This Week in Cleantech (12/20/2024) - The 'age of electrons'

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This Week in Cleantech is a new, weekly podcast covering the most impactful stories in cleantech and climate in 15 minutes or less.

This week’s episode features Dana Clare Redden, from our “Cleantecher of the Year” committee, who has picked our Cleantecher of the Year!


This Week in Cleantech — December 20, 2024 

1. Trump’s Energy Pick, Chris Wright, Argues Fossil Fuels Are Virtuous — The New York Times
2. Cipher analysis: Emerging clean technologies see sharp drop in investments this year — Cipher News
3. The Age of Electrons Has Arrived, but Maybe Not for the Right Reasons — Heatmap News
4. PG&E Secures $15 Billion Loan From U.S. Energy Department — The New York Times

Watch the full episode on YouTube


Cleantechers of the Year

Most Impactful - Bill Weihl - Climatevoice

Bill Weihl, transitioned from ClimateVoice’s Co-Executive Director to the role of Founder & Chief Strategic Advisor. ClimateVoice leverages corporate influence from climate-positive companies to win policy battles.

Most Entrepreneurial - Emilie Oxel O'Leary - Green Clean Wind LLC

Emilie is actively urging her LinkedIn followers to reach out for their solar recycling needs, highlighting the growing concern over solar components ending up in landfills. She’s asking for every steel pile, aluminum racking component, nut, and bolt, so she can help clean up your site. 

Most Disruptive - Michael Tekabe/Hayat Bedene - Kübik

Michael Tekabe, Chief Operating Officer, and Hayat Bedane, Engineering Lead at Kubik, an Africa-based startup, make building materials out of recycled plastic for affordable, sustainable, and easy-to-deploy homes, clinics, and warehouses. Their construction materials reduce 5x less carbon pollution than traditional materials.

Most Innovative - Gregg Patterson- Origami Solar

Gregg is leading the effort to reframe the global solar industry with recycled steel, replacing aluminum solar module frames. This entire effort is designed to lower the carbon pollution footprint of the global solar industry. 

Cleantecher of the Year - Jonathan Foley - Drawdown

Jonathan Foley, climatologist and Project Drawdown Executive Director, wrote a piece that shares the impact of agricultural pollution, and how we need to prioritize sustainable agricultural practices. Jonathan shared that total carbon pollution from the food system, including food waste, transport, packaging and refrigeration sits at 34%, making food the single largest polluting economic sector — more than power generation or industry, which both sit at roughly 23%.