

Energy Evolution
S&P Global Commodity Insights
Interviews, analysis and reporting from S&P Global Commodity Insights on energy and commodities' transition to a cleaner future. Hosts Taylor Kuykendall and Eklavya Gupte speak with policymakers, industry professionals and SPGCI in-house experts worldwide on topics related to decarbonization, climate, emerging fuels and energy sources, and the outlook for commodity markets from oil to power to metals. The Energy Evolution podcast has merged with the Platts Future Energy podcast as of January 2025.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 29, 2023 • 14min
Energy Evolution crew previews energy transition themes to watch for in 2024
In this episode of Energy Evolution, hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall dive into the latest trends in the energy transition and their impact on the energy and mining sectors as we kick off 2024. Joining them are correspondents Camilla Naschert and Camellia Moors, who share their insights on the rapidly changing landscape of energy production and consumption. With the world moving towards more sustainable energy sources, the hosts and correspondents discuss how companies in the energy and mining sectors adapt to these changes. They also explore the challenges and opportunities for these industries as they strive to stay ahead of the curve. Tune in to Energy Evolution to stay up-to-date on the energy transition and its far-reaching implications.

Dec 22, 2023 • 19min
Communication technology and its role in the energy transition
In this episode of Energy Evolution, reporter Taylor Kuykendall interviews Ken Rabedeau, the Chief Technology Officer for Energy, Transportation and Public Sector at Nokia. Ken discusses Nokia's role today in the energy transition and how communication technology is helping industries such as the electricity, oil, gas, and mining sectors, to build more sustainable and cleaner business practices. Ken also shares insights on the concept of Industry 4.0 and how it empowers critical industries to blend the physical and digital, as well as the role of artificial intelligence in the energy transition. The interview also covers cybersecurity, mining, and Nokia's efforts to reduce emissions. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert, reporters who write about mining and power issues, are correspondents for Energy Evolution and regularly contribute to the show. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!

Dec 19, 2023 • 28min
It's blue-sky thinking for sustainable aviation fuel markets
There's just over a year to go until the EU introduces its sustainable aviation fuel mandate. S&P Global Commodity Insights' Seb Lewis, associate director for biofeedstocks and biofuels consulting, speaks with Stephen Li, associate director for biofuels research and analysis, and Simone Burgin, associate editor for biofuels pricing. The team discusses the current state of the SAF market and HEFA fuels, developments in advanced biofuels and PtL pathways, feedstocks, and the current state and future paths of SAF pricing. Related prices: Sustainable Aviation Fuel CIF ARA Premium $/mt (AJNWF00) UCO (RED) FOB ARA $/mt (AUCOA00)

Dec 15, 2023 • 29min
The startups grappling with wind power’s recyclability problem
Wind turbines are widely recyclable – apart from their large rotor blades. As more wind farms get decommissioned, more blades end up in landfill or get burned, making recycling one of the industry’s biggest PR and sustainability challenges. Developers also pay increasing attention to emissions in the production of steel for towers. Two start-ups, Germany’s Voodin Blades and Sweden’s Modvion, say they have found solutions – by making the components entirely out of wood. Energy Evolution correspondent Camilla Naschert discusses this with CEOs Tom Siekmann and Otto Lundman. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert, reporters who write about mining and power issues, are correspondents for Energy Evolution and regularly contribute to the show. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!

Dec 8, 2023 • 15min
Tackling the challenge of tracking Scope 2 emissions
Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam. In this episode of Energy Evolution, hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall bring on guest Marek Zhang, vice president of operations and service delivery at CFEX, to discuss the company's decarbonization platform that helps businesses account for and track Scope 2 emissions. Zhang explains the challenges surrounding Scope 2 emissions, such as limited control, complex accounting and reporting processes, and lack of transparency. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. In addition, Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert, reporters who write about mining and power issues, are correspondents for Energy Evolution and regularly contribute to the show. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!

Dec 1, 2023 • 16min
US utility execs share plans for continuing the energy transition amid rising costs
This episode of Energy Evolution is all about utilities' capital plans and how they are adapting to the current economic climate. The episode features Darren Sweeney, a senior reporter in the S&P Global Commodity Insights newsroom, who attended the Edison Electric Institute Financial Conference in Phoenix and interviewed executives from Duke Energy, Exelon, and NiSource about their plans for the future. The executives discussed how they are navigating the energy transition and working to keep costs down for their customers in this high-cost environment, and also shared insights on potential growth opportunities and newer technologies like hydrogen and small modular reactors. Energy Evolution guests this episode are Shawn Anderson, executive vice president and CFO at NiSource in Indiana; Brian Savoy, executive vice president and CFO at North Carolina-based Duke Energy; and Jeanne Jones, the executive vice president and CFO at Chicago-headquartered Exelon. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. In addition, Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert, reporters who write about mining and power issues, are correspondents for Energy Evolution and regularly contribute to the show. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!

Nov 29, 2023 • 26min
Trash to Treasure: The role of UCO and POME in energy transition
Waste feedstocks in the form of Used Cooking Oil and Palm Oil Mill Effluent have been hitting headlines in the biofuels sphere – touted as the next generation of energy feedstocks. Feedstock flexibility appears to be a dominant trend over the next few years, and legislations across many countries look set to propel demand of waste-based feedstocks. In this podcast, Asia’s managing editor Takmila Shahid, markets editor Nurul Darni, together with Head of Asia agriculture and metals news team, Rohan Somwanshi, and biofuels analyst Chua Wei Jun, discuss the rising appeal of UCO and POME as the coveted biodiesel feedstocks, recent market trends, trade flows and legislations that drive demand for these feedstocks.

5 snips
Nov 22, 2023 • 25min
Emerging battery technologies: Alternative long-term energy storage solutions on the rise
Exploring alternative long-term energy storage technologies to fill the flexibility gap in renewable energy, including the limitations of lithium-ion batteries and the rise of scalable solutions like flow batteries and compressed energy storage. The impact of industry growth on battery metal prices, challenges in energy storage adoption, and the forecasted growth of global energy storage installations by 2030.

Nov 17, 2023 • 26min
The path to net-zero: An overview of efforts across commodity companies
In this week's episode of Energy Evolution, the hosts discuss a new series of articles out of the S&P Global Commodity Insights' newsroom that examines how some of the largest companies in the world are working to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. Co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall summarize some of the findings of the team's reporting before interviewing correspondents Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert about their reporting on net-zero efforts in the European power and global metals and mining sectors. The episode also features an interview with Pedro Martins Barata, associate vice president for carbon markets and private sector decarbonization at the Environmental Defense Fund, on the state of industrial decarbonization. He talks about the different major features of decarbonization plans that companies might have and the role of policy in placing pressure on these industries to decarbonize. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. In addition, Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert, reporters who write about mining and power issues, are correspondents for Energy Evolution and regularly contribute to the show. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!

4 snips
Nov 15, 2023 • 25min
COP28 is a pivotal moment for carbon markets: can countries move forward on Article 6?
The podcast explores the complexities of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and its implications for carbon markets. It discusses the challenges and debates surrounding Article 6.4, the pricing of carbon offsets, the current status of Article 6.2, and outstanding issues in the carbon market.