Everybody in the Pool

Heat pumps are having a moment. Last year, the U.S. passed China to become the world's number one market for heat pumps—and they're not slowing down. But while heat pumps are efficient and effective on paper, they haven't always been objects of desire. Until now.This week, Molly talks to Paul Lambert, CEO and co-founder of Quilt, about building a heat pump company that's equal parts climate solution and consumer product. Paul explains how his team is reimagining the mini-split heat pump—not just as an HVAC system, but as a piece of technology you're proud to have on your wall.We dive into:How heat pumps work: Why an AC is basically "a half-broken heat pump" that only runs in one directionThe two types of heat pumps: Ducted systems vs. ductless mini-splits, and why room-by-room control is a game-changerDesign as climate strategy: How Quilt spent half their initial capital on a domain name and invested heavily in industrial design to create pull, not just policy pushThe installer advantage: Why partnering with contractors (instead of doing it all in-house) unlocked national scaleSmart grid integration: How Quilt's internet-connected system enables demand response without sacrificing comfort—curtailing load in empty rooms while keeping occupied spaces perfectThe data center opportunity: How replacing electric resistance heating with heat pumps near data centers can free up 75% of the energy load—without building new generation capacityWhy incentives help but aren't required: 60% of America is primarily cooling-driven, and heat pumps are just better air conditionersPricing reality: Quilt is competitive with high-end Japanese mini-splits, not luxury-priced like early Nest thermostats or TeslasThe personal mission: How Paul's Alberta roots in the fossil fuel industry and his commitment to his kids' future drove him to climate techKey insight: Space heating and cooling represent half of all home energy use and 70% of fossil fuel consumption in homes—making HVAC the single biggest lever for decarbonizing buildings.Links:Quilt: https://quilt.comFind a Quilt installer: https://quilt.com (click "Find an Installer")All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buildings account for a third of America's greenhouse gas emissions, yet until recently, we've been flatlined on progress. That's changing—fast. This week, Molly talks to Panama Bartholomy, founder of the Building Decarbonization Coalition, about how an unlikely alliance of utilities, manufacturers, installers, and nonprofits is transforming the way we heat, cool, and power our homes.Panama explains how finding 80% common ground among competitors created unstoppable momentum—and how the U.S. just became the global leader in heat pump sales for the fourth year running.We dive into:The coalition model: How businesses, government, and nonprofits work together through "shuttle diplomacy"Why buildings matter: They represent ~33% of U.S. emissions and are the largest source of air pollution in California's worst air basinsThe heat pump revolution: How the U.S. went from third place to global leader in just five years—heat pumps now outsell furnacesThe gas infrastructure trap: Why we're spending $50 billion annually on aging pipes while gas bills rise twice as fast as electric ratesNeighborhood-scale solutions: How utilities are offering $35,000 checks to electrify entire neighborhoods instead of replacing gas pipelines"Stove Gate" as a paradigm shift: How controversy over gas stove safety created "sticky facts" that changed public perceptionWhat "pollution" means: Why language matters—moving from "decarbonization" to a term everyone understandsThe path forward: Why installers are the real heroes, and what political will looks like in actionKey stat: Space heating and water heating represent 90% of building emissions—and heat pumps can do both jobs 2-4x more efficiently than gas?Links:Building Decarbonization Coalition: https://www.buildingdecarb.org/BDC's 2025 Wrapped Report: https://buildingdecarb.org/2025-wrapped-decarb-editionAll episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show: https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/Visit our sponsor, Climatize, and get $50 in investment credits when you create a profile! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the solution to our energy challenges isn't building more—but applying new thinking to the grid we’ve already got? This week, Molly talks to Quinn Nakayama, the senior director at PG&E’s Grid Research Innovation and Development, also known as GRID, division. (Clever, right?)After years of controversy over wildfires that led to the utility’s eventual bankruptcy, PG&E is moving forward with dedicated R&D, pitch competitions, and monetary investment to figure out how to use new technologies to meet growing demand without compromising California’s clean energy goals.We cover:The massive energy demands from data centers and electrificationInnovative strategies to manage load growth without building massive infrastructureHow electric vehicles and smart charging can actually reduce electricity ratesCalifornia's unique challenge of meeting net-zero goals while supporting economic growthCreative solutions like using data center backup generators as temporary grid supportIn upcoming episodes, we’ll talk with some of the startups PG&E has identified as particularly promising reinvention partners!Links:PG&E’s GRID initiative: https://www.pge.com/en/about/pge-systems/research-and-development.html?vnt=innovationAll episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show:https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/Visit our sponsor, Climatize, and get $50 in investment credits when you create a profile! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Everybody in the Pool, we're diving into the world of protein production — in reverse. Recently, the USDA released a new food pyramid that controversially places red meat and dairy at the top. That, combined with the global and particularly American obsession with protein, make it a great time to talk to Ross Milne, CEO of Leaft Foods. Leaft is developing a groundbreaking technology that extracts protein directly from alfalfa leaves, potentially reducing emissions by 97% compared to traditional animal agriculture.Leaft Foods isn't just creating a protein alternative - they're reimagining the entire food production system. By isolating RuBisCO, the most abundant protein on the planet, they've developed a nutritional powerhouse that outperforms eggs, whey, and beef in amino acid profile. Their first product, LeafBlade, packs 18 grams of protein and 58% of daily iron intake into a tiny 100ml pouch.We talk about:How extracting protein directly from leaves could transform agricultureThe nutritional superiority of RuBisCO proteinWhy efficiency matters in solving the climate crisisHow this technology could improve both human nutrition and animal farmingThe potential for scaling a more sustainable protein production methodLinks:Leaft Foods: https://www.leaftfoods.com/All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show:https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/Visit our sponsor, Climatize, and get $50 in investment credits when you create a profile! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here’s a bonus episode for you to kick off 2026. Back in episode 97, we interviewed Kate Danaher of S2G Investments about investing in the ocean economy. S2G are actually investors in a few of the companies we’ve had on Everybody in the Pool, including Matter, Moleaer, and Sofar Ocean. So this week, we’re featuring one of their interviews as they prepare to launch their new season.The S2G Podcast is hosted by the team at S2G Investments, and looks at what it will take to scale the food and agriculture, oceans and energy transitions. Episodes launch every two weeks with a range of guests, including company leaders, innovators, investors, and policy experts. Season 3 starts on January 15 and you can find the S2G Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.S2G Episodes: https://www.s2ginvestments.com/insights/podcastSubscribe to the S2G Podcast: https://www.s2ginvestments.com/podcastAll episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Subscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show:https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.