This episode explores China's emergence as the world’s dominant renewable-energy superpower, charting the immense scale of its domestic clean-tech production and its disruptive global impact, particularly in the Global South.

Inside China: Scale and Innovation China’s output in the "new three" industries—solar, electric vehicles (EVs), and batteries—is growing at an astronomical rate, with the solar industry alone producing 680 gigawatts of capacity last year. This massive scale has caused solar panel prices to plummet, costing little more than a twentieth of what they did in 2005, providing a significant boon to consumers worldwide.

We examine China's unprecedented efforts to harness its domestic geography, such as the construction of the colossal Talatan Solar Park on the Tibetan Plateau. This 162-square-mile complex utilizes the high altitude, thin air, and cold temperatures of Qinghai Province to provide efficient, low-cost renewable electricity, which is then used to power high-speed rail, EV infrastructure, and data centers for artificial intelligence (AI) across China. The success of clean technology has become central to China's economic future, becoming a recognized pillar of "socialist modernization".

Global Disruption: Pakistan as a Test Case The episode focuses on Pakistan, which has become the world's second-largest importer of solar panels and a critical "test case for the green transition in the Global South". Driven by factors like record-breaking heat and high electricity bills, consumers like retired railway worker Muhammed Munir have installed Chinese rooftop solar panels, sparking a true revolution where solar is now seen everywhere from roadside shops to marriage dowries.

However, this rapid, consumer-driven shift is having unintended consequences for traditional infrastructure. Power providers, already burdened by debt (including from newly built Chinese coal-fired plants), have seen their revenues plunge by around 12%. This has resulted in a "utility death spiral" where rising costs for remaining users prompt even more people to switch to solar. Now, Pakistan is seeking China's help and expertise to restructure legacy agreements and modernize its grid to handle the sudden influx of solar power.

Geopolitical Implications China’s clean-tech dominance is deeply aligned with its geopolitical goals, offering soft power and influence across the Global South. China has committed to an ambitious goal of 3,600 gigawatts of wind and solar capacity by 2035. Despite this, the country still faces an industry crisis of oversupply and continues to heavily rely on coal for energy security, having started work on 100 gigawatts of new coal-fired capacity in 2024. Furthermore, this dominance is fueling protectionism globally, as other countries worry about reliance on China for critical minerals and essential green technologies.

In this emergency broadcast, we unpack Donald Trump’s biggest wind-energy myths—from “cancer-causing” turbines to blackout scares—and test them against data from DOE, NREL, EIA, NOAA and more. What’s true, what’s spin, and what it means for Nebraska’s energy future.

This episode explores the environmental impacts of wind energy development in Nebraska and the Upper Great Plains, guided by Department of Energy environment impact study. We discuss effects on grasslands, wetlands, wildlife species like whooping cranes and prairie grouse, plus standardized mitigation practices and best‑management protocols.

This episode offers a comprehensive overview of climate change's past, present, and projected impacts on Nebraska. It begins by establishing a historical climate baseline from post-WWII to 2000, characterizing a period of continental steadiness. The document then details observed climate shifts between 2000 and 2024, highlighting rising temperatures, longer growing seasons, more intense rainfall, and increased swings between drought and flood. Looking forward, it presents mid and late-century projections, anticipating significant warming, shifting precipitation patterns, and declining soil moisture. Finally, the text explores sector-by-sector implications for agriculture, water resources, energy, public health, infrastructure, and ecosystems, while also outlining adaptation and resilience strategies for the state.

This episode discusses net metering policies in Nebraska, outlining how they allow solar panel owners to receive credit for excess electricity sent back to the grid. While Nebraska's policy provides full retail credit for self-consumed solar, any surplus generation is compensated at a lower, wholesale "avoided cost" rate. The texts highlight restrictive state limits on system size and total installed capacity, contrasting them with more favorable policies in neighboring states like Kansas and Iowa. Despite strong public support for solar, legislative efforts to expand net metering have historically faced utility opposition, which cites concerns about cost shifts to non-solar customers. Federal incentives, particularly the Inflation Reduction Act's 30% tax credit and USDA grants, are currently driving solar adoption in Nebraska by significantly improving project economics, though potential federal policy reversals could introduce future uncertainty.

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of Nebraska's potential in the future of clean energy, focusing on fusion, advanced geothermal systems, and transmission infrastructure. It examines the global progress and remaining hurdles for fusion energy, including advancements in magnetic and inertial confinement, and Nebraska's emerging role in research and talent development for this field. The text also explores advanced geothermal technologies like Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and closed-loop systems, highlighting Nebraska's geological potential and the repurposing of oil and gas wells for heat extraction. Finally, it discusses the state's unique public power grid, emerging transmission technologies like ultra-high-voltage direct current (UHVDC), and proposals for upgrading and expanding Nebraska's grid to support clean energy export.

Coal has long powered Nebraska—but its role is changing. This episode looks at the history of coal plants like Gerald Gentleman, current reliance on coal, economic and environmental impacts, and what the future may hold in a shifting energy landscape.

Hydropower has quietly powered Nebraska for decades. In this episode, we explore the state’s key hydro facilities, how they work, their role in irrigation and peak power, environmental trade-offs, and whether there’s room to grow.