Energy Gang

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.

The energy transition is currently supported by three main pillars: science & technology, economics, and policy. In 2022 these three pillars are unaligned, with a lack of cohesion impeding progress. In today’s episode of the Energy Gang, the team explores three current events that highlight and exemplify the current state of the energy transition in the US and beyond.The gang starts with the future of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. The original bill included a lot of provisions that were hugely important for low-carbon energy in the US. It died in Congress late last year after Senator Joe Manchin declined to support it. The big question now is: can anything be salvaged from that agenda and where do we go from here?The US government’s investigation into the alleged dumping of imported solar panels has reportedly had a “devastating” impact on planned solar projects. Is now the time to create a domestic economy for solar panels or are we still too reliant on cheap imports? It’s an ongoing debate: the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. There is, of course, huge interest in the potential for low-carbon hydrogen in a zero-emissions energy system. But what role can hydrogen really play? And might other options be better for some uses?Today we’re delighted to welcome back both Melissa Lott and Robbie Orvis. Melissa is the Director of Research at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, and Robbie Orvis is the Senior Director of Policy Design at Energy Innovation. As always, your host Ed Crooks is here to anchor and lead the discussion.Stick around for a thrilling conversation about policy, technology, and innovation. 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.

In this week's episode, the gang discuss nuclear power: is it a solution for providing energy security, or could it make the problem worse? Given that many consuming countries need to import most of their uranium, does relying on nuclear power create new sources of fragility? The US imported 86% of its uranium in 2020, from a range of countries, including Russia. What does that mean for hopes that a new generation of reactors could provide affordable and reliable low-carbon power? Next up, it’s California’s quick peek into the future. The state’s power grid ran last weekend on – very nearly – 100% renewable energy, even if it was for less than 15 minutes. How can California, and everywhere else, get to grids that are 100% carbon-free around the clock, 365 days a year? And then it’s a topic that is at the top of the agenda right now for everyone working in energy: the current state of the global supply chain. Renewable energy products and components from little solar cells to giant wind turbines are being affected, driving up prices and restricting availability. The gang reflects on the worries of people in the industry, and discuss some solutions that might work, and some that might make the problem worse. Joining Ed today are Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, and Amy Harder, returning to the show. Amy is the Executive Editor of the Cipher newsletter published by Breakthrough Energy, the network backed by Bill Gates and other investors to support investment in emissions-reducing technologies. Welcome to this week's episode of the Energy Gang, and make sure to follow us on Twitter to stay up to date. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On April 22nd, 2022 the world will be celebrating the 52nd annual “Earth Day”. Does Earth Day serve any useful purpose? How can we utilize the celebration of Earth Day for good? How is Earth day viewed by the world today, and how does this celebration push us closer to a low carbon life? In today's special episode of the Energy Gang, the conversation focuses on solutions and recent positive findings from the IPCC report. Making up the “Gang” this week is returning guest Emily Chasan, who is the Director of Communications at Generate Capital, the green investment firm. Also, another returning guest, Dr. Destenie Nock, an Assistant Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Engineering at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. As always, our host Ed Crooks, Vice-Chair of the Americas at Wood Mackenzie leads the conversation. Keeping the positive theme in observance of Earth Day, the gang discusses the recent IPCC report and some positive findings that were reported. Earlier this month, the 6th cycle working report gives a clear view to the current state of our knowledge of climate science. The good news, though, is that even the more demanding goal of the Paris agreement – limiting global warming to just 1.5 degrees – is not out of sight.The last talking point in the episode is the topic of Energy Poverty, and what it currently looks like in today's climate. The gang discusses how energy poverty is a massive problem today and explores the dangers of how addressing climate change, could make things worse. Destenie leads the conversation on this topic and shares some of her key findings from her research and describes to the gang what an Energy Equity Gap is. This week's episode is focused on solutions and has an optimistic tone. We hope you enjoy and don’t forget to reach out to us on Twitter with any inquiries.The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity.Visit epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C & I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.