Season 4 of Direct Current opens with a race against the clock, as the Department of Energy and National Labs join forces with industry and international partners to get emergency shipments of electrical grid components to Ukraine — before Russian attacks plunge the country into darkness.

Direct Current - An Energy.gov Podcast

S4 E1: Keeping the Lights on in Ukraine

"Quantum" is everywhere these days — in the news, on TV, in the titles of blockbuster action films — but what even is it? Why is it important to understand it? Basically... who cares about quantum?To find out, we got philosophical with National Lab quantum scientists Anna Grassellino and David Awschalom about their brain-bending research, the massive impacts it could have on our lives, and the joy and frustration of chasing breakthroughs that can take decades to arrive. Also: Season 4 of Direct Current is coming soon! Subscribe today wherever you get your podcasts to get a fresh delivery of energy audio goodness in your feed when it drops in spring 2023. Don't miss it!

Who Cares About Quantum? (Season 4 Teaser)

For years, Chris Castro worked tirelessly to bring a brighter future to the city of Orlando, Florida. We heard from the (now-former) director of sustainability about how he got his start, his passion for clean energy, and the city's resilience efforts.

People Powered: Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability

From Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's podcast "A Day in the Half-Life" comes this episode about the challenges facing scientists who transition to a new identity — and efforts to get transgender researchers proper credit for their published work.

SPECIAL FEATURE: The Name Change Initiative

Conrad Flowers wanted a more fulfilling career, so he followed his passion and took a job in solar energy. Now he’s connecting solar farms to the electric grid and helping train the next generation of engineers.

People Powered: Conrad Flowers, Lead Interconnection Engineer

AlexAnna Salmon is a fierce advocate for her home, a remote Alaskan town called Igiugig. As village council president, she's working to preserve her tribe's traditional way of life amid a warming climate and a shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.

People Powered: AlexAnna Salmon, Village Council President

Our series highlighting workers in clean energy continues! Gaby Ibarra, a first-generation college student and daughter of immigrants, shares her journey into a new career helping modernize heating and cooling systems for old buildings in New York City.

People Powered: Gaby Ibarra, Building Energy Analyst

In the latest episode of "People Powered," our new series on clean energy careers, wind technician Michael Flores shares what it's like to travel the country and scale 300-foot wind turbines for a living — and why he's sticking with wind for the long run.

People Powered: Michael Flores, Wind Technician

Presenting "People Powered," a new series on clean energy careers! There are millions of good-paying jobs in energy, and we'll be introducing you to the folks who do them — starting with Kaly Moore, construction manager at a Washington, DC, solar company.

People Powered: Kaly Moore, Solar Construction Manager

Contained within a single glass of beer is hundreds of hours of labor and vast amounts of resources. Join us as we go inside a popular craft brewery and learn how DOE programs are helping reduce costs while saving water and energy.

Brewing Up Energy Savings

Stretching nearly two miles under a freeway in Palo Alto, CA, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a huge X-ray laser with the power to capture images of molecules in motion. Now, a big upgrade is taking this SLAC Lab facility to the next level.

LCLS-II: Brighter, Faster, Smaller

With $40 billion in lending authority, the Loan Programs Office is one of the Energy Department's most powerful clean energy investment tools. We sat down with Director Jigar Shah to talk about how LPO works, and what's in store for the future of energy.

LPO's New Look: A Conversation with Jigar Shah

The nation's 16th Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, sat down with Direct Current to talk clean energy, climate, her "obsession" with creating millions of good-paying union jobs, and her vision for the Department of Energy.

Getting to Know Secretary Granholm

Developed by Los Alamos National Lab, SuperCam is the scientific “Swiss Army Knife” for NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover. In this episode, we hear from the SuperCam team what it's like shooting rocks with lasers, and how it could help us find life on...

Mars 2020, Part 2: SuperCam Does It All

NASA's Mars Perseverance Rover is loaded with technology developed by the Department of Energy, including a nuclear battery fueled by plutonium-238. Listen as we follow the rover’s power source on its 7-year, 5,000-mile journey from lab to launch pad.

Mars 2020, Part 1: Powered by Plutonium

Direct Current is a podcast about energy -- the kind that lights our homes, powers our lives and shapes our world. From the U.S. Department of Energy's digital team in Washington, D.C., Direct Current brings you fresh, insightful stories of how we generate and use electricity, what that means for the planet, and the cutting-edge science that's driving a global energy revolution.

hubhopper

Direct Current - An Energy.gov Podcast

hubhopper