CHLOE GOSHAY
Host
I’m not a professional filmmaker or actress. I’m also not an engineer or scientist with deep expertise in the energy sector. In truth, when I was considering hosting this series I felt completely unqualified and a little nauseous about being on camera. As a millennial I also felt overwhelmed by the extent of the climate crisis and wasn’t convinced this project would alleviate that sense of impending doom. I spent some time weighing out the pros and cons… pro: participate in an educational project to unveil the leaders, technological innovations and solutions being developed to create a more sustainable, more regenerative future… con: make of a fool of myself, be forced to move and change my name.
“I chose to help create Empowered: Energy Heroes because I am passionate about the power of storytelling to drive change.“
I’ve dedicated my career to elevating leaders, amplifying success stories and championing the solutions to the environmental, social and business challenges of our time. I spent years at TED growing a global community of curious, impact-focused leaders and building an interactive program of solutions-oriented workshops, debates and experiences designed to deeply connect this audience with the issues they care about and ultimately accelerate change. While I had experience harnessing verbal communication, experiential learning and data visualization to drive change, this series presented an opportunity to learn about the narrative tool of documentary filmmaking.
The resulting two-plus years of filmmaking have been beyond inspiring. I learned all about the US electric grid and how achievable a future without such heavy reliance on fossil fuels really is. I became fascinated with the technological developments in batteries and fuel cells, hydrogen, offshore wind, microgrids, and more. And, most notably, I had the incredible honor of speaking with the brilliant entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers, and activists who are paving the way for a net zero energy sector. These people caused me to feel genuinely optimistic about our future. And I hope this series inspires viewers to feel similarly excited about the potential of energy innovations to both change and improve our lives at the same time.
As Mary Annaise Heglar once said, ‘The thing about climate is that you can either be overwhelmed by the complexity of the problem or fall in love with the creativity of the solutions.’
We have a long way to go in decarbonizing energy but there is real beauty and potential in the solutions. Although this first season is focused on the United States energy sector, we hope to broaden the narrative and go beyond US borders in subsequent episodes. Stay tuned… and thanks for watching!
Chloe currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.