The HC Commodities Podcast

Adam Rozencwajg, Managing Partner of Natural Resource investor Goehring and Rozencwajg, discusses the challenges and costs of renewable energy projects, natural gas supply and LNG demand, the impact of prices and technology on oil and gas production, and investing in private energy companies and predicting future energy trends.

In this episode we return to Lithium – the critical metal of the electron age. The supply chain is both constrained and concentrated, leading to a rush to find suitable deposits worldwide. However, its not just quality of deposit that matters but type, geography and the political and social environment in which it sits. In this episode, we review the Lithium Triangle, the rich swath of brines that cover Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. How and why has the Lithium Triangle acquired its name? What role will it play in the energy transition and which of those three countries provide the best opportunities? Our guests are Gabriel Rubacha and Taj Singh. Gabriel is now the CEO and Chairman of NOA Lithium Brines, a Lithium exploration company focused on the Triangle. Gabriel was previously on the board of directors at Lithium Americas Corp. Taj is the former CEO of NOA and now President & CEO at Gold Line Resources Ltd. Visit NOA Lithium Brines https://www.noalithium.com//Visit HC Group www.hcgroup.global

Hydrogen made in a steam reformer, grey hydrogen, is responsible for 3% of global greenhouse emissions yet it is embedded in many industrial applications. More broadly industry accounts for some 10% of emission. Switching industry to green hydrogen would make a huge difference. Yet, green hydrogen remains rare. The costs in both the operating expenses and capital expenditure means implementation is extraordinarily difficult, especially in a high interest rate environment. What are the challenges, what does the future hold and how could the costs be lowered? Our guest is Chad Mason, CEO and founder of Advanced Ionics,  a company focused on the  clean future of industrial hydrogen.Visit Advanced Ionics here: https://advanced-ionics.com/For HC Group visit www.hcgroup.global

Download here: https://www.flipsnack.com/hcinsider/q3-2023-market-review/full-view.htmlTo sign up to receive the review in future quarters, along side our other thought pieces, interviews and analysis in the sector visit:https://www.hcgroup.global/hc-insiderYou can also email me at pchapman@hcgroup.global with any specific questions and I can direct you internally to best contact.  

Cotton is a commodity that is familiar to all of us. However, the market for cotton is not. How and where is it produced and traded? How is the cotton market being impacted by de-globalization, digitization and the energy transition? Who are the players and what can the cotton market tell us about the broader economic cycle? Our guest is Crawford Tatum, veteran cotton trader at some of the largest houses and now Director of Economic Research and Market Risk at the Staple Cotton Cooperative Association. HC Group is a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities commodities sector with 8 offices around the world. For more information visit www.hcgroup.global 

Brian Knowles, Director of Energy Storage and Flexibility at Pexapark, shares insights from his extensive experience in energy storage and renewable projects. He highlights the essential role of energy storage in tackling the duck curve and market volatility. The discussion delves into the complexities of co-locating storage with renewables and the challenges of grid interconnections. Brian also addresses regulatory hurdles and the evolving dynamics of power purchase agreements, emphasizing the economic opportunities this integration creates in both European and American markets.

Who really prices oil? Traders? OPEC? Financial Flows and hedge funds? The oil markets are far different than two decades ago. They are increasingly financialized opening trading to a far greater number and variety of participants. Now, as in equities, sentiment can drive markets in the short term irrespective of the physical flows. On September 14 in London, HC Group and Onyx Capital hosted a live podcast event to address just this. Kurt Chapman, Director of Levmet, Saad Rahim, Chief Economist of Trafigura, Tor Svelland, CEO and Founder of Svelland Capital, Savvas Manoussos and Greg Newman, CEO & Founder of Onyx Capital joined Paul Chapman to discuss. We also celebrated Greg's new book - "The World of Oil Derivatives". A fantastic primer for financial trading in the oil markets. HC Group is a search firm dedicated to energy & commodities sector. For more information visit www.hcgroup.global.  

Taiwan’s energy security is on a knife edge. Energy Transition policies have increased reliance on fossil imports while also increasing CO2 emissions. At the same time, China’s growing belligerence poses an existential threat. Taiwan is crucial to the global economy given its centrality in semi-conductors, itself an ever power-hungry industry. How did Taiwan end up in this state? What were the policies and why have they had limited success? What would a blockade mean for Taiwan? Is the upcoming election likely to change anything? And what lessons can the world take from Taiwan? Our guest is energy journalist and Taiwan expert Angelica Oung, Founding Editor at Taiwan Offshore Wind Unredacted. HC Group delivers retained search, intelligence and advisory for energy and commodities markets. Learn more: hcgroup.global/” 

Investigative reporter Zeke Faux discusses the incredible rise and fall of cryptocurrencies in 2021, including the involvement of Tether coin and the questionable activities surrounding it. The podcast explores the dark side of the crypto world, the collapse of cryptocurrency prices and companies, and the intriguing mystery behind Tether's lack of records and risky investments. Faux provides an insider's perspective on the wild rollercoaster ride of crypto and the potential ramifications it may have on the future of banking and the global economy.

Chris Miller, an expert in semiconductors and their impact on geopolitics, discusses how semiconductors have become the new oil. He explores the concentrated nature of the semiconductor supply chain and its historical and geopolitical implications. The podcast also covers the role of defense procurement in the development of the chip industry, the complexity of semiconductor manufacturing, China's strategy to catch up in the chip industry, the story of Huawei in the chip industry, and China's technological edge and the shortage of GPUs.