Andrew Blakers: Clean Energy Future Requires Action, Not Invention
The global shift to clean energy has moved past the era of technological barriers, according to Australian National University professor Andrew Blakers. In a new episode of the Net Zero Speaks podcast, the solar pioneer argues that the tools for a fully renewable world already exist, shifting the burden entirely to policy execution.
Joining youth climate advocate Ivan Ransom, Blakers asserts that the world possesses every component necessary to achieve a zero-carbon energy system. As a co-inventor of PERC solar cell technology, which significantly lowered global solar costs, Blakers maintains that most nations currently hold enough natural wind and solar potential to become their own energy-independent hubs. He characterizes the transition not as a scientific hurdle, but as a commitment to large-scale deployment.
Central to the discussion is the role of pumped hydro storage, which Blakers describes as "gravity batteries." His team has identified over 800,000 potential sites globally where water movement between reservoirs can provide the stable storage capacity required to balance intermittent wind and solar generation. Beyond technical solutions, the episode addresses common misconceptions regarding land use and grid reliability, reinforcing that the primary obstacle remains the social and political will to implement these existing systems at scale. The full episode is available starting September 16, 2026, across major podcast platforms via the Planet Classroom Network.
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