How the Kochs Built an Industrial Empire and Reshaped Politics

How the Kochs Built an Industrial Empire and Reshaped Politics

This week, we have an interview with Christopher Leonard, author of a new book, “Kochland: The Secret History of Koch Industries and Corporate Power in America.”

Earlier this month, David Koch passed away. And it suddenly got everyone talking about the Koch Brothers again.

It got us thinking about them too — not just their role in politics, but about the company they built. Koch Industries is one of the most influential energy and industrial firms in the world. And the way the Kochs have run their company tells us a lot about their approach to conservative politics.

With David and Charles Koch back in the public spotlight, we’re talking with Christopher about their business practices, libertarian philosophies, and influence on politics.

Support for this podcast comes from PG&E. Did you know that 20 percent of EV drivers in the U.S. are in PG&E’s service area in Northern California? PG&E is helping to electrify corporate fleet vehicles. Get in touch with PG&E’s EV specialists to find out how you can take your transportation fleet electric.

The Interchange is also brought to you by Uplight, the company you once knew as Tendril and Simple Energy.

The goal is still the same: to offer utility leaders a suite of engagement solutions that deliver customer experiences like Amazon and Netflix. Learn more about how Uplight is building an end-to-end product for utility customer engagement.

You can listen to Uplight’s five-part podcast series, called Illuminators, about what utilities can learn from case studies of business disruption. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

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Episoder(343)

Gas prices are rising and the demand for renewable energy is growing. How are big players in the green tech industry preparing for the evolving policy around solar energy credits? (Recorded live at RE+ in Las Vegas)

Gas prices are rising and the demand for renewable energy is growing. How are big players in the green tech industry preparing for the evolving policy around solar energy credits? (Recorded live at RE+ in Las Vegas)

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Forget Net Zero. Everyone’s talking about energy dominance, but is a rebrand really the best thing for climate action? Recorded at RE+ in Las Vegas as the energy industry’s biggest event gets underway, storytelling becomes part of the strategy.

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9 Sep 202515min

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Could your EV power your home? A look at how electric vehicles could be used as two-way charging systems, easing strain on the grid.

EV growth is moving, but is it moving quickly enough? Wood Mackenzie research projects battery electric vehicles to account for 58% of light vehicle sales globally by 2050. It won’t be until 2045 that...

26 Aug 202542min

Transferable tax credits for renewable projects has created a $52 billion market | How are clean energy developers making the most of it?

Transferable tax credits for renewable projects has created a $52 billion market | How are clean energy developers making the most of it?

Way back in 2016, US energy storage capacity had just hit 336MWh, a 100% year-on-year increase. The growth forecast for storage was for 7.3GWh by 2022 – a US$3.3 billion market. It’s just one example ...

12 Aug 202546min

What’s the forecast for energy projects as the Big Beautiful Bill looms over the industry? Developers and suppliers are adapting to the chaos – but how?

What’s the forecast for energy projects as the Big Beautiful Bill looms over the industry? Developers and suppliers are adapting to the chaos – but how?

The uncertainty rippling through the energy industry in the first half of 2025 hasn’t gone away. Utilities, developers, and manufacturers are still grappling with the fallout from the "One Big Beautif...

29 Jul 202539min

How is geothermal faring in 2025? Investment is booming but is the technology and policy support there?

How is geothermal faring in 2025? Investment is booming but is the technology and policy support there?

Despite uncertainty for US clean energy investors, things are looking good for the geothermal sector. US$1.7 billion in public funding was pumped into geothermal projects in Q1 this year - 85% of 2024...

15 Jul 202537min

The oil and gas majors are phasing down their renewable strategies. What does it mean for climate goals?

The oil and gas majors are phasing down their renewable strategies. What does it mean for climate goals?

In February this year BP announced it was cutting its investment in green energy ventures from $5B to $2B while reallocating $10B to fossil fuels, and abandoning its 2030 oil output reduction target. ...

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