295. Ring that DCBEL – A revolutionary fast EV charger and solar inverter for the home

The DCBEL R16 is a revolutionary electric vehicle charger that connects your solar system to the grid, and with built-in artificial intelligence learns how to help you save money. Due to its unique DC charging system, it charges EVs at twice the speed of a level two charger and it completely replaces the inverter for your solar system. Oh, and it knows your price of electricity and optimizes vehicle charging, and thanks to bidirectional charging the R16 can use electricity from your car to run your home during a blackout.

294. Solar Recycling 101: The good, the bad & the potential

We look at solar recycling – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ok, that’s pretty melodramatic because as we learned solar modules contain mostly very benign, and rather plain materials. We tear apart a solar module, find out what toxins are present, and learn how a company in Medford, Oregon is recycling 110,000 solar modules per year.

293. A second life for solar modules

Fabtech not only recycles used solar modules they have refurbished more than 600,000 modules and are selling them into a burgeoning market for use solar modules.

292. ReCognition – What to do after the apocalypse – save the wind guy!

By day Mark Dowson works on solar projects in the United Kingdom, but when the sun goes down he’s the author of a series of post-climate change, dystopian, SciFi thrillers.

Canada gets 95% of electricity from renewables by 2050

291. Renewable energy could provide 95% of electricity in Canada by 2050

A North American Renewable Integration Study found Canada could get up to 95% of its electricity from renewable energy by 2050 in a low-cost, low-carbon future. This would mean a 10-fold increase in wind power and an 18-fold increase in solar power.

290. Schneider Electric – named the most sustainable company in the world

Schneider Electric was named the most sustainable company in the world by Corporate Knights a Canadian sustainability rating firm. The France-based global company already used 80 per cent renewable energy for its operations and wants to be carbon neutral by 2025.

289. 15-Minute Cities – Edmonton’s bold plan for a sustainable net-zero city

Edmonton has a bold plan to live within a 1.5-degree carbon budget, get to zero emissions and build a sustainable 15-minute city of the future.

288. Renewable Energy Hub – Integrating solar, batteries, electric vehicles and hydrogen

The future is not solar, batteries, electric vehicles, or hydrogen – it’s all of the above and more. And this is why the University of British Columbia is building a Renewable Energy Hub, a city-block-sized living lab that seeks to optimize the use of renewable technologies to get to a zero-emissions future.

287. Plastic Bank – Deposit plastic, withdraw food, supplies and medicine

Plastic Bank tackles poverty and pollution at the same time by paying thousands of the world’s poorest people to collect plastic pollution in more than half a dozen countries around the world.

286. GreenShows – Carbon neutral virtual events made for the times

With COVID shutdowns David Betke created GreenShows a carbon-neutral online event hosting service that radically reduces travel, increases participation, and plants trees instead of handing out swag.

285. Solar RVs – Business is booming for off-grid solar on wheels

Business is booming for off-grid RV solar systems as snowbirds and campers take to the roads in droves. We meet with Remi Watts of CBI solar at a pop-up workshop at West Edmonton Mall to get the lowdown on some pretty cool RV solar systems.

284. Edmonton’s Energy Transition Plan targets 1.5 degrees – An interview with Mayor Don Iveson

On the same day, Edmonton’s Mayor Don Iveson was awarded a national Clean 50 Award and city council passed its landmark 1.5-degree Energy Transition Plan which seeks to take Edmonton to net-zero by 2050.

283. Solar co-operatives helped unleash renewable energy booms around the world – should we do more?

Renewable energy co-operatives have led the renewable revolution around the world. We look at the roots of co-operatives in Europe and SolShare and other renewable energy co-operatives in Canada.

282. Solar with Benefits – The Solar-EV Nexus

By using 3,500 kilowatt hours of excess solar electricity from his home solar system Ron Kube is able to power his electric car for 22,000 km and save $2,500/year and reduce the payback on his solar system to just five years.

281. A Vision for near-net-zero farming in Canada

Emissions on the farm grew 23% between 1990 and 2018 in Canada. The National Farmers Union has a vision for near-zero emissions farming in and it involves fewer fertilizers, less fuel and better quality local foods. This week on Green Energy Futures CKUA Radio podcast we talk to Darrin Qualman author of a new report on near-net-zero farming.

280. Canada’s Net Zero Future – 60 ways to leave your emissions behind

A new report “Canada’s Net-Zero Future” evaluated 60 scenarios for Canada to get to net-zero emissions by 2050. The good news is it’s possible, but it’s going to be a long hard road to get there.

279. Solar versus Oil – Which can drive you further?

Which can fuel your vehicle to go further? An oil well pump-jack extracting oil or a 750-kilowatt solar farm covering the same footprint? We do the math.

278. RenuWell – Solar breathes new life into abandoned oil wells

Here’s a big idea! RenuWell wants to breathe new life into thousands of Alberta’s abandoned oil wells by reusing well pads and roads and building 750-kilowatt solar farms. It’s a win-win for landowners, municipalities and energy transition.

277. Energy, climate and the media a discussion with CBC’s Laura Lynch

The media loves a good headline – The Energy vs Climate expert panel tackles energy and climate change in the media with Laura Lynch of the CBC’s What on Earth show.

276. Canada’s Climate Plan – Can it deliver on Paris goals?

Canada just updated its climate plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 and get Canada to “net-zero emissions” by 2050. Is the plan going to work? Green Energy Futures checks in with the Energy vs Climate panel of experts to find out.

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