Energy Matters with Claire and Dan

Global conflict is once again colliding with global energy markets. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan examine how escalating tensions involving Iran could disrupt the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and LNG flows. If shipping through the region is interrupted, oil prices could rise sharply and gasoline prices could climb across the United States. The conversation then turns to nuclear energy. Dan shares insights from a recent visit to Fukushima on the 15th anniversary of the disaster and explains Japan's unusual plan to redistribute radioactive waste across the country after 2046. Claire and Dan also discuss the economics of nuclear power today, including the massive cost overruns at the Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia and the growing debate over whether nuclear power can compete with rapidly falling solar prices.

Is carbon counting the smartest investment strategy in a changing energy landscape? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan sit down with Jeff Eckel, former CEO and current Chair of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure, to explore what it really takes to finance decarbonization over the long term. Jeff shares his unconventional path from startup setbacks to building one of the largest climate-focused investment platforms in the country. He reflects on the early days of energy efficiency finance, the evolution of renewable energy markets, and why decarbonization was always going to be a long and difficult fight. At the center of the conversation is a simple but powerful idea: if carbon truly counts, then capital should flow toward the most impactful investments — not just the most photogenic ones. The discussion ranges from multi-asset securitization and government-backed efficiency projects to renewable natural gas and the risks of greenwashing in ESG investing. Jeff explains why clean energy will ultimately win not because of politics or virtue, but because of physics and economics. In a world shaped increasingly by climate risk, this conversation asks a fundamental question: if capital is scarce and carbon matters, how should we invest?

Electricity markets are more volatile than they have been in decades, and most customers are still being asked to make billion-dollar decisions by looking in the rearview mirror. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan are joined by Deirdre Lord, co-founder of The Megawatt Hour (https://home.themwh.com/) and a longtime leader in energy analytics and market transparency. Together, they unpack why today's energy markets are behaving so wildly, from AI-driven demand growth and electrification to aging infrastructure, weather extremes, and the uneven pace of the energy transition. Deirdre explains why data and forecasting, not intuition or market hype, are now essential tools for commercial, industrial, and institutional energy users. She shares how better access to utility data can empower customers to manage risk, plan long term, and make smarter decisions about renewables, storage, and load management. The conversation also explores reliability myths, the limits of fossil fuel "certainty," the rise of winter peaking, and why transparency may be one of the most powerful and underestimated forces shaping the future of the grid. If you have ever wondered why your energy costs feel unpredictable, what is really driving market volatility, or how data can turn confusion into strategy, this episode is for you.

In the Season Two premiere of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan step back from technology and markets to examine the geopolitics now shaping the global energy system. From U.S. intervention in Venezuela's oil sector to growing interest in Greenland's critical minerals, this episode explores how raw power politics are colliding with the energy transition. Claire and Dan unpack why Venezuela's heavy crude matters at a time of global oversupply, what it would really take to revive its oil industry, and who stands to benefit economically. The conversation then shifts north to Greenland, where melting ice, shipping routes, and mineral resources are turning a once-remote landscape into a geopolitical flashpoint. Along the way, Claire and Dan connect these moves to China's clean energy dominance, rising global tensions, and the question at the heart of today's energy debate: are we investing in the energy system of the past, or the one we'll need for the future?

In this episode, Claire and Dan compare the energy landscapes of Europe and the United States and explore why the two regions have taken such different paths. They discuss how geography, underground resources, policy stability, and political priorities shape everything from fracking to solar adoption. The conversation moves from Europe's dependence on Russian gas to America's rise as the top fossil fuel exporter, the evolution of feed in tariffs versus renewable portfolio standards, and the political forces that complicate clean energy deployment on both sides of the Atlantic. Claire and Dan also examine the role of nuclear power, why France embraced it while Germany and California backed away, and how new investment strategies and shifting global alliances may shape the next generation of energy.

In this episode, Claire and Dan break down one of the most misunderstood challenges in modern energy: the duck curve. They explain why solar-heavy grids create steep late afternoon ramps in demand, how utilities currently struggle to manage them, and why battery storage is emerging as the critical solution. They explore examples from California, Spain, Portugal, and beyond, and walk through the economics, developer challenges, and policy dynamics shaping solar-plus-storage today. If you have heard of the duck curve but never fully understood it, or wondered why storage is essential for the clean energy future, this conversation makes it crystal clear.

In part two of Energy Matters' series on what works—and what doesn't—in climate tech, Claire and Dan dig into how startups move from promising ideas to scalable, sustainable businesses. They explore the building blocks of success: operational excellence, smart capital strategy, competitive awareness, and proactive engagement with regulators and utilities. Through candid insights and real-world examples, Claire and Dan reveal how founders can avoid common pitfalls, adapt to shifting markets, and build the resilience needed to make meaningful change in the energy transition.

After a recent accident totaled her Prius Prime, Claire is in the market for a new car — but with a 6'5" husband, a narrow Baltimore parking pad, and strong opinions about trillionaire tech CEOs, the decision isn't simple. In this episode, Claire and Dan go head-to-head on hybrids vs. full EVs, cost of ownership myths, charging infrastructure reality (yes, even in small towns), and whether environmental impact truly favors electric. They dig into cobalt-free batteries, carbon payback timelines, and the surprising global innovation the U.S. may be shutting itself out of. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

Claire and Dan explore whether nuclear power can truly help solve the climate crisis. They unpack the promise of small modular reactors, the reality of aging plants, and the long-term hope of fusion—balancing innovation, cost, and risk in one of energy's most polarizing debates. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

Energy efficiency has been called the "first fuel" of the clean energy transition—cheap, effective, and proven. So why do Americans still overlook it? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack the history of efficiency from the 1970s oil crises to today's grid congestion and data-driven energy demand. They explore why utilities resist selling less power, why homeowners skip upgrades, and why low-income communities face the steepest bills. From 1970s tree-planting programs to today's smart thermostats, Claire and Dan show how efficiency could shift from "boring" to transformative—if we can overcome the split incentives and political barriers holding it back. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

Claire and Dan unpack Moore's Law — the principle that technology improves and costs decline as production scales — and explore its powerful role in driving down the price of solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies. They connect the dots between semiconductors, renewable energy, policy incentives, and innovation curves. They tackle the big questions: how far can Moore's Law take us, where does it fall short, and what does it mean for the future of AI, energy efficiency, and fusion power?

In this episode of Energy Matters With Claire & Dan, hosts Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen unpack the legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest clean energy investment in U.S. history — and contrast it with the current administration's push for fossil fuel–friendly policies. They explore the trillion-dollar impacts on electric vehicles, solar, storage, and community energy justice, while also digging into the flaws, political compromises, and the global ripple effects of America's shifting energy priorities. From Norway's near-total EV adoption to Texas emerging as a renewable leader, the conversation highlights both progress and peril: how the IRA spurred innovation and investment, and how today's "Big Beautiful Bill" and threats to the EPA's endangerment finding could derail that momentum. If you care about where our energy dollars go — and what it means for the climate, the economy, and our daily lives — this is a conversation you won't want to miss!