Data Centers, AI, and the Coming Power Crunch
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
Release Date: 11/11/2025
Carbon Counts: Investing on the Right Side of Climate
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
Is carbon counting the smartest investment strategy in a changing energy landscape? In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan sit down with Jeff Eckel, former CEO and current Chair of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure, to explore what it really takes to finance decarbonization over the long term. Jeff shares his unconventional path from startup setbacks to building one of the largest climate-focused investment platforms in the country. He reflects on the early days of energy efficiency finance, the evolution of renewable energy markets, and why decarbonization was always...
info_outline
Financing the Energy Transition with Richard Kauffman
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
In this episode of Energy Matters with Claire and Dan, Claire is joined by Richard Kauffman, CEO of the Coalition for Green Capital and a longtime leader at the intersection of finance, government, and clean energy deployment. Richard’s career spans Wall Street, the U.S. Department of Energy, NYSERDA, and now the creation of a $5 billion National Green Bank. Together, Claire and Richard unpack what has — and hasn’t — changed in clean energy over the last two decades, from the politicization of the DOE loan program after Solyndra to the rise of corporate buyers, private credit, and...
info_outline
Data, Transparency, and the Future of Power with Deirdre Lord
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
Electricity markets are more volatile than they have been in decades, and most customers are still being asked to make billion-dollar decisions by looking in the rearview mirror. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan are joined by Deirdre Lord, co-founder of The Megawatt Hour (https://home.themwh.com/) and a longtime leader in energy analytics and market transparency. Together, they unpack why today’s energy markets are behaving so wildly, from AI-driven demand growth and electrification to aging infrastructure, weather extremes, and the uneven pace of the energy transition. ...
info_outline
Critical Materials, Ukraine, and the New Energy Geopolitics
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
As the world accelerates toward clean energy, a new form of geopolitics is taking shape... One defined not by oil fields, but by lithium mines, rare earths, and battery supply chains. In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan talk about how critical materials are reshaping global power dynamics, with a focus on Ukraine. They explore how Russia’s occupation of mineral-rich regions intersects with the clean energy transition, why China’s dominance in processing lithium and cobalt rivals OPEC’s influence, and what these shifts mean for energy security in a post-fossil-fuel world....
info_outline
Venezuela and Greenland: Energy Power Grabs of the Past and the Future
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
In the Season Two premiere of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan step back from technology and markets to examine the geopolitics now shaping the global energy system. From U.S. intervention in Venezuela’s oil sector to growing interest in Greenland’s critical minerals, this episode explores how raw power politics are colliding with the energy transition. Claire and Dan unpack why Venezuela’s heavy crude matters at a time of global oversupply, what it would really take to revive its oil industry, and who stands to benefit economically. The conversation then shifts north to Greenland, where...
info_outline
What The FERC is going on?
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission shapes how electricity generation and transmission connect to the grid, yet most people rarely think about its impact. In this episode, Claire and Dan unpack the FERC’s expanding authority over large load interconnection and what it means for renewable energy, data centers, reliability, and consumer costs. Claire and Dan examine how massive project backlogs are delaying clean energy deployment, why billions are being spent to keep aging coal plants online, and how outdated planning models are driving higher utility rates. The conversation also...
info_outline
Energy Across the Pond
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
In this episode, Claire and Dan compare the energy landscapes of Europe and the United States and explore why the two regions have taken such different paths. They discuss how geography, underground resources, policy stability, and political priorities shape everything from fracking to solar adoption. The conversation moves from Europe’s dependence on Russian gas to America’s rise as the top fossil fuel exporter, the evolution of feed in tariffs versus renewable portfolio standards, and the political forces that complicate clean energy deployment on both sides of the Atlantic. Claire and...
info_outline
COP 30 Turmoil, Gates’ Climate Letter, and the State of Clean Energy
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
Claire and Dan break down why COP 30 in Brazil is struggling, with low turnout, fading commitments, and growing influence from fossil fuel interests. They explain what this means for global climate cooperation and the challenges facing the next round of negotiations. Claire and Dan also examine the reaction to Bill Gates’ recent climate letter, clarifying what he actually argued and why many of his points about tradeoffs and green premiums are being misinterpreted. They highlight where renewable energy is already cheaper, and why the story is more hopeful than headlines suggest. Dan shares...
info_outline
Ducks, Curves, and Batteries
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
In this episode, Claire and Dan break down one of the most misunderstood challenges in modern energy: the duck curve. They explain why solar-heavy grids create steep late afternoon ramps in demand, how utilities currently struggle to manage them, and why battery storage is emerging as the critical solution. They explore examples from California, Spain, Portugal, and beyond, and walk through the economics, developer challenges, and policy dynamics shaping solar-plus-storage today. If you have heard of the duck curve but never fully understood it, or wondered why storage is essential for the...
info_outline
Data Centers, AI, and the Coming Power Crunch
Energy Matters with Claire and Dan
In this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack one of the most urgent and fast-evolving issues in the energy world: the explosive growth of data centers and the massive electricity demands driven by AI. From skyrocketing grid stress and 250% energy cost spikes in some regions to the surprising role of 747 jet engines as makeshift power plants, this conversation cuts through the noise and delivers clarity. Whether you work in tech, energy, or policy — or you’re just curious about why your electricity bills might rise — this episode offers a grounded look at the challenges and...
info_outlineIn this episode of Energy Matters, Claire and Dan unpack one of the most urgent and fast-evolving issues in the energy world: the explosive growth of data centers and the massive electricity demands driven by AI. From skyrocketing grid stress and 250% energy cost spikes in some regions to the surprising role of 747 jet engines as makeshift power plants, this conversation cuts through the noise and delivers clarity.
Whether you work in tech, energy, or policy — or you’re just curious about why your electricity bills might rise — this episode offers a grounded look at the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of power in America.