Energy Matters with Claire and Dan

Hosts Dan Kammen and Claire Broido Johnson kick off Energy Matters with a candid look at the science, business, and urgency of the climate crisis. From clean cooking in Kenya to launching climate-tech startups, they share lessons learned, tackle gender and diversity in energy, and compare East vs. West Coast policies. It’s the start of a fact-driven, no-nonsense conversation about how—and why—energy shapes our world. Email us at: info@energymatters.world Visit us online at: https://energymatters.world

In this episode of Energy Matters With Claire & Dan, hosts Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen unpack the legacy of the Inflation Reduction Act — the largest clean energy investment in U.S. history — and contrast it with the current administration’s push for fossil fuel–friendly policies. They explore the trillion-dollar impacts on electric vehicles, solar, storage, and community energy justice, while also digging into the flaws, political compromises, and the global ripple effects of America’s shifting energy priorities. From Norway’s near-total EV adoption to Texas emerging as a renewable leader, the conversation highlights both progress and peril: how the IRA spurred innovation and investment, and how today’s “Big Beautiful Bill” and threats to the EPA’s endangerment finding could derail that momentum. If you care about where our energy dollars go — and what it means for the climate, the economy, and our daily lives — this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan discuss the Big Beautiful Bill Act. They explain changes to the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits and cover the ups and downs of solar and new timelines for wind, solar, and energy storage projects. Claire and Dan break down what these changes mean for developers, jobs, and U.S. competitiveness in the global energy market.

Claire and Dan unpack Moore’s Law — the principle that technology improves and costs decline as production scales — and explore its powerful role in driving down the price of solar, wind, and other clean energy technologies. They connect the dots between semiconductors, renewable energy, policy incentives, and innovation curves. They tackle the big questions: how far can Moore’s Law take us, where does it fall short, and what does it mean for the future of AI, energy efficiency, and fusion power?

Claire just returned from RE+ in Las Vegas, Dan just back from Beijing. We compare the U.S. private-sector deal frenzy with China’s government-plus-industry energy push. Claire explains why developers and tax-equity players are racing to start construction before credits sunset, how much of the pipeline is real vs. grandstanding, and why battery storage was the talk of the floor (hello, duck curve). Dan reports on mega-scale grid building, EV battery swaps, and long-duration storage ideas (from sand to moving rock). We also look at community solar, interconnection bottlenecks, and what consolidation means for getting steel in the ground fast. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson & Dan Kammen More: energymatters.world

Energy efficiency has been called the “first fuel” of the clean energy transition—cheap, effective, and proven. So why do Americans still overlook it? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack the history of efficiency from the 1970s oil crises to today’s grid congestion and data-driven energy demand. They explore why utilities resist selling less power, why homeowners skip upgrades, and why low-income communities face the steepest bills. From 1970s tree-planting programs to today’s smart thermostats, Claire and Dan show how efficiency could shift from “boring” to transformative—if we can overcome the split incentives and political barriers holding it back. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

In this episode, Claire and Dan dive into the long-standing East Coast vs. West Coast debate... This time, it’s all about energy. From California’s pioneering climate policies, solar and EV mandates, and wildfire-driven grid challenges, to the East Coast’s regional planning, offshore wind ambitions, and coastal resilience, we explore how each side of the country is shaping the future of clean power. Along the way, we unpack successes, setbacks, and surprising lessons each coast can learn from the other. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

Claire and Dan explore whether nuclear power can truly help solve the climate crisis. They unpack the promise of small modular reactors, the reality of aging plants, and the long-term hope of fusion—balancing innovation, cost, and risk in one of energy’s most polarizing debates. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen

At Climate Week 2025, the gap between climate tech innovation and U.S. policy has never felt wider. Claire and Dan unpack the week’s biggest moments—from the president’s incendiary comments to shifting ESG priorities, the rise of pragmatic energy realism, and how renewables continue to defy political narratives.  Plus, insights from the Clinton Global Initiative and projects giving hope amid global backsliding. Hosts: Claire Broido Johnson and Dan Kammen