World, to explore how innovative port incentives, carbon inset programmes and low-carbon transport initiatives are helping reduce emissions across the supply chain.From shifting freight from road to rail and rewarding cleaner transport choices, to trialling electric trucks, HVO fuel and carbon accounting for Scope 3 emissions, John explains how practical incentives are encouraging businesses to embrace more sustainable logistics without compromising efficiency.We also discuss why collaboration across ports, carriers and cargo owners is essential, how carbon inset credits are changing the way companies measure supply chain emissions, and why progress—not perfection—is the key to achieving meaningful decarbonisation.If you're interested in sustainable logistics, freight transport, carbon reduction or the future of greener supply chains, this is an episode you won't want to miss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Get in touch - leave me a messageCarbon accounting can send companies straight at the wrong problem. A visible sustainability initiative may feel productive while the real emissions hotspot sits in raw materials, product design or the supply chain.My guest is John Beath, CEO and Chief Technical Director of John Beath Environmental, whose work in lifecycle assessment helps companies test assumptions before they commit money, engineering effort or supplier changes. The stakes are practical: get the system boundary wrong, and a product carbon footprint can misdirect investment rather than improve it.We examine why Scope 3 emissions so often dwarf what happens inside the factory, why bio-based or recycled materials are not automatically the lower-carbon choice, and what leaders miss when durability, reverse logistics or avoided emissions are left out. We also unpack the solar-panel case where the presumed hotspot was silicon—but the decisive intervention was elsewhere.Listen now to understand how better lifecycle assessment can expose the carbon decisions that matter most—and stop your organisation spending heavily on fixes that barely move the needle.Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.Support the showPodcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:Anita KrajncCecilia SkarupaBen GrossJerry SweeneyAndreas WernerStephen CarrollRoger ArnoldAnd remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

In this episode recorded at Posidonia 2026 you'll hear from Julian Bulan with Bureau Veritas about the shipping industry's challenge of greenhouse gas reduction.In conversation with Seatrade Maritime News' Emma Howell he explains how Bureau Veritas supports ship owners in navigating regulatory frameworks, ensuring compliance, and improving data accuracy for emissions reporting.The episode also delves the importance of innovation, technology, and the evolving role of data in driving sustainability within maritime operations.Listen to the full conversation to learn more aboutBureau Veritas and GHG reductionRegulatory developmentsThe verifier role in emissions dataEnsuring data accuracyAddressing conflicting requirementsCybersecurity and data managementLNG as a marine fuelPreparing for future GHG rulesIf you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to ensure you don't miss our latest uploads. Feel free also to recommend the show to a friend or colleague that you think would enjoy it. For the latest news on the shipping and maritime industries, visit www.searade-maritime.com.Don't forget to join the conversation and let us know what topics you want us to cover in future on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn

Get in touch - leave me a messageBattery storage is getting cheaper, but the data used to trade and operate it may be badly wrong. When forecasts miss, penalties stack, warranties get messy, and returns can quietly unravel.My guest is Ash Vats of 3E, who works on battery intelligence for utility-scale assets. We look at the gap between what a battery management system reports and what the hardware can actually deliver - a gap with direct consequences for grid reliability, revenue and asset life.We examine why some battery sites show faults before day one, how state-of-charge estimates can be materially wrong, and why operators - not traders alone - need to shape commercial decisions. We also unpack what changes when owners, asset managers and traders stop working from three different versions of the same asset.Listen now to understand what is really limiting battery storage returns, and how better operational intelligence can recover capacity, reduce commercial risk and improve long-term performance.Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.Support the showPodcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:Anita KrajncCecilia SkarupaBen GrossJerry SweeneyAndreas WernerStephen CarrollRoger ArnoldAnd remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.

This bonus episode expands on the themes discussed in Episode 5 by providing a practical example of how energy resilience strategies are implemented at the local level. The discussion focuses on Switzerland's requirements for large energy consumers, organisations that exceed defined thresholds for electricity or heat consumption and are therefore subject to specific obligations to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions. The guests explain the regulatory pathways available, including target agreements, energy audits, and cantonal agreements, highlighting how requirements can vary across Switzerland's 26 cantons. Ultimately, the case study reinforces a central theme of the series: global challenges require locally informed solutions, and energy resilience depends on balancing regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability goals. Guest quotes: Mariarosaria Gagliotti: “By meeting the definition of a large energy consumer, the company is obligated to take action, implementing reasonable measures to optimise energy consumption.” Sofiane Kessouar: “The LEED certification provides a framework for designing, constructing and operating highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings.” Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction to the Swiss energy resilience case study 00:01:11 – Defining large energy consumers in Switzerland 00:02:13 – Legal obligations for energy efficiency and emissions reduction 00:02:31 – Regulatory compliance pathways and available options 00:03:31 – Choosing the most appropriate compliance strategy 00:04:09 – Single-site versus multi-site considerations 00:04:54 – Understanding Switzerland's cantonal structure 00:05:22 – Local regulations and sustainable construction leadership 00:05:55 – Introduction to LEED certification 00:06:31 – Benefits of green building standards 00:07:06 – Key LEED certification categories 00:07:39 – Lower operating costs and environmental benefits 00:07:57 – Reflections on local expertise and real-world case studies 00:08:06 – Closing remarks and the value of global collaboration Sponsor Copy Rethinking EHS is brought to you by the Inogen Alliance. Inogen Alliance is a global network of 70+ companies providing environment, health, safety, and sustainability services, working together to provide one point of contact to guide multinational organizations to meet their global commitments locally. Visit inogenalliance.com to learn more. --- Links https://Inogenalliance.com/resources https://Inogenalliance.com/podcast Produced by Madcontent.co.nz  

Recorded at Posidonia 2026 in Greece, this episode of the Seatrade Maritime podcast features correspondent Gary Howard in conversation with Maria Kyratsoudi, business development director, Greece, at ABS.Together they explore how Greek shipowners are responding to tightening IMO and EU regulations, and why energy efficiency and performance optimisation are taking priority over early bets on alternative fuels.In this episode:ABS as “Greece's trusted class” How ABS's role has evolved from traditional classification to technical and sustainability advisor.Expanded engineering, sustainability, and advisory capabilities for Greek clients.Newbuilding trends in the Greek fleetStrong increase in tanker, VLCC/Suezmax, and bulk carrier orders, with LNG and LPG also in the mix.How owners are aligning fleet renewal with regulatory and commercial pressures.Decarbonisation and regulation: IMO + EU Why Greek owners are looking at the combined impact of IMO and EU rules rather than single regulations in isolation.The drive for energy efficiency upgrades, fuel readiness, and robust compliance documentation.Efficiency first, fuels later Why the immediate focus is on energy efficiency and performance optimisation for both newbuilds and retrofits.Making vessels more commercially attractive through measurable real‑world gains.Digitalisation and data How regulatory demands for accurate data are pushing pragmatic adoption of digital tools.The link between digitalisation and decarbonisation, and using performance data to support charterers and financiers.

Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.comIs India's net zero push real, or just clever PR? Arun Kumar of Asia Research and Engagement joins the podcast to explain why the greenwashing era is ending and why decarbonisation now wins on cost, not sentiment. We dig into the hard-to-abate sectors, green steel and cement, alongside power, coal, renewables, carbon markets, corporate PPAs and how Indian banks are pricing climate transition risk. Essential listening for anyone in climate finance, energy transition and sustainable investment across India and the wider Asia Pacific.Ref.: Asia Research and Engagement Group, ARE's Asia Transition PlatformABOUT ARUN: Arun Kumar is a Strategic Advisor at Asia Research and Engagement (ARE), a Singapore-headquartered organisation whose collaborative platform connects institutional investors with large listed companies to accelerate the energy transition. His focus spans the highest market-cap companies in hard-to-abate sectors, Power, Cement, Steel and Automobiles, plus Banks and financial institutions. A recognised expert in India's power sector with over 30 years of experience, Arun brings deep expertise across power trading, management consulting and equity research. He has held senior positions at PTC India, HSBC, KPMG and CRISIL, advising investors, policymakers, regulators and corporates on critical aspects of the energy sector. His work spans Asia, the US, Europe and India. Arun holds a Master's in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics and an MBA from IMI Delhi, plus an advanced certification in Cloud Computing, Data Analytics and Blockchain from IIT Madras.Recommendations:Climate Capitalism by Akshat Rathi: A Bloomberg journalist's ground-level account of how clean technologies, from China's electric cars and batteries to solar, wind and green steel, are becoming commercially viable and profitable.  https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/akshat-rathi/climate-capitalism/9781529329957/ Value(s): Building a Better World for All by Mark Carney: The former Bank of England governor and current Canadian Prime Minister argues that finance and markets must be steered by human values rather than price alone. https://books.google.com/books/about/Value_s.html?id=Jz6XzQEACAAJHOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi's La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.

Host: Alex Cameron, Founder & CEO, Industrial Connect Group LtdGuest: Grant Budge, CEO, PeroCycleEurope spent somewhere between eight and ten billion euros on hydrogen and CCS projects over the last decade. Grant Budge's rough calculation is that the same capital, deployed into carbon capture and utilisation, could have been removing three to six million tonnes of CO2 per year by now. Instead, we have a handful of projects that never crossed the line and an industry still arguing about infrastructure that doesn't exist. Grant was there for CCS v1.0. He knows why it stalled, and he has a clear view on what we keep getting wrong, as well as what could help drive the right capital to the right tech. PeroCycle is CEO of a team converting CO2 into carbon monoxide on site, no pipeline, no offsite infrastructure, negative cost of carbon abatement on a DRI steel plant at current European energy prices. That's the claim. In this episode, Grant walks through how they got there, what could still break it, and why the deeper problem in industrial decarbonization isn't the technology at all.Key Takeaways1.     Why large corporate balance sheets have been part of the problem, not the solution. The assumption that big companies with big balance sheets would lead deployment shaped a decade of policy. Grant explains why that logic kept failing, and what it meant for the technologies that got backed as a result.2.     The real reason hydrogen and CCS absorbed so much capital for so little output. It wasn't just bad technology choices. Grant traces it back to how the direction was set in the first place, and who was driving that conversation.3.     What a global database of validated decarbonization technologies would actually change. Right now, an industrial company trying to compare options has no independent source to go to. Grant makes the case for why that gap exists, who could fill it, and what it would have meant if it had existed ten years ago.4.     How PeroCycle moved from a cost of plus $50-60 per tonne of CO2 abated to minus $80. The engineering decisions behind that shift, and what they tell you about where most tech developers are leaving value on the table.5.     The stage gate that will make or break the business case. Scaling to the steel sector means a first-of-kind plant costing $250-300 million for a pre-revenue startup. Grant explains the strategy for getting there without that number killing the story with investors.6.     Why nickel and glass might matter more to PeroCycle right now than steel. The biggest market isn't always the right first market. Grant's thinking on this is worth hearing by anyone building deep tech for heavy industry.7.     What investors actually want to see from industrial tech companies at TRL 4-5. Grant has been on both sides of this conversation. His read on what separates companies that keep the conversation alive from those that get screened out early is direct and practical.Links: ·       Follow Alex Cameron on LinkedIn and find how to get involved with the membership and work of Decarb Connect·       Connect with Grant Budge, CEO, PeroCycle·       Find out more about Perocycle and its projects·       Join Alex and a network of hardtech investors and series B+ tech disruptors at Decarb TechInvest in Boston (September 2025)·       Sign up for our newsletter Want to learn more about Decarb Connect?We provide insights and introductions that derisk decision-making and support industrial leaders in deploying decarbonization and low carbon product strategy. Our global membership platform, events and facilitated introductions support commercial decarb planning and business models around the world. Our clients include the most energy-intensive industrials from cement, metals and mining, glass, ceramics, chemicals, O&G and many more along with technology disruptors, investors and advisors.  If you enjoyed this conversation, find out about our portfolio of events in US, Canada, UK and Europe – or explore our Decarbonisation Leaders Network (DLN), and learn why more than 200 members from the energy-intensive sectors have joined to share insights, meet partners who can accelerate their plans and why it's the most valuable network of its kind.   

Jimmy Summers, vice president of environment, health and safety, and chief sustainability officer at Elevate Textiles, talks with Innovation Forum's Niamh Campbell about the financial barriers to decarbonising the apparel sector. They discuss why decades of falling clothing prices have made sustainability harder to fund, and what systemic solutions could create a genuine race to the top.

Serge Younes is Global Head of Sustainability at Invest Industrial. With a PhD in renewable energy and decades of experience in both consulting and private equity, he brings a technical and commercial grounding that shapes how he works with portfolio companies. In this episode, he joins Jenn to talk about what it actually takes to make sustainability land in a business and what the head of sustainability role might look like in ten years' time.Useful Links:Follow Serge on LinkedIn hereFind out more about Invest Industrial hereRead Serge's book recommendation: The Invention of Nature by Andrea WulfClick here for the episode web page. This episode is also available on YouTube.For more insights straight to your inbox subscribe to the Future in Sight newsletter, and follow us on LinkedInThis podcast is brought to you by Re:Co, a tech-powered advisory company helping private market investors pursue sustainability objectives and value creation in tandem. Produced by Chris AttawayArtwork by Harriet RichardsonMusic by Cody Martin

Get in touch - leave me a messageAI isn't weightless. Every model, token, and workflow sits on land, water, power, heat, and governance choices.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Sophia Mendelsohn, who leads SAP's Global Sustainability Platform. We look at AI not as abstract software, but as physical infrastructure with real consequences for climate tech, decarbonisation, the energy transition, policy, and the businesses racing to use it.You'll hear why data centres now sit at the centre of the sustainability conversation. Treat AI as “just software” and you defer the hard questions: where the power comes from, how water is used, how communities respond, and who is accountable when emissions reduction promises meet infrastructure reality.We dig into how sustainability teams can move beyond PDFs and carbon accounting, and into procurement, supplier data, financial planning, and board-level AI decisions. Scope 3 comes up too - including the awkward truth that asking suppliers for data does not mean you'll get usable answers.You might be shocked by how AI could shift the balance of power: from waiting for disclosures to calculating baselines, testing assumptions, and making better net zero decisions before systems lock in.

 Host: Alex Cameron, Founder & CEO, Industrial Connect GroupGuest: Rolf Kuby, Director General, EurominesAn EV is not carbon free on the day it rolls off the line. A wind turbine has a footprint before it generates a single watt. The materials these things are built from carry emissions too, and right now, most climate policy either ignores that or assumes someone else in the value chain will sort it out. Rolf Kuby has spent 30 years doing public affairs in Brussels and five of them running Euromines, the European voice of the mining industry. He has a clear view of where the system is broken.In this episode, Rolf maps the gap between Europe's decarbonization ambitions and the raw material supply chains those ambitions depend on. From the world's first fossil-free mine already operating in Sweden, to the IEA's projection that net zero requires six times current output of critical minerals by 2050, this is a conversation about the part of the transition that doesn't make the headlines but makes everything else possible.Key TakeawaysWhy your clean technology has a dirtier footprint than you think. Rolf explains the life cycle accounting that most climate conversations skip, and why ignoring it means the decarbonization model Europe is building isn't one the rest of the world can copy.The scale of what we actually need to mine. The IEA numbers are stark. If you want to understand the supply-side maths behind net zero, this is the clearest five-minute version of it you'll find.Why cheap energy is the single biggest lever Europe isn't pulling. Energy costs, not policy ambition, are the binding constraint on industrial decarbonization - what would actually change if Europe got electricity prices under control?What the Critical Raw Materials Act can and can't do. The CRMA is Europe's first serious attempt at supply-side policy for critical minerals. Rolf explains where it helps, where the money still isn't following, and why the US IRA is moving faster.Why the value chain keeps passing the cost problem sideways. No single sector can absorb the cost of transformation alone, but the current system lets everyone try. What would a functioning value chain model actually require?The silo problem, and whether Brussels is close to solving it. Feed-in tariffs without grid investment. EV policy without battery supply chains. Rolf names the inconsistencies, and is honest about whether the systemic thinking is catching up.End with a slice of optimism based on emerging projects and collaborationsLinks: ·       Follow Alex Cameron on LinkedIn and find how to get involved with the membership and work of Decarb Connect·       Connect with Rolf Kuby, Director General of Euromines·       Join Alex and a network of hardtech investors and series B+ tech disruptors at Decarb TechInvest in Boston (September 2025)·       Sign up for our newsletter Want to learn more about Decarb Connect?We provide insights and introductions that derisk decision-making and support industrial leaders in deploying decarbonization and low carbon product strategy. Our global membership platform, events and facilitated introductions support commercial decarb planning and business models around the world. Our clients include the most energy-intensive industrials from cement, metals and mining, glass, ceramics, chemicals, O&G and many more along with technology disruptors, investors and advisors.  If you enjoyed this conversation, find out about our portfolio of events in US, Canada, UK and Europe – or explore our Decarbonisation Leaders Network (DLN), and learn why more than 200 members from the energy-intensive sectors have joined to share insights, meet partners who can accelerate their plans and why it's the most valuable network of its kind. 

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if electrification is no longer just a climate solution — but an energy security strategy?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Gavin Mooney, an independent energy transition advisor working across utilities, electrification, and energy markets. We look at Australia as a live test case for the energy transition: a country rich in coal, gas, sunshine, and wind, yet still exposed through imported diesel, freight, mining, agriculture, and long-distance transport. That contradiction matters. For climate tech, decarbonisation, net zero, emissions reduction, and policy, it changes the frame from “cleaner energy” to “who controls the energy system?”You'll hear why rooftop solar has become normal in Australia, with more than one in three homes now generating power from the roof, and why home batteries are scaling faster than many expected. We dig into how storage is changing the economics of solar, why virtual power plants are running into a trust problem rather than a technology problem, and why smart tariffs may prove more effective than utilities trying to take control of assets people bought themselves.You might be shocked to learn how quickly diesel vulnerability can reshape thinking on EVs, electric trucking, and resilience. We also touch on India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Lebanon, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Vietnam — places where the energy transition is moving in ways that rarely make the headlines, but absolutely should.

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if AI's biggest climate impact isn't chatbots, but cutting real energy waste in buildings, grids, and factories?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Philippe Rambach, Chief AI Officer at Schneider Electric, to unpack one of the sharpest tensions in climate tech today: AI is increasing electricity demand, but used well, it may also be one of the tools we need for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, and a faster energy transition.You'll hear why Philippe argues that the real opportunity is not in chasing every shiny new model, but in applying AI to physical systems: reducing peak demand, optimising building energy use, supporting grid operators, and helping companies move from pilots to production. We dig into Schneider Electric's work on using AI to cut energy waste, including the striking claim that in some energy-saving applications, the carbon emitted to run the model can be dwarfed by the energy saved.We also get into the hard bits people love to ignore because apparently spreadsheets and wishful thinking are still considered strategy in some quarters. Why do so many AI pilots fail to scale? Why does domain knowledge matter as much as technical skill? How should businesses think about responsible AI, privacy, policy, net zero, and the operational realities of electrification?This is a practical conversation about AI for energy, not AI theatre.

Host: Alex Cameron, Founder & CEO, Decarb Connect Guest: Bilal Hussain, Co-founder, Artio CarbonCarbon markets have a credibility problem, and most of the proposed fixes sit on the same side of the transaction. Bilal Hussain is building on the other side. As co-founder of Artio Carbon, he's spent years assessing carbon projects from the inside, and what he found was a market where capital was circling projects it couldn't trust, and projects couldn't scale because no one would stand behind them. Insurance, done properly, solves that.In this episode, Bilal walks through what underwriting a carbon project actually looks like, from biochar machines with 24-hour test histories to abandoned well projects where the leak has been visible for decades. He explains why execution and counterparty risk are the real questions insurers should be asking, not methodology quality, and what that distinction means for how climate finance moves from promise to delivery.Key TakeawaysWhy better due diligence still isn't enough - what can insurance due diligence uncover that analysts sometimes miss?  The one question that separates a financeable project from an unfundable one. It's not about credit quality or methodology - find out what insurers are actually asking, and why that question matters more than any ratings report. How to spot a project that will fail before it does. From unproven machines to developers promising 100% of expected output, Bilal walks through the specific red flags his team uses to walk away, and what good looks like by comparison. Why the projects landing on Artio's desk right now are the most investable they've ever been. If you've had a tough 12 months in the energy transition space, this perspective is worth hearing. What carbon tax regimes in Asia mean for your pipeline. CBAM is creating a downstream effect that most people haven't fully mapped yet - find out where the financing gap opens up and where insurance fits in. The deal structures where insurance changes the outcome. Not every buyer or developer needs the same product - find out who actually carries the risk in different transaction types, which changes who should be buying cover. What a mature carbon insurance market looks like, and how far away it is. Links:  ·       Follow Alex Cameron on LinkedIn and find how to get involved with the membership and work of Decarb Connect·       Connect with Bilal Hussein, Co-Founder of Artio·       Artio at London Climate Week 2026: “Bridging the Disconnect” – connecting nature to finance  and Step into the data·       Access Artio's recently published CORSIA Market Forecast 2026·       Join Alex and a network of hardtech investors and series B+ tech disruptors at Decarb TechInvest in Boston (September 2025) Want to learn more about Decarb Connect?We provide insights and introductions that derisk decision-making and support industrial leaders in deploying decarbonization and low carbon product strategy. Our global membership platform, events and facilitated introductions support commercial decarb planning and business models around the world. Our clients include the most energy-intensive industrials from cement, metals and mining, glass, ceramics, chemicals, O&G and many more along with technology disruptors, investors and advisors.  If you enjoyed this conversation, find out about our portfolio of events in US, Canada, UK and Europe – or explore our Decarbonisation Leaders Network (DLN), and learn why more than 200 members from the energy-intensive sectors have joined to share insights, meet partners who can accelerate their net zero plans and why it's the fastest growing network of its kind. 

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if one of the biggest climate risks in your portfolio is hiding in plain sight — in food, land, methane, and animal-dependent industries?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Claire Smith, founder and CEO of Beyond Investing, to unpack why climate finance cannot stop at fossil fuels. Claire has spent years building investment products that screen for animal use, climate impact, weapons, defence, human rights issues, and risks mainstream ESG too often waves through with a clean conscience and a spreadsheet.You'll hear why Claire believes animal agriculture is a broken business model, propped up by subsidies and exposed to stranded asset risk in ways that echo the fossil fuel sector. We dig into how food systems connect to methane, water use, land use, biodiversity loss, emissions reduction, and supply chain fragility — and why treating food as a side issue in the energy transition is a mistake.You might be shocked to learn that animal agriculture uses around 75% of agricultural land while producing only 18% of calories. We also explore where climate tech, policy, and capital could help scale animal-free alternatives and resilient food systems that support decarbonisation, net zero, and real-world climate action.

Lorcan McAlindon, associate director at Amberside Advisors, on the complex regulatory and financing frameworks UK data centre developers have to navigate and the increasingly innovative solutions that are being implemented to meet the modern ESG standards while reconciling with grid congestion issues.McAlindon also touches on the lessons UK developer can from from their European counterpart and the measures they can adopt to streamline permitting.Hosted by: Maya Chavvakula Edited by: Brazen Studios Reach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaFor tickets to our events email conferences@inspiratia.com or buy them directly on our website. Listen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers.  Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

Get in touch - leave me a messageNo one wants to ship water around the world. That one line says a lot about the next phase of energy storage.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Min Tang, Director of International Business at Rongke Power, one of the world's leading vanadium flow battery companies. We get into why long-duration storage is moving from climate tech side-story to core grid infrastructure, and why that matters for decarbonisation, energy transition planning, net zero delivery, emissions reduction, and policy.You'll hear why vanadium flow batteries are not trying to replace lithium-ion batteries, and why that matters. Different problem. Different tool. Min explains how flow batteries can run for more than 20,000 cycles, retain capacity over decades, and support grid-scale black start, the kind of resilience that becomes rather important when grids are asked to absorb more renewables, power more electrification, and stay upright while demand from industry and AI data centres grows.We dig into the economics too: why storage duration changes cost, how electrolyte leasing can cut upfront CapEx, and why local supply chains could become a major strategic advantage. You might be shocked to learn that localisation is baked into this technology because the electrolyte is mostly water. Glamorous? No. Important? Absolutely.

Host: Alex Cameron, Founder & CEO, Decarb ConnectGuests: Jon Stewart, CEO and Tom Brown, Head of Business Development and Commercial Strategy, Binding SolutionsThe steel industry accounts for roughly 8% of global emissions and has made some of the loudest net zero commitments in heavy industry. But talk to the mills privately and most will tell you they are not on track. The dominant solutions, hydrogen, carbon capture, EAF transition, are either years away, eye-wateringly expensive, or both. Meanwhile, there's a supply chain vulnerability that almost nobody is talking about publicly: pellets. Every major decarb pathway for steel needs them. Producing them at scale costs a billion dollars and most of Europe buys from a handful of suppliers with almost no leverage. Today we're talking to the team at BSL about whether the industry is solving the wrong problems first, and what a lower-cost, modular alternative on something as fundamental as pellets can do for price and targets.Find out why the gap between published net zero roadmaps and what steel mills actually believe is achievable this decade is wider than most people assume. Explore why agglomeration, the pellet-making step, may offer more near-term commercial leverage than hydrogen or CCS, despite attracting a fraction of the policy attention and capital. Learn how a billion-dollar plant cost becomes a structural barrier that shapes who controls the global pellet supply chain, and why European mills are more exposed than they publicly acknowledge. Hear how a technology that works across both blast furnace and DRI pathways makes its case in an industry where most capital decisions are implicitly picking a winner. Find out about Binding Solutions strategic and financial investors as well as their path forward- and where value sits in deep-tech industrial business like this one. Links: ·       Follow Alex Cameron on LinkedIn and find how to get involved with the membership and work of Decarb Connect·       Connect with Jon Stewart, CEO·       Learn more about Tom Brown, Head of Commercial Strategy·       Check out a video about the team ‘s work with British Steel·       Read a paper by one of BSL's scientists and a British Steel expert  ·        Join Alex and a network of hardtech investors and series B+ tech disruptors at Decarb TechInvest in Boston (September 2025) Want to learn more about Decarb Connect?We provide insights and introductions that derisk decision-making and support industrial leaders in deploying decarbonization and low carbon product strategy. Our global membership platform, events and facilitated introductions support commercial decarb planning and business models around the world. Our clients include the most energy-intensive industrials from cement, metals and mining, glass, ceramics, chemicals, O&G and many more along with technology disruptors, investors and advisors.  If you enjoyed this conversation, find out about our portfolio of matchmaking events in US, Canada, UK and Europe – or explore our Decarbonisation Leaders Network (DLN), and learn why more than 80 companies the energy-intensive ecosystem have joined to meet the right partners who can accelerate their net zero plans and why it's the fastest growing network of its kind.    (19:38) - Marker 01 (33:52) - Marker 02

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if the biggest greenwashing risk isn't bad intent, but business-as-usual marketing?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Helen Neal, founder of HN Communications, to dig into one of the most under-discussed risks in decarbonisation: how companies talk about sustainability when regulation is tightening, public trust is fragile, and every net zero claim is being scrutinised. This matters because the energy transition will not be carried by technology alone. Climate tech, policy, capital, supply chains, and public confidence all depend on credible communication.You'll hear why traditional corporate messaging can push companies into unintentional greenwashing, why greenhushing is not a safe escape route, and why sustainability claims increasingly need the discipline of financial reporting: clear evidence, third-party verification, and language that can survive scrutiny.We dig into how AI can help check sustainability language, but also why human judgement still has to own the beginning and end of the process. Helen also explains why supply chain data, board accountability, regulation, and executive incentives are becoming central to credible climate leadership. A vague 2050 net zero pledge without a roadmap? That is not strategy. That is a red flag wearing a nice suit.If you care about emissions reduction, business resilience, decarbonisation, and the real-world mechanics of the energy transition, this one is worth your time.

Get in touch - leave me a messageFake people. Fake comments. Real clean energy projects killed.This is what climate delay looks like in the AI era.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Leah Qusba, CEO of GoodPower, an organisation working at the intersection of climate tech, culture, policy, and decarbonisation. We explore a hard truth about the energy transition: solar, wind, batteries, and electrification may be ready, but public trust, local permission, and disinformation are now decisive barriers to getting projects built.You'll hear why Leah believes fossil fuel dependence is becoming harder to defend as “secure energy”, especially when oil and gas volatility keeps spilling into bills, food prices, business costs, and household budgets. We dig into why clean energy should be framed less as sacrifice and more as protection: protection from price shocks, geopolitical risk, climate impacts, and the charming little habit fossil fuels have of making everything more expensive.We also get into GoodPower's research on what actually changes minds. Their storytelling work has reached tens of millions of people and, in tested campaigns, shifted audiences from NIMBY to YIMBY by 11%. Leah explains why the right messenger can matter more than the perfect message, why rural voices can unlock rural support, and why creators in food, fashion, gaming, cars, comedy, and culture may be more effective climate communicators than traditional climate voices.And yes, we talk about AI-generated disinformation in permitting decisions, fake public pressure, and why pre-bunking false claims before they spread may become essential for emissions reduction, net zero delivery, and climate policy that survives contact with reality.

Get in touch - leave me a messageCarbon data is no longer just something companies report. Increasingly, it may decide whether products can be sold at all.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Stephen Jamieson, Chief Marketing Officer for SAP Sustainability, to explore why sustainability is moving from the ESG report into the systems businesses use to run supply chains, finance, product compliance, and AI-enabled decisions. We get into what this means for climate tech, decarbonisation, policy, emissions reduction, net zero, and the wider energy transition.You'll hear why product carbon footprints, digital product passports, CBAM, ESPR, and Scope 3 reporting are pushing companies towards far more granular, decision-grade climate data. Stephen explains why relying on averages will not be enough when carbon insights start shaping market access, investor confidence, supply chain resilience, and commercial competitiveness.We also dig into AI's double edge. AI agents could change the economics of sustainability by scaling product-level analysis across thousands of items, but only if carbon, water, recycled content, and other sustainability factors are embedded in core business decisions. Otherwise, AI may simply optimise the wrong things faster. Listen now to hear how Stephen Jamieson and SAP Sustainability are helping move climate data from reporting theatre into real-world business action.Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.Support the showPodcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:Anita KrajncCecilia SkarupaBen GrossJerry SweeneyAndreas WernerStephen CarrollRoger ArnoldAnd remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast  - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on LinkedIn. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show.

Where is Climate Tech heading? Certainly not dead — but constantly reinventing itself. So much so that you begin to wonder whether the label itself has outlived its original meaning.  Laurent and Gerard welcome Kim Zou, co-founder and CEO of Sightline Climate, the data and research platform mapping the climate-tech economy, and author of some of the sector's most influential newsletters, including CTVC and the newer Powerstack. Sightline has become essential reading for investors, utilities, corporates, and policymakers trying to understand where capital is flowing and how the energy system is evolving.  Together, they explore how Climate Tech has transformed over the past decade. Decarbonisation alone is no longer the central narrative. Today, AI, energy security, and industrial resilience dominate the conversation — often pushing sustainability itself into the background.  The discussion traces how funding has shifted from venture capital toward infrastructure and large-scale project finance. The spotlight has also moved away from “green molecules” — hydrogen, SAF, and carbon management — toward “green electrons”: virtual power plants, grid-enhancing technologies, and the race to accelerate datacentre construction.  They also examine the contrasting innovation models shaping global competition. In China, much of the breakthrough innovation happens inside corporations themselves, with companies like BYD employing more than 110,000 R&D staff, and CATL relying on a 20,000-engineer workforce. The United States, meanwhile, benefits from unparalleled access to capital and world-class universities and research centres. Europe sits somewhere in between, attempting to combine industrial policy with scientific excellence.  Finally, the conversation turns to one of Sightline's newest areas of focus: tracking data-center construction. The company currently follows 140 sites representing roughly 16 GW of announced capacity. Yet only about 6 GW are actually under construction — a reality check that has sent a chill through Wall Street.And Laurent goes on a rant of epic proportion against certain Hyperscalers!!!Useful links:Sightline website: https://www.sightlineclimate.com/Capital Stack and New Funds report: https://www.sightlineclimate.com/request-report?report-id=Dry-Powder-and-New-Funds-2026 ·        Data Center Q1 outlook report: https://www.sightlineclimate.com/request-report?report-id=data-center-outlook-q126 ·        2025 climate tech investment trends report: https://www.sightlineclimate.com/request-report?report-id=2025_investment_report ·        Article on our tour of China's electrostate: https://www.sightlineclimate.com/research/a-tour-of-chinas-electrostate ·        If people want to stay updated on our latest, they can subscribe to our CTVC climate tech newsletter here or our Powerstack power and data center markets newsletter here  

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is hanging by a thread. An investigation uncovers troubling ties between a professor at Germany's Federal Police Academy and the far right. And Eurovision returns, amid fresh controversy. Plus: a former pilot calls for a ban on private jets as Cannes gets underway, and how Ukraine is transforming its energy system under fire.++ https://shorturl.at/nAuU4 ++?maca=en-podcast_inside-europe-949-xml-mrss

Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.comCooling is responsible for 15 per cent of global emissions and uses nearly two thirds of the electricity in commercial buildings. In this episode, Sam Ringwaldt from Conry Tech explains how modular micro units can cut cooling energy by 70 per cent and increase asset valuations by 18 per cent. We explore the rise of Comfort as a Service, the next generation of deep‑tech retrofits, and what this means for commercial buildings and AI data centres across the Asia Pacific region. It is a clear and practical look at why energy efficiency is becoming a financial strategy for the climate sector rather than simply an engineering decision.REF: Conry Tech, ABOUT SAM: Sam Ringwaldt is a Founder and the CEO of Conry Tech. Sam is an experienced industry leader, with 20 years of experience in building up HVAC companies, growing teams, and promoting new HVAC technologies worldwide. Sam was responsible for introducing Turbocor Technology into the North American and Australasian markets, driving its growth till it became today's dominant HVAC technology, and was able to lead both governments and the private sector to embrace the new technology, adjusting building standards, and driving new frontiers of sustainability and energy efficiency.HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi's La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.

Get in touch - leave me a messageStreetlights sound boring. Until the grid fails and they're the only lights left on.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf, a climate tech company rethinking one of the most overlooked pieces of public infrastructure: the streetlight. And yes, I know. Streetlights. Hardly the sexiest corner of the energy transition. But this conversation quickly becomes about something much bigger: resilience, decarbonisation, public safety, emissions reduction, and how we build communities that keep functioning as extreme weather puts more pressure on the grid.You'll hear why the real cost of streetlighting often isn't the electricity at all. It's trenching, wiring, maintenance, utility control, copper theft, repair delays, and infrastructure that can take far too long to fix. Liam explains how solar-plus-battery streetlights can avoid much of that mess while helping cities, developers, and communities move closer to net zero.We dig into how Streetleaf's lights performed during hurricanes, why three to five days of battery backup matters, how monitoring changes maintenance, and why policy can help but won't replace cost and performance. You might be shocked to learn that in some cases, utilities can delay streetlight repairs for months while the customer keeps paying. Delightful system design, if your goal is public frustration.This is a practical episode about climate tech that works in the real world: faster installs, fewer wires, lower emissions, better uptime, and infrastructure that earns its keep when conditions get ugly.

Marta Sjögren, Founder and CEO of Paebbl, joins Alex Cameron, Founder of Decarb Connect, to talk about one of the hardest problems in deep tech: getting a whole industry to move together. Cement and concrete touch nearly every built asset on the planet, yet the value chain is fragmented, margin-sensitive, and deeply risk-averse. Marta breaks down how Paebbl is navigating that from the inside, with investors across the stack and a carbon-neutral bridge in the Netherlands already in the ground.This conversation goes deep on what "value chain activation" actually looks like in practice, where adoption breaks down, how to map incentives across buyers with completely different risk profiles, and what it takes to get a first-of-a-kind project from interest to commitment. If you are building in hard materials, construction, or industrial decarbonisation, this one is worth your time.What you will take away from this episodeWhy having investors across the value chain changes deal dynamics, not just your cap table opticsHow to map incentives when your buyers operate on completely different margins and procurement timelinesWhere low-carbon materials most commonly stall, and who in the middle is the real blockerWhat actually moved Paebbl's carbon-neutral bridge project from conversation to constructionWhy value chain activation is market-specific, and which regulatory environments structurally make it easierHow to keep stakeholders engaged at first-of-a-kind scale when every risk feels novelWhat the EU's reindustrialisation push and low-carbon procurement rules mean for companies building in this spaceAbout MartaMarta Sjögren is the Founder and CEO of Paebbl, a deep tech company turning CO2 into a construction material that can decarbonise cement and concrete at scale. She has built Paebbl from first principles, deliberately structuring the business and its investor base to unlock a notoriously slow-moving industry.Show LinksConnect with Marta Sjögren, Founder and CEO, Paebbl Connect with Alex Cameron, Founder and CEO, Decarb Connect Find out more about Decarb Connect via, Including our European Event in Hamburg (June 2-3)

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if better buildings are one of the most practical climate resilience tools we already have?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Darren Macri, Co-CEO of Wythe Windows and rising president of the Passive House Network. We talk about why passive house is not just a building standard, but a practical climate tech pathway for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, energy security, healthier homes, and a more resilient built environment.You'll hear why buildings can cut heating loads by up to 90% through airtightness, better insulation, mechanical ventilation, thermal bridge-free design, and high-performance windows. We dig into how this shifts passive house from a niche green design idea into something far more urgent: infrastructure that helps people stay safe during outages, heatwaves, storms, and fires.You might be interested to learn how leaky buildings can make wildfire damage worse, how poor windows contribute to mould, noise, asthma, and energy poverty, and why retrofitting existing building stock may matter even more than making new builds cleaner. Darren also explains why adoption is often blocked less by technology than by training, policy, codes, business habits, and fragmented construction practices. Imagine that: the physics works, but humans still need meetings.We also cover affordability, net zero, the energy transition, local manufacturing, and why better buildings can reduce bills while improving comfort and health.

Get in touch - leave me a messageJet fuel isn't just dirty. It is astonishingly good at its job. That is what makes aviation decarbonisation so hard.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Dan Sutton, co-founder and CEO of Syntholene Energy, a climate tech company working on clean, drop-in synthetic aviation fuel, or eSAF. We talk about one of the thorniest challenges in the energy transition: how to cut emissions from aviation without pretending long-haul flight can simply be electrified into submission.You'll hear why synthetic fuel has struggled to scale, why hydrogen cost is often the defining economic bottleneck, and how Syntholene is betting that geothermal heat, solid oxide electrolysis, and captured carbon can shift the maths. We also dig into why cheap, baseload clean energy matters far more than glossy net zero pledges. Funny how physics remains stubbornly unimpressed by marketing decks.Dan also makes the case that fossil fuels carry a supply chain risk we still underprice: political volatility, fragile routes, and exposure to regions that can quickly turn energy security into an economic headache. We explore mandates, project finance, policy, the role of Iceland's geothermal resources, and whether synthetic aviation fuel can become cost-competitive without relying forever on subsidies.This is a practical, challenging conversation about climate tech, emissions reduction, aviation, infrastructure, and what it will really take to make clean fuels commercially credible.

Get in touch - leave me a messageConcrete alone accounts for around 7-8% of global emissions. So what happens when the real climate problem in buildings is no longer just energy, but the materials themselves?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Alexander Sexsmith, architect and founder of Sexsmith Architects, to unpack what regenerative architecture means when stripped of the fluff. We look at the climate challenge hiding in plain sight across the built environment: embodied carbon, toxic materials, weak resilience, and the fact that standard construction often performs badly when fire, water, and heat hit. If we're serious about decarbonisation, net zero, and the energy transition, this matters now.You'll hear why cleaner grids are changing the climate maths for buildings, and why materials like concrete, petrochemical foams, and conventional drywall deserve a lot more scrutiny. We dig into how fast-grown bio-based materials such as hemp, straw, and cork could cut emissions reduction timelines, improve indoor air quality, and strengthen resilience. And you might be shocked to learn that some of the materials people still dismiss as fringe are already proving themselves on fire performance and commercial-scale construction.We also get into the harder bit: scale. Cost, code, skills, supply, consumer awareness, and policy all matter. Because climate tech alone won't fix construction unless markets, standards, and incentives move with it.

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if fossil fuels aren't energy security at all, but exposure dressed up as realism?This war is making that harder and harder to ignore.In this bonus episode of Climate Confident+, I unpack why the US and Israel's war against Iran is forcing a faster rethink of fossil fuels, renewables, EVs, and electrification. This is a solo episode with me, Tom Raftery, and the stakes couldn't be clearer: if your economy, business, or household still depends on fuels whose supply and price are hostage to geopolitics, then your energy security is far shakier than most politicians care to admit.You'll hear why I argue that fossil fuel dependence is not just an emissions problem, but an exposure problem. We dig into how war-driven shocks hit shipping, transport costs, inflation, industrial margins, and policy. And you might be surprised to learn why renewables, storage, grids, and EVs are starting to look less like climate tech talking points and more like strategic infrastructure for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, and real resilience.I also break down the numbers from IRENA and the IEA, including the cost advantage of new renewable power, the scale of clean energy investment, and the growing impact of electric vehicles on oil demand. Plus, I share a personal story from the Iberian blackout that brought home just how practical electrification can be in a crisis.

Send me a messageWhat if one of the most effective climate tech moves in hospitality isn't flashy at all, but simply wasting less food with far better data?In this episode, I'm joined by Olaf van der Veen, co-founder of Orbisk, to unpack a climate tech story that sits right at the intersection of decarbonisation, operational control, and the energy transition. We talk about food waste, but this is bigger than leftovers. It's about hidden system failure, margin pressure, emissions reduction, and why cutting waste may be one of the most practical net zero levers available to commercial kitchens right now.You'll hear why food waste in restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, and corporate dining is often less about bad habits and more about broken forecasting, poor process design, and weak visibility. We dig into how Orbisk uses AI, computer vision, and IoT to show kitchens exactly what is being wasted, when, and why, and how that turns a vague sustainability ambition into something measurable and fixable. You might be shocked to learn how often the real losses happen before food ever reaches a plate.We also get into the harder-edged business case: why food waste is pure bottom-line loss, why economics still drive most action faster than policy, and how the smartest operators are linking profitability and sustainability instead of pretending they sit on opposite sides of the ledger. No fluff. No green gloss. Just real-world climate solutions that cut costs, improve control, and reduce emissions.

Send me a messageHeat is becoming a business risk in plain sight. And if cooling demand is set to soar, the energy transition has a problem most people still aren't talking about. In this episode, I'm joined by Rob Atkin, co-founder and CEO of Pirta, a climate tech company developing passive cooling coatings and additives. We dig into a part of decarbonisation and the energy transition that gets far too little attention: how we keep buildings, warehouses, data centres, and infrastructure cool in a warming world without driving up electricity demand, emissions, and cost. You'll hear why Rob says “sustainability doesn't sell itself”, and why that blunt truth matters for every founder, policymaker, and business leader chasing net zero. We dig into how Pirta is trying to turn passive cooling from clever materials science into something customers will actually buy, deploy, and scale. And you might be surprised to learn that air conditioning already accounts for about 15% of global electricity demand, with that figure set to triple by 2050. We also get into the hidden role of titanium dioxide, why reducing it matters for emissions reduction, and where passive cooling could have the biggest impact first, from affordable housing to warehouses to AI-era data centres. One of the sharpest insights in this conversation is that some climate solutions win not because they sound noble, but because, as Rob puts it, “a paint's not gonna break down.” Grimly practical. Exactly the point. 

Send me a messageWhat if fossil fuels aren't just polluting, but a standing threat to economic stability?This episode makes the case that the energy transition is now as much about security and cost as it is about climate.In this solo Climate Confident+ episode, I dig into a brutal truth too many policymakers and business leaders still avoid: fossil fuels don't merely drive emissions, they drive volatility, fragility, and geopolitical risk. At a moment when war, price shocks, and supply disruption are once again rattling global markets, I unpack why this matters for climate tech, decarbonisation, and the wider energy transition.You'll hear why fossil dependence acts like “instability in a bottle”, and why renewables, storage, EVs, heat pumps, and grid upgrades are increasingly the smarter response, not just environmentally, but economically. We dig into how fuel shocks ripple through inflation, trade, competitiveness, and public finances. And you might be shocked to learn just how much fossil import dependence is still costing countries, businesses, and households, even before you count the pollution, health damage, and wider social harm.This is also a clear-eyed episode. I'm not pretending renewables solve everything by magic. We need grids, storage, flexibility, better policy, and faster deployment. But that's precisely the point: those are infrastructure challenges we can solve. Perpetual exposure to volatile fossil fuels is not a strategy. It's a liability.

Send me a messageWhat if voluntary carbon markets are either a vital climate tool... or a polished excuse to delay real decarbonisation?In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Dr Jennifer Jenkins, Chief Science Officer at Rubicon Carbon, to unpack one of the most contested questions in climate tech and net zero strategy: what role, if any, should voluntary carbon markets play in real-world emissions reduction? At a time when companies are under pressure to decarbonise, prove integrity, and navigate fast-moving policy shifts, this debate matters more than ever.We dig into why some firms see carbon credits as a practical way to close the gap between ambition and operational reality, and why others see them as a dangerous distraction. You'll hear why quality, additionality, MRV, and long-term offtake agreements are becoming central to the future of the market, and why high-integrity supply may be far tighter than many buyers realise.Jennifer also explains how buyers like Microsoft are shaping demand, how voluntary and compliance markets may be starting to converge, and why policy tools like CBAM could reshape the market faster than most people expect. You might be shocked to learn that one of the clearest ways to think about this space is as outsourced mitigation, a framing that makes the economics easier to grasp, but also exposes the credibility problem at the heart of the whole system.

Discussion about decarbonisation have moved from technical departments within shipping companies into their commercial and financial teams, the president and chief operating officer of Veson Nautical, Sean Riley, says in this Lloyd's List podcast. While there is uncertainty around the IMO's Net-Zero Framework, regional requirements — especially those being implemented by the EU — provide a certainty that cannot be ignored. The continuously evolving and expanding nature of regulations in shipping means that decarbonisation is now “both a commercial and operational reality”, he says. Speaking in early March, Riley reflected on the first year of the EU's decarbonisation scheme, the FuelEU Maritime Regulation, which ended on January 31. By the end of March, shipping companies will have heard from their verifier about the compliance status of each of their ships based on that first year's data and those results might lead to “some interesting decision-making challenges or dilemmas”, he says. In the podcast, Riley explains why he views FuelEU in particular as an especially impactful regulation to ship operations. He says its “choice driven” options have both positive and negative implications for shipowners and operators, while adding a level of complexity that must be addressed by companies' systems and processes. He anticipates that the outcome will see companies shift their focus away from strict compliance towards optimising the financial benefits of compliance, creating a trading strategy based around FuelEU-related decision-making. However, Riley also emphasises that it's ultimately not about optimising for any one regulation in particular, but rather proactively building decarbonisation into daily decisions in a way that leaves room for inevitable change. He explains in the podcast why this commercial response to a change in the regulatory landscape is different from previous environment-inspired changes, such as the sulphur limits imposed on fuel. He contrasts how the impact of low-sulphur fuel was mainly restricted to operating costs, while decarbonisation requirements today are reaching further, across fixing, operating and trading strategies. The flexibility around how to comply provides the industry choice but has also resulted in a lack of clarity about setting commercial priorities and knowing exactly what conditions to optimise for. Instead, these will vary depending on a ship's location, so “you've got to invest in systems and processes that can absorb change easily”, he says. Riley considers whether some industry sectors are responding differently from others and refers to the potential of AI to resolve some of the uncertainties companies face. “There will certainly be more regulations,” he says, and emphasises: “for our clients, pretending that this is not a commercial reality is no longer an option”.

Send me a messageAI may be booming, but the real bottleneck to it's growth may be turbines. And if firm power can't scale fast enough, parts of the energy transition hit a wall.In this episode, I'm joined by Brad Hartwig, Co-founder and CEO of Arbor Energy, to unpack a part of the climate tech and energy transition story that gets far too little attention: the physical machinery needed to deliver reliable, round-the-clock power. Arbor is developing modular supercritical CO2 turbines with integrated carbon capture, aimed at tackling one of the hardest problems in decarbonisation: how to provide firm, scalable electricity while still driving emissions reduction and keeping net zero in view.We dig into why turbine shortages are becoming a serious constraint on hyperscale data centres, utilities, and industrial electrification, and you'll hear why Brad believes this is now a critical choke point for both AI infrastructure and climate progress. You might be surprised to learn how stretched the traditional turbine supply chain has become, and why legacy manufacturers may be structurally mismatched to meet the moment.We also get into oxy-combustion, methane leakage, biomass, carbon sequestration, long-duration storage, and the awkward reality that wind, solar, batteries, and grid expansion, while essential, may still leave gaps when it comes to firm power. This is a grounded conversation about climate tech, policy, energy transition strategy, and what serious infrastructure thinking looks like when the easy slogans run out.

Send me a messageWar doesn't just kill people. It also blows up energy security, drives up emissions, and exposes fossil fuels for the liability they've always been.In this first Climate Confident+ bonus episode, available exclusively to subscribers, I unpack the unnecessary, illegal, and profoundly ill-advised war being waged by the US and Israel on Iran, and why its fallout matters far beyond the battlefield. This is not just a military crisis. It is an energy transition, climate tech, decarbonisation, and policy story with real consequences for emissions reduction, net zero, inflation, and industrial resilience. In this episode, I look at how attacks on energy infrastructure and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have once again exposed the fragility of fossil-fuelled “energy security”. You'll hear why fossil dependence is no longer a security strategy, but geopolitical exposure. I dig into how roughly $88.7bn was burned in the first 17 days of the conflict, and why the Pentagon's reported $200bn request to Congress shows just how grotesque the opportunity cost has become. We also dig into the emissions impact, including how gas shortages in India are already pushing parts of the economy back towards coal, kerosene, and biomass. And crucially, I lay out why electrification, renewables, storage, and stronger grids are now central to real energy security.Climate Confident+ is just €5, and gives you regular access to in-depth, timely analysis like this.

Send me a messageWhat if one of the biggest climate problems in our buildings isn't power generation, but the fact we're still burning fuel in the basement?In this episode, I'm joined by Dan Yates, CEO of Dandelion Energy, to unpack why geothermal may be one of the most overlooked tools in climate tech today, and why building decarbonisation deserves far more attention in the wider energy transition debate. If we're serious about net zero and real emissions reduction, we need to stop treating heating as a side issue. Dan lays out a blunt truth: heating and cooling account for the vast majority of emissions from buildings, yet much of the conversation still fixates on EVs, solar, and batteries. You'll hear why some forms of electrification can create a nasty unintended consequence by driving winter peak demand through the roof, and why geothermal flips that logic on its head. We dig into how ground-source systems can cut energy use, slash peak load, and potentially reduce the need for expensive new grid infrastructure. You might be shocked to learn that this isn't just an HVAC story. It's a grid story. A policy story. A housing story. We also get into cost, leasing, incentives, data, and why Dan believes geothermal should be seen as distributed infrastructure hiding in plain sight. If you want a clearer view of what practical climate action looks like beyond the usual talking points, this one's worth your time. 

Send me a messageWhat if the real barrier to climate action isn't a lack of science, but a lack of pressure? And what happens when climate risk collides with political instability, fossil fuel dependence, and public anger in real time?In this episode, I'm joined by Professor Dana Fisher of American University, author of Saving Ourselves and one of the sharpest thinkers on climate activism, policy, and public mobilisation. We get into what she calls apocalyptic optimism: being brutally honest about the scale of the climate crisis, the democratic backsliding around it, and the need to act anyway. Because the stakes now are painfully clear. Emissions are still rising, climate impacts are becoming impossible to ignore, and the push for decarbonisation is being slowed by vested interests just as the cost of delay keeps rising.You'll hear why Dana argues that science is necessary but insufficient for decision-making, and why public pressure is so often the real driver of climate policy, decarbonisation, and net zero progress. We dig into how repression can backfire, why climate shocks can shift public opinion, and why attempts to slow climate action may end up intensifying the response instead.We also explore why this conversation feels especially urgent now. As conflict, energy insecurity, and policy disruption expose the fragility of fossil fuel dependence, the case for clean energy starts to look less like idealism and more like common sense. From balcony solar to broader questions of power, protest, and public pressure, this episode looks at why the energy transition is about far more than technology. It's about resilience, accountability, and who gets heard when the system is under strain.Dana's newsletter is at: https://danarfisher.com/apocalyptic-optimist/And you can find her TED talk at: https://go.ted.com/danarfisher 

Industrial systems are responsible for 75% of global emissions, yet only a quarter of climate-focused VC money flows into them. Not because investors don't care — but because these systems are hard. They're interconnected. Capital-intensive. Slow-moving. Technically dense. And deeply under-innovated.Almanac Ventures is built to change that.In this episode of the EUVC Podcast, Andreas Munk Holm sits down with Jo Slota-Newson and Marc Sabas, co-founders of Almanac Ventures — a new European seed and pre-seed deep tech fund laser-focused on unlocking decarbonisation in industrial systems through scientific breakthroughs and commercial discipline.This is a pitch episode — a chance for the EUVC LP & GP community to hear directly what Almanac stands for, how they invest, and why the next decade of industrial innovation will be shaped by specialist deep tech funds with true scientific and financial edge.Here's what's covered:00:49 | What Almanac Ventures is — a European seed/pre-seed deep-tech fund backing scientific breakthroughs applied to industrial systems01:31 | The founding team — Jo's nanoscience PhD + 18 years commercialising deep tech, Marc's finance → CVC → impact VC journey (and Jo's 37km Channel swim)03:52 | The complementary edge — technical rigor meets financial/commercial structuring, evidenced through 45 investments and a 2.3× MOIC track record05:22 | The industrial innovation gap — 75% of emissions come from industry, yet only ~25% of climate VC targets it (because the systems are hard, complex, and interconnected)06:11 | Why industry is ripe for deep-tech disruption — 20th-century inefficiencies, high value pools, and the need for performance + cost + decarb together10:17 | “Deep tech works for venture—if you know where to look” — how to identify capex-efficient, scalable industrial technologies vs. science projects that need different capital12:25 | Case study: Hot Green — a new compressor architecture enabling industrial heat pumps for 200–400°C processes (F&B, manufacturing) with electrification upside13:49 | Case study: ReClinker — Cambridge spinout recycling cement inside steel arc furnaces, piggybacking heat, removing the CO₂-heavy chemistry step15:19 | Do you need to be an operator to invest in deep tech? — why complementary experience (science + venture + corporate + some ops) beats any single “must-have”18:35 | Investment strategy — first-check investor at TRL 4–7, pan-Europe, €300k–€1M tickets, aiming for a 25–30 company portfolio with follow-on capacity

Send me a messageWhat if the biggest climate lever in fashion isn't better materials, but simply wearing clothes longer?The fashion industry accounts for roughly 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of industrial water pollution. In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Phoebe Tan, co-founder of Taelor, a menswear rental subscription service using AI-driven styling and real-world garment data to rethink how we consume clothing. The challenge isn't just fabric choice. It's overproduction, underutilisation, and a system optimised for churn instead of longevity.We dig into how rental models can increase garment utilisation and reduce emissions by extending lifecycle wear. You'll hear why durability data, wear rates, damage rates, wash cycles, may be more powerful than sustainability marketing. Phoebe explains how Taelor feeds performance insights back to brands, effectively becoming a live testing lab for quality and circularity. And we explore a hard truth: convenience often drives behaviour change faster than climate messaging ever will.If net zero requires rethinking consumption systems, fashion is a revealing case study. This isn't about trends. It's about utilisation density, supply chain feedback loops, and whether circular fashion can scale beyond a niche audience.

Decarbonisation is triggering a new great-power race. As demand for green technologies and sustainable power sources grows, Washington and Beijing are battling for control of cobalt, lithium, copper, and nickel - the critical metals that will determine who lands on top of the global energy transition. In this episode, Nicolas Niarchos joins host Atossa Araxia Abrahamian to discuss The Elements of Power, a sweeping investigation into the war for the global supply of battery metals. From the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Indonesia and beyond, Niarchos uncovers a world shaped by rapacious colonial legacies, Cold War maneuvering, corporate rivalry, and dazzling technological innovation.  Niarchos argues that as wealthy nations push to electrify their economies, the human and environmental costs are pushed out of sight - onto miners working by hand, polluted communities, and territories still treated as expendable. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send me a messageCoal produces 4,000–8,000x more waste per MWh than wind.But you can't take a photo of CO₂, so we ignore it.In this episode, I'm joined by climate futurist and long-term decarbonisation modeller Michael Barnard. We cut through headlines to examine where the energy transition is actually heading - from electrification and maritime shipping to mass timber, industrial relocation, and grid efficiency. The stakes? Whether we build a cheaper, cleaner energy system, or cling to fossil-era assumptions.You'll hear why electrifying everything could cut primary energy demand by up to half.We dig into how 40% of global shipping may simply disappear as fossil fuel trade declines.And you might be shocked to learn why solar panels and wind turbines create thousands of times less waste per MWh than coal, yet attract far more outrage.We also explore how cheap renewables are reshaping industrial geography, why Spain's sunshine could outcompete former gas hubs, and how making electricity cheaper than fossil fuels changes everything.Interestingly, Seville's iconic wooden “Setas” isn't just architecture, it's proof that mass timber can replace steel and concrete at scale, locking carbon into buildings instead of the atmosphere.This is climate tech grounded in physics, economics, and human behaviour, not hype.

Send me a messageAI's energy demand isn't a future problem. It's straining grids today. And most companies aren't ready.In this episode, I'm joined by Beatrice Clark, Vice President of Sustainability and Social Impact at Turtle and Hughes, a North American electrical distributor and systems integrator working at the sharp edge of the energy transition. We unpack what surging AI and data centre growth means for infrastructure, resilience, and real-world decarbonisation - not in theory, but on the ground.You'll hear why energy demand from AI is now “on the tip of everybody's tongue”, and how utilities and independent producers are scrambling to keep up. We dig into the tension between diesel reliability and microgrid ambition, and why hybrid redundancy may be the uncomfortable truth of the transition. You might be surprised to learn how fleet electrification looks when you're moving heavy loads across unpredictable routes. It's not ideology. It's maths, logistics, and physics.We also explore double materiality, Scope 3 collaboration, and why sustainability only works when it strengthens operational performance. Net zero isn't achieved in PowerPoint. It's delivered through infrastructure, policy, and accountability across the value chain.If you care about climate tech, grid transformation, emissions reduction, and what decarbonisation actually looks like inside energy-intensive businesses, this conversation cuts through the noise.Listen now to hear how Beatrice Clark and Turtle and Hughes are navigating the hard realities of the energy transition.Podcast subscribersI'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers: Anita Krajnc Cecilia Skarupa Ben Gross Jerry Sweeney Andreas Werner Stephen Carroll Roger Arnold And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.ContactIf you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - get in touch via direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn. If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover the show. CreditsMusic credits - Intro by Joseph McDade, and Outro music for this podcast was composed, played, and produced by my daughter Luna Juniper