Hardware to Save a Planet
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Our planet is warming at an unsustainable rate. This climate crisis is being caused by humans and it will take human ingenuity to stop or reverse it... Hardware to Save a Planet explores the technical innovations that are giving us hope in the fight against climate change. Each episode focuses on a specific climate challenge and explores an emerging physical technology solution, with the person bringing it into reality. Hosted by Dylan Garrett, Head of Climate Tech Business at Synapse.
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6 days ago
Sustainable Solutions for Energy-Efficient and Affordable Housing: Insights from Chris Anderson, CEO of Vantem
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet. Today, Dylan is joined by Chris Anderson, CEO of Vantem, a company that delivers cost-effective, climate-resilient, energy-efficient homes at scale. Chris is based in Greensboro, North Carolina, in America.
Join them as they discuss how Vantem's proprietary panel technology simplifies construction and improves energy efficiency. They delve into the importance of affordable housing and how Vantem’s approach reduces costs. The conversation also touches on the magnitude of the housing shortage and the role of innovative companies in addressing climate change.
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Nov 9, 2023
Driving Sustainability Through Reforestation: A Conversation with Adrien Pages, Co-Founder and CEO of MORFO
Welcome to this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, today Dylan is joined by Adrien Pages, Co-Founder and CEO of MORFO, a company that has developed a unique technology for large-scale ecological restoration of forest ecosystems.
Join them as they discuss the importance of reforestation, the challenges faced, and the mission to restore one million hectares of land by 2030. Adrien deep dives on the technology and hardware of MORFO’s solution and the scalable impact in recovering degraded land. Join them in taking action for a better future.
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Oct 26, 2023
Scalability, Sustainability, and Cost Efficiency in Direct Air Capture (DAC) for CO2 Removal with Julian Turecek of AspiraDAC
Welcome back! Join Dylan and Julian Turecek, CEO of AspiraDAC, in this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet and explore the exciting world of direct air capture (DAC) technology and its potential for CO2 removal from the atmosphere.
Julian shares his insights on the energy requirements, challenges, and cost-effectiveness of DAC. Discover AspiraDac's innovative approach of integrating renewable energy supply with capture technology and how they use metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as carbon absorbent materials.
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Oct 12, 2023
How a User-Installable Heat Pump Can Decarbonize Apartment Buildings: Insights from Vince Romanin, CEO of Gradient
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan welcomes Vince Romanin, CEO of Gradient, a company that plans to revolutionize the HVAC industry while protecting the environment.
Join us as we discuss how window-mounted heat pumps will revolutionize the cooling industry with a climate-friendly solution. Learn how eliminating refrigerants protects the ozone layer and how adopting heat pump technology can reduce your home's carbon footprint. The podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in innovative and sustainable solutions to combat climate change.
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Sep 28, 2023
Robots to Reclaim Lumber: Bringing Circularity to the Construction Industry with Andrew Gillies from Urban Machine
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan welcomes Andrew Gillies, Co-Founder and CTO at Urban Machine, a company focused on converting wood waste into premium lumber products.
Join us as we delve into Urban Machine’s sustainability drive of protecting virgin lumber in forests using robots and sustainable power to reclaim and recycle wood waste into value-added lumber products. Learn more about the company’s business model and the hardware behind the solution. Listen to the episode and get inspired to positively impact the planet by finding your own tangent in the climate space.
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Sep 14, 2023
Reframing Aluminum As a Sustainable Energy Source: Insights from Peter Godart, Co-Founder and CEO of Found Energy
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan welcomes Peter Godart, Co-Founder and CEO of Found Energy, a company that turns aluminum into a source and carrier of carbon-free energy that competes with fossil fuels on price and energy density.
Join us as we delve into Found Energy’s innovative approach to generating carbon-free energy while tackling waste and recycling challenges and explore the potential of using aluminum as a sustainable energy source. Discover how Found Energy aims to revolutionize energy storage using recycled aluminum and reframing the aluminum supply chain.
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Aug 31, 2023
Using Efficient Heat Pumps to Cut CO2 Emissions with Paul Lambert, Founder and CEO of Quilt
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Paul Lambert, Founder and CEO of Quilt, a company making ductless heating systems that use electric heat pumps and don’t burn fossil fuels, hence cutting CO2 emissions by up to 50%.
Join us as we delve into the world of home heating and cooling with ductless heating systems that use electric heat pumps and are 4X more efficient. Discover how Quilt’s heat pumps can reduce CO2 emissions and significantly impact the environment. Explore how Quilt addresses efficiency and emission issues by creating a distributed system with individual room temperature control. Gain insights into how our everyday choices can have a positive impact on sustainability.
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Aug 17, 2023
Turning Plants into Living Sensors: Making Farming More Sustainable with Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Shely Aronov, Founder and CEO of InnerPlant. This Agritech company turns crops into living sensors for a triple win of improving biodiversity, impacting climate change, and improving agricultural yields.
Join us as we cover multiple touchpoints around how addressing agricultural inefficiencies positively impacts climate change. Listen to the podcast to learn how satellite imagery, hyperspectral cameras, and collecting genomic data can help detect plant health and reduce chemical usage for a cleaner and greener environment. Learn how InnerPlant is overcoming the challenge of balancing agricultural yield with social impact and environment sustainability.
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Aug 3, 2023
Decarbonizing Heating and Housing Spaces: A Conversation with Jane Melia, Co-Founder and CEO of Harvest
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Dr. Jane Melia, Co-Founder and CEO of Harvest Thermal, a company providing heating solutions for your home that cuts your carbon footprint by 90% while cutting a third of your energy bill.
Join us as we take a closer look at Harvest’s innovative solution that reduces your home's carbon emissions by using heat pumps and thermal batteries to deliver heating and hot water using clean and affordable electricity. Dr. Jane also touches on comfort benefits, load shifting, and partnerships that make Harvest Thermal's system accessible and impactful.
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Jul 20, 2023
Improving Wastewater Treatment to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Patrick Kiely, CEO of Sentry
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Patrick Kiely, CEO of Sentry, a biological activity and water quality monitoring sensor platform. The conversation pivots around improving wastewater treatment in the context of climate change. We discuss the importance of reliable water quality data to optimize the water treatment process and how Sentry's sensor platform measures the health of bacteria in wastewater environments. Patrick also highlights the potential of wastewater treatment plants to become net-positive energy generators through the use of biogas.
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Jul 6, 2023
Using Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement for Carbon Removal with Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Mike Kelland, CEO of Planetary. The company has an award-winning solution to implement Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE) for removing one billion tonnes of atmospheric CO2 by 2045. Join us as we delve into enhancing ocean alkalinity, the potential benefits of reducing ocean acidity, and the challenges faced in addressing climate change. This engaging conversation offers valuable insights into the urgent need to protect marine ecosystems and the potential of clean technologies in combating climate change.
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Jun 22, 2023
Using Insect Farming for a Sustainable Supply of Protein for Feedstock with Paul Hillmann, CTO at ENTOCYCLE
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Paul Hillman, CTO at Entocycle, one of the UK’s leading providers of insect farming technology to provide a sustainable supply of protein. They discuss the potential of using black soldier flies as a sustainable source of protein for animal feed, as well as the importance of working with nature and biology to create sustainable solutions.
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Jun 8, 2023
Using Cooling Towers to Scale Atmospheric CO2 Removal with Silvain Toromanoff, Co-Founder and CTO of NeoCarbon
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Silvain Toromanoff, Co-Founder and CTO of NeoCarbon. Silvain’s company offers an energy-efficient and scalable solution to use waste heat from millions of cooling towers worldwide to remove atmospheric CO2. Listen to the podcast to learn more about Silvain’s solution, what makes it energy efficient and scalable, NeoCarbon’s business model, and the hardware being built for the DAC (Direct Air Capture) solution.
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May 25, 2023
Moving the Needle on Decarbonizing Eight Gigatons of Atmospheric CO2 by 2050 with Luke Shors, Co-Founder Capture6
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Luke Shors, Co-Founder of Capture6. This company offers a novel and scalable direct air capture (DAC) solution for removing atmospheric carbon dioxide. This solution will help move the needle toward the IPCC goal of removing eight gigatons of atmospheric CO2 by 2050. Listen to the podcast to learn more about the challenges in the DAC space, a deep dive into Luke’s solution, and the future of the DAC industry.
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May 11, 2023
Decarbonizing Industrial Heat with John O’Donnell, CEO at Rondo Energy
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by John O’Donnell, CEO of Rondo Energy, a company with the vision to help the world’s most energy-intensive industries achieve zero carbon emissions. The company has developed a patented battery that uses wind and solar power to deliver zero-carbon energy at a lower cost than ever. The Rondo Heat Battery provides a safe, practical, efficient, and affordable supply of continuous industrial heat and power. Rondo reduces operating costs while eliminating emissions - and is available at scale today.
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Apr 27, 2023
Building the Rails to Eliminate Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles with Manuela Zoninsein, CEO and Founder at Kadeya
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Manuela Zoninsein, CEO and Founder at Kadeya. This company offers sustainable solutions by reimagining the entire supply chain of water bottles while pivoting away from single-use plastic bottles. Manuela explains how her company has developed a vending machine that recycles, sanitizes, and refills customized water bottles made from recycled glass and stainless steel. This eliminates single-use plastic bottles and reduces the carbon emissions from the manufacture and distribution of water bottles by over sixty percent.
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Apr 14, 2023
Groundbreaking Solutions for Reducing Plastic Pollution and Improving Ocean Health with Doug Woodring, Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Recovery Alliance
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Doug Woodring, Founder and Managing Director of Ocean Recovery Alliance. They discuss the importance of healthy oceans for biodiversity and greenhouse gas reduction, plastic pollution, and how the Ocean Recovery Alliance organization adopts innovative thinking, technologies, creativity, and partnerships to establish new initiatives and scalable prospects for enhancing the oceans' well-being.
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Mar 30, 2023
Intelligent Dumpsters and Sustainable Waste Disposal with Ben Chehebar, VP of Hardware at RoadRunner Recycling, and Jason Gates, Senior VP of Strategy at RoadRunner Recycling
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Ben Chehebar, VP of Hardware at RoadRunner Recycling, and Jason Gates, Senior VP of Strategy at RoadRunner Recycling, for a free-flowing discussion on Ben and Jason’s solution of making waste disposal more sustainable and cheaper. The concept was ideated at their start-up Compology, where they installed sensors in dumpsters to measure how full the dumpster was so that the disposal agencies would have to make fewer trips. This was a positive step towards making waste disposal more efficient, also reducing the carbon footprint of the trucks clearing the dumpsters. RoadRunner Recycling has recently acquired Compology.
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Mar 16, 2023
Upgradable, Durable, and Greener Laptops for Reducing Co2 Emissions with Nirav Patel, Ceo and Founder of Framework
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Nirav Patel, CEO and Founder of Framework. This startup makes durable laptops that are 100% upgradable and repairable while remaining aesthetically on par with top-of-the-line laptops. A longer use life means lower production volumes and lower CO2 release from the manufacture and distribution of the laptops.
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Mar 2, 2023
The Three Buckets of Water Conservation with Kim Baker, Senior Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Kim Baker, Senior Director of Innovation at Elemental Excelerator, a non-profit startup accelerator that works with companies at the intersection of climate and social justice, supporting entrepreneurs with innovative ideas and functional prototypes. Kim explains today's water management problem and the steps required for sustainability. She shares details of three companies addressing different aspects of the problem. She also mentions that funding applications for Cohort 12 investments open on March 13th.
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Feb 16, 2023
Mitigating Wildfire Risk to Reduce CO2 Emissions with Bret Richmond, Director of Engineering at C6 Forest to Farm
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Bret Richmond, Director of Engineering at C6 Forest to Farm. They discuss wildfires and their impact on climate change and an intelligent solution that benefits both the planet and agriculture. Bret shares the plan to convert biomass to biochar to sequester carbon and use the biochar to enrich the agricultural soil. Removing biomass from the forest makes the forest fire adaptable and reduces the incidence of wildfires.
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Feb 2, 2023
Retrofitting a Billion Cars to Hybrid EVs to Impact Climate Change with Tom Gurski, Founder and CEO of Blue Dot Motorworks
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Tom Gurski, Founder and CEO of Blue Dot Motorworks, a startup in the sustainability space that has developed technology to convert everyday light vehicles like cars and SUVs to hybrid EVs. Thereby yielding a positive impact on climate change and sustainability.
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Jan 19, 2023
Cloud-managed Irrigation Valves to Mitigate the Water Crisis with Devon Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of Lumo
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Devon Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of Lumo, a California-based Agtech company providing an irrigation system that offers a wireless, cloud-managed water valve network, enabling growers to conserve groundwater while improving crop quality and reducing overhead costs.
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Jan 5, 2023
Cherry Picking the Top 8 Insights on How You Can Contribute Towards Reversing Climate Change with Dylan Garrett
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan kicks off 2023 by asking his guests from 2022 a straightforward question, “What advice would you give to someone who wants to do something about climate change?” Dylan then picks out eight of the most inspiring, relevant, and actionable responses for the episode.
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Dec 22, 2022
Using Smart Fishing Nets to Sustain Biodiversity and Support Fishers with Dr. Jennifer Blain and Dr. Jesse Senko of ASU
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by two professors from ASU, Dr. Jennifer Blain Christen and Dr. Jesse Senko, to discuss an innovative solution for maintaining biodiversity in our oceans by using solar powered submersible LED lights to reduce fishing bycatch and protect endangered species like sea turtles and whales while supporting the business of fishers around the globe.
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Dec 8, 2022
At the Threshold of Greener and Cheaper Electric Motors for EVs with Robert Sansone, Young Innovator and Winner of the Regeneron ISEF Award
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Robert Sansone, a young innovator, a high school student, and the winner of the prestigious Regeneron ISEF award for best innovation by a high school student. Robert shares his journey of inventing a greener electric motor for electric vehicles that don’t use rare earth magnets.
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Nov 24, 2022
Re-Engineering Chemical Production for Carbon Dioxide Removal with Dr. Laura Lammers, Founder and CEO of Travertine
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Dr. Laura Lammers, Founder and CEO of Travertine. They discuss a novel process for generating carbon-negative sulfuric acid that uses sulfate waste from the industry as an input.
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Nov 10, 2022
Transforming CO2 Into an Ally in the Fight Against Climate Change with Claudio Spadacini, Founder and CEO of Energy Dome
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Claudio Spadacini, Founder and CEO of Energy Dome, to discuss the revolutionary technology Energy Dome develops for large-scale and long-duration grid energy storage.
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Oct 27, 2022
Clean Hydrogen on Demand with Max Mankin, CTO and Co-founder of Modern Electron, and Mothusi Pahl, Vice President of Business Development at Modern Electron
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Max Mankin, CTO and Co-founder of Modern Electron, and Mothusi Pahl, Vice President of Business Development at Modern Electron, join Dylan Garrett to discuss an innovative technology that decarbonizes natural gas use by converting gas to clean hydrogen at the point of use without CO2 emissions.
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Oct 13, 2022
3D electrodes for Next Generation Batteries with Moshiel Biton, CEO and Co-founder of Addionics
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Moshiel Biton, CEO and Co-founder of Addionics, to discuss Addionics' 3D battery technology that significantly improves battery performance regardless of the chemistry.
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Sep 29, 2022
Re-imagining the Future of Packaging with Insiya Jafferjee, Co-founder & CEO at Shellworks
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Insiya Jafferjee. They discuss the role Shellworks plays in reimagining sustainable alternatives to plastic use cases. They delve into unique and environmentally beneficial product concepts and designs used by Shellworks to address the issue of plastic waste holistically and contextually.
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Sep 15, 2022
Developing an Environmentally-Friendly and Fish-Saving Hydropower Turbine with Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Abe Schneider, Co-founder and CTO of Natel Energy, to discuss how the company has developed a new hydropower turbine model, which allows the safe passage of fish in already existing hydropower plants.
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Sep 1, 2022
Capturing Semi-Truck CO2 Emissions Directly From the Tailpipe with Paul Gross, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Remora
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Paul Gross, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Remora, to discuss the technology behind Remora's new device that captures at least eighty percent of a semi-truck’s carbon emissions directly from the tailpipe.
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Aug 18, 2022
Innovative Waste Recycling: AI and Robotics with Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Areeb Malik, Co-founder of Glacier. They talk about what occurs at recycling facilities and how Glacier is enhancing them using AI and robots to help foster a circular economy.
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Aug 4, 2022
Tackling Environmental Issues Through Revolutionary Air Conditioning Technology with Daniel Betts, CEO & Founder of Blue Frontier
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Daniel Betts, CEO and Founder of Blue Frontier, to discuss the revolutionary and energy-efficient air conditioning technology Blue Frontier is developing to tackle environmental issues.
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Jul 21, 2022
The Future of Geothermal Energy Generation with Carlos Araque, CEO & Co-founder of Quaise
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Carlos Araque, CEO and Co-founder of Quaise. Carlos discusses geothermal energy as the only renewable energy source capable of fulfilling the future energy demands of the human species with the greatest efficiency. He dives into the structure and operation of geothermal energy technology, the methods, challenges, and approaches.
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Jul 7, 2022
A Sustainable Approach to Direct Air Capture with Noah McQueen, Head of Research & Co-Founder of Heirloom
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Noah McQueen to discuss Heirloom’s sustainable approach to direct air capture (DAC). They discuss leveraging carbon mineralization as a climate solution with the hope of removing a billion tons of carbon from the air by 2035. They further discuss the challenges to DAC, the voluntary market, and why this type of climate technology is difficult to deploy at scale.
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Jun 23, 2022
The Waste Management Industry with Jeff Satwicz, Co-Founder of Bigbelly
In today's episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Jeff Satwicz, Co-Founder of Bigbelly. They discuss the Bigbelly startup experience, from identifying a product fit and a sustainable approach for proper waste management. They delve deep into how technology and data can greatly improve the waste management industry.
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Jun 9, 2022
Transforming Wind with Erika Boeing, CEO & Founder of Accelerate Wind
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Erika Boeing, to discuss the start-up journey of Accelerate Wind, from identifying a product fit and a suitable business model for growth to the future of Accelerate Wind. They delved into how Accelerate Wind evolved into having an efficient approach to generating wind energy with rooftop turbines. Through their patent-pending powertrain approach that uses intermediate energy storage in a compact flywheel to lower the cost of wind turbine power electronics, Accelerate Wind generates wind energy for commercial and industrial applications.
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Jun 9, 2022
Putting Oil Back Where It Belongs with Peter Reinhardt, CEO & Co-Founder of Charm Industrial
In this episode of Hardware to Save a Planet, Dylan is joined by Peter Reinhardt, CEO and Co-Founder of Charm Industrial. Peter talks about his company, its evolution, and approaches to championing the call to save the planet by converting biomass into a liquid, which can then be pumped back underground for permanent storage. Charm Industrial calls this "putting oil back where it belongs".
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Jun 7, 2022
Trailer
Our planet is warming at an unsustainable rate. This climate crisis is being caused by humans and it will take human ingenuity to stop or reverse it... Hardware to Save a Planet explores the technical innovations that are giving us hope in the fight against climate change. Each episode focuses on a specific climate challenge and explores an emerging physical technology solution, with the person bringing it into reality. Hosted by Dylan Garrett, Head of Climate Tech Business at Synapse.
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