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Watt It Takes

Emily Kirsch
Climate Change
Clean Energy
Carbon Removal
Renewable Energy
Artificial Intelligence
Marine Carbon Removal
Ebb Carbon
Decarbonization
Electrochemistry
Lanzatech
Electrification
Powerhouse
Energy Transition
Recycling
Sustainability
Carbon Markets
Powerhouse Ventures
Waste Management
Environmental Sustainability
Carbon Recycling

Our monthly podcast tells the stories of founders who are building our clean energy abundant future—their upbringings, their risks, their failures, and their breakthroughs that are transforming our world. Subscribe on Spotify or Apple to stay up to date with the latest episodes.

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes98Founded5 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusinessEntrepreneurship

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Artwork for Watt It Takes

Latest Episodes

Every morning, 26 million children in the US get on a school bus. It is the largest mass transit system in America, and it has barely changed in 80 years. There is no real-time tracking, no route optimization, and no visibility for parents. Bus drive... more

Over the years, we’ve spent a lot of time on this show talking about the grid, why it needs to expand, where it’s falling short, and what it will take to meet growing demand.

We’ve talked about improving how the grid gets planned and built, and the ... more

At a moment when the energy conversation is increasingly focused on markets, infrastructure, and scale, it can be easy to lose sight of something more fundamental: access.

Roughly 750 million people around the world still live without electricity. A... more

Here’s a question: how many corporations do you know that have made a public commitment to cut their carbon emissions?

Probably a lot. About 40% of the world’s largest companies have set full net-zero targets across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, according to ... more

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Recent Guests

Josh Wong
Founder and CEO of ThinkLabs
ThinkLabs (Powerhouse Ventures portfolio company)
Episode: ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Alex Honnold
Professional rock climber and founder of the Honnold Foundation
Honnold Foundation
Episode: Alex Honnold, Rock Climber & Founder, Honnold Foundation
Dan Kalafatas
Co-founder and Chairman of 3Degrees
3Degrees
Episode: 3Degrees Co-Founder and Chairman Dan Kalafatas
Curtis VanWalleghem
Co-founder and CEO of Hydrostor
Hydrostor
Episode: Hydrostor Co-Founder and CEO Curtis VanWalleghem
Dana Guernsey
Co-founder and CEO of Voltus
Voltus
Episode: Voltus Co-Founder and CEO Dana Guernsey
Jennifer Granholm
Former US Secretary of Energy, two-term Governor of Michigan
Episode: Jennifer Granholm, Former Director, Department of Energy
Brian Janous
Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Cloverleaf Infrastructure
Cloverleaf Infrastructure
Episode: Cloverleaf Infrastructure Co-Founder and CCO Brian Janous
Sheldon Kimber
Co-founder and CEO of Intersect Power
Intersect Power
Episode: Intersect Power Co-Founder and CEO Sheldon Kimber
Cody Finke
CEO and co-founder of Brimstone, focused on producing lower emission cement.
Brimstone
Episode: Brimstone Co-Founder and CEO Cody Finke

Host

Emily Kirsch
Founder and CEO of Powerhouse Innovation and Founder/Managing Partner of Powerhouse Ventures; long-running host of energy and climate-tech conversations.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 194 ratings
  • Powerhouse of Hope

    Working on climate is a deeply challenging path that’s often hard, isolating, demoralizing, and poorly compensated. One common fear is how can any one person move the needle on such a vast and seemingly intractable problem. This podcast is a radiant light amidst our dark times that highlights the amazing people building solutions to our wicked problems. Emily Kirsch, I’m your biggest fan, thank you for creating such a wonderful and profoundly human show. It fills my heart with hope.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nicholas Birkhead
    United Statesa year ago
  • Essential listening and a source of hope for the climate transition

    Climate start-up founders - expertly interviewed by Emily Kirsch- explain the difference their business is designed to make, their motivation, their values and the lessons they have learned. This has been added to my 3 new climate tech must listen podcasts. The climate crisis can be dispiriting. This show proves that help is on the way. Not big enough or quick enough yet. But brilliant, good people are working on it and it is scaling.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    climate wonk
    Ireland2 years ago
  • Great view of ClimateTech industry solutions & innovation from the leading edge!

    Podcast Addict
    SCSierraDave
    3 years ago
  • Love this pod!

    Emily hosts insightful and actionable conversations that ignite a deep desire to see change in this world! Her guests are incredible and bring unique perspectives on how to build a climate positive future.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Dan1777999877
    United States4 years ago
  • Informative, insightful, inspirational.

    Watt it Takes is my go to Podcast to learn about climate-tech and be inspired about the future for our world, and the journey to a zero-carbon. I’m tracking though the back catalogue and only today listened to the episode where Emily is interviewed. I loved hearing her personal story, thoughtful insights, and vision and passion to make a lasting impact. Emily if there’s one person I could invite to dinner - it would be you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kurt Oborne
    Australia4 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Audiences praise the host for thoughtful, insightful interviews and high-caliber guests.
Listeners value practical, founder-focused lessons and authentic storytelling.
Fans note the host's ability to make complex energy topics accessible and engaging.
The show is seen as a must-listen for climate-tech founders and investors looking for inspiration and hands-on guidance.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Q: What does an autonomous grid look like in practice, and where do humans fit in the loop?
An autonomous grid uses AI to run many grid studies and propose solutions, but there should always be a human in the loop to drive and oversee critical decisions, transitioning to a human-on-the-loop model as trust grows and systems mature.
ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Q: What was the hardest part of spinning out from GE, and how did you approach fundraising for ThinkLabs?
Spinning out was more challenging than being acquired because you're balancing multiple stakeholders and internal dynamics. Fundraising was tough but made easier by having repeat investors who understood the sector, strong relationships, and a clear, utility-focused value proposition.
ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Q: How did the Opus One experience influence ThinkLabs, particularly around leadership and go-to-market?
Opus One taught me the importance of leadership, focus on revenue quality, and building scalable infrastructure. It also highlighted that the job isn't done; those learnings informed how I lead ThinkLabs—prioritizing execution, trust, and a practical go-to-market with enterprise customers.
ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Q: What drew you to the grid, and why did you decide to transition from utilities to building your own software company?
I loved the grid as the platform that connects generation and load, and after identifying persistent bottlenecks in tools and workflows, I wanted to build software that could accelerate decision-making and enable a 100% renewables future without being constrained by legacy hardware.
ThinkLabs AI Founder and CEO Josh Wong
Q: Paint me a picture of your early life in Hong Kong and Toronto and how those experiences shaped your path.
Growing up in modest circumstances with a family background that valued hard work and resilience, I learned grit and the importance of humble beginnings. Those years instilled a willingness to take risks, dream big, and pursue concrete, impact-driven goals in energy—even if the path required significant personal and professional juggling.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Watt It Takes

What is Watt It Takes about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features climate-tech founders, investors, and energy disruptors who share personal journeys, the motivations behind building sustainable businesses, and the hard-won lessons from scaling in the clean energy space. Episodes often center on resilience, risk-taking, and turning ambitious climate goals into real-world impact, with a strong emphasis on the human stories behind technology and policy shifts. Listeners can expect practical insights for building and funding climate startups, plus perspectives from leaders shaping energy markets and decarbonization. A notable throughline across episodes is the focus on navigating funding, governance, and commercialization while driving a zero-carbon future.

Where can I find podcast stats for Watt It Takes?

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How many listeners does Watt It Takes get?

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What are the audience demographics for Watt It Takes?

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How many subscribers and views does Watt It Takes have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Watt It Takes 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 Watt It Takes?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Watt It Takes:

1. Catalyst with Shayle Kann
2. Open Circuit
3. Energy Empire
4. The Green Blueprint
5. Volts

How many episodes of Watt It Takes are there?

Watt It Takes launched 5 years ago and published 98 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 Watt It Takes?

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 Watt It Takes?

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What guests have appeared on Watt It Takes?

Recent guests on Watt It Takes include:

1. Josh Wong
2. Alex Honnold
3. Dan Kalafatas
4. Curtis VanWalleghem
5. Dana Guernsey
6. Jennifer Granholm
7. Brian Janous
8. Sheldon Kimber

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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