Future in Bloom

7 out of 10 Americans don’t want a data center in their backyard, and it’s hard to blame them. But we’re also seeing backlash increase against clean energy infrastructure, which is definitely hurting our ability to transition off of fossil fuels. Columbia’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law found 498 contested renewable energy projects in 2025, a 32% increase from the prior year. They also found a 16% increase in local laws restricting renewable energy development. Resistance has been at the heart of every environmental movement. You look at the history, you understand the harm, and you fight to make sure it doesn’t repeat. But building the clean energy we desperately need takes something resistance alone can’t deliver. It takes openness to the still-imperfect solutions that represent a huge improvement over the status quo for planetary health. Building climate tech means understanding multiple truths. No development should harm. But no development at all means we fail to address climate change urgently. My guest today, Dawn Lippert, has protected the environment for decades and understands industrial tradeoffs. Now she’s calling for an environmentalism which centers on innovating and building faster.

On this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph Speirs speaks with Etosha Cave, co-founder and Chief Science Advisor at Twelve. Twelve is discovering new ways to recycle CO2 and transform it into the things we use in our everyday lives. Etosha discusses her journey from grad school, realizing nature doesn’t treat CO2 as waste, so why should we? She dives deep into the story of how she helped build a company that mimics photosynthesis to turn captured carbon and water into fuels and everyday products. Along the way, they discuss why CO₂ is such a “stubborn molecule,” how Twelve chose what to make from sixteen possible options, the role the Inflation Reduction Act played in their pivot to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and why the company can now produce jet fuel almost anywhere in the world. It’s a conversation about science, commercialization, and the belief that waste and pollution are design choices we can make differently.

What if the best thing a foundation could do was plan its own ending? In this episode of Future in Bloom, Steph Speirs sits down with Santhosh Ramdoss, President & CEO of Gary Community Ventures, to explore a radical idea that could reshape philanthropy: Impermanence. By 2035, Gary will have spent every dollar of its assets in service of Colorado kids and families, which intentionally departs from how most foundations operate. Santhosh shares the founding vision behind Gary’s sunset, why traditional endowments behave more like dams than rivers, and how his team is working to transform institutional wealth into community well-being. He also opens up about his own journey, what nature can teach all of us about letting go, and how to leave the world better than we found it.

Charles Hua, founder of Powerlines and former US Department of Energy strategist, makes the case that America’s energy affordability crisis is a regulatory problem. With 80 million Americans struggling to pay their utility bills, and rates rising at the fastest pace in a generation, Charles points out the real power to control consumer prices resides with Public Utilities Commissioners, roughly 200 people he calls “The Supreme Court Justices of Energy.” This small group controls more than $200 billion a year in utility spending. This, all within a system designed almost a century ago. Steph and Charles discuss why the grid runs at just 50% efficiency, how “capex bias” rewards utilities for building new infrastructure instead of optimizing what already exists, what the rise of data centers could mean for your power bill, and the inexpensive and solutions we could implement quickly if they get the greenlight from regulators. Whether you’re in climate tech, policy, or just nervous to open your electric bill lately, this episode will open up a world we don’t see or think about that often, happening behind every flip of a lightswitch.

The aviation sector has an emissions problem. Convincing people to fly less won’t cut it: The answer is fundamentally reinventing the fuel itself. In this episode of Future in Bloom, host Steph Speirs sits down with Dr. Staff Sheehan, a computer scientist-turned-chemist and five-time entrepreneur, to unpack sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Staff breaks down what’s blocking cheap, abundant, clean electricity. He shares how this problem led him to co-found his fifth company, a nuclear energy startup called Project Omega. He makes the case that nuclear is the safest, most space-efficient, and most reliable baseload energy source available, and that its bad reputation is largely driven by misinformation and resistance from the fossil fuel industry. Along the way, Staff and Steph tackle greenwashing in aviation, the ethanol industry as a blueprint for SAF adoption, U.S. vs. EU policy approaches, the geopolitics of energy independence, the air quality crisis near airports, and why fossil fuel incumbents “play dirty” to maintain the status quo.

Arvin Ganesan, CEO of Fourth Power, joins Steph Speirs to unpack what’s really happening at the intersection of extreme heat, carbon blocks, and the future of long-duration energy storage. From the “25% demand surge” hitting the U.S. grid to why traditional lithium-ion isn’t enough for our wind and solar future, Arvin breaks down the massive technological friction points holding back the next generation of environmental giants. Learn why the shift to decentralized power is making the grid more volatile and how a career spanning from the U.S. Senate and Obama-era EPA to Apple led Arvin to solve the “loneliness” of climate tech entrepreneurship. — Subscribe to Our Substack: https://substack.com/@futureinbloom — Common Questions What is long-duration energy storage (LDES)? It refers to systems that can store energy for 10+ hours to handle grid fluctuations when the sun isn’t shining. How does Fourth Power’s technology work? It uses electricity to heat carbon blocks to extreme temperatures, which can then be converted back to power as needed. Why is grid demand increasing so fast? The primary drivers are the massive energy needs of AI data centers, the transition to Electric Vehicles (EVs), and a resurgence in domestic manufacturing. What are the biggest challenges for climate tech CEOs? Beyond the tech, it’s about managing investor trust and the emotional toll of leading a “hard tech” revolution.

Lisbeth Kaufman, AWS Head of Climate Tech Startups and former founder, joins Steph Speirs to discuss how the world’s largest cloud provider is accelerating the next generation of environmental giants. From “building a star on Earth” with fusion energy to AI-powered robots eliminating pesticides, Elizabeth breaks down the massive $7 billion resource engine helping startups scale past the “Valley of Death.” Learn why big tech is the secret weapon for 24/7 clean energy and how generative AI is slashing R&D timelines from 40 years to just 10. — Subscribe to Our Substack: https://substack.com/@futureinbloom — #ClimateTech #Sustainability #ArtificialIntelligence #CleanEnergy #Startups #FutureInBloom — Future in Bloom bridges climate tech and human nature. Hosted by clean energy entrepreneur Steph Speirs, Future in Bloom brings together innovators, scientists, and investors working on the world’s most promising planetary solutions. Adapted from the Yale School of Management course “Climate Tech Innovation and Commercialization,” learners discover next generation technologies through data-driven lectures, deep dive studio interviews, and vivid short documentaries. Future in Bloom is here to show that a thriving future is within reach. Future in Bloom is supported by the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. — About Me: Steph Speirs is a clean energy entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and teacher. She founded Future in Bloom, a media studio about intelligent solutions for a thriving world. Steph teaches climate entrepreneurship at Yale School of Management and is a Resident Fellow at the Center for Business and the Environment. She keynotes and advises philanthropists, investors, and companies on the future of climate tech and clean energy. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club Foundation, Vote Solar, and on the Credit Committee of the Community Investment Guarantee Pool. Steph most recently cofounded and was CEO of Solstice, an enterprise dedicated to radically expanding the number of American households that can take advantage of clean energy using community-shared solar farms (acquired by MyPower/Mitsui). Steph previously worked at the White House National Security Council and in clean energy companies in India and Pakistan.

In this keynote panel from the Yale Clean Energy Conference, we go beyond the surface of “green tech” to discuss the brutal realities of financing the energy transition. As policy support for clean energy wavers in America, we share how we navigate the shift from software-enabled “asset-light” technologies to the capital-intensive infrastructure needed to transform global industry. We explore why the human side of venture capital is often more important than the technology itself , and how the next era of climate tech—Climate Tech 3.0—is being shaped by national security, industrial policy, and the massive power demands of AI. Subscribe to Our Substack: https://substack.com/@futureinbloom —- We answer the biggest questions facing the energy transition: The Policy Exposure: We explain why we believe there is no way to invest in clean energy at scale without taking a specific policy point of view. Management Over Math: We discuss why we look for agile management teams that can “roll with the punches” as the best way to de-risk a business. The AI Opportunity: We explore how AI load growth is making grid optimization and behind-the-meter solutions more valuable than they have ever been. Climate Tech 3.0: We define the next era where costs are falling, but technologies must have freestanding economics with minimal reliance on subsidies. Breaking In: We offer candid advice for students, emphasizing specificity and the importance of building trust in a tough market. —- About this podcast: Recorded at the Yale Clean Energy Conference on November 6-7, 2025, this keynote features our panel: Amy Duffuor (Azola Ventures) , Terry Kellogg (Helios Climate Ventures) , and Rakesh Shankar (Antin Infrastructure Partners). We provide a masterclass on the “funder mindset,” detailing how we move capital from university labs to the massive infrastructure projects that define our climate future.

What happens when the next generation of clean energy lands in a small rural town? After suffering from economic “boom and bust” cycles of mining, railroad, and hog production, Milford, Utah was ready for change. This documentary explores how Fervo Energy’s cutting-edge geothermal project is breathing new life into the community, providing 24/7 green power, stable clean energy careers, and tripling local business in just a few years. Discover how a project developer’s connection to the community and commitment to hiring locals is fundamentally changing the town’s economic outlook, and how oil and gas workers are meaningfully transitioning to a better future. Revival is supported by the Clean Economy Project. — Subscribe to Our Substack: https://substack.com/@futureinbloom Common Questions Why is Milford, Utah important for renewable energy? How does Fervo Energy’s geothermal project differ from previous geothermal plants? What are “careers” as opposed to “jobs” in a rural community? How is the oil and gas industry experience transferable to clean energy? What is baseload 24/7 power? — Future in Bloom bridges climate tech and human nature. Hosted by clean energy entrepreneur Steph Speirs, Future in Bloom brings together innovators, scientists, and investors working on the world’s most promising planetary solutions. Adapted from the Yale School of Management course “Climate Tech Innovation and Commercialization,” learners discover next generation technologies through data-driven lectures, deep dive studio interviews, and vivid short documentaries. Future in Bloom is here to show that a thriving future is within reach. — About Steph Speirs: Steph Speirs is a clean energy entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and teacher. She founded Future in Bloom, a media studio about intelligent solutions for a thriving world. Steph teaches climate entrepreneurship at Yale School of Management and is a Resident Fellow at the Center for Business and the Environment. She keynotes and advises philanthropists, investors, and companies on the future of climate tech and clean energy. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club Foundation, Vote Solar, and on the Credit Committee of the Community Investment Guarantee Pool. Steph most recently cofounded and was CEO of Solstice, an enterprise dedicated to radically expanding the number of American households that can take advantage of clean energy using community-shared solar farms (acquired by MyPower/Mitsui). Steph previously worked at the White House National Security Council and in clean energy companies in India and Pakistan.

Intelligent solutions for a thriving world — Subscribe to Our Substack: /@futureinbloom — Future in Bloom bridges climate tech and human nature. Hosted by clean energy entrepreneur Steph Speirs, Future in Bloom brings together innovators, scientists, and investors working on the world’s most promising planetary solutions. Adapted from the Yale School of Management course “Climate Tech Innovation and Commercialization,” learners discover next generation technologies through data-driven lectures, deep dive studio interviews, and vivid short documentaries. Future in Bloom is here to show that a thriving future is within reach. Future in Bloom is supported by the Yale Center for Business and the Environment. — About Me: Steph Speirs is a clean energy entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and teacher. She founded Future in Bloom, a media studio about intelligent solutions for a thriving world. Steph teaches climate entrepreneurship at Yale School of Management and is a Resident Fellow at the Center for Business and the Environment. She keynotes and advises philanthropists, investors, and companies on the future of climate tech and clean energy. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Sierra Club Foundation, Vote Solar, and on the Credit Committee of the Community Investment Guarantee Pool. Steph most recently cofounded and was CEO of Solstice, an enterprise dedicated to radically expanding the number of American households that can take advantage of clean energy using community-shared solar farms (acquired by MyPower/Mitsui). Steph previously worked at the White House National Security Council and in clean energy companies in India and Pakistan.