Eco-Logic Podcasts – 2024

A Reader Salute

In this final issue, EcoNet News, V26 #12, 12/30/2024, Ted reminisces on the past 40 years of publishing his monthly newsletter. He shares his optimism in regards to the future, and his clear perspective on society – as a collective intelligence and vision – having all the solutions needed to address current environmental issues. He also reports on zinc-ion batteries, floatovoltaics, EV charging networks deployed across the country and much more.

Matthew Halteman on Ethical Food Choices

Matt Halteman and Ted discuss Matt's new book, Hungry Beautiful Animals: The Joyful Case for Going Vegan, and how he aims to shift how people view the process of going vegan, framing it as a joyful opportunity rather than an obligation.

Charles Hua on Modernizing the Electric Utility Regulatory System

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Charles Hua, Founder and Executive Director of PowerLines, a new nonprofit organization aiming to modernize utility regulation to accelerate affordable, reliable, and clean energy for American consumers.

EV Road Tripping!

In EcoNet News, V26 #11, 11/29/2024 Ted highlights his birthday trip to Vegas to see the Eagles play at the Sphere and shares his EV road tripping travelogue, hitting Zion National Park, Bryce, and Death Valley on his longest battery electric trip yet. This issue also include stories on Ann Arbor, Michigan's Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU), BYD topping Tesla in EV sales and more.

Kameale Terry on Creating a Reliable EV Charging Infrastructure

Kameale Terry is co-founder and CEO of ChargerHelp!, a cutting-edge tech company launched in 2020 that tackles the issue of inoperable electric vehicle charging stations. Under her leadership, ChargerHelp! has raised over $21 million, amassed the nation’s largest dataset of EV service work orders, and services stations across 17 states.

Climate Resolve Series, Part 3, with Jonathan Parfrey on Leading Climate Advocacy in LA

Jonathan Parfrey is Founder and Executive Director at Climate Resolve, LA's leading climate advocacy organization, committed to local climate solutions to reduce greenhouse gases and improve the lives of Angelenos. Among other things, Jonathan discusses LADWP's challenges for reaching 100% carbon free electric delivery by 2035, especially the potential for using green hydrogen in peaker plants

Curt Johansen on Building Conservation Communities

Curt Johansen is a pioneer in conservation communities. He is the Development Director for Triad Communities, President of Council of Infill Builders, and has dedicated years to blending economic growth with environmental preservation. In his own words, he is advancing the art of finding balance between environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic prosperity.

Big and Small Solar

InEcoNet News, V26 #10, 10/31/2024, Ted highlights EcoMotion's solar work onsite in the Central Valley conducting an inspection at a massive utility-scale installation. He compares the really large with the really small, marveling at the simplicity of balcony solar in Germany. Other stories include Australian rooftop solar, Scandinavian heat pumps at scale, bi-directional EV charging and more.

Barry Cinnamon on the Evolving Political Landscape Influencing the Future of Distributed Solar in California

Barry Cinnamon is CEO of Cinnamon Energy Systems, a leading residential and commercial contractor providing solar, storage, heat pumps, and electrification services, and host of the Energy Show Podcast. He is a long-time advocate of renewable energy and is widely recognized as a solar power and battery system industry leader.

Richard Hansen on Universal Energy Access Using Solar

Richard Hansen is Senior Consultant and President of both Soluz, Inc & Soluz Honduras. Richard founded Soluz Inc., a Massachusetts corporation in 1993, and then established Soluz in Honduras in 1994 to commercialize solar for rural electrification. He is a pioneer in the application of solar technology combined with micro-finance to increase energy access in rural areas of Honduras, having introduced solar technology in the country starting in 1989 under a contract with the U.S. Department of Energy.

Dr. Robert Kay on a Climate-Resilient, Low-Carbon Future

Dr. Robert Kay is Founder of 319Climate, a boutique consulting and innovation firm dedicated to accelerating the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient and equitable future. Robert is an international climate expert with a mission to spearhead initiatives that foster a climate resilient, low-carbon future.

Climate Resolve Series, Part 2, with Enrique Huerta on Extreme Heat Vulnerability

Enrique Huerta is Legislative Director at Climate Resolve. Enrique brings strong skills in policy analysis and collaboration-building to the organization, focusing on climate change, adaptation, and resilience to champion equitable climate solutions. He is a master of building collaborations, doing the work on the ground, knocking on legislators’ doors, often with parties who have different agendas.

Sailing the Maine Coast

EcoNet News, V26 #9, 9/30/2024includes Ted Flanigan's perspective on AI purveyors, like Microsoft and Oracle, seeking nuclear power solutions for their data centers, and questions whether this path is the best way to power AI, his travelog of his second round of sailing the Maine Coast and more.

Maria Cho on Sustainably Addressing Food and Healthcare Insecurity

Maria Cho is CEO of Triplebar, a biotech firm using advanced technology to tackle the urgent issues of food and drug supply. She leads a team in a mission to heal and sustain people and the planet by removing a key bottleneck in the bioeconomy. This is being achieved with a proprietary screening platform to accelerate and innovate food and pharma product discovery.

Tucker Perkins on Why Propane is Important to a Carbon-Free Future

Tucker Perkins is President and CEO of the Propane Education & Research Council. He is an energy expert with four decades of experience in the liquid and renewable fuels industry and a frequent keynote speaker to national and international audiences on energy topics and a commentator for major media outlets such as the Schwab Network. His "wide path" perspective embraces an array of pragmatic solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Open Streets

EcoNet News, V26 #8, 8/30/2024 highlights the Open Streets movement, with a goal to transform streets into public spaces open to all, as well as a plan to build the world’s biggest battery in the State of Maine, the Johan Cruyff Arena's ability to run a soccer match entirely on sustainable energy and more.

Climate Resolve Series, Part 1, with Catherine Baltazar and Lia Cohen on Creating Cool Communities

Catherine Baltazar is Policy Analyst and Organizer, and Lia Cohen is Coordinator for Climate Planning and Resilience at Climate Resolve, a nonprofit organization based in Los Angeles, building collaborations to champion equitable climate solutions such as the Baldwin Hills Community Resilience and Access Plan, the South LA Eco-Lab Transformative Climate Communities grant, and others.

Brian Thurston on Environmental Entrepreneurship

Brian Thurston is an environmental entrepreneur, currently serving as a Sustainability Solutions Sales Director at APTIM, an environmental solutions firm. He's also worked as a Senior Advisor for multiple companies and nonprofits in the environmental sector, focusing on business development and strategic partnerships. His background is in business development and consulting – utilizing innovation and technology to build multi-disciplinary networks to attack big problems at scale.

Linking High-Speed Rail

EcoNet News, V26 #7, 7/31/2024 highlights two high-speed rail projects coming to Southern California, ZIPs (zero-emission vehicle implementation plans), ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles), hemp, South Australia nearing 100% net wind and solar and more.

Andy Lipkis on Trees and Forming Communal Bonds to Heal the Environment

Andy Lipkis is Founder of TreePeople and served as President for five decades. He is currently a Project Executive at Accelerate Resilience LA (ARLA). Andy is a pioneer of urban and community forestry, urban watershed management, and urban climate resilience, dedicating his life to healing the environment while improving the lives of individuals and communities.

Michael Gerrard on Environmental and Climate Change Law and Energy Regulation

Michael Gerrard, from Columbia University, is the founder and faculty director of the groundbreaking Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, and one of the foremost environmental lawyers in the nation. Michael is an advocate, litigator, teacher, and scholar who has pioneered cutting-edge legal tools and strategies for addressing climate change.

Mary Nichols on Battling Smog

In this Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Mary Nichols, who served as the chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for a total of 18 years. During her leadership at the CARB, California became a national leader at developing clean energy and clean transportation solutions that many other states and nations have adopted. Mary is widely recognized for a career as one of the world’s most important environmental regulators.

Steve Lewis on Equity in Architecture

In this follow up Convo of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Steve Lewis, Urban Design Principal with the Portland-based firm, ZGF Architects. Steve brings a wealth of experience across urban planning and design, most notably holding a post with the City of Detroit where he served as the Design Director for the Central Region of Detroit’s Department of Planning and Development.

Escape from Alcatraz!

EcoNet News, V26 #6, 6/29/2024 presents highlights from Ted's trip to San Francisco to cheer on Matlock, daughter Kristin’s boyfriend who was competing in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. He also reports that renewables provided more than 30% of all U.S. electrical generation in the month of April and much more.

Sean Neman on Breaking Through the Barriers to Solar in California

Sean Neman is Founder and CEO of Cal Solar Inc. Cal Solar Inc. which proudly delivers reliable, full service renewable energy solutions for new construction, existing buildings, and retrofit projects throughout California. To date, they have successfully completed 600+ large-scale renewable energy projects, 200+ prevailing wage projects, and worked within 13 electric utility territories throughout the state.

The Clothing Glut and Seaweed Textiles

EcoNet News, V26 #5, 6/3/2024 features highlights from Ted's trip to the land of enchantment, Sante Fe, New Mexico, to visit his daughter Sierra who is living there. He also highlights the global clothing glut, seaweed clothing, South Korea's solar bike path, streetlight-mounted EV chargers and more.

Beth Pratt on Coexisting with Wildlife in Urban Spaces

Beth Pratt is Regional Executive Director of the California Regional Center of the National Wildlife Federation. She is a lifelong advocate for wildlife, and has worked in environmental leadership roles for over twenty-five years. Although most of her career has been spent in national parks, she shares that her main conservation priority is now focused on urban wildlife conservation and creating coexistence strategies within urban spaces.

Ingrid Malmgren on the Transition to Electrified Transportation

Ingrid Malmgren is Senior Policy Director at Plug in America, a nonprofit organization with a mission to accelerate the transition to affordable and accessible plug-in vehicles and charging through education, advocacy, and research. Ingrid has over a decade of experience advancing sustainable energy and transportation electrification through research, utility regulatory proceedings, and legislative advocacy.

Jack Groh on Greening NFL Events and Sports Sustainability

Jack Groh is Director of Environmental Programs for the National Football League (NFL). He is also the Senior Vice President of Strategy for Legacy Sustainability, an independent consultancy that he and his wife, Susan Groh manage to develop and implement climate mitigation and adaptation strategies around major sporting events. Jack and Susan have been minimizing the environmental impacts of major sports events for 30 years, including the NFL’s major special events.

Greg Kats on Improving Urban Livability

Greg Kats, Founder and CEO of the Smart Surfaces Coalition, a non-profit organization promoting the adoption of urban "smart surfaces" to improve urban livability. He is also a businessman, environmentalist, played substantial roles in developing the clean energy and green building industries, and is a long-time thought leader and investor in the transition to a low carbon economy.

GETs, Green Ammonia, The EV Tipping Point

EcoNet News, V26 #4, 4/30/2023 includes a report on the global awareness of the severity of climate change, and its connection to human rights. The issue also highlights the landmark ruling by the European Court, which faulted Switzerland for violating human rights provisions, and affirmed that the climate crisis is a human rights crisis and much more.

Jesse Moore on Microfinancing and Pay-As-You-Go Solar in Africa

Ted Flanigan and co-host, Russell Sturm, speak with Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder at M-KOPA, the world leader of affordable "pay-as-you-go" financial services for low-income customers based in Africa. Since commercial launch in 2012, M-KOPA has connected, provided, and served over 3 million customers to affordable off-grid distributed solar systems.

Mike Rufo on Melding Environmental Activism and Musical Passions

In this Earth Day Special of Flanigan’s Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Mike Rufo, Musician and Energy / Climate Policy Consultant and Activist. Mike has had a long and distinguished career working with energy efficiency and modelling, as well as resource planning and cost effectiveness evaluations.

Jacquelyn Francis on Finding, Funding, and Elevating Climate Leaders

Jacquelyn Francis, is Founder and Executive Director of the Global Warming Mitigation Project (GWMP) which contributes to decarbonizing the planet by identifying innovative climate leaders and deploying resources to advance solutions. It comprises three interconnected programs that work together to address the funding, capacity building, and visibility challenges changemakers face.

Liz Clark on a Sailing Voyage to Find a Connection to Herself and the Planet

Captain Liz Clark is a surfer, sailor, environmentalist and author of SWELL, a memoir published by Patagonia which chronicles her voyage sailing 20,000 nautical miles of ocean. The book shares tales of sailing in high seas, of solitude and surprises, but also of hardship and difficulties she faced both within herself and in the outside world, ultimately finding a connection to the earth and commitment to living in harmony with it.

Margaret Cederoth on Planning and Sustainability at California High-Speed Rail

Margaret Cederoth is Director of Planning and Sustainability at California High-Speed Rail Authority. She is an urban planner with more than two decades of global sustainable infrastructure delivery, rail system planning, design, and construction, and land use/ transportation planning experience. Margaret's expertise is with complex transportation infrastructure projects, as well as international urban development throughout North Africa and the Middle East.

Diet, Happiness, Dancing

EcoNet News, V26 #3, 3/28/2024 reported that there are 1.5 billion people worldwide that are vegetarians and goes on to highlight the 2024 World Happiness Report, a new study that finds dancing to be the best form of exercise to combat depression, Shell closing 1,000 gas stations, and more - including Ted's big news: Feedstock has listed Flanigan’s Eco-Logic as one of the Top 15 Sustainability Podcasts in California.

Paul Gipe on the Wind Energy Industry

Paul Gipe, is an author, advocate, and analyst of the renewable energy industry. He's a world renowned wind power expert, and has written extensively about the subject for the past four decades. Gipe is well known for his frank appraisal of the promise and pitfalls of wind energy, including his stinging critiques of internet wonders and the hustlers and charlatans who promote them.

Dr. Rick Brown on Independent Clean Energy Consulting

Dr. Rick Brown, is Founder and Chairman of the Board at TerraVerde Energy, an extraordinarily accomplished independent clean energy consulting firm representing school districts, public agencies, and commercial enterprises. TerraVerde supports their clients with the design and deployment of clean energy projects and programs that reduce costs, increase resiliency, and enhance sustainability.

Dr. Fereidoon P. Sioshansi on Integrating Distributed Energy Resources Into the Grid

Dr. Fereidoon P. Sioshansi, President of Menlo Energy Economics, a consulting firm based in San Francisco, California. With over 35 years of experience in the electric power sector, he advises clients on strategies to respond to the rapid transformation of the energy sector, including utilities, energy intensive industry, innovators, start-ups and companies engaged in the electricity delivery supply chain.

Ted and Sierra Flanigan's Clean Energy Crash Course: Mini Series on International Travels, Part 3

In this episode Ted and Sierra Flanigan conclude the clean energy crash course mini series focusing on Ted's international travels. Part 3 focuses on Ted's work and tours in the Philippines, Sweden, Germany, Spain, and concluding with Iceland. They dive into the context for each trip, and discuss lessons learned.

Solar is Surging

In EcoNet News, V26 #2, 2/29/2024 highlights the surge in utility-scale solar across the US and California's progress towards its 100% clean energy target and much more.

Ted and Sierra Flanigan's Clean Energy Crash Course: Mini Series on International Travels, Part 2

Ted and Sierra Flanigan build on the first episode of this three-part series, which focused on Ted's international travels in the 80s. This episode focuses on the 90s beginning with his work with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).

Ted & Sierra Flanigan's Clean Energy Crash Course: Mini Series on International Travels, Part 1

Father-daughter duo, Ted and Sierra Flanigan host the clean energy crash course mini series focusing on Ted's international travels. In this episode he and Sierra reminisce on Ted's works in Canada in the James Bay area around 1985 and the huge hydro Quebec Electric projects there.

Dr. Ahmad Faruqui on Utility Rate Design and Strategies

Dr. Ahmad Faruqui, is an energy economist whose distinguished career working with electric utilities encompasses expert rate design, demand response program structures, the integration of distributed energy resources into the grid, demand forecasting, decarbonization, electrification and energy efficiency, and load flexibility.

The Times They Are a'Changing

In EcoNet News, V26 #1, 1/31/2024 Ted shares his love for Repair Cafes, 2023's EV highlights, 2023's growth in renewable energy and more.

Chris Calwell on Transformational Changes in Energy Use and Efficiency

Chris Calwell is an internationally recognized expert operating at the intersection of the technologies and policies needed to address climate change, particularly in the fields of energy storage, electric vehicles, and renewable energy. He is Adjunct Professor of a graduate course on International Renewable Energy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, CA and a Principal at Ecos Research, focusing on clean energy technologies and their transformation in our society.

Bill Browning on Biophilic Design

Bill Browning is one of the green building and real estate industry’s foremost thinkers and strategists, and an advocate for sustainable design solutions at all levels of business, government, and civil society. He is Founding Partner of Terrapin Bright Green, a sustainability consulting firm that helps governments, corporations, and complex real estate projects meet sustainability goals that lead to the improved health and well-being of employees and ecosystems, as well as the enhanced performance of their products and systems.

Bryan Jackson on Residential Solar System Service and Repair Solutions

Bryan Jackson, is Vice President of Sales for EnergyAid, a leading provider of high-quality service, maintenance, tune-ups, and system evaluations for residential solar customers. EnergyAid bridges the gap and offers dependable assistance, ensuring residential solar investment operates at its peak.

Gareth Evans on Navigating the Energy Transition

Gareth Evans, is CEO and Founder of, VECKTA, a platform and team of experts that accelerate and simplify the deployment of onsite energy solutions for businesses globally. He is an expert in microgrid and distributed energy planning and design, construction and monitoring.

Russell Sturm on Sustainable Energy Market Development

Russell Sturm is an innovator in the field of sustainable energy market development. Today, his primary focus is on supporting the development of the next generation of students and young professionals who will carry forward his vision of universal energy and clean water access enabled by a global economy built on a foundation of sustainable technology.