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
Jul 12, 2018 • 59min
The Billion-Dollar Crash of Better Place
Dozens of companies across solar, batteries and biofuels have imploded over the years. But it's hard to match the spectacular implosion of Better Place five years ago.Better Place rose to fame in 2007, pulling in nearly $1 billion of venture capital by promising to put millions of cheap electric cars and battery switching stations on roads around the world. It fell nearly as quickly into bankruptcy after a series of poor decisions, market twists and bitter internal disputes.A new book on the company's history, Totaled: The Billion-Dollar Crash of the Startup that Took on Big Auto, Big Oil and the World, uncovers lots of engrossing details on Better Place's quixotic mission to revolutionize electric vehicles.On this week's Energy Gang podcast, we're talking to author Brian Blum about the Israeli EV company's rise and demise. "When you're an entrepreneur of any size, being able to change and to iterate is going to make your company a success. And Better Place really didn't do that," said Blum.Blum will also talk about his personal experience with Better Place's car made in collaboration with Renault.Later in the show, what does Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick mean for environmental and energy law? We’ll look at the record of Judge Brett Kavanaugh.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Mission Solar Energy, a solar module manufacturer based in San Antonio, Texas. Mission Solar's high-performance solar panels have the highest testing ratings than any North American manufacturer in the market. Learn more about Mission's high-efficiency modules.Recommended reading and listening: Israel Story podcast: A Better Place?Fast Company: The Spectacular Failure of The Startup That Was Going to Change The WorldNew York Times: How Brett Kavanaugh Could Reshape Environmental Law From the Supreme CourtSubscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.And while you're there, subscribe to our other podcasts, The Interchange and Political Climate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jul 5, 2018 • 45min
Fantasy Sports for Energy Nerds
Like fantasy sports? Listen to our deep decarbonization draft. The Energy Gang is break this week for the July 4 holiday. We'll be back next week. In the meantime, we're offering up a re-run from The Interchange. In this episode, Shayle and Stephen choose their rosters of nine technologies to decarbonize the global economy. The goal: find the best resource mix to keep global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius. The draft has nine rounds. The “team” resulting from each person’s picks will need to stand on its own.Each pick must be a unique technology. For example, “energy efficiency” is not a pick, but “LED lighting” is.Technologies with major subsets must be picked separately. For example, rooftop solar and centralized solar are two different picks.The existing technology mix will stand. (We don’t need to pick “transmission & distribution" in order to have electricity.)The time horizon will be through 2050.The winner will be chosen by listeners.If you like what you hear, subscribe to The Interchange anywhere you get your podcasts!The Energy Gang will be back next week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 28, 2018 • 41min
We Have a Gas Problem
A new peer-reviewed study in the journal Science gives us a clearer picture of the climate impact of natural gas. According to researchers, methane leakage across oil and gas operations in the U.S. are 60 percent higher than government estimates. Put another way: the methane leakage from oil and gas has the same warming effect over a 20-year time period as all America’s coal capacity in 2015.Natural gas has been vital to lowering power-sector carbon emissions. Are methane leaks reversing that progress? We'll provide some context.Then, we'll talk about how GE and Siemens are grappling with dramatic changes in demand for gas turbines. Both companies are de-emphasizing their gas businesses, while accelerating investments in renewables and efficiency. How will these power giants evolve?This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Recommended reading:Journal Science: Assessment of Methane Emissions From the U.S. Oil and Gas Supply ChainNew York Times: The Natural Gas Industry Has a Leak ProblemJesse Jenkins Twitter analysis on the studyRichard Meyer Twitter analysis on the studyGTM: The ‘New’ New General Electric: Renewables Are In, Distributed Gas Generators Are OutSubscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.And while you're there, subscribe to our other podcasts, The Interchange and Political Climate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 19, 2018 • 47min
Watt It Takes: How a NASA Roboticist Built a Groundbreaking Solar Tracker
Leila Madrone was constantly looking for creative ways to use robots. In the mid 2000's, she co-founded a music group called Ensemble Robot, which featured robots that played music. "I had this great passion to use robotics to have meaning in the world," said Madrone. Later, Madrone worked for NASA's intelligent robotics group. Then she caught the solar bug: "Solar seemed like where the most possibility was for the future."She teamed up with Saul Griffith, an expert in self-replicating machines, to start Sunfolding. It started with a seemingly simple idea: Solar trackers move solar panels over the day to create the most energy. But they’re made of heavy, expensive components. What if you could develop a cheaper, more efficient tracker using premium plastic materials and the power of air to maximize energy production?With that idea, Leila built Sunfolding’s AirDrive technology that combines the functionality of motors, gears, dampers and batteries into a single component primarily composed of air.In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews Leila Madrone about her path from music-making NASA roboticist to solar-tracker CEO.This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.Listen to our other episodes of Watt It Takes:Nancy Pfund’s Pro Tips for Getting Started in CleantechSunPower Founder Dick Swanson’s Guide to Launching a Cleantech StartupLessons From the Fall of SungevityDan Shugar, the King Midas of SolarA History of Greentech Media With Scott ClavennaSungage's Sara Ross on Starting a Solar Loan CompanyJigar Shah on the Origin Story of SunEdisonThe Origin Story of Mosaic With Billy ParishLike our shows? Make sure to give The Interchange, The Energy Gang and Political Climate a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And make sure to subscribe to our shows on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or anywhere you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jun 14, 2018 • 48min
Tesla's Layoffs: Musk Pushes for Profits
Elon Musk announced Monday that Tesla is laying off 9 percent of salaried employees at the company. This is not the first round of sweeping layoffs at Tesla — the most recent came after the SolarCity acquisition. But this appears to be the biggest so far.We'll discuss Elon's new quest for profitability.Then, we'll cover the never-ending saga in Washington over saving coal plants. The Trump Administration is now trying to invoke national security to prop up closing coal and nuke plants – and the nation’s top energy regulators are giving it the cold shoulder.Finally, The Energy Gang is celebrating its fifth anniversary this week. To mark the occasion, we'll each pick a single moment from the last five years caused an unstoppable ripple in the world of energy.This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Recommended reading/listening:GTM: Tesla to Cut Workforce by 9%; Musk Says It Won’t Affect Model 3 ProductionBloomberg: Musk’s Model 3 Miscalculation Culminates in Major Tesla Job CutsHarvard Law podcast with Ari Peskoe on DOE's coal bailoutBloomberg: Trump Prepares Lifeline for Money-Losing Coal PlantsSubscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.And while you're there, subscribe to our other podcasts, The Interchange and Political Climate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 24, 2018 • 43min
Your Questions Answered: The Politics Edition
What’s the optimal way to spend money raised by a carbon tax?How should climate play in Florida’s big toss-up Congressional race?What’s the best energy platform for gubernatorial candidates?This week: your questions answered. We got a bunch of queries from listeners about politics — so that’s the direction we’re headed. We'll discuss what these individual stories tell us about nationwide elections in 2018.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Recommended reading:PERI report on NY carbon tax: An Economic Framework for Promoting Climate Stabilization and Expanding Good Job OpportunitiesMiami Herald: Republicans Can’t Generate Buzz for Ros-Lehtinen’s Seat, and Some Say It’s UnwinnableMother Jones: The Illinois Governor’s Race Is Poised to Become the Most Expensive in HistorySubscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.And while you're there, subscribe to our other podcasts, The Interchange and Political Climate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 17, 2018 • 48min
Electrify Everything: Rethinking Home Performance
There’s a new phrase bouncing around energy circles: Electrify Everything.This week, we talk to Nate Adams, a home performance expert whose personal mission is to rip gas meters out of homes and move us closer toward full electrification. As he’s learned from experience, it’s not easy.The electrification of homes may be getting easier in California, however.In the second half of the show, we’re going to tackle California’s new building codes. Starting in 2020, most new homes will have to come with solar panels on the roof. And there are new incentives for electric space heating and water heating – a very big step toward electrification of everything.The codes have created a very strong reaction, both positive and negative – and we’ll look at both sides.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Recommended reading:GTM: Electrify Everything! A Practical Guide to Ditching Your Gas MeterGTM: What Does It Take to Electrify Everything in Your Home?Vox: The Key to Tackling Climate Change: Electrify EverythingGTM: California Rooftop Solar Mandate to Boost Sales 14% Over 4 YearsBloomberg: California Puts Solar on the Roof and Up For GrabsVox: California Will Require Solar Panels on All New Homes. That’s Not Necessarily a Good ThingSubscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.And while you're there, subscribe to our other podcasts, The Interchange and Political Climate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 9, 2018 • 41min
Watt It Takes: Billy Parish, From Dropout Activist to Solar CEO
Billy Parish dropped out of college to pursue a career in climate activism. Today, he's the CEO of America's biggest rooftop solar loan company, Mosaic.In this edition of Watt It Takes, Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch interviews Parish about his transition from activist to executive. They'll talk about the many iterations of Mosaic, difficulties in raising money from VCs, and Parish's philosophy on building a successful team.Watt It Takes is a live interview series produced by Powerhouse in partnership with GTM. The conversation was recorded live in Oakland, California.This podcast is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Listen to our other episodes of Watt It Takes:Nancy Pfund’s Pro Tips for Getting Started in CleantechSunPower Founder Dick Swanson’s Guide to Launching a Cleantech StartupLessons From the Fall of SungevityDan Shugar, the King Midas of SolarA History of Greentech Media With Scott ClavennaSungage's Sara Ross on Starting a Solar Loan CompanyJigar Shah on the Origin Story of SunEdisonLike our shows? Make sure to give The Interchange, The Energy Gang and Political Climate a rating and review on Apple podcasts. And make sure to subscribe to both shows on Apple podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or anywhere you get your podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 4, 2018 • 46min
Mythbusting
We all fall victim to myths. But when they're deeply tied to our belief systems, they can be nearly impossible to break. On this week's show, we're busting some of the most common myths in clean energy:No, storage doesn't necessarily increase emissions. It depends on how it's used.No, solar isn't just for rich Democrats. In California, Republicans are buying solar more often.No, renewable energy doesn't inherently raise electric rates. In fact, U.S. electricity prices have fallen.In the second half of the program, we'll revisit the swampy politics of solar in Alabama, South Carolina and Florida. A battle over net metering wages in South Carolina; a dispute over solar leasing continues in Florida; and a legal fight over solar fees in Alabama escalates.Do you have a question you want us to answer? We want to hear from you. Record yourself asking your question in a quiet room and send your voice memo to podcasts@greentechmedia.com. Maybe we'll answer it in an upcoming episode.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sense. Sense installs in your home's electrical panel and provides insight into your energy use and home activity through iOS, Android and web apps. Find out more.Subscribe to The Energy Gang podcast via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher or wherever you find your audio content.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
May 2, 2018 • 26min
For Taxis, It's Uber. For Utilities, Could It Be DERs? [Original Content]
This podcast episode sponsored by West Monroe Partners, and brought to you by creative strategies.How do we think about change in the electric utility industry caused by distributed resources? Is it like telecom? Internet-based retail?Sam Uyeno, senior manager in West Monroe Partners’ energy and utilities practice, says that it may be more like ride sharing. As distributed resources flourish, he argues that utilities will have to think about how to leverage new customers within its network — just as Uber came into the taxi market and allowed anyone to become operators. When you consider distributed resource management software, “maybe that’s the Uber.”Utilities are making large investments to keep up with the quickening pace of technological innovation. But it may not be enough to keep up with distributed energy resources. Utilities should also be looking for a new regulatory compact all together, argues Tom Hulsebosch, senior managing director for West Monroe Partner’s Energy & Utilities and sustainability practice. In this podcast, we talk with Hulsebosch and Uyeno about the technology investments and business practices that utilities need to adopt in order to get ahead of the wave of distributed assets connecting to the grid.Recommended reading:Addressing the Challenge of Distributed Energy Resource GrowthPositioning Utilities to Win the Battle for CustomersNew Role for Utilities Leads to Business OpportunitiesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
