Episodes

  • How One Startup Uses AI To Match Wind Power With Hydrogen Production

    How One Startup Uses AI To Match Wind Power With Hydrogen Production
    Jun 29 2026
    Episode 79 of The Climate Tech Podcast explores how a startup called Electrode leverages artificial intelligence to dynamically match wind farm output with hydrogen electrolyzers, solving the intermittency problem that has long plagued green hydrogen. Lucas and Luna dive into the technical details of how the AI predicts wind patterns hours ahead and adjusts electrolyzer load in real time, cutting hydrogen production costs by up to 30 percent. They discuss a pilot project in Texas where excess wind energy that would have been curtailed now powers 24/7 hydrogen production, and what this means for the broader decarbonization of industrial processes like steelmaking and ammonia production. The conversation also touches on the economics of grid-connected versus islanded electrolyzers, and why big oil companies are starting to partner with AI startups in the clean energy space. #GreenHydrogen #AIForClimate #Electrode #WindEnergy #Electrolyzer #Decarbonization #CleanTech #EnergyStorage #TexasWind #HydrogenEconomy #MachineLearning #GridIntermittency #IndustrialDecarbonization #ClimateTech #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Sustainability Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    13 mins
  • How Underground Thermal Batteries Store Summer Heat for Winter

    How Underground Thermal Batteries Store Summer Heat for Winter
    Jun 28 2026
    Episode 78 of The Climate Tech Podcast explores seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) — a quietly booming sector that could slash building heating emissions. Lucas and Luna drill into a specific case: the Drake Landing Solar Community in Alberta, Canada, which uses a borehole thermal energy storage system to store summer solar heat underground and supply 90 percent of neighbourhood heating year-round. They break down the technology (heat pumps, insulated clay, district loops), why it's taken off in Europe but lagged in the US, and the economic tipping point — how $50 million up front can save $200 million over 30 years. They also compare newer startups like Canada's E2EX and Israel's Nostromo grabbing attention with modular approaches. By the end, you'll understand why underground gravel pits might be the next big climate infrastructure play. #SeasonalThermalStorage #BoreholeStorage #DrakeLanding #E2EX #NostromoEnergy #HeatPumps #DistrictHeating #BuildingDecarbonization #Geothermal #CleanEnergyStorage #SolarThermal #ClimateTech #EnergyTransition #Infrastructure #NetZero #Business #TechnologyPodcast #FexingoBusiness Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    14 mins
  • How Wave Energy Is Powering Ocean Sensors

    How Wave Energy Is Powering Ocean Sensors
    Jun 28 2026
    Episode 77 of The Climate Tech Podcast explores wave energy — a renewable source that's been stuck in pilot phase for decades. Lucas and Luna look at a specific startup called CorPower Ocean, which has deployed a buoy-based wave energy converter off the coast of Portugal. They discuss how it works, the economics per kilowatt-hour, and why wave power could be a game-changer for offshore sensors, desalination, and grid-scale generation. The hosts also touch on the challenges of surviving storms and the competition from floating solar and offshore wind. A concrete look at whether wave energy is finally ready for prime time. #WaveEnergy #CorPowerOcean #OceanEnergy #BlueEconomy #RenewableEnergy #ClimateTech #OffshorePower #EnergyTransition #WavePower #MarineEnergy #CleanEnergy #Decarbonization #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateAction #SustainableTech #Portugal Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    10 mins
  • The Solar Graveyard Problem and How One Startup Fixes It

    The Solar Graveyard Problem and How One Startup Fixes It
    Jun 27 2026
    Solar panels are flooding the market, but what happens when they die? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the growing problem of end-of-life solar waste and the startups racing to solve it. They focus on one company, SolarCycle, which has developed a process to recover 95% of the value from retired panels, including silver, silicon, and aluminum. With over 100 million panels expected to be decommissioned annually by 2030, this is a trillion-dollar opportunity hiding in plain sight. Lucas breaks down the economics: a typical 300-watt panel costs about 10 dollars to recycle today but contains roughly 15 dollars in recoverable materials — and that gap is closing fast. Luna raises the question of regulation: the EU already mandates producer responsibility, but the US lags. They discuss how policy, innovation, and scale could turn a waste crisis into a circular economy win, and why investors are starting to pay attention. #SolarCycle #SolarPanelRecycling #RenewableEnergy #CircularEconomy #ClimateTech #SolarWaste #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #Business #Technology #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateAction #WasteToValue #GreenTech #SolarEnergy #Recycling Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    9 mins
  • How One Startup Is Turning Food Waste into Biodegradable Plastic

    How One Startup Is Turning Food Waste into Biodegradable Plastic
    Jun 27 2026
    In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how a startup called Full Cycle Bioplastics is turning food waste into a biodegradable plastic alternative called polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA. They break down the science behind PHA, the economics of scaling production, and why this could be a game-changer for both the waste management and plastics industries. With food waste accounting for 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and traditional plastics choking the planet, Full Cycle's process—using bacteria to ferment organic waste into PHA—offers a closed-loop solution. Lucas explains how the company's partnership with PepsiCo and their pilot facility in California are proving the concept at commercial scale, while Luna questions the cost competitiveness against conventional plastics. They also discuss the regulatory tailwinds from California's SB 54 and the EU's Single-Use Plastics Directive, which are creating market pull for materials like PHA. A concrete, hopeful look at one of the most promising innovations in the bioeconomy. #FullCycleBioplastics #PHA #BiodegradablePlastic #FoodWaste #CircularEconomy #Bioeconomy #SustainableMaterials #WasteToValue #PepsiCo #California #SB54 #SingleUsePlasticsDirective #ClimateTech #Decarbonization #BusinessAndTechnology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateTechPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    7 mins
  • Why Your Smart Thermostat Could Save the Grid

    Why Your Smart Thermostat Could Save the Grid
    Jun 26 2026
    Episode 74 of The Climate Tech Podcast examines how networked thermostats and demand-response programs are quietly becoming one of the most scalable tools for grid reliability. Lucas walks through a real case: a midwestern utility that deferred a $200 million peaker plant by paying 50,000 households to let it adjust their ACs during heat waves. Luna questions the privacy trade-offs and whether the model works in cold climates. Together they unpack the economics of virtual power plants, the role of standards like OpenADR, and why Google Nest's 'Rush Hour Rewards' program actually cut peak load by 40 percent on the hottest days. No hype — just the numbers on how tiny, aggregated demand shifts are keeping the lights on. #DemandResponse #SmartThermostats #VirtualPowerPlant #GridReliability #EnergyEfficiency #ClimateTech #GoogleNest #OpenADR #PeakerPlants #HeatWave #Decarbonization #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #CleanEnergy #GridResilience #EnergyTransition Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins
  • The Startup Making Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Captured CO2

    The Startup Making Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Captured CO2
    Jun 26 2026
    In this episode of The Climate Tech Podcast, Lucas and Luna explore how one startup is turning captured carbon dioxide into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). They dive into the technology behind the process — using electrolysis to convert CO2 into syngas, then into jet fuel — and discuss the economics, the scale needed to make a dent in aviation emissions, and the regulatory tailwinds (like the SAF tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act). The episode centers on LanzaJet's commercial-scale plant in Georgia, which came online in early 2025, producing 10 million gallons annually from ethanol. But a new generation of startups, including Air Company and Twelve, are leapfrogging ethanol feedstocks by going direct from CO2. Lucas and Luna debate whether the 'power-to-liquids' path can ever be cost-competitive with fossil jet fuel, and whether airlines are serious about buying at a green premium. A concrete look at the most promising — and most difficult — corner of decarbonization. #SustainableAviationFuel #SAF #CarbonCapture #LanzaJet #AirCompany #Twelve #PowerToLiquids #AviationEmissions #ClimateTech #Decarbonization #InflationReductionAct #CO2ToFuel #Electrolysis #GreenPremium #BusinessAndTechnology #BusinessPodcast #FexingoBusiness #ClimateTechPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    11 mins
  • The Startup Making Fertilizer From Thin Air

    The Startup Making Fertilizer From Thin Air
    Jun 25 2026
    Nitrogen fertilizer production currently relies on the Haber-Bosch process, which consumes 2% of global energy and emits 1.3% of CO2. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a startup called NitroFix that has developed a low-temperature, atmospheric-pressure nitrogen fixation technology using a novel catalyst. The company claims it can produce ammonia fertilizer on-site using only air, water, and renewable electricity, slashing emissions by 90% compared to traditional methods. We discuss the science behind their approach, the pilot plant operating in India that is already producing 50 kilograms of ammonia per day, the economics of distributed fertilizer production, and the implications for smallholder farmers in developing countries who often lack access to affordable fertilizers. We also examine the challenges of scaling and the competition from other green ammonia startups. #ClimateTech #Fertilizer #GreenAmmonia #NitroFix #NitrogenFixation #Decarbonization #Agriculture #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #Business #Technology #Podcast #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #ClimateTechPodcast #Energy #Startup #Innovation Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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    12 mins