Hugh Broadhurst is the Chief Operating Officer for Aclara Resources, a company focused on sustainable mining of rare earth minerals, followed by the separation of ionic clays laced with rare earth minerals, and selling these to a host of users, notably electric vehicle makers and others in need of high intensity magnets. Applications for the 17 rare earth elements include electric vehicles, wind turbines, submarines, drones, and robotics... anywhere that electric motors are used.

The conversation begins with a primer on rare earth minerals -- of which there are 160 -- and rare earth elements which number 17. These have been largely sourced from China which currently mines 90% of rare earth minerals and processes over 99% of them, importing minerals from Myanmar and other countries to do so. Aclara is not only developing an alternate supply chain for rare earths, but as Hugh explains, is doing so in a sustainable manner, in line with consumers' expectations.

Hugh joined the podcast from Brazil where Aclara is developing a rare earth mining operation, tapping into ionized clays that can be surface mined, stripped of their valuable elements, before the clays are redeposited on the sites without harmful pollution and disruptive effects. Aclara, a Canadian company, is working in Brazil and Chile on mining operations, while collaborating with Virginia Tech on a separation technique. At the tail end of the company's vertical integration, Aclara is selling refined rare earth element powders, metals, and alloys to manufacturers.

Hugh begins by presenting the value of rare earth mineral for electric vehicles. Their motors depend on high intensity magnets to support their dramatic acceleration. Many magnets lose their magnetism when their temperatures exceed 100 degrees Celsius and EV motors reach temperatures of 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) and thus need special rare earth elements to maintain their magnetism. Two of the 17 rare earth elements are critical for this function: terbium and dysprosium. They are blended into the magnets' formulation at a rate of 2 - 3%. While the cost of these materials for a typical EV is less than $50, Hugh notes that without them, the EV would not function.

Hugh was born and raised in South Africa. His parents were academics and he jokes that his engineering is a genetic disorder he got from his parents, his father an electrical engineer and mother a mathematician. After studying in South Africa, he came to America for graduate school in chemical engineering, before focusing his career on specialty minerals, for semiconductors, for agriculture, lithium for batteries, and at Aclara for magnets.

Rare earths enable the renewable energy revolution he explains. At Aclara, he and his colleagues are proud of doing the right thing in their mining and manufacturers, to meet environmental and ESG standards that people have come to expect. "It's not just what were doing but how we do it."

Matt Harper is the President of Invinity Energy Systems, the maker of vanadium-flow batteries. Matt was on the podcast in 2022 and now provides an update. A strong alternative to lithium-ion batteries, the benefits of flow batteries produced by Invinity are numerous: "Unlimited cycling" (30-year lifetimes with 20,000+ cycles); they can discharge 8 - 10 hours every day; they have zero fire risk; and Invinity units are modular and stackable. Furthermore, vanadium is the 13th most common metallic element in the Earth's crust. There is more vanadium than copper or nickel, and Matt notes that it is found everywhere. The end result is that Invinity's flow batteries have the lowest lifecycle MWh delivered cost for energy storage.

Invinity now has 190 MWh of installed systems and in construction all over the world. Matt details 96 installations in 17 countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Hungary. In fact, right after the podcast recording, Matt is flying off to India, a country that is in great need for clean energy resources... and long duration energy storage will play a pivotal role there. Ted asks about Hungary why Matt has called it a "hotbed" for flow batteries. Matt describes the country's impressive view of grid infrastructure and how the government stepped in there to stabilize and optimize its power grid. Matt also describes Invinity's work in Australia, home to one of Invinity's largest projects. He also provided an update on an intriguing Scottish project where Invinity batteries are buffering between tidal power and electrolyzing hydrogen 24*7, a project where tidal power is harvesting the ebb and flow of the tides. Matt calls this a "punishing duty cycle," well suited to flow batteries.

The conversations shifts to the United States where Invinity is currently starting 3 - 4 projects that rely on long-term storage. The batteries are supported by the California Energy Commission. Invinity provides products for grid-scale storage and directly to the commercial and industrial sector for behind the meter installations. Flow batteries are a nice fit for microgids and energy resilience... with projects at Harrah's Casino and at Pacific Northwest Labs. Another project that Matt describes is at a casino and resort outside of San Diego. There, tribal ownership seeks to achieve full energy sovereignty for its large load including one of the world/'s largest EV charging stations. This creates "an incredibly challenging duty cycle," again, quite perfect for flow batteries.

Invinity is exploring expanding manufacturing in the U.S. to meet Production Tax Credits that accrue to manufacturers of energy storage, as well as tax credits for end-users when domestic content is higher. Matt notes that there are good sources of vanadium in the United States. And due to new regulations limiting emissions in maritime shipping, Invinity is exploring the use of waste stockpiles caused by stripping sulfur out of crude oil, laced with vanadium and other metals, potentially a new and attractive source of vanadium without additional mining and extraction.

Matt and Ted conclude with a discussion of Invinity's future role. The next step is greater scale. Matt also points out that the utility grid policy conversation has moved from "net zero" to "zero zero," a time where there will be no offsets... only clean power stored and discharged to meet onsite consumption patterns or grid capacity and reliability. Clearly Invinity's role in this vision and transition is important and on the rise.

Chéri Smith heads up the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy. She'd been on the podcast in 2022 explaining the Alliance's operation then. She and Ted discuss the change in presidential administrations and its affect on tribes. While the Alliance is 100% supported by philanthropies, purposefully exempt from the volatility of changing administrations, the tribes that the Alliance supports were heavily impacted, with hundreds of millions lost and projects stranded, retarding the development of clean energy on reservations.

Since her last Eco-Logic episode, Chéri had a whole department writing grants and structuring projects. In 2024 that team wrote $800 million worth of applications for clean energy. Fully $490 million was awarded to 49 tribes. "But within four days after the inauguration.. money clawed out bank accounts, literally clawed out." She explains that there were no letters, only a "giant sucking sound." Programs were abruptly cancelled such as EPA's Solar for All program that was helping tribes put modest solar systems on homes, in cases providing power for the first time. Tax credits that provided up to 70% of the cost of solar installations, were eliminated.

There are 575 recognized tribes in America and another 100+ that are not recognized. Fully 229 tribes are Alaskan native villages. Chéri is of My'kyma descent, a tribe from Northern Maine and the Canadian Maritimes. She makes clear how profound the political changes have been to the tribes. They had begun to develop projects spurred by government funds and backed by third-party finance despite tribes generally being "allergic to debt."

The cancellation of many projects, and the loss of tax credits and other support programs, has eroded trust that had been building... the trust necessary to develop large-scale projects that can boost economic development on tribal lands. Chéri explains the impact to the Hopi after the closure of the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station. It had provided lease fees to the Hopi, creating a huge hole of lost revenues and lost jobs. A billion-dollar, utility-scale, 400 MW solar project to serve wholesale markets, was going to fill this gap and provide a pathway to prosperity going forward.

The conversation shifts to how the Alliance has adapted. The Alliance created the Indigenous Power and Light Fund in 2024 with a $100 million goal. So far it has raised $38 million from three primary philanthropists, money that is now being used for grants and loans to spur renewable energy projects, providing just-in-time capital, filling funding gaps, forming capital stacks where private markets won't. The Alliance is prioritizing clean energy projects that provide energy access, build climate resilience, lessen reliance on fossil fuels, and provide resources for climate and fire disasters.

Drawing inspiration from the tribes it serves, Chéri reports that the Alliance has grown despite discouraging federal policies. In the past two years, the Alliance staff has nearly tripled and the Alliance has added highly experienced professionals to its team and capabilities to better serve ~180 tribes. The Alliance has also formed the Tribal Energy Leadership Fellowship... an initiative to train tribal leaders in partnership with Haskell Indian Nations University, Harvard, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Ben Lochtenberg came to solar for good reason: He sees solar as an elegant energy solution, one that will keep on giving for years. His mission as the Founder and Managing Director of Xero Solar is to tap solar as a "perpetual" energy source and to promote a transition to a more resilient world. Xero is working to create a brighter future for all, through residential solar services as well as programs for underserved youth, neurodiverse children, as well as faith-based and spiritual communities.

Born in Australia, Ben spent his youth in England before his family migrated to America. His career led him to specialize in material science -- physics and chemistry -- working for big corporations on electronics, semiconductors, printed circuit boards, and solar cell fabrication. At the age of 48 he decided to form his own business. Undaunted by statistics that show that nine out of ten startups fail, Ben dug into solar, determined to succeed. He's still paranoid, and sites an author who wrote that "only the paranoid survive." The key is to always be on the look-out for what can go wrong and to plan for it.

Ted asks Ben about "the solar-coaster"... a term that Ben dismisses strongly: "I hate that term. It suggests that one has no control." Ted digs in given the recent and major blow to residential installations: "What about the loss of the residential investment tax credit?" Ben points to two factors: Fifteen years ago, when he started Xero, it cost twice as much to install as it does today, and that value in avoided utility costs then was half or less than it is today. His view is clear that we don't need tax credits, that solar is still a good deal without tax credits and utility incentives.

Ben discusses his business philosophy and operations. He believes in fair prices for suppliers, employees, and for customers. Too often customers are focused on the first cost of solar, rather than its long-term savings. Ben notes that choosing the lowest cost solar company may be the most expensive decision one ever makes. Charging a fair price gives Xero the ability to provide strong levels of customer service and support for the lifetime of the systems installed. Xero spends little on marketing its services. The best advocates are customers pleased with the services they receive, says Ben.

Ben wants Xero to have a potent impact... "to help people we touch." This starts with employees. His staff are grateful of his priorities... nurturing marriages, strong families, celebrating babies and home-buying. Leading his staff, Ben volunteers and teaches them about the fulfillment attained by giving. His mother taught him that this world is made up of takers and givers. The takers will never be satisfied, they always want more. "Those that give are blessed with so much more... givers have full hearts."

The conversation includes a discussion of the future integration of our cars with our homes. Ben has been tracking VGI, vehicle grid integration, for years. "It's a great idea as our cars sit idle 95% of the time." While not sure of its timing -- "it seems like it's been the technology of tomorrow for a long time" -- his passion for efficient utilization of resources - in this case batteries -- causes him to be excited about VGI, flattening utility load profiles and the duck curve, and optimizing the grid to drive down power costs for us all. Xero is future proofing its solar projects for the VGI future.

According to David Kilzer, the fusion of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics is the biggest leap for mankind since fire! David has seen dramatic evolution in automation in his 50-year career... influenced by the rise of personal computers, the internet, smart phones, and now AI. He believes that AI-power humanoid robots are a huge game changer, and one that will increase the quality of life for us all.

Imagine waking in the morning and having your coffee made to perfectly suit your taste. Imagine a humanoid robot playing chess with grandpa, or teaching the kids algebra, or folding the laundry or mowing the lawn or blending margaritas! The applications for robots are widespread... from household functions to nursing homes to factories, schools, medicine, and more. They can deliver vaccines in quarantine zones... and can readily access all the world's information. David highlights the future of open-sourced robots... whereby a robot in Japan learns to make sushi rolls, and this skill is uploaded to the cloud and then available for robots on the same platform worldwide. We may all have robots serving us, loaded up with apps for various tasks!

David's company, Strategic Transformation Advisors helps industries tap the great potentials for automation. He is currently working on a major facility in Oregon, where three kinds of robots will be at work... none requiring any space conditioning at all. Robots can work 24*7; they need no breaks or benefits. They are tireless and can do heavy lifting, and can boost productivity, proficiency, and safety. And as more and more automation is developed, costs will fall... only begetting more automation with greater functionality.

There will be adjustments in the transition toward greater and greater automation. Job losses are top of mind, notes David. Goldman Sachs reports that 6 - 7% of the American workforce has already been displaced by AI. Amazon laid off 14,000 workers last year and expects to lay off 30,000 by the end of this year. The implications for jobs are huge... with automation replacing not just manual tasks... but all manner of technical services such as coding, paralegal reviews, and engineering.

The conversation shifts into income tax losses as workers are replaced with machines. David imagines that mechanisms will be needed to address this loss. Should AI be taxed? Should robot leases be taxed? While David offers no solutions, he suggests that clever new means of developing revenues to support government functions may well be needed. He points to Norway's sovereign wealth fund that provides public benefit from oil and gas resources as a model mechanism. How can the abundance that will be created by AI and humanoid robotics be shared for the benefit of all?

The conversation ends with David's bold predictions: AI-power robotics will be prevalent in industry this decade, and will likely be ubiquitous in homes in the 2030s. The pace of automation, and highly intelligent automation, is nothing short of fantastic.

Ebenezar Wikina lives in Rivers State, Nigeria. His father's love of books and magazines coupled with his early career in journalism are the roots of his thirst for learning and his dedication to reform government policies. His passion is taking national, long-term goals and bringing them to success in local governments... the six Nigerian states and their subregions. This, he believes, is where change takes root. He formed Policy Shapers to empower young people with knowledge, skills, and tools to engage in public policy.

River States is one of six states in Nigeria. Formed by the Niger River delta, "it is warm there, like Florida," explains Ebenezar. The 11,100-square mile state is home to nine million people. Less than 40% have access to electricity. Right now, given major national grid problems, less than 20% of the population has power and their are routine power disruptions to hospitals, hotels, and the entire community. Many schools have no power at all.

Ebenezar explains how he formed Policy Shapers and how he coalesced and facilitated diverse interest groups. Led by youth, Policy Shapers is inclusive of all ages, of women, and sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities. Participants and topical experts were brought together with WhatsApp, Zoom, and other social media platforms. They raised awareness and have used "hack-a-thons" to delve deeply into specific issues. Ebenezar and his colleagues brought thousands of voices together, surveying them on the most pressing problems facing the state and nation and the African continent. They suggested solutions. Together they began to craft River States' long-term sustainability plan... called Rivers 2050 Vision.

In the discussion, Ebenezar focuses on five factors that will profoundly affect River States' future. The first is energy and the need to make power ubiquitous and to transform the hydrocarbon energy to renewables. The region has rich oil and gas reserves, that are sold off and that have polluted rivers there to the point where people cannot fish. Rivers State is rich in wind coming off the Atlantic Ocean, hydropower, and solar. Tapping into these resources and making structural changes, like not taxing solar panels, will help to spur this transition.

Second is global climate change, that he reports is quite well known given the internet and widespread use of cell phones. Its impacts are certainly being felt in River States... events such as extreme heat waves and flooding. What can his generation do to shift from hydrocarbons to renewables? Can they promote agriculture and the development of renewables to shore up the economy as oil and gas revenues recede?

Third is population, expected to rise 400,000 people per year. Ebenezar notes that River States is a religious community but that family planning is important there. To accommodate increased population and the fourth major planning element -- sea level rise -- River States needs housing. Policy Shapers promotes creative architectural solutions such as getting back to building on water using floating homes and businesses, now using more advanced building materials and sanitation.

The fifth factor that Ebenezar highlights is AI and the workforce that kids like his own son will have to adapt to when they reach the workforce. Ebenezar notes the pace of AI's penetration and how many jobs have already been lost, and how many more will be lost in the planning timeframe. Clearly, Rivers State will have to adapt. He makes strong statements about teaching youth critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence. For schools, he suggests that there is a need for new curriculum, based on what AI can do and what it cannot do.

Ben Airth is the Policy Director for Freedom Forever, the largest residential solar company in the country. Freedom Forever installs solar systems in 30 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For Freedom Forever's management, Ben tracks state regulations, state legislation, and federal policies to guide program development and sales.

The conversation begins with a discussion of the fall-off of the Internal Revenue Service 25D investment tax credit for solar... an issue for residential solar companies nationwide. Ben makes the case that there are solutions such as prepaid leases that allow for commercial ownership of solar systems on homes, and that the commercial tax credit is still in place. To get this 48E tax credit, the issue is ownership. Commercially owned systems can be on residential or commercial properties. In fact, given the bonus credits possible for commercial installations, homeowners might even see a better than 30% value through this pathway.

Ted brings the discussion back to California and to Net Billing, California's regulatory policy. While a blow to the solar industry in California, Ben suggests that it may well be a good thing in the long run as it has caused consumers to add batteries to their systems. This allows consumers to self-consume solar power and to realize each solar kilowatt-hour's retail energy cost value.

Ted asks about which states provide the most value to homeowners interested in solar: Ben notes that California is the top of the list given its high power prices. The Illinois Shines program has an enhanced value stack for solar, providing homeowners there with the upfront value of Renewable Energy Credits that solar will generate. Maine is a small market but one with attractive consumer economics. Puerto Rico is also a leader for residential solar and storage given hurricanes and the great value of resilience for homeowners there. Texas's deregulated electricity market allows for virtual power plants, another revenue stream and effective means of amortizing the upfront cost of solar. Texas has also enabled third-party permitting and inspections, addressing these bottlenecks in residential installations and shortening installation times.

Ted then asks about the 20 states that Freedom Forever does not serve: In some cases, Ben explains that these are nascent markets that have prematurely adopted California's net billing as a precedent, well before any form of solar saturation and without adequately priming the solar market. States such as Idaho assigned fixed fees that destroyed the economics of consumer-owned solar.

Building on the discussion of virtual power plants and their promise for the future, the discussion shifts to the potential for vehicle-to-grid programs and the integration of e-mobility with our electric utilities. Ben notes that this, like solar and storage, has been inhibited by the One Big Beautiful Bill, but is still promising. He states the need for effective rates and tariffs to make these strategies viable for utilities as well as consumers.

The conversation ends with a discussion of what utilities call "the cost shift" related to distributed generation, and in this case residential solar. Ben discusses the unusually large amount of consumer investments in solar, a public resource that has helped to build the utility infrastructure. While the utility position is this has hurt other consumers with no solar, Ben calls it a mind set. The problem is not technical -- which can be overcome -- but instead a mind set that overlooks the great value of consumer investments that utilities do not have to make. The key is to find win-win solutions that benefit both consumers and utilities charged with providing reliable and affordable power.

Dr. Bonnie Nixon is the Sustainability Director for the Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT), one of the world's busiest and greenest ports. The terminal handles 3.5 million, 20-foot containers annually. Its 4,200 foot long wharf can unload three of the largest container ships in the world at once.

Air quality is an issue that drives Bonnie. She grew up in an industrial community in Northern New Jersey and knows painfully well the devastating impacts of bad air on human health. The San Pedro port complex receives 40% of all goods entering the United States. Bonnie explains that ports have five major sources of emissions: ships, short and long-haul drayage trucks, cargo-handling equipment, locomotives, and tugs. The result is that the communities surrounding LBCT have suffered from some of the worst air quality in the country.

LBCT has addressed this head on. When ships come to its wharf, they receive shore power and turn off their engines run with dirty bunker fuel. The Port's 93 cranes work without emissions as do the 102 automated electric transport vehicles that are guided by sensors embedded in the concrete that move containers on site. The Port is home to the largest battery exchange buildings in the world that automatically exchange batteries in 5 - 8 minutes.

In 2030 Bonnie completed a net zero strategy for LBCT with a $250 million price tag. So far, she has raised $130 million of this to drive down Scope 1 (onsite combustion) and Scope 2 (purchased electricity) emissions. The Port has reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 85 - 90%. Thanks to monetizing Low Carbon Fuel Standard credits, LBCT has been able to purchase offsets for Scope 3 emissions related to ships, trucks, and trains run by its vendors.

Bonnie is now working to clean up the Port's 270 rolling stock vehicles -- tractors, forklifts, trucks, buses, sweepers, etc. She is working with shipping lines to promote e-methanol to power the ships that come to and from Long Beach to achieve net zero status at the Port in time for the Los Angeles Olympics. She is also focused on resiliency strategies. Her quest is to demonstrate that even massive industrial complexes like LBCT can fully decarbonize their operations.