Bill Gates is a very influential guy -- not just because he founded Microsoft, but also because of his powerful foundation. With a $40 billion asset trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one the biggest charitable organizations in the world focusing on global health, clean water, energy access and financing for entrepreneurs.

So when Gates writes on his blog that developing countries can’t afford renewable energy, that carries a lot of weight.

That’s exactly what Gates did last week when he promoted the work of Danish political scientist Bjorn Lomborg, writing that more fossil fuels are the moral choice in the fight against energy poverty.

Finding the right mix of resources for use in developing countries is a complicated exercise. But the economics of renewables are far better than fossil fuels in many cases. In this week's podcast, we'll talk about why Gates is wrong on the cost of wind, solar and other technologies.

Later in the show, we’ll talk about a very important compromise in Mississippi that will bring lots of new solar projects to the state. And we'll also discuss the latest developments in the battle to stop coal exports in Oregon and Washington state.

This podcast is sponsored by eGauge Systems, a manufacturer of next-generation energy meters for solar generation and building demand, submetering, performance contracts, LEED projects and net-zero buildings.

The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.