EV AND CLEANTECH PULSE - BYD is coming for Tesla’s lunch and The Evolution of Waste Management deep dive

Waymo and Toyota Collaborate to Advance Autonomous Vehicle Technology Tesla Powerwall 3 is disrupting the solar inverter market BYD is coming for Tesla's lunch The Evolution of Waste Management #EV, #Cleantech, #AutonomousVehicles, #Tesla, #BYD, #WasteManagement, #SolarInverter

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to Innovation Pulse, your quick no-nonsense update on the latest in clean tech and EVs.

(00:10):
First, we will cover the latest news.
Waymo and Toyota explore RoboTaxi tech partnerships, Tesla's Powerwall 3 revolutionizes solar
inverters and BYD challenges Tesla's EV market dominance.
After this, we'll dive deep into BYD's aggressive expansion and technological

(00:31):
advancements threatening Tesla's leadership.
Waymo and Toyota have announced a preliminary partnership to explore
integrating RoboTaxi technology into personally owned vehicles.
This collaboration aims to leverage Waymo's autonomous expertise and Toyota's vehicle
knowledge to develop next generation driver assistance and autonomous technologies.

(00:56):
Waymo's co-CEO, Takedra Mawakana, mentioned the potential of incorporating Toyota vehicles
into Waymo's ride hailing fleet.
Waymo has previously partnered with automakers like Jaguar Land Rover and Hyundai.
The partnership with Toyota won't affect Waymo's plans to deploy Hyundai and Gili vehicles

(01:16):
through the Waymo One service.
Currently, Waymo provides 250,000 paid rides weekly across several cities.
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai noted Waymo's long-term business model is still evolving.
Meanwhile, Tesla's Elon Musk criticized the cost of Waymo's RoboTaxi,

(01:39):
promising Tesla will offer fully autonomous rides using Model Y vehicles in Austin.
Let's now turn our attention to the impact on competitors.
The Tesla Powerwall 3 is shaking up the US solar inverter market with its integrated
inverter, making it a game changer. While Tesla's solar city acquisition was controversial,

(02:03):
it has now largely ceased those operations, focusing on Powerwall and Megapack deployments.
The Powerwall 3's integrated inverter has made Tesla the second most quoted inverter brand
and the top battery brand on Energy Sages Marketplace.
This innovation is driving down solar plus storage costs, although Tesla's battery pack

(02:26):
isn't the cheapest. Despite this, the Powerwall's attractiveness lies in its dual solar and
storage functionality, especially in major markets like California and Texas.
However, increasing requests for alternatives and controversies surrounding Elon Musk are
affecting Tesla's market share. The integration of inverters in batteries is debated,

(02:49):
especially concerning longevity, but it remains a popular move in the solar industry.
Tesla is facing significant challenges as China's BYD aggressively expands its footprint,
threatening American automakers dominance. BYD's advanced technology, like its
Supery platform, allows for rapid charging and impressive sales growth, positioning it ahead

(03:15):
of Tesla as the leading electric vehicle brand. BYD's revenue surged 36% year over year to $23
billion, $500 million, with net profits doubling. Meanwhile, Tesla struggles with political tensions
and supply chain issues exacerbated by United States-China trade conflicts.

(03:38):
Elon Musk's political activities have led to protests, while United States policy shifts
under President Trump have further complicated the landscape. Ford has halted vehicle exports to
China due to rising tariffs. Despite these hurdles, Tesla plans to launch Robotaxis in Austin by June,

(03:58):
aiming for autonomous operations by 2026. Yet BYD's aggressive global strategy signals a warning
American automakers must adapt or risk losing their pioneering role in the electric vehicle
industry. And now, pivot our discussion towards the main clean tech topic.

(04:26):
Hey everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Innovation Pulse. I'm Donna, and as always,
I'm joined by my co-host, the man who never wastes an opportunity for a good conversation,
Yakov Lasker. Thanks for that introduction, Donna. Today, we're diving into something that affects
literally every single person on the planet, but that most of us try not to think about too much.

(04:50):
Waste management. From ancient civilizations to today's high tech solutions, we're talking trash,
but in the most fascinating way possible. I love it! You know, it's one of those topics that
seems mundane until you really dig in. Then you realize it's a perfect lens to understand human
civilization, technological progress, and our current environmental challenges. Exactly. And

(05:15):
what's wild is how far back this story goes. Did you know that archaeologists found evidence of
organized waste systems dating back to 6,500 BCE? At this settlement called El Kaum,
in what's now Syria, they discovered household gutters that fed into larger city-wide drainage
ditches. That's incredible! So we've been trying to figure out what to do with our garbage for over

(05:39):
8,000 years? At least. And the Indus Valley civilization was particularly advanced. Around
3,000 BCE, cities like Harappa had brick-lined sewers and designated waste disposal areas.
The Romans famously built the Cloaca Maxima, this massive sewer system that carried waste to the

(05:59):
Tiber River, which was clever engineering, but still ended up causing waterborne diseases, right?
I mean, they were just moving the problem downstream. Literally. Spot on. Even the advanced
Roman system was essentially out of sight, out of mind. And that mindset persisted for centuries.
During medieval times, most European cities had basically no waste management. People would just

(06:24):
dump their waste into streets or canals. Ugh, I can almost smell it from here. Didn't that contribute
to those terrible plague outbreaks? It absolutely did. The unsanitary conditions were perfect
breeding grounds for disease. It wasn't until the 14th century that we see London hiring rakers
to sweep streets and remove refuse. But comprehensive waste management, as we know it,

(06:48):
didn't really emerge until much later. Right? I think I remember reading that New York City
established the first municipal garbage service in 1895. But didn't they have a different kind of
waste crisis before that? Oh my goodness. Yes. Horse manure. By the 1890s, New York City was
producing about 2.5 million pounds of horse manure every single day. It was piling up faster than

(07:13):
they could deal with it. Talk about a crappy situation. Sorry, couldn't resist. I was waiting
for that one. But you know what's interesting? That problem was largely solved by technological
innovation. Specifically, the rise of motor vehicles replacing horses. And that pattern of
crisis driving innovation continues today. I see what you're saying. We've moved from horse manure

(07:37):
to plastic pollution and electronic waste. So lay it on me, Yakov. How bad is our current garbage
situation? It's pretty staggering. Globally, we're producing between 2.0 and 2.2 billion tons of
municipal solid waste annually. And that's projected to rise to nearly 4 billion tons by 2050 if we

(07:58):
continue business as usual. That's almost double. And I'm guessing it's not being managed very well?
You'd be right. About a third of that waste is inadequately managed, basically dumped or burned
in the open. In low income countries, it's even worse. Over 90% of waste is simply dumped in open
sites or burned with no controls. That's devastating both for local communities and globally.

(08:24):
What about landfills? I imagine those are getting pretty massive. They're like mountains of our
own making. Take the Apex landfill near Las Vegas. It covers 2,200 acres and holds about 50 million
tons of trash. And landfills aren't just eyesores. They produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

(08:45):
Landfills contribute nearly 18% of all methane emissions in the US. And methane is what? Like 25
times more powerful than CO2 when it comes to global warming? It's actually even worse. Over a 20-year
period, methane is about 80 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. But let's talk plastics,

(09:06):
because that's where things get really concerning. I'm almost afraid to ask,
but how much plastic are we producing these days? Global plastic production has skyrocketed from
about 2 million tons in 1950 to more than 450 million tons in the 2010s. And here's the kicker.
Only about 14% of plastic packaging is collected for recycling, and less than 10% of all plastic

(09:32):
waste actually gets recycled. Wait, so even when I carefully sort my plastics and put them in the
recycling bin, most of it isn't actually being recycled? Unfortunately, that's often the case.
And meanwhile, an estimated 8 to 10 million tons of plastic waste enters our oceans every year.
That's why we now have things like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is about twice the

(09:55):
size of Texas, right? With trillions of pieces of plastic just floating around? Exactly. 1.8 trillion
plastic pieces covering about 1.6 million square kilometers. And then there's the microplastics
issue. These are tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size that have infiltrated virtually

(10:15):
every ecosystem on earth. I've heard those are even showing up in human bodies now? They are.
Studies estimate the average person ingests about 2,000 microplastic particles per year,
just from eating salt. And that's just one food source. That's terrifying. What about
electronic waste? I feel like we're all constantly upgrading our devices these days. E-waste is

(10:39):
growing faster than almost any other waste stream. In 2022, we generated about 62 million tons of
e-waste worldwide, but only about 22% was formally collected and recycled. The rest often ends up in
landfills or informal dumps where it releases toxic heavy metals and chemicals. So basically,

(11:00):
we've got a massive and growing waste problem from ancient times to today. But I'm hoping there's
some light at the end of this very trashy tunnel. Definitely. This is where innovation comes in.
Let's talk about some of the technological breakthroughs that are transforming waste management.
Please do. I could use some good news after all that. For starters, we have smart bins with sensors

(11:24):
and IoT capabilities that can automatically identify and sort trash as it's deposited.
Then there are industrial AI and robotic systems that use cameras and machine learning to quickly
sort mixed recyclables with impressive accuracy. So the machines are better at recycling than humans?
In many ways, yes. They can process materials much faster and with fewer errors. We're also

(11:50):
seeing amazing advances in processing technology, things like pyrolysis and gasification plants
that can convert plastics and other refuse into fuels or singas. Wait, so we can turn plastic
waste back into fuel? That sounds like a circular economy approach. Exactly. The circular economy

(12:10):
concept is driving a lot of these innovations. Even 3D printing is being used to turn recycled
plastics into new products. And researchers are developing all sorts of biodegradable and
alternative packaging materials. Like what? Give me an example. Have you heard of Uho?
They make these edible seaweed-based sachets for beverages and condiments. Imagine getting a water

(12:35):
or a ketchup packet that you can either eat or that will fully biodegrade in weeks instead of centuries.
That's brilliant. Are there any countries that are really leading the way with innovative waste
management? Oh, absolutely. Sweden is a standout. Only about 1% of their municipal waste goes to
landfill. They recycle about 47% and incinerate about 52% for energy. They're so efficient that

(13:00):
they actually import trash from other countries to fuel their waste to energy plants. They import
trash. That's wild. Any other examples? There's this small town in Japan called Kamakatsu that
has an 80% recycling rate. Residents separate their refuse into 13 main categories with 45 subtypes

(13:21):
at their zero-waste center. That sounds like a lot of work, but I guess it pays off in the end.
It does. And then there's Ljubljana, the capital of the Slovenia, which was the first EU capital
with a zero-waste goal. They've cut landfill waste by more than 90% and achieved about 68%
recycling through modern collection systems and reuse centers. What about South Korea?

(13:44):
I've heard they've made some impressive strides. Yes. Through strict laws and financial incentives
implemented in the 1990s, South Korea managed to have its per capita waste generation. Today,
over 90% of their food waste is recycled into animal feed, biogas, and other useful products.

(14:04):
That's incredible. It sounds like policy plays a huge role alongside technology.
Absolutely critical. The EU's green deal includes a circular economy action plan
with some ambitious targets. EU countries must recycle 55% of municipal waste by 2025,
increasing to 65% by 2035, and limit landfill to just 10% of waste by 2035.

(14:30):
Are they also tackling single-use plastics? Yes. They're phasing out many single-use items like
straws, cutlery, and certain types of packaging by 2030, and globally, momentum is building.
In 2022, UN member states agreed to negotiate a global treaty to end plastic pollution.
That's encouraging. And I've noticed more and more countries banning plastic bags and bottles.

(14:54):
Exactly. Over 170 countries have adopted bans, taxes, or collection mandates on items like plastic
bags, bottles, and microplastics. The Basel Convention has also tightened controls on
international plastic waste trade, with new rules that went into effect in January 2021.
So we've covered a lot of ground here, from ancient sewers to AI-powered recycling robots.

(15:18):
What do you think are the biggest takeaways for our listeners?
I think the first is that waste management has always been a challenge throughout human history,
but the scale and nature of that challenge has changed dramatically, especially in the last
century with plastics and electronics. And would you say we're getting better at addressing it?
Yes and no. We have more technology and knowledge than ever before, but we're also generating

(15:43):
waste at unprecedented rates. The good news is that both technological innovation and policy
changes are accelerating. The circular economy model, where we design out waste and keep materials
in use, is gaining traction. I imagine there's also a role for individual consumers in all this?
Absolutely. Small personal choices add up, reducing consumption, reusing where possible,

(16:08):
and properly recycling. But systemic changes in how products are designed, manufactured,
and processed after use are really where the biggest impact will come from.
That makes sense. And I love learning about all these innovations. It gives me hope that we can
tackle even seemingly insurmountable problems like plastic pollution. That's the spirit.

(16:30):
As we've seen throughout history, human ingenuity often rises to meet our greatest challenges.
From rakers sweeping medieval streets to AI-powered sorting systems, we're constantly
adapting and improving. Well, there you have it, folks. A journey through the fascinating world
of waste management, past, present, and future. Thanks for joining us on Innovation Pulse. I'm

(16:54):
Dana. And I'm Yakov Lasker. Remember, one person's trash is another person's podcast topic.
Until next time, keep innovating and maybe think twice before you toss that plastic bottle.
And that wraps up today's podcast where we explore the exciting advancements and collaborations

(17:17):
in autonomous vehicle technology and the critical evolution of waste management solutions.
Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues
so they can also stay updated on the latest news and gain powerful insights. Stay tuned for more updates.