It was a hell of a way to start the 2020s in Australia: scorching summer heat and wildfires so bad they created their own weather systems; thousands of people stranded on beaches along the southeast coast on New Year’s Eve; a prime minister slow to respond to the crisis but quick to dismiss climate change.

This week on The Energy Gang, a look at the bushfires in Australia — their impact to the country, to the grid and to climate politics.

Then, a big change could be coming to a foundational federal policy in the U.S. Are the proposed changes to PURPA a thoughtful response to market conditions and cheap renewables, or just a political play?

Finally, we learn to code. Joe Biden is the latest Democrat to push the idea that laid-off miners should learn to code. Why did it spark so much derision?

Recommended reading:

  • The Atlantic: Australia Will Lose to Climate Change
  • GTM: FERC Proposal Brings New Threat to Already-Suffering PURPA Solar Markets
  • Gizmodo: Biden Tells Miners to Learn to Code

This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more. 

This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic Insurance levels the solar playing field so that project developers can offer the same electricity savings to small and medium businesses that were once reserved for the largest companies in the U.S. Think of it like an easy button for commercial solar. Find out more.