Podcast: Everybody in the Pool: This carbon removal tech is literally rocket science
In this episode Everybody in the Pool, host Molly Wood talks with Brad Hartwig, co-founder and CEO of Arbor Energy. Brad shares his remarkable journey from SpaceX rocket engineer to climate tech entrepreneur, developing technology that transforms waste biomass into carbon-negative energy using rocket propulsion principles. Yep, you read that right. A guy who used to want to be an astronaut woke up one day and realized this planet was the place to put his energy. Find out how Arbor’s tech could replace fossil fuel plants while simultaneously removing carbon from the atmosphere.
Show Highlights
Brad's transition from aerospace engineering at SpaceX to climate tech after witnessing California wildfires firsthand
How Arbor Energy's technology uses "oxy combustion" (inspired by rocket engines) to generate clean electricity while capturing carbon
The system produces no emissions - only pure CO2 (for sequestration) and clean water
Potential to replace up to 60 gigawatts of coal and natural gas plants in the US with carbon-negative power
Uses only waste biomass from agriculture, forestry, and potentially municipal waste
Economic benefits for wildfire prevention through monetizing brush clearing
First commercial deployment targeted for 2027
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Molly Wood / Everybody in the Pool
In this episode, we cover:
[0:55] The cinematic origins of the rocket launch countdown
[3:38] Brad’s aerospace background—from student rocketry to SpaceX to Kitty Hawk
[6:42] The wildfire rescue missions that changed his trajectory
[8:10] The turning point that shifted his focus from going to space to saving Earth
[10:08] Why carbon-negative bioenergy stood out as a high-impact solution
[12:43] The brilliance of plants: solar energy storage and natural CO₂ removal
[15:36] Waste as a climate asset: the scale and impact of using forestry and ag leftovers
[17:58] Land management as climate action—how Arbor supports wildfire mitigation and ecosystem health
[22:51] The unique power of oxy-combustion and why Arbor doesn’t need a smokestack to produce power
[31:35] Building new infrastructure, fast—and why partners are key to scaling
[37:01] Why AI and data centers are an unexpected tailwind for climate tech