Nuclear Barbarians

A podcast about nuclear, energy, and possibility.

About the show

Emmet Penney talks to experts, workers, journalists, and scholars from all over the world about nuclear energy, energy issues, culture, and society. Subscribe to the substack to get the newsletter and the podcast sent directly to your inbox: https://nuclearbarians.substack.com/

Episodes

  • Episode 45: The Breakthruvian Turn ft. Alex Trembath

    May 2nd, 2023  |  1 hr 2 mins

    Alex Trembath, the Deputy Director of the Breakthrough Institute, joined me to talk about the deep contradictions in environmentalism, climate anxiety, the Jefferson/Hamilton divide, and much more!

  •

    Episode 44: Synthfuels Pt. III ft. Noah Rettberg

    April 25th, 2023  |  1 hr 59 secs

    Noah Rettberg returns to the pod to talk to me about synthfuels derived from carbon.

    We also want Monster Energy to sponsor us. CALL ME MONSTER.

    Anyone else interested in advertising on the podcast can reach me here: [email protected].

    Nuclear Now.

    Chicagoans! Get your ticket to see Nuclear Now at the Alamo Drafthouse in Wrigleyville on May 1. Say hey if you see me!

  •

    Episode 43: AMLO and Pemex ft. Juan David Rojas

    April 18th, 2023  |  41 mins 20 secs

    Juan David Rojas joined me to talk about AMLO, Pemex, and Mexican energy.

  • Episode 42: Texas Nuclear and Hopeful Vibes ft. Grant Dever

    April 10th, 2023  |  46 mins 28 secs

    Grant Dever, one of the brightest whippersnappers in the whole Lone Star state, joined me to talk about nuclear in Texas, but then the conversation ranged all over the place with a long meditation on hope.

    Texas Should Continue to Lead in Nuclear Power by Grant Dever

    Subscribe to Grid Brief.

    Check out Nuclear Now!

  •

    Episode 41: What Now? ft. Ortiz-Wines

    April 3rd, 2023  |  49 mins 24 secs

    My good friend and all around nuclear energy badass Paris Ortiz-Wines of Stand Up for Nuclear swung by to talk about what’s changed in the nuclear narrative and what we can and should do about it. It ended up being on a far-ranging discussion about fear, hope, and how people change their minds.

  • Episode 40: Come On! Feel the Illinoize!

    March 20th, 2023  |  1 hr 14 mins

    Alan Medsker, the one man nuclear revolution in Illinois, joined me to talk about convincing politicians in the Prairie state to protects its nuclear plants and repeal its moratorium.

  • Episode 39: Feedstockland ft. Darius Mortazavi

    March 12th, 2023  |  39 mins 28 secs

    Darius Mortazavi of the new chemical engineering Substack, Feedstockland, joined me to talk about the industrial chemical processes, the newsletter game, industry comms, energy realities, and more!

  •

    Episode 38: Wind and Other Woes ft. Doomberg

    March 1st, 2023  |  47 mins 57 secs

    Doomberg, one of the best and most popular Substackers in the world, joined me to talk about the problems besetting the so-called energy transition, political decadence, and our quantum-pilled energy future.

  •

    Episode 37: Who Lost GE? ft. William Cohan

    February 21st, 2023  |  53 mins 23 secs

    Author and journalist William D. Cohan joined me to talk about his new book on the rise and fall of General Electric—Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon.

  • Episode 36: There's Climate Science and Then There's "Climate Science"

    February 13th, 2023  |  46 mins 20 secs
    climate change, climate crisis, climate science, ipcc, philosophy, politics, science

    The climate scientist Roger Pielke Jr. joined me to talk about the origins of the 1.5c warming goals, its strange origins, and the troubled relationship between science, expertise, and politics.

  •

    Episode 35: T&D for Dummies ft. Bryce Johanneck

    February 7th, 2023  |  42 mins 33 secs

    Former electric lineman and all around transmission and distribution expert Bryce Johanneck joined me to talk about some grid fundamentals that everyone, including me, overlooks.

    Subscribe to my energy newsletter: gridbrief.com/subscribe

  •

    Episode 34: How to Fight ESG ft. Julius Krein

    January 31st, 2023  |  41 mins 30 secs
    climate, energy, energy security, environment, environmentalism, esg, finance, fossil fuels, nuclear, oil and gas, renewables

    Julius Krein, the editor of American Affairs, sat down to talk with me about the origins of ESG and how to fight it.

  • Episode 33: Why Save Pickering Is Popping Off ft. Dr. Chris Keefer

    November 5th, 2022  |  47 mins 23 secs

    Dr. Chris Keefer swung by to talk about all his big moves in Canada and why the Save Pickering campaign is popping off.

  • Episode 32: Nuclear Austria ft. Dominic Wipplinger

    October 6th, 2022  |  35 mins 38 secs

    Austrian nuclear advocate Dominic Wipplinger joined me to talk about how nuclear support has changed, and what got him interested in nuclear. And he gives me an education in Austrian nuclear history. I learned a lot and I hope you do too!

  •

    Episode 31: Synthetic Fuels Rundown Pt. II ft. Noah Rettberg

    September 23rd, 2022  |  47 mins 51 secs

    Noah Rettberg joins me again to talk about synth fuels. This time we go deep into hydrogen production. I love having Noah on as I always learn a ton.

  • Episode 30: Fishin' for Nukes ft. Fission Phil

    September 6th, 2022  |  52 mins 5 secs

    Phil Ord, who's been advocating for nuclear for way longer than I have, joined me to talk about how he became a "nukebro." We also talk about climate change, renewable propaganda, and how the nuclear movement has grown since Phil got into it.

    Note: we recorded this a week before Diablo Canyon was saved.