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Host Cortney Piper interviews Michael McCall, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Vice President of Environment and Sustainability and Chief Sustainability Officer, about the agency’s 2023 Sustainability Report.

They discuss how TVA prioritizes sustainability and has shifted its mindset from compliance to stewardship. This shift enabled the nation’s largest public power provider to make significant progress toward reducing emissions, increasing biodiversity, decreasing water use and improving energy efficiency—which can serve as a model for other federal agencies and utilities nationwide.

Learn more about TAEBC. Download TVA’s Sustainability Report or email sustainability@tva.gov with your questions.

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Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Host Cortney Piper interviews Daniel Poneman, former president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corporation, United States Deputy Secretary of Energy and chief operating officer of the Department of Energy. He has worked for three United States presidents on issues ranging from nuclear nonproliferation to clean energy.

In the interview, Cortney and Daniel discuss his long career and mission to champion an all-of-the-above energy strategy. The episode includes stories and behind-the-scenes tidbits you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about TAEBC and Daniel.

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Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Chris Burns, Chief Executive Officer of NOVONIX, a leading battery materials and technology company with operations in the United States and Canada.

Recently, DOE awarded NOVONIX a $100 million grant and a $103 million tax credit under the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Allocation Program, or the 48C program under the Inflation Reduction Act. This funding has enabled the company to expand domestic production of high-performance synthetic graphite anode materials at its Riverside facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In this episode, Cortney and Chris speak about these announcements and what NOVONIX is doing to enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

Learn more about TAEBC and NOVONIX.

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Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Host Cortney Piper interviews Dr. Charles Sims, Director of the Center for Energy, Transportation and Environmental Policy, Howard H. Baker Jr. School of Public Policy and Public Affairs, about the Valley Pathways Study.

The Tennessee Valley Authority and the Baker School launched the Valley Pathways Study in February 2023 to evaluate the existing environmental landscape and explore opportunities to reduce carbon emissions and create a competitive, sustainable economy.

In the episode, Cortney and Charles discuss key findings from the study and how to build a competitive, clean economy in the Tennessee Valley.

Learn more about TAEBC and the Baker School. Download the report here.

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Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Lilly Tench, Director of the Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park. The two discuss the Spark Cleantech Accelerator program and how applications are open for Cohort Three until May 15, 2024. TAEBC is a proud partner of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator. We provide operational support and mentorship through our Energy Network program, which operates with support from Launch Tennessee.

• Spark CTA information and application
• “Good Business: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Creating a Better World,” by Lilly Tench

Learn more about TAEBC and the Spark Innovation Center.

Support the Show.

Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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In this episode, Host Cortney Piper interviews Monica Walker, Manager of Renewables & Energy Strategy at General Motors.

GM has a bold vision for the future. One with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. Piper and Walker discuss GM’s renewable energy commitments, electric vehicle charging partnership with the Pilot Company and Spring Hill Manufacturing facility operations. They also cover how GM was an early adopter of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Green Invest program.

Learn more about TAEBC and GM.

Support the Show.

Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Host Cortney Piper interviews Jennifer Safavian, President and Chief Executive Officer of Autos Drive America. Autos Drive America’s mission is to grow the U.S. automotive industry by advocating for and defending open trade and investment policies that expand employment opportunities for Americans and choice for all consumers.

Cortney and Jennifer discuss the international automotive presence in Tennessee, how the IRA and other recent federal policies impact the sector, and Autos Drive America’s 2023 Economic Impact Report. Their report found international automakers built 413,746 vehicles in the Volunteer State, creating 109,352 local jobs in Tennessee and contributing $15.7 billion to the state GSP.

Learn more about TAEBC and Autos Drive America.

Support the Show.

Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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In what is likely Host Cortney Piper’s favorite interview to date, she interviews Liliana Ramirez, Global Director of Workforce Development at Ford. Ramirez is responsible for using cutting-edge strategies to build the manufacturing workforce required for BlueOval City and BlueOval SK Battery Park.

In this episode, they discuss Ramirez’s 30+ year career at Ford, her passion for her work and how the company has changed since she joined in the early 1990s. The two also discuss Ford’s ambitious approach to workforce development, including BlueOval Learning and how it plans to fill 6,000 new jobs in West Tennessee!

Learn more about TAEBC and Ford's BlueOval City.

Support the Show.

Thank you to our podcast sponsor FirstBank.

To keep up-to-date with the latest episodes, follow TAEBC on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.