Rephonic
Artwork for Shift Key

Shift Key with Robinson Meyer

Heatmap News
Decarbonization
Climate Change
Inflation Reduction Act
Electric Vehicles
Renewable Energy
Clean Energy
Energy Transition
Trump Administration
China
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Data Centers
Energy Policy
Natural Gas
Climate Policy
Solar Energy
Paris Agreement
Rooftop Solar
Electricity Prices
Fossil Fuels
Tesla

Every week, Heatmap News Executive Editor Robinson Meyer and a guest make sense of the biggest shift of our time -- navigating the energy transition away from fossil fuels. Drawing on their years of experience reporting on and researching climate change and decarbonization, Meyer and his partners unpack the most important issues of the week and how the impacts of climate change and efforts to addr... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes148Founded3 years ago
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Business NewsNewsNews Commentary

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Artwork for Shift Key

Latest Episodes

The United States is staring down a natural gas buildout of gigantic proportions.

Amazon wants to build what would be the country’s largest power plant in Texas — and run it entirely on natural gas. Not to be outdone, OpenAI is plotting an even larg... more

Two years ago, Donald Trump made an outlandish campaign promise: He would cut Americans’ power bills in half.

It was a ridiculous, impossible pledge — but even so, the affordability problem didn’t need to get this bad. A new report, out this week fr... more

California now has the most expensive electricity in the continental United States. It also has expensive housing … and an increasingly broken home insurance market.

Are the three phenomena linked? They might be. Due to a peculiarity in the state’s ... more

Every few years, the Pacific Ocean’s surface waters become especially warm near the equator, a climatic phenomenon known as El Niño.

El Niño is a normal part of the climate system, but even in a normal year, it can trigger extreme weather around the... more

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Recent Guests

Lauren Teixeira
Senior analyst at the Breakthrough Institute and author of Rewiring Risk
Breakthrough Institute
Episode: Who Pays for Wildfire Prevention? If You’re in California, You Do — in Your Power Bill.
Zeke Hausfather
Climate researcher; climate science communicator
Stripe (climate research lead); Berkeley Earth; IPCC author
Episode: Why This El Niño Looks Like a Monster
Katie Rae
CEO and managing partner of Engine Ventures
Engine Ventures
Episode: The Big — But Fixable! — Problems in America’s R&D Ecosystem
Martin Heinrich
Senator, Ranking Member of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
U.S. Senate
Episode: Permitting Reform, Data Centers, and More With Senator Heinrich and Secretary Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Former Secretary of Energy, former Governor of Michigan
U.S. Department of Energy
Episode: Permitting Reform, Data Centers, and More With Senator Heinrich and Secretary Granholm
Daniel Palken
Former Capitol Hill staffer, director of infrastructure for energy and permitting at Arnold Ventures
Arnold Ventures
Episode: What a Permitting Reform Deal Could Look Like
Scott Wharton
CEO of Tandem PV
Tandem PV
Episode: What a Permitting Reform Deal Could Look Like
Peter Reinhardt
CEO and co-founder of Charm Industrial
Charm Industrial
Episode: What Barbecue Sauce Has in Common With Carbon Removal
Scott Warden
CEO of Tandem PV
Tandem PV
Episode: What Barbecue Sauce Has in Common With Carbon Removal

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 292 ratings
  • Useful insight into power markets

    I’m starting out as a state government lawyer in public utility law with a focus on electricity, and the recent episodes and summer school episodes have been a useful entry point into the worlds of energy science, policy, and markets.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JHPAOCA
    United Statesa year ago
  • Educational and interesting

    Great episode on electricity markets. Especially the commentary on gamifying real time pricing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    unsatisfied customer #99
    United Statesa year ago
  • Educational and Entertaining

    Robinson and Jesse do an excellent job of both keeping me informed about climate change topics while they also entertain with an enjoyable, candid conversation.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    katycryts
    United Statesa year ago
  • Spiritual?

    Environmentalist are actually “concrete” observers. They see habitat loss and point it out. When very few others are able to recognize it, they may have words of condemnation, but they are seeing the forest, not just the trees.

    You don’t have to belittle people who care about life more than you, and for longer than you, to make your point.

    Are you saying Rachel Carson was too spiritual in pointing out the scientific effects of DDT?

    Truth is, human animals don’t want to burn calories physically... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    WilderLead
    United Statesa year ago
  • A serious, detailed, and engaging podcast

    If you are interested/concerned about environmental challenges and how they fit into American/global society, this is the podcast for you. The hosts go into detail on techno/economic factors for the climate transition and how it relates to us as consumers. The episodes are engaging and serious, a rarity in today’s « attention at any cost, even the truth » media environment. Thanks guys for a great podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PhillyMattR
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests and hosts are commended for making complex climate topics accessible and engaging.
The show is praised for its thoughtful depth and balance, though a few episodes polarize some listeners.
Listeners value the data-driven, nuanced approach to energy and policy topics.
Overall, the feedback highlights usefulness for professionals and informed readers alike.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why This El Niño Looks Like a Monster
Q: What would a very strong El Niño imply for global temperatures in the near term and the longer term?
El Niño provides a temporary boost to global temperatures, potentially pushing 2027 to a record-warm year while the long-term trend is dominated by human-caused warming; the timing and magnitude depend on model projections and the strength of the event.
Why This El Niño Looks Like a Monster
Q: How do we know about El Niño events before the satellite era or more extensive ocean observations?
Historical understanding relies on ship-based ocean measurements and proxy reconstructions, with limited data before 1850; researchers use these proxies and global temperature reconstructions to back out El Niño strength.
Permitting Reform, Data Centers, and More With Senator Heinrich and Secretary Granholm
Q: What would a practical path forward for permitting reform look like this Congress?
There's a path to yes in negotiations, but the White House has been a wildcard; the goal is to get a tangible product out of this Congress even if imperfect, and to use AI and smarter processes to speed permitting without compromising NEPA and historic preservation requirements.
Permitting Reform, Data Centers, and More With Senator Heinrich and Secretary Granholm
Q: What stood out about how the Department of Energy has been operating and what you'd like to see improved?
There was a smart team that had to leave, but the administration created momentum around clean energy; the challenge lies in policy speed and communication, plus reducing the time to implement tax credits and projects while maintaining accountability and ensuring projects are felt on the ground.
Why Meta’s Longtime CTO Is Investing in Climate Tech
Q: Can you give me an example of what you have in mind there?
Two or three examples across the spectrum include solar as the obvious clean choice, Salcoa's neodymium supply chain in Alameda, and the broader concept that simpler, cleaner, cheaper hardware tends to scale better, enabling domestic manufacturing and lower costs in the long run.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Shift Key

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

This show centers on the energy transition, blending policy analysis, economics, and technology to unpack how climate policy, grid modernization, and decarbonization actually play out in business and government. Episodes frequently explore permitting reform, the Inflation Reduction Act and its consequences, data-center dynamics, and the role of AI and advanced manufacturing in speeding the energy transition. A distinctive strength is the data-driven, in-the-weeds approach that pairs policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers to illuminate how policy choices, market forces, and technology intersect to shape energy infrastructure and climate outcomes.

What stands out is the ongoing emphasis on practical implications for regulators, util... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Shift Key?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Shift Key:

1. Volts
2. Open Circuit
3. Catalyst with Shayle Kann
4. Energy Empire
5. Columbia Energy Exchange

How many episodes of Shift Key are there?

Shift Key launched 3 years ago and published 148 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Shift Key?

Recent guests on Shift Key include:

1. Lauren Teixeira
2. Zeke Hausfather
3. Katie Rae
4. Martin Heinrich
5. Jennifer Granholm
6. Daniel Palken
7. Scott Wharton
8. Peter Reinhardt

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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