Explore every episode of the podcast Clean Currents

What does a psychology degree, a finance degree, and a small town in Iceland have to do with the future of energy branding? Everything, according to Dr. Friðrik Larsen.

In this episode, Tyrell sits down with Friðrik - founder of Brandr and the brandr Index, CEO of LarsEn Energy Branding, and creator of the CHARGE energy branding conference - to trace his unlikely path from aspiring banker to the world's first PhD in energy branding. Friðrik shares the pushback he faced trying to convince a business school (and a room full of skeptical engineers) that commodities like energy could be branded at all, and how that stubbornness turned into a career.

The conversation digs into why so many energy and utility companies still treat branding as a cost center instead of an investment, why old-school metrics like NPS fall short for measuring brand strength, and what it actually takes to get a CFO to care about brand value. Friðrik and Tyrell also tackle the murky lines between sustainability messaging and greenwashing, why "authentic and transparent" keeps winning at the CHARGE Awards, and what nuclear energy - an industry with a serious perception problem - can learn from decades of branding psychology.

It's a candid, wide-ranging conversation about risk-aversion in a risk-averse industry, the human psychology behind why people resist change, and why perception beats reality every single time.

My guest today is Jackie Toth, founder of New Hill Consulting, a DC-based strategic communications and government affairs firm working across the clean energy space — with a real specialty in nuclear.

Before launching New Hill in 2024, Jackie spent a decade in energy communications, and she got her start the hard way: as a journalist covering energy and environment policy on Capitol Hill — the EPA, the Department of Energy, the NRC, all of it. From there she moved into advocacy, pushing for clean energy policy at the federal level, before deciding to build something of her own.

What makes Jackie rare in this field is that she brings all three of the things clients actually need — strong writing, real connections to policymakers, and deep topical knowledge. Most firms have two. She has all three.

She's also someone Big Red Oak is proud to be partnering with, so this conversation is a bit of a window into why that partnership exists in the first place. We get into nuclear's public perception problem, the death of the "keep your head down" era, why community engagement is the most underrated challenge in the sector, and her very strong take on whether nuclear should be hitching its wagon to data centers.

It's a great one. Jackie, welcome to the show.

In this episode, we sit down with Lorena Patterson, President and CEO of WaterPower Canada, to talk about the state of hydropower policy in Canada. From federal advocacy to the industry's role in the country's clean energy transition, Lorena breaks down what it takes to represent an industry that powers more than half the nation and what's at stake as electricity demand continues to grow.

What does it really take to move large energy users from talk to action?

In this episode, Carol Tobian of Sustainable Energy Platforms shares what her day-to-day actually looks like, from business development to project execution. We dig into regulatory disruption, grid instability, and why the real conversation with clients is not about solar panels. It is about KPIs, utility spend, and solving for long-term financial certainty.

Carol explains the platform model behind SEP, why CFOs are her true target audience, and the one mindset she would change if she could: ambivalence.

If you care about clean energy, grid reliability, or how to actually get projects across the finish line, this one is worth your time.

What does disciplined growth look like in solar right now?

In this episode, Brad Stutzman, CEO of O3 Energy, shares what his day-to-day actually looks like, from solving project-level challenges to positioning the company for expansion. We unpack the current market shakeup, the looming changes to the ITC, and why only the strongest operators are set up to win in 2026 and beyond.

Brad explains why O3 stepped away from residential, how rising interest rates reshaped the sales conversation, and why asset management and long-term maintenance are becoming core pillars of the business.

We also get into expansion into Mexico, the realities of communicating timelines in a policy-driven industry, and what most people are missing when it comes to battery sourcing.

If you care about clean energy, steady execution, and building a resilient business in a volatile market, this one is worth your time.

In this episode, the Big Red Oak team breaks down how the Westinghouse campaign came together, from early strategy to final execution. The focus is the 100-year commercial tied to the Winter Olympics and the thinking behind it.

They talk through the insights that shaped the work, why visual storytelling mattered so much, and what it took to pull it off under real production pressure. There’s also an honest look at the challenges along the way, and why trust with the client made the work better.

Jaiden Waggoner shares how he went from door-to-door sales to building Luminate into a fast-growing residential solar company. He talks about fixing broken timelines, improving the homeowner experience, and scaling across multiple states. The conversation covers expansion strategy, sales culture, financing myths, and how the solar industry is adapting after major policy changes. A grounded look at what it really takes to grow a solar business in a tough market.

Chris Caldwell challenges common assumptions about renewable energy, from reliability to cost. He explains why renewables have already won on economics and why the real challenge now is how power moves through the grid. Using a simple analogy, he compares today’s energy system shift from a single train station to the constant movement of Manhattan traffic. The conversation looks at how distributed generation is changing energy systems and what this means for investors, governments, and communities.

Join Tyrell Lisson on Clean Currents: The Brief as he sits down with McKane Lee from Quantum Kinetics for a real conversation about clean energy. McKane talks about his path into the sector, what building Quantum Kinetics has taught him, and where the industry is heading next. He gets into how the company approaches innovation, problem-solving, and growth, and why clear thinking and execution matter more than buzzwords. Whether you work in clean energy or you’re just trying to understand it better, this episode offers a grounded look at what’s actually happening right now.

Join Tyrell Lisson on Clean Currents: The Brief as he sits down with Mike Curtis, founder of Third Coast Solar, for a real conversation about the clean energy world. Mike talks about moving from insurance into solar, what he’s learned along the way, and why transparency and education matter so much in this space. He also gets into how Third Coast Solar is growing in both residential and commercial markets. Whether you work in the industry or you’re just curious, this episode gives you a clear look at what’s happening in clean energy right now.

Eric Meyer didn’t start in energy, he started in opera. But a life-changing flood and a growing concern about climate change led him to launch Generation Atomic, a nonprofit using creative advocacy to shift the public conversation around nuclear power.

In this episode, Eric talks about how his team uses memes, music, games, and grassroots organizing to educate people about nuclear energy and challenge outdated perceptions. We cover how the movement has evolved, why nuclear communication has often failed in the past, and what’s needed now to build trust and momentum.

Kathleen Scott never set out to work in nuclear. But after 16 years at Bruce Power, where she now leads the in-house creative strategy team, she’s helped shape one of the sector’s most trusted brands.

In this episode of Clean Currents, Kathleen talks with Tyrell about her unexpected path from fine arts to corporate nuclear, why Bruce Power’s 2019 rebrand started with a mood board, and how the industry is finally learning to tell human stories. They dig into the power of in-house teams, what external validation really means, and why staying current is essential if nuclear wants to stay relevant.

Lee didn't initially aim to build a business empire, he aimed to tell compelling stories. This passion led him to found Big Red Oak, a creative agency focuses on clean energy.

In this episode, Lee shares how he balanced artistic vision with business acumen, from his early days in film school to leading a team dedicated to impactful storytelling. He discusses the importance of empathy and curiosity in forging genuine client relationships and how these values have shaped Big Red Oak's focus on clean energy.

We explore the evolution of corporate video, the power of narrative in business, and the importance of aligning work with personal values. The big idea? Storytelling can transform industries, but only when it's driven by authenticity and purpose.

Tom Tapper didn’t set out to chase profit — he set out to make a difference. That drive led him to co-found Nice and Serious, a creative agency focused on sustainability.

In this episode, Tom shares how he’s balanced creativity with environmental values, from the early days of entrepreneurship to leading a purpose-driven team. He introduces the Moral Compass, a tool his agency uses to guide decisions and stay aligned with their values.

We talk about the evolution of corporate sustainability, why authenticity matters more than ever, and how to engage clients in honest conversations about their impact.

The big idea? Creative work can drive real change — but only if it’s guided by purpose.