This episode is part of our Skilled Labor Series hosted by MCJ partner, Yin Lu. This series is focused on amplifying the voices of folks from the skilled labor workforce, including electricians, farmers, ranchers, HVAC installers, and others who are on the front lines of rewiring our infrastructure.
Today, we're taking a slightly different spin. Instead of focusing on what it'll take to electrify homes, as we've heard in past episodes, we're talking about why it's currently not working as well as it should and the key barriers preventing us from moving faster on the home decarb adoption curve.
Many of you know our guest as Nate "the House Whisperer.” Nate Adams is a longtime HVAC insulation and sealing contractor who lives in West Virginia and describes himself as "a bit unusual in the climate community," coming from the right side of the political spectrum. And he is one of home electrification's fiercest and most consistent advocates.
Yin and Nate cover a lot of ground in this episode, including the dangers of positioning policy rebates and savings to consumers at the beginning of their purchase journey. We uncover that OEMs can convert most air conditioners in factories and warehouses into heat pumps, addressing the current market supply shortage, along with exploring the reasons behind the hesitation to do so. Finally, we discuss how going all-electric is not the solution that gets us to scale and that hybrid systems are the actual silver bullet. There are some controversial and counterintuitive bits coming up and if you want to ask Nate more questions after you listen, stay tuned for an upcoming AMA session with him on the MCJ Slack.
In this episode, we cover:
Get connected:
*You can also reach us via email at info@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
Episode recorded on Sep 13, 2023 (Published on Nov 15, 2023)
Get connected with MCJ:
*If you liked this episode, please consider giving us a review! You can also reach us via email at content@mcjcollective.com, where we encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.
Inside the World of Corporate Clean Energy Procurement
The Science of Startups with Activate's Cyrus Wadia
Startup Series: Unlocking Ammonia as Energy with Amogy
Reframing Nuclear Narratives with the Breakthrough Institute
Live from SF Climate Week with Senator Scott Wiener and Shashank Samala
Exploring NOAA with Chief Scientist Dr. Sarah Kapnick
Climate Change and Democracy with Ning Mosberger-Tang
Diving into Desalination with Peter Fiske, National Alliance for Water Innovation
Startup Series: Reclaimed Lumber with Urban Machine
From the White House to Climate Frontlines with Brandon Hurlbut
Kim Stanley Robinson on Climate, Capitalism, and the Human Condition
Quantum Solutions with Rigetti Computing
Skilled Labor Series: Eric Letvin, FEMA
Navigating Climate Emotions with Dr. Britt Wray
Exploring Material Science Startups with SOSV
Startup Series: Residential Geothermal with Dandelion Energy
The Science Moms' Guide to Climate Conversations with Kids
Startup Series: Gradiant
Sustainable Project Finance with Nexus PMG
Skilled Labor Series: Decoding HERS, the Key to Home Energy Efficiency
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The emPOWERed Half Hour
NABOR® TALKS
U.S Property Podcast
Aligned Money Show
The Ramsey Show
Planet Money