by Yafu Zhao, Head of Climate Fintech, New Energy Nexus China.

Dunhuang Solar Power Station, Gansu Province, China. (Photo Credit: Darmau Lee)

Blockchain will emerge as key development in climate fintech in 2022, mainly due to the boom of distributed renewable energy projects, such as residential solar and the tracking of supply chain carbon emissions data.

Spurred by the central government’s 2060 carbon neutrality goal, there has been a rapid increase in distributed renewable energy projects in China, but blockchain tech can help banks unlock even more opportunities.

Distributed solar used to be the most under-banked area of renewable energy, especially for residential solar. For banks, the cost of performing due diligence is high, and they find it challenging to manage and properly measure the risks associated with these projects. For instance, it takes almost the same amount of effort to evaluate a 50kW project compared to  a 1MW project because an  in-person inspection is usually required. And in addition, banks lack proper tools to control the risks of data manipulation in power generation, which is why many hesitate to finance distributed solar projects and charge higher interest compared to utility scale projects. 

Climate fintech, especially blockchain technology, however can go a long way in resolving these challenges. Electricity-generation data, for instance, can be collected by sensors connected to the solar panel, which can then be stored on the blockchain – a decentralized network that ensures the authenticity and immutability of data. Banks can then access this data on a regular basis to measure the performance of these projects, preventing the risk of fraud and saving inspection costs. Such data can also be used should a bank decide to sell its residential solar loan to another financial institution, therefore improving the efficiency of such financial transactions. 

Given the booming distributed solar market in China and other parts of the world, we predict that the adoption of blockchain technologies for distributed climate finance will increase in 2022. 

In 2021, distributed solar PV represented 53.4% of total installation, which was up from 32.2% in 2020 (source here, in Chinese). Residential solar demonstrated the fastest growth in 2021:  21.5 GW of residential solar was installed, an 115% increase from 2020.

This trend is likely to continue in 2022 for four reasons: 

1. Demand for solar is expected to be enormous this year as prices for materials in the solar supply chain are expected to drop (due to the increase of production capacity, in particular polysilicon).
2. The unit cost of installing a residential solar PV project is lower than that of a utility scale project because less construction is required and the higher electricity price from end users can offset installation costs;
3. Residential solar is still entitled to subsidies in some provinces in China compared to  utility-scale solar which no longer enjoy subsidies;
4. The market has been accelerated by the National Energy Administration (NEA)’s notice regarding county-level trials of distributed solar power generation designed to boost rooftop solar capacity. 

Supply chain carbon data tracking is another factor driving the adoption of blockchain technology. Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are low-hanging fruits for carbon emission calculation, but Scope 3 emissions, which includes complex upstream and downstream emission data, require calculation by more advanced technologies [1]. 

The European Union will impose carbon tariffs on selected carbon-intensive imports  from 2026, which means that there is an added urgency for exporters to track carbon emissions in supply chains. In this context blockchain tech will help enhance the traceability, transparency and accountability of carbon emission data, just as it has for distributed renewable energies. For multinational corporations such as Apple and L’Oréal who have pledged to reduce their emissions, blockchain technology will help them monitor carbon emissions in their supply chains. An additional benefit: emission data stored on the blockchain is immutable and transparent, which helps prevent greenwashing in climate finance. Banks can therefore easily identify climate-friendly projects and clearly estimate the impacts of their green loans. 

As CEO of Rivtower, Shawn Wang said: “Blockchain can significantly reduce the friction cost of transactions and enhance the efficiency of a sustainable finance network.”. Rivtower is currently providing services for China Merchants Bank (CMB). 

Keep an eye on this space if you’re an investor or keenly follow China clean energy and technology space, and reach out if you want to partner with us.

For more information: check out this Webinar with Shawn Wang (in Chinese) with CEO of Rivtower. For more climate fintech stories and applications, please download the New Energy Nexus Climate Fintech Report or contact us at hellochina@newenergynexus.com

[1] Definition of Scope 1, 2, 3 by “The Greenhouse Gas Protocol”: Scope 1: Direct GHG emissions; Scope 2: Electricity indirect GHG emissions; Scope 3: Other indirect GHG emissions. https://ghgprotocol.org/sites/default/files/standards/ghg-protocol-revised.pdf

What are the unique challenges and hurdles women face to become clean energy entrepreneurs? What needs to be done to break down these structural barriers? And what advice do other women in the clean energy ecosystem have for up and coming talent? We asked some experts around the world at New Energy Nexus.

Only 20% of global startups are led by women (2019), while women represent only 32% of the workforce in the renewable energy sector. 

The challenges are social, cultural and financial…

In the United States, female founders remain far behind their male counterparts in raising venture capital. According to an article published by Bloomberg: “Female founders secured only 2% of venture capital in the U.S. in 2021, the smallest share since 2016 and a sign that efforts to diversify the famously male-dominated industry are struggling.” This means that women need to find alternate means of raising the funds to support the development and commercialization of their innovations. 

‘’Considering these hurdles, incubators, accelerators and other government programs are working hard to deliver funding, education and resources at the right time to female entrepreneurs to close this gap. NEX is on the forefront of this mission, seeking to provide critical support to a diversity of entrepreneurs so that they can be successful despite lack of venture capital funding.’’ – Tenley Dalstrom, Director at CalTestBed (our California program)

Mia Perez of Solarwise PH, a startup that offers a centralized one-stop online platform linking solar customers, installers & suppliers, supported by NEX Philippines.

In the Philippines and India, the socio-cultural conditioning and gender biases significantly disadvantage women in business, especially in the energy sector, which is perceived to be a male-dominated industry. Another challenge is the lack of strong women role models in the industry to look up to or engage with as mentors.

”There are still informal and social myths and constraints that women face which can stem from lack of strong women role models in energy entrepreneurship to societal expectations that women are less likely to bear harsh working conditions’’ – Brenda Valerio, NEX Philippines Program Manager 

In Uganda, some of the main challenges faced by female entrepreneurs are related to access to training. Most women entrepreneurs hesitate to start clean energy enterprises due to beliefs that they should have expertise in manufacturing and repairing clean energy products. They are unsure of the requirements by financial institutions and ways in which they can access financing for energy related businesses. This has resulted in the under-representation of women at all levels in the energy sector. 

‘’Financial structural impediments to gender equality translate into barriers to access investment capital. Most financial institutions require assets for one to access credit, yet in the past women were denied property ownership rights to their father’s assets which limits their access to credit’’ – Mackline Banaga, Program Analyst at ENVenture (powered by New Energy Nexus)

Heather Hochrein, Founder and CEO of EVmatch, said “This Rapid Response grant will immediately strengthen EVmatch’s ability to sustain our community-based EV charging network and grow our network at multi-family residential properties throughout California.”

How does NEX support women entrepreneurs?

A 100% clean energy economy for 100% of people requires us to rebalance the scales of power and money: shifting resources to support innovation where it’s needed most, empowering those traditionally excluded from the start-up ecosystem, and focusing on clean energy adoption as much as clean energy innovation. That’s why striving for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion is fundamental to our mission.

The New Energy Nexus California Programs, CalSEED and CalTestBed, support women and entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities, via an “equity in – equity out” framework. Both programs are committed to ensuring diverse communities across California have the opportunity to participate in the development and implementation of their clean energy solutions. To achieve this goal, the teams actively conduct targeted outreach to ensure that the applicant pool is representative of all Californians. Entrepreneurs are also encouraged to explore innovative ways to bring equitable and impactful clean energy solutions and opportunities to California’s most disadvantaged populations.

NEX California was also awarded a Wells Fargo/National Renewable Energy Lab IN2 Rapid Response grant to support underrepresented entrepreneurs affected by the covid-19 pandemic who contribute significant social impact. The awardees for these grants were female founders who each received US$15,000 non-dilutive grants, networking, and professional development that helped them survive the challenges posed by the pandemic. ‘

In the Philippines, NEX events are designed to incorporate safe spaces where everyone can voice their opinions and insights. The team constantly seeks feedback from the participants on how they can be better supported and create more impact. 

Saikrishna Mohanty of Solar Infra, a startup supported by NEX India in partnership with Climate Collective

NEX India supports aspiring women graduates and university students to take up entrepreneurship in clean energy and energy access through a unique startup simulation approach. NEX India also runs early stage accelerator programs for women-led startups in clean energy and energy access to bridge knowledge gaps, build business literacy, build networks and increase confidence to scale up.

‘’NEX India has built an integrated approach to run programs that support a higher number of women to take up entrepreneurship in clean energy and energy access. They support women-led startups in early stages to build capacity and ensure diverse pipelines’’ – Jui Joshi, NEX India Program Lead, Women in Energy Entrepreneurship

ENVenture, powered by New Energy Nexus offers women entrepreneurs business management training, mentorship and coaching programs aimed at improving their business acumen skills and giving them practical experience to run sustainable energy enterprises in the last mile. An effective a loan product has also been designed with women in mind, to address traditional impediments of access to capital. 

‘’We prioritize women and create an environment for them to start sustainable businesses by providing them renewable energy stock loans, cash to boost, accelerate, and grow their clean energy businesses. For instance, 70% of our enterprises in our program are women-led’’ – Robert Birungi, Head of Credit at ENVenture, powered by New Energy Nexus

What advice do you have for women entrepreneurs with a clean energy idea or want to create a startup?

Rose Juliet Tabu, a clean energy entrepreneur selling cookstoves and solar supported by NEX in the Bidi refugee settlement in West Nile.

The three pieces of advice were repeated by experts from across New Energy Nexus:

• Build your network: join professional organizations that are focused on your field, participate in webinars, networking events, make contacts, and follow up.
• Nurture a team of mentors and champions: It is important to build these relationships through authentic interactions, rather than transactional requests. Make sure you bring something to the table instead of only asking for help.
• Know your stuff: Make sure that you understand what problem your innovation is solving, the stakeholders involved, your product-market fit, the details of your technology, impact goals, technology readiness level and next steps toward commercialization.

According to the World Bank Gender performance indicator report (2013), women perform better in loan repayment as compared to their male counterparts. They should believe in themselves and be confident enough to acquire credit to start clean energy businesses. Also, one doesn’t necessarily need the technical expertise in manufacturing and repairing clean energy products to run a successful clean energy business, just basic business literacy and understanding of business models is essential. Thus women should step up and start up clean energy businesses being at the forefront of increasing energy access. 

If you’re a woman entrepreneur with a clean energy or climate  innovation waiting to take off, get in touch and check out our programs around the world!

by Nivisha Shah, Global Impact Manager at New Energy Nexus

“By combining technology and social engineering, our goal is to make electricity access as easy as buying milk in a corner store” Olugbenga Olubanjo, CEO of Reeddi, a startup supported by NEX.

A 100% clean energy economy for 100% of people requires us to rebalance the scales of power and money: shifting resources to support innovation where it’s needed most, empowering those traditionally excluded from the start-up ecosystem, and focusing on clean energy adoption as much as clean energy innovation.

That’s why striving for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (or “JEDI” for short) is fundamental to our mission. It’s also close to my heart since before I started working at NEX three months ago as the global impact manager.

To find and support diverse entrepreneurs around the world, we need to get savvier about our own blindspots and our own assumptions. So, we started in 2022 by organizing our first JEDI week, where we invited JEDI experts and brainstormed our strategy to achieve JEDI goals. 

Here are five major insights that I’ve observed and we’ve committed to acting on:

1. Committing to looking inwards

Every journey starts from within. To see the change in the world, we will first need to build a solid foundation by looking within and digging deeper to find our own “Why?” It was rather a humbling experience to see my colleagues reflect on their privileges and share their experiences dealing with systematic barriers. Although this process required them to be vulnerable, their commitment to the work was evident as they looked within to find their “WHY”.

2. Adopting a global perspective 

Being a global organization and committing to supporting underrepresented communities in their entrepreneurial journey will require a lot of intentional work to understand each geography’s JEDI needs. New Energy Nexus has committed to using a global perspective in its JEDI work by ensuring global representation on its JEDI council; however, there is still a lot more work to be done to ensure the process is equitable and that it is not driven purely from the Western perspective.

3. Using a JEDI lens for decision making

JEDI decision-making must be part of our DNA. We have committed to start our journey by defining what JEDI means to us both at the country and the global level. For us to empower entrepreneurs from underrepresented and underserved communities, we need to continue to build trust with our stakeholders. We start by preparing our leadership and teams with tools and coaching to build their emotional intelligence (EQ), practice empathy, recognize and manage their biases, and lead with curiosity. Only then will we be able to provide space for entrepreneurs to be their authentic selves and trust us to have their best interests in mind.

NEX has started this already. We’ve adopted an “Equity In Equity Out” model in our CalSEED and CalTestBed programs in California, which aims to ensure that traditionally excluded communities across California fully participate in the development and implementation of clean energy solutions and we encourage entrepreneurs to explore innovative ways to bring equitable, clean energy solutions and opportunities to our most vulnerable populations. To that end, we have partnered with the Greenlining Institute and other social and environmental justice organizations to ensure our programs champion equitable outcomes and opportunities for a diverse range of entrepreneurs.

NEX has also joined as a signatory to the international Equal by 30 initiative for gender equality, joining 13 countries and more than 100 organizations in supporting equal pay, equal leadership, and equal opportunities for all.

We absolutely recognise that we need to do more to scale this even further across our organization. 

4. Cultivating a culture of viewing challenges as opportunities

Mistakes are inevitable but what is essential is that we commit to learning from our mistakes. 

Our JEDI journey will have challenges varying from defining what JEDI means to us to figuring out ways to be authentic to our values while working with systems and organizations that might not align with our JEDI goals. We won’t know how to overcome these challenges until we try without the fear of failing. I know that this work will be a learning experience – it won’t be a straight path towards a goal. This requires introspection and consistently revisiting our “WHYs”. 

The sessions during the JEDI week brought to my mind a quote from meditation teacher and practitioner, Barry Gillespie: 

“The path isn’t a straight line, it’s a spiral. You continually come back to things you thought you understood and see deeper truths”. 

We will aim to put learning as the focus through this journey.

5. Measuring success 

Last but not least is where my heart truly belongs, as Impact Manager at NEX: measuring success. 

I was excited to see that we are going beyond planning our JEDI journey and committing to measuring our success. I consider this a step further because we also commit to holding ourselves accountable by committing to measure. This reminds me of what David, our appreciative inquiry workshop facilitator said:

“What we ask determines what we find, what we find determines how we talk, how we talk determines how we see our future and how we see our future determines what we create”. 

To create an equitable, inclusive and diverse space for our entrepreneurs and the communities they serve, we will need to ask the right questions and hold ourselves accountable throughout our journey. 

We are committing ourselves to funding, resourcing, and holding ourselves accountable so that JEDI isn’t just an afterthought, but continues to be a critical part of the way we operate. 

We know that doing so will mean we are building a better place to work, but also better equipping ourselves to deliver on our mission to support even more climate entrepreneurs.

HRH PRINCE WILLIAM, MARY ROBINSON, ADAM MCKAY, KATY MILKMAN, IMOGEN HEAP AND MORE JOIN THE LINE-UP FOR NEW AUDIBLE ORIGINAL PODCAST, CLIMATE OF CHANGE WITH CATE BLANCHETT AND DANNY KENNEDY

Launching today, the series showcases the ground-breaking work being done around the world to tackle the biggest environmental challenges facing humankind

LONDON – April, Thursday 14^th 2022 – Audible, a world-wide leader of spoken-word entertainment, has today announced a line-up of inspirational innovators, activists and thought leaders, including His Royal Highness Prince William, Mary Robinson, Adam McKay, Katy Milkman, Imogen Heap, Rutger Bregman, Jeraiza Molina, Agamemnon Otero, Becky Paisley and more, as part of the Audible Original podcast series, Climate of Change with Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy, launching exclusively on Audible today. 

Across six episodes, listeners will hear long-term friends, award-winning actor, producer and environmental advocate, Cate Blanchett and climate entrepreneur and activist, Danny Kennedy, explore eco-anxiety and optimism. Leaning into Danny’s experience in clean energy, the pair raise awareness of the emerging technological revolution that’s offering hope in the face of the unfolding climate crisis. Throughout the series, Cate and Danny speak directly to visionaries and trendsetters who are making innovative strides to turn the tide on climate change, from the Navajo Nation in Arizona to the Australian Outback.

Prince William joins Cate and Danny in Episode 2 “The Disruptive Decade” to give an exclusive update about his ambitious Earthshot Prize since the first winners were announced last year. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’, which united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental Prize and platform to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking eco-solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. A special extended cut of Prince William’s interview in Episode 2 is available to listen to on YouTube where His Royal Highness discusses the positive innovations the Prize has already highlighted and the progress being made to support and scale their global impact. 

Joining the wider Climate of Change line-up of guests are other recognisable names, including Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up); Grammy award-winning electronic music artist Imogen Heap, who composed the soundtrack to the series alongside biologist, wildlife television presenter & documentary filmmaker Dan O’Neill; and founder of the Green Carpet Challenge, filmmaker and environmental and social justice activist Livia Firth. All three join Cate and Danny in the final episode of the series “Culture of Change”, which spotlights film and the wider arts, to ask how the industry can really make a difference through storytelling and beyond. 

Listeners can also expect to hear from some of today’s most important climate crisis thinkers, including social historian Rutger Bregman (Humankind: A Hopeful History), former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and author and professor, Katy Milkman (Behaviour Change for Good). Climate of Change also travels to the Navajo Nation in Arizona to uncover how renewables are helping systematic problems in the region; to the Atacama Salt Flats in Chile, where lithium extraction is wreaking havoc; and to Australia where ground-breaking Drone Stringing technology is seeking to transform the lives of many without access to power. 

And when it comes to practical innovations on the ground, UK listeners will discover pioneering work being done on home soil, where initiatives in Sunderland and Cornwall have joined the frontline of the fight, thanks to the UK’s first Gigafactory and the reignition of sustainable mining for minerals used in rechargeable batteries. Providing insight and conversation that explores the psychological and the practical, Climate of Change celebrates the ground-breaking work being done across the globe.

Co-hosts and co-creators of Climate of Change, Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy said: “Climate innovations are disrupting how the world operates in incredible ways, but this progress is not yet fast enough, nor is it spread equally around the world. We already have a lot of the technology we need – like solar and batteries – to keep the world under 1.5˚C and stave off the worst impacts of climate change. What we need now are more climate innovators all around the world coming up with bundles of solutions and spreading them at speed. That’s why we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on some of these innovators in this podcast.”

The Audible Original podcast was created and produced by Dirty Films, in association with StoryHunter, for Audible. The podcast is available to listen to now exclusively at http://www.audible.co.uk/climateofchange 

For more information, please contact Camilla Mosley at Audible, cammosc@audible.co.uk 

Episode Descriptions

Episode 1: “The Sooner the Better” finds our hosts and long-time friends Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy talking about Cate’s eco-anxiety and we learn why Danny is ever-the-optimist. We get advice from former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson about how to become “prisoners of hope”.  Social historian Rutger Bregman tells us why we should be more positive about humankind and we travel to The Philippines to meet entrepreneur Jeraiza Molina who is bringing clean energy to night fisherfolk.

Episode 2: “The Disruptive Decade” Cate and Danny chat with HRH Prince William about his ambitious Earthshot Prize and hear about some of the ground-breaking solutions from the 2021 Earthshot Finalists and Winners. Other guests include economic thought leader and author Tony Seba and Agamemnon Otero, who is transforming communities and train platforms across London.

Episode 3: Cate and Danny explore the “Collective Urge” to harness the power of the sun over the ages. Navajo Power is using utility scale solar to give the Navajo Nation access to electricity and an economic future in their native lands.  We pick apart how solar energy generation may be a force for social good if we can embrace change.

Episode 4: In “Collective Action” Cate and Danny meet some of the innovators changing the way we use, move and store energy. And author and inventor Saul Griffith leads the call to ‘electrify everything’ in order to build back better.

Episode 5: Ever heard the phrase “Boring as Batteries”? Danny will attempt to convince Cate that batteries are the lynchpin of our future fairer planet, and at the heart of a global renewable revolution.

Episode 6:  Cate’s beloved film industry comes under the spotlight in “Culture of Change” as she and Danny delve into the role the creative arts play when telling the story of climate change. Can films, literature, art, fashion and music really make a difference? They speak to director Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up), artist Luke Jerram (Gaia), fashion activist Livia Firth and musician Imogen Heap.

Full series guest list and contributors:

• Mary Robinson – Former president of Ireland and currently Chair of Nelson Mandela’s “Elders” – Ireland
• Rutger Bregman – Social historian and author of Humankind: A Hopeful History – Netherlands
• Jeraiza Molina – Co-founder of Shiftech Marine, Philippines (NB English v/o to be re-recorded) – Mindanao
• Prince William – Earthshot Prize finalists and winner updates from:
  • Vidyut Mohan, Co-founder and CEO, Takachar (India)
  • Olugbenga Olubanjo, CEO, Reeddi (Nigeria)
  • Dr Katherine Dafforn, Co-leader, Living Seawalls (Australia)
• Tony Seba – thought leader, academic and author of Clean Disruption of Energy & Transportation
• Energy Gardens – tackling fuel poverty with renewables and democratizing the energy system – London
• Andrew Birch – Solar expert, founder of solar design software OpenSolar – Devon
• Navajo Power – Clean energy on tribal lands, SW USA
• Katy Milkman – Behavior Change for Good Initiative – Expert on the scientific methods could change behavior around climate crisis
• OhmConnect – Residential energy demand response company, California
• Infravision – Drone power line stringing, providing energy to hard-to-reach places, based in Australia 
• Renewell – Transforming abandoned oil wells and fracking sites across the US
• Saul Griffith – Thought leader, founder of Rewiring America and author of Electrify Everything, San Francisco
• Thea Riofrancas – Political science Professor, focusing on resource extraction in Chile
• Owen Mihalop, Cornish Mining – low impact mining 
• Becky Paisley, Cornish Lithium – extracting high grade lithium to fuel green tec
• Sunderland, Gigafactories – battery production at an enormous scale and job generation
• Kari Estrevag, Hydrovolt – Electric car battery recycling, Norway
• Imogen Heap – Music artist, composer and producer and created soundtrack for Climate of Change
• Dan O’Neill – Wildlife television presenter & documentary filmmaker
• Luke Jerram – Multi- disciplinary artist, creator of Gaia
• Livia Firth – Founder of the Green Carpet Challenge
• Adam McKay – Film director “Don’t Look Up”

About Audible

Audible, an Amazon company, is a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day.  Audible.co.uk content includes more than 700,000 audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals. Audible has millions of members around the world who subscribe to one of 10 localised services designed for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US. Audible members download nearly 4 billion hours of content annually and listen across a wide range of supported devices.

About Dirty Films

Dirty Films is an independent film, television and podcast production company, whose partners are Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton and Coco Francini. The company has a first look deal with FX Productions for television projects, and with New Republic Pictures for feature films. Dirty Films executive produced Christos Nikou’s APPLES, which was named one of 2020’s Best International Films by the National Board of Review. It was also Greece’s official submission for the Best International Feature for the Academy Awards. Blanchett and Francini produced the 10-time EMMY-nominated MRS AMERICA for FX, which was named one of 2020’s Best Television Shows by the American Film Institute. Dirty Films also produced the 13-time AACTA-winning series STATELESS for Netflix, which Blanchett also co-created, in addition to executive producing the feature documentary BURNING from director Eva Orner for Amazon. Other film credits include CAROL, TRUTH, LITTLE FISH, and THE TURNING. Upcoming film projects include: A MANUAL FOR CLEANING WOMEN with director Pedro Almodovar; THE CHAMPIONS with director Ben Stiller; and QUEEN BITCH AND THE HIGH HORSE with Directors Bert and Bertie.

About Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is an internationally acclaimed, Academy award-winning actor, producer, artistic director, and humanitarian. She is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and a lifetime member of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Blanchett is also a strong supporter of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and received a Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos for her work with UNHCR. In 2012, Blanchett was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. She has presided over the festival juries in Cannes (2018) and Venice (2020). She has received Honorary Doctorates of Letters from the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, and Macquarie University as well as the Companion of the Order of Australia in the General Division in recognition of her continued advocacy for the arts as well as humanitarian and environmental causes. Currently, Blanchett is in pre-production for the Apple series “Disclaimer” directed by Alfonso Cuaron, in which she will star and executive produce. Most recently, Blanchett wrapped production for the Todd Field-directed feature TAR, in which she will also star and executive produce, as well as Del Toro’s PINOCCHIO for Netflix. She can now be seen starring in Guillermo Del Toro’s NIGHTMARE ALLEY for Searchlight Pictures, as well as Adam McKay’s film for Netflix, DON’T LOOK UP. Alongside Andrew Upton (with whom she was co-CEO and Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2008 – 2014), she is the co-Founder and Principal of film and television production company Dirty Films.

About Danny Kennedy 

Danny Kennedy is the CEO of New Energy Nexus (NEX), the world’s leading ecosystem of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs. Since 2004, NEX has accelerated over 600 clean energy startups, supported over 3000 entrepreneurs, and leveraged over US$1.5 billion in investment. NEX started in Silicon Valley and now operates in China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Uganda and the USA – a global clean energy solutions movement.

Danny is also Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund, and is an advisor to clean energy companies in Australia, China, Kenya, the Philippines, USA and elsewhere. Danny co-founded Sungevity, a solar pioneer in 2007, was the first backer of now US$6 billion solar loan provider Mosaic in 2011, and an author of a book on rooftop solar. He speaks regularly to media and at major conferences, and is co-host with Cate Blanchett of Climate of Change on Audible. 

HRH PRINCE WILLIAM, MARY ROBINSON, ADAM MCKAY, KATY MILKMAN, IMOGEN HEAP AND MORE JOIN THE LINE-UP FOR NEW AUDIBLE ORIGINAL PODCAST, CLIMATE OF CHANGE WITH CATE BLANCHETT AND DANNY KENNEDY

Launching today, the series showcases the ground-breaking work being done around the world to tackle the biggest environmental challenges facing humankind

LONDON – April, Thursday 14^th 2022 – Audible, a world-wide leader of spoken-word entertainment, has today announced a line-up of inspirational innovators, activists and thought leaders, including His Royal Highness Prince William, Mary Robinson, Adam McKay, Katy Milkman, Imogen Heap, Rutger Bregman, Jeraiza Molina, Agamemnon Otero, Becky Paisley and more, as part of the Audible Original podcast series, Climate of Change with Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy, launching exclusively on Audible today. 

Across six episodes, listeners will hear long-term friends, award-winning actor, producer and environmental advocate, Cate Blanchett and climate entrepreneur and activist, Danny Kennedy, explore eco-anxiety and optimism. Leaning into Danny’s experience in clean energy, the pair raise awareness of the emerging technological revolution that’s offering hope in the face of the unfolding climate crisis. Throughout the series, Cate and Danny speak directly to visionaries and trendsetters who are making innovative strides to turn the tide on climate change, from the Navajo Nation in Arizona to the Australian Outback.

Prince William joins Cate and Danny in Episode 2 “The Disruptive Decade” to give an exclusive update about his ambitious Earthshot Prize since the first winners were announced last year. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s ‘Moonshot’, which united millions of people around the goal of reaching the moon, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental Prize and platform to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking eco-solutions to repair and regenerate the planet. A special extended cut of Prince William’s interview in Episode 2 is available to listen to on YouTube where His Royal Highness discusses the positive innovations the Prize has already highlighted and the progress being made to support and scale their global impact. 

Joining the wider Climate of Change line-up of guests are other recognisable names, including Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up); Grammy award-winning electronic music artist Imogen Heap, who composed the soundtrack to the series alongside biologist, wildlife television presenter & documentary filmmaker Dan O’Neill; and founder of the Green Carpet Challenge, filmmaker and environmental and social justice activist Livia Firth. All three join Cate and Danny in the final episode of the series “Culture of Change”, which spotlights film and the wider arts, to ask how the industry can really make a difference through storytelling and beyond. 

Listeners can also expect to hear from some of today’s most important climate crisis thinkers, including social historian Rutger Bregman (Humankind: A Hopeful History), former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and author and professor, Katy Milkman (Behaviour Change for Good). Climate of Change also travels to the Navajo Nation in Arizona to uncover how renewables are helping systematic problems in the region; to the Atacama Salt Flats in Chile, where lithium extraction is wreaking havoc; and to Australia where ground-breaking Drone Stringing technology is seeking to transform the lives of many without access to power. 

And when it comes to practical innovations on the ground, UK listeners will discover pioneering work being done on home soil, where initiatives in Sunderland and Cornwall have joined the frontline of the fight, thanks to the UK’s first Gigafactory and the reignition of sustainable mining for minerals used in rechargeable batteries. Providing insight and conversation that explores the psychological and the practical, Climate of Change celebrates the ground-breaking work being done across the globe.

Co-hosts and co-creators of Climate of Change, Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy said: “Climate innovations are disrupting how the world operates in incredible ways, but this progress is not yet fast enough, nor is it spread equally around the world. We already have a lot of the technology we need – like solar and batteries – to keep the world under 1.5˚C and stave off the worst impacts of climate change. What we need now are more climate innovators all around the world coming up with bundles of solutions and spreading them at speed. That’s why we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on some of these innovators in this podcast.”

The Audible Original podcast was created and produced by Dirty Films, in association with StoryHunter, for Audible. The podcast is available to listen to now exclusively at http://www.audible.co.uk/climateofchange 

For more information, please contact Camilla Mosley at Audible, cammosc@audible.co.uk 

Episode Descriptions

Episode 1: “The Sooner the Better” finds our hosts and long-time friends Cate Blanchett and Danny Kennedy talking about Cate’s eco-anxiety and we learn why Danny is ever-the-optimist. We get advice from former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson about how to become “prisoners of hope”.  Social historian Rutger Bregman tells us why we should be more positive about humankind and we travel to The Philippines to meet entrepreneur Jeraiza Molina who is bringing clean energy to night fisherfolk.

Episode 2: “The Disruptive Decade” Cate and Danny chat with HRH Prince William about his ambitious Earthshot Prize and hear about some of the ground-breaking solutions from the 2021 Earthshot Finalists and Winners. Other guests include economic thought leader and author Tony Seba and Agamemnon Otero, who is transforming communities and train platforms across London.

Episode 3: Cate and Danny explore the “Collective Urge” to harness the power of the sun over the ages. Navajo Power is using utility scale solar to give the Navajo Nation access to electricity and an economic future in their native lands.  We pick apart how solar energy generation may be a force for social good if we can embrace change.

Episode 4: In “Collective Action” Cate and Danny meet some of the innovators changing the way we use, move and store energy. And author and inventor Saul Griffith leads the call to ‘electrify everything’ in order to build back better.

Episode 5: Ever heard the phrase “Boring as Batteries”? Danny will attempt to convince Cate that batteries are the lynchpin of our future fairer planet, and at the heart of a global renewable revolution.

Episode 6:  Cate’s beloved film industry comes under the spotlight in “Culture of Change” as she and Danny delve into the role the creative arts play when telling the story of climate change. Can films, literature, art, fashion and music really make a difference? They speak to director Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up), artist Luke Jerram (Gaia), fashion activist Livia Firth and musician Imogen Heap.

Full series guest list and contributors:

• Mary Robinson – Former president of Ireland and currently Chair of Nelson Mandela’s “Elders” – Ireland
• Rutger Bregman – Social historian and author of Humankind: A Hopeful History – Netherlands
• Jeraiza Molina – Co-founder of Shiftech Marine, Philippines (NB English v/o to be re-recorded) – Mindanao
• Prince William – Earthshot Prize finalists and winner updates from:
  • Vidyut Mohan, Co-founder and CEO, Takachar (India)
  • Olugbenga Olubanjo, CEO, Reeddi (Nigeria)
  • Dr Katherine Dafforn, Co-leader, Living Seawalls (Australia)
• Tony Seba – thought leader, academic and author of Clean Disruption of Energy & Transportation
• Energy Gardens – tackling fuel poverty with renewables and democratizing the energy system – London
• Andrew Birch – Solar expert, founder of solar design software OpenSolar – Devon
• Navajo Power – Clean energy on tribal lands, SW USA
• Katy Milkman – Behavior Change for Good Initiative – Expert on the scientific methods could change behavior around climate crisis
• OhmConnect – Residential energy demand response company, California
• Infravision – Drone power line stringing, providing energy to hard-to-reach places, based in Australia 
• Renewell – Transforming abandoned oil wells and fracking sites across the US
• Saul Griffith – Thought leader, founder of Rewiring America and author of Electrify Everything, San Francisco
• Thea Riofrancas – Political science Professor, focusing on resource extraction in Chile
• Owen Mihalop, Cornish Mining – low impact mining 
• Becky Paisley, Cornish Lithium – extracting high grade lithium to fuel green tec
• Sunderland, Gigafactories – battery production at an enormous scale and job generation
• Kari Estrevag, Hydrovolt – Electric car battery recycling, Norway
• Imogen Heap – Music artist, composer and producer and created soundtrack for Climate of Change
• Dan O’Neill – Wildlife television presenter & documentary filmmaker
• Luke Jerram – Multi- disciplinary artist, creator of Gaia
• Livia Firth – Founder of the Green Carpet Challenge
• Adam McKay – Film director “Don’t Look Up”

About Audible

Audible, an Amazon company, is a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering customers a new way to enhance and enrich their lives every day.  Audible.co.uk content includes more than 700,000 audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals. Audible has millions of members around the world who subscribe to one of 10 localised services designed for customers in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, the UK, and the US. Audible members download nearly 4 billion hours of content annually and listen across a wide range of supported devices.

About Dirty Films

Dirty Films is an independent film, television and podcast production company, whose partners are Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton and Coco Francini. The company has a first look deal with FX Productions for television projects, and with New Republic Pictures for feature films. Dirty Films executive produced Christos Nikou’s APPLES, which was named one of 2020’s Best International Films by the National Board of Review. It was also Greece’s official submission for the Best International Feature for the Academy Awards. Blanchett and Francini produced the 10-time EMMY-nominated MRS AMERICA for FX, which was named one of 2020’s Best Television Shows by the American Film Institute. Dirty Films also produced the 13-time AACTA-winning series STATELESS for Netflix, which Blanchett also co-created, in addition to executive producing the feature documentary BURNING from director Eva Orner for Amazon. Other film credits include CAROL, TRUTH, LITTLE FISH, and THE TURNING. Upcoming film projects include: A MANUAL FOR CLEANING WOMEN with director Pedro Almodovar; THE CHAMPIONS with director Ben Stiller; and QUEEN BITCH AND THE HIGH HORSE with Directors Bert and Bertie.

About Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is an internationally acclaimed, Academy award-winning actor, producer, artistic director, and humanitarian. She is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and a lifetime member of the Australian Conservation Foundation. Blanchett is also a strong supporter of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy and received a Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos for her work with UNHCR. In 2012, Blanchett was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture. She has presided over the festival juries in Cannes (2018) and Venice (2020). She has received Honorary Doctorates of Letters from the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney, and Macquarie University as well as the Companion of the Order of Australia in the General Division in recognition of her continued advocacy for the arts as well as humanitarian and environmental causes. Currently, Blanchett is in pre-production for the Apple series “Disclaimer” directed by Alfonso Cuaron, in which she will star and executive produce. Most recently, Blanchett wrapped production for the Todd Field-directed feature TAR, in which she will also star and executive produce, as well as Del Toro’s PINOCCHIO for Netflix. She can now be seen starring in Guillermo Del Toro’s NIGHTMARE ALLEY for Searchlight Pictures, as well as Adam McKay’s film for Netflix, DON’T LOOK UP. Alongside Andrew Upton (with whom she was co-CEO and Artistic Director of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2008 – 2014), she is the co-Founder and Principal of film and television production company Dirty Films.

About Danny Kennedy 

Danny Kennedy is the CEO of New Energy Nexus (NEX), the world’s leading ecosystem of funds and accelerators supporting diverse clean energy entrepreneurs. Since 2004, NEX has accelerated over 600 clean energy startups, supported over 3000 entrepreneurs, and leveraged over US$1.5 billion in investment. NEX started in Silicon Valley and now operates in China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Uganda and the USA – a global clean energy solutions movement.

Danny is also Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund, and is an advisor to clean energy companies in Australia, China, Kenya, the Philippines, USA and elsewhere. Danny co-founded Sungevity, a solar pioneer in 2007, was the first backer of now US$6 billion solar loan provider Mosaic in 2011, and an author of a book on rooftop solar. He speaks regularly to media and at major conferences, and is co-host with Cate Blanchett of Climate of Change on Audible.