Dr. BJ Johnson of ClearFlame on Evolutionary Tech, Decarbonizing Diesel, and Building the Next Tesla

Dr. BJ Johnson, co-founder and CEO of ClearFlame, talks with Consensus in Conversation host Conor Gaughan about how the startup’s evolutionary tech is decarbonizing diesel engines and building the next Tesla for heavy duty vehicles.

🎙 Dr. BJ Johnson of ClearFlame on Evolutionary Tech, Decarbonizing Diesel, and Building the Next Tesla, Consensus in Conversation Season 3, Episode 23

Dr. BJ Johnson knows that if you want to make the biggest climate impact in the least amount of time, you start by improving upon an existing technology. And he’s doing exactly that as the co-founder and CEO of ClearFlame, a startup modifying diesel engines to run on decarbonized liquid fuels.

Before co-launching ClearFlame, BJ studied mechanical engineering and energy systems at Stanford University, earning three (3!) degrees: undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral. He was also a world-class athlete, competing for the US National Swim Team at the World Championships in 2013 and 2014, the same time he was working on his Ph.D, which would ultimately lead him to the idea that would become ClearFlame.

That idea might be simple in its approach, but it could make a game-changing impact for both the planet and business alike. By modifying existing diesel engines, ClearFlame’s technology can cut carbon emissions in half for heavy-duty transportation fleets, without requiring charging infrastructure or engine replacements. With many clean fuels already cheaper than diesel, it can simultaneously provide major bottom line savings too.

Hear BJ share how he balanced world-class athletics and doctoral work, the critical importance of ‘bridge technologies’ to making an immediate impact, and why ClearFlame’s accelerated path towards cheaper, sustainable diesel engines is poised to make them the Tesla of heavy duty transportation.

Episode Timestamps:
00:00 BJ Johnson on ClearFlame as the Tesla of heavy duty
00:48 Conor Gaughan introduces BJ and ClearFlame
4:04 Studying energy at Stanford, Silicon Valley, and athletics
15:28 The idea for ClearFlame, combustion tech, and liquid fuels
23:28 Carbon negative solutions, the first sale, and scaling growth
30:20 Total addressable market, tech unicorns, and doing good and well
38:10 Diversifying entrepreneurship, exciting innovations, and finding optimism
42:47 Wrap up and end credits

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Consensus in Conversation is hosted and executive produced by Conor Gaughan. This episode was produced by Will Gatchel and Geoff Rock, with editing from Reasonable Volume.

Special thanks to the Consensus team, including Creative Director, Kate Tucker, Greg Herrigel on research, and Patrick Gallagher on strategy.

Consensus in Conversation is a podcast by Consensus Digital Media produced in association with Reasonable Volume.

Have a question for Conor or BJ? Or a great idea for our next guest? Leave us a comment!

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