Solar Energy

Grid Alternatives: Making Renewable Energy Accessible Around the World-PW085

Grid Alternatives Director of International Programs Jenean Smith is today’s guest on Planet Watch Radio. The vision of Grid Alternatives is a successful transition to clean, renewable energy that includes everyone, and its mission is to make renewable energy technology and job training accessible to underserved communities everywhere. On today’s program, find out about exciting • Read More »


Wind Turbines and the Forest Fires of August-PW079

Report on last summer’s forest fires in British Columbia, Canada, as well as a rebroadcast of an interview with solar and wind expert Chris Bley. Find out what’s new in the wind turbine industry that could be scaled up even farther and why this clean energy source could help solve some of our problems. Original • Read More »


Trump’s Solar Tariffs: Boon or Bane?-PW055

How will Trump’s tariffs on solar panels affect efforts to install millions of solar panels and fight climate change? Who are the winners and losers in this trade game? We’ll hear from Markus Beck CTO of Siva Technologies, a solar manufacturing firm in the Bay Area, and Antony Tersol, Principal at Applied Solar Energy in • Read More »


A Passive House That Uses 80% Less Energy-PW049

Chie Kawahara and Kurt Hurley designed their passive house to save tons of energy. Find out how they turned a 95-year old house into a modern energy saving miracle. And they did it without solar electricity! More at Midorihaus.com. Plus, what’s greener, fake or real Christmas trees? Alexis Navarro explores this vexing question.  Air Date: • Read More »


Off-Grid Solar Home Tour- PW027

A tour of an off-the-grid solar home in California with Bob Stayton, author and engineer, plus passive cooling of your home and homemade solar bread . Air Date: July 16, 2017 on  KSCO radio station AM1080 Power Shift: From Fossil Energy to Dynamic Solar Power is Bob’s new book, available on Amazon. Contact Radio Planet • Read More »


Solar Car Racing Champion – PW026

Solar energy! The sun can provide clean energy and can save you money. Find out from solar expert Jack Martin how he won a solar car race with a vehicle he built,  and why. Community College teacher “Sustainable Jack”, who has taught solar installation to thousands, discusses alternative energy and environmental issues on his show • Read More »


Micro-Hydro Power Guru Don Harris – PW013

Ever thought of making your own electricity in a nearby stream? We’ll talk with Don Harris, world-class guru on micro-hydropower and inventor of the Harris Hydroelectric Permanent Magnet Turbine about his experiences with these low-cost, high-return devices. Don lives up in the hills in the off-grid community of “Last Chance”, north of Santa Cruz, but • Read More »


California’s Environmental Policy – PW009

Governor of California Jerry Brown’s Senior Policy Advisor, Ken Alex, discusses how California will stay the course on the environment during the Trump era. Also an interview with David Auston, a researcher in the Institute for Energy Efficiency, and Director of the UC TomKat Carbon Neutrality Project at the University of California Santa Barbara. Austin • Read More »