Breakthrough Energy founder Bill Gates and IEA Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol met for a fireside chat during the virtual 2021 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, on May 26th, 2021.

The role of government in creating innovation solutions to global energy and climate challenges, scaling technologies and lowering the "green premium", and the path to NET ZERO emissions by 2050 were discussed by Gates and Dr. Birol. Conversation also touched on direct air capture, air conditioning, electrification of the transportation sector, low-carbon liquid fuels for aviation, hydrogen, and nuclear power.