Reporter Akshat Rathi speaks to Eric Toone of Breakthrough Energy Ventures about what’s hype and what’s not in the world of energy startups. Breakthrough is one of the world’s biggest funders of early stage climate technologies and has poured billions of dollars in more than 120 startups. Toone weighs in on everything from carbon removal to the grid, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission, and green hydrogen.

Explore further:

• Past episode about Commonwealth Fusion System’s reactors
• Past episode about the drilling techniques employed by geothermal startup Fervo
• Past episode about the plethora of carbon capture startups
• Past episode about the energy startup trying to replace coal with a very cheap battery
• Past episode about TS Conductor’s approach to reconductoring
• Past episode with Bill Gates about the areas of the energy sector he’s investing in

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Sharon Chen, Ethan Steinberg, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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General Electric Co was officially founded in 1892, when several of inventor Thomas Edison's ventures were consolidated into one company. From then on, it was a behemoth. But now that’s changed: A break-up that began last year has concluded with GE splitting off into three separate companies. Scott Strazik is the CEO of GE Vernova, which focuses on wind turbines, nuclear power, and carbon capture, as well as grid solutions such as software and batteries. Strazik joins Zero to talk about how the company is in the "early innings of an investment super cycle," and how it intends to overcome difficulties in offshore wind.

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• Past episode about the grid and the march toward electrification
• Past episode about how Microsoft is squaring its AI growth with its carbon negative ambitions
• Past episode with BloombergNEF’s Jenny Chase about the goal of tripling renewables by 2030

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Will Mathis, Siobhan Wagner, Monique Mulima, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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It went well past the official deadline, late into the night – but finally, COP29 ended with a deal. Hardly anyone felt victorious. Back from Baku, reporter Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao why the agreed on New Climate Quantified Goal of $300 billion made both developed and developing countries unhappy, and he shares what heads of state and ministers from Denmark to Mauritania and Indonesia to Israel had to tell Zero about this year’s conference.

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• Past episode about COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev’s challenges in Baku
• Past episode about why climate finance fights were expected to dominate COP29
• Past episode with Brazil’s climate secretary about the country’s vision for COP30

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Siobhan Wagner, Sharon Chen, Jen Dlouhy, Alfred Cang, John Ainger, Natasha White, Will Kennedy, Rakteem Katakey, and Aaron Rutkoff. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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Plans are already underway for COP30 to pick up the baton-- and tackle COP29's unfinished business. Next year’s climate conference is set to take place in Belem, Brazil, a gateway to the Amazon rainforest. André Corrêa do Lago, Brazil’s Secretary for Climate, Energy and the Environment tells Akshat Rathi that although holding a global summit in Belem poses logistical challenges, the symbolism of the location holds “fantastic political power.”

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• Past episode about Azerbaijan’s challenges with hosting COP29 in Baku
• Past episode with Brazil's chief climate negotiator, Liliam Chagas, about the viability of a fossil fuel nonproliferation treaty
• Past episode with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, about his decision to attend COP29

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Simone Iglesias, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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At COP29 in Baku, Akshat Rathi is joined on stage at Bloomberg Green’s live event by Ali Zaidi, President Biden’s National Climate Advisor. Zaidi argues that it would be “economic malpractice” for the Trump administration to abandon the energy transition. Plus, veteran climate diplomat Jonathan Pershing explains why he believes global competition will result in an “acceleration of action” on green policy.

Explore further:

• Past episode with Ali Zaidi on the momentum generated by passing the IRA
• Past episode with California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna on what Trump’s election means for US climate policy
• Past episode with COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev on what would make this conference a success

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Jen Dlouhy, Sharon Chen, Siobhan Wagner, Ethan Steinberg, Blake Maples, and Jessica Beck. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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Climate leaders from around the world have convened in Baku, Azerbaijan for the UN’s biggest annual climate conference, COP29. And this year, it’s all about money.

Member nations are negotiating over how much responsibility rich countries have to finance the energy transitions of smaller economies. But larger global tensions loom over the proceedings — including the reelection of Donald Trump.

In this episode of the Big Take, Bloomberg’s senior climate reporter and host of Zero Akshat Rathi calls in from COP29 to update host Sarah Holder on the unfolding negotiations and how America’s new president-elect changes the conversation.

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Reporter Akshat Rathi sits down with ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods, who made his second-ever appearance at the United Nations climate conference. Woods made the case for why incoming US president Donald Trump shouldn’t exit the Paris Agreement, and should uphold the country’s monumental climate legislation passed under the Biden administration. It’s quite the tone shift for a company that has a well-documented history of sowing doubt about the dangers of global warming. Listen now, and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube to get new episodes of Zero every Thursday.

Explore further:

• Past episode about what’s at stake at COP29 in the aftermath of President Trump’s election
• Past episode about the infamous fossil fuel lobbyist Don Pearlman and his role in the COP process
• Past episode with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi on why its green goals are good for business

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks to Kevin Crowley, Jen Dlouhy, Siobhan Wagner, Aaron Rutkoff, Jessica Beck and Ethan Steinberg. Thanks also to the Atlantic Council, the International Chamber of Commerce and Uve Sabirowsky. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

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Zero is in Baku, Azerbaijan, where delegates and heads of state from around the world have gathered for COP29. Can a petrostate make a summit on decarbonization a success? And how much will the election of President Trump damage the US’s credibility on climate– and set negotiations back? Akshat Rathi tells producer Mythili Rao what’s in store in the two weeks ahead, and COP29 President Mukhtar Babyaev explains how Azerbaijan is trying to make the summit a success, despite concerns that NGOs and protesters will have limited access to the proceedings. Plus, Columbia University’s Jason Bordoff explains how the US’s role in climate diplomacy is about to change.

Explore further:

• Past episode with Avinash Persaud about the big fights about finance expected at this COP
• Past episode about a play dramatizing COP3, the 1997 Kyoto summit
• Past episode about the achievements of COP28 in Dubai

Zero is a production of Bloomberg Green. Our producer is Mythili Rao. Special thanks this week to Siobhan Wagner, Blake Maples, and Ethan Steinberg. Thoughts or suggestions? Email us at zeropod@bloomberg.net. For more coverage of climate change and solutions, visit https://www.bloomberg.com/green.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.