Imagining the Future of Transportation: How Optimistic Should We Be?

The Energy Gang explores the changes underway in the auto sector—are they enough to dramatically cut fossil fuel consumption?

As the world awaits Elon Musk's master plan for Tesla, we provide a glimpse into America's master plan for transportation on this week's podcast.

Reuben Sarkar, the deputy assistant secretary for transportation at the Department of Energy, joins us to talk electric cars, natural gas cars, autonomous cars, car efficiency and how the public sector can make automotive innovation easier in the private sector. We ask him: How optimistic should we really be about what all the changes underway in the sector?

In the second half of the show, we’ll discuss the end of nuclear power in California. We’ll also ask about Sungevity’s novel approach to going public -- a worrying sign, or a clever way to raise money?

This podcast is sponsored by SolarEdge, a leader of the DC optimizer market and a leading supplier of inverters to the U.S. residential market.