SMART Inclusion Podcast: Episode 9 - Climate Tech Storytelling

In this powerful opening, host Todd Q. Adams dives into the key role of community benefits in clean energy projects, sharing insights into the “four pillars” that drive local impact: economic development, quality job creation, community partnerships, and greenhouse gas reduction. Todd explores how storytelling connects communities to clean energy projects, helping demystify innovations like wind farms, solar arrays, and data centers. Through the experiences of leaders like Brett Isaac of Navajo Power Home and Jason Rodriguez of Froliq, we see the real-world value of initiatives that prioritize both environmental and economic benefits. This episode unpacks the urgency of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and the monumental investments needed for a sustainable future, with the U.S. positioning itself as a global leader in this transition. Todd also highlights innovative solutions, from small businesses to tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, all working to bridge the skills gap in the green economy and redefine workforce development. Tune in to learn how you, too, can join this transformative movement and play a role in a brighter, more inclusive future for all.

Timestamps:

[00:00 - 01:00] – Welcome to the SMART Inclusion Podcast Introduction to the podcast’s mission to connect investing in people, capital, and the planet.

[01:00 - 02:00] – Equity Economics Defined: Todd explains "equity economics" and its focus on inclusive economic growth in the energy transition.

[02:00 - 03:00] – The Four Pillars of Community Benefits An overview of the four pillars: economic development, job creation, community partnerships, and emissions reduction.

[03:00 - 04:00] – Connecting Through Storytelling The role of storytelling in making clean energy projects more relatable and engaging for communities.

[04:00 - 05:00] – Justice40 and Big Tech’s Impact Insights on Amazon and Microsoft’s role in clean energy initiatives through community-focused projects.

[05:00 - 06:00] – Federal and Global Clean Energy Investment Discussion on the U.S. government’s infrastructure investments and the global push for net-zero by 2050.

[06:00 - 07:00] – Small Businesses as Economic Drivers Highlighting the impact of small businesses in local employment and clean energy growth.

[07:00 - 08:00] – Spotlight on Past Guests Todd shares insights from past guests like Brett Isaac and Jason Rodriguez on community benefits in action.

[08:00 - 09:00] – Bridging the Skills Gap in Clean Energy Exploration of innovative solutions in workforce development to address the skills shortage in clean energy.

[09:00 - 10:00] – The Economic Impact of Data Centers Examining how data centers contribute to job creation and economic growth in the clean energy sector.

[10:00 - 11:00] – Community-Centered Clean Energy Projects How community involvement is essential to the success and sustainability of clean energy projects.

[11:00 - 11:53] – Looking Ahead to Future Episodes Preview of upcoming conversations on democratizing EV access and engaging local communities in the clean energy movement.

Resources:

https://www.iea.org/

https://www.ussif.org/sribasics

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/leveraging-renewable-energy-investments-for-rural-development/

https://trellis.net/article/tapping-power-effective-esg-storytelling/