Switched On

Sharon Mustri and Brenna Casey discuss direct air capture (DAC), its cost, and carbon removal methods. They explore the companies investing in DAC, carbon storage, and the future outlook for this technology. This episode provides insights from BNEF's research note on DAC and its market through 2050.

Japan's transition from nuclear power to fossil fuels after the Fukushima incident, challenges in achieving net zero through renewables, potential and challenges of offshore wind projects, difficulties faced by renewable energy projects in Japan, the role of the Japanese government in energy deployment, and closing remarks and sponsor ad.

It’s been a volatile year for natural gas. Last winter, global gas prices spiked in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and European nations rushed to replace sanctioned Russian pipeline supply. North America increased LNG exports with most of these volumes going to Europe to meet higher demand for seaborne cargoes. Prices have since normalized thanks to a relatively mild winter, helping the spot demand recovery in Asia. But now, as cold weather returns, European and North Asian demand, and global gas supplies are once again in the spotlight. On today’s show, Dana speaks to Iryna Sereda, BNEF’s Head of European Gas, and Abhishek Rohatgi, the Head of Global LNG and APAC Gas, about their newly published Winter Gas Outlook. Together they discuss European gas inventories, Asian markets, where new supply is coming online, and how demand dynamics are shifting around the world. They also talk about how climate events from El Niño to global warming are complicating gas market forecasts and why they remain cautiously optimistic for the year ahead. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: Global LNG Winter Gas Outlook 2023-24 - https://about.bnef.com/blog/global-lng-winter-outlook-2023-24/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lithium is integral to the majority of electric vehicle battery chemistries, making it one of the world’s most sought-after metals. Once it’s out of ground, who controls the supply of lithium and its refining? With the majority of major diversified miners not actively taking part in lithium extraction, who are the companies involved in this space? On today’s show, Dana speaks with Ellie Gomes-Callus from BNEF’s metals and mining team, and Dr. Andy Leach from the energy storage team. Together, they discuss the different methods of lithium mining and their varying ecological impacts, why the major diversified miners are largely avoiding the extraction of this metal, and the relationship between lithium and different battery chemistries. They also consider whether sodium-ion technology poses a threat to lithium’s current dominance. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: 1H 2023 Battery Metals Outlook: Shift In Demand Dynamics Energy Transition Metals Production Scores: Australia Top Sodium-ion Batteries Target China’s Mini EVs to Cut Costs Rio Tinto Doubles Down on Lithium Mining With Rwanda Deal Battery Metals Monthly - August 2023See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to charging an electric vehicle in the US, drivers face a complex landscape. Tesla currently dominates the sector with its highly efficient stations and ultra-fast chargers, but an array of companies are vying for a share of this burgeoning market. And with $7.5 billion from the Biden administration’s NEVI program now available for building out the nation’s charging network, the competition is hotter than ever. On today’s show, Dana speaks to Ryan Fisher, BNEF’s head of EV Charging, and Corey Cantor, a Senior Associate from BNEF’s New York office. Together they discuss the different US charging networks, who owns them, how many chargers they each have. They also discuss how the public charger rollout varies from state to state, the subsidies involved, and whether anyone is in a position to challenge Tesla. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: Automakers Assemble for US EV Charging - Six Years Late - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31871 EV Charging Outlook 2023: Grounds for Optimism - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31781 GM Crawls Back to Twitter and Tesla to Save EV Ambitions - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31583/viewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ammonia, a widely used chemical, has a heavy carbon footprint. Green ammonia and its potential as clean shipping fuel are discussed. Ammonia as a means of transporting green hydrogen is explored. Decarbonizing ammonia use in agriculture and the impact of carbon border adjustment mechanism are mentioned.

This month, BNEF’s New Delhi Summit took place alongside the B20 meetings, the official business community engagement forum for the G20. Among BNEF’s guests was Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa for the Indian government, who sat down for a conversation with BNEF CEO Jon Moore on the Summit stage. Amitabh has had a long career in public service, including serving as the Secretary for India’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, the Chairman and CEO of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corporation, and the Secretary for the Indian Ministry of Tourism. He is now the CEO of the Government of India’s think tank NITI Aayog. Together, he and Jon discussed Amitabh’s vision for Indian green hydrogen production, the nation’s expanding EV sector, and how attracting private capital investment will help decarbonize India’s hard-to-abate sectors. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: Information on upcoming BNEF summits - https://about.bnef.com/summit/ Videos of interview and talks from previous BNEF summits - https://www.bnef.com/videos?video-type=summitSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dairy industry relies on 270 million cows to produce over 600 million tons of milk annually, and these cows are having a significant impact on the environment. Plant-based milks have been presented as an alternative, a dairy-free way for us to enjoy our milk and be more environmentally conscious, too. But how does the plant-based milk business work, and just how clean is the industry in comparison to dairy? On today’s show, Dana speaks with Sarrah Raza, a Technology and Innovations Analyst from BNEF’s New York office. Together they discuss a variety of plant-based milk alternatives and their ecological footprints, the major companies that are operating in the space, and how agricultural policies in the US are helping keep plant-milk prices high. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: Milking Crops Not Cows: A Primer on Plant-Based Dairy - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31455See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dana speaks to experts about the importance of the transmission grid in the net-zero transition, successful grid upgrades, materials needed for grid preparation. They also discuss challenges in power grids, streamlining environmental permits, Germany as a positive case study, and the impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act on the clean energy industry.

The Texas power grid has had a volatile few years. As temperatures in the Lone Star State soared earlier this summer, power prices spiked to nearly $5,000 per megawatt-hour. However, that eye-watering price tag paled in comparison to what happened after Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, when per-MWh prices hit a staggering $9,000. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (Ercot) has a grid structure unlike any other in the US, but equally unique are some of its solutions for handling grid flexibility. On today’s show, Dana speaks with Thomas Rowlands-Rees, BNEF’s Head of Research for North America, and BNEF Associate for US Power Nathalie Limandibhratha. Together they discuss the way ERCOT operates, how Bitcoin mines are impacting grid flexibility and the state’s growing renewable energy rollout. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. Links to research notes from this episode: Texas Is Sizzling, But Renewables Keep Power Prices Cool Ercot Market Outlook: Everything Depends on BitcoinSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.