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Factor This

Factor This

Hosted by Factor This

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Episodes

252

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Launched in 2022, the Factor This Podcast has featured many of the most influential leaders driving the energy transition. From solar and battery storage executives to utility CEOs, the Factor This Podcast brings unique insights and answers to the energy industry’s most pressing challenges. Go beyond high-level trends and mainstream talking points with actionable takeaways. The Factor This Podcast grew in 2023 with the addition of This Week in Cleantech , a weekly roundup of the biggest stories in climate and clean energy in 15 minutes or less. With new episodes every Friday, Factor This content director Paul Gerke and Mike Casey, a cleantech commentator and president of Tigercomm, bring listeners the most important headlines of the week while featuring the leading journalists behind the stories. The all-new FactorThis.com is your best source for news, commentary, and analysis of renewable energy and the power grid.

Listen to episodes

60 recent
August 14, 202621 min

This Week in Cleantech (08/14/2026) - Can Trump's new solar tariffs help the domestic supply problem?

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Mark Chediak from Bloomberg, who breaks down Trump's new 15% tariffs and price floors on imported polysilicon and its derivatives, including wafers, cells and modules.This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Kumo Sharma, founder of Arkaya Energy. His company's milk-source heat pump pulls heat straight out of fresh milk as it's chilled for cheesemaking, then uses that heat to make near-boiling water for washdown — cutting England’s Barber's Farmhouse Cheesemakers' electricity use in half and saving them about $94,000 a year. Congratulations, Kumo!This Week in Cleantech — August 14, 2026 Zach Dell Is Raising Money to Put a Battery in Your Backyard — WSJTrump waged war on EVs. Now he’s helping them out. — E&E NewsSome Nebraska communities are cashing in on renewables. Others are being left behind. — GristFederal Judge Orders Pentagon to Lift Freeze on Wind Power — The New York TimesHow the US Is Trying to End Solar Tariff Whack-a-Mole — BloombergEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

August 13, 2026Episode 555 min

Surviving summer with demand-side solutions | Factor This Policycast

Tell us what you think of the show! It's been a rough summer for soft serve ice cream cone enthusiasts. In most parts of the United States, hot and humid weather has visited and overstayed its welcome, which is no treat for the power grid, either. Elevated temperatures mean increased electricity consumption and accompanying higher prices, the cherry on top amidst a nationwide surge in demand fueled by data centers, manufacturing, and mass electrification.So far, we've seen grid operators issue a few alerts and calls for conservation, particularly in constrained PJM Interconnection territory, where emergency conservation measures kept electricity demand ​from eclipsing an all-time high set in 2006. Down in Texas, the record book is being rewritten this summer. ERCOT has shattered its all-time demand mark more than once, but has also thus far kept power prices reasonable by leveraging an influx of renewables and battery energy storage to break generation records, too.In general, serving peak demand is extremely expensive, and the peakier the system, the pricier it is for the average ratepayer. As most of the country copes with higher electricity bills, finding ways to curb costs is paramount. Thankfully, utilities have a variety of tools at their disposal to improve grid utilization and peak load management, including flexible home electrical equipment, smart electric vehicle charging, and managing distributed energy resources through virtual power plants. And since transmission and distribution system infrastructure is designed to accommodate the few hours of the year when the system is taken to its limits, there is almost always spare capacity on power lines, which can be leveraged via advanced transmission technologies, as we discussed in the previous episode of the Factor This Policycast.This edition of the podcast, presented in partnership with Advanced Energy United, explores demand-side solutions for surviving summer peaks. Host Paul Gerke leads a discussion highlighting the tools available to keep the lights on and bills manageable, and how utilities can use them to get more out of our existing grid without investing in costly, time-consuming infrastructure upgrades. Richard Caperton, vice president for public policy at SPAN, and Sarah Steinberg, managing director at Advanced Energy United, outline the metrics that matter, share how early legislation is leaning, and explain why demand-side solutions work for utilities.Energy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

August 7, 202618 min

This Week in Cleantech (08/07/2026) - With speed to power in mind, data centers are eyeing fuel cells

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Heather Clancy from Trellis, who discusses why some data center companies see fuel cells as an attractive option for onsite power.This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is is Aytaç Yilmaz, Co-founder & CEO of Ore Energy. The Amsterdam-based startup just closed a $43 million Series A for its iron-air batteries, which store renewable power for up to 100 hours by rusting and unrusting iron electrodes, no lithium or cobalt required. Ore's also just signed the largest long-duration storage deal in continental Europe, a 1 gigawatt-hour agreement with Dutch utility Budget Thuis. Congratulations, Aytaç!This Week in Cleantech — August 7, 2026 Solar to Soon Pass Coal as China’s Top Power Capacity Source — BloombergHow Solar Donors Helped Take Down a Trump-Backed Republican –– PoliticoThe World Crossed a Major Solar Milestone. No One Noticed –– BloombergThis Is What the New Rush to Mine America Looks Like –– TIME MagazineWhy data center companies Equinix and Oracle are buying fuel cells – TrellisEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

August 3, 202650 min

Redefining the utility playbook with PG&E’s Sumeet Singh

Tell us what you think of the show!  In an era defined by compounding wildfire risks, rapid digitalization, and unprecedented demand growth, utilities need to redefine their playbook. Sumeet Singh, CEO of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) and EVP for Energy Delivery, is doing exactly that for one of the country’s largest energy enterprises while both improving local communities and setting an operational benchmark for the wider industry.In this episode of the Factor This podcast, Singh details how utility leaders can balance cultural shifts with the economic imperative to maximize underutilized grid capacity and lower customer rates. He breaks down how PG&E processes billions of pieces of data to help predict wildfire risks in advance, and how AI-enabled camera networks can shave critical minutes off emergency response times. From deploying machine learning to accelerating customer interconnections, Singh details how data amplifies frontline expertise rather than replacing it. Grounded in a philosophy of selfless service and value-based safety ownership, this conversation provides a blueprint for combining innovative technology with engineering discipline to cultivate a community trust that is foundational to the grid of the future.Energy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 31, 202620 min

This Week in Cleantech (07/31/2026) - Is beer brewing getting greener?

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Clara Hudson from the Wall Street Journal, who breaks down Heineken's plan to use a renewable-powered heat battery to release steam for its beer brewing in Portugal.This week’s “Cleantechers of the Week” are Tim Shepherd and Sylvain Marseille from Pelton Shepherd Industries, which makes Nutri Ice – ice packs that you can use to feed plants. It is the only truly compostable gel pack and offers the same performance as a regular gel pack. Congratulations Tim and Sylvain!This Week in Cleantech — July 31, 2026Cracks appear in the vision of off-grid AI data centers — AxiosTrump administration admits grants for clean energy were canceled based on politics – The Associated PressBP nears deal to sell solar business Lightsource to Kuwait-backed group – Financial TimesTrump admin bans ‘new’ foreign-made inverters. What does that mean? — Canary MediaHeineken Is Trying a Heat Battery to Generate Steam for Its Brewing — The Wall Street JournalEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 30, 2026Episode 457 min

Relieving grid congestion with advanced transmission technologies | Factor This Policycast

Tell us what you think of the show! The U.S. transmission grid needs a facelift and a little reconstructive surgery. Efforts are underway to construct new long-distance high-voltage lines, but construction takes time, prompting states to explore additional ways to quickly meet growing electricity demand.The low-hanging fruit? Getting more out of the system we've already got. Readily available, affordable, and quick-to-deploy advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), including grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors, are proven tools for quickly increasing the capabilities and capacities of transmission lines and could complement transmission build-out while saving consumers money and bolstering grid reliability. By one estimate, GETs could have saved consumers $8.3 billion in 2022 alone, had they been more widely used. Yet these technologies remain largely untapped in America today, in part due to outdated electricity business models and state public policy. But modern problems (like the aforementioned load growth) require modern solutions, and there's been a recent uptick in support for ATTs across the country, with bipartisan interest in policies that ensure ATTs are being considered, including at the federal level.On this edition of the Factor This Policycast, presented in partnership with Advanced Energy United, host Paul Gerke is joined by Theodore Paradise, chief policy & grid strategy officer at CTC Global, Brian Berry, chief product officer at Heimdall Power, and Leah Rubin Shen, managing director at Advanced Energy United, to explore everything ATTs, including: Real-life use cases and problems ATTs can solveHow lawmakers are crafting legislation to ensure utilities consider ATTsUpdates on efforts in states considering bills encouraging their adoptionPolicy and implementation barriers to deploymentWhat FERC can do to helpEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 24, 202618 min

This Week in Cleantech (07/24/2026) - As EV sales flatten, automakers make the case for backup power

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Alexa St. John from The Associated Press, who discusses how automakers are increasingly turning their EVs and hybrids into home backup power sources as EV sales growth slows.This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Cora Stryker, co-founder of Bright Saver. The nonprofit just started selling zero-markup, plug-in balcony solar kits, starting at about $300, with shipping to 47 states kicking off in August. Cora said that nonprofits are often willing to stomach financial losses in the near term, because its mission is to get solar into the hands of more people, so they can lower their energy bills and carbon pollution. Congratulations, Cora!This Week in Cleantech — July 24, 2026 Data Center Troubles Stoke Industry’s Fear of Coming Distress — BloombergWhy States Are Making It Harder to Save Money With Solar Panels — The New York TimesThe Key to Solar and Wind Power Is Battery Storage, and China Is Dominating — The Wall Street JournalState legislatures are getting better at clean-energy permitting policy — Canary MediaNeed backup power? Automakers want you to look no further than their vehicles in your driveway — Associated PressWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 17, 202614 min

This Week in Cleantech (07/17/2026) - In Texas, solar and sheep go hand in hand

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Lana Ferguson from the Dallas Morning News, who discusses the booming agrivoltaics industry in Texas.This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Joey Fiore, CEO of PowerLabs. His company builds the Roav, a portable solar generator that unfolds into a tracking solar array that looks like a metal trailer you’d pull behind a car. It is cleaner, cheaper and easier to use than a standard diesel generator. Congratulations Joey!This Week in Cleantech — July 17, 2026 New York becomes first US state to impose data center moratorium — Data Center DynamicsThe American E.V. Has Been Crushed. Will It Take the U.S. Auto Industry With It? — The New York TimesUS power companies scramble to secure equipment as surging data center demand strains supplies — ReutersGlobal Investment in Fusion Companies Surges 69% to $4.5 Billion — BloombergSolar sheep: Texas ranchers, farmers' new opportunity on solar sites – Dallas Morning NewsWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 16, 2026Episode 353 min

Beyond the Big Beautiful Bill: Building and financing clean energy after a critical tax credit deadline | Factor This Policycast

Tell us what you think of the show! July 4, 2026, marked one year since the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) was signed into law and a critical safe harbor deadline for clean energy developers in the United States. The legislation, which sunsets federal tax credit eligibility for some technologies such as wind and solar photovoltaics, spurred stakeholders to scramble to maximize legacy incentives before Independence Day. Now that the fireworks have passed, what happens next?This episode of the Factor This Policycast, presented in partnership with Advanced Energy United, discusses how clean energy projects are being constructed and financed in the second half of 2026 and beyond. It will address the challenges of a post-tax-credit world, share the incentives still available, and explore how policy reforms at the state and federal levels could accelerate deployment. Could federal clean energy credits someday return? Featuring guests:Dylan Reed, Managing Director at Advanced Energy United, former GDO at DOEWalter L. McLeod, Partner, Managing Director of Monarch Strategic Ventures at Monarch Private CapitalBryan Didier, Partner, Managing Director, Energy at Monarch Private CapitalEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

July 10, 202617 min

This Week in Cleantech (07/10/2026) - As IRA subsidies wind down, clean energy PPA prices 'soar'

Tell us what you think of the show! This Week in Cleantech is a weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in clean energy and climate featuring Paul Gerke of Factor This and Tigercomm’s Mike Casey.This week's episode features special guest Martha Muir from The Financial Times, who discusses how the cost of clean energy power purchase agreements is set to rise 40 to 120 percent as Inflation Reduction Act subsidies wind down.This week’s “Cleantecher of the Week” is Dr. Bill Ho, CEO of GRST, whose company makes a PFAS-free, water-soluble battery binder. Conventional binder relies on "forever chemicals" and toxic solvents to process. GRST's version dissolves in water, making recycling to high-purity black mass simpler and cheaper. Congratulations, Bill!This Week in Cleantech — July 10, 2026 In the woods of Maine, searching for an answer to a ticking climate bomb – The Boston GlobeOne-third of India's new renewable energy capacity faces curtailment – PV MagazineWhy Europe Still Struggles to Scale Its Homegrown Climate Tech – Heatmap NewsEurope's next climate adaptation boom isn't solar panels — it's asphalt –  ReutersUS clean power prices set to soar as AI demand coincides with subsidy cuts – Financial TimesWant to make a suggestion for This Week in Cleantech? Nominate the stories that caught your eye each week by emailing  Paul.Gerke@clarionevents.comEnergy policy on your mind? Check out all episodes of the Factor This Policycast

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