Name: In the Belly of the BEAST — Electric School Buses & More by CleanTech Talk — EVs, Solar, Batteries, AI, Tesla
Duration: 27 min 36 s
Description: CleanTechnica's Jo Borras talks with Vice President of School Bus, Contracts and Grants at GreenPower, Michael Perez, about electrifying school buses, the BEAST (GreenPower's electric school bus), and more.

CleanTechnica's Jo Borras talks with Vice President of School Bus, Contracts and Grants at GreenPower, Michael Perez, about electrifying school buses, the BEAST (GreenPower's electric school bus), and more.

In the Belly of the BEAST — Electric School Buses & More

Justine Johnson, Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer and head of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), talks with CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan about how Michigan’s mobility and electrification strategy, guided by the MI Healthy Climate Plan, is innovating and moving the EV ecosystem forward. They really are leading the way on some of the cutting-edge EV topics of the day.

Leading the EV Ecosystem Forward in Michigan

Phillip Kobernick, Associate Director of Energy Programs at Peninsula Clean Energy, and Zach Shahan, CEO of CleanTechnica, talk about why Level 1 EV charging is king, and why it's critical for California to achieve its EV charging goals. Phillip and Zach also talked about other matters, such as building codes, the duck curve, and Community Choice Aggregators (CCAs).

Why Level 1 EV Charging Is Critical

In this episode of CleanTech Talk, Scott Cooney and Zach Shahan discuss the current state of climate action, reflecting on past US clean energy and EV policies from Obama and Biden, discuss some of the achievements of the Biden administration, and look into the implications of the recent US presidential election and challenges ahead. They explore the impact of local politics on climate initiatives, the role of complacency in political engagement, and the future of electric vehicle adoption in the US. 

The conversation also touches on global trends in renewable energy and the influence of fossil fuel companies on climate policy — globally and in the US. Scott and Zach delve into the complexities of climate change a little bit, the illusion of technological solutions and geoengineering, and the geopolitical implications of Donald Trump being elected ... twice. 

They also discuss the evolution of Elon Musk's thinking, influence, and involvement in political narratives, particularly regarding climate issues. The conversation culminates in a critical examination of Musk's transformation from a cleantech leader to a far-right political influencer, highlighting the challenges and responsibilities of influential leaders in addressing climate change.

What Happens Now with Clean Energy, EVs, and US Economy?

CleanTechnica sits down with LandGate CEO & co-founder Yoann Hispa to discuss the past, present, and future of renewable energy technology and data.

Yoann Hispa is CEO and co-founder of LandGate, a leading ClimateTech and PropTech company. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of Engineering at Ruspetro, and led the engineering and drilling operations for a Private Equity’s mineral acquisitions which successfully divested for a 3x. Yoann has 19 years of experience in the energy and carbon industry in various technical and leadership roles. He has been an Instructor of Energy Land Resources at UT-Austin and at the Realtors Land Institute for several years. Yoann holds an Executive MBA from the University of Colorado, an MS in Geosystems Eng. from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in Geomechanics from the University of Birmingham (UK), an MSc in Civil Engineering from ESTP (Paris, France), and a BS equivalent in Math/Physics.

Past, Present, & Future of Renewable Energy Technology & Data

In this episode, the co-founder and CEO of Climatize, Will Wiseman discusses how Climatize is helping everyday Americans fund solar, energy efficiency, and EV projects via their platform while allowing investors to earn up to 10% annually. Will also discusses what a Trump 2025 presidency means for the United States in terms of renewable energy investments and infrastructure.

Founded in 2023, Climatize is an SEC-registered impact investing platform that allows investors to fund renewable energy projects while earning up to 10% annually. Climatize has helped to fund millions of dollars worth of solar projects across the United States. Climatize works with dozens of renewable energy developers across the United States to source projects for its platform. Climatize’s investing platform allows any investor in the United States over the age of 18 to invest in renewable energy projects. Climatize was a finalist in Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas list for both the Company of the Year and Impact Investing categories. Climatize is also a 2024 Keeling Curve Prize winner. For more information about Climatize please visit https://www.climatize.earth/.

During the course of his 10+ years in the industry, Will has had a hand in every function of the solar energy business including, but not limited to finance, project management & construction where he built 15 solar arrays. He holds two MSc in Renewable Energy Engineering from KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology. Will Wiseman and his co-founder, Alba Forns, are 2023 Forbes 30 under 30 recipients.


What does a Trump 2025 presidency mean for the future of renewables and EVs in the United States?

Mark Z. Jacobson, professor of civil and environmental engineering at Stanford University and author of seven books, including “No Miracles Needed,” talks with CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan about renewable energy development over the last 25 years as well as how and why carbon capture & storage is a scam.

Read more here: https://cleantechnica.com/2025/02/19/we-need-to-keep-our-eye-on-the-ball-to-save-the-planet/

25 Years of Renewable Energy, & Carbon Capture & Storage is a Scam

GM Energy’s Chief Revenue Officer, Aseem Kapur, and Director of Clean Energy Transportation at PG&E Lydia Krefta join CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan to discuss a new Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) pilot program eligible to GM EV owners in Northern California. GM EV owners in the region can now enroll and get up to $4,500 in incentives to unlock the power of bidirectional charging. That means their GM electric vehicle can supply energy back to their home, or eventually even to the grid.

V2X in Northern California Looks Like the Future

CleanTechnica's Jose Pontes and Zachary Shahan talk EV sales trends in Europe, the US, China, and the world as a whole. In particular, they spend a lot of time talking about BYD's growing leadership, Volkswagen Group's fresh rise in the EV market, and Tesla's sales trend, business approach, and potential crises around the world.

Europe & World EV Sales Reports, + Potential Tesla Sales Crises

Offshore wind power has been slower to mature than solar power or onshore wind power, but it offers some big benefits. Its upfront costs may be higher, but the value it offers is immense, and there's also much potential for bringing down utility electricity costs. Zach Shahan, CEO of CleanTechnica, and Susan Muller, a Senior Energy Analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, talk much further about some of these benefits. Enjoy!

Offshore Wind Power's Big Benefits

I recently sat down with Kris Ohleth, Director of the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind, to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and progress in the US offshore wind market. It was a great and fascinating discussion of the US offshore wind industry, what it's been going through in the paste decade or more, where it stands now, and what needs to be done to progress it in coming years. The podcast discussion complements our previous one with Susan Muller, a Senior Energy Analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), regarding the US offshore wind market and the benefits of offshore wind power.

Offshore Wind Power Challenges & Needs in USA

CleanTechnica CEO Zach Shahan interviews cleantech leaders, top researchers, and investment experts in the fields of electric vehicles (EV), batteries and mining, solar energy, climate change, artificial intelligence (AI), and more.

In the Belly of the BEAST — Electric School Buses & More

CleanTech Talk — EVs, Solar, Batteries, AI, Tesla

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