Ep258: Move Fast & Make Things
Can anyone catch China's clean tech lead?
In this special episode of Cleaning Up record at San Francisco Climate Week, Michael and Bryony unpack the geopolitical shocks reshaping the global energy transition.
From escalating tensions in the Gulf and their impact on oil and LNG markets, to China’s accelerating electrification revolution, the conversation explores how energy security, industrial strategy and climate ambition are colliding in real time.
Bryony and Michael debate whether the West can ever hope to compete with China’s manufacturing dominance, why electrification is becoming the defining energy strategy across Europe and Asia, and whether hydrogen has any meaningful role left to play. They also examine California’s energy paradox, the future of AI-driven electricity demand, and whether nuclear power can help meet the coming compute boom.
This episode explores:
The energy implications of instability in the Middle East
Why electrification is accelerating globally
China’s EV and battery dominance
The future of LNG, coal and renewables in Asia
Why Michael thinks hydrogen is dead policy walking
AI, data centres and the coming electricity crunch
California’s clean energy transformation
Whether nuclear power can support the AI revolution
Watch the full episode now on YouTube, or find it on your favourite podcast platform.
This has to be one of my favourite episodes to date. So many fascinating insights including the prospect of flexible coal plants in China combined with molten salt storage.
Having listened to a number of podcasts this week that have alluded to the growing importance of demand side management, one thing I’ve been reflecting on was the mention of the UK having some of the most expensive electricity. I presume that’s referring to the price cap?
As someone who’s been lucky enough to be in a position to install solar and battery and to switch to an EV, my “spark gap” when comparing my overnight import tariff to my invariable gas cost is close to zero.
So as time if use tariffs become more prevalent, maybe there’s a need to look at the increasingly diverse range of prices rather than the cap. Striking how variable this can be in the UK. I can charge my EV overnight at 7p/kWh but if I use a public rapid, the rate can be over 10x higher.
Key to me therefore is looking at ways in which those who could most benefit have access to these cheap tariffs rather than being stuck on expensive prepayment meters that I done think provide any access to “smart” tariffs.