
Rogue Solar Bigger than the Grid
From The Clean Energy Show by James Whittingham and Brian Stockton
May 20, 2026 · 40 min · Episode 312
About this episode
The episode discusses Pakistan's rooftop solar growth, the costs of aging coal plants in the U.S., and various energy transition topics.
Pakistan's booming rooftop solar "shadow grid" has quietly grown larger than the country's official grid, saving billions while slashing fossil fuel imports. They also look at the staggering costs of keeping aging coal plants alive in the U.S., including millions spent just to maintain shutdown-ready facilities. Plus: a groundbreaking Inuit-owned hydro project replacing diesel power in the Arctic, bats vs. wind turbines, EV sales exploding in Canada, China's battery charging buildout, and why hailstorms are becoming a major challenge for solar farms. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our members-only Discord community and thank-yous in the credits of videos and shoutouts on our podcast! Starting at just $1 per month! Topics this week include: Pakistan's massive solar "shadow grid" now bigger than the official grid - end of show! Trump-era coal plant extensions costing hundreds of millions Coal pollution reducing global solar output Inuit-owned hydro project cuts Arctic diesel use by 80% Researchers study how bats interact with wind turbines OPEC instability…
People in this episode
Hosts: James Whittingham, Brian Stockton
Topics covered
- rooftop solar
- coal plants
- hydro project
- wind turbines
- EV sales
- battery charging
- solar farm challenges
Keywords
- solar grid
- coal pollution
- Inuit hydro project
- bats wind turbines
- EV sales Canada
- battery charging
- renewable energy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: OPEC, BYD
Places: Pakistan, Arctic
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