In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer at UCLA for over 12 years, where she also teaches in the sustainability certificate program. They discuss the breadth of sustainability initiatives on such a huge campus, with a daytime population of 80,000, as well as statewide and regional collaborations to promote sustainability.
In this episode, Father - Daughter Duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan, hold a Crash Course on Net Energy Metering. Ted breaks down the electricity billing mechanism, its origin, and evolution. Listen to gain perspective on the controversial topic, and its future trajectory in guaranteeing solar incentives to customers.
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Peter Rumsey, founder and CEO of Point Energy Innovations, a consulting firm specializing in ultra-efficient buildings and decarbonization. They discuss his extensive career in technological innovation, and all the contributions he has made in the design of low energy and zero energy buildings internationally. He pioneered such key building innovations as chilled beams, radiant cooling, data center economizers, zero energy buildings and affo...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Kitty Adams, Executive Director and founder of Adopt a Charger. They discuss the genesis of the nonprofit organization, and the work she has done to facilitate the installation of over 400 charging stations in 11 states, all funded by corporate donors, grants from utilities, agencies, and foundations, as well as private contributions. In its early years, Adopt a Charger was awarded a CEC grant to install EV charging at California State Parks...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted shares an op-ed advocating for the acceleration of well-designed solar + storage programs. He highlights lithium-ion battery recycling, big American solar in Indiana, the repurposing of a former coal strip mine to a pumped hydro storage system, GAF Energy’s solar roof shingles, and Ubiquitous Energy’s solar windows. He also shares stories on Adopt a Charger's recent collaboration with Rivian, EV hubs, and Shell's strategic partnership with Chinese autom...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Steve Lewis, architect and a tireless advocate for social justice, on diversity within the field of architecture and shaping the vision of present and future sustainable and equitable development. He discusses his time as President of the National Organization of Minority Architects, traveling around the country advocating for architects of color, while cultivating the next generation of diverse architects and designers who seek to effect po...
In this episode, Father - Daughter Duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan, hold a Crash Course on electric vehicles. Ted takes listeners on a concise trip around the EV industry, from its roots to its explosive growth and current status in the market. Listen for a high-level overview on the EV world, and its potential to stem the ravages of climate change towards a more sustainable energy future.
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted discusses taking responsible climate action, sharing his insights on CPUC's proposed decision on NEM. He highlights many developments in the EV world, including Toyota's announcement to spend $70 billion to electrify its lineup of vehicles, BYD’s LFP batteries being shifted to electric cars, Ford reporting nearly 200,000 reservations for its F-150 Lightning pickup truck, California passing the million EV mark, Electrify America planning to offer a drive...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Dan Mabe, the Founder of the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA), on a systems approach to electrifying garden equipment, making landscaping more sustainable, and practical solutions for working professionals. Mabe describes AGZA as “A group of people whose mission is to ‘prudently’ help facilitate low impact, cleaner, and quieter technologies and operations for the grounds maintenance industry.” Mabe and his team work with cities, towns, ac...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Gary Gero, LA County's Chief Sustainability Officer, on recently completing a comprehensive Climate Vulnerability Assessment that identifies communities and populations at risk of climate hazards. The Climate Vulnerability Assessment found that those communities face an increased exposure to climate hazards, combined with factors that will make it harder to respond and recover from those events, such as age, health, income and infrastructure...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted commends all those that participated in the COP26. He also highlights stories on 24/7 renewables, the $100 million Carbon Removal X Prize funded by Elon Musk, synergy in microgrid functionality with utilities, organic foods, floatovoltaics, sustainable vacations, and the recently released episodes of Flanigan's Eco-Logic Podcast.
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Craig Ebert, the Executive Director of Climate Action Reserve, presents his perspectives on COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. As a veteran of 13 COPs, and leader of a 15-state delegation in Glasgow this year, Craig is as frustrated with the slow progress, but optimistic about private-sector movements toward a clean energy economy.
In this episode, Father - Daughter Duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan, hold a Crash Course on Vehicle to Grid technology (V2G). Ted goes into early experiments, the mutual benefit of the technology for both consumers and utilities, power walls, EVs, and a leading V2G case study. Listen for a high-level overview on the topic, and more immediate applications.
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted interviews Dave Houghton, a professional engineer that Ted originally hired at Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado. Dave has since had a colorful career as an engineer, educator, and most recently pilot! He discusses the engineering principles of the soft path, as well as one exemplary cooling chimney project.
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted shares his passion for fall hiking in Aspen, Colorado with family and friends. He highlights Hertz's planned new electric vehicle rental car fleet, McKinsey & Company employees demanding climate responsibility, the greenest colleges, transcontinental wind and solar delivery from Morocco to the UK, and a perspective on the world's largest energy storage facility and the complementary value of distributed storage. The microgrids series comes to end wi...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted reflects on lunch with a childhood friend and their discussion on climate optimism. He also shares his experience at sea aboard the Ramblin' Rose hybrid sailing. He encourages readers to pledge and join the California Clean Air Day movement, in addition to highlighting LA accelerating its climate pledge, future studies on solar potential in the U.S., decarbonizing shipping, the world’s largest direct air capture and storage plant, Amazon investing heavi...
In this episode, Sierra Flanigan picks Ted Flanigan's brain on energy storage: What is it? Why does it matter? What is the history and future of energy storage, anyway? Listen for a high-level overview on energy storage and its important role in decarbonizing our economy.
Father-daughter duo Ted Flanigan and Sierra Flanigan hold a live crash course on microgrids, their genesis and exciting developments. Thanks to the rise in energy storage, Ted Flanigan explains that today's microgrids combine solar and storage with sophisticated controls. The result is systems that can "island" and operate indefinitely when the grid fails. New-age microgrids also have "day jobs," earning revenues and paying for themselves over time.
Phyllis E. Currie discusses her career, leadership roles, and accomplishments as a female utility executive in California with Ted Flanigan. Ms. Currie discusses steps to becoming the Chief Financial Officer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and then as General Manager of Pasadena Water and Power. She is currently the Chair of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator Board of Directors, an executive consultant for Hometown Connections, while serving on the national board of ...
In this issue of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted reflects on his trip to New York and Vermont to celebrate his mom's birthday and spend time with family. He also releases the ninth part of a 10 part series on microgrids, sharing microgrid perspectives by industry leaders. He goes on to highlight fascinating stories in the ecosphere, from fossil-free steel and delivery drones to San Francisco's hydrogen ferry, highways that charge EVs, German coal plants closing, and latest episodes of Flanigan's Eco-L...
Learn about the life and career of Monica Campagna, as she discusses her involvement with the Glendale Environmental Coalition (GEC), the Grayson Power Plant story, micro-recycling at a local elementary school, and other eco-passions with Ted Flanigan.
Join us in a conversation with Bryan Hannegan, the President and CEO of Holy Cross Energy, an electric cooperative high in the Colorado mountains. Hannegan is leading Holy Cross to a carbon-free and distributed energy future, encouraging members to be part of the utility in ways never foreseen before.
There's no denying that climate coverage is increasing, but are we talking about climate change in a way that will spur action? This episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic Podcast features climate communications expert, Susan Joy Hassol. She delves into how we can communicate climate change impacts effectively so people feel inspired to take climate action.
Johnny Weiss is the co-founder of Solar Energy International, a Colorado based non profit. Its mission is to train the global workforce in practical application of solar technology. SEI has trained tens of thousands of students who come from 180 countries around the world. Johnny's careers and tales range from powering solar systems in the heart of Tanzania to developing training programs for Native Americans throughout the Great Plains. A passionate teacher, his story is one of great meaning an...
Peter Asmus is a Research Director at Guidehouse Insights, the firm that recently acquired Navigant Research where Peter worked for a decade. An investigative reporter and seasoned researcher, he provides valuable insights and perspectives on microgrids and the changing utility landscape. Peter discusses the genesis of microgrids in the developing world, shunned in Europe where reliability has never been an issue, and microgrids in America, notably California, given concerns about PSPS events an...
This issue of EcoNet News celebrates current and upcoming innovations in the EV world. Ted Flanigan delves further into stories on the EU pushing hard on climate protection, General Motors greening suppliers and customers, the Extended Producer Responsibility program in Maine, recycling old wind turbine blades and forming them into blocks for gravitational storage, and the uptick in PPAs being used by corporate America. He also presents the eighth installment of a 10 part series on microgrids, d...
This episode features great news, from the IKEA / Rockefeller billion dollar solar initiative, to electrifying shipping and commuter aviation, to setting records for fuel cell cars, to greening NATO, blowing up coal plants, and the rise of offshore wind in the Gulf of Mexico. Also Microgrids 1.7: A technical piece on Interconnection.
This episode features a conversation with Michael Shepard, a longstanding friend and colleague I worked with many years ago at Rocky Mountain Institute. For many years, Michael headed up E Source, a spinoff of the Institute that has had a global impact. Now Michael is devoting his time to raising awareness about a huge and largely invisible environmental problem… exposure to cooking smoke. Some 4 billion global citizens rely on primitive, “stone age,” cooking techniques with many health, ecologi...
Across the country, there is a growing regulatory movement to dramatically reduce the net energy metering incentive for solar. AB 1139 -- a California bill that aimed to reduce the buy back (the export value) of residential solar -- did not pass, but the battle for those that advocate for distributed energy resources is not over. In this episode, Kate Unger, Senior Policy Advisor at CALSSA, discusses the future of local solar.
Kirk Stokes provides a seasoned perspective to interconnecting distributed energy resources, notably solar and storage, featuring lessons learned connecting six microgrids in Monterey County to the PG&E grid.
