ARC ENERGY IDEAS

This week on the podcast Peter and Jackie discuss the results of a recent survey they conducted with a group of investors to understand their perspectives on investing in clean energy.  Do investors see an opportunity to generate strong returns in clean energy? Are they actively investing in clean energy? What do investors view as the most significant risks or uncertainties? Next, Peter and Jackie discuss why policy risk was one of the top concern areas for investors.  Why does policy risk rate high on the list of concerns?  What are the factors of policy risk that should be evaluated? Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYouTube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsGoogle podcastsAmazon musicSpotify

This episode marks the 200th ARC Energy Ideas podcast!  Peter and Jackie start the podcast commemorating this milestone. Next, Richard Masson, Chair of the World Petroleum Council Canada joins the podcast. Richard tells us about the 24th World Petroleum Congress that will be held in Calgary from September 17 to 21, 2023. The conference is held once every three years and has been described as the world’s leading assembly for the petroleum industry. The organizers are expecting 15,000 visitors and 5,000 delegates from over 100 countries.  Finally, we wrap up the podcast with an update on Jackie’s solar panels, and how the economic return looks now with the first full year of actual operating data.  Content referenced in this podcast: The World Petroleum Congress website: https://www.24wpc.com/ Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/      Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYouTube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsGoogle podcastsAmazon musicSpotify

This week John Dalton, President of Power Advisory joins the podcast to provide an overview of the electricity markets in Atlantic Canada, including the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.  We also cover Quebec’s role in supplying electricity to the region.  Here are some of the questions Peter and Jackie asked John:  Is the Muskrat Falls hydro project operating yet? What is the final cost of Muskrat Falls?  Considering the high cost, do you expect other large hydro projects to be built in Eastern Canada?  What is the latest on the Atlantic Loop and Quebec to US transmission projects? Are the incentives and financing in Canada’s Budget 2023 enough to get transmission projects started? What was the historical agreement between Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec for supplying electricity from Churchill Falls and how has that shaped the relationship between the two provinces on electricity?  Will Atlantic Canada have small modular reactors (SMRs) operating by 2035? Is renewable power generation (wind or solar) expected to grow in Atlantic Canada? Do you think Atlantic Canada will reach net zero electricity by 2035? Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ To see a transcript of this podcast, visit the link (scroll part way down the page):Atlantic Canada: Is Net Zero Electricity by 2035 Possible? (arcenergyinstitute.com)Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYou Tube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsGoogle podcastsAmazon musicSpotify

This week Michael (Mike) Rose, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Tourmaline joins us as our guest. Tourmaline made some exciting announcements last week. First, they announced a partnership on a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station network across Western Canada to enable heavy-haul trucks to get off diesel.  The company also announced that they plan to double the amount of gas they ship as LNG by 2026. Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked Mike: How have Western Canadian gas producers survived low gas prices? Why is Tourmaline investing in natural gas stations for heavy-haul trucking now, considering it still has GHG emissions? Has Tourmaline reduced its environmental footprint, including greenhouse gas emissions? How challenging is it to achieve the federal government’s goal of reducing oil and gas emissions in the range of 40 to 45 percent by 2030? Are you exporting LNG to international markets today? Can Canada compete with the U.S. to supply gas to LNG export terminals on the U.S. Gulf Coast? How much WCSB gas could ultimately be shipped off Canada’s West Coast?  Other information referenced in this podcast:  Alberta Government’s aspirational plan to reach net zero by 2050 “Alberta emissions reduction and energy development plan.” Global News (April 18, 2023) “Tourmaline, Clean Energy Fuels to partner on natural gas fueling station network.” Bloomberg (April 18, 2023) “Tourmaline Aims to Double Portion of Gas Shipped as LNG by 2026.” Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/  To see a transcript of this podcast, visit the link (scroll part way down the page):Canadian Natural Gas Has Gone Global: An Interview with Mike Rose from Tourmaline (arcenergyinstitute.com)Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYou Tube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsGoogle podcastsAmazon musicSpotify

Listen to Peter and Jackie speak in front of a live audience with world-renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky at the office of GBE Energy in Calgary (recorded on April 14, 2023). Edward is regarded as one of the world's most accomplished contemporary photographers, known for his large-format images of natural environments altered by industry. His collections are included in over 80 major museums around the world.  Peter and Jackie talk about how Edward’s industrial pictures show the impact of human consumption on the Earth, including (among other things) oil and gas, farming, mining, and waste. Edward shares his views on energy, environmental sustainability, energy transition, climate change, and the growing footprint of humankind. Content referenced in this episode:  Edward Burtynsky’s website https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/ Edward talks about a popular picture he took of a nickel mine tailings pond in Ontario. https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/projects/photographs/tailings  The Paul Kuhn Gallery is hosting an Edward Burtynsky exhibition from April 15 to May 27, 2023 http://www.paulkuhngallery.com/  Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ To see a transcript of this podcast, visit the link (scroll part way down the page): Photographer Edward Burtynsky: A Picture is Worth 1000 Spreadsheets (arcenergyinstitute.com)Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYouTube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsGoogle podcastsAmazon musicSpotify

On April 2, OPEC surprised the markets by announcing a large production cut. Oil prices jumped about $5 a barrel on the news.  On March 28, the 2023 Canadian Federal Budget was released which included additional details on investment tax credits (ITCs) and other incentives to support clean energy investment. This week on the podcast, Peter and Jackie discuss both the OPEC cuts and the 2023 Budget. Content referenced: Canada Budget 2023 Jackie Forrest’s Globe and Mail Article from November 2022 “We built the railway in five years. So why are so many megaprojects now stalled?” Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/  To see a transcript of this podcast, visit the link (scroll part way down the page):OPEC Surprise Cut and Canada’s Budget 2023 (arcenergyinstitute.com) Check us out on social media:Twitter: @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research InstituteInstagram: @arcenergyresearchinstituteYou Tube: @arcenergyresearchinstitute9600Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple Podcasts Google podcasts Amazon musicSpotify 

Albert Cheung, Deputy CEO, of BloombergNEF joins us as our guest this week.  BloombergNEF provides its clients with research on global commodity markets and the technologies driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked Albert:  How has the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changed your outlook for energy transition investment in the U.S.? How much did investment in energy transition increase in 2022 and what was the total level of investment?  What are the hot areas for investment?  Is current investing in clean energy deployments enough to be on track for achieving net zero by 2050? BloombergNEF data shows that in Q4 2022, 19% of new vehicle sales globally were electric, is that ahead of your expectations? What are your thoughts on Canadian clean energy investing?  Do you anticipate that the current market volatility, including bank failures, high-interest rates, and SPACs could reduce investors’ appetite for investing in clean energy? Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ 

This week Frank Davis, Assistant VP, Green Hydrogen and Canada Country Head at Pattern Energy joins as our guest.  Pattern Energy is developing a green hydrogen project at the Port of Argentia in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project will use renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and convert it into ammonia.  Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked Frank: Tell us about the different parts of the project (electricity production to hydrogen and ammonia). Why did you select the province of Newfoundland and Labrador? How do you manage the variability of renewable power while running the ammonia plant 24/7? How much does the cost of green ammonia compare with hydrogen produced from fossil fuels? Would you look for 10 or 20 year take-or-pay contracts before proceeding with the project or is it a merchant model? How does Canadian policy for green hydrogen compare with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)? Content referenced:  Learn more about Pattern Energy’s project in Newfoundland: Argentia Renewables - Pattern EnergyUN IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023 (see page 7 of the Summary for Policy Makers to see the infographic that compares to what extent future generations will experience a hotter and different world), Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ 

Institutional investors are making pledges to reduce the emissions in their portfolio of investments. Most often the goals are tied to their scope 1 and 2 emissions (those controlled by a company they invest in). Occasionally, scope 3 emissions are also included in their goals (indirect emissions from a company’s value chain). While it is not common today, this podcast explains why scope 4 (also called avoided emissions) should be considered in green investment goals. Scope 4 emissions consider the big-picture impact by capturing the emission benefits when a company’s products are used.   For example, take an energy-intensive insulation manufacturer that has relatively high scope 1 and 2 emissions.  These high emissions could cause investors with strict requirements around reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions to not invest. However, when insulation is used in buildings, the emissions reductions are large.  These long-term emissions reductions from using the insulation are scope 4 or avoided emissions.  This example demonstrates how, by considering the scope 4 emissions, investors can see the big picture of their investment's climate impact. This week our guests tell us more about the state of emissions reporting, including scope 4 emissions. We are pleased to welcome Erica Coulombe, Vice President at Millani, and Marcus Rocque, Senior Research Analyst at ARC Energy Research Institute to the podcast. Content referenced in this podcast:  Report that outlines the GHG emission reduction goals of various Canadian pension funds “Building Climate Resilience In Canada’s Pension Funds” by Smart Prosperity Institute  Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/  

This week our guest is the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. The Government of Canada is working on some key energy policies, such as the clean energy incentives in the 2023 federal budget and a Sustainable Jobs Plan. Peter and Jackie asked Minister Wilkinson these questions: How has the Sustainable Jobs Plan been received so far? Which provinces are joining the regional roundtables and what do you hope to learn from them? What is the progress on Canada’s Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) policy? Do you expect any CCS projects to be sanctioned? What is the latest news on the Federal Government’s proposed cap on oil and gas emissions? How is Canada competing with the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)? What is the status of the proposed East Coast green hydrogen projects? Content referenced in this podcast:  Government of Canada’s Sustainable Jobs Plan Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/