With the signing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the solar industry is projected to grow by leaps and bounds in the next several years.  But such rapid growth is not without its challenges. How do we address the labor shortage in clean tech? And make sure that the abundance of new solar projects are built…

In the early days of solar development, we built solar farms and then locked the gate and walked away, completely missing the opportunity to the use the land under the panels for a productive, long-term purpose. Enter agrivoltaics or dual-use solar, a technique where solar farms are built to allow for grazing or growing crops,…

Even if they want to go solar, most middle-income Americans can’t afford it. Or maybe they rent or move frequently and can’t take rooftop solar with them when they go. And those who live in areas with frequent natural disasters worry about the cost of replacing solar panels that get damaged or destroyed. But what…

The entire infrastructure of our economy depends on a reliable grid. And the work we are doing to decarbonize will only increase demands on the grid moving forward. So, how do we look into the future? What are we doing to upgrade the grid? To make it stronger and more adaptable?  And most importantly, how…

Lead-acid batteries are heavy and highly toxic. Lithium-ion is lighter but tends to catch fire and requires a thermal management system to regulate its temperature. So, Michael Burz, President and CEO at Enzinc, is developing a next-generation rechargeable zinc battery that is safer for people and the planet. With a background in aerospace engineering, Michael…

Solar is an unpredictable industry.  Government incentives drive an uptick in the market for a few years. And then high-profile bankruptcies and severe tariffs put the brakes on development for a year or two. But those of us committed to renewables for the long term keep moving forward, developing the grit it takes to navigate…

Solar asset managers are dealing with a number of variables, among them soiling, shading, weather conditions and the degradation of equipment. And while supervisory control and data acquisition or SCADA systems support the decision-making process, they can’t conduct the kind of advanced analytics asset managers need to significantly improve a plant’s performance. Sharat Singh is…

6 Powerful Cleantech Podcasters On Biden, Ukraine and the Energy Transition Today we're sharing our fifth quarterly podcaster's roundtable, which offers a rich, one-hour discussion of energy trends, developments, challenges and opportunities. We’re joined by some impressive industry voices. These roundtables are organized and produced by my friends Mike Casey and Nico Johnson. Mike is…

The communities that contribute the least to climate change are impacted by it the most. And that’s a disheartening thing for Gen Zers to discover. But the antidote to anxiety is action.  So, what can young people do to advocate for environmental justice? How can we all work together for an equitable transition to the…

It’s awe-inspiring to consider that renewable energy transforms weather into electrons and then into dollars. And yet, many asset managers are still operating with spreadsheets, notebooks and post-its.  So, how do we encourage the adoption of digital tools in the renewable energy space? And how can solar, wind and hydro operators benefit from technology like…