Energy Gang
Wood Mackenzie
Covering breaking news in clean tech, going deep on global energy policy, and debating the levers that need to move to accelerate the energy transition. Energy Gang is the podcast covering clean energy technology, renewable energy, and the environment. The world of clean energy moves fast, and you need a reliable source to stay on top of the news that matters. You’ll find it on Wood Mackenzie’s Energy Gang.How will changes to the US government affect decarbonisation and energy security? When will hydrogen, nuclear and carbon capture deploy at scale? Where’s the money for the energy transition green finance coming from and how much more is needed? What’s the outlook for EVs? What are the energy predictions for solar energy? What's the latest on climate change?Get answers to questions like these, bi-weekly on Tuesdays at 7am ET. Plus, get special live episodes recorded at the biggest climate and energy events throughout the year, like COP30 and Climate Week NYC. Don’t worry if you can’t make it in person, Energy Gang brings you all the updates on energy policy, energy finance and energy innovation you need to hear.Energy Gang is presented by Wood Mackenzie and hosted by Ed Crooks, Vice-Chairman of Energy at Wood Mackenzie and a former Financial Times and BBC News journalist. Regular guests are Amy Myers-Jaffe (Director of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab), and Dr Melissa Lott (Partner at Microsoft) – plus a roster of industry leaders and policy influencers, like Jigar Shah (Industry figurehead and former director of the Loan Programs Office in the US Department of Energy), Caroline Golin (Head of North America, Global Energy Market Development and Policy at Google) and Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt (Former Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources).If you like The Energy Transition Show, Catalyst with Shayle Kann, The Big Switch from Columbia University, Open Circuit with Stephen Lacey or The Green Blueprint, you’ll enjoy Energy Gang.Want to get involved with the show? Reach out to podcasts@woodmac.com to:Bring Energy Gang to your eventBe a guest on the showSponsor an episodeAsk a question to Ed Crooks or one of our guestsCheck out another leading clean tech global podcast by Wood Mackenzie, Interchange Recharged: https://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/the-interchange-recharged/Wood Mackenzie is the leading global data and analytics solutions provider for renewables, energy and natural resources. Learn more about Wood Mackenzie on the official website: https://www.woodmac.com/
Episodes
Mentioned books
Apr 24, 2020 • 1h 23min
Live From Our Homes to Yours, Literally
This week, we bring you a joint episode of The Energy Gang and The Interchange, recorded in front of a live audience from our quarantine quarters around the country. When we started making our podcasts seven years ago, it was clear that the energy transition would be a difficult one. Both shows were designed as a forum to grapple with tough issues in an accessible, candid way. The clean energy industry has faced its share of crises over the years — but nothing quite like the current pandemic and economic freeze.Supply chains are in limbo, funding opportunities for startups have vanished, and once-growing companies are at a standstill. Meanwhile, political leaders are trying to get money to struggling people and businesses, setting the stage for trillions more dollars in spending on infrastructure. How will it all pan out? We’re trying to figure it out, just like you. In this episode, we take listener questions about how to use the current crisis as an opportunity. We use some thought exercises as a way to break up the gloom, and do a mental health check-in with each other. Listeners submitted over 120 questions. We’ll be considering them on future shows. If you have any other show topic ideas, tag The Energy Gang and The Interchange on Twitter. (And please give us a rating and review on Apple podcasts!)This show is brought to you by CPower. Get your copy today of the 2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America at thecpowerway.com/future.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apr 18, 2020 • 1h 5min
Reckoning With Utilities’ Dirty Past
We’re doing a free live show from our homes! Sign up here to join us on Wednesday April 22nd. You can watch a behind-the-scenes recording with The Energy Gang and The Interchange.This week: The many ways that dirty energy has controlled the politics of clean energy.Dr. Leah Stokes, an expert on interest groups and their influence over policy, joins the gang. Her new book, Short Circuiting Policy, is the focus of our episode.Who are the truly bad actor utilities? How have they held back climate policy, and where would we be without their resistance?Suddenly, utilities are embracing much more ambitious carbon-free energy targets. How optimistic should we be about their intentions?We’ll talk about the history of clean energy politics detailed in Leah’s book, which she researched over a seven-year period.Then: the election. With Bernie Sanders out, what will his climate voters do? How long will they hold out, what influence do they have, and how will they wield it? Recommended reading:Leah Stokes: Short Circuiting PolicyWashington Post: Elizabeth Warren says ‘government has been bought and paid for’ by big business. Political scientists say she’s got a point.Guardian: Trump Administration Declines to Strengthen U.S. Clean Air StandardsL.A. Times: Exposure to Air Pollution Linked to Higher Coronavirus Death RatesThe Atlantic: Trump’s New Auto Rollback is an Economic DisasterThe Atlantic: “We Knew They Had Cooked the Books”NYT: Coronavirus Does Not Slow Trump’s Regulatory RollbacksNYT: Trump’s Environmental Rollbacks Find Opposition Within: Staff ScientistsThe Hill: Democrat questions WH transparency in rollback of bedrock env lawInside Climate News: Joe Biden Must Convince Climate Voters He’s a True BelieverThe Hill: State of the Race: Green groups press Biden after Sanders exitsCommon Dreams: After Sanders Exits Race, Climate Campaigners Thank Him for 'Raising the Bar' and Urge Biden to 'Step Up'Guardian Opinion: Dear Joe Biden, Here is how you can earn our supportThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is offering a market-by-market analysis of the issues, trends, and regulations that organizations should understand in 2020 to make better decisions about energy. Get your copy today of the “2020 State of Demand-Side Energy Management in North America” here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apr 10, 2020 • 46min
Will Pollution Pauses Have a Lasting Impact?
The world is experiencing a sudden, dramatic drop in all kinds of air pollution. The skies are dramatically different. People can hear birds they didn’t even know were there, and see landscapes that have been shrouded for decades.It’s saved thousands of lives in averted asthma and heart attacks. When this is all over, will people clamor for cleaner air? We discuss the potential long-term impacts on this week’s episode.Then: the 2020 climate summit is postponed. Could that be a good thing? What are the political benefits and diplomatic drawbacks?Finally, we’ll assess curtailments of solar and wind energy as electricity consumption drops around the world.Recommended reading:Clean Air Memes from India: You Can See Los Angeles from Mumbai NowReuters: Biggest fall in carbon emissions since World War TwoWSJ: Coronavirus Lockdowns Clear the Air But the Effect Could be FleetingTwitter: Katharine Hayhoe’s Most Recent Cool ExplainerBulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Will the coronavirus have a lasting impact on carbon emissions?Forbes: Why Offering “Home-Office” Balance Leads to the Most Productive EmployeesBloomberg: What It Means to Have a Year Without Climate DiplomacyE&ENews: Pandemic Delays Global Climate SummitClimate Action Tracker: How the Pledges of Each Nation Stack UpGTM: California Curtailment Surge as Coronavirus Cuts DemandITWeb: Eskom’s COVID-19 power curtailment bid stuns wind sectorGTM: 2017 Primer–Too Much of a Good Thing? An Illustrated Guide to Solar Curtailment on California’s GridThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Apr 3, 2020 • 59min
Does the Economic Crisis Shift the Clean Energy Calculus?
This week: The coronavirus shockwave brings staggering losses of lives, jobs, and money.So many applied for unemployment last week – 5 times more than ever before – that it was hard for graphic artists to draw a Y-axis that would fit them in historical comparisons. We’re now at 10 million unemployment claims. With so much turmoil and uncertainty, we are going to dig back into some of the big themes of the week. First, we’ll have a recap of stimulus activity. The day after the unprecedented unemployment numbers, the federal government approved a boost to the economy twice as large as any before in the history of the United States. What’s in it? What’s coming next?Then, essential workers in energy: how grid operators are making sure that all-important juice keeps flowing to your home or essential workplace.And finally, how the oil price shock may – or may not – impact renewables investment from fossil fuel majors.Mentioned on the show:Gail Tverberg: Our Infinite WorldDSIRE: The database of renewablesEnergy Storage News: Editor’s BlogRecommended reading:VOX: How the Covid-19 Recession Could Become a DepressionWSJ: After 3 Coronavirus Packages, Congress is Already Prepping a FourthThe Hill: McCarthy Says Fourth Stimulus Might Not Be NecessaryBloomberg: Winners and Losers in Congress’s $2 Trillion Rescue PlanAmerican Petroleum Institute: Open Letter to Congress and White HouseInside Climate News: Trump’s Move to Suspend Env. Enforcement is a Lifeline to OilE&ENews: Inside New York’s Grid LockdownDailyEnergyInsider: PJM Adapts to New Normal During Covid-19 CrisisBloomberg: US To Let Nuclear Plants Defer Repairs, Schedule Longer ShiftsOilPrice.com: Can Big Oil Still Fund Its Renewable Energy Push?This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to the energy future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 27, 2020 • 1h 4min
Election Special: Coronavirus and Climate Collide
This is a special crossover episode between The Energy Gang and Climate 2020.Coronavirus brought the 2020 election to a screeching halt. Climate was once a top issue in the Democratic primary, but it’s been overtaken by a virus and a looming economic apocalypse. Primaries are delayed. Traditional campaigning has stopped. Biden is hiding out, preparing for the general election. Bernie Sanders is hanging on. And the way we think about all kinds of issues has totally flipped.So how will climate, cleantech and the environment fit into this new political world?The climate community is struggling with how to message. What are the appropriate ways to keep the focus on climate change, while we face public health and economic crises? What about the intersection of extreme weather and coronavirus? Many state officials fear the next season’s floods, hurricanes and fires – events that can require evacuation while people are supposed to stay homebound. How will climate change compound the problem?The Gang includes Stephen Lacey, Katherine Hamilton and Jigar Shah.Jeff Nesbit, the executive director of Climate Nexus and co-host of the podcast Climate 2020, joins the gang for this special joint episode on politics. Jeff is also an author, former journalist, a senior public affairs official at the FDA, and Dan Quayle’s director of comms.Mentioned on the show: Twitter: Rachel Bitecofer’s FeedTwitter: Leak Stokes’ FeedPriorities USA: Political Ad Recommended:Scientific American: U.N. Shifts from Climate Change to CoronavirusThe New Yorker: The Coronavirus and the Climate Movement by Bill McKibbenInside Climate News: In the Face of a Pandemic, Climate Activists Reevaluate Their TacticsThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to the energy future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 25, 2020 • 13min
The Vast Potential of Networked EV Chargers [Content From Enel X]
This is an original, branded podcast produced in partnership with Enel X and GTM Creative Strategies.Electric vehicle chargers now outnumber gas stations in some countries. They’re getting easier to find. They’re easier to install in homes. And they’re getting way smarter.So how can we harness all these chargers for the benefit of the grid and consumers?In this special podcast episode, produced in partnership with Enel X, we’re exploring the vast potential of electric vehicle chargers. We’ll talk with Giovanni Bertolino, the head of e-mobility for North America at Enel-X about a concept called managed charging. It’s also known as intelligent charging.Giovanni’s team deploys networks of chargers that can adapt to pricing and grid needs — providing demand response services, and potentially, real-time services to manage the frequency of the grid. We speak with Giovanni about the rise of managed charging. We started with the underlying market conditions: the grid is getting saturated with wind and solar. So how can chargers paired with demand response help support more renewables?Large energy users partner with Enel X to manage risk on the energy markets, maximize payments through demand response, and finance upgrades to facilities to improve demand response earnings. They also increasingly work with Enel X to use chargers to manage the grid.Find out more about how Enel X can help you capitalize on your biggest energy opportunities.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 19, 2020 • 58min
The Coronavirus Fallout
This week: how coronavirus could accelerate or decelerate the energy transition.We’re facing an oil shock amid a pandemic, supply chains are still in disarray, economic gears are grinding to a near halt, and countries are scrambling to put stimulus packages in place. How will this shape the energy system?We’re going to break the conversation into three parts: the impact on fossil fuels and renewables; long-term prospects for decarbonization; and a blueprint for a low-carbon stimulus.Where will the money go when this is all over? Could clean energy have the advantage over fossil energy from investors and governments?Recommended reading:GTM: Could the Oil Price Collapse Drive More $$ Into RenewablesGTM: For Wind and Solar Sectors, Biggest Coronavirus Risk May Be a Damaged EconomyBusiness Insider: Coronavirus Stunts Clean Energy GrowthWSJ: Oil Markets Point to Lasting Glut of CrudeWSJ: Oil Drop Takes Down Hedge FundOilPrice.com: Oil Price Crash Continues Despite $1.5 Trillion Fed InterventionOilPrice.com: Morgan Stanley Expects Net Zero Demand Growth in ChinaE&ENews: The Oil Crash and Climate: What to KnowE&ENews: Green Energy's $10T Revolution Faces Oil Crash TestE&ENews: Senate GOP Eyes Energy Aid in Response to Market FalloutThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 12, 2020 • 1h 7min
Watt It Takes: Turning Real Estate Into Clean-Power Assets
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Robyn Beavers, the co-founder and CEO of Blueprint Power. Blueprint works with real estate companies to turn their buildings into clean energy power plants. Blueprint developed software that helps building owners optimize their use of co-generation, fuel cells, solar or batteries.Robin has a long history in the worlds of tech, real estate and energy. She was an early employee at Google, and went on to found the company’s environmental strategy group. She later built the innovation team at NRG Energy. She later went into the world of real estate, where she oversaw venture investments at Lennar. Today, she’s bringing all that experience together in the hopes of making buildings more dynamic actors on the grid. This conversation was recorded at the Powerhouse headquarters in Oakland, California. To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.This podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy’s future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Mar 5, 2020 • 45min
We Spend Jeff Bezos’ Climate Money
What to do with all this climate money moving around? The richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos, says he is going to channel $10 billion of his own dollars into climate solutions. Is this the biggest climate philanthropy ever? And where should he be devoting those dollars? We’ll help him spend it.Then, the mushy middle. Our own Jigar Shah’s Generate Capital has raised another billion dollars to fund climate tech that is less attractive to some investors – fuel cells, microgrids and unconventional solar projects. We’ll talk about the underserved opportunities in finance. And a new pot of money from ARPA-E to scale up existing technologies. It’s paltry compared to the money people like Gates and Bezos are throwing into the space. What role is the government playing to scale climate tech? Recommended reading:EENews: He Wants to Own It. Will $10B Buy the Climate Movement?The Atlantic: $10 Billion? In This climate?GTM: Generate Capital’s $1B Raise Draws Global Infrastructure Funds to CleantechGreen Car Congress: ARPA-E Offers Up to $50 Million for Scaleups That Have a PathThis podcast is brought to you by CPower. CPower is helping organizations chart a path to energy's future. Visit thecpowerway.com/future to learn how CPower can guide your decisions on distributed generation, demand response and your energy spend.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Feb 21, 2020 • 58min
Is BP's Shift for Real?
Just weeks after taking over as CEO of BP, Bernard Looney unveiled a series of climate targets. This isn’t the first time BP has tried to make a push into clean energy and decarbonization -- is this time different?In this week’s episode, we’ll look at the pressures that BP is facing. What does it take for a publicly-owned company to reevaluate its core product? And how do you reduce the carbon intensity of a hydrocarbon business? We’ll dig through the details.Then, natural gas is suddenly in the hot seat. For gas-only utilities, one pathway is clear. They have to push renewable methane. But what are the limitations? And how will the battle over natural gas connections play out?Finally, we’ll talk about another reversal, this time in Virginia. The state legislature is right in the middle of setting some pretty strong goals for offshore wind and storage, and they’ve got a governor who wants to sign it. What caused the politics to turn around so suddenly? Recommended reading:Vox: The False Promise of Renewable Natural GasGTM: Virginia Lawmakers Race to Define Clean Energy Goals, Offshore Wind PlansWSJ: BP Wants to Become Carbon Neutral by 2050, But Doesn’t Say How=This podcast is brought to you by Energetic Insurance. Energetic’s EneRate Credit Cover policy is an easy button for commercial solar — similar to a FICO score in residential solar. This enables savvy developers and investors to quickly finance commercial solar projects and turn around portfolio refinancings more rapidly. Find out more.This podcast is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is a leading manufacturer of high-density, high-voltage energy storage solutions for utility, industrial, microgrids and mission-critical markets. Find out more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
