It's been one hot summer, hasn't it? New York and the rest of the Northeast just got seared by a multi-day heatwave, pushing heat indices to extreme levels, driving up energy demand, and straining our grid in its typical, yet dramatic "peak heat" way.
A good time to eat some gelato on a rooftop, perhaps?
On Wednesday, Keyframe and DER Task Force hosted an event themed "Peak Heat: Hot Takes," where we recorded a live taping of the DER task force podcast and discussed bold (and controversial) predictions on the future of energy.
I'll share the full pod when it is released, but here's a sneak peek of a few spicy takes:
?? Blockchain is the future of energy markets
?? The Trump Presidency will be better for the energy transition in the long term
?? There are far too many home electrification platforms
?? Heat pumps will become obsolete by 2050
??Offshore wind is a distraction comparable to the plastic drinking straws frenzy
??Carbon capture and biofuel tax credits are a waste a of time and money
??We should build more gas power plants for decarbonization
James McGinniss, Colleen Metelitsa, and Duncan S. Campbell were hilarious and informative hosts, delivering a "dope/nope" and "hot/cold" verdict for each take... you'll have to listen to the full pod to hear what made the "hot dope" cut.
Big shoutout to David Klatt, Sophie Purdom, Lauren Salz, Matt Mandel, and Keyframe's very own Max Zeger for sharing their hot takes live on the podcast!
And thanks all for coming out and engaging in thoughtful, spirited debates. Stay cool out there ??