Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy Podcast

Hosted by Wes Ashworth

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Episodes

126

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Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Welcome to Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy, a podcast dedicated to unveiling the stories, insights, and strategies of the most influential leaders in the renewable and clean energy sector. Our mission is to offer a platform where the voices of innovators, pioneers, and visionaries in renewable energy are amplified, sharing their journey, challenges, and triumphs with a global audience.

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October 30, 2026Episode 12740 min

Geothermal's Next Big Test: Cindy Taff on Sage Geosystems, AI Power and Scale

What if geothermal energy could deliver reliable, 24/7 electricity far beyond the volcanic regions and natural hot-water reservoirs where it's traditionally been developed? In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy, host Wes Ashworth sits down with Cindy Taff, CEO of Sage Geosystems, to explore how next-generation geothermal technology could unlock an enormous new source of clean, dependable power. After approximately 35 years at Shell, where she led unconventional well operations across five countries and oversaw roughly $1 billion in annual spending, Cindy made an unexpected career move. She brought her drilling, subsurface engineering, and operational expertise into geothermal, with a mission to make energy production from hot, dry rock more predictable, scalable, and affordable. At the center of the conversation is Sage's proprietary Pressure Geothermal technology, which uses engineered underground reservoirs and carefully controlled pressure cycles to recover water, reduce pumping requirements, and potentially improve the economics of geothermal power generation. What you'll learn in this episode: Geothermal beyond traditional hot spots: How enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) could dramatically expand where geothermal energy can be developed. A different approach to underground energy: How Sage uses pressure management to address two longstanding challenges: water loss and the energy required to circulate water. Real operating results in Texas: What Sage's SMECI energy-storage facility demonstrated through more than 120 days of cycling, including reported water losses below 10% and strong predictive results from its GeoTwin digital modeling system. The next commercial test: Why Project Vector at Ormat's Blue Mountain facility in Nevada is a critical step toward proving sustained geothermal heat extraction and electricity production. The economics of geothermal at scale: Why drilling costs, thermal performance, water recovery, net megawatts, and financing matter more than a technology simply working in the field. AI and data center electricity demand: How firm, around-the-clock geothermal power could complement solar, wind, storage, and natural gas while helping meet growing electricity needs. Oil and gas expertise as an advantage: Why existing drilling infrastructure, experienced engineers, project managers, and energy workers could dramatically accelerate geothermal deployment. Cindy also shares why she prefers thinking about energy expansion rather than replacing one energy source with another, and what it will take for geothermal to become a mainstream part of the global energy mix. This conversation goes beyond geothermal's theoretical potential. It's about what has actually been demonstrated, what remains unproven, and how innovative engineering could transform the future of energy production. Episode chapters 00:00 Introduction to Cindy Taff and Sage Geosystems 01:22 Leaving Shell to pursue geothermal 03:00 Energy expansion versus energy transition 06:43 How next-generation geothermal works 10:19 Sage's Pressure Geothermal technology 14:51 SMECI operating results and water recovery 18:02 GeoTwin modeling and predicting performance 21:11 Project Vector and the Ormat partnership 25:16 The economics of commercial geothermal 29:55 Moving from technology risk to infrastructure investment 31:30 AI data centers and 24/7 geothermal power 35:40 The opportunity for oil and gas professionals 37:10 The future of geothermal energy Learn more and connect: Sage Geosystems: https://www.sagegeosystems.com Cindy Taff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cindy-d-taff-53b77a57/ Subscribe to Green Giants for more conversations with the leaders advancing clean energy, grid infrastructure, energy storage, and the technologies shaping our energy future. Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

October 23, 2026Episode 12646 min

Nuclear's Next Leap: Liquid Lead, Small Reactors, and Energy Abundance | Jacob Stedman, Blykalla

What would change if nuclear power became faster to build and more affordable to deploy? In Episode 126 of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy, host Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search, sits down with Jacob Stedman, CEO of Blykalla, to explore how liquid lead, advanced materials, and small modular reactors (SMRs) could help expand access to dependable clean energy. Blykalla is developing lead-cooled nuclear reactors for data centers and industry. Jacob explains why the company chose liquid lead as its coolant, how its specialized steel alloys tackle corrosion, and what drove the decision to design its planned SEALER reactor for 55 megawatts of electrical output. His argument is that making smaller reactors repeatedly in a controlled manufacturing environment could reduce construction risk and create a path to lower costs. Delivering on that promise requires testing, licensing, capable teams, and communities willing to support new projects. Drawing on his background in software and digital healthcare, Jacob shares how he approaches that challenge as a business builder working alongside nuclear scientists and engineers. In this episode: Why energy security and growing electricity demand are bringing renewed attention to nuclear power. How liquid lead shapes reactor design, and why corrosion-resistant materials are central to Blykalla's approach. Why Blykalla sees 55 megawatts per unit as a useful size for factory manufacturing and deployment in groups to serve large customers. What electrically heated testing in Sweden can demonstrate, and what the planned U.S. nuclear demonstration must establish. How the Oklo partnership could support shared suppliers, technical development, and commercialization. What it takes to earn community trust and recruit the people needed to turn designs into operating reactors. Jacob's vision for clean energy abundance, where affordable electricity gives people and businesses more room to grow. For listeners following advanced nuclear, data center infrastructure, or the future of clean energy, this conversation connects reactor technology with the practical work required to bring it into service. Resources: Blykalla Jacob Stedman on LinkedIn More Green Giants episodes Subscribe to Green Giants and share this episode with someone following nuclear's next chapter. Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

October 16, 2026Episode 12546 min

When Milliseconds Matter: How AI Is Changing Battery Technology | Tod Higinbotham, ZincFive

What if the biggest battery breakthrough for AI isn't about storing more energy, but delivering power faster? AI data centers aren't just consuming more electricity. They're fundamentally changing how electricity needs to be delivered. As GPU clusters create sudden, high-intensity power demands, the infrastructure supporting them faces challenges traditional energy storage wasn't necessarily designed to solve. In Episode 125 of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy , host Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search , sits down with Tod Higinbotham, CEO of ZincFive , to explore why a century-old battery chemistry is finding new relevance in one of the world's fastest-growing industries. ZincFive specializes in nickel-zinc battery technology designed for immediate, high-power applications. Tod explains why the distinction between power and energy matters more than ever, how short-duration battery systems can help manage AI-driven demand spikes, and why the future of energy storage may involve increasingly specialized and hybrid technologies. But this conversation goes far beyond batteries. Drawing on more than three decades commercializing advanced materials across semiconductors, solar, and energy storage, Tod reveals how breakthrough technologies often find their greatest commercial value in markets their creators never anticipated. The discussion also tackles the growing tension between AI infrastructure expansion and electricity availability. From grid modernization and nuclear power to manufacturing in China, building U.S. production capacity, and the environmental lessons Tod learned growing up in Butte, Montana, this episode examines what responsible electrification actually requires. With ZincFive surpassing 2 gigawatts of power delivered or contracted, Tod also shares the realities of scaling battery manufacturing, attracting capital, developing leadership, and turning promising science into a sustainable business. In This Episode, You'll Discover: Why AI is changing the battery equation: How rapid GPU power fluctuations create opportunities for immediate-power storage rather than conventional long-duration batteries. The nickel-zinc advantage: Where nickel-zinc batteries fit alongside lithium-ion, lead-acid, and supercapacitors, and why chemistry specialization matters. The economics of smarter infrastructure: How managing power spikes closer to computing loads could reduce the need to build electrical systems around brief peak demands. Battery safety beyond the headlines: What thermal runaway means, how UL 9540A testing works, and why electrical safety remains essential. AI's impact on the energy transition: The difficult questions surrounding data-center expansion, community electricity needs, nuclear generation, and grid reliability. Scaling American battery manufacturing: ZincFive's experience expanding production, navigating global supply chains, and preparing for its next stage of growth. The commercialization playbook: Why market timing, disciplined experimentation, and exceptional people can matter as much as breakthrough technology. The power grid of 2036: Tod's vision for a more flexible, hybrid energy system that could emerge from today's AI-driven infrastructure challenges. Key Conversation Moments 01:19 | From semiconductor materials to nickel-zinc batteries 06:10 | Why power and energy require different battery solutions 08:23 | Understanding AI power spikes and GPU demand 16:15 | Battery cycle life in the era of AI 19:19 | Nickel-zinc chemistry, thermal runaway, and safety 23:11 | Data centers, energy demand, and societal trade-offs 33:36 | ZincFive's commercial growth and manufacturing expansion 40:26 | How breakthrough science becomes a viable business 43:33 | Predicting the future of AI and the electrical grid The bigger takeaway: The future of energy storage won't necessarily belong to one winning chemistry. It may belong to the companies that understand precisely what problems their technology is built to solve. Whether you're working in renewable energy, battery storage, AI infrastructure, data centers, grid modernization, or clean technology commercialization, this conversation offers a valuable perspective on the next era of electrification. Listen to Episode 125 of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy , and share it with someone helping build the infrastructure powering our future. Connect with Tod Higinbotham: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tod-higinbotham-20622542 Learn more about ZincFive: https://zincfive.com Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

October 9, 2026Episode 12440 min

AI's Hidden Power Problem: Why Data Centers Need Different Batteries | Electrovaya CEO Raj DasGupta

AI is creating an enormous demand for electricity. But what if the bigger challenge isn't just how much power data centers need, but how quickly that demand changes? In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy , host Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search, sits down with Dr. Raj DasGupta, CEO of Electrovaya, to explore why AI infrastructure is creating an entirely different opportunity for advanced battery technology. Raj has spent nearly two decades in the lithium-ion battery industry, moving from materials science and R&D into manufacturing, business development, operations, and ultimately leading Electrovaya. Along the way, he's learned that building a better battery isn't simply about storing more energy or lowering costs. It's about solving the right problem. While much of the battery industry has focused on producing cheaper energy storage, Electrovaya has taken a different path, developing high-performance batteries for demanding industrial applications where safety, longevity, reliability, and power matter most. Now, with AI data centers experiencing dramatic fluctuations in electricity demand, that strategy is opening the door to an entirely new market. Wes and Raj explore how Electrovaya's ElvaPulse high-power energy storage platform is designed to help manage those fluctuations, why the economics of battery storage are changing, and what it takes to bring advanced lithium-ion manufacturing back to the United States. In this episode: Why Electrovaya deliberately stepped away from commodity battery markets and how that decision shaped its future The hidden electricity challenge facing AI data centers and why conventional energy storage isn't always the ideal solution Understanding power versus energy, and why dollars per kilowatt can matter more than dollars per kilowatt-hour How ElvaPulse could improve data center efficiency, reduce battery footprint, and help stabilize rapidly changing electrical loads The science behind Electrovaya's ceramic separator technology, long battery life, and safety performance What decades of industrial battery deployment have taught Electrovaya about reliability and customer economics The challenges of bringing lithium-ion cell manufacturing to Jamestown, New York Why skilled workers, supply chains, and manufacturing execution are critical to America's energy future How energy security, AI, and electrification are reshaping the battery industry's next chapter Key moments: 00:00 | Meet Raj DasGupta and Electrovaya 03:24 | Why Electrovaya chose a different path in the battery industry 10:45 | The economics of high-power energy storage 15:05 | AI data centers and unpredictable electricity demand 18:57 | Introducing ElvaPulse and its high-power advantage 24:32 | Battery longevity, performance, and ceramic separator technology 30:57 | Bringing lithium-ion manufacturing back to America 34:41 | The reality of domestic battery supply chains 37:34 | What's next for the global battery industry Whether you're working in battery storage, AI infrastructure, renewable energy, manufacturing, or grid modernization, this conversation offers a valuable look at how the next generation of energy systems is taking shape. Learn more about Electrovaya: https://electrovaya.com Raj DasGupta on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raj-s-dasgupta-90666411/ Subscribe to Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy for more conversations with the leaders and innovators shaping the future of energy. Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

October 2, 2026Episode 12344 min

Reengineering Sunlight: Hunter McDaniel on Quantum Dots, Solar, and Scaling UbiQD

What if one of the biggest opportunities in clean energy is not discovering a new energy source, but making the sunlight already reaching us more useful? In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy , Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search , sits down with Hunter McDaniel, Founder and CEO of UbiQD , to explore how quantum dots are moving from advanced materials research into real-world applications in agriculture, solar, and large-scale manufacturing. Hunter’s path began in physics, electrical engineering, and materials science, eventually leading to a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering and postdoctoral research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. What started as highly specialized work in semiconductor nanocrystals became the foundation for UbiQD, a company built around a simple but powerful idea: use nanoscale materials to control how light behaves. Wes and Hunter break down quantum dots in practical terms, including how changing particle size can change the color of light they absorb and emit. That capability creates a platform for spectrum engineering, where sunlight can be tuned before it reaches a plant or solar cell. In agriculture, UbiQD’s UbiGro technology shifts portions of sunlight toward wavelengths that can improve plant performance. Hunter discusses greenhouse trials across multiple regions, what growers actually care about, and why the future may involve different light recipes for different crops. The conversation then moves into solar, where the scale becomes dramatically larger. Hunter explains how quantum dots can target underutilized portions of the solar spectrum, why even modest performance improvements can create meaningful economic value across millions of panels, and what has to be proven before a major solar manufacturer will trust a new material inside a product expected to operate outdoors for decades. They also explore UbiQD’s expansion through its acquisition of BlueDot Photonics technology, including the emerging concept of quantum cutting, where one high-energy photon can potentially produce nearly two lower-energy photons better suited for solar conversion. But the heart of the episode is not just the science. It is the challenge of turning science into industry. Hunter shares what changes when a company moves from making small research batches to operating reactors, managing supply chains, qualifying materials with customers, building manufacturing capacity, and preparing for production measured in tons rather than grams. UbiQD’s recent growth, capital raises, expanded Los Alamos footprint, and long-term solar supply ambitions illustrate just how different deep-tech scale-up is from traditional software growth. This episode covers: How quantum dots change the way light behaves Why spectrum engineering matters in both agriculture and solar How greenhouse light manipulation can influence crop performance Why small efficiency gains can matter enormously at utility scale The difference between standard fluorescence and quantum cutting What it takes to prove durability for materials expected to last decades How an R&D company becomes a manufacturing company Where promising national-lab technology can get lost before commercialization Why advanced materials may play a major role in the next wave of clean energy innovation For anyone interested in solar, advanced materials, climate technology, deep-tech commercialization, or the future of domestic manufacturing, this conversation offers a rare look at what it actually takes to move a scientific breakthrough from the lab into infrastructure-scale deployment. Links: Hunter McDaniel on LinkedIn UbiQD's Website UbiGrow's Website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

September 25, 2026Episode 12243 min

Why Nuclear's Moment Is Now: Stefano Buono, CEO of newcleo

Why Nuclear's Moment Is Now: Stefano Buono, CEO of newcleo For newcleo founder and CEO Stefano Buono, nuclear energy's next chapter has been more than 30 years in the making. Now, rising electricity demand, energy security concerns, and changing attitudes toward nuclear are creating an opening for ideas he began pursuing in the 1990s. In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy, host Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search, sits down with Buono to explore what makes this nuclear moment different and what it will take to turn that momentum into commercial projects. A physicist and entrepreneur, Buono previously founded Advanced Accelerator Applications, the nuclear medicine company acquired by Novartis for approximately $3.9 billion. He shares how that experience prepared him to return to his original ambition: developing a different approach to nuclear energy. Today, newcleo is developing lead-cooled fast reactors designed to use recycled nuclear fuel. Buono explains the technology in accessible terms, including why useful energy remains in spent fuel, how liquid lead supports the company's approach to passive safety, and why the economics of recycling matter. The conversation also tackles the difficult questions: plutonium security, the history of costly U.S. fuel projects, regulatory approvals, and the challenge of financing and building an entire reactor and fuel supply chain. In this episode: Why decarbonization, energy independence, and AI-driven electricity demand are reshaping nuclear's opportunity. How lead-cooled fast reactors differ from conventional nuclear plants. What recycled mixed-oxide (MOX) fuel could mean for fuel supply and nuclear waste. newcleo's proposed work with Oklo and its ambitions at Savannah River. Why industrial heat and manufacturing matter alongside data centers. The milestones that will show whether newcleo is moving toward commercial deployment. Buono's advice for founders building technologies that take decades to reach the market. Release update: This conversation was recorded ahead of newcleo's Nasdaq debut. The company subsequently completed its business combination with NewHold, securing approximately $247 million in gross proceeds, and began trading under NWCL on September 22, 2026. For energy leaders, founders, and anyone curious about advanced nuclear, this episode connects the science to the practical work of bringing new energy projects to life. Subscribe to Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy wherever you get your podcasts, and share this episode with someone following nuclear's next chapter. Links: Stefano Buono on LinkedIn newcleo's Website newcleo's Nasdaq Listing and $247 Million Funding Announcement newcleo Targets US Expansion with Nasdaq Debut, AI-Driven Power Demand Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

September 18, 2026Episode 12141 min

Michelle Urben, The Synergos Fund: Capital, Fuel and Nuclear’s Next Era

The nuclear renaissance is about far more than building reactors. It is also about capital, fuel security, recycling, infrastructure, commercialization, supply chains, workforce, and whether the energy system can scale fast enough to meet a new era of electricity demand. In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy , Wes Ashworth, President of Lee Group Search sits down with Michelle Urben, Managing and General Partner at The Synergos Fund , to explore what it will actually take to finance and build the next generation of energy infrastructure. Michelle brings more than three decades of experience across banking, asset management, investor relations, and venture capital. Her path from the Philippines and an oil-industry family to Wall Street and deep-tech investing gives her a unique perspective on energy affordability, energy security, and the role patient capital can play in solving foundational infrastructure challenges. The conversation begins with a fundamental investing question: Is traditional venture capital structured for technologies that may require years of technical validation, regulation, demonstration, and infrastructure before reaching full commercialization? Michelle explains how The Synergos Fund approaches that challenge through milestone-driven investing, long-term alignment, active participation, and a focus on durable companies across energy, manufacturing, food, and health. From there, the discussion moves into one of the most overlooked pieces of nuclear energy: the fuel cycle. Michelle shares why nuclear recycling company Curio became such an important part of her transition into deep tech and why she believes spent nuclear fuel should increasingly be viewed as a strategic energy resource rather than simply as waste. The conversation explores fuel security, domestic nuclear supply chains, recycling, commercialization, and the broader ecosystem required around the reactor itself. Wes and Michelle also examine the massive increase in electricity demand being driven by AI, data centers, reshoring, and electrification. If generation, grid infrastructure, and behind-the-meter solutions cannot keep pace, the constraint may increasingly become access to reliable power. They also discuss Gate 5, a wastewater-to-energy technology in the Synergos portfolio, as an example of a broader investment philosophy: finding valuable energy resources in places the traditional system often treats as liabilities. But technology and capital alone will not build the next energy system. The episode closes with one of the most important constraints facing the industry: people. Engineers, welders, electricians, operators, technicians, construction professionals, regulators, and other skilled workers will all be necessary to turn ambitious energy plans into functioning infrastructure. In this episode: Why Michelle moved from traditional finance into nuclear and deep tech What patient capital should demand from infrastructure companies Why timing matters in private-market investing The nuclear fuel-cycle opportunity beyond the reactor Why spent nuclear fuel could become a strategic resource How AI and data centers are reshaping electricity demand Wastewater-to-energy and the opportunity behind overlooked resources Why commercialization requires strong operators, not just investors The workforce challenge facing nuclear and energy infrastructure Why the companies quietly building through difficult problems may ultimately shape the next energy era For investors, founders, energy executives, and anyone thinking seriously about the future of nuclear power and energy infrastructure, this episode offers a much broader framework for understanding what the next energy system will actually require. Links: Michelle Urben on LinkedIn The Synergos Fund Website Curio's Website Episode 89 with Ed McGinnis of Curio Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

September 11, 2026Episode 12048 min

From Lab to Scale: Tina Tosukhowong of TDK Ventures on What Makes Deep Tech Commercially Viable

Breakthrough science is only the beginning. The harder challenge is turning promising technology into a system that can operate reliably, economically, and repeatedly in the real world. In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Clean Energy , Wes Ashworth, host and President of Lee Group Search sits down with Tina Tosukhowong, Investment Director at TDK Ventures , to explore what separates deep-tech companies that scale from those that stall between the lab, pilot plant, and first commercial facility. Tina brings an unusually valuable perspective to venture investing. Before becoming an investor, she spent years as a chemical engineer and industrial operator working across process development, pilot operations, scale-up, commercialization, manufacturing, and customer qualification. That operating experience shapes how she evaluates climate tech, advanced materials, AI infrastructure, and other capital-intensive technologies today. Tina explains why scaling is not simply a matter of building a larger version of a successful pilot. At commercial scale, entirely new risks emerge around heat transfer, fluid flow, contamination, materials handling, uptime, permitting, utilities, feedstocks, safety, supply chains, and integration with customer sites. The companies that succeed are often the ones that identify failure modes early, run the right experiments, and learn faster than their capital disappears. The conversation also tackles one of the most important questions in deep tech: When has a company actually earned the right to scale? Wes and Tina explore why raising too much money too early can be dangerous, how founders should think about risk retirement before committing hundreds of millions of dollars to a first commercial plant, and why the strongest financing strategy aligns capital with specific learning milestones. They also discuss founder-market fit, coachability, executive hiring, productive board conflict, and why the right investor syndicate can matter as much as valuation. The discussion then moves into the rapidly evolving physical infrastructure behind AI. Tina breaks down opportunities across data-center power delivery, energy storage, cooling, thermal materials, networking, semiconductors, and photonics. She explains why the next wave of AI infrastructure innovation may come not only from better chips, but from everything required to power, connect, and cool them efficiently. The episode also explores fusion energy, synthetic fuels, critical minerals, and frontier technologies, including Tina’s perspective on Type One Energy, INERATEC, and the growing overlap between clean energy, computing, advanced materials, manufacturing, and national supply-chain resilience. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why industrial scale-up exposes risks that laboratory success cannot predict What founders should prove before committing to a first commercial facility How capital discipline can prevent expensive first-of-a-kind mistakes Why learning speed and coachability matter so much in deep-tech leadership When experienced executives help startups and when they can slow them down Why investor syndicates and boards become critical when plans break Where Tina sees overlooked opportunities in AI data-center infrastructure Why cooling, rack-level power conversion, and photonics could become major bottlenecks What industrial operating experience reveals about the future of fusion How e-fuels, critical minerals, AI, and advanced materials are increasingly converging For founders, investors, operators, and leaders building the next generation of clean energy and deep-tech companies, this episode is a practical look at what it really takes to move from possibility to commercial reality. Links: Tina Tosukhowong on LinkedIn TDK Ventures Website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

September 4, 2026Episode 11945 min

The Battery Breakthrough Hiding in the Electrolyte with David Mackanic, Anthro Energy

What if the next major battery breakthrough does not require a new chemistry, a new factory, or an entirely new manufacturing ecosystem? In this episode of Green Giants: Titans of Renewable Energy , Wes Ashworth sits down with David Mackanic, Co-Founder and CEO of Anthro Energy , to explore why the electrolyte may be one of the most overlooked levers in battery performance. Anthro Energy is developing Proteus , a phase-change electrolyte designed to enter a battery cell as a liquid and then solidify during formation. The goal is to improve safety, mechanical stability, swelling behavior, and compatibility with higher-energy chemistries while using existing lithium-ion manufacturing equipment. David explains why this approach could matter for everything from silicon-rich batteries and consumer electronics to EVs, robotics, defense, autonomous systems, and physical AI. The conversation also gets into one of the biggest challenges in battery innovation: making something work not just in a laboratory, but consistently, economically, and at industrial scale. Wes and David discuss: Why the electrolyte has historically received less attention than the anode and cathode How Proteus transitions from liquid to solid inside the battery cell Why "drop-in" manufacturing does not mean zero process changes How mechanical stabilization can help address silicon expansion, cracking, swelling, and degradation Why better batteries require progress across energy density, safety, cycle life, and manufacturability at the same time How Anthro thinks about reducing both the frequency and severity of battery safety events Why a more expensive electrolyte can still create greater value at the full cell and application level Why robotics, autonomous systems, defense, and physical AI create a different battery problem than conventional EVs How structural batteries could eventually change the architecture of products themselves How Anthro Atlas uses AI to explore enormous electrolyte design spaces and accelerate materials development Where AI predictions still have to prove themselves against real-world chemistry and manufacturing What changes when a materials science company moves from discovery into production Why Anthro is scaling advanced electrolyte manufacturing in the United States Why the future of batteries is unlikely to be defined by one winning chemistry David’s background spans mechanical engineering, chemistry, polymer science, and advanced battery research, including a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Stanford focused on polymer systems for safer, longer-lasting, higher-energy lithium-ion batteries. This episode is a deep look at the intersection of battery technology, advanced materials, AI-driven discovery, U.S. manufacturing, energy storage, robotics, and the future of electrification. Links: David Mackanic on LinkedIn Anthro Energy's Website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/

August 28, 2026Episode 11849 min

Geothermal Retrofits: Better Buildings from the Ground Up with Mike Richter, Brightcore Energy

Most of the buildings we will depend on for the next several decades are already standing. That makes the next phase of building decarbonization less about showcase new construction and more about upgrading the systems hidden behind walls, beneath floors, and underground. In this episode, Wes Ashworth sits down with Mike Richter, President of Brightcore Energy, to explore geothermal heating and cooling as a practical building-performance strategy. Mike brings a rare perspective to the conversation. After a 15-year NHL career that included a Stanley Cup championship and Olympic medal, he built a second career focused on climate, energy efficiency, and the built environment. Mike explains the critical difference between geothermal power generation and the ground-source systems used to heat and cool buildings. He breaks down the physics in accessible terms, then shows how smaller drilling rigs, directional drilling, hybrid systems, advanced controls, and real-time data are expanding what is possible in dense cities and occupied buildings. The conversation also examines why retrofits are the true test of decarbonization. Existing buildings come with aging infrastructure, limited space, complex load profiles, and owners who often wait until equipment fails before considering alternatives. Mike outlines why early evaluation matters and why every geothermal project must be designed around the building, geology, distribution system, operating needs, and financial horizon. In this episode, you will learn: Why geothermal HVAC is different from deep geothermal power How the ground can function as a stable heat source, heat sink, and thermal battery Why urban and occupied-building retrofits are becoming more feasible How Brightcore integrates engineering, drilling, controls, implementation, and performance monitoring What The Beresford project demonstrates about geothermal in a historic New York City building Why one-directional cooling loads, including data centers and ice rinks, create new design challenges How Local Law 97 is changing capital planning for New York City building owners Why education, perceived risk, financing, and timing remain major barriers to adoption How better building systems can reduce operating costs while improving comfort, air quality, and performance Mike offers a grounded view of the market. Geothermal can deliver major efficiency and emissions benefits, but it is not a universal, one-size-fits-all solution. The opportunity depends on sound engineering, realistic economics, thoughtful integration, and a willingness to evaluate options before an emergency replacement locks a building into another generation of legacy equipment. This episode is essential listening for professionals in commercial real estate, facilities, engineering, higher education, government, finance, climate policy, and renewable energy who want to understand how geothermal retrofits can move from niche technology to mainstream building infrastructure. Topics: geothermal heating and cooling, ground-source heat pumps, commercial building retrofits, building decarbonization, energy efficiency, urban geothermal, Local Law 97, thermal energy storage, HVAC electrification, Brightcore Energy Links: Mike Richter on LinkedIn Brightcore Energy's Website Wes Ashworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/weslgs/ Email: wes@leegroupsearch.com https://leegroupsearch.com/green-giants-podcast/ https://leegroupsearch.com/