Earthlings 2.0 Podcast

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Daniel Dus, Founder and CEO of Cleantech Industry Resources (CIR), to unpack the oftentimes quiet development work that determines whether clean energy projects ever reach construction. We explore CIR’s commoditized development-as-a-service (DaaS) model, which combines deep engineering expertise, advanced software, and AI-enabled workflows to bring projects to true bankability and construction readiness. The conversation spans repowering aging solar assets, the rise of battery storage, data center-driven power demand, policy uncertainty, and why community engagement is becoming one of the most critical success factors for developers navigating today’s clean energy landscape.Key Points:Development, not deployment, is slowing clean energy scale-up – Permitting, interconnection, engineering, financing, and documentation remain the biggest sources of delay, often adding years to otherwise viable projects.Development-as-a-service replaces rigid teams with flexible expertise – CIR allows developers to access on-demand, end-to-end development or targeted services without carrying large internal teams through uneven project cycles.AI is embedded across the entire development workflow – From engineering validation and procurement to communications and process optimization, AI enables CIR’s global team to operate at several times the traditional capacity.Daniel Dus, CEO of Cleantech Industry Resources (CIR), LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Venk Varadan, CEO and co-founder of Nanowear, to discuss how wearable medical technology is redefining diagnostics, prevention, and clinical research. Venk explains how Nanowear’s FDA-approved textile-based nanosensors enable cardiometabolic assessments at home, capturing richer, more personalized data than traditional, episodic doctor visits. The conversation spans the limitations of today’s healthcare system, the role of AI and clean data in early diagnosis, and how decentralized monitoring could lower costs, improve equity, and reshape the future of medicine.Key Points:From reactive to preventative care – Continuous, at-home monitoring can surface early warning signs before chronic disease progresses, addressing a system that currently profits more from treatment than prevention.Textile-based sensors unlock richer health data – Nanowear’s cloth nanosensors capture heart, lung, vascular, and metabolic signals simultaneously, without invasive prep or bulky equipment.Clinical research is a near-term catalyst – Remote diagnostics can lower trial costs, reduce patient dropouts, and dramatically expand participation across more diverse populations.Venk Varadan, CEO and co-founder of Nanowear, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with longtime renewable energy journalist Mitchell Beer, founder and publisher of The Energy Mix, about the widening gap between political promises to supercharge fossil fuel production and the financial reality facing oil and gas companies today. We explore why fossil fuel companies, despite political pressure, can’t return to unchecked expansion, how global markets from China to Pakistan are rewriting the demand outlook for oil and gas, and why North America is falling behind countries that have embraced electrification as a strategic advantage. Mitchell also unpacks Canada’s evolving energy politics and whether he sees reason for optimism in a decade defined by climate emergencies and rapid technological change.We also discussed several stories that his team covered this year, including:Oil Companies, Investors Talk Down Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ as Prices Stay Low, Exploration Budgets ShrinkWhere Are the Customers? Why the Idea of a Pipeline to Asia Is Built on a FantasyKey Points:Investor pressure is reshaping the future of fossil fuels – Even with political support, oil and gas companies cannot revive large-scale drilling because investors are prioritizing clean energy, stability, and long-term value over new fossil expansion.Clean energy now attracts roughly twice the investment of fossil fuels – According to the International Energy Agency, global capital is flowing toward renewables, storage, and efficiency technologies, reflecting their falling costs and proven ability to scale.Momentum for clean tech is strong, but timing is critical – Mitchell emphasizes that the climate crisis is severe, yet not predetermined. Progress since the Paris Agreement shows what's possible, but the outcome depends on accelerating solutions and resisting disinformation.Mitchell Beer, Founder and Publisher of The Energy Mix, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Cole Ashman, founder and CEO of Pila Energy, about a new class of home energy storage designed for the way people actually live today. While grids around the world face increasing strain from extreme weather, aging infrastructure, and rising electricity demand, from AI data centers to air conditioning, most households still lack affordable, accessible backup power. Pila aims to change that with a plug-in, room-by-room battery system that installs in minutes, works like a mesh network, and brings resilience to renters and homeowners alike.Key Points:Grid outages are accelerating globally – Extreme weather, heat waves, and rising electricity demand are straining infrastructure, while renters and low-income households often lack access to traditional backup power solutions.Pila offers plug-in, appliance-level resilience – Instead of a single, expensive whole-home battery, Pila distributes multiple 1.6 kWh LFP batteries throughout the home, each placed where power matters most—refrigerators, home offices, sump pumps, or medical devices.A future with billions of intelligent nodes – Cole predicts that within a decade, most buildings will have multiple distributed batteries acting as local grid resources, making the power system more resilient, flexible, and affordable.Cole Ashman, CEO and Founder of Pila EnergyLinkedInPila LinkedInPila Energy's Mission: Energy Independence for AllInstagram, TikTok, X: @pilaenergyLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Anthony DeOrsey, head of research at Cleantech Group, to break down the biggest forces shaping clean technology heading into 2026. Anthony explains why cleantech is better understood as a broad theme spanning energy, agriculture, materials, chemicals, transportation, and waste — and why some sectors are accelerating regardless of policy while others are feeling the impact of shifting U.S. incentives. We also discuss what we can expect to come out of Cleantech Forum North America happening on January 26 - 28 in San Diego, California. The event connects investors, corporates, and innovators to fuel the cleantech sector. There’s still time to register! For more details, click here: https://cleantech.swoogo.com/CFNA-26/begin. Key Points:AI-driven baseload demand is reshaping the market – Technologies like small modular reactors, geothermal, and fusion are accelerating due to market pull, not policy, with rising electricity demand driving new partnerships, PPAs, and capital flows.Renewables face a temporary slowdown from policy shifts – The early phaseout of the ITC and PTC under OBBBA has created a short-term rush to build, followed by expected cooling, blunting the pull-through for storage but not eliminating long-term momentum.The next frontier: reducing energy use inside data centers – Innovations in liquid cooling, direct-to-chip cooling, and advanced heat-transfer materials could become one of the most impactful ways to curb electricity demand from AI infrastructure.Anthony DeOrsey, Head of Research at Cleantech Group, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Mike Hejmej, CEO and co-founder of Senpilot, to explore how AI agents can help modernize one of the world’s largest and most complex machines: the electric grid. Mike explains what AI agents actually are, how they differ from simple chatbots, and why utilities are starting to use them for everything from wildfire risk detection to regulatory research. The conversation covers how Senpilot trains AI agents, how retrieval-based models and verification layers dramatically reduce hallucinations, why utilities are both cautious and eager to adopt AI, and what the next few years might look like for grid operators who embrace (or ignore) these tools.Key Points:AI agents behave like digital coworkers – Instead of simple prompt-and-response tools, agents can clarify tasks, run multi-step workflows, and return with full research reports, spreadsheets, or recommendations.Wildfire and regulatory use cases deliver immediate value – Utilities are already using AI agents to scan grid data for fire risks and to digest thousands of pages of regulatory filings, cutting months of manual work into minutes.AI boosts capacity without replacing people – In an industry where teams are overloaded, and regulators limit hiring, agents take on the “busy work” so humans can focus on analysis, planning, and decision-making.Mike Hejmej, CEO and co-founder of Senpilot, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Alex Ip, co-founder and CEO of CERT Systems. CERT is a Canadian startup developing an electrochemical process that converts captured CO₂ into high-value chemicals, such as ethylene, using only electricity and water. Alex explains why these chemicals are so foundational to modern life, and why they’re also responsible for a significant share of global emissions. We unpack how CERT’s room-temperature “CO₂-to-chemicals” process works, what it means to replace both fossil fuel energy and feedstocks, and how circular carbon feedstocks could reshape supply chains on Earth, and maybe even enable local manufacturing on Mars.Editor's Note: This episode was recorded and edited before the National Renewable Energy Laboratory was renamed to the National Laboratory of the RockiesKey Points:Chemicals are a major but overlooked emissions source – Products like ethylene, ammonia, and methanol are essential to modern life yet account for a significant share of global greenhouse gases, making chemical manufacturing a critical and often ignored sector for decarbonization.CERT turns CO₂ into chemicals at room temperature – Using electrochemistry instead of heat, CERT’s process converts CO₂ and water into valuable chemicals like ethylene using only electricity, eliminating fossil feedstocks and enabling a low-temperature, modular approach.Circular feedstocks can reshape supply chains – As CO₂ capture scales from point sources today to direct air capture in the future, chemical production could become more distributed, climate-aligned, and locally sited, breaking dependence on fossil infrastructure.Alex Ip, CEO and co-founder of CERT Systems, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our a...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of Natilus, about how a new generation of blended wing-body aircraft could reshape both air cargo and, eventually, commercial passenger flight. The conversation explores why e-commerce has created a perfect moment for rethinking aircraft design, how starting with freight helps de-risk the path to passenger service, and what it will really take, from certification to autonomy, for these unusual-looking planes to start quietly moving our packages (and later, us) across the sky by the end of the decade.Key Points:Blended wing-body design changes the fundamentals – Unlike traditional tube-and-wing aircraft, Nautilus’ configuration lets the fuselage generate significant lift, cutting drag and improving aerodynamic efficiency.Lower emissions per ton and per passenger – The aircraft targets around 30% lower fuel burn and can carry substantially more volume, which together translate into up to 50% lower emissions per pound of cargo or per passenger-trip.Cargo first, passengers next – Nautilus is starting with a regional freighter to connect smaller airports and remote communities to major hubs, then scaling the same core architecture into a passenger narrow-body aircraft for longer routes.Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and co-founder of NatilusLinkedInYouTubeLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedIn#12: Flying the Sustainable Skies🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Eric Owski, CEO and co-founder of Treehouse, to explore how electrification is reshaping the way we power and operate our homes—and why upgrading the underlying electrical infrastructure remains one of the biggest hurdles. Eric explains how Treehouse is rethinking the entire homeowner journey by bringing technology, automation, and coordinated service delivery to a traditionally manual and fragmented industry. The conversation looks at what it takes to simplify electrification at scale, how software can support an overstretched electrical workforce, and why improving the customer experience is essential for accelerating the transition to cleaner, all-electric living.Key Points:Electrification demand is rising quickly – Heat pumps are now outselling gas furnaces, and interest in EV chargers, home batteries, and electric appliances continues to grow.Electrical service upgrades are the biggest barrier – About 70% of U.S. homes need electrical improvements, and today’s upgrade process is slow, fragmented, and requires coordination across multiple trades.Treehouse streamlines the entire electrification process – Their software delivers instant, often guaranteed pricing, automates permit plans, and manages projects end-to-end to make upgrades far easier for homeowners.Eric Owski, CEO and co-founder of Treehouse, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedIn#14: Electrification: The Smart Home Upgrade

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Gary Ong, CEO of Celadyne Technologies, a company focused on making hydrogen a more accessible energy source through its membrane technology. We explore why hydrogen adoption has lagged, how issues such as hydrogen crossover and membrane degradation hold back today’s fuel cells and electrolyzers, and how Celadyne’s low-permeability membrane addresses these problems and significantly improves durability. Gary explains how the technology functions as a true drop-in solution, why Celadyne is focusing on supplying membranes to partners like General Motors and the U.S. Army, and how he expects hydrogen to scale across heavy transportation and energy systems by 2035.Key Points:Hydrogen for heavy transport and industry – Hydrogen is emerging as a strong option for decarbonizing heavy-duty sectors—trucks, logistics, shipping, rail, aviation, and other long-life industrial applications—where today’s energy solutions, including diesel and natural gas, face limitations in meeting long-range, continuous-operation demands.Why membranes matter so much – Proton exchange membranes must block gases, conduct protons, and block electrons; today’s mostly Teflon-based membranes let too much hydrogen cross over, causing unwanted side reactions like hydrogen peroxide formation that drive degradation and limit durability and efficiency.Celadyne’s low-permeability membrane – By more effectively blocking hydrogen while still conducting protons, Celadyne’s membrane reduces crossover and side reactions, which Gary says can quintuple durability in applications like fuel cell trucks, bringing lifetimes closer to 15–20 years.Gary Ong, CEO of Celadyne Technologies, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on a...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Alex Zorniger, Chief Commercial Officer at Power to Hydrogen, about how new hybrid electrolyzer technology could make green hydrogen more affordable and reliable. Power to Hydrogen’s system combines the best parts of existing designs to work directly with renewable energy while using common materials like nickel and iron instead of costly precious metals. We discuss how this technology could bring hydrogen production closer to the $2-per-kilogram goal, the challenges of storing and moving hydrogen, where green hydrogen is most likely to scale first, and how it fits into the global clean energy transition.Key Points:Cheaper materials – Power to Hydrogen’s hybrid electrolyzer replaces platinum and iridium with nickel and iron, reducing stack costs by roughly 65% while maintaining performance.Flexible performance – The system can operate efficiently with variable wind and solar power, allowing hydrogen production even when the renewable energy supply fluctuates.Built-in pressure boost – By generating hydrogen at high pressure electrochemically, the system reduces or eliminates the need for expensive compressors, making transport and storage more economical.Alex Zorniger, Chief Commercial Officer at Power to Hydrogen, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedInEpisode #12: Flying the Sustainable SkiesNote on hydrogen from the episode: high pressure doesn’t make hydrogen more stable; it just makes it easier to move and storeHydrogen Delivery | Department of EnergyHydrogen Storage | Department of Energy  🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Rob Alexander, CEO of AlumaPower, about a new way to generate clean, on-demand electricity using recycled aluminum. AlumaPower’s galvanic aluminum-air generator releases the energy already contained within aluminum through a chemical reaction with air and water — producing zero-emission power at the point of use and a reusable byproduct. We discuss how the company overcame the chemistry hurdles that held back aluminum-air systems for decades, the path to commercialization, and why aluminum could emerge as a global, circular energy carrier.Key Points:Recycled aluminum as fuel – The system extracts stored energy from low-purity scrap aluminum, avoiding landfill and turning waste metal into a clean power source.Backup power focus – Early deployments target data centers and other critical infrastructure where reliability, quiet operation, and reduced emissions replace diesel generators.Modular scalability – Each cell generates 150 watts, stacking into containerized systems for megawatt-scale power; commercial launch planned for 2026.Rob Alexander, CEO of AlumaPower Corporation, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedInEpisode #99 – Beyond Lithium: How Air, Water, and Rock Could Power the Grid with Hydrostor🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Micah Truman, founder of a Seattle-based terramation facility called Return Home, about a new approach to human composting that uses the body’s own microbes — with no added heat or forced air — to naturally return a person to soil in about nine weeks. We explore how this process differs from cremation and burial, what families experience when they participate, the alternative method’s environmental benefits, and how rethinking death care can restore a sense of connection, continuity, and compassion. The conversation spans the science of decomposition, the emotional power of returning to the earth, and the growing movement to legalize human composting across the U.S.Key Points:How teramation works – Bodies are placed on alfalfa, straw, and sawdust; microbes do the work with gentle airflow and no external energy; soft tissue transforms in 4–5 weeks, and bones complete the cycle by week nine.A connected goodbye – Families can decorate vessels, add letters or flowers, and, when safe, help cover their loved one with organics — restoring personal involvement to end-of-life rituals.Environmental and human benefits – Avoids cremation’s high energy use and toxic byproducts; no embalming chemicals; bodies can be shipped on ice without embalming.Micah Truman, Founder and CEO of Return Home, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on a...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Dr. Jehan Kanga, CEO and founder of Rux Energy, an Australia-based company developing advanced nanoporous materials to make hydrogen storage safer, denser, and up to ten times cheaper. While green hydrogen holds enormous promise for decarbonizing heavy transport, maritime, and construction sectors, storing and transporting it efficiently remains a major challenge. Rux Energy’s breakthrough lies in its metal–organic framework (MOF) technology — porous, tunable materials that can hold hydrogen at lower pressures and higher densities, dramatically reducing cost and improving safety. The conversation explores how this innovation could unlock affordable hydrogen logistics, the company’s upcoming maritime trials in the UK, and what the next decade holds for green hydrogen’s path to parity with fossil fuels.Key Points:Hydrogen’s cost barrier – Current storage and distribution systems add $15–$25 per kg to hydrogen’s price, keeping it far from cost parity with diesel.Nanoporous innovation – Rux Energy’s MOF-based materials store hydrogen more densely at lower pressure, cutting storage costs by 10× while improving safety and scalability.Grid-independent potential – The same modules could power mobile EV charging hubs, construction sites, and remote operations without grid connections.Dr. Jehan Kanga, CEO and Founder of Rux Energy, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on X Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Mark Verhagen, CEO and co-founder of Renewable Iron Fuel Technologies (RIFT), a company turning rust into a clean heat source for heavy industry. You see, industrial heat, from cement kilns to steel plants, accounts for roughly 20% of global emissions, yet most facilities can’t electrify or switch to hydrogen because of grid and infrastructure limits. RIFT’s answer? Burn iron powder instead of fossil fuels, then recycle the “ash” (iron oxide) back into reusable fuel. We unpack how this closed-loop system works, the company’s 1 MW demo plant in the Netherlands, lessons learned as they scale, and why a grid-independent fuel could be the missing piece for decarbonizing the world’s hardest-to-abate sectors.Key Points:Industrial heat’s blind spot – Roughly 80% of industrial sites can’t electrify or adopt hydrogen today due to grid and infrastructure constraints.Iron fuel explained – Iron powder burns like coal dust, generating up to 2,000 °C heat with zero CO₂ and ultra-low NOₓ/SOₓ emissions.Circular chemistry – The by-product iron oxide is reduced back into metallic iron using hydrogen, creating a closed, recyclable fuel loop.Mark Verhagen, CEO and co-founder of RIFTLinkedInYouTubeLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on X Thanks to Resource...

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Eric Law, CEO and Co-founder of Urban Machine, about how robotics and AI are transforming one of construction’s dirtiest secrets — wood waste. Every year, the U.S. generates over 37 million tons of discarded lumber, most of which ends up burned or buried. Urban Machine’s automated system, fittingly named The Machine, scans, “cooks,” and removes metal fasteners from used lumber, turning what was once landfill-bound debris into reusable, high-value wood. The conversation explores the evolution of this technology, the economics of competing with virgin lumber, new building-code pathways for reclaimed materials, and how scaling local reuse could reshape construction’s carbon footprint.Key Points:The scale of waste is staggering – Each year, construction and demolition sites across the U.S. generate more than 600 million tons of debris — twice the amount of household waste. As demand for low-carbon building materials grows, this overlooked waste stream represents one of the construction industry’s largest untapped sustainability opportunities.Automation unlocks circularity – Until recently, reclaiming wood at scale was slow, expensive, and labor-intensive. Urban Machine changes that equation with a robotic system that uses AI-driven computer vision to identify and remove fasteners, nails, screws, and staples at industrial speed. Sustainability benefits multiply – Every board that’s reused instead of discarded extends carbon storage, reduces deforestation, and cuts the emissions tied to manufacturing and long-distance transport of virgin lumber. Because Urban Machine’s model relies on local sourcing and processing, it also minimizes trucking miles and landfill methane emissions, while supporting regional supply chains. Eric Law, CEO and Co-Founder of Urban Machine, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we talk with Vasishta Kalinadhabhotla and Akshith Ramadugu, co-founders of the Boring Report — an app that strips sensationalism from the news and delivers concise, neutral summaries. We dig into why doom-driven headlines push audiences away, how their automated pipeline clusters “trending” events across multiple outlets, and the prompt-engineering they use to emphasize widely corroborated facts. The conversation covers their nonprofit approach, reader feedback loops, product roadmap, and their aim to act as a bridge that helps people re-engage with credible reporting — without the emotional hangover.Key Points:Why neutral news matters – Sensational, repetitive coverage drives disengagement; neutral summaries help people stay informed without burnout.How it works – Crawlers cluster stories multiple outlets are covering; AI “borifies” them into a single, fact-focused summary, citing sources.Fully automated pipeline – From detecting trends to generating summaries, the system runs continuously with human feedback guiding prompt refinements.Vasishta Kalinadhabhotla, Co-Founder of the Boring Report, LinkedInAkshith Ramadugu, Co-Founder of the Boring Report, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and SustainabilityLinkedInPoynter Institute episode

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we speak with Alan White, Global Head of Siemens Smart Infrastructure’s Emerging Transportation Platforms, about Depot360 — Siemens’ all-in-one fleet electrification solution. As more companies electrify their fleets, operators face mounting challenges: ensuring vehicles are charged and ready, managing energy costs, and keeping chargers online. Depot360 blends AI-driven optimization with 24/7 human support to reduce risk, lower total cost of ownership, and simplify the path from electric fleets to intelligently managed operations. The conversation explores real-world deployments, the importance of combining predictive software with human oversight, and how policy differences across markets are shaping the pace of adoption.Key Points:Depot complexity is rising – Fleet managers must juggle energy costs, charger uptime, and route demands, making post-installation operations as critical as charger deployment.Depot360 offers full-stack support – The solution combines AI predictions with a human network operations center to cut downtime and optimize charging schedules.Savings are tangible – Deployments have shown energy cost reductions of up to 40% while protecting critical uptime for buses, trucks, and delivery fleets.Alan White, global head of the Siemens Smart Infrastructure’s incubator Emerging Transportation Platforms, Depot360, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on X Thanks to

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Bill Clark, former CEO and President of the Demex Group, to explore how climate change is reshaping the insurance industry. As extreme weather events grow more frequent and unpredictable, traditional insurance models are struggling to keep up with the scale and type of risks they must cover. Bill shares how Demex is creating new ways to assess and price risk, particularly around secondary perils like severe storms, floods, and wildfires — events that don’t always make headlines but drive significant losses. The conversation also unpacks the critical role of reinsurance in spreading risk, the slow pace of industry adoption of new models, and why advanced data modeling is key to building financial resilience in a warming world.Key Points:Traditional insurance models are struggling – Historic methods of pricing risk can’t keep pace with the rising frequency and intensity of extreme weather.Secondary perils are becoming costly – Events like floods, hail, and wildfires may not grab headlines, but their growing frequency is straining insurers’ balance sheets.Data modeling drives resilience – Advanced modeling can help insurers anticipate future losses and build fairer, more sustainable pricing structures.Bill Clark, Advisory Board Member, former CEO and President of the Demex Group, LinkedInLisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on

In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we chat with Steven Vassiloudis, founder & CEO of Novalith Technologies, about a simpler “direct-to-chemical” route that turns spodumene ore into battery-grade lithium carbonate using water and CO₂—skipping the sulfuric-acid roast and many downstream cleanup steps. The result aims to cut costs, slash emissions, and build refining capacity across the globe. Steven discusses Novalith’s pilot plant operating in Sydney and how the company is preparing a U.S. demonstration refinery to help onshore supply for EVs and (increasingly) large-scale energy storage.Key Points:Traditional refining is broken – Today’s hard-rock lithium refining depends on acid roasting and complex conversion steps, which drive up costs, energy use, and waste.Novalith offers a new path – Their process uses water and CO₂ to directly produce lithium carbonate, eliminating the need for hazardous acids and multiple intermediate steps.The environmental benefits have great potential – The approach cuts carbon emissions by about 50% compared to conventional methods, and up to 75% when powered by renewable energy.Steven Vassiloudis, founder & CEO of Novalith Technologies, LinkedInLuis de Leon, Earthlings 2.0 Guest Host, Sr. Public Relations Account Executive at Technica Communications🚀 Calling all Earthlings…  Visit our website for more episodes!Sign up to our newsletter for the latest news on the most exciting technology and research shaping our futures! We want to learn more about you! It’ll take just a few moments to complete our survey. Thank you for helping us make your listening experience the best it can be!Are you new to Earthlings 2.0 and don’t know where to get started? Check out our Life at 3C episode on our websiteThanks for tuning in! If you like what we’re doing over at Earthlings 2.0, you can support us by heading over to our Patreon Page.Let’s stay connected! Follow Earthlings 2.0 Socials for the latest updates and news: Follow us on LinkedInFollow us on Instagram Follow us on our Facebook PageFollow us on X Thanks to Resource Labs for having us on the network!Mentioned in this episode:Q3 Tigo Pre-RollQ3 End CreditsGreenlane, Ampion, Tigo,