The Clean Energy Show

China's latest donation of solar-and-storage systems to Cuba, a new generation of perovskite-silicon solar panels that could push efficiency well beyond 30%, and an Australian homeowner who has decided the grid is no longer worth the connection fees.
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• China has donated another 5,000 solar systems to Cuba, this time with significantly more battery storage than the previous batch.
• Cuba is also introducing new incentives for renewable energy, including a renewable electricity rate and exemptions from customs duties for solar equipment and other clean-energy technologies.
• Tandem PV says its new perovskite-on-silicon solar panel has reached 30.4% efficiency and will go on sale later this year.
• The company is aiming for 37% efficiency by 2030 — potentially producing dramatically more electricity from the same physical footprint.
• Higher-efficiency panels could mean less land, fewer panels and lower balance-of-system costs, helping make solar even cheaper and accelerating grid decarbonization.
• But perovskite-silicon technology still has to prove its long-term durability, bankability and ability to scale up manufacturing.
• And in Australia, rooftop solar and cheap batteries are making it possible for some homeowners to seriously consider — or actually abandon — their connection to the electrical grid.
• We also talk about a fascinating DIY-style microgrid using solar, repurposed Tesla Model 3 batteries and an electric car to power three rental units.
A quick summer episode this week, with a full show coming next week — plus a bonus episode on the way.
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California's new "My First EV" rebate is proving that people really do like free money, with the $270 million incentive program already being snapped up. Plus, Clemson University students have built a remarkably lightweight solar-powered EV designed to generate more energy than it uses, and a centuries-old British cheese maker is saving money and cutting emissions with a heat pump that uses warm milk as its heat source.
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This week on The Clean Energy Show:
California's $270 million "My First EV" rebate program is being rapidly exhausted, offering $3,500 toward new EVs and $1,750 toward used EVs.
Clemson University's Deep Orange 17 solar EV packs more than 1,700 solar cells into its body and weighs just 550 kilograms.
The solar car could potentially add about 50 kilometres of range from a typical 20-kilometre urban commute.
Barber's Farmhouse Cheesemakers, operating since 1833, is using "milk-source" heat pumps to simultaneously cool milk and heat water.
The heat pumps have cut the cheese maker's electricity use in half, saving about $94,000 a year and reducing emissions by nearly 66 tonnes annually.
The Philippines is cutting red tape for small self-consumption and zero-export solar installations.
More than 7 GW of Chinese solar panels have been imported or are on their way to the Philippines this year.
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Extreme heat is disrupting more than just summer vacations. This week, we look at how climate change is forcing nuclear reactors in Europe offline, why heatwaves are delaying commercial flights, and how the International Energy Agency has once again underestimated the speed of the global EV transition. Plus, Laos takes a bold step by banning nearly all new gasoline and diesel car imports.
Brian's documentary video and the New York Times story on how things only get worse from here are both free on our pubic Patreon page.
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In This Episode
Heatwaves are forcing nuclear power plants across southeastern Europe to reduce output or shut down entirely as drought lowers river levels needed for cooling.
Record heat is also disrupting air travel, with some aircraft forced to leave passengers behind because hot, thin air reduces lift.
The International Energy Agency raises its global EV forecast, now expecting electric vehicles to account for 29% of worldwide new car sales this year.
Emerging markets including India, Brazil, Australia, Vietnam and South Korea are driving the next wave of EV adoption.
Laos bans imports of nearly all new gasoline and diesel passenger vehicles while expanding EV incentives and charging infrastructure.
Wildfires continue to devastate parts of the northwestern United States.
The Lightning Round
Australia reaches 500,000 home batteries and is installing roughly 2,000 more every day.
Burying Austin's power lines would cost an estimated $50 billion.
China's coal generation remains high, but electricity demand has grown even faster.
29 countries have now installed more than 10 GW of solar power.
Solar supplied nearly 16% of Texas electricity in May.
The episode wraps up with a sobering look at what today's 1.4°C warmer world is already bringing—and why the decisions we make now will determine how much worse it becomes.
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Many countries are dealing with unprecidented wildfires this week. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Fire Weather author John Vaillant says entire countries could burn in the coming years as the world warms. Balcony solar finally arrives in the UK, making plug-in solar panels available to millions of apartment dwellers and renters. California's new $3,500 rebate program designed to help first-time EV buyers make the switch to electric. Plus, we look at a major upgrade to one of Europe's most important pumped hydro energy storage facilities.
This Week
Brian and James catch up on wildfire smoke, summer travel, storm insurance claims, and the latest heatwaves across Europe.
The UK legalizes plug-in balcony solar systems, opening rooftop-free solar to renters and apartment residents while paving the way for plug-in home batteries.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/jul/23/uk-households-free-install-plug-in-balcony-solar-panels
July 2026 is becoming one of the worst wildfire months ever recorded. We discuss the fires sweeping Canada and Europe, hear from Fire Weather author John Vaillant, and explain how climate-driven "weather whiplash" is fueling larger and more destructive megafires.
Watch CBC Vancouver's full John Vaillant interview on Patreon for free:
https://patreon.com/cleanenergypod
California launches its new "My First EV" program, offering a $3,500 rebate to first-time electric vehicle buyers after the end of the U.S. federal EV tax credit.
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/electric-vehicles/california-rebate-ev-buyers
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Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media

Brian broadcasts from Montreal while James holds down the fort as the Clean Energy Show dives into another week of climate and clean energy news. This episode explores Canada's worsening wildfire seasons, Honda's surprising new AI-powered electric lawnmower, Europe's struggle to adapt to deadly heatwaves, and why it's now cheaper to take an electric taxi in China than drive your own gas car. Plus, former NOAA scientists resurrect U.S. climate data after government cuts.
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In this episode:
Brian reports from Montreal.
Honda unveils a $33,000 autonomous electric commercial lawnmower.
Why Canada's wildfire seasons are becoming larger and more destructive.
The surprising truth about lightning vs. human-caused wildfires.
Smoke from Canadian fires impacts air quality across North America.
Europe's heatwaves expose a long-standing reluctance to embrace air conditioning.
Alberta plans to end seasonal clock changes.
Why electric taxis in China now undercut the cost of driving a paid-off gasoline car.
Former NOAA scientists launch Climate.us after Climate.gov disappears.
The Lightning Round
Ukrainian attacks cripple over half of Russia's oil refining capacity.
Most Americans now connect extreme weather with climate change.
China's grid batteries can shift 21% of its solar generation.
CATL prepares mass production of sodium-ion batteries.
Contact Us
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Support The Clean Energy Show
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Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations.
Store
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Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.