Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions
Climate Confident is for business leaders, climate professionals and policymakers who need to understand what is actually cutting emissions—and what it takes to make those solutions work at scale.
Each Wednesday, I speak with the executives, engineers, scientists, founders and policymakers turning climate ambition into measurable progress. Together, we examine the technologies, business models, policies and implementation strategies reshaping energy, transport, industry, supply chains, food and finance.
These are not conversations about distant targets, vague pledges or greenwash. They are candid discussions about what is working, what is failing, where the real bottlenecks lie, and how leaders can make better decisions about decarbonisation, resilience, investment and risk.
You will hear:
- Proven approaches to reducing emissions
- Hard-earned lessons from real-world implementation
- Analysis of the markets, technologies and policies driving the transition
- Honest examination of costs, trade-offs, setbacks and unintended consequences
- Practical ideas for turning climate commitments into action
New episodes are published every Wednesday at 7am CET. Subscribers also receive bonus episodes featuring highlights, analysis and emerging themes from across the series.
Follow Climate Confident for practical climate solutions, informed debate and the insights you need to turn ambition into measurable progress.
Guest suggestions and feedback are welcome at Tom@tomraftery.com.
Climate Confident - Practical Climate Solutions That Cut Emissions
Revolutionising Battery Technology: Dragonfly Energy's Dry Electrode Innovation with Dr Denis Phares
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Get in touch - leave me a message
In this episode of the Climate Confident podcast, I had a great chat with Dr Denis Phares, founder and CEO of Dragonfly Energy. Denis shared the fascinating journey of how Dragonfly Energy came to be, stemming from his background in academia, and a desire to make a tangible impact on climate change through entrepreneurship.
We delved into their innovative dry electrode manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries. This method eliminates the need for toxic solvents, significantly reducing costs and environmental impact. Denis explained how this technology is versatile across various battery chemistries and has the potential to revolutionise the industry by making batteries more efficient and sustainable.
We also discussed the importance of domestic lithium resources in Nevada and how Dragonfly Energy is poised to capitalise on this to build a robust, local supply chain. Denis shed light on the future of lithium recycling and its role in creating a sustainable and circular economy for battery materials.
Our conversation touched on practical applications of their technology, from providing energy solutions for RVs and heavy-duty trucks to enhancing grid stability through distributed energy storage. Denis emphasised the pivotal role batteries play in facilitating a transition to renewable energy without compromising our way of life.
A highlight was when I asked Denis which celebrity he'd choose as a spokesperson for Dragonfly Energy, and he picked all four Beatles! We also pondered over futuristic concepts like flying cars and how close we are to such advancements.
This episode offers deep insights into innovations in battery technology and their significance in combating climate change. It's a must-listen for anyone interested in sustainable energy and the future of our power grids.
Sign up to Climate Confident+ for deep dive analysis of the major climate and energy stories of the day.
Podcast subscribers
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's amazing subscribers:
- Anita Krajnc
- Cecilia Skarupa
- Ben Gross
- Jerry Sweeney
- Andreas Werner
- Stephen Carroll
- Roger Arnold
And remember you too can Subscribe to the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Climate Confident episodes like this one, as well as give you access to the entire back catalog of Climate Confident episodes.
🎤 Looking for a keynote speaker on climate, energy, AI, or sustainability?
I help executive audiences understand the technologies, trends, and decisions shaping the low-carbon transition.
Download my Speaker Pack: https://tinyurl.com/spkrpck
And a quick note before you go: I’ve started a new Reddit community for serious, evidence-led discussion on climate solutions, clean energy, decarbonisation, policy, technology, and what actually works in practice.
If you’d like to suggest future guests, challenge ideas from the show, or share climate reports and solutions worth discussing, join us at r/ClimateConfident
People on this episode
Podcasts we love
Check out these other fine podcasts recommended by us, not an algorithm.
Buzzcast
Buzzsprout
Wicked Problems - Climate Tech Conversations
Richard DelevanClimate Connections
Yale Center for Environmental Communication
The Climate Pod
The Climate Pod
Climate Action Show
Climate Action Collective
The Climate Question
BBC World Service
Energy Gang
Wood Mackenzie
Climate Positive
HASI
Climate One
Climate One from The Commonwealth Club