Rephonic
Artwork for Volts
Renewable Energy
Climate Change
Community Engagement
Clean Energy Transition
Social License
Clean Energy
Cement
Solar Energy
Wind Farms
Carbon Emissions
Nonprofit Organizations
Community Benefits
Australia
Offshore Wind
Mining
Low Carbon Technology
Electrochemical Processes
Connecticut
Battery Recycling
Sustainability

Volts is a podcast about leaving fossil fuels behind. I've been reporting on and explaining clean-energy topics for almost 20 years, and I love talking to politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world's most important fight. (Volts is entirely subscriber-supported. Sign up!) www.volts.wtf

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes392Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Tech NewsNewsPolitics

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Artwork for Volts

Latest Episodes

Why do so many influential voices spend their time policing the manners of the left while the right dismantles democracy? In this episode, Michael Hobbes — cohost of the much-celebrated “If Books Could Kill” podcast — joins me to discuss the “reactio... more

Rooftop solar costs nearly three times as much in the US as it does in Australia, largely due to the "paperwork tax" imposed by thousands of fragmented local jurisdictions. I talk with Nick Josefowitz of Permit Power and solar veteran Andrew Birch ab... more

Everyone is talking about virtual power plants, but as I discuss with EnergyHub CEO Seth Frader-Thompson, not all VPPs are created equal. We get nerdy on the various stages of VPP maturity and the specific technical requirements that VPPs must meet t... more

I’In this episode, I chat with Swedish tech entrepreneur Jonas Birgersson about his radical plan to apply the architecture of the internet—packet switching, buffering, and decentralized routing—to the electricity grid. We explore how his “EnergyNet” ... more

Key Facts

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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Seth Frader-Thompson
Founder and CEO of EnergyHub, a leading VPP management company.
EnergyHub
Episode: Let's dig a little deeper into virtual power plants (VPPs)
Jonas Birgersson
Tech entrepreneur and pioneer in internet and electricity distribution systems.
Via Europa
Episode: Making the electricity grid work like the internet
Jeanine Vany
Co-founder and Executive Vice President of Eavor
Eavor
Episode: What's the deal with closed-loop geothermal?
Mark Fitzgerald
CEO of Eavor
Eavor
Episode: What's the deal with closed-loop geothermal?
Kate Slevin
Executive Vice President of the Regional Plan Association
Regional Plan Association
Episode: NYC's congestion pricing has been running for a year now. How's it doing?
Brian Schatz
U.S. Senator from Hawaii
United States Senate
Episode: Sen. Brian Schatz wants permitting reform, but not like this
Saul Griffith
Energy expert, author, and scientist
Episode: What's the real story with Australian rooftop solar?
Samuel Bagg
Political science professor at the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
Episode: The cure for misinformation is not more information or smarter news consumers
Aliya Haq
Advocate and policy leader in climate movement, former National Climate Policy Director at NRDC, and founder of the Clean Economy Project.
Clean Economy Project
Episode: Advocating for decarbonization in 2026

Host

David Roberts
Host of Volts, an expert in clean energy and climate policy with extensive experience in reporting on energy issues.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.2k ratings
  • Favorite podcast!

    Thank you, David. I absolutely love this podcast. I look forward to it every week. I aim to be a paid subscriber very soon. Starting with this five star review.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rossssssssseriously
    United States19 days ago
  • Great 😃

    Podcast Addict
    5
    tkoenig
    a month ago
  • Great Podcast

    Very informative about all things related to the transition from fossil fuels to electric power generated from renewable sources.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    vanjonch
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great clean energy site

    This is one of my best sources for learning about clean energy and climate change

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    demberapple
    United Statesa month ago
  • essential listening

    A rare blend of goodness. interesting stories with plenty of expert insight.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LarryMalone
    Canada2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners express frustration at any perceived bias, particularly moments of political commentary, although many recognize the importance of the relevant discussions.
Overall, the podcast is viewed as indispensable for anyone interested in staying current on climate and energy matters.
Listeners appreciate the podcast for its in-depth exploration of clean energy solutions and the engaging discussions with knowledgeable guests.
There is a consensus that the content is intellectually stimulating, resonating well with professionals in the field of energy and sustainability, who find it both informative and inspiring.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#75
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#187
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#77
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#198
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#236
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#73
Italy/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What's the deal with enhanced rock weathering to store CO2?
Q: So back to this, you're spreading it on the soil, on agricultural soil, and the idea here is that it forms bicarbonates, and then the bicarbonates end up through the natural cycle filtering down into rivers, and then ending up in the ocean. And it is them ending up in the ocean that vouchsafes their permanent storage, basically. So one of the questions that came up when I was talking about this online earlier is that there seems to be some new research that shows that they're staying in place in the subsoil, basically, which risks, I guess, them losing their carbon again if they encounter the wrong kind of material. So I'm just curious about recent research. How confident are we that these things are actually making it to the ocean, which is kind of the whole premise?
We're quite confident that they'll eventually make their way to the ocean, with some regional dependencies and ongoing research to monitor the process better.
What's the deal with enhanced rock weathering to store CO2?
Q: Are people mining olivine for other reasons, or is it just a sequestration thing?
Olivine has some industrial uses, particularly in steel processes, but global production is relatively small and historically not particularly valuable.
What's the deal with enhanced rock weathering to store CO2?
Q: Can we just pause there for the science illiterate among the Volts listenership, including its host. Can you just talk briefly about what we mean by adding alkalinity and why that matters, why it helps?
Adding alkalinity involves introducing cations from rocks like basalt that neutralize acids, leading to the formation of bicarbonate minerals that get stored in oceans for long durations.
Let's dig a little deeper into virtual power plants (VPPs)
Q: What are the key qualities that grid operators desire from VPPs?
The qualities include visibility, schedulability, and availability.
Let's dig a little deeper into virtual power plants (VPPs)
Q: What do you care about the linguistic dispute between virtual power plants and distributed power plants?
I care, but today it doesn't make a huge difference.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Volts

What is Volts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content primarily centers around the critical transition away from fossil fuels, highlighting innovations in clean energy and the political landscape surrounding climate policies. Episodes routinely feature discussions on the latest advancements in renewable energy technology, shifting regulatory frameworks, and the intersection of energy policy with societal issues such as housing, transportation, and public health. A distinctive aspect is its emphasis on community-driven initiatives and the engagement of influential figures from various sectors, including energy analysts, activists, and policymakers, providing a deep and varied exploration of the energy transition and its implications for the future.

Where can I find podcast stats for Volts?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Volts. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Volts and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Volts get?

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What are the audience demographics for Volts?

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How many subscribers and views does Volts have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Volts has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Volts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Volts:

1. Catalyst with Shayle Kann
2. Open Circuit
3. Energy Gang
4. Columbia Energy Exchange
5. Zero: The Climate Race

How many episodes of Volts are there?

Volts launched 5 years ago and published 392 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Volts?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Volts?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Volts from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Volts?

Recent guests on Volts include:

1. Seth Frader-Thompson
2. Jonas Birgersson
3. Jeanine Vany
4. Mark Fitzgerald
5. Kate Slevin
6. Brian Schatz
7. Saul Griffith
8. Samuel Bagg

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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