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
Feb 12, 2015 • 46min
The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels
Is it fair to demonize fossil fuels? The co-hosts challenge the simplistic argument against fossil fuels and discuss their benefits, including economic growth and pollution control. They delve into the connection between fossil fuels and societal improvements, while questioning the predictions of catastrophic climate change. They also explore the complexities of living in a society with protective laws and compare utility business models for EV charging stations. Additionally, they discuss the highlights of ARPA-E's innovation summit and touch on upcoming events.
Feb 5, 2015 • 37min
Why the Tea Party Is Getting Behind Solar
For some conservatives, solar is a big green boondoggle promoted by a liberal president to benefit rich environmentalists.
But for a growing number of libertarians and conservatives, solar is also seen as a tool for promoting competition in electricity markets and empowering consumers.
In this week’s podcast, we’ll talk with Debbie Dooley, founder of the Green Tea Coalition and Conservatives for Energy Choice, about why Tea Partyers are rallying behind solar PV as a way to expand personal freedoms.
Then, we’ll discuss a new report concluding that Europe overpaid $100 billion for its renewable energy capacity. And we’ll wrap up the show with a look at a secret automated car sharing service from Google that is reportedly designed to rival Uber.
This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading German inverter manufacturer.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jan 28, 2015 • 49min
The Solar-Utility Battle Is Getting Ugly
If the war of words between SolarCity and Arizona Public Service is any indication, this year will likely see an escalation in tension between the solar industry and utilities throughout the U.S.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that APS was behind a letter from members of Congress to the Federal Trade Commission asking the government to investigate the sales practices of solar services companies.
SolarCity hit back immediately and published a scathing blog post calling out APS for using so-called “monopoly money” to influence politics at the highest level in order to limit consumer choice.
In this show, we’ll look at APS’ claims and tactics, SolarCity’s response, and ask what it means for coming clashes between solar installers and traditional power companies.
Later in the podcast, we’ll look at the highlights of President Obama’s trip to India, and then discuss problems in China’s domestic solar market.
This podcast is sponsored by Kaco New Energy, a leading German inverter manufacturer.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jan 22, 2015 • 49min
Solar Loans: Should PV Be More Like Car Sales or Cable Television?
Last year, 200,000 residential solar systems were installed in the U.S. More than two-thirds of those systems were third-party financed through leases or power purchase agreements.
But third-party financing is peaking. As solar costs come down, more consumers demand direct ownership of their own systems and installers look for simpler options, a growing number of lenders are coming into the U.S. market with loan products.
Will they rival leases and power purchase agreements? Not in the short term. But they are becoming much more popular – sparking debate around their value for customers.
This week, we’ll talk with Sungage Financial CEO Sara Ross, who will provide background on the evolution of solar loans and talk about the democratization of solar finance.
Later in the show, we’ll discuss the State of the Union address and look at the surge in solar jobs outlined in the Solar Foundation’s solar census.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jan 14, 2015 • 37min
Is it Time to End Subsidies for Wave and Tidal Energy?
Progress in wave and tidal energy hasn’t been slow – it’s been nonexistent.
Despite media attention, strategic investments from large energy companies and strong support from national governments, the marine renewables industry has seen mostly technical failure over the last decade.
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, fewer than 150 megawatts of wave and tidal projects will be installed globally by the end of the decade -- a 72 percent reduction in earlier projections.
Aside from creating dams, no companies have yet been able to competitively and reliably tap the waves or tides for electricity.
So is it time to end support for marine renewables and spend money on more promising up-and-coming technologies?
In this week’s show, we’ll look why companies operating in the space have struggled and ask whether it’s finally time to shift our attention.
Then, we’ll discuss the increasingly important role of electric vehicles at the Detroit Auto Show. We’ll also talk about “One Knob,” an idea for creating a more free-market approach to residential energy efficiency.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Jan 7, 2015 • 44min
Will Low Oil Prices Hurt Clean Energy?
With oil prices dropping to five-year lows, pundits are pushing conspiracy theories about OPEC, public investors are acting irrationally, oil companies are going deeper into debt and political leaders are considering previously untouchable ideas like a gas tax.
Meanwhile, many people are asking if an extended period of $50-per-barrel oil will compromise the economics of renewables.
In this week’s episode, we’ll address the spectrum of economic and political consequences from oil’s strong price slide.
Michael Levi, a senior fellow for energy and environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins us at the top of the show to chat about OPEC, the resiliency of America’s unconventional oil & gas sector, the impact of low prices on consumers, and which renewable energy sectors will be affected first.
Later in the show, we’ll talk about the renewed push for increasing the gas tax in Congress. We’ll also provide an update on the U.S.-China trade case that may bring good news for installers worried about the cost of tariffs on Chinese products.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dec 24, 2014 • 43min
The Most Important and Overblown Energy Stories of 2014
This week, we stray from the week’s top news and instead focus on the top news of the entire year.
We’ll give our picks for most important news item of the year, the most overblown story of the year and our story to watch in 2015.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dec 18, 2014 • 48min
Solyndra? Solyndra! The Legacy of Government Loan Guarantees Beyond Politics
Three years after the political posturing around the Department of Energy’s clean energy loan guarantee program, some lawmakers still haven’t moved on.
“What we have seen is incredible mismanagement, and it’s become the poster child for crony capitalism,” said Tennessee Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn in an interview with Bloomberg last month.
Performance tells a different story. Even after a handful of early bankruptcies, the program has so far seen a 98 percent success rate. And losses from those bankruptcies are only one-fifth the cost of what Congress appropriated when establishing the program.
“The facts are clear, the results are in. You can continue to deny that, but I don’t know what it gets you,” said Jonathan Silver, the former executive director of DOE’s loan programs office, speaking on the Energy Gang.
In this week’s show, we’ll talk with Silver about the Solyndra bankruptcy, the political reaction in Washington and the legacy of loan guarantees.
Later in the show, we’ll discuss SunPower’s investment in the home energy management company Tendril, and try to understand the global climate negotiations that just wrapped up in Peru.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dec 11, 2014 • 48min
Tesla's Battery Storage Strategy Beyond Electric Cars
As Tesla builds out its Giga factory in Nevada, the company expects that roughly one-quarter of batteries will be used for stationary storage applications beyond automobiles.
Tesla is just beginning to expand beyond EVs and move deeper into grid-scale storage, behind-the-meter storage and solar-battery combination systems, potentially making it more than just a boutique automobile producer.
“Everywhere we look there's an opportunity for storage,” said Mateo Jaramillo, Tesla’s director of powertrain business development, speaking on this week’s Energy Gang podcast.
In this week’s podcast, we’re live at Greentech Media’s Solar Market Insight conference. Tesla’s Jaramillo and California Public Utilities Commissioner Michael Picker join us to discuss the emerging markets for battery storage, including synergies with the solar industry.
This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dec 4, 2014 • 46min
Germany’s Largest Utility Is Divesting From Centralized Power Plants
Earlier this week, Germany’s biggest power company, E.ON, announced that it would spin off its centralized power assets in order to make itself a distributed utility and embrace the “new world” of energy.
E.ON and other European utilities have been shedding billions of dollars as electricity consumption declines and solar erodes the value of their power plants. Many of them are considering radical changes to their business models as a result.
Johannes Teyssen, E.ON's CEO and board chairman described the move this way: "We’ve now come to the conclusion that it will become increasingly difficult for a company with a broad portfolio to be successful and to grow in both the new and the conventional energy world.”
In this week’s podcast, we’ll look at why E.ON made such a dramatic decision. We will also discuss parallels in the U.S., where utilities are in the early stages of what German utilities have gone through.
Later in the show, we’ll talk about Google’s decision to ditch R&D in renewable energy. Was it proof of the limitations of renewables? Or was it just Google’s inability to make the right investments?
Finally, we’ll wrap up with discussion of a new infrastructure-as-a-service company looking to recreate financing success in solar.
This podcast is brought to you by SMA, the world's leading solar inverter manufacturer. With more than 850 service experts, 90 service hubs, 30-plus gigawatts installed globally and thousands of commercial and utility projects completed worldwide, SMA is the partner of choice for your PV projects.
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
