YPE Podcast

Joe Miller is president of the Advanced Technologies division of BWXT, a leading supplier of nuclear components and fuel to the U.S. government. Show notes: 01:00 Joe's background 03:59 An overview of the BWXT company & its position in the advanced nuclear reactor environment 13:33 Project Pele, a brand new microreactor design 23:01 Technical details & challenges facing the project 31:28 The future of nuclear: Will nuclear ever surpass fossil fuels? What opportunities are available for companies & workers? What skillsets are most sought after? 36:48 Joe's hopes for the coming years in the industry Joe's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-miller-4a72a595/

Show notes: 01:08 Steve & Tom's backgrounds 04:45 A high-level view of health physics & radiation's effects on the body 11:55 Identifying radiation threats in New York City 14:24 How and why Nevada resisted housing nuclear fuel for decades 24:36 How could we recycle used nuclear fuel? And why don't we do it now? 39:41 Organizations that are pursuing fast reactor technologies 42:57 The Waste to Energy Now grassroots effort, and the timeline for setting their plan into motion https://wastetoenergynow.org/

Show notes: 01:16 Karin's nuclear & aerospace backgrounds 09:04 What makes the NuScale small modular reactor (SMR) unique? How has the SMR space evolved over time? 13:22 NuScale's path to regulatory license and the trajectory for the company 18:02 Timelines and challenges to implementing the first modules 23:24 Inherently safe features & advantages of the design 27:27 Where Karin sees the nuclear industry in the coming decade; the benefits of gaining a license in the United States 33:08 Karin's advice for young professionals in energy Karin's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karin-feldman-634b81a/

Jeremy Gottlieb is Co-Founder, President, COO, CSO & Board Member of ComboCurve, a cloud-based analytics and operating platform created to help energy companies better manage their forecasting, valuation, reporting, and decision-making functions. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, hosts Mark Hinaman and Mike Sax chat with Jeremy about co-founding and growing the company. Show notes: 01:32 Jeremy's financial background & how he got the itch for entrepreneurship 07:28 What is ComboCurve? 16:23 Convincing resistant industry customers to adopt the product 22:05 Prioritizing which market opportunities to pursue; finding software developer talent 30:02 Balancing managing both a business and a family 32:05 How Jeremy views the future of the broader energy market; how ESG requirements affect the ability to raise capital 41:14 ComboCurve's biggest challenges 43:49 What concerns Jeremy about the oil & gas industry & his advice for young professionals in the energy industry Jeremy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-gottlieb-cfa-cpa-1853352/

Show notes: 02:34 Brent's background in finance & introduction to the energy markets; his successful partnership with Firefly CEO 12:06 Founding Firefly; evolving the business and patenting the GasLoop storage technology 22:33 Opportunities and challenges with hydrogen storage 31:29 Projects on the horizon for Firefly 36:44 The best ways to network; how to engage with others on LinkedIn 44:55 Brent's predictions for the future of the energy industry 50:33 Brent's advice for young professionals in energy Brent's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-r-smith/

Mary Woollen is Director of Stakeholder Engagement at Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Mary talks with host Mark Hinaman about her passion for social work, her involvement in environmental squabbles, and navigating the nuclear industry as a nuclear skeptic. Show notes: 01:14 How a cross-country road trip led to a prominent environmental lawsuit 18:58 Mary's experience at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a nuclear skeptic; the numerous roadblocks to the consent-based siting nuclear waste program 26:50 The mission of Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC), and the company's innovative TRISO fuel 42:07 What strategies have been most effective in gaining stakeholder engagement? 47:44 Mary's perception of just how (un)popular the nuclear industry is 51:27 Mary's advice for young professionals in energy Mary's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mary-woollen-7685363b/

Ryan Pickering is an independent researcher, moderator, and public speaker. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Ryan chats with host Mark Hinaman about his experience in the solar power industry, and his transition from optimism to pessimism about the technology. Show notes: 01:18 Ryan's lifelong passion for energy 07:30 Working in the emerging solar energy industry 18:33 Transitioning into management roles, but losing faith in solar 33:07 Ryan's exit from the solar industry 40:51 What about nuclear energy? 54:04 Ryan's advice for young professionals in energy Ryan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-pickering-80413914/

Nick Deiuliis is President & CEO of CNX, a natural gas development and production company centered in the Appalachia region. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Nick chats with host Mark Hinaman about his 32 years at the company, the state of the natural gas industry, and CNX's plans for the future. Show notes: 00:44 Nick's background & the evolution of natural gas throughout his career at CNX 08:48 The sustainable business model of CNX, and the company's investments in the local communities 20:49 CNX's strategies to limit emissions; the role of natural gas in producing cleaner energy, and its advantages over other sources 40:04 Why aren't more pipelines being built? 45:58 Nick's advice for young professionals in energy Nick's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-deiuliis/ Nick's Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickDeIuliis Nick's podcast: https://nickdeiuliis.com/podcasts/

Show notes: 00:59 Todd's background with Chevron and Microsoft & his return to chemistry by founding OCOchem 10:27 Eliminating captured CO2 by converting to formic acid; the economics of transporting liquids and gases 26:27 Developing reformers to decompose formic acid into on-demand hydrogen 32:20 Benefitting from renewable energy R&D grants; working with Halliburton Labs 44:02 OCOchem's timeline for commercialization 52:34 What scares Todd in the energy industry; Todd's advice for young professionals in energy Todd's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/todd-brix-518693/

Laura Singer is a senior policy and regulatory affairs associate at Fervo Energy, a company aiming to combat climate change through geothermal innovations. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Laura talks with host Mark Hinaman about her fascinating journey to the energy sector, challenges facing the geothermal companies, and her optimism for the future of the industry. Show notes: 00:59 Laura's background & the influence of Hurricane Katrina on Laura's career path 11:03 Laura's oil & gas research at the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and dealing with recent volatility in the markets 18:22 Moving to Colorado and embracing a balance between energy and the environment 27:02 A primer on geothermal energy & Fervo Energy's role in the space 32:27 Ideal customers/partners for Fervo 38:13 Challenges that the geothermal industry has faced 43:41 Laura's role at Fervo 45:21 Advice for young professionals in energy, and where Laura thinks the industry is going Laura's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurasinger/ Fervo Energy: https://www.fervoenergy.com/ Learn more about Colorado's carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) research: https://www.mines.edu/carboncapture/state-of-colorado-ccus-task-force/

Show notes: 00:47 Kurt's background 05:06 Flibe Energy's mission & the lithium fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) 11:43 Why did pressurized water reactors (PWRs) become more popular? 15:58 Flibe's founding history & advantages to their design 25:32 Reflecting on Idaho National Lab's net-zero carbon goal 33:24 More specs on the LFTR design, and where it fits in the current regulatory environment 41:16 What concerns Kurt about the energy industry? Kurt's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-harris/

Show notes: 00:36 John's background in computer science & his path to become CEO at Soluna 06:24 Moore's Law, Wright's Law, and their relationship to the energy industry 10:48 Transitioning from software to energy; providing grid flexibility through computing 22:38 Applications for Soluna's computing solutions, including crypto 30:11 The structure and scale of Soluna's projects 40:01 Why Soluna isn't pursuing flare gas or nuclear projects 46:11 What scares John about the energy sector, and John's advice for young professionals in energy John's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbelizaire/ John's podcast: https://clean-integration.simplecast.com/

On this episode of the YPE Podcast, we bring you the June edition of DEN Talks: Discussions on Energy and Networking. Mark Hinaman, Director of Engineering Innovation at Franklin Mountain Energy and YPE Denver chapter director, discusses the current state of the oil & gas industry and answers YPE member questions about the topic. Show notes: 00:54 Oil & gas contribution to the energy mix 07:36 Weighing inexpensive energy vs. a cleaner climate 12:33 The ripple effects of the Shale Revolution on the energy industry 16:28 How does oil & gas play into renewables projects? 19:10 How does Mark respond to oil & gas opponents? 26:39 Is there opportunity in using oil & gas techniques for geothermal? 29:57 How realistic are the zero-carbon targets set for the next few decades? 34:05 Greenwashing in the electric vehicle industry? 40:55 Suggestions for changing the perception of the industry Mark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Attend the next YPE event! https://ypenergy.org/denver/events/

Show notes: 00:39 Paul's background and diverse roles in the nuclear industry 06:51 The MicroNuclear reactor battery design 16:18 Attempting to gain traction in the industry as a small startup; the benefits of downscaling nuclear reactors from the 1,000 MWe designs 25:00 The science of remaining fail-safe in a station blackout scenario 27:34 The timeline for commercializing the MicroNuclear designs; potential applications 33:05 The unfortunate facts about the current energy climate 39:42 How can we change regulations to encourage more innovation? 46:11 Paul's advice for young professionals in energy Paul's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-marotta-p-e-phd-bcee-04b05012/ MicroNuclear LLC: https://micronucleartech.com/

Rod Adams is a Managing Partner at Nucleation Capital, a venture capital firm investing in innovative companies enabling our transition to a carbon-managed economy. In this episode of the YPE Podcast host Mark Hinaman talks with Rod about the nuclear Navy, blogging before blogging was a thing, and investing in exciting companies. Show notes: 00:55 Rod's background and experience in the Navy nuclear program 06:11 Rod's work on the B&W mPower small modular reactor project & some causes of its downfall 17:42 Starting the long-running Atomic Insights blog, and later a podcast 22:51 Reflecting on the past two decades of the nuclear industry; optimism for political support of nuclear projects 32:43 Transitioning to Nucleation Capital, and finding tech diamonds in the rough 48:24 Rod's advice for young professionals in the energy industry Rod's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atomicrod/ Atomic Insights blog: https://atomicinsights.com/ Nucleation Capital: https://nucleationcapital.com/

Dominique Gómez is deputy director of the Colorado Energy Office. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Dominique talks with host Mark Hinaman about the many ways that the office works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lower consumer energy costs for all Coloradans. Show notes: 00:31 Dominique's background in sustainability and her path to the energy industry 12:00 The scope, scale, and mission of the Colorado Energy Office 17:48 The importance of weatherization to the state 25:35 Reducing emissions from transportation; efforts to expand electric vehicle charging across the state 33:07 Programs that offer financing options for upgrading building infrastructure 38:06 How the office deals with legislative policymakers & regulators 50:38 Will large-scale renewables implementation lead to increased electricity prices? 54:52 Dominique's advice for young professionals in energy Dominique's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominiquegomez/

On this episode of the YPE Podcast, we bring you the May edition of DEN Talks: Discussions on Energy and Networking. Ariel Smith, Director of Sales at ClearTrace, discusses the current state of carbon capture technologies and answers audience questions about the industry. Show notes: 00:19 Ariel's background and role at Cleartrace.io 02:45 The different scopes of greenhouse gas emissions; carbon accounting & carbon offsets 07:48 Carbon capture and decarbonization in the marketplace 16:37 The benefits of granular carbon accounting 18:36 Why isn't nuclear energy included in the credits? 21:07 How reliable are carbon accounting data? Should we be focusing on reducing energy demand, instead of carbon capture? 31:17 How can crude oil producers be influenced to limit emissions? Ariel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arielexa/ How It Works - Carbon Capture and Storage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyPI20h9kx0 Attend the next YPE event: https://ypenergy.org/denver/events/month/

Show notes: 00:46 Miles's background in compressed air energy storage 09:42 Receiving his PhD at CU Boulder for research in dynamic modeling and energy storage 19:14 Transitioning to a full-time engineer and spinning off the Carbon America company 45:07 Miles's latest R&D projects, including cryogenic carbon capture 55:16 What in the energy industry keeps Miles up at night, and Miles's advice for young professionals in energy Miles's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miles-abarr-a7b32466/

Jeff Merrifield is a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, a global law firm focusing on technology, energy, financial services, and real estate. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Jeff talks with host Mark Hinaman about the licensing process for building a nuclear reactor, Jeff's time as commissioner of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and what an evolving regulatory environment means for the future of the nuclear industry. Show notes: 01:29 Jeff's background and exciting career thus far 05:13 The most interesting superfund site Jeff had worked on; Jeff's projects at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Jeff discusses the latest advanced nuclear power projects in work across the country 14:36 The diverse work of the Pillsbury international law firm 17:45 Navigating the NRC's expansive rules and regulations to license a new reactor 27:46 Could small- and micro-reactors be implemented under current regulations? 35:42 Will the new regulatory environment lead to more nuclear innovations? 42:20 Is there an equal playing field for the requirements for each type of power generation? 50:49 Jeff's advice for young professionals in energy Jeff's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrey-merrifield-7a343426/

On this episode of the YPE Podcast, we bring you the April edition of DEN Talks: Discussions on Energy and Networking. Saxon McKinven, Sr. Manager of Origination at National Grid Renewables, discusses the current state of renewables development in the U.S. and answers audience questions about the industry. Show notes: 00:19 Saxon's background and role at National Grid Renewables 03:42 Key considerations for renewables development in the U.S. 14:08 The impact of storage technology on new projects 21:53 Contract structures for power purchase agreements 24:00 What happens to the solar panels after the 20-year contract? 30:39 How to balance transmission distances, land rights, and NIMBY-ism 35:47 Job prospects for U.S. renewables companies; the scale of renewables projects to invest in 41:59 Can we put windmills on top of buildings? Saxon's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saxon-mckinven-77095847/ Attend the next YPE event: https://ypenergy.org/denver/events/month/

Mark Nelson is an outspoken nuclear advocate and the managing director of the Radiant Energy Fund. Recently, Mark gave a speech in downtown Denver at an event sponsored by the Denver Petroleum Club, YPE, and the CU Denver Global Energy Management Program. Following the speech, our very own Mark Hinaman joined him on stage to moderate a Q&A session with questions from the audience. Show notes: 02:13 Pros and cons of nuclear vs. oil & gas 09:36 Why are nuclear plants being shut down? 21:19 What does Mark see as the ideal energy mix? 33:52 How does the United States make next-generation nuclear a reality? 46:50 How does the nuclear industry fix its public image from previous accidents? 56:28 How Mark suggests that we transform current coal plants Mark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-w-nelson-484b0713/

Courtney Tampas is a senior reactor operator (SRO) at Surry Power Station, a nuclear power plant outside Newport News, VA. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, host Sean McGhee talks with Courtney about her work as a nuclear risk analyst, the grueling training campaign to transition to operations, and the most rewarding parts of being an SRO. Show notes: 01:03 Courtney's background and how she got interested in nuclear power 03:46 What is probabilistic risk assessment (PRA); the process of constructing a PRA model 08:56 Reflecting on the VC Summer 2 & 3 effort, and eventual cancellation 12:46 Transitioning to a senior reactor operator (SRO) in training at Surry Power Station 21:09 A day in the life of a licensed SRO, and the biggest stresses that come with the job 26:55 The craziness surrounding planned plant outages 30:47 What excites and scares Courtney the most about the future of the nuclear industry? 33:52 Courtney's advice for other young professionals in energy Courtney's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-tampas/ More about Surry: https://www.dominionenergy.com/projects-and-facilities/nuclear-facilities/surry-power-station

Mike Umbro is an oil & gas entrepreneur. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Mike talks with hosts Mark Hinaman and Carolyn Lucca about his extensive experience investing in the industry, the discourse and policies surrounding climate change, and how he would change his home state of California. Show notes: 01:16 Mike's background and career path so far 06:54 How Mike has managed to work from California for so long 08:12 Talking finances & investments at Premier Resource Management 16:04 Has investor appetite waned in the energy sector, and will it change? Are emissions regulations stifling innovation? 21:32 Mike's most memorable encounter when he admitted to working in oil & gas 23:15 Reflecting on Duke's Environmental Management program; the echo chamber that is LinkedIn; trying to make sense of California's fossil fuels policies 32:46 Is the discourse about climate change more dangerous to society than climate change itself? 36:42 Is California's electric car push actually feasible? Mark believes synthetic fuels would be a more important endeavour 46:29 What would it take to have the people of California turn against their policies? 52:12 What advice does Mike have for young professionals? 55:12 How would Mike ideally transform California's energy industry overnight? Mike's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeumbro/

If you listened to last week's episode, you already know Denys Elliot, Commercial Lead for the Advanced Reactor Directorate at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL). In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Denys talks with hosts Mark Hinaman and Sean McGhee about CNL's strategic research initiatives, the exciting work being done with small modular reactors (SMRs), and Denys's insights on the future of the industry. Show notes: 01:29 Denys's background 07:11 The mission of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) 09:04 How the nuclear industry is viewed in Canada; advantages of the CANDU reactor design; ongoing and future nuclear projects 14:04 CNL's three strategic research priorities; the importance of the actinium-225 isotope to cancer research 22:54 Supporting small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technologies; CNL's relationship with Canada's nuclear regulator; Chalk River's SMR demonstration project 35:16 Denys's work with the North American Young Generation in Nuclear (NAYGN) 38:58 What excites & scares Denys most about the future of the energy industry 44:26 Denys's advice for young professionals in the energy industry 47:07 Where Denys sees the nuclear industry in the next decade Denys's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denys-elliot-87984399/ Find an NAYGN chaper near you: https://naygn.org/chapters/ More about CNL's mission, the SMR siting project, and actinium-225: https://www.cnl.ca/about-cnl/corporate-profile-mission-and-values/ https://www.cnl.ca/clean-energy/small-modular-reactors/siting-canadas-first-smr/ https://www.cnl.ca/health-science-2/actinium-225/

On this episode of the YPE Podcast, hosts Mark Hinaman and Sean McGhee speak to the winners of the Atomic Allies' inaugural North America Innovation for Nuclear (I4N) Contest. Denys Elliot, Zac Woods, Ryan MacLeod, and Heidi MacLeod are excited to discuss their concept of combining digital asset mining and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) to power remote communities around the world and help meet the United Nations' sustainability goals. Show notes: 01:22 Group introductions & backgrounds 03:32 Devising the topic to study the relationship between small modular reactors (SMRs) & Bitcoin 07:04 What exactly is Innovation for Nuclear (I4N)? 10:02 How could Bitcoin mining help meet sustainability goals? 16:48 How did the team find each other? 19:37 Economic and humanitarian benefits of the concept, and how it applies to power plants beyond SMRs 26:31 Where would the startup capital come from for these micro-reactor projects? 32:05 Potential project timelines and customers 36:12 A technical description of how Bitcoin blocks are actually mined Some further reading, suggested by Ryan: https://medium.com/the-bitcoin-times/bitcoin-is-a-pioneer-species-38f42ecdbb88 Find an NAYGN chapter near you: https://naygn.org/chapters/ LinkedIn pages: Denys https://www.linkedin.com/in/denys-elliot-87984399/ Heidi https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-macleod-b922a722a/ Ryan https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-macleod-600b90210/ Zac https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-woods-ab8113215/

Brook Papau is a co-founder and CEO of Orennia, where he works with investors and business leaders in the renewables space as they transform their strategies to leverage advanced analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Brook sits down with host Mark Hinaman to discuss his path to the renewables sector, his role in building a billion-dollar company, and his latest venture Orennia. Show notes: 01:27 Brook's background & his indirect path to the energy industry 13:56 Brook's time with the Ross Smith Energy Group (RSEG), and navigating the oil & gas industry after the Great Recession 22:17 Rising through the ranks with technical and sales roles & developing a game-changing shale data analysis platform 33:03 Building a successful team & selling a billion-dollar company 38:08 Orennia's mission to build a data and analytics platform to guide investments in the energy transition 46:11 Ideal clients for Orennia, and how the company adds value to its customers 51:18 Biggest challenges facing Orennia and the industry 56:13 What industry concern keeps Brook up at night? 60:37 Brook's advice for young professionals in energy Brook's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brook-papau-6a177a17/

Chris Pawlik is the founder & CEO of Energy-Producing Retail Realty, Inc. (EPR^2), which owns and operates solar and other energy-producing solutions on behalf of building owners and tenants across California. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Chris joins hosts Mark Hinaman and Saxon McKinven to discuss the importance of energy rights and what factors he evaluates when pursuing a new project. Show notes: 00:57 Chris's background & growing up in eastern Europe 04:49 Getting into the energy industry & finding commercially viable energy-producing real estate projects 12:51 Reflecting on the 2021 D5 Momentum energy conference; current backlogs on capital expenditure projects to upgrade electric service 19:25 What factors Chris looks for when deciding to pursue a valuable project 24:49 Founding distributed energy solutions company EPR^2; explaining the importance of energy rights 33:02 Guaging the appetite for real estate owners to own energy assets; quantifying the opportunities for energy rights in the commercial real estate space 41:50 How legislative changes would affect the EPR^2 business model 44:21 What scares Chris in the energy sector; Chris's advice for young professionals in energy Connect with Chris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrispawlik/ chris.pawlik@eprsquared.com

Dr. Scott Tinker is an internationally renowned energy expert and public speaker. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Scott joins host Mark Hinaman to discuss the Switch Energy Alliance, a nonprofit organization that strives to develop objective, film-based resources to be used in classrooms across the world to create an energy-educated future. Show notes: 00:47 Scott's energy background & career 05:52 Filming the 2012 and 2020 "Switch" documentaries, and creating the nonprofit Switch Energy Alliance (note: ESG = Environmental, Social, & Governance, criteria by which a company's focus on sustainability can be judged) 12:19 The mission of Switch Energy Alliance, and why energy is necessary to lift people out of poverty 21:27 How Switch built its online platform and spreads its energy content across the world 27:48 The most commonly misunderstood energy messages to communicate to people, and the concept of "factually complete" 32:50 The most effective message techniques for energy education 36:05 Which energy topics frighten Scott? 41:39 Scott's advice for young professionals in the energy industry 46:02 What is Scott's optimal energy mix? 50:39 How can YPE members get involved with Switch? Scott's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinkerenergyassociates/ Contribute to or join the Switch Energy Alliance: https://switchon.org/about/contribute/

Hillary Stevenson is an oil market enthusiast with over a decade of analysis experience in the industry. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, Hillary joins host Mark Hinaman to discuss Validere's role in valuing commodities at the molecular level, how reducing methane emissions has become a top goal, and her near-term outlook for the energy industry. Show notes: 01:47 Hillary's background and career in energy 03:55 Validere's role as a commodity inventory data aggregator 10:10 Validere's operations and customer base 12:56 Observing growth and value in the ESG space 14:47 Explaining methane performance certificates (MPC) 18:23 Long-term societal and business benefits of reducing methane emissions 20:07 Near-term challenges and fears in the current energy climate 22:11 Hillary's advice for young professionals in energy Hillary's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hillary-stevenson-b3138b53/

GreenFlare is on a mission to partner with the oil and gas community to rescue stranded gas and help alleviate the waste of natural resources known as “flaring." On this episode of the YPE Podcast, GreenFlare CEO Ryan Fitzgerald and CTO Dan Jasek join hosts Mark and Carolyn to discuss the collision of energy & crypto! Show notes: 01:12 Ryan and Dan's backgrounds 04:43 GreenFlare's origins and goals to alleviate the waste of "flaring" 10:20 Potential growth and opportunities in the industry, and projects that GreenFlare is currently targeting 14:23 Thoughts on the future prospects of mining crypto, and navigating regulatory risks in the space 24:12 Is crypto good for the energy industry & the economy? 31:12 Changing the narrative on ESG in the oil & gas industry 34:34 Ryan and Dan's advice for young professionals GreenFlare website: https://www.greenflaretech.com/

Miguel Peña is an entrepreneur and President & CEO of TenEx Technologies, a full-service laboratory, logistics, and service company focused on developing innovative chemical technologies that improve oil recovery. In this episode, host Mark Hinaman chats with Miguel about the company and his views on the energy industry as a whole. Show Notes: 00:30 Miguel's introduction to the oil & gas field and the genesis of TenEx Technologies 03:10 Business opportunity in the chemical space vs. frac sand space 06:45 Miguel's background as an entrepreneur 12:35 Buying and operating mines in Florida and Nebraska 22:20 Lessons learned about growing his mining business 24:30 Handling the Great Recession and the first price shocks from the shale revolution 30:35 The painful process of exiting the frac sand business 34:50 Developing a strategy to transition to TenEx 38:05 Technical discussion of the first TenEx product, NanoClear 45:00 Additional products in TenEx's catalog 49:45 Miguel's concerns for the energy industry; future goals and areas of focus for TenEx 53:25 Future goals and areas of focus for TenEx 55:05 Miguel's advice for young professionals in energy 62:15 Where Miguel sees the energy industry in the future Miguel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-pe%C3%B1a-3160b91/

Matthew Wald is an independent energy analyst and journalist who has worked for the New York Times and the Nuclear Energy Institute. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, he sits down with hosts Mark and Carolyn to discuss the climate crisis, nuclear power's potential, and the "mythology" in the public perception of solar. Show Notes: 01:08 Matthew's background with journalism and energy 06:25 Filling an energy knowledge gap at the New York Times 08:20 The energy sector's challenges from climate change 09:39 Adapting to climate events vs. mitigating them 11:55 Why the electric grid must evolve to reduce the impacts of carbon 14:25 Nuclear power's future role in the energy mix 18:02 Benefits of smaller-scale nuclear reactors 19:23 The impacts of political rhetoric on energy policies 23:15 Matthew's transition to the Nuclear Energy Institute 24:22 Nuclear power's public perception and the "mythology" surrounding solar 34:12 How the media would be involved in a nuclear fleet expansion 43:20 How we have squandered time to solve the carbon problem 45:38 What Matthew would change in the nuclear regulatory environment 49:28 New reactor companies' approach to reducing licensing burden 51:30 Matthew's advice for young professionals in the energy sector Matthew's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-l-wald-206b0464/ Matthew's work at the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/by/matthew-l-wald

Kathleen Nelson Romans works to develop and commercialize electric vehicle charging technology, serving as a bridge between Eaton's research division and business units to ensure that time and research will actually lead to revenue. In this episode of the YPE Podcast, she sits down with hosts Mark and Jake to discuss the current state of electric vehicle infrastructure, barriers to EV adoption, and even lab-grown meat. Show Notes: 00:34 Kathleen's role as business innovation engineer & what Eaton does 02:59 Kathleen's background & development program rotations 05:14 Electric vehicle infrastructure strategies & market segments 07:04 What bottlenecks exist for switching everyone to electric vehicles? 08:59 Managed charging & time-of-use tariffs 11:34 Opportunities for young professionals in this sector 15:14 Electric alternatives to off-road vehicles? 16:44 Common misconceptions about electric infrastructure 18:24 How do the YPE hosts feel about electric vehicles? 21:29 How would existing infrastructure handle the increase in charging demand? 24:14 Emerging trend of "DC as a service" 28:14 How public perception is a barrier to EV adoption 30:49 The carbon footprint of food; water consumption in food production 34:24 Ranking food by its carbon dioxide and car miles equivalent 37:04 Meat substitutes and lab-grown meat 37:44 Advice to share with young professionals on a similar career path 38:54 Has Kathleen changed her mind about something in her industry? 40:54 Kathleen's perspective on recycling 44:14 Do any industry trends keep Kathleen up at night? Kathleen's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/knelsonromans/ The Rivian camp kitchen mentioned this episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i4ezh8pneI

Julia and Allie both worked in the renewable energy department at Invenergy. We review with them how Invenergy thinks about developing wind and renewable projects, considerations when developing, and thoughts on wind in the future. Show Notes: 02:14 Allie's background 02:51 Development cycle of a typical wind project at Invenergy 04:11 Challenges of making sure sites are construction-ready; interaction with landowners 07:21 Recent wind turbine technology changes; impacts on wind farm layouts 11:25 Public misconceptions about wind farms 12:39 Pushback from stakeholders and considerations for bird populations 16:56 Considerations for wind projects near homes & commercial buildings 20:45 Comparing working in renewables & natural gas industries 23:08 Working on projects from start to finish 24:50 Recent changes to factors significantly affecting their jobs 27:56 Inspiration for entering the energy industry 29:51 Thoughts on carbon capture sequestration 31:36 Advice for young professionals looking to enter the industry 33:22 Alarming industry trends; impacts of political uncertainty 36:28 Thoughts on offshore wind projects in the next decade 38:48 End Julia's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliakimmerly/ Allie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alliemjames/

Prachi Mehta from the YPE Bay Area chapter and Tyler Micheli from the YPE Denver chapter come together to interview Smriti Mishra. Smriti is Director of Business Development and Strategy at Weave Grid, which provides electrification software for the scalable deployment of electric vehicles on the electric grid. Smriti has expertise in energy innovation, aggregation, and building industry collaborations. Prior to WeaveGrid, she was a Director at National Grid, a large Northeast utility where she led joint ventures for distributed energy for the unregulated business, including investments of over $110M in residential solar and storage. Smriti has also operated in demand response at EnerNOC (now Enel X) in a general management function as a P&L owner. She earned her MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelors in Physics from the University of Chicago. Show notes: 01:35 intro to Weave Grid and guest 01:48 Mishra before Weave Grid 02:43 superpower of choice? 03:31 dream profession entering college? 04:48 motivation/inspiration for her work 05:48 how Smriti got into energy 07:20 business school 10:42 climate change road map 13:58 concrete steps to growing technical knowledge during business school 18:25 unforgettable advice from a professor: what makes you happy? 20:20 what should the energy sector be working on short-term? whatever you can make an immediate impact in 24:57 how to determine what your true interests/skills are; be open to learning something unique 29:10 type 1 fun vs. type 2 fun in your career 30:51 reflecting on uncommon/indirect career path 34:30 importance of networking 35:30 current role, typical week at Weave Grid 37:44 latest stats on EV adoption 39:23 likes/dislikes about current job 49:49 advice for managers: hire someone smarter than you 41:47 her recruiting strategies 43:45 tips for job-seekers getting into the sector 47:15 activities outside the office that helped her grow 49:34 her memories of YPE in grad school 51:13 any disappointments/failures overcome in career? 54:36 optimistic about the future of the world? 60:40 what is her dream futuristic world? Smriti's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=smriti%20mishra&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=8700cebb-b326-4f8d-862f-594dc0be5838&sid=13%3B Prachi Mehta's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prachimehtaut/ Tyler Micheli's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-micheli-0b1a801b/

Andrew Leach is an energy and environmental economist and is Associate Professor at the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta. He has a Ph.D. in Economics from Queen's University, and a B.Sc (Environmental Sciences) and M.A. (Economics) from the University of Guelph and recently completed an L.L.M. from the Faculty of Law at the University of Alberta which will be conferred in 2021. His research spans energy and environmental economics with a particular interest in climate change policies and the law. Outside of work hours, his free time is spent with his two kids, Will (13) and Caroline (11), as well as cycling and arguing on Twitter. Show notes: - Leach's background; University of Alberta to law, energy and environmental policy - Background as a policymaker - Greenhouse gas pollution pricing act - Thoughts on Biden's announced 2030 greenhouse gas reduction goals; why he does not agree with Canada's previous targets historically (targets need to be backed by policy) - Why Canada needs stricter policies compared to US; differences in energy production from oil&gas since 2005 - Effect of fracking revolution on emissions longterm - How should success be tracked, if not by emissions targets? - Canada's emissions policies; provincial vs federal policies - How emissions tax is charged - How those tax funds are reallocated - Any lessons learned on Canadaian carbon tax that the US could apply? - How to determine what price to actually charge - Carbon tax effects on electricity prices - Other than carbon pricing, any other policies that US and Canada should be pursuing? (vehicle emissions standards) - How can young professionals get involved in policymaking decisions? - What keeps Andrew up at night - Advice to YP: follow what's interesting to you Andrew Leach's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-leach-50a75077/ Jack Whelan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whelanjack/ Mark Hinaman's LInkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/

Christina Bernet is a licensed professional engineer and an executive coach based out of Denver, CO. She has a great message to share for young professionals on the importance of recognizing and developing leadership skills and how it can affect your career and the bottom line of your company. She also has a great story to share about how and why she arrived in her current role as an educator in leadership practices after a 10-year journey through the oil & gas industry as a reservoir engineer (Encana, Noble, Bonanza Creek). Show Notes: - What it was like working as a Professional Energy in the energy industry and her thoughts on holding the PE license - Getting laid off from her job in 2020 and bouncing back to start her own business to help others develop as leaders - What's it like working for yourself - New company and what services they offer; training coaching speaking; certified by John Maxwell team - Why young professionals in energy should care about leadership - Korn Ferry study - emotional intelligence blindspots - Remote working as a young professional - Importance of finding a mentor - Actions that young professionals can do to improve leadership ability - Importance of becoming intentional, identifying skill gaps, what tools to add - Servant leadership - Building effective connections Christina's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=christina%20bernet%2C%20p.e.&origin=RICH_QUERY_SUGGESTION&position=0&searchId=cde7576f-6b23-4361-8d85-93f0d43fc0c4 Carolyn's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynlucca/ Mark's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/

Todd Wolff is the VP of Operations for Bison Oil and Gas, a small private upstream operator with assets throughout the United States. He's a wealth of technical knowledge around what is mechanically required to drill oil and gas wells and has built a fantastic career for himself. In this episode, we discuss: • Todd's career progression and how he's been able to work all around the world • Deep dive and discussion on downhole motors - this was bound to happen as a discussion between two engineers, so you're welcome for the technical and physics jargon! • Comparing the technical requirements and robustness of tools used to drill wells to the requirements used in the space industry • A reasonable explanation for how engineers view the world and how people may communicate with them better • Risk in oil and gas and potential to lose assets during oil and gas operations • How personal life choices can impact career decisions • All experience is not necessarily required for the next steps of your career • Managing employees and subcontractors in areas where you lack experience or expertise • Private equity business models and current state of private US oil companies

Episode 11 featuring Tisha Schuller, Principal of Adamantine Energy and author of The Gamechanger’s Playbook: How Oil & Gas Leaders Thrive in an Era of Continuous Disruption Tisha is a forward thinking visionary, and we love her ideas. In our podcast we discuss the future of the oil and gas (O&G) industry. “…What is our entrepreneurial destiny to bring the next wave of energy to the public?” We also discussed: • The paradox of decarbonization for O&G • Why millennials are the future of the O&G industry • How the O&G industry can refocus their relevance to the environmental movement • Racial equity and justice in the O&G industry • The idea that both of these things are true: o The world needs O&G and o the majority of people in the developed world do not believe we need O&G anymore. • A price on carbon Tisha Schuller’s podcast can be found here: https://energythinks.com/podcasts/ Tisha’s website (Adamantine Energy): https://energythinks.com/ Tisha’s LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tisha-schuller-315a543/ Mark Hinaman’s LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark.hinaman@gmail.com Jake Adamson’s LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/ Jake's email: jaadamso555@gmail.com

Saxon walks us through his career as an Origination Specialist, Invenergy's business model, and a slew of other great topics. We discuss: • Saxon's a self-made businessman from Illinois who wanted to make a career for himself in the energy space • He Worked for retail energy supplier called Nordic Energy Services scheduling electrical load and making gas nominations before transitioning to Invenergy • Invenergy owns and operates many of the plants they install and develop • Invenergy's bread and butter is wind - most installed capacity by >14,000 MW of installed capacity over the past 20 years in operation • Time required for a power project from idea inception to shovel ready • Utility Integrated Resource Plans • Transmission Infrastructure in the US (and how slowly development moves) • Invenergy's finance stack and strategy for financing projects • How Invenergy finds new projects • Saxon's transition from thermal fleets to a renewable project origination role • Recommended career path for someone looking to get into the renewable industry Saxon's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saxon-mckinven-77095847/ Saxon's email: SMcKinven@invenergy.com Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark.hinaman@ypenergy.org Jake Adamson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/ Jake's email: jadamson@ruleengineering.com Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/ Ellen's email: elscott6@gmail.com

Barb is a self-made woman who wasn't afraid to cold call, transform herself, and build herself a career many people aspire for. We discussed: • Barb is a 3rd generation oil and gas professional who grew up in Bakersfield, CA • She's lived through multiple downturns throughout her career • She's worked in the environmental space and worked on projects such as filtering poisonous gases from wells in the 1980's • Note: She references 128,000 - that's the concentration of H2S in the gas stream. Units are parts per million (ppm) , so 128,000 = 12.8%. For reference, breathing in 100 parts per million can kill you. • Challenges of working with field staff • We discuss social responsibility within the industry and the importance of acknowledging fear present in our communities resulting from energy production • She plays hard - and she works sometimes! • Course recommended: Compassionate Communication (also called Non-Violent Communication) Barbara Ganong's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-ganong-3a0552150/ Jake Adamson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/ Jake's email: jadamson@ruleengineering.com Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/ Ellen's email: elscott6@gmail.com Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark.hinaman@ypenergy.org

Episode 004 featuring George Sharpe, Investment Manager at Merrion Oil & Gas (https://merrion.bz/) George was a wealth of knowledge and fascinating to talk to. We loved his perspective shaped by a career of investments - some good, some not so good. We discussed: • George's background in the industry • History of Merrion Oil & Gas • Morrow gas well purchased in a Clearing House auction which eventually turned $360,000 into $10,000,000 • The outreach and advocacy George has done for the energy industry ○ George has made a series of educational videos, and we discuss this one briefly: Climate Change and Our Energy Future • Engaging people about energy without losing them on politics • Lithium math: how much lithium will we need for 2 million electric vehicles vs. how much is available? • Benefits of oil and gas to the United States • ET-Braddock project - providing gas directly from Marcellus wells for a steel mill to use as a heat source ○ Payment in minerals and golf courses is often more lucrative than cash • George's Lessons for Young Professionals: 1. Exploration is for the other guys. Come in later and do the development drilling. 2. When on a winning streak, don't feel like you have to keep investing. 3. Be careful about going into debt. 4. As a professional in the industry, stay flexible, and be able to do as many jobs as you can. George Sharpe's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-sharpe-89385713/ George's email: gsharpe@merrion.bz Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark.hinaman@gmail.com Jake Adamson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/ Jake's email: jadamson@ruleengineering.com Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/

Episode 3 featuring Garrett Peterson, VP of Project Development at Pivot Energy (https://www.pivotenergy.net/) Garrett's an absolute stud. His knowledge about the entire solar development process was vast, and I'm sure you'll find the episode entertaining regardless of your background. We discussed: • Overview of solar development • Different types of solar development projects • NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) decision making • Landowner rights • Economics of solar • Financial stack of what it takes to make solar projects work Garrett Peterson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-peterson-ms-29062879/ Garrett's Contact: gpeterson@pivotenergy.net Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark.hinaman@gmail.com Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/

Deb's always super energetic, and her passion about the energy space made this episode super fun to record. We discussed: • Overview of reservoir engineering • Logistics of making partner and running a small (and then global) consulting firm • Ethical dichotomies between energy production and consumption • Simultaneously being named CEO of their firm and taking the firm through a sale process • Talent transition in the upstream space and what skills we're missing • Books Mentioned: Green Illusions Deb Ryan's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deb-ryan-p-e-a838005/ Deb's Contact: deb.ryan@sproule.com Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Mark's email: mark@fmellc.com Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/

Episode 1 featuring Mark Ruth, Manager of the Industrial Systems and Fuels Group at NREL (https://www.nrel.gov/). Mark was incredibly high energy and just a fantastic selection for a first episode for us. We discuss: • Peaking cycles for utilities and nuance around curtailment • Hydrogen electrolysis and storage locations for large volumes of hydrogen • Developments in nuclear energy • Career advice for new professionals in the energy industry Mark Ruth's LinkedIn profiles can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-ruth-3ba01b7/ Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/ Jake Adamson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/

Introduction to YPE. We discuss our purpose for starting the podcast, describe what we want to accomplish, and outline our mission for YPE. Mark Hinaman's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markhinaman/ Ellen Scott's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-scott/ Jake Adamson's LinkedIn profile can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-adamson-ei-git-a3bba4103/