Energy Superheroes

#73: The Future Will Be Battery Powered – William “Bull” Flaherty

William “Bull” Flaherty, a pioneer in battery storage and the founder of Eligius Power, brings a rich background in trading to the forefront of energy innovation. His journey from trading to sustainable energy solutions offers a unique perspective on the energy industry's evolution. In this episode, Bull discusses how his diverse experience laid the foundation for his venture into the energy sector, particularly into the domain of battery storage.

#72: Harnessing Heat Pumps for a Sustainable Future - Katharina Loden

Our latest Energy Superhero, Katharina Loden, is a seasoned business consultant with extensive experience in climate impact technologies. She is deeply invested in the advancement of heat pump technology as a means to enhance energy savings and curb greenhouse gas emissions. Her most recent venture, UpHeat, helps individuals navigate the technical details of heat pump systems and choose the right setup for their needs. In this episode, Katharina does a deep dive on how heat pumps work and explains why we need many more of them.

#71: EarthGrid’s Plasma Robots Are Solving Energy Infrastructure - Troy Helming

Troy Helming, the CEO and Founder of EarthGrid, has a long history of success when it comes to clean energy ventures. A two-time unicorn founder, he headed two of the most successful renewable energy companies in the U.S.: wind developer Tradewind Energy and Pristine Sun, a leading developer of community utility-scale solar farms. Now, Troy is working on his latest endeavor - plasma-wielding, tunnel-boring robots. In this episode, Troy discusses how EarthGrid’s technology could help create sustainable, resilient, and cost-effective energy infrastructure worldwide.

#70: Bridging the LNG Knowledge Gap - Mehdy Touil

Mehdy Touil, widely recognized as "the LNG guy" on LinkedIn, is considered an expert in the liquefaction industry. With a strong foundation in chemical engineering and experience at LNG facilities around the globe, he has since become a global leader in the sector. In this episode, Touil discusses the current state of LNG tech and how he utilized LinkedIn to become an industry influencer.

#69: Our Top Tools for the Energy Transition – Mona Dajani

Our latest Energy Superhero, Mona Dajani, joins us to discuss the technologies and policies that will shape our sustainable future. A recognized expert in energy, she is the Global Head of Renewables, Hydrogen & Ammonia and Global Co-head of Energy & Infrastructure at law firm Shearman and Sterling. She also sits on the Board of Directors for the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). With knowledge in many energy technologies and strategic startup growth, Mona provides deep insight into the energy industry's evolving landscape. In this episode, Mona reflects on the critical decisions currently faced by the energy industry and their far-reaching implications for our planet.

#68: Unlocking the Potential of the Bioeconomy - Florian Graichen

Our latest Energy Superhero, Florian Graichen, is the General Manager in charge of forestry and bio-based products at Scion, a New Zealand Crown Research Agency. With a strong background in chemical engineering and a hands-on role in Scion's biocomposites program, Florian plays a crucial role in steering the agency towards innovative and sustainable bio-based solutions. Through collaboration, innovation, and a deep-seated commitment to sustainability, Scion and Florian are championing the path to a greener, more prosperous future. In this episode, Florian discusses Scion’s growth over the past decade and emphasizes the agency’s important role in the bioeconomy.

#67: Hydrogen’s Role in Decarbonization - James Kast

Hydrogen continues to be a promising player in the energy transition. Our latest Energy Superhero is hydrogen-champion James Kast, Director of Hydrogen Business Development at Iwatani. Founded over 100 years ago in Japan, Iwatani has an extensive background in the industrial gas industry. They are at the forefront of the hydrogen economy, laying foundational work in developing fuel cell stacks for vehicles. In this episode, James sheds light on his company’s hydrogen production work and their venture into the U.S. market.

#66: Modular Mining for the Energy Transition – Liz Lappin

Mining has a problem – it’s big, dirty, and expensive. But we need mining for critical energy transition minerals (think metals like copper and zinc). What if there were a more sustainable alternative? Liz Lappin, CEO of Common Good Mining, sheds light on her company’s groundbreaking modular mining technique, set to redefine traditional methods in the mining industry. In this episode, Liz introduces the revolutionary technology that aims to address mineral shortages in the ever-evolving energy industry.

#65: Can DAC Solve Our Carbon Problem? - Alex Bell

Can direct air capture solve our carbon problem? That’s what Alex Bell, Chief Growth Officer at Removr, is betting on. His company is developing state-of-the-art technology to effectively capture carbon dioxide straight from the air. Operating from Oslo, Remover repurposes oil and gas technology to remove atmospheric carbon and then store it permanently underground. In this episode, Alex explains how DAC could drastically change our climate story for the better.

#64: Can robots solve climate change? - Joshua Olaiya

Joshua Olaiya, a 20-year-old robotics prodigy from Nigeria, is hoping to spark a robotics revolution - one that could potentially be the key to fighting climate change. The young tech visionary recently went viral for his “hand gesture robot” - developed when he was only 17. His inspiring story provides hope and motivation for many aspiring STEM professionals, especially from underrepresented communities. In this episode of Energy Superheroes, Joshua discusses how he got started with robotics and how he thinks it could reshape industries across the board.