Electrify This!
34 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 26 ratingsElectrify This! explores the movement to electrify everything as a strategy to decarbonize and revitalize all sectors of our economy. Featuring diverse experts, the show examines the most important policy, regulatory, and market issues surrounding electrification of transportation, buildings, and industry. Electrify This! helps demystify issues surrounding the transition to 100 percent clean electricity, and focuses on the challenges, scalable solutions, and what decision-makers can do to ensure the movement to electrify is equitable for all. Electrify This! is an original Energy Innovation Policy & Technology LLC® podcast hosted by Electrification Director Sara Baldwin (former host of Grid Geeks podcast). Our podcasts are accessible under the CC BY license. Users are free to copy, distribute, transform, and build upon the material as long as they credit Energy Innovation® for the original creation and indicate if changes were made..
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Episodes
A Roadmap for the Zero-Carbon Industrial Transition (Part 1 of 3)
March 05, 2024 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MBDid you know that industrial activity around the world is responsible for one-third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? In the U.S. alone, direct emissions from the industrial sector make up 23% of our total GHG emissions. The industrial sector is also essential for producing the tools and products we need for our daily lives – from food and beverage products, textiles and paper, steel and concrete, and the technologies necessary to tackle climate change, like wind turbines and batteri...
What’s really needed to cut U.S. emissions faster this decade?
January 31, 2024 08:00 - 50 minutes - 34.9 MBSeason 4 of Electrify This! kicks off the new year to unpack a big question: “What’s really needed to cut U.S. emissions faster this decade?” Guests Ed Rightor and Sue Tierney are co-authors of a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine titled Accelerating Decarbonization in the United States: Technology, Policy, and Societal Dimensions, which evaluates how we can successfully implement current decarbonization policies and what else is needed to reach U...
An Electrifying Year: A 2023 Retrospective
December 13, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour - 45.8 MB2023 was an action-packed year for the clean energy transition and electrification. From the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to myriad actions on EVs, buildings, hydrogen, and renewable energy, 2023 was no sleeper! What were the top electrification headlines of the year? And what policy developments will have the biggest impact on the year ahead? Tune in to hear this all-star line-up of guests analyze the trends and discuss leading insight...
Billions in New DOE Home Energy Retrofit Programs and Workforce Funding: What States Need To Know
September 07, 2023 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MBA year after the landmark Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) became law, the federal government and states are moving quickly to deploy $8.8 billion in rebates for home energy efficiency and electrification projects. The goal is to help American households save money on energy bills, upgrade to clean energy equipment, improve energy efficiency, and reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. The IRA also includes $200 million for the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants to h...
States in the EV Driver Seat
August 15, 2023 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.6 MBStates have been long-time leaders in the transportation electrification space, and more states than ever before are taking action to accelerate transportation electrification with the adoption and implementation of EV-friendly policies, regulations, and programs. This episode of Electrify This! explores what states are doing to support robust EV markets, attract the EV supply chain, and ensure more equitable EV access. With guest Peter Huether with the Transportation Program with the Americ...
On the Move: Policy Accelerates the US EV Market
May 31, 2023 06:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MBFederal and state policies are reshaping how people and goods travel, while cutting harmful greenhouse gas emissions and pollutants from cars and trucks. Vehicle electrification is accelerating thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and state policies. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s newly proposed tailpipe pollution standards for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles could transform our transportation future. But how will these new po...
Making Energy Efficiency and Electrification Programs Work for People
April 04, 2023 07:00 - 50 minutes - 34.5 MBThe Inflation Reduction Act allocates billions for home and building upgrades over the next ten years; these rebates and incentives can cut energy bills, reduce energy burdens, improve public health, and slash emissions, but state and tribal governments must work quickly to develop and implement well-designed programs to realize their full potential. This episode features energy policy researchers Dr. Yunus Kinkhabwala of PSE Healthy Energy and Dr. Arjun Makhijani of the Institute for Energy...
National Leaders on the Future of Climate and Electrification
February 02, 2023 07:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBThree national climate policy stars kick off Season 3 to recap 2022 successes, predict what’s in store for 2023 on the policy front, and outline how the Inflation Reduction Act will benefit states, households, and the climate. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, U.S. Representative Kathy Castor of Florida, and Kelly Speakes-Backman of Invenergy share their insights on how we made major progress last year and why we can expect an action-packed year ahead! Guest Bios U.S. Senator Ma...
From COP 27 to Corporations: Electrifying Industry to Meet U.S. Climate Goals
November 21, 2022 08:00 - 48 minutes - 33 MBAt the COP27 Climate Change Conference, governments representing more half of the global economy announced an action plan to speed the decarbonization of power, road transport, steel, hydrogen, and agriculture. The U.S., Canada, Germany, Japan, and other nations backed a set of 25 "Priority Actions" to decarbonize industry, including scaled deployment of net-zero industrial plants and stimulating global demand for low-carbon industrial goods. So, what does that COP27 agreement mean for ind...
The Inflation Reduction Act: What it Means for the U.S. Workforce, Consumers, and Climate
October 20, 2022 06:00 - 49 minutes - 33.7 MBThe Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is the most significant climate legislation in United States history—$370 billion in climate and clean energy investments could help cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions roughly 40 percent by 2030. The IRA will transportation and building electrification, invigorate the U.S. clean energy supply chain, and enhance U.S. global competitiveness. But, how will it help average households and consumers? What does it mean for worrkers and the economy? And what...
Connecting the Dots: Cooking, Climate, and Clean Air
August 17, 2022 07:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBDid you know the gas that heats many of our buildings, cooks our food, and dries our clothes causes air pollution? Recent studies demonstrate the climate and health harms of burning gas indoors, particularly in our kitchens. Gas stoves can emit up to 1.3 percent of the gas as unburned methane—a powerful greenhouse gas—along with other health-damaging air pollutants. Fortunately, electrified stoves offer a physician- and chef-approved solution! This episode stirs up this hot topic with a pedi...
Connecting the Dots: Cooking, Climate, and Clean Air
August 17, 2022 07:00 - 53 minutes - 36.6 MBDid you know the gas that heats many of our buildings, cooks our food, and dries our clothes causes air pollution? Recent studies demonstrate the climate and health harms of burning gas indoors, particularly in our kitchens. Gas stoves can emit up to 1.3 percent of the gas as unburned methane—a powerful greenhouse gas—along with other health-damaging air pollutants. Fortunately, electrified stoves offer a physician- and chef-approved solution! This episode stirs up this hot topic with a pedi...
Environmental Justice Impacts of the Hydrogen Economy
June 23, 2022 07:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MBThe hydrogen buzz is getting louder. Carbon-free hydrogen is part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s strategy to achieve President Biden’s net-zero by 2050 target, and the bipartisan infrastructure law earmarked $8 billion for regional clean hydrogen hubs. Meanwhile, natural gas and electric utilities in more than a dozen states are proposing hydrogen-blending for use in buildings and natural gas plants. In this episode, energy equity advocates discuss which of these hydrogen applications ha...
Looking for Freedom from Fossil Fuels: Decarbonizing the European Union
April 28, 2022 07:00 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MBRussia’s unprovoked Ukraine invasion sent shockwaves across the world and shined a spotlight on the true costs of our global fossil fuel reliance, especially for the European Union (EU). The EU’s 27 members buy a quarter of their oil and more 40 percent of their gas from Russia, and EU households are facing high energy bills and accelerating impacts from the climate crisis. On this episode of Electrify This!, host Sara Baldwin speaks with energy policy experts at the Regulatory Assistance ...
How to Electrify Your Life: Ask a Contractor (Part 2 of 2)
February 09, 2022 08:00 - 44 minutes - 30.9 MBWhat burning questions do you have about what it takes to remove fossil fuels from your home or workplace and switch to all-electric appliances and equipment? What should you know before you choose a contractor? For example, do heat pumps work in cold climates? And what is a mini split, and is it right for my building? In part two of our how-to series, Electrify This! host Sara Baldwin speaks with residential HVAC contractor Larry Waters, founder of Electrify My Home, LLC and commercial HVAC...
How to Electrify Your Life: Getting Started at Home (Part 1 of 2)
February 08, 2022 08:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MBWant to electrify your life and not sure where to start? Then tune in to a special two-part series of Electrify This! to find out how you can cut pollution and save money by making the switch to clean, efficient electric alternatives. Host Sara Baldwin speaks with Joel Rosenberg, the author of the new e-book called Electrify Everything in Your Home: A Guide to Comfy, Healthy, Carbon-Free Living, and Panama Bartholomy of the Building Decarbonization Coalition about the steps homeowners and re...
That’s A Wrap! 2021 Reflections and 2022 Predictions with Three Electrification Dynamos
December 14, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 53.5 MBAn all-star line-up closes out the year with reflections on 2021 and predictions for 2022. Host Sara Baldwin speaks with electrify everything pioneer Saul Griffith, policy expert and former Energy Gang podcast co-host Katherine Hamilton, and leading climate and clean energy commentator David Roberts. Tune in to hear three electrification dynamos recap 2021’s biggest developments in the transition from fossil to clean electricity, share the latest scoop on the Build Back Better Act, and predi...
Changing the Way We Build with Electrified Construction
November 23, 2021 07:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MBThe landmark $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will restore and expand the United States infrastructure. From improving roads, bridges, and rail, to expanding electric vehicle charging, to developing a more resilient grid and more efficient buildings, or to ensuring clean drinking water for all—this historic investment will spur construction in nearly every community in America. But it’s also a tremendous opportunity to reconsider how we build. Since the majorit...
Now We're Cooking With...Electricity!
October 20, 2021 06:00 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MBOnce considered a status symbol, gas stoves have become a popular choice for amateur and professional chefs alike. More than a third of U.S. households cook with gas and 50% of single-family homes now feature gas stoves. Yet, when it comes to climate stability, air quality, and our health, gas stoves have serious impacts. Gas stoves emit the same fumes found in car exhaust, and gas consumption in buildings is a significant contributor to climate change. But it is possible to cook dinner with...
Now We're Cooking With...Electricity!
October 20, 2021 06:00 - 47 minutes - 32.4 MBOnce considered a status symbol, gas stoves have become a popular choice for amateur and professional chefs alike. More than a third of U.S. households cook with gas and 50% of single-family homes now feature gas stoves. Yet, when it comes to climate stability, air quality, and our health, gas stoves have serious impacts. Gas stoves emit the same fumes found in car exhaust, and gas consumption in buildings is a significant contributor to climate change. But it is possible to cook dinner with...
Farewell Fossil Gas, Hello Better Buildings: A Building Electrification Status Update
September 08, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.9 MBWith more than 100 million housing units and commercial buildings burning fossil fuels for space or water heating or for cooking across the United States, our building sector needs a major retrofit. Buildings cause 13 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, and every new fossil-fueled appliance or structure locks in higher emissions and costs for decades to come – not to mention serious health impacts from burning fuels indoors. To reach net-zero by 2050, we must electrify all new ...
The Road to Clean, Electrified Transportation: State and Federal Pathways (Part 3 of 3)
July 26, 2021 06:00 - 56 minutes - 38.6 MBThe climate, public health, and jobs benefits of electric vehicles are clear, but how do we get to a highly electrified transportation future when internal combustion engines still dominate the market today? To reap these benefits, we need a smart combination of federal and state actions to pave the way. In this final episode of our 3-part transportation series, host Sara Baldwin speaks with Margo Oge, former Director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the U.S. Environmental ...
Accelerating Clean, Electrified Transportation and a Clean Grid by 2035 (Part 2 of 3)
June 09, 2021 06:00 - 55 minutes - 38.3 MBWe have the technology needed to drive the clean energy future, but what policies must we adopt now to actually reach that goal? In part two of our three-part series on electrifying transportation, host Sara Baldwin speaks with electric vehicle and electricity policy experts to explore the most critical policies needed for an all-electric transportation transition that also helps achieve a carbon-free grid within 15 years. We dive into the current state of play of federal EV and charging inf...
Accelerating Clean, Electrified Transportation by 2035, Part 1 (of 3)
April 29, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MBApril 2021 was a milestone month of for clean energy, climate, and electrification: The Biden administration unveiled the American Jobs Plan, convened a Leaders Summit on Climate, and announced the U.S. climate goal to reduce our climate emissions 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Because decarbonizing the transportation sector is necessary to achieve these goals, the Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and General Services Administration announced new programs and fundin...
Accelerating Clean, Electrified Transportation by 2035, Part 1 (of 3)
April 29, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 37.3 MBApril 2021 was a milestone month of for clean energy, climate, and electrification: The Biden administration unveiled the American Jobs Plan, convened a Leaders Summit on Climate, and announced the U.S. climate goal to reduce our climate emissions 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. Because decarbonizing the transportation sector is necessary to achieve these goals, the Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and General Services Administration announced new programs and fundin...
Climate Resilience in the Electrified Future
March 25, 2021 08:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBThe Polar Vortex of February 2021 caused enduring blackouts throughout Texas and disruptions to electricity grids across multiple states – yet another devastating example of how extreme weather combined with poor grid planning in the face of climate change is costing lives and wreaking havoc on communities. Increasingly frequent climate change-fueled events are creating new threats to our power system just as more homes and vehicles plug into the grid in the move to electrify everything and ...
Accelerating Equitable Transportation Electrification
February 23, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 46.1 MBElectric vehicles have driven onto the front page of news from GM’s announcement to exclusively offer EVs by 2035, President Biden’s Executive Order calling for an all-electric federal fleet by 2035, and a handful of U.S. states and other countries announcing plans to phase out gas-powered vehicle sales on or before 2035. But even with more than 1 million EVs on U.S. roads, the transportation sector is our largest source of climate pollution, responsible for nearly a third of U.S. greenhouse...
Industrial Electrification: Unlocking Deep Decarbonization with the Power of the Grid
January 25, 2021 07:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MBWhat did you stock up on in 2020? Toilet paper? Cleaning products? Furniture for your permanent staycation? We rarely consider the energy needed to make all those products, but from those we use daily to the steel and concrete that build our world, nearly everything in our economy comes from industrial processes. And those industrial processes use a lot of energy, and – at least for now – rely in large part on fossil fuels. America’s industrial sector was responsible for more than a third of...
Industrial Electrification: Unlocking Deep Decarbonization with the Power of the Grid
January 25, 2021 07:00 - 49 minutes - 34.1 MBWhat did you stock up on in 2020? Toilet paper? Cleaning products? Furniture for your permanent staycation? We rarely consider the energy needed to make all those products, but from those we use daily to the steel and concrete that build our world, nearly everything in our economy comes from industrial processes. And those industrial processes use a lot of energy, and – at least for now – rely in large part on fossil fuels. America’s industrial sector was responsible for more than a third of...
All I Want for the Holidays Is an All-Electric Home
December 15, 2020 08:00 - 58 minutes - 40.1 MBIt’s holiday time after a hard year. More than ever, the need for healthy homes is exceedingly clear. It’s true what they say and true what you hear: Nearly 90 million households burn fossil fuels on site, and that’s just not right! Greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants make our stoves, heaters and dryers quite a nuisance! Our climate and health are taking a hit - we’ve got to quit. Entrenched fossil interests and weak building codes keeping us hooked on fuels is complicity – the Grinches ...
All I Want for the Holidays Is an All-Electric Home
December 15, 2020 08:00 - 58 minutes - 40.1 MBIt’s holiday time after a hard year. More than ever, the need for healthy homes is exceedingly clear. It’s true what they say and true what you hear: Nearly 90 million households burn fossil fuels on site, and that’s just not right! Greenhouse gases and harmful pollutants make our stoves, heaters and dryers quite a nuisance! Our climate and health are taking a hit - we’ve got to quit. Entrenched fossil interests and weak building codes keeping us hooked on fuels is complicity – the Grinches ...
Plugging In to the Electrification Movement
November 17, 2020 07:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBIn the inaugural episode of Electrify This!, host Sara Baldwin speaks with three experts to explore the burgeoning movement to electrify everything as a core strategy to decarbonize all sectors of our economy. Guests will highlight the most important policy, regulatory, and market issues surrounding electrification of transportation and buildings, point out what leading states are doing right, and provide insight into opportunities for expanded electrification under a new Administration. We’...
Plugging In to the Electrification Movement
November 17, 2020 07:00 - 58 minutes - 40 MBIn the inaugural episode of Electrify This!, host Sara Baldwin speaks with three experts to explore the burgeoning movement to electrify everything as a core strategy to decarbonize all sectors of our economy. Guests will highlight the most important policy, regulatory, and market issues surrounding electrification of transportation and buildings, point out what leading states are doing right, and provide insight into opportunities for expanded electrification under a new Administration. We’...
Introducing...Electrify This! - An Energy Innovation Podcast on Electrification for Decarbonization
November 02, 2020 22:00 - 4 minutes - 2.88 MBIntroduction Electrify This! - a new podcast devoted to the theme of electrification for decarbonization. Electrify This! features electrification experts from around the world who are advancing the transition of all sectors of our economy to 100 percent clean electricity. Hosted by Electrification Policy Director, Sara Baldwin, the show will explore the policy, regulatory, and market issues surrounding electrification of transportation, buildings, and industry, and demystifies complex issu...