Building Berkeley’s Clean Energy Campus, with Sally McGarrahan

Building Berkeley’s Clean Energy Campus, with Sally McGarrahan

Author: Berkeley Law July 14, 2026 Duration: 1:45
At UC Berkeley, electricity and steam are generated by burning natural gas - but a renewable energy future is right around the corner. This week, we spoke to Sally McGarrahan, Associate Vice Chancellor of Facilities Services, about how the university is advancing towards a carbon free campus through clean energy innovation.

While headlines often focus on climate disruption, a quieter story of tangible action is unfolding worldwide. Climate Break, from the researchers at Berkeley Law, focuses squarely on that narrative of solutions. Each concise episode, always under two minutes, introduces you to the people and projects making a difference right now. You’ll hear directly from scientists in the field, policy innovators crafting new regulations, and entrepreneurs developing practical technologies. This podcast moves past the overwhelming scale of the problem to highlight specific, working examples of progress. The conversations span from local initiatives in California to global efforts, all grounded in the intersecting realms of science, policy, and natural systems. Tuning in offers a regular, manageable dose of insight into how communities, companies, and citizens are actively reshaping our approach to the planet’s most pressing challenge. It’s a resource for anyone seeking a clearer understanding of the actionable ideas emerging from the front lines of climate response.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Climate Break
Podcast Episodes
Building large-scale solar infrastructure, with Patrick Mealoy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
The Central Valley faces devastating water shortages exacerbated by climate change. At the same time, California requires massive solar energy deployment to meet its climate goals. The Valley Clean Infrastructure Plan is…
Grazing Livestock on Solar Farms, with Stacie Peterson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
The development of new solar farms demands a limited and precious resource - land - which is also critical to ranchers and graziers raising livestock. This week, we spoke to Stacie Peterson, Executive Director of the Ame…
The Future of Battery Storage, with Dr. Shirley Meng [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
For decades, lithium-ion batteries have been on the cutting edge, but now, sodium-ion batteries could make renewable energy storage more abundant, cheaper, and less carbon-intensive. Dr. Shirely Meng explains how sodium…
Making Cheese with Microbes, with Matt Gibson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Cheese is one of the least sustainable food products in the world. Matt Gibson, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of New Culture, has spearheaded a way to make cheese more eco-friendly—without sacrificing taste.
Building a Climate Workforce, with Julia Hatton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
A more equitable, climate-ready workforce may be cultivated through green job training. This week, we spoke to Julia Hatton, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, about how training…
Recycling Solar Panels, with Pablo Dias [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
A sustainable, waste-free solar industry may be cultivated through solar panel recycling. This week, we spoke to Dr. Pablo Dias, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of SOLARCYCLE about how solar panel recycling can p…
Green Tech Hubs: Scaling Climate Technology Startups [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Small green tech startups often have the right ideas but lack the resources to get them to market. Howard Lee, associate director of Hong Kong's green technology hub at HKSTP, explains how a physical community of 230+ co…
Rerun: Staying Safe in Extreme Heat, with Dr. David Sklar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Regions across the world have begun to experience severe heat waves, which threaten millions of people, especially vulnerable communities. This week, we spoke to Dr. David Sklar, an emergency physician, about how to prot…