Hardware Podcasts

From Solar’s 90% Cost Crash to AI’s Energy Surge: The Economics Driving Climate Tech

Hardware to Save a Planet · 16 Sept 2025 · 1h 02m · Episode 87

What this episode covers

Pavel Molchanov, an Investment Strategy Analyst at Raymond James, discusses the economic and policy drivers shaping the climate tech sector, highlighting how solar panel costs have dropped 90% and EV adoption has surged in China. He contrasts successful scaling of mature technologies like solar and wind with the struggles of companies like Solyndra, which failed due to high costs despite innovative CIGS technology. Molchanov argues that while deep tech innovations like fusion and solid-state batteries are important, economic viability and business models are the primary determinants of success in the energy transition.

Most relevant to

large enterprises

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Raymond James, Solyndra, Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Also
CIGS, ITER

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