Archive - Volts

Doing data centers the not-dumb way

Jigar Shah joins me to break down why powering new data centers with behind-the-meter natural gas plants is an engineering and economic disaster.

4 hrs ago • David Roberts

1:30:57

Ruggedized solar power for the hard places

I chat with Lauren Flanagan about self-contained solar nanogrids in disaster areas & forward deployments.

Apr 10 • David Roberts

50:26

Good news for paid subscribers!

I shall nag you no longer.

Apr 8 • David Roberts and Samuel R (Volts team)

Why climate funders don't fund housing policy, and why they oughtta

On the philanthropic obsession with electric vehicles and why Ben Holland and Caroline Spears think state-level housing policy is our next great climate…

Apr 8 • David Roberts

1:04:41

Rethinking climate regulation from the ground up

I chat with Hannah Safford and Loren Schulman about designing federal policy that actually delivers decarbonization.

Apr 3 • David Roberts

1:20:49

Using more of the grid we’ve already built

Ian Magruder explains how more efficiently utilizing our existing grid can lower electricity bills and accelerate decarbonization.

Apr 1 • David Roberts

1:05:20

March 2026

Should we block some sunlight to cool the planet?

Dakota Gruener joins me to discuss the gaps and unanswered questions in our understanding of solar geoengineering.

Mar 27 • David Roberts

1:06:14

For data centers, a little flexibility goes a long way

Why developers are scrambling for off-grid jet engines, and how we could fix our broken grid interconnection process instead.

Mar 25 • David Roberts

1:10:37

Volts community thread #28: Iran, Bend OR, balcony solar & more

Open to all free & paid subscribers.

Mar 23 • David Roberts and Samuel R (Volts team)

The high-stakes battle over energy affordability in New York

Pete Sikora and I puzzle over why New York's governor is fighting with her party again.

Mar 20 • David Roberts

1:02:07

A Tesla vet tries to master the VPP market

Kunal Girotra and I explore the massive potential of combining plug-and-play home batteries with smart enterprise software to stabilize the grid

Mar 18 • David Roberts

1:16:32

How to design a brand-new city

Jan Sramek of California Forever discusses urbanism, affordability, sustainability, & governance.

Mar 13 • David Roberts

1:12:21

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