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What does Ontario's new 12-year Save on Energy framework mean for homeowners, businesses, and the future of energy in Canada? Learn how the program supports smarter grid planning and energy use, lowers emissions, improves affordability, and helps Ontarians make the switch to cleaner technologies. Tam Wagner from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) joins thinkenergy to explain why conservation is a critical tool in Canada's transition to clean energy. Listen to episode 158 today.   Related links   ●     Tam Wagner: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tam-wagner-p-eng-268828b1/ ●     Save on Energy framework and programs: https://saveonenergy.ca/  ●     Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) : https://www.ieso.ca/ ●     Trevor Freeman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevor-freeman-p-eng-cem-leed-ap-8b612114/ ●     Hydro Ottawa: https://hydroottawa.com/en    To subscribe using Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thinkenergy/id1465129405   To subscribe using Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wFz7rdR8Gq3f2WOafjxpl   To subscribe on Libsyn: http://thinkenergy.libsyn.com/ --- Subscribe so you don't miss a video: https://www.youtube.com/user/hydroottawalimited   Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hydroottawa Stay in the know on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HydroOttawa Keep up with the posts on X: https://twitter.com/thinkenergypod   Transcript: Trevor Freeman  00:00  Welcome to thinkenergy, a podcast that dives into the fast, changing world of energy through conversations with industry leaders, innovators and people on the front lines of the energy transition. Join me, Trevor Freeman, as I explore the traditional, unconventional and up and coming facets of the energy industry. If you have any thoughts, feedback or ideas for topics we should cover, please reach out to us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com. Hi everyone. Welcome back. Energy is finite. Now don't worry. You didn't stumble into a podcast about theoretical physics. And while yes, that concept, that statement, could launch us into a discussion about the ever-expanding universe, about how we're all made up of the remnants of exploding stars, or how ultimately, all of our collective species' history, including the history of the planet, is but the tiniest fraction of a fraction of a blink of an eye in the grand scale of the cosmos. That's not what we're talking about today. But if you want to talk about that, give me a shout. I'd love to. know today we're talking about much more zoomed in practical look at what that statement means. So, the amount of electricity available to us as consumers who need that electricity to charge our devices, to operate our homes and our businesses, and increasingly, to heat our spaces and to power our vehicles, is limited. In the past, that electricity has been limited by the inputs by the fossil fuels that we need to burn in order to generate that electricity. But increasingly, as we transition to more and more renewable sources who you know, seemingly are infinite, you know, there's a whole lot of sunlight out there. Our limits are more economical and practical. We are expanding the grid. We're adding capacity, adding more generation, transmission, distribution, but those things also come with a cost, so we can't just do it in perpetuity, and we can't do it at the speed maybe necessary for some of the new uses that we're looking for. In light of all that, it does make sense for us to ensure that we are being as efficient as possible with the energy that we do need to use. Enter conservation or demand side management, the intentional effort to reduce wasted energy and to maximize efficiency, while also managing when we use energy so as to spread out the load, to minimize large peaks of demand, which are harder to manage than a more even demand profile. In Ontario, our system operator, the Independent Electricity System Operator, or IESO. Sometimes I'll refer to that as ISO has managed provincial conservation programs for the last two decades. Conservation is and has been a foundational element in grid planning and in our supply mix. That has been the case for a number of years now, and will continue to be the case. Recently, in January of this year, January 2025 the ISO unveiled its ambitious new save on energy framework, a comprehensive 12-year plan designed to empower both residential and commercial customers in Ontario to take control of their energy consumption. This initiative arrives at a really critical juncture, recognizing the pivotal role of energy efficiency and maintaining a reliable and affordable electricity system, something we talk about all the time on the show, amidst a projected surge in demand driven by economic growth and the energy transition towards electrification, something else we talk about all the time on the show. I hope by now you're seeing that all these things come together, and the topics that we talk about are usually related to each other. Backed by significant provincial investment and a strong commitment to collaborate across the sector. And this includes ongoing collaboration with Enbridge and a new role for the local distribution companies like Hydro Ottawa, this new framework really introduces a suite of new and expanded programs aimed at creating this culture of conservation and facilitating the adoption of cleaner energy technologies. It's really meant to complement the energy transition and make sure we do it in a way that is as efficient and affordable as possible. The ISOs new save on energy framework in Ontario holds significant implications for Canada's broader energy future, aligning with a number of key national trends and objectives. So just because this is an Ontario framework, there's a lot of good information here that applies across Canada's energy sector, and indeed, even beyond Canada's borders. Things like supporting our climate goals and emission reduction targets by encouraging a shift away from fossil fuels for heating and transportation, by making it easier to switch to electric options for those two things, things like recognizing energy efficiency as one of the lowest cost resources to address system needs, and in fact, we'll talk about that in our conversation with our guests here in a few moments. Addressing the need for electricity demand. As Canada pursues electrification across various sectors, so in Ontario, our system operator is forecasting a 75% increase in our demand by 2050 you're seeing similar projected increases across the country and indeed around the world, as economies and energy sectors that have been very reliant on fossil fuels look to switch to more electric options, while at the same time managing those other growth items that we've talked about in the past. Ai data centers being one of the big ones. This framework also looks to promote grid modernization and integration of more renewable energy sources across the grids, so in essence, a greater interprovincial electricity system. And finally, looking to foster economic opportunities by stimulating the clean tech sector driving more demand for those energy efficient technologies and services. So, to help us better understand this new program and the role of conservation in Ontario's grid management, I decided to go right to the source, and I'm joined today by Tam Wagner. Tam is the director of demand side management at the ieso and provides thought leadership for the design and delivery of energy efficiency and demand side management programs. Tam has been with the ISO since 2005 in a number of different roles, and so she is well placed to help us dive into all the details about this new conservation framework. And I'm really excited to talk to her today. As I mentioned a couple times in our chat, I come from a conservation background. That's kind of how I got my start in the utility and so it's great to see how it's evolved over the years. And I'm really excited to dive into this with Tam. Tam Wagner, welcome to the show.   Tam Wagner  06:54 Thanks for having me, Trevor.   Trevor Freeman  06:55 okay, so let's dive right in with a little bit of the basics here. Why is energy efficiency a priority for the province? Why are we even talking about energy efficiency?   Tam Wagner  07:05 So, to get into that, I'm going to take a step back first and talk about what electricity demand is doing in the province of Ontario. So, what we're seeing is it's growing according to the ISO latest demand forecast, the provincial electricity demand is anticipated to grow 75% by 2050 and that just further reinforces the need for us to really invest in everything in order to meet those growing electricity demands, including energy efficiency and demand side resources. At the ISO, we've been delivering energy efficiency and demand side management programs for businesses and residences in Ontario for nearly 20 years, and we've done this through different frameworks and business models. And more specifically, since 2011 we've been delivering our programs through our save on energy grant. With that is, is what we've seen is energy efficiency at three cents per kilowatt hour. It's one of our lowest cost resources to meet what Ontario's energy needs, what we've been able to achieve, and it's really building on this success is, since 2006 Ontario has saved 18.5 terawatt hours of electricity as a result of our programs. So, to put that into context, that's the equivalent of powering 2 million homes for one year. And so, with that is when we think about energy efficiency, it's really a key tool in our toolbox to meet some of the reliability needs, yes, in the past, but also those growing needs going forward.   Trevor Freeman  08:27 And what about the so we talk a lot in the show, obviously, about the energy transition in context of climate change and trying to reduce our emissions. How does energy conservation fit into that? What are some of the environmental benefits of focusing on energy efficiency?   Tam Wagner  08:44 When we think about when Ontarians use electricity the most, and usually it's in the summer period with air conditioning load on, in order to meet those electricity peaks, what we run is is a variety of generators within the province, so nuclear, hydroelectric, but also included in that is our natural gas generators. And oftentimes those natural gas generators are on for those peak periods, like I mentioned, in those summer peak periods. So, by leading into energy efficiency and actually reducing what our summer peaks are, we're relying less on those gas generators, and hopefully being able to run them less as well, because we are flattening what that load is, if we're running those gas generators less, we're able to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that come from those resources.   Trevor Freeman  09:28 Yeah, and just for our listeners, kind of drawing on my background of previously working in energy conservation, all the things that really drive toward wanting to reduce electricity consumption, sort of the highest cost times the highest emission times. They all kind of coincide. So, when you're focusing on that energy efficiency, focusing on reducing your consumption or your demand, it has that added benefit of reducing your cost and reducing your emissions, and all of the above. So really, a lot of things coming together to make. Energy Efficiency makes sense for the customer as well as the utilities and the system operator, of course. Okay, so Tam, you said a couple of things in that answer that I want to dive into a little bit more detail. So the first one is that energy efficiency has been around for a long time. You know, you said, 20 years we've been doing energy conservation in one form or another in the province of Ontario. So, what's different about this latest framework that's just been launched? How has that evolved? What's different moving forward?   Tam Wagner  10:29 Now, you're going to get me really excited to talk about this. If we reflect back on on the past, what we've had is is really time bound frameworks. Our frameworks have been anywhere from two years to five years with this new framework that we were starting in is it's a 12-year framework, so over a decade long. The other piece is the funding commitment, and so it's a 12-year framework with a $10.9 billion commitment. So, it's billion with a B. So, we're talking both from a scope and a scale perspective, significant additional investments and time commitment with the new framework. One of the recommendations that the ISO made in our midterm review report, and so this was published in 2022 and the at the midpoint of our previous framework was our recommendation was to move away from these time bound frameworks and better leverage demand side, manage, management and energy efficiency as a resource to respond to evolving system market and customer needs. So, as you noted, Trevor, there is, is the one of the things I also say too, is, is the superpower of energy efficiency is, is it really operates at that intersection point between the electricity grid needs, but also what customer needs are, being able to respond to customer needs will allow us to provide electricity savings to address those energy system needs, and with this new framework, it does exactly that. So not only is the framework a 12-year commitment, a feature of the framework is that it's enduring. So, what do I mean by it being enduring is that within that 12 year period, there's a commitment that at the six year mark, we'll do a midterm review? We'll reflect on what's working, some of the successes of the program, of the framework, but then also, what are the opportunities to enhance it? How a system needs evolved over that time? How have customer needs evolved over that time? And provide recommendations? Going forward with those recommendations, there's an opportunity for the government to then also recommit to the framework and enhance it or extend it out another six years, so that we have another 12-year framework. So, the key element of this is that the framework actually never hits its end point. It just continues to re up itself or extend itself with the with the support and commitment from government. The other piece that I'd highlight too are from a customer perspective is, is, with this framework, there's a there's something for everyone in it. When we look at the electricity system and past frameworks, it really carved out specific customer classes that our programs could serve. With this it captures businesses, whether it be small business, commercial, institutional or industrial or industrial organizations, but it also has call outs for the residential sector as well as customers that have historically been underserved or vulnerable customer segments, including income qualifier First Nations communities. So really a broad scope in not only timing and funding commitment, but also the customers that we can serve with this framework   Trevor Freeman  13:21 That's fantastic, again, lots of good stuff in there. I really like the idea of creating a more enduring model that has more predictability a longer time frame. And the benefits of that are fantastic. It gives our customers predictability. They know these programs are going to be around, and they can plan their projects ahead of time. Instead of scrambling to Hey, we got to get this done in the next 12 months or two years, or whatever the case may be, it lets you know service providers, or those folks that are out there supporting energy efficiency measures build this into their business plans and really spend the time to educate customers. And then, speaking from the utility perspective, this is also great to have that predictability. We can talk to our customers about it. We can say, look, this is the reality here. This is the program that'll be in place for a long time. So I think that's fantastic that we've got that sort of enduring model. Now.   Tam Wagner  14:19 Trevor, I feel like he's been a fly on the ISO walls that we as we've been talking about, the new framework, because those are exactly all the things that we've highlighted. The other piece I would add, too, is, from a workforce perspective, is being able to build capacity in all of our respective organizations, to be able to support the the increased need and demand for for energy efficiencies, whether it be from a contractor or skilled trade perspective. So giving us the time to invest in people as well?   Trevor Freeman  14:51 Yeah, yeah, that's another great point. And our listeners, you know, who knows what their background is, but everybody probably has some experience in you. A plan is great on paper and a program is great on paper, and when you actually implement it, there's a lot of lessons to be learned and iterations and tweaks, and having the runway to learn those lessons and make those tweaks and adjust as you know time goes on and the context change, I think, is another really great benefit of this program, and having that long timeframe to have that flexibility and have the room to maneuver, which is fantastic. So I agree. Okay, so the next thing that you mentioned a little bit ago, that I want to dive into is just the sheer magnitude of additional demand that is coming, and that's not going to be anything new to listeners. We talk about that a lot of you know all the different drivers that are pushing up demand from electrification as a result of the climate crisis, growing demand in AI data centers, et cetera, et cetera. You mentioned the projection of a 75% increase by 2050, so let's talk about the role that energy efficiency in particular will play in helping address that growth and the growing demand that's coming and making sure that we can meet that demand in an affordable way. What's the role of energy efficiency in that?   Tam Wagner  16:19 I think what I'd say is, is the challenge that that puts out to energy efficiency is our forecast. Our latest forecast indicates that 75% growth by 2050 I say the challenge that's put out to energy efficiency is, how do we make it less than 75% so with energy efficiency, what it helps to do is, is it helps to mitigate the pace of that growth by using electricity more efficiently. It's a tool in the ISOs reliability toolbox, and so it's a resource that we will directly incorporate into our planning assumptions and indicate, and basically from the from the get go, say, if we can get this savings and electricity from energy efficiency, those are megawatts that we don't have to go out and procure traditional resources or or defers the timing in which we may need to procure those additional resources, so whether that those resources be supply side generators or transmission or distribution line infrastructure, so really, being able to avoid or defer some of those infrastructure costs. The other piece too about energy efficiency, and back to that point around that intersection point between system need and customer need is our programs. By participating in our programs, you're directly getting dollars right into your pockets. So through our incentives and our rebates, those are dollars that we will provide straight to the customers and participating in our program. So that's the upfront benefit from an affordability perspective, but then from a longer term perspective is it helps customers be able to better manage their energy and usage, and being able to better manage your energy and use you can also better manage what your energy bills are. So, Trevor, you had mentioned around, okay, what are some of those peaking times, and what are the higher costs often attributed to those peaking times is through demand side management and energy efficiency. You can not only shave that peak by using less electricity. The other piece that we're really leaning into, and I keep referring to, demand side management, is, how can you control how you how you use that electricity? One of the things that we've done recently for residential consumers is through our P perks program and through something as simple as a smart thermostat, is being able to actually provide electricity systems to the system savings to the grid through small adjustments on the smart thermostat that you have at home can make really big impact from a grid. Need perspective, but then also impact what your usage is, and shifting some of your use at home into those lower priced hours, when we think of it, the time of use rates.   Trevor Freeman  18:46 Yeah, really, when it comes down to it, every kilowatt hour saved, or, you know, kilowatt avoided, is something that doesn't have to pass through a transmission line or a distribution line. It doesn't have to go through a transformer, and we don't need to generate that somewhere. And so there's obviously savings there. You mentioned a little bit earlier in a previous answer, that stat around, you know, three cents per kilowatt hour. How does that stack up? Or how does that compare to other generation or transmission assets, like when it comes to cost and reliability? Compare energy efficiency to more traditional assets.   Tam Wagner  19:24 The simple answer is, it's lower. So when one of the principles we take when we when we pursue our energy efficiency programs is we talk about it being cost effective. And what that really means is that when we compare it to other traditional infrastructure, so long as the cost of providing those energy efficiency programs, so cost from an administration perspective and delivering the programs, but also including the incentives, the rebates that we provide to customers, so long as that all in cost is less than the cost of traditional infrastructure, whether it be generation or transmission, we'll pursue it. So that's really. Where I'd say just simply, is the energy efficiency programs that we deliver are all cost effective, and so they're all a lower cost than the traditional resources that we employ.   Trevor Freeman  20:11 That working. I can speak from experience, working at the utility, and like I said previously, being in conservation, I have gotten the question in the past, why is the utility or the utility sector, spending money to get us to not use electricity? Isn't that counterproductive? And you just gave the answer right there. It's so much cheaper to do that than to try and build new generation, build new assets. It's the cheapest way to achieve that capacity, to get that capacity that we need on the grid, which, again, we talk about here all the time. So great answer. Let's get into the numbers a little bit. So you mentioned sort of previous savings that we've achieved here in the province of Ontario. And I think you said, if I'm not mistaken, since 2005 we have saved essentially the equivalent of, you know, taking 2 million homes off the grid. I hope that's the right stat. Then the targets that we've got here for this program are pretty ambitious, and so for our listeners, by the end of 2027 so that's really only two and a bit years from now, two and a half, the target for the program is to achieve 900 megawatts of demand reduction and 4.6 terawatts of energy savings. Now, for those of you who are not kind of nerdy engineers like myself, like Tam, sorry, Tam, to throw you in that bucket, that's about the same as taking a half a million homes off the grid. So we've done 2 million homes already, and the last 20 years. In the next two and a half years, we're trying to hit a quarter of that tell me a little bit about the ambition of this program.   Tam Wagner  21:53 Definitely ambitious, if I think that's really great context, and even if I take the context even more recently, when our last framework was a four-year framework. So, from 2021, to 2025, our targets there were 725, megawatts of peak demand savings and 3.8 terawatt hours of energy savings, which were aggressive then. So, we're continuing to be more aggressive on our savings. And what I'd say with that is, that what we're seeing is, is we're seeing a very engaged customer base. Ontarians are very engaged and want to do their part, and especially if their part actually doesn't require a lot of work on, on the Ontarians behalf. And so, what we're really wanting to do is, is tap into that and say, if you, if you want to do your part here, we'll give you a space for you to do your part, whether it be at home, as a as a homeowner, or in your businesses and looking at it from a larger scale perspective, really, what we want to lean into is that all hands-on deck approach. So, recognizing that this is the lowest cost resource to meet our growing needs is, let's start there first. Let's optimize. Let's get everything we can out of energy efficiency and that lowest cost resource before we go up the stack to say, Okay, if it's not an acknew, we've got to spend on something that's a little bit more expensive. But let's first try to exhaust that lowest cost resource first. And one of the things that we also recognize in doing that is, I feel like I talked a lot about the ISO, but definitely the recognition that the ISO is, is that we can't do it all ourselves, is that these growing needs are going to impact everyone, both from a end user or consumer perspective, but also businesses and organizations and utilities that you touched on before Trevor. So as we are faced with the same challenge when it comes to growing electricity needs, how do we work together to address that? And very much a I'm very much a supporter of the saying we're so much greater than the sum of our parts, and being able to work together to achieve those growing needs will be a key part in meeting those very aggressive targets.   Trevor Freeman  24:05 Yeah, so perfect segue into the next thing I want to talk about, which is the role of the different players in the sector. And so just as a refresher for everybody, the Independent Electricity System Operator is the system operator in Ontario who kind of oversees the electricity grid for the province of Ontario. We have a transmission entity who kind of gets the high voltage electricity around the province to the place it needs to be. And then there are distribution entities, and that's who hydro is, who I work for. So Tam, let's talk about the role of that local distribution company, that kind of last line before the customer when it comes to implementing this new framework.   Tam Wagner  24:50 So, I, what I would say is, is that we very explicitly call out collaboration in this framework. So, we talk about, yes, well, the local distribution companies. So specifically, we also talk about our natural gas distributors as well as the federal government in our potential collaboration efforts. So, we'll focus in on the local distribution company side of it. We recognize that as the province wide needs are growing, from a bottom up perspective, the distribution needs are growing in each of the distribution territories as well, and so especially when some of those needs are coincident with each other, there's opportunities for us to really as opposed to us each doing our own thing in order to address our own relative challenges. Is why not work together to come up with a solution that'll address both of our challenges at the same time, and a big goal of that, yes, meeting those system needs, but having that customer focus in mind and saying, looking at it to say, how can we best enhance the customer experience? And if we've got a really strong customer journey and something that really speaks to customers, more customers will participate in our programs, and we'll address our system needs. I don't want to say it as a as a byproduct or as a result, but it starts first with the customer. For the ISO, we recognize, you noted, we're a system operator. We're operating at that 10,000-foot level when it comes to electricity grid, we've had great success in recognizing the value of energy efficiency and demand side management and addressing our bulk system. Addressing our bulk system needs in working with local distribution companies, we want to also be able to support and be able to really move the conversation around how energy efficiency and demand side management can also help address those distribution system needs as well. And what that is we also recognize the strength that LDCs bring to the table when it comes to your customers and the relationship that you have with customers. So what we've been working in, and we've already been working collaboratively with local distribution companies across the province, we're really taking a an approach in two main areas when it comes to that collaboration. So first off, leading into that customer the customer relationship that local distribution companies have working with the utilities to further support the province wide programs that are delivered under the save on energy brand and enhancing the customer journey, customer experience to those really focusing on marketing and business development activities to increase the participation in our province wide programs. So that's the first area of focus that we have with our collaboration. The second area, and leading into the piece around the distribution system needs those utilities may be faced with, is, how do we work together to support some local programming, where from an as a system operator working at that 10,000-foot level, those look that local programming will also yield benefits to the bulk system. And recognizing that there may be gaps and some of the programs that we deliver today, or there may be needs very unique to a geographical area, is how do we work with the utilities to hone in on those provide those opportunities to implement different programs that complement our province wide programs potentially foster further innovation in that regards, and help address those distribution system needs while still providing benefits to the bulk system or the grid level as well. So really focusing in on those two areas. So first of all, enhancing the province wide programs, but then also zooming down a bit and looking to say, how do we work together to be able to provide funding for local programs to help address distribution system needs that the grid level will also benefit with?   Trevor Freeman  28:37 Yeah, that's great to hear. And you answered my next question already, so that's fantastic, which was around the level of knowledge and understanding that the local utilities bring to the mix of specifically what's happening with our customers on the ground in specific areas, and being able to, like you said, build or design unique aspects of the incentive program that are really targeted at a specific need in an area. So for example, if we have a part of our distribution system that's particularly constrained, we may want to target programming in that area to achieve faster results, bigger results, whatever the case may be, or if there's a particular load type or load profile that we want to tackle in an area we can sort of work with, with the ISO, to design a program that's really going to target that need and benefit the distribution and the bulk system at the same time. So great to see that that's part of the mix.   Tam Wagner  29:39 Absolutely, I think the two other things, if I can add to that, is really focusing in on what the customer needs are. And to your point, Trevor around if there are different load types or different customer uses, and then a local distribution company's territory is this, how do we how do we tap into the. And learn about it, that it might be ahead of where the broader Ontario customer base is at, and so that can really foster that innovation, and then maybe spur on potential province wide programs in the future. The other thing I'd notice is that Ontario right now, we're summer peaking, and as I mentioned, our significant electricity load comes from air conditioning. And I think the stat is about a third of our load in the summer is actually attributed to air conditioning load when we do our planning outlooks. So, our annual planning outlook is 20 years out. Is what we're starting to see, is in the early 2030s Ontario becomes dual peaking. What that means is that we still have that summer peak, but we're starting to see the winter peak increase as well, recognizing that we've got over I think over 55 local distribution companies in the province. Some of those local distribution companies are actually winter peaking today. So are there ways for us to to look at what programs, what winter focused energy efficiency programs may be available. I don't want to say pilot those, but potentially launch some of those in those winter peaking utility areas, and again, for the ISO learnings associated with that, so that when the province more broadly becomes dual peaking is have some experience, have some data to inform what might work at the province flight level, to help us better plan and prepare for that future.   Trevor Freeman  31:26 And so, for our listeners, I think we've talked about this before, but as we electrify, especially space heating, we're going to start seeing that higher load in the winter. And you know, there's a way to do it more efficiently than not. So, making sure that we're looking at technology like heat pump and smart thermostats instead of baseboard heating and, you know, sort of more analog controls for that. So programs designed to address that would make a lot of sense, as you say, Tim and in those areas where we're already seeing a significant increase in the winter. So great to hear. Okay, so this seems like a good time to kind of dive into some of the specifics about the programs. We've been sort of talking high level. Let's, let's get into the details. So for residential customers, for folks out there that you know, own their home or rent a home and have a relationship with a landlord, what are some of the programs that are available to those customers to really address energy efficiency in their homes?   Tam Wagner  32:26 So, we've got two specific programs for broad residential consumers in Ontario, I mentioned our peak perks program, and with that, it's a demand response program that's targeted at that summer peak. So it's actually been a very wildly successful program. It's been in market. We're just approaching two years. It launched June of 2023 and what that program does is, if you have central air conditioning or a heat pump in your home that cools your home in the summer, and you have a smart thermostat, is what is by enrolling in the program, you get on immediate enrollment and acceptance into the program, you get a $75 prepaid MasterCard to participate. And participation in the program involves on those peak summer days. And usually, we see those peak days between the months of June and September, will make small, a small two degree adjustment in the temperature in your home and for no longer than a three hour period. And with that is, is that that does provide relief and flattens that peak in from a province wide level to help address what our system peaks are. So I'd mentioned that program has been really successful, so over just shy of two years, we've got over 230,000 poems enrolled in the program. And what we expect with that is just over 160 megawatts of peak demand reduction as a result. When we call on the program and it's quickly become the largest virtual power plant in Canada and one of the largest in North America. So, if you're a residential consumer, with central air conditioning or heat pump that close your home and a smart thermostat, definitely something to look into. One of the things I would really highlight about that program, because you might say, Okay, two degrees. How does how does that feel? Am I going to be uncomfortable, especially if it's a peak summer, what hot and humid day? We've been really mindful of the customers through the design of that program, so the customer is always in control when it comes to our peak perks program. If you're if you work from home, or are home during a day when we're calling a peak perks event and you're finding your home is getting a little bit warmer than you would like, you can always go to your thermostat and readjust the temperature setting back to your normal setting to for to maximize on, on your comfort at the same time is, is when we know we're calling event. What we'll do is this will pre cool your home in advance of the event. So I mentioned it's a three hour event where we where we increase the temperature in your home by two degrees. Is what we'll do is, is as long as there we're not. In a state of emergency in the provinces is will adjust the temperature in your home so it's actually cooler half an hour before the events will cool your home two degrees. And then when we actually call the peak perks event, raise it. I guess the difference would be four degrees. But again, trying to maintain that coolness in your home to maximize on customer comfort and and and help with that. The other program that we have for residential consumers, and was just launched earlier this year, it's our home renovation savings program. So with that, we deliver it in collaboration with Enbridge gas, and it offers rebates for energy efficient upgrades that you may be looking to do in your home. And some of the equipment that we include in that are heat pumps as well as smart thermostats and solar PV, rooftop solar PV as that, as well as battery, battery energy storage systems. And then also, we know that when it comes to your home, being able to retain or heat or cooling weatherization as well, so attic insulation or doors and windows as well. So rebates available for all of those if you're a homeowner in Ontario, great.   Trevor Freeman  36:07 You mentioned earlier that there are sort of income qualified programs or programs for folks living in social housing and First Nations. Can you shed a little bit of light on those specific aspects?   Tam Wagner  36:18 Yes, absolutely. So we've got, again, this the this programs in collaboration with Enbridge gas as well. So we've got the ISOs, the save on energy's energy affordability program, which is offered alongside with Enbridge gasses, winter proofing program, home winter proofing program, and that offers, again, the energy efficient upgrades to customers that are income qualified. So there are income qualifications, whether you're low or moderate income household in Ontario, and it provides you with energy efficient upgrades at no cost to you. So I would highly recommend going to the save on energy.ca website to see what those income qualifications are. It's all dependent on the number of people that live in the home, what the income thresholds are, and again, the all of these upgrades would be available to you at no cost to you at all. From a First Nations programming perspective, we've got two programs offered to First Nations community. We've got the First Nations community building retrofit program as well as the remote First Nations programs, and both of them help both businesses and residences of on reserve First Nations communities make energy efficiency upgrades, again, at no cost to the community or the community members.   Trevor Freeman  37:30 Great, so, really, anybody living in a residential home, there's something out there for you. So rebates to address energy efficient equipment or support from the Ieso to or your local distribution company. Okay, so let's shift over to commercial, industrial, institutional, kind of agriculture, all the other types of customers out there. What are the programs that are being offered, and how do they differ if they do differ from previous programs?   Tam Wagner  38:01 Maybe I'll start with the last part of their question. First, what I'd say specifically with the these businesses is we're even with a new framework. We're not with the old and in with the new. So everything that's been offered in the past is basically available to customers today when it comes to those business programs, and what we're really committed to is, how do we continue to improve the offerings that we have as new technologies or available or organizations are looking to improve some of the processes that might to help result in more efficient energy and usage. So we offer a range of business programs that provide different opportunities. And really our focus is, how do we meet the businesses where they're at based on the type of business that they are, but also where they are along their energy efficiency journey. So a couple of programs that I'll highlight is, is we've got our retrofit program, and that's really been our flagship program, and under the save on energy brand, and what that does, it provides an a la carte list of prescribed technologies with Dean savings that businesses can pick from. So if you're looking at making what upgrades to your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems and stuff, you can go to our retrofit program, and what it provides you is a list of equipment that it provide indicates what the energy savings that the ISO can expect from it, but and then also provides you with what the incentives levels are for that. So really, that's, I'd say that's kind of the simple, simplest path. From a customer journey perspective, we also recognize that there's a different range of customers when we think about our business customers, and it's not a one size fits all. We also have a small business program that recognizes the unique nature of small businesses in Ontario, and that program offers energy efficient upgrades at no cost to those businesses, and it also provides additional support to install the equipment as well. And we know that it's not all about technologies as well. I've mentioned around sometimes with processes that you. May have within your organization, they can also yield energy savings. So our strategic energy management program is designed to help organizations improve their energy performance by implementing an integrated system of organizational practices, policies and processes to achieve some of these persistent energy savings so really, what I'd say to the businesses is reflecting on what, what the nature of your organization is, how your energy and usage is, is that there's a variety of different programs that hopefully can cater to your needs and check out the save on energy.ca website to find out more.   Trevor Freeman  40:34 Yeah, I think in my kind of review of it, there's, there's support for equipment and sort of technical solutions to address energy efficiency, and you put it very, very well, you know the process, the people side of things, if you need support, if you need guidance, expertise, there's also methods of support to help you access that, whether in your organization or through other means, so lots of different avenues to address energy efficiency in all types of buildings. So those are all existing buildings, which we know are certainly a major part of energy consumption today and emissions today. But we're also building new buildings constantly and constantly adding to our building stock. So what programs are out there to address new building construction and making sure that we're constructing energy efficient buildings that go beyond existing codes and standards?   Tam Wagner  41:33 So, what I'm saying, I'll say there is, we're working on it. So as part of our 2025 to 2027 plan, we have identified the need for a new construction program. We heard this through stakeholder feedback as well. When we did our midterm review back in 2022 we we heard from stakeholders that that's a gap in our programming, and so we're looking, we were looking to address that. That gap has, that has been identified. So right now my team is we're doing some market research, and in order to help inform what the design of a new construction program may look like, our commitment is, is, is, as we've got some of those that early thinking is, we will go out and stakeholder it and invite feedback and into how best to design that program. We know the we know the things we know. We know there are things that others have expertise in, and that that expertise would really be helpful to the ISO as we, as we design the program. So I'd say, stay tuned for that and continue to look at on our stakeholder engagement website for upcoming engagements, where we will seek some feedback and insights into that design of that program.   Trevor Freeman  42:36 Perfect, one last item is beneficial electrification. So we know that the government has kind of directed the ISO to look at how to support beneficial electrification. So maybe kind of two questions here, what is beneficial electrification, if you could kind of help define that for our listeners, and what, how are you looking to support beneficial electrification for customers.   Tam Wagner  43:01 Sure, so how we look at beneficial electrification is, is really around changing your the fuel source of your end use. And that's I could probably plain language that a little bit more and maybe, well, it's easiest to use an example and an example charter that you've actually highlighted is, is for a lot of Ontarians, is, is the way you heat your home isn't actually typically with electricity, and that with fuel switching or switching the source that you heat your home with is that you can yield and really electrifying that is as you can yield greenhouse gas emissions reductions as a result of that of electrification, when We think about it from a beneficial electrification perspective, is electrification perspective, is, is with as we, as we talked about the demand in Ontario increasing is, how can we leverage the way that customers may be electrifying their end uses to ensure that we're doing it in the most efficient manner that will not only yield benefits to the Customers, from a GHG emissions perspective and from an overall energy bills perspective, but also provide benefits to the electricity grid as well. And trying to, instead of hitting that 75% is, how do we actually electrify and and electrify at a rate that's actually less than that 75% would be the goal that we're looking at here with regards to how we're actually applying that is just earlier this month. So in earlier in May, we launched our first offering through the home renovation savings program for a beneficial electrification. And what that entails is for those customers in Ontario that are currently heated through oil, propane or wood heated customers, is we do have a heat pump offering to to support electrifying those end uses that will enable the those customers to be to reduce the GHG emissions in their home, and with that is also save money on their energy bills as well recognizing. A different cost in the electricity side, versus the oil or propane fuels costs.   Trevor Freeman  45:06 Yeah, I think it's, I mean, I'm someone who, obviously, folks that are listening know, I'm pretty passionate about climate change. And if, if your only lens is GHGs or greenhouse gas reduction, you know, you may jump at electrifying in any possible way, but that could be taking out your furnace and putting in electric resistance baseboard heating, which is not a very efficient way to heat your home, or not as efficient as you could be doing with, for example, a heat pump which is much more efficient, you get a lot more energy out than you put in. And I've preached a lot about heat pumps on this program before, but that's the concept behind beneficial electrification. Is doing that fuel switching, but doing it in a way that one doesn't overly stress the grid. Two, doesn't overly stress your own energy bills, because we don't want to push people into unaffordable energy. So making sure that there's support to do the right move in the right way. Tam, just to wrap up here, you've said it a couple of times, but I'll give you a chance to say one more time, where do folks go to find out more information about these programs, what they can access? How to get that support? Where should they go and look?   Tam Wagner  46:18 So our website is the best place to get that information. So it's saveonenergy.ca. Whether you're a residential, consumer or business, all the information is there. And we also have energy savings tips on our website. So again, that's Saveonenergy.ca.   Trevor Freeman  46:34 Perfect. And I'm going to selfishly add a little plug in there of you can also reach out to your local distribution company, especially if you're here in hydro Auto's territory, we would be happy to help you access these programs and point you in the right direction and make sure that you're getting the support that you need through these programs. Tam, thanks so much for walking through this new framework. It's super exciting. I mean, it's a little bit close to my heart. Again, I've been working in conservation for a while before I moved into my current role, I spent a lot of time in conservation, so it's great to hear about the evolution of the program and where it's going. I'm really excited that it's such an important piece of the planning mix that it's getting the sort of recognition and focus that it's due and really exciting to see how it goes in the next couple of years. So to wrap up, we always end our interviews with a series of questions. So as long as you're ready, Tim, I'm going to jump right in with the first question being, what is a movie or a show that you have watched or are currently watching that you think everybody should take a look at?   Tam Wagner  47:40 This takes away from the seriousness of the conversation that we've been having.   Trevor Freeman  47:44 That's the goal we're trying to focus here.   Tam Wagner  47:47 So for those who don't know me, is I've got, I do have two kids in a series that we're watching right now. Is the rookie. Have you watched that before? Trevor? I   Trevor Freeman  47:56 I haven't, no, but it's on the list. We've got a long list   Tam Wagner  47:58 That sounds like our household as as as well. And it's a fun time. It's, it's a series that we can we watch as a family. And it's, I feel like sometimes we, you know, we try to solve the crime before the show does. But it also has a really good story, kind of, the initial story around an individual who is, I'd say, later in his career, but had a moment where he explored a career shift. And for me, that message there is around like you're never too old to try something new and be successful in it. So I think that's a really good message for me myself, but also a good message for my kids.   Trevor Freeman  48:38 Yeah, very cool. I like that one. I'll have to bump that up on the list. We'll watch it sooner rather than later. If somebody offered you a free round trip flight anywhere in the world, carbon offset accounted for, of course, where would you go?   Tam Wagner  48:50 So I would go to Vietnam. So I am Vietnamese by background, born there, but I've lived in Canada for, oh, over 40 years, been back there a couple of times, and I've always loved it. It's a So, yes, back to kind of from a cultural roots perspective, there's just so much history there. It's a completely different climate from what we have here in Canada. The people are incredibly friendly, and the food is fantastic.   Trevor Freeman  49:21 I have a tiny, tiny sliver of experience, and can say that Vietnam I visited once, and was definitely on the top of my all time favorite trips for a number of different reasons. All the ones you just mentioned are certainly up there for sure. Who is someone that you admire.   Tam Wagner  49:37 And again, I'm going to cheat on this one a little bit, so because it will be fun, but my parents with them. So I'd mentioned were first generation immigrants, when I think about the things that they've done and to come to Canada, we came to Canada as refugees, so to leave a place that they were very comfortable in. Knew the culture. Knew the language to come to a country where completely different environment, completely different culture, had no family here, and their reason for doing it was so that myself and my brothers could have greater opportunities as a parent. I'd like to think that if I was faced with that, I would make the same decision. But until you're actually in those shoes, you never know whether you whether you would or not, so I am definitely very grateful for the decisions that they've made, because it's landed me where I am today, and are very appreciative of that. So very much admire them.   Trevor Freeman  50:32 Yeah, that's a fantastic story. Thanks for sharing that. Tim. Finally, what is something about the energy sector or its future that you're particularly excited about.   Tam Wagner  50:43 We're at a really unique spot right now in that we are very much building for the future, and not just our future or kids future. When we think about the electricity infrastructure, it's things, it's something that's going to be in place for the next 40 plus years. So being able to face that challenge to build something for the generations to come is very exciting for me. It's not just the what of it, but how we do it. As I touched on before around, we're greater than the sum of our parts. Is being able to do that in a way that we can collaborate with each other, really lean on each other's strengths, learn from each other, and then I think that foundational culture is the way that we'll be really successful and ensuring that we can have that reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity future. So excited about the challenge, but also even more excited about how we're going to face that challenge and work together to to to be successful.   Trevor Freeman  51:40 Yes, I love that, and I think that's a great place to wrap this up. I love that. And I say this often to folks like, I can't think of a better spot to be when I think about climate and energy and the energy transition than kind of in the electricity sector, thinking about how all roads, or at least most roads, to the things that we want to envision run through the electricity grid and all the different nuances of that. And you could go down endless paths of, how do we make sure that this is going to work, and how do we make sure it's going to be affordable and that people are going to have the power they need? So super glad to hear that you're excited about that and passionate about that, super glad that you're putting your efforts towards that. Thanks. For coming on and talking to us today and sort of sharing your expertise and wisdom around this pretty exciting new program that hopefully is going to be a major piece of our energy future here in Ontario, at least moving forward.   Tam Wagner  52:38 Thanks for having me. Really appreciated you taking the time and spending it with me as well Trevor.   Trevor Freeman  52:42 Fantastic Tam Wagner, thanks very much for coming on, and we'll chat again soon. Thanks for tuning in to another episode of The thinkenergy podcast. Don't forget to subscribe. Wherever you listen to podcasts, and it would be great if you could leave us a review. It really helps to spread the word. As always, we would love to hear from you, whether it's feedback, comments or an idea for a show or a guest, you can always reach us at thinkenergy@hydroottawa.com

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action established an independent scientific working group to analyze the potential for U.S. agriculture to collectively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possibly achieve a state of negative emissions, or emitting fewer total GHGs than are sequestered. The resulting report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” was peer-reviewed and published. In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the key areas of opportunity outlined in the report: soil carbon management.  Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Dr. Elizabeth Ellis of Colorado State University as they discuss how carbon sequestration into the soil is one of the largest potential areas for agriculture to reduce its carbon footprint. Benefits include not only increased soil carbon, but also potential crop resilience to weather extremes, decreased energy inputs and improved quality of the grain or forage produced.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA's report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

It's too early to say what caused the loss of power across Spain and parts of Portugal, but early signs are that it was linked to a disruption in solar supply. Some will soon blame it on global warming. But reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) requires increased electrification of energy systems. European governments are pushing […]

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action established an independent scientific working group to analyze the potential for U.S. agriculture to collectively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possibly achieve a state of negative emissions, or emitting fewer total GHGs than are sequestered. The resulting report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” was peer-reviewed and published. In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the key areas of opportunity outlined in the report: the potential for enhancing animal production and management. Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Dr. Bruno Basso, professor of earth and environmental sciences at Michigan State University, as they discuss how nitrogen management can help improve farmer profitability and reduce emissions. They explore the nitrogen cycle, emerging technologies, precision agriculture and other tools to be successful.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA's report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

What are public utility commissions (PUCs)? In the transition to clean energy, state public utility commissions (PUCs), which regulate electric, gas, telecommunications, water and wastewater utilities, play an increasingly important role in achieving energy efficiency, enabling renewable energy, and implementing policies for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. PUCs  play a pivotal role in determining the energy mix, setting rates, and deciding on investments in infrastructure, such as electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), for example, has to balance  safety, reliable utility service, and reasonable rates through the regulation of various large investor-owned electric, natural gas, and water utilities. Utility commissions like CPUC are given a statutory mandate to ensure reasonable, adequate and efficient service to customers at just and reasonable prices. PUCs can issue regulations that impact electricity generation, the adoption of clean energy, and related emissions of pollutants and GHGs. PUCs can play an important role in shaping energy infrastructure, policy, and clean energy development.The Role PUCs play in shaping energy infrastructurePUCs were first created in the early 20th century to focus on overseeing operations and the utility investment in service while ensuring affordable rates. That role has evolved, and now PUCs often play a transformative role in transitioning towards a greener economy. PUCs have the ability to consider the impacts of GHG emissions, equity, grid reliability, distributed energy resources, and increased consumer choices in their policy decisions. PUCs oversee planning processes that affect a utility's resource portfolio and therefore its environmental profile. A new method of planning amongst PUCs has emerged known as Integrated Resource Planning (IRP), which compares the life cycle costs of different resource choices that factor energy efficiency into their analysis. Portfolio standards have also been added to IRP, which requires certain types of resources to be included in the utilities' mix of power procured, including renewable energy and energy efficiency. PUCs can also incorporate environmental considerations by increasing oversight of utility planning processes, setting prices, determining clean energy targets, and addressing utility incentives related to energy efficiency and distribution. PUCs thus have the ability to promote and shape clean energy adoption and development through their regulatory oversight. The Case for PUCsState PUCs have significant authority, often includingI the ability to accelerate decarbonization of the energy sector, mitigate the impacts of climate change, improve public health, and assist in reaching state energy goals. Updated PUC statutory mandates that reflect state energy priorities can contribute to their success in transforming the energy grid to become more energy efficient. Energy efficiency is a cost-effective mechanism to meet future demand for electricity. Energy efficiency reduces the amount of electricity needed to meet demand thereby benefiting the overall reliability of the electric grid. With more efficient systems, utilities and states will not need to build as much new transmission and generation, which can save money and improve environmental quality. Further, modern regulations to achieve such priorities and framing for the public interest can incorporate climate and environmental justice concerns. The Case Against PUCsOrganizational challenges such as outdated mandates, staff constraints, gaps in technical knowledge, misinformation, and quasi-judicial processes have created barriers to innovation amongst PUCs. Some PUCs still continue to view themselves as purely economic regulators, which does not accurately reflect the current decisions they are being asked to make. Additionally, the authority of PUCs varies widely from state to state. PUCs authority is established by state legislatures, thus their power only extends as far as their statutory authorization. The level of statutory authority delegated to PUCs by legislatures also varies widely. Barriers such as these have made it difficult for some  PUCs to develop more innovative mechanisms consistent with new environmental targets and the effort to achieve a zero-carbon US grid.While transitioning to clean energy promises long-term savings and environmental benefits, the short-term costs can be significant and potentially burdensome for consumers and businesses, posing political and fiscal challenges for PUCs. Stakeholder engagement in this transition will be vital. Labor issues also pose challenges as states transition away from  fossil fuels. In addition, challenges exist around regulatory complexities and the evolving federal and state policies. About Our GuestJill Tauber is the Vice President of Litigation for Climate and Energy at EarthJustice. Jill leads the organization in achieving an equitable shift to clean energy through her litigation and legal advocacy work. Prior to serving as VP of Litigation, Jill worked as the Managing Attorney of Earthjustice's Clean Energy Program, focusing on achieving clean energy solutions across the country.ResourcesRMI: Purpose: Aligning PUC Mandates with a Clean Energy FutureRMI: The Untapped Potential of Public Utility CommissionsEPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency State Climate and Energy Technical Forum Background DocumentFurther ReadingColumbia Law: Public Utility Commissions and Energy EfficiencyFor a transcript, please visit https://climatebreak.org/public-utilities-commissions-with-earthjustices-jill-tauber/

This episode centers on a process that offers assistance to meat processors seeking methods to make sustainability more effective and consistent. Ryan Jones of Indigo Ag works with a variety of consumer product companies by connecting them with supplies of low-carbon grain that is used in animal feed, resulting in reduced rates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in cattle, for example. The company offers a concept that helps entities move closer to those goals from the farm and ranch level. Since reducing GHGs is among several factors that the meat industry cites as a goal to improve sustainability, while Indigo Ag's efforts may offer a specific role toward helping companies meet new standards with respect to the environment.

While policy leaders around the world are pushing to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at an unprecedented speed, the science is still working to catch up, at least when it comes to measuring carbon sequestration rates and emissions at the farm level. The conventional way of measuring carbon is to look at what is currently... Read More

In the last few years, the push to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) across several sectors has increased. In 2022, the Government of Canada released their 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan. While this plan includes many different industries — transportation and oil and gas, to name a few, agriculture is also on the list. One of... Read More

Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Manuela Zoninsein, the CEO & Founder of Kadeya, winner of the Most Innovative Company in the Food and Beverage category for the 2024 Reusies. Learn the secret to Kadeya's 99% bottle return rate, and how their patented closed-loop beverage system can eliminate single-use bottles forever while saving GHGs, eliminating threats from microplastics and unstable supply chains, and increasing worker hydration.Resources: www.thereusies.orgwww.kadeya.comwww.plasticfreejuly.org

As the world population continues to grow, the demand for food is rapidly increasing, with an estimated 45% increase in food production required by 2050 . This puts huge pressure on the agricultural industry to become more robust and ramp up productivity. However, the challenge of feeding the world is not only a matter of quantity but also of quality and sustainability. Reducing Carbon Emissions As the world exceeds the critical 1.5C warming threshold 12 months in a row, the need to rapidly reduce carbon emissions has never been greater. The stability and resilience of the global food system is at risk and the challenge of reaching these goals by 2050 is further compounded by the introduction of strict climate action legislation. In 2021, The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill was passed, which commits Ireland to a legally binding target of a climate neutral economy no later than 2050. With agriculture in Ireland contributing to 38.5% of the total GHGs emitted, the industry needs to adopt innovative technologies and practices that can both increase yield, while also reducing environmental impact and adapting to changing climatic conditions. The Rise of AgriTech In recent years, farming has become an increasingly high-tech business focused on expanding scale and efficiency, with more recent innovations focusing on improving sustainability. In 2023, the AgriTech market was valued at $24.19 billion USD globally and is forecasted to grow to $54.17 billion USD by 2029. Therefore, the demand for novel technologies is expected to continue to rise, as will the opportunity for new and existing companies. AI is one technology that has grabbed the agricultural industry by the horns. A juxtaposition, merging what is considered the oldest technology with one of the newest, AI, could significantly mitigate some of the climate and supply challenges faced by the agricultural sector. In recent years, there has been an increase in companies designing various AI solutions aimed at improving productivity and sustainability within the agricultural industry. Leveraging Data Big data has become an integral component within every industry to optimise processes and profitability. With the rapid development of AI technology, this data can now create even more value by providing better insights, automating tasks and enhancing decision making. In the agricultural sector specifically, AI-powered tools are being developed to perform various predictive analytics such as monitoring?weather conditions and recommending the application of fertiliser. By providing a more holistic understanding of farming processes, this technology is empowering farmers to make data driven decisions from supply chain management to monitoring crop and livestock health. From the perspective of Irish agriculture, Machine learning (ML) and AI algorithms are also being applied to the livestock and dairy industry with a concept known as precision livestock farming (PLF). An example of this technology is tracking milk production for individual cows and interpreting this data to perform health screening for the animal or to forecast supply for market demands. With dairy farms having higher levels of environmental emissions due to the greater production intensity, PLF technology has the potential to reduce GHG emissions by streamlining daily farm activities and decreasing waste. Overall, this increase in knowledge and visibility enables improved efficiency and sustainability, which is critical in the attempt to reduce total GHG emissions and support Ireland's transition to Net Zero by 2050. AI-powered Computer Vision Computer vision is another application of AI that is being implemented in various farming processes. With the majority of farms in Ireland focused on livestock production, particularly beef and dairy, there is mounting pressure on farmers to balance meeting market needs while reducing GHG emissions. Similar to milk production capture technology, advancements in...

Rodney completed a BSc in Physics from the University of New Brunswick and subsequently worked as a research assistant for UNB in a CO2 laser lab before attending University of Toronto on an NSERC scholarship where he completed an MASc in electrical engineering.  His graduate work was modeling and simulation of a semiconductor device-physics industrial problem, a solution he later presented at an international modeling and simulation conference in Pittsburg.  He has spent over 35 years working in industry in telecom chip design, fiber-optics, computing, and LED lighting.   He was involved in modeling and simulation activity for some of the projects he worked on including writing an Excel-based simulator 15 years ago to solve a complex electrical network problem.   In 2022, Rodney took on a personal challenge to see if he could calculate the temperature rise for an increase in GHGs.   His interest became an obsession which led to his development of a comprehensive tool he calls GHG Lab that implements his understanding of the GHG physics and a website called Climate Bell to share it with others.   Now, anyone even without any physics understanding, can use his GHG Lab tool to compute Earth's temperature change from a change in GHG levels.  The tool has produced interesting and good-news results that he wishes to share with threatened industries so they can defend their interests against unnecessary climate-change mandates.  He has also setup an open peer review forum so scientists can publicly comment too. 00:00 Meet Rodney McInnis: A Journey from Physics to Climate Modeling 00:40 Introducing Climate Bell: A New Approach to Greenhouse Gas Modeling 01:31 The Science and Skepticism Behind Climate Bell 01:58 GHG Lab: A Revolutionary Tool for Climate Analysis 03:02 Shifting Perspectives on Climate Change Over 25 Years 03:25 The Making of GHG Lab: From Inspiration to Innovation 04:28 Demystifying the Greenhouse Gas Effect: A Deep Dive 06:04 Puzzle Pieces of Climate Modeling: Building a New Framework 36:13 GHG Lab in Action: Demonstrating Precision in Climate Modeling 41:28 Debunking Climate Change Myths with GHG Lab 42:00 Exploring the Impact of Methane and Nitrous Oxide 42:43 The Complexities of the Water Cycle and Climate Modeling 46:40 Live Demo of GHG Lab: A Deep Dive 51:00 Addressing Climate Change Industry Flaws 52:39 Revisiting Venus: A New Perspective on Greenhouse Effects 56:32 Engaging with the Community: Peer Review and Educational Tools 58:33 Debunking Popular Climate Change Alarms 01:00:50 GHG Lab: A Tool for Change and Education 01:03:16 Final Thoughts and Call to Action Slides for this podcast: https://tomn.substack.com/p/a-novel-engineering-approach-to-precision Climate Bell's learning center:  https://www.climatebell.org/learn.html Download GHG Lab:  https://www.climatebell.org/calculator.html Climate Bell's peer review forum:  https://climatebell.createaforum.com/index.php X: https://twitter.com/ClimateBell ========= AI summaries of all of my podcasts: https://tomn.substack.com/p/podcast-summaries About Tom Nelson: https://linktr.ee/tomanelson1 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL89cj_OtPeenLkWMmdwcT8Dt0DGMb8RGR X: https://twitter.com/TomANelson Substack: https://tomn.substack.com/ About Tom: https://tomn.substack.com/about

High performing people & organizations often don't celebrate their victories before tackling the next project. We take a breath for this episode to focus on important successes in the industry that benefit us all. First, Adam Shea of Riceland Foods is back, and he's brought Austin Brown to talk about their Carbon Ready Program that is saving water, reducing GHGs, and putting money in farmers' pockets. Then Louisiana farmer Fred Zaunbrecher stops by to talk about his shift from diesel power to electricity for water pumping on his family farm. Yay us! With special guests: Adam Shea, Riceland Foods, Austin Brown, Riceland Foods, and Fred Zaunbrecher Hosted by: Michael Klein, Lesley Dixon, and Steve Linscombe

In this episode, Erika Schiller is joined by Kayla Carey, ClimeCo's Senior Manager of Industrial Innovations, and Grant Quasha, Chief Executive Officer of Eco Material Technologies (Eco Material).  With four billion tons of cement produced each year, this sector of the global economy is a heavy emitter, contributing up to 8% of global greenhouse gasses (GHGs). Listen as Erika, Kayla, and Grant discuss the current efforts to decarbonize building materials and how carbon credits are helping to incentivize more reductions. Learn about Eco Material and Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCM) and their role in sustainability solutions. Kayla specializes in decarbonization for hard-to-abate sectors. With experience in sustainability management and energy policy, she helps ClimeCo's energy and industrial clients navigate environmental markets. Grant is advancing Eco Material's business growth in new materials to displace traditional portland cement and lower the carbon footprint of our built environment.  Interested in environmental asset innovation and carbon credits? Contact us for more information: https://www.climeco.com/contact-us/ Subscribe to the ESG Decoded Podcast on your favorite streaming platforms and social media so that you're notified of new episodes. Enjoy tuning in! Episode Resource Links CAR Methodology: https://www.climateactionreserve.org/how/protocols/industrial/low-carbon-cement/dev/ Eco Material's Website https://ecomaterial.com/ Environmental Asset Innovation: https://www.climeco.com/environmental-asset-innovation/ Environmental Credits: https://www.climeco.com/environmental-credit-solutions/.  Kayla Carey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayla-carey/  Grant Quasha LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gquasha/  - About ESG Decoded ESG Decoded is a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner. Join Kaitlyn Allen, Amanda Hsieh, and Erika Schiller for thoughtful, nuanced conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts that explore the complexities about the risks and opportunities connected to (E)nvironmental, (S)ocial and (G)overnance. We like to say that “ESG is everything that's not on your balance sheet.” This leaves room for misunderstanding and oversimplification – two things that we'll bust on this podcast. ESG Decoded | Resource Links Website: https://www.climeco.com/podcast-series/ Apple Podcasts: https://go.climeco.com/ApplePodcasts  Spotify: https://go.climeco.com/Spotify  YouTube Music: https://go.climeco.com/YouTube-Music  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/esg-decoded/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esgdecoded/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ESGDecoded Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ESGDecoded About ClimeCo ClimeCo is a global sustainability company with projects and partners all over the world. Our mission is to advance the low-carbon future and restore nature with market-based solutions. We offer comprehensive services spanning environmental asset innovation, ESG and climate strategy consulting, regulatory and policy advisory, environmental credits, API solutions, and climate action certification programs. Our growing team of respected scientists and industry experts collaborate with companies of all sizes, governmental groups, NGOs, and capital markets players on ESG, decarbonization, and policy issues—allowing us to develop high-quality, purpose-built end-to-end sustainability solutions with measurable impact. We are steadfastly committed to educating and empowering our clients, no matter where they are in their sustainability journey, to be confident in a rapidly evolving marketplace. ClimeCo | Resource Links Website: https://climeco.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/climeco/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/climeco/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClimeCo Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Climeco/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climeco-llc

In this episode of the Energy News Beat Daily Standup, Stuart Turley discusses several key topics. Firstly, Amazon Web Services (AWS) acquires Talen's Nuclear Data Center campus in Pennsylvania, highlighting the potential of nuclear power for meeting the energy demands of data centers. Turley then addresses a study indicating that electric vehicles (EVs) release more toxic emissions than gas-powered cars due to tire wear, shedding light on overlooked environmental impacts. Surprisingly, the Toyota Prius Prime emerges as the greenest car in America, emphasizing the role of hybrid vehicles in reducing emissions. Additionally, a study warns of potential blackouts in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic electric grids by 2028, underscoring the importance of backup power solutions. Lastly, Turley explores the debate surrounding carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), questioning its effectiveness compared to alternative approaches like nuclear energy or energy poverty alleviation. He invites feedback and expert opinions on this complex issue.Highlights of the Podcast00:00 - Intro02:02 - AWS acquires Talen's nuclear data center campus in Pennsylvania03:44 - Electric vehicles release more toxic emissions, are worse for the environment than gas-powered cars: study05:23 - The ‘greenest' car in America might surprise you07:01 - New Study Warns Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Electric Grid Could Face Blackouts by 202808:34 - Energy Realities EP#101 LIVE with special guest Robert Bryce on his new Documentary!09:56 - Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) – effective technology or convenient scam?12:52 - OutroPlease see the links below or articles that we discuss in the podcast.AWS acquires Talen's nuclear data center campus in PennsylvaniaMarch 4, 2024 Mariel AlumitAmazon Web Services (AWS) has acquired Talen Energy's data center campus at a nuclear power station in Pennsylvania. Talen Energy Corporation this week announced it has sold its 960MW Cumulus data center campus in Pennsylvania […]Electric vehicles release more toxic emissions, are worse for the environment than gas-powered cars: studyMarch 5, 2024 Mariel AlumitElectric vehicles release more toxic particles into the atmosphere and are worse for the environment than their gas-powered counterparts, according to a resurfaced study. The study, published by emissions data firm Emission Analytics, was released […]The ‘greenest' car in America might surprise youMarch 5, 2024 Mariel AlumitIf you try to imagine a “green” car, an electric vehicle is probably the first thing that comes to mind. A silent motor with tons of torque; no fumes, gasoline smells or air pollution belching […]Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) – effective technology or convenient scam?March 5, 2024 Mariel AlumitMany people in high-income nations (and few in lower-income nations) are concerned about emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), particularly carbon dioxide (CO2), and their effects on climate. Behind the media furore and polarized sniping, there […]New Study Warns Midwest and Mid-Atlantic Electric Grid Could Face Blackouts by 2028March 5, 2024 Mariel AlumitA new study warns that the Biden administration-backed push to electrify America's economy is on a collision course with its policy of retiring “base load” power plants as part of its green agenda. As a […]Energy Realities EP#101 LIVE with special guest Robert Bryce on his new Documentary!March 5, 2024 Erick ParelEnergy Realities EP#101 LIVE with special guest Robert Bryce on his new Documentary! Don't miss the great LIVE panel for the Energy Realities team: David Blackmon, Tammy Nemeth, Irina Slav, and Stu Turley. Robert Bryce's […]Follow Stuart On LinkedIn and TwitterFollow Michael On LinkedIn and TwitterENB Top NewsENBEnergy DashboardENB PodcastENB Substack– Get in Contact With The Show –

This episode centers on sustainability efforts that meat processors are seeking to make more effective and consistent and a company that offers a concept that helps entities move closer to those goals from the farm and ranch level. Indigo Ag works with a variety of consumer product companies by connecting them with supplies of low-carbon grain that is used in animal feed, resulting in reduced rates of greenhouse gas emissions in cattle, for example. Since reducing GHGs is among several factors that the meat industry cites as a goal to improve sustainability, Indigo Ag's efforts may hold a specific role toward helping companies meet new standards with respect to the environment.

In 2022, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reached a high of 53 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent. To bring that down to net zero, we can either stop emitting GHGs into the atmosphere, or we can pull out CO2 that has already been emitted. In this episode, we focus on two solutions to address areas where energy emissions are hard to abate.  One solution is carbon capture and sequestration, or CCS, which involves capturing CO2 from the air and storing it underground. In the first half of this episode, we speak with Dr. Saro Meguerdijian, a researcher at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, who explains what CCS is and how it works, as well as the crucial role it can play in addressing our growing carbon emissions. Another solution is monitoring methane emissions from oil and gas operations to identify and mitigate leaks and flares. This has become a hot topic lately as methane has accounted for about 30% of global warming since the Industrial Revolution and is 80x more potent at warming than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. A lot of methane leaks into the atmosphere from oil and gas operations, and recent studies have found much higher rates of leakage from natural gas production than previously known. Thus, methane leaks can make natural gas just as bad as coal in contributing to climate change. In the second half of this episode, we speak with two graduate students, Will Daniels from the Colorado School of Mines and Rachel Day from Colorado State University, about methods for detecting methane emissions from oil and gas production and the role that data might play in reducing these emissions.  00:00 Interview with Dr. Meguerdijian 02:30 Interview with Will Daniels and Rachel Day 01:03:46 Concluding Remarks   Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast so you can automatically get access to our new episodes – you can find us on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. And we would appreciate it so much if you could leave a rating and review. Special thanks to our guests for today and Abhi, our technical guru, for their important contributions to today's episode. This podcast is sponsored by the USC Ershaghi Center for Energy Transition.   Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during the Energy Transition Talk series are solely those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent those of the Ershaghi Center for Energy Transition (E-CET) or the producers of this podcast.  Referenced in this episode and additional resources: Statista, Annual greenhouse gas emissions worldwide from 1970 to 2022 NPR, July 14, 2023, Natural gas can rival coal's climate-warming potential when leaks are counted UNEP, Aug. 20, 2021, Methane emissions are driving climate change. Here's how to reduce them  Colorado State University Energy Institute, Methane Emissions Technology Evaluations Center (METEC)  Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab – Initiative of the University of Texas at Austin, Colorado State University, and Colorado School of Mines to develop transparent models and datasets for accurate GHG emissions accounting across the global oil and gas supply chain https://energy.colostate.edu/metec/  Methane Emissions Technology Evaluations Center (Colorado State University) https://www.eemdl.utexas.edu/  Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (University of Texas at Austin, Colorado State University and Colorado School of Mines)

Trying to achieve Carbon Neutrality can feel like a monumental task, especially with so many separate elements that you have to complete. From quantifying your data, reducing where possible and offsetting the remainder, it can be hard to keep track of it all with taking a structured approach.  Which is where ISO 14068 comes in. This is the new Standard for Climate Change Management, and it's specially designed to help businesses with the transition to Net Zero. In this weeks' episode Mel explains 10 reasons why you should use ISO 14068 – the new Standard for Carbon Neutrality.    You'll learn ·       What is ISO 14068? ·       Why should you adopt ISO 14068? ·       How can Carbonology Support you with ISO 14068?   Resources ●      Carbonology ●      Grab a copy of our Net Zero Planner ●      ISO 14068   In this episode, we talk about: [00:25] What is ISO 14068? – This is standard for Climate Change Management. If you'd like to find out more about the Standard, it's purpose and how it can prevent green washing, go back and watch our previous episode. [00:55] Where to find more information – This podcast is based off BSI's most recent Publication on ISO 14068: ‘Climate Change Management – Transition to Net Zero – Part 1: Carbon Neutrality (A BSI Executive Briefing). You can download this from a recent blog on BSI's website. [01:05] Reason 1: A structured approach – Mel found out firsthand from a recent EMEX event that people are looking for a structured approach to carbon neutrality. ISO 14068 gives organisations a structured process for developing a detailed carbon neutrality management plan with short- and long-term targets. [02:10] Reason 2: Quality - In contrast to unsubstantiated claims of neutrality, claims under ISO 14068 have to be based on all GHGs, take a lifecycle approach and can only be made after the development of long-term planning, with real GHG reductions in place, and offsetting restricted to residual emissions using high quality carbon credits. [03:10] Reason 3: Credibility: Use of this internationally recognised standard can offer market benefits by increasing the credibility and verifiability of a product or organisational claim of carbon neutrality. This Standard has been developed by international technical committees and subject matter experts across the globe, which gives it a lot more credibility in the eyes of Stakeholders. They will have confidence that claims are transparent and reliable from those who adopt ISO 14068. [04:22] Reason 4: Global Recognition –  A quick reminder - Those who have been listening to the ISO Show for a while now may remember our previous podcasts on PAS 2060 – the previous Standard for Carbon Neutrality. Companies will now have 2 years to transition to ISO 14068. We'll be doing a podcast on how to go about doing that in 2024! Circling back to Global Recognition, ISO 14068 provides a common set of criteria for measuring and reporting carbon neutrality. This ensures consistency across different organizations and industries, underpins easer comparisons for carbon neutrality efforts between entities, allows stakeholders to assess and benchmark efforts, and supports global recognition for claims of carbon neutrality. [05:30] Reason 5: Convenience – If you've already got other ISO's in place, good news! ISO 14068 is designed to work with other quantification standards such as ISO 14064 or other equivalents. [05:55] Reason 6: Flexibility - ISO 14068 can be used by any sized organisation, in any country or sector. It can also be applied to whole organisations or individual products. [05:55] Reason 7: Responsibility - The standard encourages organisations to take responsibility for minimising their own carbon footprint before paying third parties to offset their emissions. We've seen in the past where people think just paying for carbon credits will work in the long-term – which just isn't sustainable. You should be looking to reduce as much as possible before moving onto the Offsetting stage. [08:00] Reason 9: Risk Mitigation – Adopters of ISO 14068 will be in a strong position to manage current and emerging regulatory and market risks in relation to GHG emissions. It's a competitive market place out there, with ESG requirements appearing more on tenders year on year. Many will now require you to prove your commitment to carbon neutrality, and it's become clear that we need Standards to be able to provide that evidence. This is where ISO 14068 comes in, as you will have that proven methodology that you can then demonstrate to those stakeholders. [09:30] Reason 10: Competitiveness –  ISO 14068 demonstrates a commitment to climate action can also mitigate reputational risks and enhance brand value, market access and competitiveness [10:30] Further Information –  Our sister company, Carbonology, will be publishing more content around ISO 14068 in 2024. Check back on their website to find out more. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ●      Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ●      Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

Welcome back to Wicked Problems. The climate tech show and newsletter with dogs that remind us that even the end of the world can't take priority over a timely walk.Wicked Problems is listener-supported - consider becoming a paid subscriber at news.wickedproblems.uk. Andy Reisinger is a respected climate scientist who just published a new paper arguing that the gap between “staying under 1.5” and what the science says is likely means it's time to talk seriously about managing overshoot.He spoke to in a personal capacity - and in that same capacity he published the paper:Temporary overshoot: Origins, prospects, and a long path ahead (1 Dec 2023)The paper - that link above provides free open access for 50 days, cherished subscriber, so don't say we never get you anything - seeks to start a serious discussion about Overshoot and what to do about it.We discuss* nature of overshoot and why now* the role and needed scale of carbon removals (CDR) in the overshoot scenarios* going being Net Zero - and the burden-sharing dilemmas among sectors and countries* urgency of reducing other forcing GHGs, especially methaneIt feels taboo to even discuss, and getting back below 1.5 is something that both Andy and other scientists stress is going to be extremely difficult, extremely costly, and difficult to even discuss because it will inherently involve deciding between really bad options. Who pays? How much will those responsible be willing to pay to bring the world back under 1.5?Andy also references:Overconfidence in Overshoot - (29 Nov 2023)“Professor Joeri Rogelj, Director of Research at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, argues that the risks of climate overshoot are dangerous and underappreciated”Andy Reisinger:LinkedInBlueSkyWe also discussed Solar Radiation Management, prompted by a presentation from Thelma Krug from the IPCC:Thanks for listening.You can also find this episode onApple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeand anywhere you get podcasts.Get in touch at news.wickedproblems.uk where you can also get our newsletter and consider getting a paid subscription to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is an emergency podcast about the Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis, which was released just a day ago. Top US and China climate negotiators Xie Zhenhua and John Kerry have held several days of talks at the Sunnylands estate near Palm Springs in California, and released this joint US-China statement in the lead-up to COP28 in Dubai. Just a few months ago, Kerry had visited BJ to negotiate similar topics, and President Xi had used the occasion to emphasize that China would set its own path on climate, and not give in to pressure. So this joint statement comes as a bit of a positive surprise. Topics we discuss: The top highlights of the announcement, especially economy-wide emissions cuts and addressing all GHGs. The meaning of "meaningful post-peak reductions in power sector emissions." The importance of the phrasing around tripling renewable capacity. What this means (or doesn't mean) for global stock taking. How the issue of trade policy will play at the COP. China's potential contribution to loss and damage funds. Further reading:  Li Shuo, "What Does China Want From COP28?" Asia Society Policy Institute, November 2023, at https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/what-does-china-want-cop28.  This episode was produced by Anders Hove. Contribute to our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/EnvironmentChina 

Episode 56: In this episode, host Angie Gust talks about methylene blue.  It was synthesized in 1876 as a textile dye- that is strange- right? Even as early as 1891 it was investigated for its medicinal applications. It was used in the clinic as a potent antimalarial agent and as a medical staining agent. Suffice to say methylene blue is a well-established drug with a long history of use. Turning to the environment, did you hear that did you hear that Pope Francis came out in strong support of action on the climate crisis with an Apostolic Exhortation in advance of the UN climate change conference-COP28?  It came out Oct 4 and is called Ladate Deum- Praise God. He had 73 points and 44 references. Here is his last point, in part: ...If there is sincere interest in making COP28 a historic event that honours and ennobles us as human beings, then one can only hope for binding forms of energy transition that meet three conditions: that they be efficient, obligatory and readily monitored. Let's pray that COP 28 is a turning point to begin serious drawdown of GHGs. References Greve, JE and Noor D, Sept 14, 2023. Exclude fossil fuel firms from Cop28 if they only want to obstruct, says ex-UN chief. The Guardian.  https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/sep/21/un-cop28-fossil-fuel-firms-climate-action Naylor GJ, Smith AH, Connelly P. A controlled trial of methylene blue in severe depressive illness. Biol Psychiatry. 1987 May;22(5):657-9. Doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(87)90194-6. PMID: 3555627. Pope Francis. Laudate Deum of the Holy Father francis to all people of good will on the climate crisis.https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20231004-laudate-deum.html Pope Francis. Prayer for the environment.  https://slmedia.org/blog/laudato-si-prayer-for-environment Tucker D, Lu Y, Zhang Q. From Mitochondrial Function to Neuroprotection-an Emerging Role for Methylene Blue. Mol Neurobiol. 2018 Jun;55(6):5137-5153. Doi: 10.1007/s12035-017-0712-2. Epub 2017 Aug 24. PMID: 28840449; PMCID: PMC5826781. Wallis Wells, D. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/after-un-meeting-countries-brace-cop28-fossil-fuel-fight-2023-09-25/COP 28 Xiong, ZM., O'Donovan, M., Sun, L. et al. Anti-Aging Potentials of Methylene Blue for Human Skin Longevity. Sci Rep 7, 2475 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-02419-3    

Did you know that more than 90% of today's energy storage technology is based on a 140+ year-old concept? Care to guess what that is? Hint - has to do with moving water, waiting, then moving water again. Humans have been harnessing the energy of river currents for centuries, using water wheels spun by rivers initially to process grains and cloth. Today, hydropower provides about 16 percent of the world's electricity, generating power in all but two U.S. states. Contrary to popular belief, however, hydroelectric power can seriously damage the climate, displacing millions of inhabitants and in some cases generating more GHGs than their fossil counterparts!With this in mind the genius idea of Energy Vault was born. If you missed our episode with their CEO, Robert Piconi, last month, then you truly missed out on a conversation worth revisiting. If you don't have the time, however, for a 60+min treasure trove, then today you can check out a 10 min Tactical Tuesday vignette of that convo specifically focused on how Energy Vault's team have created a gravity-based storage solution that mimics hydro power without all the water and ecological concerns.Let's face it, our growing reliance on renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, with inherent intermittency challenges, prevents us from achieving a 100% carbon neutral power grid. Some of the front runners in the current energy storage race are lithium ion batteries and pumped hydro, both of which pose challenges like high cost and a negative environmental impact. Energy Vault's solution uses gravity (and software, of course) in a novel form factor that is efficient, scalable, economical, and sustainable.Listen as Robert explains how their unique system uses eco-composite bricks for long-duration energy storage(LDES). He points out the energy storage market is not where it should be, and how their gravity batteries and strategic partnerships are enabling an increasingly renewable-powered grid. Want to know how they are able to be deployed without subsidies? Tune in. If you want to connect with today's guest, you'll find links to his contact info in the show notes on the blog at https://mysuncast.com/suncast-episodes/.SunCast is presented by Sungrow, the world's most bankable inverter brand.You can learn more about all the sponsors who help make this show free for you at www.mysuncast.com/sponsors.Remember, you can always find resources, learn more about today's guest and explore recommendations, book links, and more than 637 other founder stories and startup advice at www.mysuncast.com.You can connect with me, Nico Johnson, on:Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/nicomeoLinkedIn -...

Sustainability has become one of the main focal points for businesses to address in the last few years, and for good reason! We're already seeing the devastating effects of simply doing nothing in the form of more extreme weather, occurring much more frequently in areas not equip to handle it.  To encourage action from businesses, we're seeing more public and private sector contracts include a tendering requirement to show your commitment to sustainability. One such example is the need for a PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plan. In this weeks' episode David Algar, Principal Carbonologist at Carbonology, joins Mel to explain exactly what PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plans are, what the requirements mean in practice and the consequences if a business does not meet the requirements. You'll learn ·       What are PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plans? ·       What the requirements mean in practice ·       Benefits to a business ·       What if a business does not meet the requirements? Resources ●      Carbonology ●      Book a call with David Algar ●      A quick Guide to creating your PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plan   In this episode, we talk about: [00:42] Episode Summary - We're talking about PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plans because there is a government requirement to submit one. This episode will cover the what and why, in part 2 we'll go into more detail about how to create a Carbon Reduction Plan.    [02:10]  What is a PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plan? Procurement Policy Note 06/21 was introduced back in June 2021, hence the 06/21 part, and is a tendering requirement for companies looking to win contracts in the public sector that links to the Government's Net Zero target. [02:28] What is the UK government's Net Zero target? The ‘net zero target' refers to a government commitment to ensure the UK reduces its emissions by 100% from 1990 levels by 2050.   [02:55] Who does PPN apply to?: Public sector, so any businesses that works with education, local authorities, housing, infrastructure, defence, transit, and of course, the NHS who have set a goal of Net Zero by 2040. Officially this is for contracts that are valued at £5M or more, but in April 2024 the NHS will be requesting a Carbon Reduction Plan for all procurement. Unofficially, this framework could be adopted by any business, so even if you don't deal directly with the public sector, or are a subcontractor, your supply chain may soon be requesting a Carbon Reduction Plan! [04:05] Why do you need a Carbon Reduction Plan? Although the Government's targets and policies around Net Zero keep changing, the overall goal of PPN 06/21 is to encourage businesses to reach Net Zero before 2050, come up with a plan to do so, and implement emission reduction initiatives in the delivery of Government contracts. [04:35] From a businesses perspective, what are the main benefits? There are 2 main benefits: ●      It's essential for some tendering, with as much as a 10% weighting based on your carbon management and social values. Put simply, if you don't produce one when needed, you may fail the tender requirements and probably won't make the sale. ●      The second main benefit is that this isn't just a piece of paper with a graph on it, it's a great opportunity to investigate your business' GHG emissions, and put a plan in place to reduce them. This also helps you show to stakeholders that you are actually committed to environmental protection and could identify some cost savings in your business after going through all the data. ●      It's also a great addition to any existing ISO 14001 or ISO 50001 Management Systems! [06:10] What are the key requirements of PPN 06/21? –    Firstly you'll need to make a commitment to achieving net zero by 2050 at the latest. This includes annually calculating your emissions and updating the Carbon Reduction Plan. Next you'll need to report on a minimum set of GHG categories: 100% of your Scope 1 emissions, so direct emission from company vehicles, gas heating (so stuff you burn) and any fugitive emissions, which are leaks from HVAC systems for most businesses. 100% of your Scope 2 emissions which is electricity most of the time but can also refer to steam you import from an external source. You'll also need to report on 5 Scope 3 categories, these are your indirect emissions: ●      Waste generated in operations ●      Business travel in vehicles you don't own, so staff cars, flights, trains, etc ●      Commuting, so staff traveling to and from work, being careful not to double count business travel not already claimed under expenses ●      And arguably the most complicated, upstream and downstream transportation, i.e. goods in, and goods out – physical transport of goods [09:50] Are there any other categories covered by scope 3 that we should consider? –  Generally, when we produce a CRP for our clients, we'll look at a few extra Scope 3 categories such as water, homeworking, or purchased goods, so carbon reduction planning can extend to other elements of the business. In all cases you'll need to report in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, or tCO2e, as this accounts for the global warming potential of multiple GHGs. [11:30] Are there any ISO standards that you can align the Carbon Reduction Plan to? Yes! At Carbonology, we use ISO 14064-1. This sets out a series requirements and guiding principles for the quantification and reporting of emissions. We wouldn't necessarily have to go all the way to meeting every single requirement of the standard for your CRP but we always align with the key requirement of the standard when completing a CRP. And if you're lucky we'll also cover your SECR figures! [12:05] What is SECR? -  Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting. This is mandatory reporting for businesses that are defined as large, so 250+ staff, and 36M turnover or 18M on the balance sheet. [18:20] Asset Management -  In 8.2 there is a consideration for Asset Management on your side. You should take care of any assets relating to the customer, where it's stored and how it's being looked after. Standards such as ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 55001 (Asset Management) already have some considerations for this. [13:30] You've calculated your GHG results, what's next?-  Once you've calculated emission from the required sources, you'll then need to look at the carbon reduction side of your Carbon Reduction Plan. To start with you'll need to outline existing initiatives you have, for instance, a sustainable travel policy, EV charging on site or a hybrid working model. It's really important that these are relevant to the delivery of the contract you are trying to secure. Next, you'll need to outline planned future initiatives, but bear in mind, these will need to be realistic and relevant, so no wild claims about buying an EV fleet or going zero waste next week! Once you've done all this you can then start looking at carbon reduction forecasts and what the numbers might look like between now and 2050 (or you chosen date. [15:10] Additional PPN 06/21 tips from David:  It will need to be signed off by a director, or equivalent, at your business to demonstrate leadership commitment. If the document isn't signed off on you may fail on the tender. You'll need to publish it on your website, making it easy to access. Simple solution to this is just add a link at the bottom of your landing page. And finally, you'll need to make sure this is kept up to date each year. Reporting for emissions occurs on a 12 monthly basis. This can either be calendar year or your financial year, but ideally, you'll want to publish the updated version as soon as you can after the year-end, certainly no longer than 6 months after. [16:40] What does a Carbon Reduction Plan look like? - When the government announced this requirement, they also released a template document that businesses can complete. This is to simplify the process for businesses that are reporting on emission for the first time, but more importantly it standardises reporting. However, the template is a bit basic! You're not marked on presentation, but you can dress it up a little as long as you don't deviate from the template too much. So feel free to put come company branding on it, make a cover page, change the font, etc. You could also make a ‘full' version of your CRP that includes further details on boundaries, methodologies and results, just make sure you only submit the template version to tenders. [19:10] What happens if you don't meet the requirements? - If you don't meet the requirements without a valid reason, chances are you'll fail the selection criteria. The selection criteria is a bit like the marking scheme associated with PPN. We can't say for a fact that this means you'll subsequently fail the tender, but it will certainly have a negative impact. For further information, David has prepared a quick guide for creating your PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plan. Feel free to download it from the link provided in the Resources section.   Lastly, if you have an questions or would like to learn more about how Carbonology can help you, feel free to book a call in via David's Calendly. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ●      Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ●      Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

CGIAR SEMINAR SERIES Can Sustainable Livestock Systems and Alternative Proteins Address the Climate Crisis? Co-organized by IFPRI, CGIAR, and Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) NOV 7, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST Climate change is severely impacting our food systems, making it increasingly challenging to provide food security and healthy diets for all people. At the same time, food systems contribute 25–30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock sector alone contributes about half of these GHGs, and has a large land and water footprint. The livestock sector is also the fastest growing agricultural sector in Africa and other parts of the Global South, where access to healthy, affordable milk, meat, and egg remains low. Clearly food system adaptation, including in the livestock sector, must deliver both mitigation and healthy diets. The CGIAR's 2023 Achieving Agriculture Breakthrough report identifies seven key technological areas and approaches for driving real change in the agriculture sector. Three of these are related to livestock: reducing methane emissions from livestock, livestock breeding for climate resilience, and alternative proteins to replace traditional animal-source proteins. The third seminar of the CGIAR Policy Seminar Series on Strengthening Food Systems will delve into findings and recommendations around sustainable livestock technologies, healthy diets, methane emissions, and alternative proteins, including promising initiatives and technologies that can be pursued to address climate change and healthy diets. Welcome Remarks Jan Brix, Senior Policy Officer, Division of Agriculture and Rural Development, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General and CGIAR Senior Director of Livestock-Based Systems (ILRI) Overview of the Breakthrough Report Loraine Ronchi, CGIAR Senior Advisor for Policy Impact, IFPRI Priority Sustainable Livestock Technologies Fiona Flintan, Senior Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Lead of the CGIAR Research Initiative on Livestock and Climate The Role of Alternative Proteins Claudia Ringler, Director, Natural Resources and Resilience (NRR), IFPRI Animal-Source Foods and Sustainable Healthy Diets Jef Leroy, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Discussants Dennis Rijnders, Commercial Director, EMEA-Bovaer Mary Mbole Kariuki, African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) Fabrice DeClerck, Science Director, EAT Stephanie von Stein, Director of International Engagement, The Good Food Institute Moderator Michael Victor, Head, Communications and Knowledge Management, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) More about this seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/can-sustainable-livestock-systems-and-alternative-proteins-address-climate-crisis Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

The future of farming may be indoors. With eroding coastlines, droughts and unpredictable downpours, farming may be better done in controlled, indoor environments. Better for GHGs emissions too. We know that's already happening for tomatoes and leafy greens – but what about large scale crops like wheat or fruits or sheep and dairy? Darryn Keiller is the founder of Way Beyond, a company specialising in data and management of such indoor farms – and he joined Vincent.

This week: Bex Hall, head of consulting at Sedex, talks to Ian Welsh about the factors that have led to consumer reliance on potentially undervalued food, and how food costs can be spread equitably across value chains. They also discuss how food may be going through a re-valuation process and the opportunities presented by this.   Plus, at Innovation Forum's Future of Plastics and Packaging Conference in Amsterdam this week, Ian spoke with Nestle's global public affairs lead for packaging and sustainability, Jodie Roussell. They talked about some of the trends in packaging and reflected on how the sector is shifting towards tougher mandatory compliance standards.   And, Starbucks develops climate-resilient coffee seeds; EU reaches deal to reduce ‘super potent' GHGs; Global power emissions flatline in first half of 2023; and, almost £600m of surplus UK food redistributed in 2022, in the news digest with Bea Stevenson.   Host: Ian Welsh  

In today's key note interview - an Oxford University academic and international expert on climate issues, who's in NZ for a speaking tour. Today we tell you everything you ever needed to know about methane v carbon dioxide GHGs, why planting trees is not the answer to saving the planet, and why farmers and their ruminant livestock are not villains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: More global warming might be good to mitigate the food shocks caused by abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios, published by Vasco Grilo on April 29, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. Disclaimer: this is not a project from Alliance to Feed the Earth in Disasters (ALLFED). Summary Global warming increases the risk from climate change. This “has the potential to result in—and to some extent is already resulting in—increased natural disasters, increased water and food insecurity, and widespread species extinction and habitat loss”. However, I think global warming also decreases the risk from food shocks caused by abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios (ASRSs), which can be a nuclear winter, volcanic winter, or impact winter. In essence, because low temperature is a major driver for the decrease in crop yields that can lead to widespread starvation (see Xia 2022, and this post from Luisa Rodriguez). Factoring in both of the above, my best guess is that additional emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are beneficial up to an optimal median global warming in 2100 relative to 1880 of 3.3 ºC, after which the increase in the risk from climate change outweighs the reduction in that from ASRSs. This suggests delaying decarbonisation is good at the margin if one trusts (on top of my assumptions!): Metaculus' community median prediction of 2.41 ºC. Climate Action Tracker's projections of 2.6 to 2.9 ºC for current policies and action. Nevertheless, I am not confident the above conclusion is resilient. My sensitivity analysis indicates the optimal median global warming can range from 0.1 to 4.3 ºC. So the takeaway for me is that we do not really know whether additional GHG emissions are good/bad. In any case, it looks like the effect of global warming on the risk from ASRSs is a crucial consideration, and therefore it must be investigated, especially because it is very neglected. Another potentially crucial consideration is that an energy system which relies more on renewables, and less on fossil fuels is less resilient to ASRSs. Robustly good actions would be: Improving civilisation resilience. Prioritising the risk from nuclear war over that from climate change (at the margin). Keeping options open by: Not massively decreasing/increasing GHG emissions. Researching cost-effective ways to decrease/increase GHG emissions. Learning more about the risks posed by ASRSs and climate change. Introduction In the sense that matters most for effective altruism, climate change refers to large-scale shifts in weather patterns that result from emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane largely from fossil fuel consumption. Climate change has the potential to result in—and to some extent is already resulting in—increased natural disasters, increased water and food insecurity, and widespread species extinction and habitat loss. In What We Owe to the Future (WWOF), William MacAskill argues “decarbonisation [decreasing GHG emissions] is a proof of concept for longtermism”, describing it as a “win-win-win-win-win”. In addition to (supposedly) improving the longterm future: “Moving to clean energy has enormous benefits in terms of present-day human health. Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air with small particles that cause lung cancer, heart disease, and respiratory infections”. “By making energy cheaper [in the long run], clean energy innovation improves living standards in poorer countries”. “By helping keep fossil fuels in the ground, it guards against the risk of unrecovered collapse”. “By furthering technological progress, it reduces the risk of longterm stagnation”. I agree decarbonisation will eventually be beneficial, but I am not sure decreasing GHG emissions is good at the margin now. As I said in my hot takes on counterproductive altruism: Mitigating global warming dec...

⭐ My guest today is Loren Burnett, Cofounder and CEO of Prometheus Materials. Inspired by the composition of coral and seashells, Prometheus Materials combines microalgae with other natural components to form an ultra low-carbon bio-cement and bio-concrete.  In addition, Loren is a former cofounder, CEO, COO, or CFO for companies that have raised nearly $200M in funding, where he led one IPO and 17 mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and achieved five exits netting shareholders over $375M in gains. ---

⭐ My guest today is Bryan Hassin, CEO of DexMat, a next-gen climate tech materials company that transforms carbon from an expensive environmental problem into high-value, high-performance nanomaterials, targeting 2-3 gigatons of GHGs reduced through its solutions. --- In addition, Bryan is also: - Former co-founder and CEO of Third Derivative, the world's largest climate tech accelerator, which has catalyzed $500M+ of investment in 100+ gigaton-potential climate tech startups - Former Entrepreneur In Residence at RMI - Serial entrepreneur with $350M+ of exits to date - Independent Director for Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp., a climate-focused SPAC with a $210M market cap ---

According to the World Food Programme, a record 349 million people across 79 countries are facing acute food insecurity.  This constitutes a staggering rise of 200 million people compared to pre-pandemic levels.  Nearly one million people globally are fighting to survive in famine-like conditions, which is ten times more people than just five years ago.   […]

Global steel production has been rising for decades.  Because steel corrodes over time, part of the demand for more steel comes from the need to replace the steel used in construction materials – in everything from bridges to cars – that has become corroded over time.  Studies have estimated that the economic cost of corrosion […]

Welcome back to Environmental Professionals Radio, Connecting the Environmental Professionals Community Through Conversation, with your hosts Laura Thorne and Nic Frederick! On today's episode, we talk with Veena Singla, Senior Scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council about Plastics, GHGs, and Networking.   Read her full bio below.Help us continue to create great content! If you'd like to sponsor a future episode hit the support podcast button or visitwww.environmentalprofessionalsradio.com/sponsor-form Showtimes: 2:50  Nic & Laura talk about decision fatigue8:59  Interview with Dr. Veena Singla starts15:34   Networking24:29   Plastics32:10   GHGs37:45   Field NotesPlease be sure to ✔️subscribe, ⭐rate and ✍review. This podcast is produced by the National Association of Environmental Professions (NAEP). Check out all the NAEP has to offer at NAEP.org.Connect with Veena Singla at https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenasingla/Guest Bio:Veena Singla is a Senior Scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council and Adjunct Assistant professor at Columbia University. Her work seeks to address health disparities linked to harmful environmental exposures using an interdisciplinary approach incorporating environmental health, exposure science, public health and policy expertise. Her research investigates how toxic pollution from systems of materials use, production and disposal threaten the health of impacted communities. She serves on the US EPA Children's Health Protection Advisory Committee, the National Toxicology Program Board of Scientific Counselors, the Board of Directors for Clean Production Action, and as Associate Director for the Agents of Change in Environmental Justice Program.Music CreditsIntro: Givin Me Eyes by Grace MesaOutro: Never Ending Soul Groove by Mattijs MullerSupport the show

As of January 1, many Americans can qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 for buying an electric vehicle.  The credit is one of the changes enacted under last year's Inflation Reduction Act.  The purpose is to encourage EV sales and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. There has been a […]

This week: Peter McAllister, executive director of the Ethical Trading Initiative, explores the complexities of human rights and ethical trade for business in a challenging global environment. He talks about changing costs pressures and evolving regulatory landscapes – including EU human rights due diligence legislation – and the patterns of stakeholder engagement that are emerging. Plus: PVH pays Haiti garment workers $1m after supplier factory closure; US senators question SHEIN CEO about forced labour ties; Indonesia and Malaysia in talks with EU over new deforestation regulation; and, “forever chemicals” found in Arctic ice posing new risk to wildlife, in the news digest with Bea Stevenson. And, an update on the upcoming future of climate action and how to tackle scope 3 GHGs virtual conference on 12th-14th June from Innovation Forum's Natasha Bodnar. Host: Ian Welsh

Salting roads before winter storms is a familiar sight in the Northeast.  The purpose is to change the temperature at which ice can form on the road.  The underlying concept has formed the basis of a new method of refrigeration that has been dubbed “ionocaloric cooling.” It is described in a paper published in the […]

The average surface temperature for the Earth in 2022 tied with 2015 as the fifth warmest on record.  The warming trend for the planet continued with global temperatures 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit above the average baseline for 1951-1980 that NASA uses for its studies. Compared with the late 19th century average used in setting climate goals, […]

Wyoming produces about 40% of our country's coal and many towns in the state were built because of and make their living from it.  With coal's plummeting share in the nation's electricity, there is a great deal of anxiety among residents of those towns. As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere continue to climb, there […]

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, worldwide growth in renewable power capacity is set to double in the next five years.  In fact, by 2027, the world will add as much renewable power as it did over the previous 20 years. Of particular significance is that renewables are going to overtake […]

The dominant issues in midterm elections in November were the economy and abortion rights, but at the same time there were also ballot initiatives in various cities and states across the country related to climate.  What some describe as the ‘silent surprise' of the election was that these initiatives generally passed and, in some cases, […]

Many companies around the world are declaring tremendous progress in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.  Sometimes these claims are the result of actions that really do  reduce emissions but other times they are the result of something called “market-based accounting”. Businesses buy credits from clean energy providers that allows them to say they are running […]

Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. Forests are cut down to make space for animal grazing, agriculture, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction. Deforestation has greatly altered landscapes around the world and continues to do so today.  Deforestation is the second largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, trailing only […]

The world drinks a lot of coffee.  Americans alone consume 400 million cups a day.  Each cup of coffee results in about half an ounce of coffee grounds.  Adding that up, this country produces over 6,000 tons of coffee grounds each day.  While coffee grounds are not particularly harmful, that is an awful lot of […]

India is the country with the second largest population in the world – over 1.4 billion people – second only to China – and will undoubtedly pass China soon based on population trends in the two countries.   India is the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after China and the U.S.  With its rapidly growing […]

It is tragic that 31% of the world's food production goes uneaten.  About 14% isn't distributed after it is harvested.  Another 17% ends up wasted in retail or by consumers.  Worldwide, the amount of food that is wasted is enough to feed more than a billion people while at least 828 million people continue to […]

The United Nations climate change conference that recently took place in Egypt is an annual event.  Last year, the conference was in Glasgow, Scotland, and the participants – heads of state and business leaders – produced a long list of promises aimed at fighting global warming.  How have the countries and companies making those promises […]

Everyone contributes to climate change through the generation of greenhouse gas emissions, but individual contributions vary greatly.   A study at the Paris School of Economics has determined that just 1 percent of the population is responsible for nearly a quarter of global carbon emissions growth since 1990. The study estimated emissions from individuals' consumption and […]

Bio-Design, Seaweed & Nature-Based Solutions: A Conversation with Roger Bason – CEO and Founder of Atlantic Ocean Aquaculture (AOA) The goal of Atlantic Ocean Aquaculture (AOA) is scaling production to reduce Ag sector GHGs in the US and abroad.  CEO, Roger Bason was trained in ocean science at Colgate University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. This included a research cruise to the Galapagos Islands and early seabed measurements of the East Pacific Rise. He is a certified Energy Engineer with experience in ocean energy development in the US and internationally that deployed the first US tidal energy system in New York City's East River and an innovative wave energy system in Bermuda in cooperation with the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science. Bason was part of an expert team that initiated coral reef recovery efforts in the Republic of the Marshall Islands using innovative BioRock technology in 2010. He developed and directed the US AmeriCorps program on the Island of Hawaii with a focus on sustainable development including projects in reforestation, aquaculture, solar energy and community food forests. For the past five years Roger has focused on climate action, installing several offshore seaweed farms and wild seaweed harvests in New England. Present work focuses on the harvest of Asparagopsis in Europe, a red seaweed that reduces methane in cattle when used as a feed supplement. Bard MBA's Hung Tran speaks with Roger for this episode of the Impact Report.   ImpactReportPodcast.com

Our planet needs greenhouse gases (GHGs) that help trap the heat and keep our planet warm and without which, the earth would be a very cold place. There are four major components of greenhouse gases (GHGs) - Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide and fluorinated gasses. But why are GHGs a problem? As the GHGs increases it heats up the planet - even 1.5 degrees C increase is enough to cause significant climate change. What if we take the problem (GHGs) and use it in our solution? That is what exactly AIRCARBON does. We talk with Mark Herrema, the CEO and co-founder of Newlight Technologies, who invented a process that by feeding greenhouse gasses to microorganisms found in the ocean, is able to extract the AirCarbon and use it to replace plastic, leather, acetate and other fibers.When made with renewable power, the production of AIRCARBON is a carbon-negative process, capturing or destroying more CO2e than was emitted to make it. Unlike synthetic materials, the AIRCARBON molecule is a molecule made throughout nature, and can be re-consumed by natural microorganisms like leaves or twigs, enabling life to restore itself.Learn more about this fascinating process on this episode of Mindful Businesses.https://www.newlight.com/aircarbonhttps://mindfulbusinessespodcast.com/#biomaterial #GHGs #sustainablematerial #compostable 

Climate change solutions typically center on carbon, and addressing carbon is essential for a safer climate future. But we sometimes forget that carbon isn't the only culprit.  Fluorinated gases such as old HVAC refrigerants can have more than 10,000 times the climate-changing potential of carbon.  The climate research nonprofit Project Drawdown determined that refrigerant management is one of the most impactful ways to mitigate climate change.  As CEO of Tradewater, Tim Brown is racing to aggregate potent gases from around the world and destroy them before they leak into the atmosphere and wreak havoc on our climate. In this episode, host Hilary Langer speaks with Tim Brown, CEO and Founder of Tradewater – a Chicago-based company that finds and destroys the world's most potent climate-changing gases. Tim shares how his eBay purchase of a common refrigerant inspired him to build a company that produces some of the highest quality carbon offsets. He explains how the Tradewater team leverages partnerships to scale their impact, why they expanded internationally, and how they plan to accelerate their work before potent GHGs are released into the atmosphere. Links:Tradewater WebsiteTradewater on TwitterTradewater on LinkedInTim Brown on LinkedInProject Drawdown: Overview of Refrigerant ManagementOne overlooked way to fight climate change? Dispose of old CFCs. (National Geographic) Episode recorded: May 5, 2022 Email your feedback to Chad, Gil, and Hilary at climatepositive@hannonarmstrong.comor tweet them to @ClimatePosiPod.

As we wait to hear whether the Supreme Court will toss WV v EPA altogether or apply the major questions doctrine to broadly rule against the EPA regulating greenhouse gases, period, a group of climate scientists and advocates are filing a petition this morning demanding that the EPA regulate greenhouse gas emissions—not under the Clean Air Act, the legislation in question in West Virginia v EPA, but under a law no one has yet applied to climate change, the Toxic Substances Control Act.