Energy Gang

We often talk about “the energy transition”. In this episode, we discuss what it means to be in the middle of that transition. Earlier this month, California was able to avoid blackouts as people came together to cut their electricity use. In Europe, leaders struggling to balance the urgent need for oil and gas with their goals for cutting emissions. In this episode of The Energy Gang, host Ed Crooks is joined by regular guest Amy Myers Jaffe from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and new voice to the show, Emily Grubert, Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy Policy at Notre Dame.The gang starts the discussion with California’s recent grid struggles. Electricity demand in the state broke records during a severe heat wave, raising fears that the grid might not be able to cope, but alerts warning customers to cut their power use helped avoid blackouts. Amy gives us a first-hand account of what it was like being in California during this time and receiving Flex Alerts asking all residents to voluntarily reduce their electricity use from 4pm to 10pm. Demand response looks like a promising part of the solution for averting an energy crisis, but will it be effective in the long haul? What lessons can we learn from this success story? How can other states and other countries facing similar challenges respond to surging demand and keep the lights on?  Next up, we take a step back and think about how the world of energy in general stands right now. Everyone – well, almost everyone – agrees we are on a transition from a high-carbon to a lower-carbon energy system. But while on this bumpy journey to clean energy, how can countries manage the transition so they can meet their current needs for heat, power and mobility, while staying on course for their climate goals? That is the challenge of being mid-transition. As we head into the cold winter months, Europe is feeling these issues very sharply. European consumers need more supplies of fossil fuels, but European leaders continue to commit to their net-zero goals.  Finally, we touch on carbon capture as the ultimate emergency brake if we haven’t managed to change the energy system and cut emissions. Emily discusses her time at the US Department of Energy, working on carbon management. She introduces us to the technologies used to mitigate emissions and remove carbon dioxide from the air. Are these technologies going to be the ultimate saving grace from catastrophic climate change? Listen now to find out.As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We’re @TheEnergyGang.This episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all.Learn more by listening to the Power Pulse podcast, where the Hitachi Energy team discusses the latest in the ongoing transformation of the world’s energy systems. The Power Pulse podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Energy Gang, we draw our attention away from the US and the Inflation Reduction Act, and switch focus to the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. Host Ed Crooks is joined by regular guest Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Amy Harder from Cipher.  The race to stay warm is on as Russia cuts off more gas supplies to Europe. The continent is facing a potentially very bleak winter, but how bleak depends on the weather. If it’s a mild winter, then Europe will probably have enough gas. If it’s a cold winter, then things are going to get rough. There will probably need to be demand for curtailment, rationing and blackouts. Already, leaders are urging people to take action, by having cold showers and switching off the air-conditioning to save money and lighten the load on the grid.What do these extreme measures tell us about the sacrifices people are being asked to make to serve a humanitarian cause? Is there a parallel to draw between that and changing our habits to curtail catastrophic climate change? If Europe does not have enough gas to keep people warm without having to introduce rationing, what does this say about the lack of tools in our belt when these crises occur?  Also on the show: oil prices have risen sharply, giving a big boost to the demand for electric cars. Last month, regulators in California approved a ban on the sale of most new gasoline- powered vehicles by 2035, as the state takes dramatic steps to reduce emissions and combat the climate emergency. Under the new regulations, by 2026 35% of new cars and light trucks sold in California must be either fully electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen-powered. It is certainly an ambitious goal. But is it achievable? And what will it mean for the electric vehicle industry in the US and around the world?As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We’re @TheEnergyGangThis episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all.Learn more by listening to the Power Pulse podcast, where the Hitachi Energy team discusses the latest in the ongoing transformation of the world’s energy systems. The Power Pulse podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Energy Gang, we revisit the surprise of the summer: the Great American Climate Bill. Now that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has officially been signed into law, what’s next?Regular Energy Gang member Dr. Melissa Lott steps in as host this week while Ed Crooks takes a well-earned holiday. Joining Melissa is Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation and Dr. Linus Mofor from the UN Economic Commission for Africa. A press release from the white house estimates the IRA will result in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by about one billion metric tons in 2030. For many, the bill is a high point of decades of work to pull together a piece of major energy and climate legislation in the US that helps mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect public health. Not just for the hundreds of millions living in the country but for the health of people around the globe. The gang highlights the impact the IRA will have on air pollution – according to some initial analysis of the bill, we are looking at avoiding nearly 4,000 premature deaths and up to 100,000 asthma attacks annually by 2030. The bill also extends and expands the existing electric vehicle subsidiary, requiring that at least 40% of critical metals must come from the US or a Free Trade Agreement partner.As we head into COP27, we look at the response from other countries. Do policies like the IRA help in the energy transition around the world? We turn to Linus to walk us through the effects the bill may have on African countries and the opportunities for development and financing in the climate and energy sector. As always, please do let us know what you think. Send us a note, or a free electron, on Twitter – we’re @TheEnergyGang.This episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all.Learn more by listening to the Power Pulse podcast, where the Hitachi Energy team discusses the latest in the ongoing transformation of the world’s energy systems. The Power Pulse podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congress is passing the largest-ever US climate bill. What does it mean for the world? It was the shock heard around the world this week: Senators Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer’s joint reconciliation bill, The Inflation Reduction Act. It’s passed the Senate, but the House remains. Will it pass, and what’s in it? On the Energy Gang podcast this week: Ed Crooks is joined by Amy Myers-Jaffe from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and Paula Gant from GTI Energy. GTI Energy is a leading research and training organization focused on developing, scaling, and deploying energy transition solutions. The Inflation Reduction Act is a nearly $700 billion bill, which includes roughly 370 billion dollars in energy and climate spending. Is the bill an indication that the energy transition is finally gaining the momentum it desperately needs, and what new technologies will benefit from it? Next up the gang’s attention turns to a specific focus of the legislation: the proposed investment in fuels and how electricity costs will be lowered by changes to the energy supply chain. There’s also discussion on biofuels: what is IH2 technology and what companies are betting on transitions to hydrogen? As always, please do let us know what you think. Send us a note, or a free electron, on Twitter – we’re @The Energy Gang.  This episode of the Energy Gang is sponsored by Hitachi Energy. If you are enjoying this conversation you should check out our podcast Power Pulse, where we explore the transformation of the world’s energy systems. Visit us at Hitachi Energy.com\Power Pulse See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At a time when much of Europe has been sweltering in record temperatures, it feels like a stark contrast to be worrying about winter.These are very worrying times for Europeans, because of deep uncertainty over what will happen to the import of Russian gas, which is critical for keeping the lights on and keeping people warm in their homes. Meanwhile, the US appears to have reached a defining moment in the evolution of climate policy.In this episode, host Ed Crooks is joined by regular contributor Amy Myers Jaffe from the Climate Policy Lab at Tufts University, and a new voice on the Energy Gang, Vicky Bailey, founder of Anderson Stratton Enterprises. Things are heating up on the energy front, which begs the question, does the crisis we are seeing now represent a failure of energy policy in Europe? We invite our listeners to comment and join the debate. This week Ed and the gang respond to a question about nuclear power and its future in the energy transition. The future of U.S. climate and energy policy is again in peril, after West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin kills the Biden Administration’s “Build Back Better” plan. As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss.Also don’t forget to send us your free electrons! Tweet us @TheEnergyGang or use the hashtag #EGFreeElectrons. We can’t wait to hear your stories.NOTE: This episode was recorded earlier in the week, before the news that Senator Joe Manchin had agreed to back a bill that would deliver a substantial increase in support for low-carbon energy in the US, including extended tax credits for renewables, hydrogen, and advanced nuclear power.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is never a dull moment in the world of energy. Despite the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere, this week was full of announcements and big news stories.Regular Energy Gang member Melissa Lott steps in as host this week while Ed Crooks takes a well-earned holiday. Joining Melissa is Emily Chasan from Generate Capital and Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation.The discussion starts with the US Supreme Court’s decision to impose new limits on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The limits send a message about the reluctance to have the EPA make regulatory decisions on carbon emissions. Next up, the gang focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war and inflation and their impact on the price of renewables. The cost of new-build onshore wind has risen seven percent year-on-year, and solar by 14%. Shockwaves in energy prices are still reverberating around the globe. High gas prices have led President Biden to propose a suspension of federal gas taxes, but will this work?Finally, we examine the news from California: state governor Gavin Newsom asked the federal government to ensure the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant qualifies for funds to help it remain in service. Why? And is this indicative of changing attitudes toward nuclear?As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We’re @TheEnergyGangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The clean tech sector is a critical part of making the energy transition possible. With more and more capital flooding from outside investors into cleantech than ever before, the sector is set to become one of the critical keys in aiding and accelerating the energy transition.Today on the Energy Gang: a very special episode – a fireside chat with Tom Deitrich from Itron, and Tom Rand from Arctern Ventures.Itron is one of the largest providers of energy water and smart city management solutions in North America. With decades worth of experience, Itron provides sustainable solutions to cities all over the world, aimed at creating safer and more efficient energy and water systems. Perhaps best known for smart-metering, Itron is committed to advancing the ability to save electricity and integrate renewables into the system.On today’s episode of The Energy Gang, host Ed Crooks is joined by Tom Deitrich, the Chief Executive Officer of Itron, and Tom Rand, the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ArcTern Ventures, a global cleantech venture fund. Tom has years of experience in cleantech investment, and has written a book called Climate Capitalism. Frustrated by a lack of tangible ambition on behalf of the business community, and the deep suspicion from the environmental movement of markets and capitalism, Tom’s book examines these two challenges, and offers solutions to form a coherent plan to further the energy transition.Ed sits down with Tom D and Tom R, to discuss the current state of the energy system, the reality of climate disruption and how climate change is affecting both the cleantech sector and the energy industry as a whole.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

California is one of the world’s largest economies in its own right, with a population of 40 million generating $3.4 trillion in GDP. It is also a pioneer in the development of clean energy, generating about 23% of its electricity from renewables in 2020, a long way ahead of the US average. On today’s episode, the Energy Gang welcomes a special guest: Elliot Mainzer, the President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). CAISO is the non-profit responsible for managing the flow of electricity that serves over 80% of California. Regular team member Melissa Lott, from the Center on Global Energy Policy, joins host Ed Crooks to examine the current state of the power grid in California and how it’s faring in the energy transition. They talk about how the grid can keep up with changing technologies and manage the challenges created by a rising reliance on solar and wind power. And they discuss the significance of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California’s single largest source of electricity, which is scheduled for closure in 2025. There have been suggestions that the life of the plant should be extended. What are the implications of this? And what needs to happen for the plant to be closed for good while maintaining reliability and preventing a rise in carbon dioxide emissions? Finally, Elliot Mainzer looks ahead to the long term. California has a commitment to running its electricity grid on 100 zero-carbon energy by 2045. Is that realistic? And what needs to happen to achieve it? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we’re following the money. Where does investment go in order to build a zero-carbon future? Where does the money get used, and where does it not?This week Ed is joined by Emily Chasan, Director of Communications at Generate Capital, and Shanu Mathew, Vice-President of Sustainable Investing and Net Zero Research at Lazard Asset Management.There are now trillions of dollars of capital in the market, aligned with the goal of getting to net zero. But in the past few months we’ve seen a backlash from politicians, regulators and even in the investment industry itself. The idea of climate-focused investing has been under attack in a broader pushback against the concept of ESG investing. The gang examine why this is, how the landscape is changing and how we can solve the issue of short-term pressures competing with long-term climate goals.Next up, we switch our focus to the billionaire Atlassian founder Mike Cannon-Brookes, and his bid to takeover legacy gas provider AGL in Australia. Is this the future of ESG investing?Finally the gang examine President Biden’s use of powers under the Defense Production Act to boost clean energy. What are the implications of the government stepping in to try to direct the private sector to support climate goals?Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @theenergygang and let us know what you thought of today's episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The energy crisis is showing no signs of abating. There’s a shortage of energy, and the world’s efforts to transition to low-carbon energy are met with countless hurdles. Countries around the world are taking steps to mitigate the crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine however. The EU announced a plan to stop using Russian oil, gas and coal – it’s called RepowerEU and would mean more renewable investment, more energy efficiency and a lot more hydrogen to cut demand for natural gas. Europe is heavily dependent on Russian supplies, particularly for natural gas, which creates problems for Europe’s foreign and security policy. If the EU wants to punish Russia economically, it really needs to hit its energy exports. And that is difficult to do while businesses and consumers in Europe are absolutely reliant on those imports.Next up it’s a look ahead to COP27 – what needs to be addressed in Egypt in November and what have we achieved since Glasgow last year? At COP26, a $500 billion investment was agreed to support green energy projects in developing countries, so how is that going?Finally the gang look at the impacts of certain renewable projects on the local ecosystem. We all agree that the world needs to keep investing in and building large-scale renewable energy infrastructure projects: we need more offshore wind, larger solar farms, more hydrogen plants. Drawing on the success of offshore wind in Europe, the rollout of wind farms is now accelerating along US coastlines, supported by the Biden administration, which has set a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. In 2020, some 27 miles from the mainland, the first two offshore wind turbines in the US were installed off the coast of Virginia Beach. Since starting to operate in October that year, the turbines have created an artificial reef, offering a habitat for ocean life. With this change in the ecology of the area however, comes the downside. Wind farms can have negative effects on other wildlife, such as fish and ocean birds.How do we build sustainably and avoid impacting the local ecology?To discuss all this and more Ed is joined by Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Joining them for the first time is Joseph Majkut, host of the Energy 360 podcast - which is produced by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. Joseph is also the Director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the CSIS.Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @theenergygang and let us know what you thought of today's episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.