Catalyst · 4 Jun 2026 · 44m
Nic Fulghum, a senior energy and climate data analyst at Ember, discusses findings from Ember’s Global Electricity Review, highlighting that solar generation grew by 30% year-over-year in 2025, maintaining exponential growth despite market maturity. He explains that global fossil generation declined for the first time since 2020, driven by drops in coal use in China and India, as renewables increasingly meet demand. Fulghum also details how grid-connected batteries are shifting midday solar peaks to shoulder hours, with countries like Australia and Chile leading in integration, while the US lags behind.
early-stage companies
Other shows on the same ground, closest first.
Chris Gammell details his new 13kW solar and Tesla Powerwall 3 installation, discussing the economics of virtual power plants and peak pricing. Dave Jones analyzes Australia's energy market, highlighting negative wholesale prices and the high cost of peak power generation. The hosts also discuss the impact of new US tariffs on the global electronics supply chain and the challenges of designing with tiny 0.35mm pitch BGA components.
Gretchen Bakke, a professor of anthropology at McGill University and author of The Grid, discusses the physical and cultural realities of the US power grid. She explains that electricity must be balanced second-by-second, creating challenges as variable renewable sources like wind and solar replace controllable fossil fuel plants. Bakke argues for a shift from centralized, brittle infrastructure to resilient, modular microgrids and smart devices that can manage demand and storage locally.
The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Catalyst. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.