Most people assume the main barrier to clean energy in America is technology or cost. Neither is true anymore. The sun is cheap. The wind is free. The turbines work. What doesn't work is the system we've built around them. Between 70 and 90 percent of renewable energy projects started in the US never reach construction. The ones that survive face a gauntlet of federal reviews, local ordinances, interconnection queues stretching years, and organized opposition campaigns funded by interests that don't want to see the grid change. We're talking about over 2,000 gigawatts of clean energy projects sitting in line waiting to plug into the grid — enough to power the country many times over.
Today's guest is doing something about this problem. GoodPower is a nonprofit organization using research, strategic communications, campaigns, and even technology to accelerate the transition to renewable energy around the world. In this conversation, I’m joined by Leah Qusba, GoodPower’s CEO, who has been with the organization for almost 17 years.
We spoke about GoodPower's history and evolution, its work in changing culture, building political power, accelerating an economy that works for all, and much more.
Leah reflects a fast-growing school of thought — calling it the abundance mindset, after Derek Thompson and Ezra Klein's influential book — that sees future-forward infrastructure as the key to unlocking tremendous economic opportunity. It's a compelling, inspiring perspective that has spread quickly and is already driving real policy and investment.
So buckle up and enjoy.
On today’s episode, we cover:
01:31 – Clean energy bottlenecks & introduction of GoodPower
03:15 – Welcoming Leah Qusba
04:03 – Founding story of Good Power (formerly ACE)
04:44 – From youth education to campaigns and power-building
05:31 – Why rebrand from Action for Climate Emergency to GoodPower
05:49 – Moving from alarm to hope and economic opportunity
07:11 – Core problem: speeding up an inevitable energy transition
08:19 – Shift from “protecting environment” to building clean energy
09:22 – Strategic plan overview & Pillar 1: shifting culture at scale
09:44 – Operating in culture & early bet on the creator economy
11:05 – Lessons from supporting climate-focused creators
13:06 – Surprising creators: rural and agricultural influencers
15:10 – Laying cultural groundwork and de‑politicizing renewables
17:35 – Pillar 2: building political power in the U.S.
19:13 – Climate as a voting issue vs. economic priorities
21:52 – Mobilizing climate‑first nonvoters & social norms of voting
24:46 – Pillar 3: building a “good economy for all”
27:58 – Under the hood: siting and permitting campaigns
31:05 – Beyond core pillars: funding models and nonprofit evolution
33:15 – How listeners can help locally & post‑election accountability
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