In 2019, Podcasts remain a cool way to hear up-to-date information from an authority in a niche subject interest, hands-free. Perfect for when I’m working in lab.

Here’s a list of what I’ve been listening to in the energy and climate sphere. The best podcasts are both by Greentech Media, and hosted by Stephen Lacey. The first I discovered was:

1. The Energy Gang. A conversational, freewheeling reading and interpreting of the week’s energy news by three very easy to listen to hosts. Solidly in the number one spot and stands in stark contrast to some of the drab podcasts.
2. And then also by Greentech Media’s Stephen Lacey, is: The Interchange. I was so happy to discover that Lacey had yet another weekly podcast, and the content I was after effectively doubled. This one pits him one-on-one with a guest, but he maintains that high positive energy even if the guest is a little dull.
3. Columbia Energy Exchange. Recent episodes hosting Arun Majumdar of ARPA-E and Paul Dabbar, of DoE, were great. A weekly podcast since 2017, so a lot of episodes since then!
4. MIT Energy Initiative. Tech-oriented and barely a year old, with pods about carbon capture, fusion, and storage. I’ve only had a chance to listen to the latest but I am absolutely bingeing these as soon as I get a chance.
5. New to the list (7/16/19)!: The Energy Podcast by Shell. This one I learned about from another student at ARPA-E. It’s a little slanted towards Shell’s interests as the host has repeatedly driven a point about how industry shouldn’t be the ones instigating the change to renewables, but government. So far the major energy tech has been discussed but the most recent “Why doesn’t Shell stop producing oil and gas?” is really worth listening to.
6. And then, a relative newcomer, is Utility Dive’s pod The Electric Power Station (formerly Electric Power “Show” — but had to cease & desist). Launched in just November 2018, the Pod only has 11 episodes to date. But it seems modeled after The Energy Gang, but with reporters from Utility Dive, in that current news are brought to the table, but also guests. It’s lively!
7. Direct Current – An Energy.gov Podcast. This is a well-edited if a little sterile product from DoE. It’s paid for by government money so I understand that it can’t be as freewheeling as Pods 1-3. But it’s really great for background information whereas 1-3 probably rely on a bit of familiarity. I really appreciated the breakdown of each of the DoE labs.
8. Illuminators. A new one produced by Stephen Lacey, prolific man. Nominally not about energy but both episodes current up, and all the hosts, are in the energy industry.

There are a number of others that I haven’t been able to dive into, either from lack of time or they just come up a little dry. Included are Energy 360° and The Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder. All seem to have a greater focus on international energy.