Rephonic
Artwork for Volts
Renewable Energy
Climate Change
Clean Energy
Inflation Reduction Act
Electric Vehicles
Solar Energy
Data Centers
California
Energy Efficiency
Energy Storage
Batteries
Clean Energy Transition
Decarbonization
Geothermal Energy
Hydrogen
Distributed Energy Resources
Environmental Justice
Carbon Emissions
China
Wind Energy

Volts is a podcast about leaving fossil fuels behind. I've been reporting on and explaining clean-energy topics for almost 20 years, and I love talking to politicians, analysts, innovators, and activists about the latest progress in the world's most important fight. (Volts is entirely subscriber-supported. Sign up!) www.volts.wtf

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes418Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsTech NewsPolitics

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Artwork for Volts

Latest Episodes

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Boiling water to make steam for industrial processes consumes an enormous amount energy around the globe, y... more

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Most people think that coordinating the behavior of thousands of distributed energy resources requires some... more

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Today, coordinating a whole-home retrofit — or even just getting a heat pump — involves confusing research,... more

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.volts.wtf/subscribe

Historically, investing in energy infrastructure has been the exclusive province of wealthy individuals and... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Mike Silvestrini
Co-founder and managing partner of Energea
Energea
Episode: Enabling ordinary people to invest in renewable energy projects
Tom Steyer
Billionaire financier and climate crusader
Episode: Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
Kostantsa Rangelova
Ember veteran, energy analyst
Ember
Episode: The big stories from the last year in electricity
Nicolas Fulghum
Ember veteran, energy analyst
Ember
Episode: The big stories from the last year in electricity
Robinson Meyer
Executive Editor, Heatmap News
Heatmap News
Episode: Life as a clean energy journalist in an age of madness
Beth Bafford
CEO of Climate United, coalition that won a large portion of GGRF funding
Climate United
Episode: Climate finance, interrupted
Jigar Shah
Executive with Multiplier, Deploy Action chair, energy policy commentator
Multiplier; Deploy Action
Episode: Doing data centers the not-dumb way
Lauren Flanagan
Founder of Sesame Solar, focused on rugged, mobile solar-powered nanogrids
Sesame Solar
Episode: Ruggedized solar power for the hard places
Ben Holland
Researcher on climate funders' perspectives on urbanism and housing policy; affiliated with WRI's New Urban Mobility Alliance
World Resources Institute, New Urban Mobility Alliance
Episode: Why climate funders don't fund housing policy, and why they oughtta

Host

David Roberts
Host of the show and an experienced journalist focused on energy, climate, and policy analysis. He engages with a wide variety of guests to explore in-depth discussions on the clean energy transition and related themes.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Something’s Changing

    About 5 years ago, I remember living with a conservation mindset. Don’t forget to turn the lights off. Monitor you home’s electricity usage (and read those letters from PG&E telling you your performance relative to your neighbors!) And then something changed. Maybe it was buying an EV, or installing solar on our roof. But this mindset of “don’t use the precious electricity!” is disappearing . Sure, data centers have ripped open the reality of how much electricity we need, but maybe they came abo... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LauraSJ
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love this podcast

    I loved your latest podcast interview with climate activist Pete Sikora. I am from NY and losing my patience with Gov Hochul regarding clean energy matters

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sunnycreek
    United States2 months ago
  • Superb Podcast

    I always look forward to the volts podcast. It’s quite informative, entertaining and straightforward. The recent two part episode on the proposed new city in California was just excellent and quite informative. I am very happy to financially support the show great value for dollar.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JTHSan Diego
    United States2 months ago
  • Great, in depth info!

    I found this podcast researching balcony solar. A gem of a podcast. I recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mindfully Healing
    United States3 months ago
  • One of my favorites

    One of the best podcasts on climate and energy I’ve found. David Roberts explains complicated topics — utilities, electrification, heat pumps, grid policy — in a way that’s clear without oversimplifying. The conversations are thoughtful and genuinely educational, and I always come away understanding why things work the way they do, not just the headlines.

    It’s informative, realistic, and surprisingly reassuring about the clean-energy transition.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Love it !!$!!
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the podcast for its clear explanations of complex energy topics.
The host is recognized for being engaging and making technical subjects relatable.
Many appreciate the thoughtful conversations featuring knowledgeable guests from various sectors.
Occasional criticisms suggest a focus on political themes that some find excessive.
Some reviews highlight the effectiveness of the content in deepening understanding of energy issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#133
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#187
United Kingdom/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#204
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#227
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#2
Argentina/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#27
Argentina/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
Q: What is your stance on Prop 13 reform and funding for essential services if you win the governorship?
I would pursue a targeted repeal of the commercial portion of Prop 13, funded by closing the loophole and using the revenue to invest in housing, health care, and education, with a carrot-and-stick approach to ensure compliance.
Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
Q: Would you have signed SB 254 or similar charges if you were governor, and how would you balance fellow policy goals with ratepayer concerns?
I would push for a system that charges polluters and internalizes the true cost of fossil fuels while simultaneously lowering electricity prices through local clean energy alternatives and a stronger market for affordable EVs.
Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
Q: Given the cost structure of poles and wires, can retail competition actually lower most customers' bills, and how would you address the transmission/distribution costs?
Retaining reliability while introducing local competition means focusing on grid efficiency, smarter usage, and technology-enabled upgrades that reduce the need for rebuilding, with targeted policy changes and CPUC incentives to align utilities with ratepayer interests.
Tom Steyer wants to be California's climate governor
Q: What do you mean by breaking up the monopolistic utilities, and how would you implement that in California?
I would change oversight and incentives at the Public Utilities Commission to encourage local competition and reduce the guaranteed returns that drive expensive investments, enabling cheaper, locally sourced energy while maintaining reliability.
Ruggedized solar power for the hard places
Q: How do you see costs evolving as you scale?
Costs should come down with volume, modular designs, and new buying models like energy-as-a-service; while hydrogen adds cost, economies of scale and rental/utility partnerships should make these solutions affordable for larger buyers and public entities.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Volts

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

This podcast focuses on the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy solutions, featuring discussions on various related topics, including the intricacies of energy policies, innovative technologies, and the role of political advocacy in promoting sustainability. It invites a diverse range of guests who are involved in fields such as energy efficiency, electric utilities, and climate advocacy, providing listeners with expert insights and thought-provoking conversations on contemporary energy issues. With a commitment to clear communication, the host strives to make complex subjects accessible and engaging for listeners, offering a blend of education and inspiration surrounding the urgent matter of energy transition.

Where can I find podcast stats for Volts?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Volts. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Volts and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Volts get?

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What are the audience demographics for Volts?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Volts, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Volts have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Volts has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Volts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Volts:

1. Catalyst with Shayle Kann
2. Shift Key with Robinson Meyer
3. Open Circuit
4. Energy Gang
5. Energy Empire

How many episodes of Volts are there?

Volts launched 5 years ago and published 418 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Volts?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Volts?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Volts from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Volts?

Recent guests on Volts include:

1. Mike Silvestrini
2. Tom Steyer
3. Kostantsa Rangelova
4. Nicolas Fulghum
5. Robinson Meyer
6. Beth Bafford
7. Jigar Shah
8. Lauren Flanagan

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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