An Electric Revolution
An Electric Revolution is a podcast about how the world is being transformed by clean energy. Each episode dives into the stories behind today's shift, from the history of past energy revolutions to the minerals shaping our future. The host also offers a newsletter, Volt Insight on Substack, for more context and analysis on the geopolitics of clean energy.
Episodes
The Aluminium Crisis Nobody Saw Coming
Aluminium prices are at a four-year high, up more than 25% this year, as war in the Middle East and a blocked Strait of Hormuz choke off nearly a quarter of the world's seaborne metal supply. In this episode, Henry Sanderson speaks with Paul Adkins of AZ Global Consulting about the structural shortage reshaping the aluminium market: which Gulf smelters have been knocked out, why a bombed plant
China's Rare Earth Weapon: Inside the 'Mineral War' with Tomasz Nadrowski
China currently holds an unprecedented grip on the critical minerals and rare earth magnets that power our future—from EVs to wind turbines. As export restrictions tighten, is the West finally moving from "strategic competition" into an actual war footing?In this episode, host Henry Sanderson sits down with Tomasz Nadrowski, a New York-based fund manager and author of the new book, Miner
Why Can’t The World Quit Coal?
We are burning more coal than at any point in human history — more than during the Industrial Revolution, and more than during the global energy crisis of the 1970s.Global coal demand likely rose by 0.5% last year to a record 8.85 billion tonnes, according to the International Energy Agency, driven largely by China.This is happening despite the rapid reduction in the cost of solar panels, wind tur
Unlocking Chile’s Lithium: Boric’s Legacy and the Future of Supply
Chilean President Gabriel Boric is nearing the end of his term. One of Boric’s signature achievements was his National Lithium Strategy — an effort to open new areas for lithium production and reshape how Chile manages one of the world’s most important critical minerals.I’m joined by Ignacio Mehech, CEO of CleanTech Lithium and formerly Country Manager for Albemarle in Chile. Ignacio offers an ins
Bill Gates-backed Mantle8 and the race for natural hydrogen
Hydrogen is the universe’s oldest and most abundant element. The clean energy discussion has centered on “green hydrogen”—manufacturing it using renewable electricity. But what if the earth itself held vast, untapped reserves of pure, naturally occurring hydrogen, ready for us to tap into?In this week’s podcast I speak to Emmanuel Masini, known as Manu, a geologist and the CEO of Mantle8, a compan
China’s Battery Export Curbs and the Future of LFP
China has introduced new export license rules for advanced lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials—potentially restricting global EV and clean energy supply chains. In this episode, I speak with Dan Blondal, CEO of Nano One Materials, one of the few companies outside China developing LFP technology. We discuss what the new rules mean for the market, China’s head start in high-density LFP, a
9. Is the West Losing the Uranium Race?
In a world buzzing with talk of AI and data centers, nuclear power is back in the spotlight.But behind the headlines lies a complex and often overlooked market: uranium. In this episode, I speak with Nick Clarke, founder of Curzon Resources — one of the world’s largest uranium traders — about how the market is evolving as nuclear power returns to the global stage.Clarke explains why he expects the
8. The UK's EV Charging Revolution — From Home to Grid
Home charging has transformed the economics of owning an electric vehicle in the UK.With smart overnight tariffs, it can cost as little as £6 ($8) to fully charge your EV at home — compared to more than £20 at a public charger.The next frontier is even more exciting: using your car’s battery not just for driving, but to power your home during peak hours and even support the wider electricity grid.
7. How mining for clean energy is sparking opposition — a conversation with Thea Riofrancos
How do we reconcile the need to move away from fossil fuels with the need for new mines to build clean energy technologies?Thea Riofrancos, Associate Professor of Political Science at Providence College, explores this dilemma in her new book Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism.The book focuses on lithium — the metal at the heart of batteries for electric vehicles. Traveling through Chile
6. How Solar Energy Became Cheap — with Gregory Nemet
Why did it take more than 60 years for solar to go mainstream—and how did it get so cheap?In this episode, I explore the global history of solar energy with Gregory Nemet, professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and author of How Solar Energy Became Cheap.Greg reveals how solar’s stunning price drop—from over $100 per watt for a solar modulee in the 1970s to under 10 cents today—wasn’t dr
5. The Rare Earth Reckoning: How China Won the Supply Chain War
In this episode, I speak with David Abraham, author of The Elements of Power, about the enduring vulnerabilities in Western supply chains for rare earth elements and magnets, which are used in electric vehicles and wind turbines. Nearly a decade after his book warned of the consequences of China’s control over these resources, Abraham reflects on how little has changed — and why.We explore how Chi
4. A Wind Turbine on Every Farm: How Wind Power Shaped 1930s America
In the 1930s, fewer than 10% of U.S. farms had electricity. One solution? Small wind turbines.My guest, Brandon Owens—author of The Wind Power Story—explores how wind power brought electricity to rural America long before the grid. We dive into the story of the Jacobs Wind Electricity Company, which delivered over 30,000 turbines to farms across the country. Known as the “Cadillac of the trade,” o
3. Did the Kidnapping of a Solar Pioneer in 1909 Set Back Solar Power?
This week we are talking about the life of George Cove, a Canadian inventor and entrepreneur. Born in Nova Scotia in 1863 or 1864, Cove presented his first “solar electric generator” in 1905 in the Metropole Building in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He then moved to the US to continue work on his solar device. In 1909 he exhibited four solar panels on a New York rooftop, which were used to charge lead-aci
2. How Poul la Cour Launched Denmark's Wind Power Dominance
Denmark is a global leader in wind energy, with Danish company Vestas standing as one of the world’s largest producers of wind turbines. Wind power accounts for around 58% of Denmark’s electricity—the highest share among OECD countries, according to Ember.But how did Denmark rise to this level of dominance? The roots of the country's wind power success can be traced back to history, specifical
1. Charles Brush – America's Wind Power Pioneer
In 1888, a tall wind turbine in the backyard of a grand mansion on Cleveland's Euclid Avenue caught the attention of many. To most passers-by, it seemed like an unusual curiosity—perhaps the toy of a wealthy man. But this was no ordinary decoration. It was the pioneering work of Charles Brush, one of the first people to harness wind power for generating electricity.Brush's wind turbine had 144 woo
