As 2023 comes to a close, the Energy Gang reflects on the events and trends of 2023 that provided grounds for optimism about the transition to a lower-carbon world.On this week’s show, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe as they share their reasons to be cheerful this holiday season.  Ed chooses the precipitous drop in the cost of solar modules, making solar power ever more competitive against fossil fuels, and driving the adoption of solar energy on a global scale. Amy’s choice is the continued growth of EV sales. Despite all the negative commentary about electric vehicles in recent months, and some genuine setbacks for the industry, the long-term outlook still looks bright. Finally, Melissa chooses another important development in 2023: the start of construction for Form Energy’s new factory in West Virginia to make batteries for long-duration energy storage. The batteries use iron-air technology, an example of several advances in battery chemistry that are offering solutions to the problems associated with lithium ion storage. We wrap the show with the gang trying a not-so-secret Secret Santa, exchanging gifts for the festive season. We hope the show will lift your spirits and put you in the frame of mind to enjoy the holidays. Thanks to everyone who listened during the year. We look forward to seeing you again in 2024. As usual we are keen to hear thoughts and comments. You can find us on most platforms – we’re @theenergygang.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.