Hosted by: Ed Whittingham, renowned climate expert and policy advocate
Guests: Ken Caldeira, Senior Scientist at Breakthrough Energy; David Keith, founder of Carbon Engineering and professor at the University of Chicago
ESG News Podcast Review: Scrubbing the Sky – Episode 2
Reviewed by Matt Bird, CEO of ESG News
Scrubbing the Sky is the definitive podcast series focused on the urgent global effort to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, detailing the technology, innovation, and investment behind this critical climate solution. In season one, host Ed Whittingham guides listeners through the evolution of Direct Air Capture (DAC), offering insider perspectives on the breakthroughs and challenges shaping the industry’s future.
In this second episode, listeners are taken behind the scenes of Carbon Engineering, the innovative Canadian cleantech startup that captured the attention—and investment—of tech billionaire Bill Gates and oil giant Occidental Petroleum. Host Ed Whittingham expertly unpacks the strategic moves that transformed DAC from a laboratory concept into a large-scale climate solution.
Key Highlights:
- From Classroom to Big Investment: Discover how physicist David Keith turned academic experimentation into a compelling business case, convincing Bill Gates to make a groundbreaking investment in DAC.
- Occidental’s Big Bet: Learn why Occidental Petroleum sees Direct Air Capture as central to its future, investing in the world’s largest DAC plant—Stratos—in the Texas Permian Basin.
- Game-changing Discoveries: Hear firsthand how an unexpected collaboration with the Discovery Channel led to critical technological breakthroughs at Carbon Engineering, drastically improving the economic viability of DAC technology.
What makes this episode essential listening is its clear-eyed exploration of DAC’s commercial and environmental potential, balancing hope for technological breakthroughs with pragmatic discussions around scalability, cost, and the ethical complexities of partnering with fossil fuel giants.
For ESG investors, policymakers, and sustainability leaders, Episode 2 provides crucial insights into the evolving landscape of carbon removal—a technology now emerging as a cornerstone of global climate strategy.
Rating: 5/5
Smart, strategic, and thought-provoking. Episode 2 confirms Scrubbing the Sky as a must-listen podcast at the forefront of climate innovation.
Special Mentions: Scrubbing the Sky podcast was Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts
WATCH EPISODE 1 – Carbon Removal: Engineering Earth’s Cooling | Klaus Lackner & David Keith
Related article: Scrubbing the Sky Podcast: Episode-1 – Carbon Removal: Engineering Earth’s Cooling
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