The Energy Gang

As 2023 comes to a close, the Energy Gang reflects on the events and trends of 2023 that provided grounds for optimism about the transition to a lower-carbon world.On this week’s show, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe as they share their reasons to be cheerful this holiday season.  Ed chooses the precipitous drop in the cost of solar modules, making solar power ever more competitive against fossil fuels, and driving the adoption of solar energy on a global scale. Amy’s choice is the continued growth of EV sales. Despite all the negative commentary about electric vehicles in recent months, and some genuine setbacks for the industry, the long-term outlook still looks bright. Finally, Melissa chooses another important development in 2023: the start of construction for Form Energy’s new factory in West Virginia to make batteries for long-duration energy storage. The batteries use iron-air technology, an example of several advances in battery chemistry that are offering soluti

The gang assess the outcome of the climate talks in Dubai.This year’s COP went to overtime, as countries argued over the wording of the concluding statement. They had to carry on the negotiations all through the night to do it, but finally they emerged with what was described as a “historic” agreement. For the first time, the need to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels has been put on the record in a concluding statement from a COP.In our final show on COP28, the Energy Gang look back on the last two weeks of negotiations and debates, and as the dust starts to clear, they assess what it all means. Ed Crooks was present at the talks in Dubai, as were regular guests Dr Melissa Lott of Columbia University and Amy Harder of Cipher, and together they tackle one key question: can we call the conference a success? Some people have been hailing it as a triumph, others say it’s a disaster. Does the truth perhaps lie somewhere in the middle? Or is it not that simple?The Global Stocktake of climate action,

Nuclear energy has been in the headlines more in Dubai, than at any previous COP.Nuclear power has had more prominence at this year’s climate talks than at any previous COP. In fact, some people have even been calling it “the nuclear COP”.That’s partly because the hosts, the United Arab Emirates, have been a pioneer of nuclear power in the Gulf region, building four reactors to meet 25 per cent of its electricity demand. At this year’s COP, 24 governments set a goal to triple worldwide nuclear power generation capacity by 2050. To discuss the implications of this pledge, and analyse the current state of the nuclear industry globally, Ed Crooks is joined by Henri Paillere, who is head of the planning and economic studies section at the International Atomic Agency. He says there is now a much wider appreciation of the central role that nuclear power can play in tackling climate change.Nuclear technology is also seen as offering some big commercial opportunities. The EX-IM Bank, the US export – import bank, rece

On day 9 of the climate talks, what do the experts think? As Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the UNFCC, said today, it’s go-time for governments at COP28 this week. To examine the latest stories Ed Crooks has assembled a panel of energy experts: regular Energy Gang guest Melissa Lott, who is Director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, Morgan Bazilion, Director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy and professor of public policy at the Colorado School of Mines, and Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct.Together they debate the efficacy of an annual climate summit, the potential impacts of next year’s US and UK elections on global climate and energy policy and the latest key takeaways from the talks.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An interview with Kristen Siemen from General Motors On this bonus episode recorded live from COP28, Ed Crooks meets Kristen Siemen, Chief Sustainability Officer at General Motors. She sits down with Ed to discuss the current state of the EV market, GM’s plans for the industry and the key takeaways from the conversations at the summit. Subscribe to the show on your podcast platform of choice so you don’t miss any of these special episodes coming live from COP28, and join the conversation on social media: we’re @theenergygang.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What are the barriers to cheap green hydrogen?As COP28 debates the future of fossil fuels, many people think low-carbon hydrogen could replace them for some uses. But, hydrogen has plenty of problems of its own: water use, public resistance to building infrastructure and above all, its cost. Ed Crooks talks to three leaders from politics and business, who are trying to find ways to cure these headaches. Michelle Lujan-Grisham, Governor of New Mexico has launched an initiative to provide a strategic water supply for the industry. Mark Newman is CEO of Chemours, a company that produces a crucial technology for the electrolyzers that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen. John Hartley is CEO of Levidian, a UK-based company that can use methane to make both hydrogen, and graphene – a valuable carbon product.They’ve all been at COP28, talking about how their solutions could help the world get off fossil fuels.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art1

At the halfway point of COP28 the focus is still on fossil fuel abatement.Ed Crooks is joined by Dr Melissa Lott, Director of Research at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy and Professor at the Climate School, and Michael Webber, the McKetta Centennial Energy Chair at the University of Texas. Together they examine the biggest themes that are dominating debate at COP28. The arguments and discussions are still going on, but as Melissa says, they’re not at the core of what’s happening at this year’s summit. The planning for a clean energy future is the key focus for a diverse collection of energy leaders and global citizens.Phase out vs phase down is still the big topic, and the team give their take on the future of fossil fuels. The pledge to triple renewable energy generation is also put under the microscope. What does it mean for financing in the energy transition?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At the halfway point of this year’s climate negotiations at COP28, the focus is still on the proposal that the world’s governments should commit to phasing out fossil fuels. Discussion on the best way forward is still going on; fossil fuels are responsible for the majority of human-induced climate change, and so the world has to stop using them. But as concerns over energy security continue, some say that the debate should not be around fossil fuels v renewables, but rather low-emissions v high-emissions. Is CCUS the technology that will enable continued use of fossil fuels, or is our only option a world powered by 100% renewable and nuclear energy?To discuss this, and to analyze the biggest talking points of today’s talks, Ed is joined by Maria Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, which aims to mobilize and guide companies of all sizes on a path to net zero. Maria argues that a complete phase-out of fossil fuels is needed to get the world on course to limit global warming to 1.5 degees C. She wa

The insight and debate from the Climate Co-Lab event at COP28In 2009, developed countries jointly pledged to mobilise $100bn per annum to support climate action in developing countries. This target has never been met and the pledge will expire in 2025. It is estimated that approximately $5 trillion is required annually, just to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) intended to replace this pledge, is currently under negotiation, due to be finalised by the end of 2024. A successful agreement will unlock the finance needed for mitigation, adaption and loss and damage funds. The Climate Co-Lab event, at the Heriot-Watt campus and in collaboration with Wood Mackenzie and Edinburgh Science, was hosted by Ed Crooks on day 5 of COP28. Joining him to explore climate finance were:Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, Former UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Ambassador Emeritus of Mexico, and CEO and Founding Partner of onepoint5.M

Part one of our coverage live from the conferenceEd Crooks is joined by Amy Harder & Bill Spindle from Cipher, the publication supported by Breakthrough Energy – the clean energy network founded by Bill Gates. Amy and Bill have been in Dubai since the start of the conference, and they analyze the big stories to come out of the first few days.The loss and damage fund is the main focus; a few hundred million has been pledged to help developing nations deal with the impacts of climate change, but it’s a drop in the bucket for what’s needed.Also, COP28 itself: there’s debate on the effectiveness of these talks every year, but there have been positive stories already. The tripling of renewables, pledges on methane reduction and loss and damages have all been high on the agenda.Listen in as we kick off our special podcast series, live from Expo City in Dubai at COP28.Follow us on the socials – we’re @theenergygangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/

COP28, this year’s Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, started in Dubai on Thursday November 30. The Energy Gang will be there, bringing you all the latest news from the negotiations and explaining what it all means. As the climate talks get under way, Ed Crooks sits down in New York with Energy Gang regulars Dr Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe to look ahead to the talks. On the show today, they explore the four key items on the agenda: The Global Stocktake – a review of progress on cutting emissions since the Paris Agreement was signed.The renewables goal – the idea that governments should commit to tripling renewable energy generation capacity by 2030.The methane pledge – commitments to reduce carbon footprints by cutting methane leakage from oil and gas operations.And climate finance – the search for ways to get rich countries to pay to help poorer countries cut their emissions and adapt to a changing climate.Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss the special b

Thanksgiving is a special time in America when families across the country get together and argue. In honor of that tradition, host Ed Crooks and regular Amy Myers-Jaffe are joined by Danny and Toby Rice, two brothers who have both had very successful careers in energy but have gone in somewhat different directions. Toby Rice is president and chief executive of EQT, the largest producer of natural gas in the US. He is an advocate for the benefits of exporting liquefied natural gas, and makes the case for its importance in strengthening energy security, creating jobs, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Danny Rice is chief executive of NET Power, which is developing utility-scale power plants with its proprietary technology that uses natural gas while capturing more than 97% of its emissions. With Ed and Amy, they debate the case for gas as a climate solution. Is gas really any better than coal when full life-cycle emissions are counted? And even if it can reduce emissions, how much good is th

The International Energy Agency last week published its World Energy Outlook, which is its big annual review of everything that is going on in the world of energy.One of the headlines that has been attracting a lot of attention is the forecast that, on current trends, demand for all three fossil fuels – that is, oil, gas and goal – will peak before 2030. The IEA’s report states that the pathway to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees C, the objective the world set in the Paris Agreement, is still open. Although if we carry on as we are, by 2030 it won’t be.Joining Ed Crooks to discuss the IEA’s views and progress in the transition away from fossil fuels are Dr Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe. Regular Energy Gang guests, Melissa is Director of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. Amy heads up NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab. They debate whether this decade might witness the arrival of peak fossil fuel demand. What are the forecasts saying, and are they believable?

This week marks 50 years, almost to the day, since the 1973 OPEC oil embargo on the US, which led to global oil prices soaring. Oil’s potential role as a political weapon was thrown into sharp relief, and the world woke up to a new awareness of the vital importance of energy security. On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks hosts Robbie Orvis and Amy Myers Jaffe, to explore the parallels between that first great oil shock and the economic and political issues arising from the conflict in the Middle East today. Robbie is Senior Director of Modeling and Analysis at the think-tank Energy Innovation, and Amy is Director of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab. Together they discuss the implications for energy security in the US, and around the world, of the fighting that began with the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.This month US oil production has hit a new all-time record high, at 13.2 million barrels a day. This surge in production means the US will be a net exporter of crude and oil pro

The International Energy Agency last month held its first ever summit to discuss Critical Minerals and Clean Energy. It was attended by more than 50 countries, which came together to discuss ways to secure the critical minerals that are needed to make the transition to low-carbon energy.Whether it’s copper wiring in electricity systems, steel in a wind turbine, or lithium in an EV battery, metals are vital for low-carbon technologies, and demand is only going to increase over the next decade. New mines for these metals can take a long time to bring into production, raising fears about whether supplies can keep up. One solution to this problem that’s been getting a lot of attention recently is sea-bed mining.It is a potentially significant new source of supply for some of these critical metals, but it’s also highly controversial because of the damage it could do to deep water ocean ecosystems.On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks is back in the host’s chair, and joined by regular Amy Harder, Executive E

Host Ed Crooks brings you the second of two special episodes recorded live from Wood Mackenzie’s Hydrogen Conference. In the rapidly changing energy landscape, hydrogen has become a hot topic. For some, it represents a beacon of potential for meeting global net-zero ambitions. For others, it is a costly and ineffective blind alley. As the clean energy transition advances, hydrogen has seen a surge in interest and investment around the world. This episode delves into different facets of the hydrogen revolution, examining its transformative potential from various perspectives.The episode starts off with Will Lochhead, Deputy Director and Head of Hydrogen Production and Storage Business Models at the UK government’s Department For Energy Security and Net Zero. The UK government has firmly set its sight on reducing uncertainties and mitigating risks associated with the hydrogen economy, to open up new opportunities for potential market participants. The British government has set an ambition of reaching up to 10

Host Ed Crooks brings you the first of two special episodes recorded live from Wood Mackenzie’s Hydrogen ConferenceIndustry leaders and energy analysts gathered recently for the second annual Wood Mackenzie Hydrogen Conference, where they debated the potential of hydrogen in the global energy mix. Join host Ed Crooks in the first of two special episodes from the conference, with part two coming out tomorrow.The conference provided a forum to discuss how hydrogen, with all its potential and challenges, can help to shape the course of the energy industry. Hydrogen, long considered the energy carrier of the future, is finally claiming its position in the present reality of decarbonised energy systems. As the world debates how best to meet the challenge of climate change, low-carbon hydrogen is becoming a central part of the conversation about the clean energy transition.The shift towards hydrogen presents both challenges and opportunities for energy companies around the globe. The rising prominence of hydrogen w

What’s Next for US Energy Policy?As part of Climate Week in New York, The Energy Gang recorded a special edition in partnership with New York University: an expert panel discussing the future direction of US climate policy and its implications for the energy transition.Amy Myers Jaffe, a regular contributor to The Energy Gang and director of the Energy, Climate, Justice, and Sustainability Lab at NYU, hosted the event, leading a conversation about the key steps that governments, regulators and companies need to take to pave the way to a low-carbon future.Joining her for the discussion were Ana Unruh Cohen, the senior Director for NEPA Clean Energy and Infrastructure at the White House Council on Environmental Quality; Elizabeth Gore, the senior vice president of political affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund; and Rob Gramlich, founder and president of Grid Strategies, LLC.The vital need to strengthen the US power grid was one of the key topics. As Rob Gramlich explains, it is about more than just funding

Direct air capture and carbon sequestration – is it viable, and scalable?The U.S. Department of Energy announced in late August that it would be investing $1.2 billion in two direct air capture or DAC facilities. Direct air capture technology, which uses either chemical media (such as a liquid solvent or solid sorbents) or physical processes involving filters to remove C02 directly from the atmosphere. Carbon capture technologies - that capture CO2 at emissions point sources, like power plants or steel making - is also an area the DOE will be supporting for demonstration projects.Some environmentalists have sharply criticized the Biden administration for providing financial support for DAC and CCS technologies, arguing not only is the technology expensive and unproven, but that it serves as a false flag mechanism by the oil and gas industry to sanction them to continue emitting greenhouse gases.So should the government be investing billions in these technologies? Can CCS and DAC play a role in decarbonizing h

It’s a little over a year since the US Inflation Reduction Act was passed into law. Solar was one of the main beneficiaries, thanks to an extension and expansion of the tax credits available to the industry. So why has the sector fallen out of favour with investors recently?August was a difficult month for the markets in general, but companies including First Solar, Sunrun, Sunpower and Sunnova (who have been featured on our sister podcast The Interchange) have had it particularly rough. To look into what’s going on, host Ed Crooks is joined by two of our regular finance and investment experts: Shanu Mathew, of Lazard Asset Management, and Amy Myers-Jaffe, of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab. Together, look at the residential and utility-scale solar markets and the investment going into them, the US perspective against a global investment backdrop, and the long-term prospects for solar.Also in this show: what went wrong at Proterra? Proterra was an electric bus and battery company cha