Podcast appearances and mentions of melissa lott

These are hard times for investment in low-carbon energy. The lack of progress in international climate negotiations, threats to policy support, and an increased awareness of the challenges of decarbonization, have created some strong headwinds. Everyone agrees that more breakthroughs in innovative emissions-reducing technologies are essential for tackling climate change. So how can innovative energy companies raise the capital they need to scale?Catalytic capital can provide long-term investment in clean energy and accelerate early-stage climate technologies. To find out how it can make a difference, host Ed Crooks welcomes back to the show Amy Duffuor. Amy is the co-founder and general partner at Azolla Ventures, a $300 million VC firm dedicated to having an impact on emissions. They do it through catalytic capital, which is still looking for a return, but can be more patient and flexible than conventional investment.In challenging times for investment in decarbonization, cleantech startups need to be able to explain their broader significance for the energy system and the economy, as well as their impact on emissions. “For climate tech to succeed it's not just about the innovation itself, but about understanding the narrative that surrounds it," Amy says.Also joining the show is Melissa Lott, partner general manager at Microsoft.* Together they look at the geopolitical tensions and US policy frameworks that are influencing investor confidence and support for innovation. And they ask the question: with the world clearly not on track to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C, how can we get investment to flow into adaptation strategies to build long-term resilience. Can it be done? Listen to find out.*Melissa's opinions in this episode are her own and do not reflect the opinions of Microsoft.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Charge when it's cheap, when energy is abundant, and discharge when the energy is needed. The role of energy storage will be critical to the transition to low-carbon technologies. It's an exciting time in the industry, with spectacular growth in battery storage markets in the US and around the world, and it's predicted to continue. “We're in the hockey stick growth phase,” says Swetha Sundaram, VP of solar and BESS (battery energy storage systems) at RWE, and a co-author of ‘The BESS Book'. She joins Ed Crooks on the show to look at where that growth is coming from. The systems being built today mostly use lithium-ion technologies to store energy for a few hours. But there are huge opportunities for long-duration energy storage (LDES), too. The LDES Council, an industry group, estimates that the build-out of up to 8 TW of potential power supply from long-duration storage by 2040 represents a $4 trillion investment opportunity. Julia Souder is CEO of the LDES council, and she's also on the show to talk about the next generation of storage. Julia, Swetha and Ed are also joined by Energy Gang regular Melissa Lott, a Partner General Manager at Microsoft. She's a PhD energy systems engineer, and she explains the different roles short and long-duration energy storage will have in the energy transition and the power grid of the future.Follow the show wherever you're listening, and reach out to us with feedback – we're @energygangshow.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's a historic moment in energy, with a leap forward in AI technology coming as the Trump administration sets a new direction for the US. The Energy Gang break down what it all means. When they make The Energy Transition – The Movie, the week of 27th January 2025 will be a pivotal scene. The Chinese AI company DeepSeek sent shockwaves through stock markets, as it revealed its model that apparently is capable of better performance than its competitors at a fraction of the cost. Host Ed Crooks talks through the implications for energy with regulars Amy Myers Jaffe of New York University and Melissa Lott of Microsoft. Together they discuss the market reactions to the launch of DeepSeek, shifting forecasts for AI demand, and the implications for the industry and for government.President Donald Trump has come into office putting emphasis on the importance of energy supplies for AI as a matter of national security. His administration wants more “baseload” power. But there is a debate on what that word means for a modern electricity system, and whether it even has any relevance. Do modern solutions for grid stability make talk of baseload power obsolete in 2025?Finally the gang review the flurry of executive orders signed by President Trump. Climate change is off the agenda as a priority for the US administration. What does that mean for energy, in the US and around the world?Follow The Energy Gang wherever you get your podcasts and go to woodmac.com/podcasts for more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Finding a role for hydrogen in a low-carbon energy economy. Hydrogen has been called the Swiss Army knife of energy, because it has so many potential applications, from home heating to heavy industry. But so far, deployment around the world has been slow. And in recent months there has been a series of setbacks for plans to use clean hydrogen to decarbonise energy systems. So what's the problem? Is it unsuitable infrastructure, policy uncertainty, or fundamental challenges of physics and economics? Does hydrogen really have a role to play in the low-carbon energy system of the future? And if it does, what does the industry need to get there?To find out, host Ed Crooks is joined by Dr Melissa Lott, Partner General Manager in Energy Technologies at Microsoft, and Austin Knight, Vice President for hydrogen at Chevron New Energies. Hydrogen is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but it could help us tackle some of the toughest challenges in decarbonisation. It may be expensive, but in some sectors it looks like a more cost-effective solution for achieving net zero than any other option.For some proposed applications, it looks pretty clear that hydrogen is going to be a non-starter. But Austin says there are some sectors where it still has a viable future. Chevron is investing in hydrogen fuel suppliers and fuelling stations for heavy trucks across California, for example. As Melissa says, the infrastructure just isn't there yet to make hydrogen a viable option today. But is it a case of “if” hydrogen becomes a commercial reality, or “when”? Find out here.We want to hear your thoughts and comments, so get in touch. We're on X, at @theenergygang Or on BlueSky @woodmackenzie.bsky.socialSubscribe to the show so you don't miss episodes, out every second Tuesday at 7am ET. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The people, places and technologies to watch this year.Host Ed Crooks is joined by regulars Amy Myers Jaffe and Melissa Lott to share their predictions for energy in 2025. They discuss the policy changes expected from Washington under the Trump administration, the crucial role for California as a leader in clean energy, the exciting new technologies that may be launched or ramped up this year, and the political and business leaders who will be shaping our future.The team also discuss some of the threats and challenges the energy industry could face this year. Amy warns that the wind sector is in trouble; is it really? And what about the wild cards: the unexpected events that could force everyone to reassess their plans? Melissa has concerns about the impacts of extreme weather: how will a warming world affect our lives? As the latest news on bird flu shows, the threat of another deadly pandemic is real; Ed analyses the risks.It's going to be another tumultuous year in energy. To help make sense of it, get all the insights and analysis from us here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China's booming EV industry, AI and clean energy, questions over hydrogen, and the other big stories from 2024.To round off a momentous year for clean energy, Ed Crooks is joined by regulars Melissa Lott and Amy Myers Jaffe to reflect on the highs and lows of 2024. The gang revisit the predictions they made in January, share their highs and lows for the year, and talk about their favourite episodes of 2024. And, as is fast becoming a tradition on the show, we finish the year with some relevant holiday gifts.Some of our predictions for 2024 were spot on, but others were slightly off. The team discuss the continued rise and rise of China's largest electric vehicle company BYD, and look ahead to what 2025 holds for the EV industry. Amy predicted big things for hydrogen this year, as did Melissa for geothermal. Did these fast-moving sectors hit the heights that they expected? And where do they go from here?There were some real lows in 2024, mostly related to international politics and conflict. But there were also some much more positive trends related to the energy transition, including the spread of low-cost solar panels and battery storage around the world. As for The Energy Gang: we had plenty of high points through the year. Amy, Melissa and Ed choose the episodes that they most enjoyed taking part in – and listening to – in 2024. Subscribe to The Energy Gang so you don't miss the first show of 2025, where Ed, Amy and Melissa will look ahead to what promises to be another massive year for clean energy. Listen back to the shows mentioned in the episode:• Is There an Energy Transition? (April)• Cleantech Entrepreneurs at NYU (Climate Week, September)• The Future of AI and the Grid (November)The articles Melissa mentioned: https://www.power-eng.com/renewables/fervo-energy-claims-70-reduction-in-geothermal-drilling-time-2/https://www.eenews.net/articles/blm-approves-massive-geothermal-project-moves-to-ease-permitting/This episode is brought to you by Enbridge. Listen to Enbridge and GZERO's podcast Energized: The Future of Energy at GZEROmedia.com/theenergygangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The climate talks agreed a $300 billion finance deal. Not everyone is happy about it.The COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, finally ended around 5.30am on Sunday morning, almost 36 hours after they had been originally scheduled to close. The good news was that the negotiators representing about 200 countries agreed a deal on climate finance: flows of capital from developed countries to low and middle-income countries, to help them cut emissions and adapt to a warming world. The bad news was that many countries felt the amount agreed – $300 billion a year by 2035 – was much too low. India and other developing countries had suggested a sum of $1 trillion or more a year was needed.Ed Crooks, now back home after attending the talks, is joined by Energy Gang regulars Melissa Lott, the partner general manager for energy technologies at Microsoft, and Amy Harder, the executive editor of the energy and climate news service Cipher. They discuss the outcomes from the negotiations: what was agreed and what it means. We also hear from Amy's colleague Anca Gurzu, who was following all the action at the talks in Baku.This conference was billed as “the finance COP”. If it had failed to agree a deal on finance, that would have been disastrous for the international effort to tackle climate change through the UNFCCC. But with a deal offering so much less than the amounts that developing countries had been hoping for, where does COP29 mean for the global energy transition? And as we look ahead to the crucial COP30 in Brazil a year from now, can we expect the countries of the world to commit to more ambitious goals for cutting emissions?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Electricity grids rely on transformers. Shortages are slowing down the transition to clean energy.Transformers are such commonplace pieces of local infrastructure that most people barely notice them. In America, they include those dustbin-shaped objects on poles for power lines, and in the UK they are those rectangular boxes on the pavement. But transformers have a critical function in making the electricity grid work, and they also play a vital role in the energy transition, too. If you want to add new generation to the grid, or increase local power supplies so people can charge their EVs, very often you are going to need transformers. And right now, getting hold of them is not easy.So why are these crucial pieces of kit in short supply? And how can we get more of them?To discuss this critical question, host Ed Crooks is joined by his Wood Mackenzie colleague Xizhou Zhou, Head of Power and Renewables. Xizhou has a whole lot of data on the scale of the problem, including how long you have to wait to get hold of a transformer, and how much prices have been going up.They are joined by Energy Gang regular Melissa Lott, who until very recently was a professor at Columbia University's climate school. And we also have a newcomer to the show: Travis Edmonds, the Head of Supply Chain Management for North American Transformers at Hitachi Energy. Working out how to get transformers to people who need them is how he spends his days, so there is no-one really better qualified to explain the realities of the shortage and suggest ways to fix it.It's a complicated subject, with many different aspects to it and many different perspectives on the problem. And it is one of the issues that will decide the future of clean energy, in America and around the world. The Energy Gang break it down, make sense of it all, and explain where they think the industry is headed now.Keep listening to the end of the episode to find out about Melissa's new job!For more information on the Wood Mackenzie multi-client study ‘Making the Connection: Meeting the electric T&D supply chain challenge', visit: https://www.woodmac.com/products/supply-chain-intelligence/multi-client-study-meeting-electric-td-industry-challenges/This episode is brought to you by Enbridge. Listen to Enbridge and GZERO's podcast Energized: The Future of Energy at GZEROmedia.com/theenergygangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The need to meet increased demand while cutting emissions is exposing some fundamental issues in the industry.It's common knowledge that data centers use a lot of energy, and will use even more in the future as AI applications develop. One thing is not clear, though: who will end up paying for all that extra electricity?US utilities typically used to receive perhaps one or two large customer requests – meaning 20 megawatts or more – each year. Now, they may be receiving one or two of those requests every week. The need for increased electricity supply means increased investment in generation, transmission and distribution. And that investment has to be paid for. So who is going to end up picking up the tab?To find out more, Ed Crooks is joined by regular guest Dr Melissa Lott, a professor at the climate school at Columbia University, and Brian Janous, co-founder and CEO of Cloverleaf Infrastructure, which develops sites that can support large energy-dense users such as AI data centers and chip manufacturing plants. With 12 years previously leading energy strategy for Microsoft, Brian is well placed to answer the big questions on energy demand, investment and customers' bills. With Melissa and Ed, he explains how the industry can balance the need to increase supply with the need to achieve decarbonization targets. What role does flexibility play in a highly electrified system, and how can it be leveraged to enhance grid reliability and resilience? Can the ambitious sustainability goals of tech companies like Microsoft and Google be achieved in the face of their rapidly growing demand for power, and what compromises might need to be made? And is nuclear power a source of 24/7 clean energy that could plug the demand gap? The gang debate its efficacy as a long-term solution to the energy needs of Big Tech. Meeting the energy demand for AI is a complex topic. The Energy Gang will be exploring it further in a special episode recorded live at New York Climate Week, September 22-29. If you can't make it to New York for what is one of the energy industry's biggest events of the year, subscribe to the show so you don't miss the discussion.Ed and regular guest Amy Myers-Jaffe of NYU will be speaking with Caroline Golin, Chief Sustainability Officer at Google, and Kate Gordon, the CEO of CA FWD, a statewide organization dedicated to building a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive economy in the state of California.Subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode. Find us on X – we're @theenergygangTo keep up to date with everything we talk about on the show, sign up for our weekly Inside Track newsletter. You'll get extra analysis from Wood Mackenzie and be notified when a new episode of the podcast is out. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Proposed permitting reforms could accelerate both renewable energy projects and new fossil fuel infrastructure. Is that a good deal for the climate?The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is seen as the most significant climate legislation ever passed in the US, because of the array of new, expanded and extended tax credits it offers for low-carbon energy. But when it was passed in 2022, the critical vote in the Senate was cast by Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia, and he always saw the IRA as just Part One of a two-part strategy. The second part would be to reform the processes for approving new infrastructure projects, to make it quicker and easier to deploy low-carbon energy technologies. The quid pro quo would be that the reform would also expedite the production and processing of fossil fuels.Senator Manchin is co-sponsoring a bill to deliver those reforms with Senator John Barrasso, a Republican from Wyoming, and their proposed legislation has been making progress in the Senate. It has faced criticism from environmental groups, but found support from both the renewables and oil and gas industries: the American Clean Power Association and the American Petroleum Institute. To unpack what the proposal could mean for the future of energy in America, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, professor at the Climate School at Columbia University in New York, and Emily Grubert, an Associate Professor at the Keough School of Global Affairs at Notre Dame University. Together they examine the bill and discuss the impact it could have both on wind and solar power, and on gas pipelines and LNG plants.One provision in the bill would end the Biden administration's “pause” on new approvals for LNG exports. Emily has been studying the issue, and shares her views. She wrote recently that the US needs a new “national strategy” for the role of gas in the energy system. What might that strategy look like?Plus, the gang debate what needs to happen for carbon removal to make a real difference to achieving our net zero goals. Emily warns that for-profit carbon dioxide removal “presents fundamental and predictable risks for climate and justice goals”. What are those risks, and – given that carbon removal looks likely to be needed – how can we minimize them?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The (shrewdly named) Inflation Reduction Act has been called the most significant climate legislation ever passed in the US. When it did pass, in 2022, the critical vote was cast by senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia. Now in office as an independent, he and Republican senator John Barrasso from Wyoming came together to put forward a bill which advanced out of the Senate committee stage earlier this month. It's meant to clear away some of the regulatory and legal obstacles that delay and deter infrastructure projects, including renewable energy and power transmission lines. It's faced criticism from environmental groups but support from the American Clean Power Association and the oil and gas industry. To unpack what it means for the rollout of renewables, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, professor at The Climate School at Columbia University in New York, and Emily Grubert, an Associate Professor at the Keough School of Global Affairs at Notre Dame University. Together they examine the bill, and discuss the impact it could (if passed) have on production targets for wind and solar on federal lands. In January President Biden paused approvals for pending and future applications to LNG exports. The proposed Manchin/Barrasso bill would end this pause. Emily gives her take on this; she wrote recently that the US needs a ‘a coherent national strategy for the role of natural gas in the US energy system'. What does that strategy look like?Plus, the gang debate what needs to happen for carbon removal to make a real impact on net zero goals. Emily says that ‘market-based, unconstrained, and for-profit CDR presents fundamental and predictable risks for climate and justice goals.'See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Complex, outdated, expensive: concentrating solar power used to be a clunky way of harnessing the sun. What's changed to now make it viable? Concentrating Solar Power, or CSP, takes energy from the sun, converts it to heat, and uses it to drive a turbine to provide renewable electricity. It has more moving parts than photovoltaic (PV) solar – which has none – so there is more that can go wrong. But it has the big advantage that the heat can be stored for days, weeks and even months, meaning that CSP can support grid stability even when the sun isn't shining. Its real competition isn't PV solar, but other “clean firm” power sources such as geothermal. The US Department of Energy is funding 25 projects in this area, with almost $100 million to research and develop CSP technologies. To discuss the technology and the viability of a process that's been trying to get off the ground in the US for decades, Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe are joined by Dr Matt Bauer from the Solar Energy Technologies Office.They explore the different generations of CSP technology, with Gen 3 focusing on higher temperature heat and more efficient power cycles. The steep learning curve and capital intensity of CSP plants is a particular barrier to deployment at the moment, as is the risk associated with building large thermal plants. The potential for CSP to bridge seasonal energy storage gaps is there; unlocking it is the problem.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author of ‘The Price Is Wrong', Brett Christophers, joins the show to discuss the theories in his book.On a recent episode of the show, host Ed Crooks was joined by Melissa Lott and Joseph Majkut to discuss two books that were generating a lot of interest in energy circles. One of those, The Price Is Wrong, argues that inadequate profitability is the key reason why the transition to low-carbon energy is not moving fast enough to address the threat of global warming.There are plenty of interesting and provocative points raised in the book, so it made sense to hear them direct from the source. Ed and Melissa are joined by author and academic Brett Christophers to dissect the main points: the challenges and obstacles faced by renewable energy projects in terms of profitability and investment, and the true impact of these on progressing the energy transition.Christophers says that low returns in renewables are a result of competition, volatility in wholesale power markets, and the design of energy markets – ‘returns are lower in renewables because there's too much money chasing too few projects.' Ed and Melissa weigh in with their thoughts on this. Plus, they discuss the importance of market design, the role of power purchase agreements, and the need for stability in renewable energy projects. There's a definite need for more stability-providing sources to make renewable energy projects bankable on a larger scale. Are PPAs the answer? Listen back to the review of The Price Is Wrong with Ed, Melissa and Joseph here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/can-capitalism-save-the-planet/id663379413?i=1000658599656See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two books that are essential reading for energy wonks give contrasting views on how to tackle climate change.The hot book in the energy world right now is Brett Christophers' The Price Is Wrong: Why Capitalism Won't Save the Planet. It's a detailed look at the structural issues in electricity markets and the challenges of generating returns on renewable investments, arguing that inadequate profitability is the key reason why the transition to low-carbon energy is not moving fast enough to address the threat of global warming.It's a provocative thesis that has sparked heated debate, on both sides of the debate. If you work in the energy business, you need to get to grips with the argument, even if you ultimately think it's wrong.In this episode, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, Professor at Columbia University's Climate School, and Joseph Majkut, director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss the question of whether private investment and market forces can bring about the reduction in emissions that the world needs.They also review another important book that has broadly the opposite message: Askhat Rathi's Climate Capitalism – Winning the Global Race to Zero Emissions. That book focuses on the real examples of progress in the energy transition.At a time when the pace of the energy transition globally may be faltering, and the 1.5 degrees limit to global warming is getting further and further out of reach, Climate Capitalism shows just how much change and innovation there is in the industry. Bill Gates says it's an important read for anyone in need of optimism.In spirit, at least, it seems like a very different message from The Price Is Wrong. But are the fundamental conclusions of the two books really so different? Ed, Melissa and Joseph discuss whether there might be some common ground there after all.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The economic information on clean energy is amazing…We're decades deep in it now, where you're seeing the cost competitiveness of renewable technologies on an unsubsidized basis…We can do this. We can grow the economy and we can use more clean energy.” Lisa Jacobson on Electric Ladies Podcast The facts in the new Sustainable Energy 2024 Factbook, by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Bloomberg New Energy Finance, show that the transition to a clean energy economy is well underway, and resilient, despite “headwinds” like covid, high interest rates, supply chain issues and political pressures. How? Listen to Lisa Jacobson, President of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Tara Narayanan, Lead Analyst at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, explain where we are in this transition in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson.  You'll hear about: Where we're at in the energy transition and what the trends are The impact of the new trifecta of federal legislation – the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. The energy mix we need, including renewables, to power our complex economy Dispelling myths about the energy transition and energy sources Plus, insightful career advice, such as… “Think about your career as a business…Try to always have a mindset of kind of what I want first…What organizations do I want to work with? Where, what kind of responsibilities do I want to have? And maybe I do it through a traditional employer employee relationship, or maybe I just branch out on my own and just do it right? And I feel like women should feel empowered to do that and to be that kind of proactive thinking. And don't be afraid.” Lisa Jacobson on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes article about this new report here and more of her articles here too. You'll also like: Inna Braverman, Founder/CEO of Eco Wave Power, on how wave power works and her powerful personal story that reflects today's geopolitical dynamics. Melissa Lott, Ph.D., Director of Research at the Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and the lead scientists in the PBS/NOVA documentary “Chasing Carbon Zero.” Vanessa Chan, Ph.D., Chief Commercialization Officer of the Department of Energy and Director of the Office of Technology Transitions, on the Inflation Reduction Act and the transition to clean energy. Halla Hrund Logadottir, Director-General, Iceland's National Energy Authority, on how the country has become 85% renewable energy. Sarah Golden, VP of Energy, Greenbiz, on geothermal, how it works and why it's growing exponentially Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

Fossil fuels still dominate the world's energy supplies. Do we need different terminology to talk about what's happening?We talk about “the energy transition” all the time. But is that language misleading? 20 years ago fossil fuels were 85% of the world's energy, today they're just a few percentage points less. If there is a transition to low-carbon energy, it is happening only slowly, and it needs to move much faster to achieve the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. The world has made huge strides in both the cost and deployment of renewable energy, but can we really say that we are in a transition away from fossil fuels?Host Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, a professor at Columbia University's Climate School, and Amy Myers Jaffe, director of NYU's Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab, to discuss the way the language we use shapes our ideas about energy policy. Amy quotes her Tufts University colleague (and previous guest on the show) Kelly Sims Gallagher: “climate doom and gloom really disregards the progress that's been made”. That progress includes 56 countries, between them responsible for over half of global emissions, passing direct climate mandates to limit greenhouse gases.But despite all that action, we still get the great majority of our energy from fossil fuels. The gang debate whether the current global shift towards low-carbon energy represents a real "transition", or maybe even a “transformation”. Or is it merely an addition of new energy sources on top of the existing ones such as oil and gas.Ed, Amy and Melissa debate the feasibility of achieving net zero by 2050, considering the political and economic hurdles ahead. Innovations including carbon pricing, electrification, and advances in renewable energy technologies will play prominent roles in shifting us towards cleaner energy systems. Will they be enough?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we're bringing you a deep dive into battery supply chains — the season premier of The Big Switch, a show that Latitude Media makes in partnership with Columbia University's SIPA Center on Global Energy Policy. Across this five-episode documentary series, hosted by the acclaimed energy scholar Dr. Melissa Lott, we examine every step of the sprawling global supply chains behind lithium-ion batteries. In this first episode, we break apart one of the battery cells that was in the original Tesla Roadster. Then we explore how critical minerals, like copper, lithium, and nickel, are becoming a major force in global geopolitics, especially involving China, which dominates battery supply chains. The supply chain behind all those batteries could be worth nearly half a trillion dollars by 2030. Whoever controls that supply chain has enormous power — figuratively and literally.  In this episode, we explore the stakes of the battery-based transition and ask whether critical minerals will look anything like oil. To listen to the full five-part series, including episodes on mining, manufacturing and more, subscribe to The Big Switch on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Big power users are getting together to accelerate the development of advanced clean energy technologies.The hottest topic in energy right now is the expected surge in demand for electricity. Data centers for AI, new factories, and electric vehicles are driving power consumption higher in the US, after about 15 years of stagnation. Solar and wind power can meet some of that increased demand, but many users, including data centers, want clean electricity round the clock. So there is a new urgency in the need for new clean energy technologies, including advanced nuclear, next-generation geothermal, low-carbon hydrogen, and long duration storage.Unlike wind and solar, these emerging technologies have not yet been deployed at scale, and they are generally have much higher costs. There is a chicken-and-egg problem: costs will only come down as these technologies scale up, but companies are reluctant to deploy them because they are too expensive.Now Google, Microsoft and Nucor have come up with an idea that could be at least part of the solution. They are collaborating on new commercial structures to help new clean energy technologies scale up and reduce the risk for investors.To discuss that plan, host Ed Crooks is joined by regular guest Dr Melissa Lott, professor at the climate school at Columbia University, and Michael Webber of the University of Texas at Austin. Michael is also chief technology officer at Energy Impact Partners, which is a $3 billion venture fund that invests in some of these emerging technologies. Together they debate the consequences of that surging demand for electricity, and the role of new technologies in avoiding disastrous outcomes for our international climate goals.They also talk about another promising source of clean energy: natural hydrogen, which is found in geologic reservoirs rather than being made from water or from methane. The US Geological Survey estimates there could be 5 trillion tons of natural hydrogen in rocks around the world; a vast, untapped energy reserve that could significantly contribute to meeting global low carbon hydrogen needs.Given that a world with net zero emissions could use about 500 million tons of low-carbon hydrogen a year, that is a very exciting resource base. But is it really plausible that natural hydrogen could be viable as a significant contribution to clean energy supplies? The energy gang has some answers.There's an urgent need for innovative solutions to tackle rising energy demand. Join the discussion on X – we're @theenergygangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Batteries are finding their way into everything – from cars to heavy equipment to the electric grid. But scaling up production to meet the demands of a net-zero economy is complicated and contentious.  Season 4 of The Big Switch, a Columbia University podcast hosted by Dr. Melissa Lott, digs into the ways batteries are made and asks: what gets mined, traded, and consumed on the road to decarbonization? This is part one of “The Great Battery Boom,” a five-part series on global battery supply chains. Find the rest of Season 4 of The Big Switch on Apple podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

On this episode of Wood Mackenzie's The Energy Gang: what the history of innovation in solar power and batteries can teach us about the right ways to support clean energy breakthroughs.As the world moves towards a more sustainable energy future, government support is essential for research to develop new technologies, and for investment to deploy them at scale. But policymakers often seem to be blundering in the dark, grasping for policies that they hope will have the outcomes they want. So how do we know which strategies will be most effective for encouraging the progress we need, both to bring down the costs of existing technologies such as solar and wind power, and to create new breakthroughs in areas such as long-duration battery storage and nuclear power.On today's episode, host Ed Crooks and regular guest Melissa Lott are joined by newcomer Jessika Trancik, a professor of energy studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), to discuss the progress of clean energy technologies.Jessika explains what we can learn from the success stories of the past half-century, such as solar panels and lithium ion batteries. Her work shows that a combination of government backing for R&D and market incentives for investment has been critical in driving innovation. In industries such as solar panels and batteries, where costs have plummeted, support for research and market signals such as feed-in tariffs have complemented each other, fostering competitive innovation in the private sector and delivering rapid progress in critical technologies.The gang discuss electric vehicles as one example of a technology that is receiving plenty of government support. Melissa discusses some new data on US emissions, showing that while there was a decline overall last year, the transport sector saw an increase. Even so, there are plenty of positive signs for the transition in the data, she says. While the shift to EVs may slow, it is still moving forward. Jessika wrote recently that “switching to an electric vehicle is one of the most impactful changes that an individual can make to reduce their personal contribution to climate change, and she explains that view.The costs of clean energy technologies aren't limited to the price of the hardware. Soft costs, encompassing such items as labour, planning, permitting and logistics, can constitute a significant portion of the total expense. Inefficiencies in regulatory processes and in information-sharing can amplify these costs and contribute to delays in the adoption of new technologies.Jessika has been researching into soft technologies, which can include things like software, process knowledge and project management methods, to see how they can contribute to cost reduction and project acceleration. She talks about her work, which you can find out more about on the MIT website at news.MIT.edu.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The US is the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), super-cooled to about -160 °C (or -260 °F) so it can be shipped in tankers. An investment boom means export capacity will soar over the next few years. But last month the Biden administration signaled it was putting the brakes on future growth, announcing a “pause” in new approvals for LNG plants to export to nations that don't have a free trade agreement with the US.This decision is expected to stall future US LNG projects by preventing them accessing key global markets including the EU, China, Japan, and the UK. The pause could be an issue in November's elections: former President Donald Trump has said he would immediately restart approvals if elected.On the show this week, Ed Crooks is joined by Melissa Lott, Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, and Emily Grubert, Associate Professor of sustainable energy policy at the University of Notre Dame, to discuss the implications of the pause for both the US and the global energy market.If the US is exporting less gas, what will that mean for buyers around the world? What will be the impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, and living standards in lower-income countries? And what are the Biden administration's motivations in announcing the pause? The gang explore the issues.Also on the show, the fuel that could replace natural gas, at least for some uses: hydrogen. There has been a lot of excitement over hydrogen, especially over green hydrogen made by electrolysing water, which could in principle have zero carbon emissions. But how green is it really?The US Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have had a go at answering that question, setting out practical rules for defining low-carbon hydrogen, so they can decide on eligibility for tax credits under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Melissa, Emily and Ed debate whether these proposed rules make sense, and what they mean for the development of a low-carbon hydrogen industry in the US and around the world.The Energy Gang is partnering with Distributech, the premier annual event for energy transmission and distribution. This year it's in Orlando, Florida, from Februrary 26th. We'll be recording a special episode from the event, which will be out on Thursday the 29th as the event wraps up. Claim 20% off your registration with the code DTPART33. Articles referenced in this episode:www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/consequences-of-the-pause-for-us-lngwww.energypolicy.columbia.edu/publications/advancing-corporate-procurement-zero-carbon-electricity-united-states-moving-re100-zc100/ iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac71ba/meta www.nytimes.com/2023/08/07/opinion/oil-fossil-fuels-clean-energy.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, last week, bringing together leaders from business, finance, politics, academia and culture. Regular Energy Gang guest Dr Melissa Lott was there, talking about one of the meeting's central themes: long-term strategies for the climate, nature and energy. On this week's show, she shares with host Ed Crooks and guest Julio Friedmann – who's chief scientist at the carbon management company Carbon Direct – what she learned there. The role of artificial intelligence was, inevitably, high on the agenda there, with some people arguing that it will turn out to be one of the most transformational innovations in human history. The world of energy is already being changed by AI, and the gang discuss how wide-reaching the effects could be.Julio recently co-authored a report titled the “Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation Roadmap”, looking at all the different ways that AI could change supply and demand for energy and so have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions. The gang discussed this issue last year, when Ed took the sceptical view. He suggested the latest iterations of AI such as ChatGPT, known as large language models, could have huge implications for knowledge industries such as journalism or law, but were unlikely to make much difference to energy, which requires working with large volumes of particles, whether molecules or electrons.Julio disagrees, and he explains what he thinks are the important positive impacts that AI could have on energy and the climate, for example in managing complex systems such as road traffic and power grids, and in developing new materials.The gang then discuss some of the other questions that came up at Davos, and ask what these gatherings mean for the rest of the world.And finally, extreme weather in the US has again been in the headlines. Extreme cold gripped much of the country, and snow fell as far south as Mississippi and Louisiana. Has Texas learned the lessons from Winters Storm Uri in 2021, when blackouts lasted for days and hundreds died? How stable is the grid these days? And what are we learning about managing the risks created by climate change?For more information head to woodmac.com/podcasts. You can read Julio Friedmann's report on AI here: https://www.icef.go.jp/roadmap/.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ed Crooks is joined by Amy Myers-Jaffe and Dr Melissa Lott to look ahead to 2024. They explore the people, places, and technologies that could have a big influence on energy this year. Amy kicks things off with a look ahead to the US elections in November. The results of that vote will have big impact on policy in the US, and there are several other elections coming up around the world that could also have significant consequences for energy.COP28 in Dubai may be only just behind us, but the world is already looking ahead to COP29, which will be held in Azerbaijan. With Brazil lined up for COP30 next year, that will make three consecutive UNFCCC COPs in large oil-producing countries. The gang discuss how that could shape the energy transition.Then there are the technologies to watch in 2024, including Melissa's choice, enhanced geothermal power. Fervo Energy's Project Red geothermal facility went online in December, marking a major milestone for an energy source with huge potential. As Melissa explains, there are not too many energy sources that can offer “clean firm power”: low-carbon generation that is available 24/7.Finally, the gang talk about their energy-related New Year's resolutions, including one that has already been broken!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What Is 'Brave Thinking'? - Mary Morrissey, Renowned Speaker & Advisor, Author of "Brave Thinking: The Art and Science Of Creating A Life You Love" ”Brave thinkers on the other hand, developed the courage to think and live from a vision…They're not going to let circumstances win. They don't deny the circumstances or situations, but they don't let them win. And they're pulling from something that's greater than the circumstance, situation, or condition. And there's a way to hold our thinking and mind when circumstances can seem so daunting, so difficult. So, impenetrable. Brave thinkers summon the courage to think and live from a vision, regardless of the circumstances, situations, and conditions.” Mary Morrissey on Electric Ladies Podcast In this new year, we need all the “brave thinking” we can get – to accelerate the innovating and implementation of the ground-breaking technologies and services we need to both mitigate climate change and to improve our lives, have thriving businesses and create and serve in fulfilling careers. For what “brave thinking “ means and how to do it, listen to this inspiring discussion between Electric Ladies Podcast host Joan Michelson and renowned speaker, advisor and author, Mary Morrissey, who literally wrote the book about it. She has addressed the United Nations repeatedly, collaborated with the Dalai Lama, and advised leaders across the world. She's also the author of the best-selling book, “Brave Thinking: The Art and Science Of Creating A Life You Love,” as well as others.  You'll hear: What “brave thinking” is and is not. What transformation is and means and how to do it. How to get insights from what we feel as “struggle” How to lead with “brave thinking” Plus, insightful career advice, such as… “Start with a vision…Fast forward in your mind, It's three years from now or five years from now, and it all worked out. If it all worked out, what kind of income would you really be making that you would love? What, what difference are you making? What impact are you bringing? How many hours a week are you working?.. So you design a work life that answers what would I love? What would I bring? What would I create? What would I earn? What is my time off like? And get a really clear picture of that.” Mary Morrissey on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here too. You'll also like (some may have been recorded under our previous name, Green Connections Radio): Career Collage Episode 5: Lucy Hargreaves, Pamela Conrad, Jessica Filante-Farrington, Sarah Golden, Rose-May Lucotte Climate Philanthropy, Heather Grady, Vice President, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Changing Your Leadership Style, Maggie Bieniaszewska, Auto Sector Entrepreneur in Poland Career Collage Episode 4: Jean Case, Melissa Lott, Heather Boushey, Daniella Ortega, Jill Tidman Michele Wucker, author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.” Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

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 solutions to the problems associated with lithium ion storage. We wrap the show with the gang trying a not-so-secret Secret Santa, exchanging gifts for the festive season. We hope the show will lift your spirits and put you in the frame of mind to enjoy the holidays. Thanks to everyone who listened during the year. We look forward to seeing you again in 2024. As usual we are keen to hear thoughts and comments. You can find us on most platforms – 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.

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, agreed at COP28, calls for a “just, orderly and equitable” transition, “accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050”. Amy and Melissa explain what that means, and how it could change the world.Find all of our coverage of COP28 at http://www.woodmac.com/podcasts/the-energy-gangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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, Non-Resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy and CEO of Carbon Wrangler.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.

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.

“The theme across all of this, this clean energy transition, it is private sector led, but government enabled. So, we as a government are trying to enable the private sector to move faster so we can meet our very ambitious goal, which includes a 50% reduction from 2005 levels of greenhouse gas pollution by 2030… There's a lot of clean energy technologies that are underpinning all of this and, includes things like, clean hydrogen, advanced nuclear, virtual power plants, carbon capture and sequestration and so forth.”  Vanessa Chan on Electric Ladies Podcast While leaders across countries and sectors meet in Dubai this week for the UN climate conference known as COP28, engineers, scientists and business leaders across the country are transforming our energy system to be zero carbon emissions. They are powered in part by the billions of dollars in federal funding and incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment Act and the CHIPS & Science Act. Where's that money going? Listen to Vanessa Chan, Ph.D., Chief Commercialization Officer and Director of the Office of Technology Transfer at the U.S. Dept. of Energy, explain it in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson.  You'll hear about: The cool technologies transforming our energy system – and how innovating it works How they are spending the billions in the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment Act and the CHIPS and Science Act How you can track their investments and progress What it means for how you power your home, business or school Plus, insightful career advice, including what she learned by working in distinctly different jobs – corporate, academia, as an entrepreneur, and now in government: “Always live below your means. I cannot say that enough. You know, my late husband and I, we, shared a house where the four of us, including two kids, shared a bathroom. And this was when I was a McKinsey partner, and he was in a senior executive…which meant that we could bank all our money, which gave us huge financial flexibility going forward, which means you can take more risks, right?... I think second is, really be willing to follow a north star that matters to you and no one else. And so, my North Star has always been, am I interested in what am I doing and am I learning?” Vanessa Chan on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here too. You'll also like: Melissa Lott, Ph.D., Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University – on what it will take to get to carbon zero. Lauren Salz, CEO & Cofounder, Sealed, heat pumps company  - on how heat pumps work, and how you can leverage the new federal funding to get one inexpensively. Halla Hrund Logadottir, Director-General, Iceland's National Energy Authority, on how the country has become 85% renewable energy. Meredyth Crichton, Ph.D., Clemson University Energy Innovation Unit  - on wind power Jennifer Gerbi, Ph.D., Deputy Director and Acting Director, ARPA-E, the innovation arm of the Department of Energy Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

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 bonus episodes coming daily from the 4-8th December, and join the conversation by finding us on X; we're @theenergygang.For more information visit woodmac.com/podcasts.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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? The gang weigh up the recent tide of bad news about electric vehicles. Should we be preparing for an abrupt turn away from EVs? What could it mean for oil demand if it happened? And how should we interpret the two recent mega-deals in the US oil industry?Plus: offshore wind is in trouble. Rising interest rates and supply chain issues are driving up costs, and big projects in the US are being cancelled. Can the industry find a way out of its predicament?And finally, China's share of global production of spherical graphite, used in battery anodes, is over 99%, putting it in a strong position in global supply chains. Now China has announced new export restrictions on several forms of graphite, raising questions about whether a new vulnerability has been exposed for US and European battery and EV manufacturers.It's a packed show, and as always we are keen to hear your thoughts and comments. You can find us on most platforms as @theenergygang. Subscribe to the show so you don't miss the next one, out every second Friday at 7am ET.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.These metals, whether it's copper wiring or steel in a wind turbine or lithium in an EV battery, are in high demand, and this demand is only going to increase over the next decade. New mines for these metals can take a long time to construct. 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 would do to deep water ocean ecosystems.On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks is back in the host chair after a break, and joined by regular Amy Harder, Executive Editor of Cipher Magazine, the publication supported by Breakthrough Energy.Amy recently interviewed the Prime Minister of Norway, Jonas Gahr Støre, in New York, and she details the main takeaways from that conversation on the show today. Some Norwegian lawmakers have called for a 10-year delay to deep-sea mining plans, so that the environmental impacts of can be studied.Dr Melissa Lott, Director of Columbia University's Center On Global Energy Policy, is also on the show, and she outlines just what these environmental impacts are.The demand for critical minerals could necessitate offshore mining, but is it an essential step to take?Recycling is another option - a study from the International Council on Clean Transportation said that at the end of last year, US plants had the capacity to produce about 100,000 tons a year of recycled battery materials. Total capacity of the plants that have been announced is about 650,000 tons a year.Even that is still only enough for about 1.3 million EVs a year, which might be roughly the number that will be sold in the US this year. So as the market grows, we are going to need a lot more.Plus, the IEA published a report last week called the ‘Net Zero Roadmap', which was optimistic about global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees. It said that achieving that goal is still possible, but how feasible is it? What role will carbon capture play in hitting the target?Subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode, out every second Friday, and follow the conversation on X – 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.

“Much of our infrastructure isn't built to withstand certain kinds of flooding or certain levels of heat. And yet, as the climate changes, so many of the things… that we did know in a world with a stable climate, those are now being upended. And all of that affects costs fundamentally… So, we need to transition to net zero…The three pieces of (federal) legislation are all about investing in America and making sure that from the innovation to commercialization pipeline, we are helping those goods get to market at scale, at prices consumers can afford.” Heather Boushey on Electric Ladies Podcast Climate change affects the entire economy, especially our infrastructure, like transportation, energy and electric power systems, buildings, manufacturing, etc. and every one of us, from consumers to businesses to investors, to education etc. Every sector, every community, every income bracket. NOAA calculated it's already caused almost $3 trillion in damages. The Biden administration signed three massive bills into law with Congress's help that address this pivot to a net zero economy and upgrading our infrastructure. Listen to Heather Boushey, Member of the White House Council of Economic Advisors and Chief Economist of the Invest in America Cabinet, in this exclusive and rare interview by Joan Michelson on Electric Ladies Podcast explain how we can economically do this transition and how this federal funding reduces our risks and costs to do, while also expediting this transition to help avert even far worse effects of climate change.  You'll hear: How climate change affects the economy, and key sectors specifically. Resources in the Inflation Reduction  Act, Infrastructure Investment Act & CHIPS & Science Act to help homeowners, businesses and investors make these changes at reduced risks and lower costs. Where the opportunities – and jobs – are in this transition, including for women. The impact on women specifically and resources available Plus, insightful career advice, such as… “For me, the key to my career was being clear on what my mission is….I feel so enormously fortunate that I found a president to be able to work for who shares that goal….So I think the lesson in that is either be the leader that you want to believe in, or find that leader and attach yourself to them and see what amazing things you can do together. But, for me, it's been about being clear on what it is that I wanted to achieve.” Heather Boushey on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here too. You'll also like (some may have been recorded under our previous name, Green Connections Radio): Kristina Wyatt, Chief Sustainability Officer & Deputy General Counsel, Persefoni and former leader of the SEC task force developing the Climate Risk Disclosure rules. Aimee Christensen, Christensen Global, Former Clinton Administration Official, Founder/CEO Sun Valley Forum & Sun Valley institute For Resilience Sandrine Dixson-Decléve, Co-President of Club of Rome, on transitioning to a people-planet first economy. Melissa Lott, Ph.D., Director of Research, Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, on how exactly to get to carbon zero Jean Case, CEO, the Case Foundation and Chair, National Geographic Society, on ESG and impact investing. Anne Kelly, VP of Government Relations, Ceres, on business supporting the Inflation Reduction Act Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

A new non-linear generator could be the answer to the risks of extreme weather.The prospect of an extended blackout during a heat wave is not only alarming, but a potential public health emergency. According to a recent report in the New York Times, 800,000 residents would require hospitalization if a major heatwave coincided with an extended blackout. The study, conducted by the Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, made clear the need for reliable energy storage. Advancements in technology are helping to mitigate the risk, with modern batteries improving their lifespans from two to four hours to a more robust eight to ten hours. Experts even predict reaching a milestone of 100-hour battery life in the near future. However, nature doesn't keep time like we do, and extreme weather can cause outages that outlast even these improved capabilities. So how can we protect our cities and ensure sustained power during these disruptions? The answer lies in developing technologies that transition long-duration storage capacities from hours to days and beyond. The Mainspring Linear Generator, developed by Mainspring Energy, a Silicon Valley-based startup, could be one of the answers to the storage challenge. David Banmiller is joined by Mainspring CEO Dr. Shannon Miller, a Stanford alumna with a PhD in mechanical engineering.The Mainspring Linear Generator has raised over $530 million in funding from cleantech investors and demonstrates the potential of innovative solutions in accelerating the shift towards a net-zero carbon grid. Shannon explains how it uses different types of fuel - including conventional types like natural gas - and clean fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia. To explore the wider trends and challenges around long-duration storage, Dr Melissa Lott also joins us on the Interchange this week. Melissa is Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and she talks about the risks of gaps in power access, energy cost spikes and reliability issues. One of the key changes seen in the storage market is the separation of storage and generation solutions. As fossil fuel-based generators wind down, finding reliable and sustainable alternatives to provide reliable power becomes increasingly important.Incentives and regulatory frameworks are integral to fostering the energy transition. Currently, however, specific types of storage, like electrochemical or thermal storage, are often prescribed in state mandates instead of leaving room for innovative alternatives. Therefore, there's a growing need for technology-neutral policies that accommodate various kinds of storage, including clean fuels.If you haven't already, check out our sister podcast, "The Energy Gang," which offers biweekly insights into the latest and biggest energy stories. Subscribe to the Interchange Recharged so you don't miss an episode, out every second Friday at 7am ET. Find us on X (formerly known as Twitter) – we're @interchangeshowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the last Energy Gang we looked at the impact of record temperatures on the energy sector. This week, we discuss another impact of climate change: its effect on human psychology. We discuss how the way we talk about global warming affects how we respond to it.A recent study in the journal Global Environmental Change argued that scientists and media organizations need to rethink the way they talk about climate change. The study's authors called on the media to emphasise potential solutions to rising temperatures, rather than focusing solely on the dire consequences. This shift towards solutions-oriented thinking could help prevent a pervasive sense of fatalism: the idea that humans can do nothing useful to mitigate climate change. Doomerism, as it is sometimes known, seems to be creeping more and more into the conversation. Is it an inevitable consequence of the way we talk about climate change? One point that researchers have found is that using the term “climate emergency” reduced the perceived credibility of news reports, and the likelihood that people would take action, compared to using “climate change.” News about climate impacts leads to increased fear and decreased hope, relative to the impact of news about climate action. Are the media inadvertently encouraging people to believe that our civilization is fated to end in disaster, and we are all going to burn if we live long enough, so we might as well just live for the moment and enjoy the ride any way we can?To discuss the impact of climate doomerism on our mental health, and more, host Ed Crooks is joined by Dr Melissa Lott, Director of the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Melissa argues that the evidence shows there are in fact workable solutions to climate change, and that “everything we do to try to reduce emissions to any degree, already protects health.” So doomerism is not based on reality.Also on this episode is Amy Harder, who is the Executive Editor of Cipher, a news outlet supported by Breakthrough Energy, the climate investing and policy organization backed by Bill Gates. She has some new polling data on public attitudes to climate change, published by Pew Research.Looking for solutions led us to one answer to emissions that has made the news in recent weeks: carbon utilization. Amy's outlet Cipher recently published a story looking at the debate in the US over tax breaks for carbon capture, and what happens to the carbon dioxide after it is captured. Amy explores with Ed and Melissa what this means for energy and the potential for carbon utilization as a whole.As always, please subscribe so you don't miss an episode.You can find the report from Pew Research on US attitudes to climate change here: https://www.pewresearch.org/science/2023/08/09/why-some-americans-do-not-see-urgency-on-climate-change/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New challenges for our power supplies in a warming world.Global temperatures have been breaking records this summer. On some estimates, the earth is the hottest that it has been for about 125,000 years. In Phoenix, Arizona, temperatures have consistently reached over 110 degrees Fahrenheit, and people are being hospitalized with severe burns after falling on the ground. The heat is bringing other threats, including the wildfires that have been burning out of control in parts of southern Europe and Canada. Extreme heat inflates the demand for energy, particularly power for cooling and air conditioning, putting new strains on the power grid. In the US, electricity demand has been shattering records in Texas and Phoenix, and it's on a similar trend in other arts of the world, too. India's power demand, for instance, has been hitting new record highs due to the scorching temperatures and a steadily expanding economy.To explore the impacts of the extreme weather we've been seeing, host Ed Crooks is joined by Energy Gang regulars Dr Melissa Lott of Columbia University's Centre on Global Energy Policy, and Amy Myers Jaffe, from NYU's Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab. The gang discusses the ramifications of a warming world, and the stresses that it creates. To take just one example, to cope with extreme temperatures more people use air-conditioning, which often means increasing the use of fossil fuels, adding to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. In China, coal-fired power output in June was up 14% from the same month in 2022.The gang discuss the huge global disparities in energy usage around the world. In the US, about 90% of households have air-conditioning, while in the lower-income economies of Asia and Africa, it is 10% or less. Melissa and Amy discuss how the transition to a lower-carbon world will be viable only if it acknowledges the rest of the world's demand for the comforts enjoyed in rich countries today.Climate change also causes problems for energy production. In Africa, hydropower plays a large role in electricity generation. As weather patterns shift, regions that rely on particular patterns of rainfall can struggle. Parts of China have been suffering blackouts this summer because of low hydro power generation, while California has been helped by relatively high snow and rainfall over the past winter. Picking up a theme from a previous episode of the show, when Dr Sarah Kapnick of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration was a guest, the gang discuss the need for more advanced climate modelling to understand the factors shaping energy demand and supply. Finally, there is news of a potentially exciting breakthrough in what could be an important source of dispatchable power with zero emissions: geothermal energy. A company called Fervo Energy, led and staffed by people with backgrounds in both low-carbon energy and oil and gas, has reported a successful test of its first pair of geothermal wells drilled horizontally for more than 3,000 feet, using techniques pioneered in the shale industry. Could this technology eventually be a big piece of the energy transition puzzle? It's all examined on this week's show. Remember to subscribe so you don't miss an episode, and follow the discussion on Twitter – 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.

In this episode, Melissa Lott, Director of Research and Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Michael Webber, Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, discuss how companies can decarbonize their electricity when pursuing net zero climate goals, from increased efficiency to electrification to generating their own carbon-free electricity, and the pros and cons of these pathways. Climate Rising Host: Professor Mike Toffel, Faculty Chair, Business & Environment Initiative Guests: Melissa Lott, Director of Research and Senior Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University Michael Webber, Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin

Bidenomics' is the new buzzword that the US administration is using to brand its industrial strategy. What does it mean for energy in the US, and around the world?Last week, President Joe Biden spoke in South Carolina about his economic vision: a strategy that he is calling “Bidenomics”, with the energy transition is right at the heart of it. By “turning the climate crisis into an opportunity”, the White House says, the US can create good-paying jobs in clean energy while also bringing down consumers' energy costs. When the president and his administration talk about their energy policies, the focus is generally on jobs, investment, and the international race to lead in the technologies of the future, not the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.The Inflation Reduction Act was the legislative core of this plan, with its array of incentives for low-carbon-energy, and for US-produced equipment in particular. As we approach a year since it was passed, there is plenty of evidence that it is contributing to upturn in US manufacturing. Spending on new factories has been tracking at a rate of about $190 billion a year, triple the average rate of the 2010s. But are there dangers in the administration's drive to create new domestic industries in low-carbon technologies?To discuss that question and more, host Ed Crooks is joined by regulars Melissa Lott and Amy Myers-Jaffe. Melissa is Director of Research at Columbia University's Centre on Global Energy Policy, and Amy is Director of the Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab at New York University.One of the biggest issues in terms of international tensions around renewable energy manufacturing is China, which is currently the dominant producer for products and components such as batteries and solar panels. At the same time as it is trying to wrest global leadership from China in some of those key sectors, the US is also arguing that the two countries need to work together to tackle the threat of climate change. Melissa was in China last week – as was US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen – and shares her insights on the implications of two countries' energy strategies.One new development is that China is restricting exports of gallium and germanium, which are used in semiconductors, fibre-optic cables, and some electrical equipment. Amy discusses what these restrictions might mean for energy producers. And the gang discuss the question: what does this new trade flare-up teach us about how much countries need to work together to make the progress we need in developing clean energy? If our world's greatest challenges, including climate change, can only be solved through co-operation, does competition between countries risk pushing us off course?Join the discussion on Twitter – we're @theenergygang, or visit woodmac.com/podcasts for more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“What I'm hearing is, how do we go faster? How do we transform the key industries that are driving emissions now? And, that can be the solutions to our climate crisis, to our biodiversity crisis. They're really seeking what are the strategies, where should they be going strategically to shift capital, to shift their operations?...I'm seeing is a great eagerness to learn to act, uh, far ahead of the global targets by governments. So working with companies, working with, uh, local and regional and state governments, um, working with innovators to large corporates. Uh, what I'm hearing is how do we go faster and how do we do it in a way that is truly credible?” Aimee Christensen on Electric Ladies Podcast Climate change affects the entire economy – every sector – and therefore, any solution requires a multi-sector, multidimensional approach. But how do those work exactly in real life? What's working? Aimee Christensen, CEO of Christensen Global and Founder/CEO of the Sun Valley Forum, has been collaborating with top leaders across sectors in this work every day for 30 years, making the hard choices, running the numbers, identifying financial products and metrics. Listen to Aimee on Electric Ladies Podcast help us make sense of these strategies in this enlightening interview with host Joan Michelson.  You'll hear: How to build successful public-private partnerships. How to align financial assets with growing a climate positive economy. What impact new federal funding, ESG reporting and climate disclosure rules will have. What corporates are doing to transition to net zero operations and why. Plus, insightful career advice, such as… “Something that I've tried to do in my career that's been important has been to trust my gut and to be a truth teller….People are looking for community, so even if you think you might be the only one who's raising this issue,…you will find your people. And if you don't speak your truth, if you don't ask the hard question, you won't find the people who are looking to align with that aggressive leadership and trust your gut on that. So trust your gut, whether it's about a new job, about a direction we need to be going in, even if it feels a little bit lonely, because… You'll be proven. People will find you and want to collaborate with you.” Aimee Christensen on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here too. You'll also like (some may have been recorded under our previous name, Green Connections Radio): Kristina Wyatt, Chief Sustainability Officer & Deputy General Counsel, Persefoni and former leader of the SEC task force developing the Climate Risk Disclosure rules. Sandrine Dixson-Decléve, Co-President of Club of Rome, on transitioning to a people-planet first economy. Kathy Baughman-McLeod, SVP and Executive Director, Adrienne Arsht-Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Center, on scaling resilience across the globe and across populations. Melissa Lott, Ph.D., Director of Research, Global Energy Policy, Columbia University, on how exactly to get to carbon zero Jean Case, CEO, the Case Foundation and Chair, National Geographic Society, on ESG and impact investing. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

The north-eastern US has taken on a post-apocalyptic appearance recently, blanketed by smoke from wildfires in Canada. Host Ed Crooks and regular guest Melissa Lott, Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, are both based in New York and saw first-hand the extent of the fires that have been burning in Quebec. In recent years we have seen huge fires up and down the west coast of North America, in Siberia, in central Greece, to name just a few regions that have been affected. The gang discuss the implications of the fires for human health, for the energy system, and for our understanding of climate change.The big news from Washington has been that the US has averted a global financial crisis, thanks to Congress and President Joe Biden coming together to make a deal over the ceiling on the country's national debt. The agreement suspends the debt ceiling to January 2025, meaning the US can avoid defaulting on its debts, at least for a while. The legislation also had some important implications for energy. The generous tax credits for low-carbon energy included in last year's Inflation Reduction Act had been in danger, as Republicans in the House of Representatives moved to repeal them, but in the final deal they were saved.One initiative with plenty of support from both Republicans and Democrats did make progress: the legislation included moves to streamline permitting for infrastructure projects, which could help clear a path for low-carbon energy investments. To make sense of it all the Energy Gang enlisted Robbie Orvis, Senior Director for Modelling and Analysis at the Washington-based think-tank Energy Innovation. Is the legislation that's just been passed going to make a significant difference to the speed at which we can build put low-carbon infrastructure? Robbie's initial reaction is that it's a small step on the way, but it's incremental. Meanwhile, there is a raft of new regulations coming from the Environmental Protection Agency, intended to cut emissions from light and heavy road vehicles, and from power generation. Together the gang examine the proposed rules. What impact will they have? And are new regulations basically an irrelevance in industries that are changing dramatically anyway? Plus: the inauguration of the first ever Energy Gang Book Group. We are picking a book to read together, and the gang will discuss it at the end of the summer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“The goal is net zero, which is a balance between the emissions we put into the air and the emissions we take out….We have solutions and…it's not that the technologies don't work, it's not that we don't know how to use them. It's because  we haven't made the choice to actually use them at the size and scale that we need to, as quickly as we want to, to avoid all these really terrible, terrible impacts of a changing climate.” Melissa Lott on Electric Ladies Podcast An extraordinary new Nova documentary on PBS hosted by veteran science journalist Miles O'Brien gives a deep dive into what “carbon zero” actually means – in plain English for us non-scientists – and how we can get there in time to save the planet and our lifestyle. How? Listen to Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Center for Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and the lead scientists in the documentary, explain it in ways we can all understand in this fascinating discussion with Electric Ladies host Joan Michelson.  You'll hear about: What carbon zero really is – and how to get there The impact of the new trifecta of federal legislation – the Inflation Reduction Act, the Infrastructure Investment Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. Where we get our electricity from today and what has to change to eliminate emissions The impact on each industry – in ways that may surprise you Plus, insightful career advice, such as… “Create your path because it probably hasn't been created before. And follow your passions and the things you want to contribute to…At the end of the day….it's about understanding where you want to have impact and then creating the path forward….When I started in this work, the thing I do now did not exist. It didn't, now it does. And I'm so glad that I positioned myself to be able to do the work that I do today because it speaks to me on many, many levels and it brings together different pieces of me, and it's a way that I can contribute. So,….It's about how are you going to create and be that change you want to see?” Melissa Lott on Electric Ladies Podcast Read Joan's Forbes articles here too. You'll also like: Halla Hrund Logadottir, Director-General, Iceland's National Energy Authority, on how the country has become 85% renewable energy. Sandrine Dixson-Decléve, Co-president of the Club of Rome (global leaders), on how to pivot the global economy to net zero Janet Gail Besser, of Smart Power Alliance, on their 5-point plan to get the U.S. energy system to net zero. Michele Wucker, thought leaders and author of “You Are What You Risk: The New Art & Science to Navigating an Uncertain World.” Jennifer Gerbi, Ph.D., Deputy Director and Acting Director, ARPA-E, the innovation arm of the Department of Energy Subscribe to our newsletter to receive our podcasts, blog, events and special coaching offers.. Thanks for subscribing on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio and leaving us a review! Follow us on Twitter @joanmichelson

Hydropower is one of the world's oldest renewable energy sources. But what is it, how does it work, and how does it benefit the planet? In this week's episode, Dr. Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, is diving into all of the above. For more information, visit https://brightly.eco/blog/hydropower-guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a utility or climate tech startup looking to understand how artificial intelligence will shape your company? Come to our one-day event, Transition-AI: Boston on June 15. Our listeners get a 20% discount with the code PSPODS20. We're hard at work on a new season of The Big Switch podcast, which will go deep on the impact of the European energy crisis. And this week, we're featuring an episode from last season. There's been a pretty major shake-up in the world of transit decarbonization. Last summer, the California Air Resources Board – a state organization that regulates air quality – approved a rule mandating that by 2035, all new cars sold in California will be zero-emissions. And last month, California approved a ban on diesel by 2036 in heavy-duty transport. These rules will transform California's transportation market; and deliver some huge climate and health wins along the way. Between now and 2035, the regulation will result in 9.5 million fewer gas-powered cars on the road. California's not alone in cracking down on gas cars – soon, as many as seventeen other states may follow suit, resulting in a wave of regulation that could change American transit forever. In this episode, Dr. Melissa Lott talks with Mary Nichols, the former Chair of the California Air Resources Board, about the history and consequences of the rule. The Carbon Copy is supported by FischTank PR, a public relations, strategic messaging, and social media agency dedicated to elevating the work of climate and clean energy companies. Learn more about FischTank's approach to cleantech and their services: fischtankpr.com. The Carbon Copy is brought to you by Sungrow. Now in more than 150 countries, Sungrow's solutions include inverters for utility-scale, commercial & industrial solar, plus energy storage systems. Learn more at us.sungrowpower.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks is joined by Dr. Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Amy Duffuor, who is a General Partner at Azolla Ventures, a climate-focused investment firm. In this week's episode, the gang start of by discussing the recent outcry over the possible impact of offshore wind development on whales. Although there is no evidence connecting the wind industry's activities to the rise in whale deaths, people are worried that there could be a link. It's an example of the broader issue in energy investment: there can often be tensions and conflicts between what we need to do to tackle the threat of climate change and the interests of local communities and eco-systems. The transition to a low-carbon energy system means building a huge amount of stuff, from wind farms to power lines to lithium mines to flood defenses. The industry is under intense scrutiny to show that it can develop the infrastructure we need in a responsible way. Also on this show: “electrify everything” has been a slogan in the clean energy movement for a long time. Now it is becoming a reality, and gathering momentum. Taking just a couple of recent examples: Poland is building new factories to produce heat pumps that will replace gas boilers for home heating; and the state of California has announced that it wants to move to zero emission vehicles not just for passenger cars and light trucks, but for heavy trucks as well, by the end of 2035. These shifts to use electricity for heating and transport and going to increase the load and strains on grids around the world. How can we make sure that electricity systems can keep up?Finally, Amy's firm Azolla is part of a new coalition called the Venture Climate Alliance, designed to accelerate progress towards net zero emissions. Why do we need yet another group in the financial sector working on climate and emissions? And what is the role of venture capital in the transition to a clean energy system?Subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode and follow us on Twitter, we're @theenergygang The Energy Gang is brought to you by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati—the premier legal services provider to technology, life sciences, and clean energy enterprises. Wilson Sonsini has built a leading energy and climate solutions practice and its team is dedicated to a single goal: advancing what's next in the energy industry. For more information about Wilson Sonsini's energy and climate change team, visit wsgr.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alternative sources of power are moving into the spotlight.As the share of dispatchable power in our electricity system declines, with coal-fired plants giving way to variable wind and solar, maintaining reliable supplies to keep the lights on becomes more complex. Investment in wind and solar is still vital for making progress towards net zero emissions, but other sources of low-carbon power are also moving into the spotlight. Those can include nuclear and hydrogen generation, as well as wave and tidal power, but there's another source of renewable energy that's been attracting a lot of attention recently: geothermal. Today geothermal accounts for just 0.5% of renewables-based capacity for electricity generation globally, but some think it could play a much bigger role in the future. In the past few years there has been growing interest in geothermal energy, driven by some exciting innovations. Quaise Energy, for example, is developing a millimeter wave drill that they say could enable them to deliver energy at $40 per MWh. Fervo is a startup working on horizontal drilling for geothermal, enabling them to reach more areas and lowering surface footprints. On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks is joined by Dr. Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and by Nneka Kibuule, who is a Principal at Aligned Climate Capital and co-founder of GreenTech Noir. They discuss the potential of geothermal as an energy source, and the important questions over its environmental impact. What are the trade-offs when we develop new sources of low-carbon energy that could help tackle climate change, but create local impacts on sensitive ecosystems?There's a $100 million plan to turn apartments in New York City into Virtual Power Plants, or VPPs. There are now hundreds of VPP projects across the US and Canada, with New York and California being the biggest states. But what exactly are they, and how do they work? In New York City, the plan is to control air-conditioning units in real-time to reduce electricity demand, relieving stress on the grid and helping to cut emissions. Nneka Kibuule explains how Aligned Climate Capital has invested in several businesses developing technologies for VPPs, making it possible to turn homes and businesses into a collective energy resource for utilities and the grid. Finally, the focus on ESG investing continues. When investors and companies look at ESG scores and ratings, are they getting too hung up on the numbers and not paying enough attention to all the other important factors that are more difficult to measure?Subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode and follow us on Twitter, we're @theenergygang The Energy Gang is brought to you by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati—the premier legal services provider to technology, life sciences, and clean energy enterprises. Wilson Sonsini has built a leading energy and climate solutions practice and its team is dedicated to a single goal: advancing what's next in the energy industry.   For more information about Wilson Sonsini's energy and climate change team, visit wsgr.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It has been a turbulent month in the financial sector, which could have big implications for the world of energy. Mobilising capital is vital for achieving international goals to curb greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to the impacts of global warming. As the global banking system shudders from the blow of Silicon Valley Bank collapsing, is long-term climate investment being pushed further to the fringes of the agenda? The latest Assessment Report from the IPCC has delivered what's been called a “final warning” on limiting global warming to 1 .5 degrees C, saying we are on course for about 3.2 degrees C of warming by the end of the century. The report, which aims to bring together and summarise the state of the world's scientific knowledge on climate change, warns that flows of investment, especially to developing countries, “fall short of the levels needed for adaptation and to achieve mitigation goals across all sectors and regions.” As we learn more about the climate crisis, are we heading for another financial crisis, too? Clean energy share prices have been falling on concerns that the sector will be hit by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Meanwhile, President Biden has used his first veto to protect a government regulation that seeks to encourage the use of ESG (environmental, social and governance) factors in investment decision. The Republicans are leading the charge against ESG investing, arguing that “woke Wall Street” is putting investors' money at risk. On the show today: Ed Crooks is joined by Dr Melissa Lott from Columbia University, and Shanu Matthew of Lazard Asset Management, to analyse the financial storm we've seen brewing in the past few weeks. What exactly has been going on in the banking system? What are the implications for clean energy as the economic clouds are gathering? Rising interest rates are a big contributor to pressure on the banking system, and also have implications for renewables. The gang then get on to the ESG backlash: is it real, and what does it mean for investors and for clean energy companies that need capital? Finally, they review the IPCC report: although the problems it sets out look dire, there are solutions, and Melissa and Shanu have some ideas for how to make them happen. Follow us on Twitter – we're @theenergygangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will permitting reforms make it easier to build infrastructure projects?A group called the REPEAT Project at Princeton University calculated last year that to unlock the full emissions reduction potential of the Inflation Reduction Act, the US needed to increase its total high-voltage transmission capacity by about 2.3% a year. That is more than double the pace achieved over the past decade. In Washington, reforms that could make it easier to build all kinds of energy infrastructure, including the grid connections vitally needed for wind, solar and storage, are back on the agenda. Attempts to build bipartisan support for reform in the last Congress failed, but with Republicans, who have control of the House of Representatives, now launching a plan of their own, a window for bipartisan agreement on permitting reform may be opening. Are these the steps needed that will unlock all the investment in renewable energy projects that the US needs? Also on the show: the impact on energy markets from the war in Ukraine seems to be dissipating, but the concerns around energy security remain as strong as ever. Jens Stoltenberg, secretary-general of NATO, said this recently: “Not so long ago, many argued that importing Russian gas was purely an economic issue. It is not. It is a political issue. It is about our security. Because Europe's dependency on Russian gas made us vulnerable. So, we should not make the same mistakes with China and other authoritarian regimes.” What lessons have we learned following Russia's invasion of Ukraine? How concerned should we be about excessive reliance on China for low-carbon technologies? Ed Crooks is joined by Dr. Melissa Lott, Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and Emily Grubert, Associate Professor of Sustainable Energy Policy, at Notre Dame University, to unpack these topics. They also assess the latest innovations in battery chemistry. The availability of critical minerals including lithium, nickel and cobalt for batteries has long been an area for concern. But technological breakthroughs mean that batteries without nickel or cobalt are now a highly competitive option for electric vehicles. And meanwhile batteries without lithium are starting to emerge as viable possibilities. The gang discuss what these breakthroughs mean for the energy transition. As always, please get in touch and let us know your thoughts. Check out our Twitter to suggest any future topics you want us to discuss. 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.

The energy industry influences climate change, and climate change also influences the energy industry. Understanding the consequences of a warming world is essential for making the right decisions as trillions of dollars are invested in energy production around the world. While we work to mitigate climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions, we also need to adapt to the changes that we cannot prevent. On the Energy Gang today, Ed Crooks and Melissa Lott are joined by Dr Sarah Kapnick from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The NOAA collects data from a fleet of satellites, buoys, weather stations and balloons, and uses the information to try to understand our changing world. Its data and modelling on global warming and its impacts is increasingly being used to inform decisions on renewable investment, emergency planning, technology and more. Melissa also works on these issues in her role as Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. How do we use to collect climate data? What impacts of climate change have we seen already, and what can we expect to see in the future? How can we use the information we have to make the best decisions when it comes to curtailing carbon emissions? Climate change was a significant factor in the huge wildfires that hit the US West Coast in recent years, because of two decades of abnormally low precipitation. Dr Kapnick explains how that should influence companies' and regulators' decisions about investment and risk management. Wind power generation in Europe was hit by unexpectedly low wind strength in 2021. Climate data and models can inform companies facing these kinds of problems, and should help them plan their investments and operations more effectively, so they can keep the lights on while holding costs down. All this and more on a special climate-focused edition of the Energy Gang. As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. 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.

Without doubt, 2022 will be remembered as one of the most pivotal years in the history of power generation. It was the year that highlighted the folly of concentrated supply. In Europe, the war in Ukraine raised energy security issues caused by heavy reliance on Russian gas. At the same time, China's dominance of the solar and energy storage supply chains posed national security questions for energy policy planners. These concerns have spurred European and North American policy makers to reshape renewable energy industry supply chains to reduce dependence on imported equipment. On the 16 August 2022, the United States took its first and most significant step to reshape the renewables supply chain, with President Biden's signing of the Inflation Reduction Act. Two key provisions are likely to be game- changing for equipment manufacturers. First, the Act provides a tax credit, known as the advanced manufacturing production credits (AMPC), for US-made renewable equipment. Second, it incentivises developers of US renewable projects to purchase domestically produced equipment by providing an additional tax credit if they meet domestic content requirement (DCR) thresholds. On the podcast, host Liz Dennett is joined by Horizons report author Daniel Liu, Head of Asset Commercial Performance at Wood Mackenzie, and Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. Together they explore the implications for manufacturers, developers and investors off the back of the historic climate bill. Read the full report here: https://www.woodmac.com/horizons/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What's led the world to restart the stalled atomic engine?2022 was a year of important milestones for nuclear power. The most significant piece of climate legislation in US history – the IRA – included tax incentives and investment for the nuclear industry. A $15 per megawatt-hour tax credit for production to keep existing plants competitive, as well as $700 million to build a domestic supply chain for modern reactors, was a statement of intent from a government seeking to increase energy security. There is a resurgence of interest in nuclear power around the world. From the support for nuclear power in recent legislation in the US, to the plans for new reactors in France and the UK, to Japan's commitment to a new generation of advanced nuclear technology. Soaring prices for natural gas and concerns about energy security following Russia's invasion of Ukraine have prompted renewed interest in reliable sources of supply. And at the same time, the international pressure to address climate change has not faded. So, zero-emissions sources have the greatest long-term potential. Diablo Canyon in California, Vogtle in Georgia, as well as major projects planned for Poland and Finland have put nuclear firmly back in the spotlight. How far has safety and efficiency developed in the past decades? What's driven the industry to restart engine of atomic power, previously stalled for decades? We've had a lot of correspondence to the show about nuclear power, so we're dedicating the entire hour to the topic. Ed Crooks is back in the host seat, joined by a distinguished panel of guests. We welcome two new faces to the gang: Katy Huff, Assistant Secretary and head of the Office of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy and Carl Perez, CEO of Exodys Energy. Also joining the show is Melissa Lott, Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University's Climate Lab. It's a packed show, with discussion on the Biden administration's strategy for increased nuclear planning, the type of reactors and Exodys Energy's role in developing the technology, and the challenges to increase nuclear development. Let us know your thoughts on nuclear – 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.

The Energy Gang is back. We're only a couple of weeks into the new year but already so much has happened. A mild winter so far in Europe has sent wholesale gas prices falling, but there's still a long way to go. Natural gas is expected to trade at 77.11 Euros per MWh by the end of the quarter, down to pre-Ukraine war levels. With prices down 50% since the December peak, what is that going to do for the rest of the world? It's just one question we have as the gang looks ahead to 2023 and discuss the opportunities or challenges that may await the energy industry. Melissa Lott, Director of the Centre on Global Energy Policy, is joined by Amy Myers-Jaffe – Director of the Energy, Climate Justice & Sustainability Lab, and research professor at NYU. Together they look forward to the next 12 months: we're approaching a year of war in Ukraine but how much longer will it continue? What will that do for energy prices and investment this year? Environmental action in 2023 will also be put under the microscope – who is investing, and where? Will we see a doubling-down on alternative energy or a shift back to legacy fuel production to mitigate recession? Finally, the first COP to be held in the Middle East approaches at the end of the year. It's a massive test of the credibility of the Gulf region's net zero ambitions and pledges. Will it push them to decarbonise, or have previous COPs shown us that it's all talk, no action? As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. 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.

2022 was one of the most tumultuous years for global energy markets in decades.War. Fossil fuel shortages. Extreme price spikes. Supply chain disruptions in clean energy. It also brought transformative changes. An historic U.S. climate bill, a first-of-its-kind loss and damage agreement at COP27, and record electric car sales. We tackled all these stories on the show this year. Now we're wondering: how will they play out next year? Will supply chains return to normal after their COVID chaos? How volatile will fossil fuel prices remain? And what kind of technological breakthroughs can we expect in clean energy?  This week, a 2022 wrap-up. Host Bill Loveless is joined by a panel of experts from the Center on Global Energy Policy – Jason Bordoff, Melissa Lott, and Mauricio Cardenas.  Jason is the founding director of the Center on Global Energy Policy and co-founding dean of the Columbia Climate School. Before joining Columbia, he served as special assistant to President Barack Obama, and as senior director for energy and climate change on the staff of the National Security Council. And, of course, he is the co-host of this show. Melissa is the director of research at the Center on Global Energy Policy. She co-leads the Power Sector and Renewable Research Initiative and serves as the acting director of the Carbontech Development Initiative. Melissa is the host of “The Big Switch,”  another podcast by the Center on Global Energy Policy. Mauricio is a professor of professional practice in global leadership at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and director of the school's Master of Public Administration in Global Leadership. He has previously served Colombia's energy minister and finance minister. Together, they discuss the year's biggest moments at the intersection of energy, policy, and geopolitics. They also talk about Europe's energy challenges, global climate and energy policies – including the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act – and the trajectory for fossil fuels and renewables in the years ahead.

2022 has been a very eventful year in the world of energy. From January to December there has been an ongoing war, a European energy crisis, billions of dollars in funding for clean energy in the US and a Twitter takeover. It's the last episode of the year so we're bringing you a special edition of the Energy Gang. Join host Ed Crooks and recurring Energy Gang guests, Amy Harder of Cipher, and Melissa Lott of Columbia University, as they wrap up the year by highlighting important moments in the energy transition, month-by-month. As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We're @TheEnergyGang. Today's episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by BlockEnergy autonomous community energy systems.Renewable, reliable residential energy at scale is not a thing of the future. BlockEnergy is providing resilient energy to communities NOW. Much more than solar-plus-storage, the modular and scalable BlockEnergy residential microgrid system is the first-of-its-kind.Visit BlockEnergy.com to learn more about the layers of reliable, clean, local power coming soon to a neighborhood block near you.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The COP27 climate talks have been held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. It's a popular tourist destination, but the negotiators discussing ways to limit global warming and to address the harm done by climate change have not been able to relax. The talks have been pretty hard going.Recurring Energy Gang guests Melissa Lott of Columbia University, and Amy Myers-Jaffe, who has just got a new job at New York University, join host Ed Crooks to discuss the progress that has been made, and where there is still more left to do. Both Melissa and Amy have had colleagues attending the summit, and we hear what they have been working on. The gang discusses the prospect of meeting the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5˚C, the steps taken since COP26 in Glasgow a year ago, and the issue of how to compensate poorer countries for the loss and damage caused by climate change. We discuss how this is where the rubber really hits the road in climate talks: when negotiators tackle the critical questions of who pays. Many countries say they back the idea of a new facility to assist the countries that have been hit by climate-related disasters. But many also say they believe they should not have to pay themselves. The gang then transitions over to claims of another comeback for nuclear power. COP27 has had a pro-nuclear tilt, as energy security becomes a larger issue. But where does nuclear fit in the energy transition? As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. 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.

In this episode of The Energy Gang, we draw our attention away from the IRA and switch focus to the ongoing energy crisis in Europe. Host Ed Crooks is joined by regular guest Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Amy Harder from Cipher. The race to stay warm is on as Russia cuts off more gas supplies to Europe. The continent is facing a potentially very bleak winter, but how bleak depends on the weather. If it's a mild winter, then Europe will probably have enough gas. If it's a cold winter, then things are going to get rough. There will probably need to be demand for curtailment, rationing and blackouts. Already, leaders are urging people to take action, by having cold showers and switching off the air-conditioning to save money and lighten the load on the grid. What do these extreme measures tell us about the sacrifices people are being asked to make to serve a humanitarian cause? Is there a parallel to draw between that and changing our habits to curtail catastrophic climate change? Also, does Europe have enough gas to keep people warm without having to introduce rationing? And what does this say about the lack of tools in our belt when these crises occur? Also on the show: the rise in natural gas prices is being felt around the world. In the U.S., energy costs are hitting homes hard as the price of natural gas and oil has soared to record levels. This has given a big boost to the demand for electric cars. Last month, California approved a ban on the sale of new gasoline- powered vehicles as the state takes dramatic steps to reduce emissions and combat the climate emergency. How will the Clean Air Act impact the energy world? In this new law, 35% of new cars and light trucks sold in the Sunshine state must be either zero-emission, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen-powered by 2026. Is this an ambitious goal?As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We're @TheEnergyGangThis episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all.Learn more by listening to the Power Pulse podcast, where the Hitachi Energy team discusses the latest in the ongoing transformation of the world's energy systems. The Power Pulse podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we're presenting an episode of The Big Switch, a narrative show from Columbia University about how to decarbonize the economy.  Steel goes into pretty much everything around us – from buildings and bridges to the furniture in our homes. And decarbonizing the steel industry is essential because we need steel to decarbonize the world. Think about it. Solar panels, electric vehicles, even our power grid; steel goes into everything we need to fight climate change. But there's a problem. Steel manufacturing uses a lot of fossil fuels. It's responsible for 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. In this episode, Dr. Melissa Lott breaks down the race to green, zero-carbon steel. It's a competition among four key technologies: recycling, carbon capture and storage (CCS), electrolysis, and — everyone's current favorite — hydrogen. Or, as we call it in this episode, the Usain Bolt of technology. The Carbon Copy is a co-production of Post Script Media and Canary Media. The Carbon Copy is supported by GridX. GridX provides invaluable business insight that improves the uptake of the programs, products and services needed to decarbonize. Delivering on our clean energy future is complex. GridX exists to simplify the journey. Learn more. The Carbon Copy is brought to you by KORE Power. KORE Power is the leading U.S.-based developer of battery cell technology for the clean energy industry. KORE Power is proud to offer a functional solution to real-world problems and fulfill market demand to deliver a zero-carbon future. Learn more at www.korepower.com.  

In this episode of The Energy Gang, we revisit the surprise of the summer: the Great American Climate Bill. Now that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has officially been signed into law, what's next?Regular Energy Gang member Dr. Melissa Lott steps in as host this week while Ed Crooks takes a well-earned holiday. Joining Melissa is Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation and Dr. Linus Mofor from the UN Economic Commission for Africa. A press release from the white house estimates the IRA will result in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by about one billion metric tons in 2030. For many, the bill is a high point of decades of work to pull together a piece of major energy and climate legislation in the US that helps mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect public health. Not just for the hundreds of millions living in the country but for the health of people around the globe. The gang highlights the impact the IRA will have on air pollution – according to some initial analysis of the bill, we are looking at avoiding nearly 4,000 premature deaths and up to 100,000 asthma attacks annually by 2030. The bill also extends and expands the existing electric vehicle subsidiary, requiring that at least 40% of critical metals must come from the US or a Free Trade Agreement partner.As we head into COP27, we look at the response from other countries. Do policies like the IRA help in the energy transition around the world? We turn to Linus to walk us through the effects the bill may have on African countries and the opportunities for development and financing in the climate and energy sector. As always, please do let us know what you think. Send us a note, or a free electron, on Twitter – we're @TheEnergyGang.This episode of the Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader advancing a sustainable energy future for all.Learn more by listening to the Power Pulse podcast, where the Hitachi Energy team discusses the latest in the ongoing transformation of the world's energy systems. The Power Pulse podcast is available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or any other podcast app.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is never a dull moment in the world of energy. Despite the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere, this week was full of announcements and big news stories.Regular Energy Gang member Melissa Lott steps in as host this week while Ed Crooks takes a well-earned holiday. Joining Melissa is Emily Chasan from Generate Capital and Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation.The discussion starts with the US Supreme Court's decision to impose new limits on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The limits send a message about the reluctance to have the EPA make regulatory decisions on carbon emissions. Next up, the gang focuses on the Russia-Ukraine war and inflation and their impact on the price of renewables. The cost of new-build onshore wind has risen seven percent year-on-year, and solar by 14%. Shockwaves in energy prices are still reverberating around the globe. High gas prices have led President Biden to propose a suspension of federal gas taxes, but will this work?Finally, we examine the news from California: state governor Gavin Newsom asked the federal government to ensure the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant qualifies for funds to help it remain in service. Why? And is this indicative of changing attitudes toward nuclear?As always, check out our Twitter to let us know your thoughts and any future topics you want us to discuss. We're @TheEnergyGangSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

California is one of the world's largest economies in its own right, with a population of 40 million generating $3.4 trillion in GDP. It is also a pioneer in the development of clean energy, generating about 23% of its electricity from renewables in 2020, a long way ahead of the US average. On today's episode, the Energy Gang welcomes a special guest: Elliot Mainzer, the President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). CAISO is the non-profit responsible for managing the flow of electricity that serves over 80% of California. Regular team member Melissa Lott, from the Center on Global Energy Policy, joins host Ed Crooks to examine the current state of the power grid in California and how it's faring in the energy transition. They talk about how the grid can keep up with changing technologies and manage the challenges created by a rising reliance on solar and wind power. And they discuss the significance of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, California's single largest source of electricity, which is scheduled for closure in 2025. There have been suggestions that the life of the plant should be extended. What are the implications of this? And what needs to happen for the plant to be closed for good while maintaining reliability and preventing a rise in carbon dioxide emissions? Finally, Elliot Mainzer looks ahead to the long term. California has a commitment to running its electricity grid on 100 zero-carbon energy by 2045. Is that realistic? And what needs to happen to achieve it? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's officially summer in North America, and that means one thing – it's getting hot. Every year, heat waves are the deadliest extreme weather event, and they're only getting more severe. Often, the people who fall victim to heatwaves are those who are left without access to air conditioning. Dr. Diana Hernández has a name for this phenomenon: energy insecurity.  Energy insecurity – inequitable access of affordable energy for basic needs like heating and cooling – is a massive environmental justice problem. It affects one in three American households, and disproportionately impacts Black and Latino households. In a heatwave, energy insecurity can have life or death consequences. This week on the show, host Melissa Lott and Diana talk about how to tackle energy insecurity and building decarbonization at the same time.    The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Alexandria Herr and Daniel Woldorff. Theme music and mixing by Sean Marquand. Story editing by Anne Bailey. A special thanks to Natalie Volk, Kirsten Smith and Kyu Lee. Our executive editor is Stephen Lacey. 

The energy crisis is showing no signs of abating. There's a shortage of energy, and the world's efforts to transition to low-carbon energy are met with countless hurdles. Countries around the world are taking steps to mitigate the crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine however. The EU announced a plan to stop using Russian oil, gas and coal – it's called RepowerEU and would mean more renewable investment, more energy efficiency and a lot more hydrogen to cut demand for natural gas. Europe is heavily dependent on Russian supplies, particularly for natural gas, which creates problems for Europe's foreign and security policy. If the EU wants to punish Russia economically, it really needs to hit its energy exports. And that is difficult to do while businesses and consumers in Europe are absolutely reliant on those imports.Next up it's a look ahead to COP27 – what needs to be addressed in Egypt in November and what have we achieved since Glasgow last year? At COP26, a $500 billion investment was agreed to support green energy projects in developing countries, so how is that going?Finally the gang look at the impacts of certain renewable projects on the local ecosystem. We all agree that the world needs to keep investing in and building large-scale renewable energy infrastructure projects: we need more offshore wind, larger solar farms, more hydrogen plants. Drawing on the success of offshore wind in Europe, the rollout of wind farms is now accelerating along US coastlines, supported by the Biden administration, which has set a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2035. In 2020, some 27 miles from the mainland, the first two offshore wind turbines in the US were installed off the coast of Virginia Beach. Since starting to operate in October that year, the turbines have created an artificial reef, offering a habitat for ocean life. With this change in the ecology of the area however, comes the downside. Wind farms can have negative effects on other wildlife, such as fish and ocean birds.How do we build sustainably and avoid impacting the local ecology?To discuss all this and more Ed is joined by Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. Joining them for the first time is Joseph Majkut, host of the Energy 360 podcast - which is produced by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC. Joseph is also the Director of the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the CSIS.Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @theenergygang and let us know what you thought of today's episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The energy transition is currently supported by three main pillars: science & technology, economics, and policy. In 2022 these three pillars are unaligned, with a lack of cohesion impeding progress. In today's episode of the Energy Gang, the team explores three current events that highlight and exemplify the current state of the energy transition in the US and beyond.The gang starts with the future of President Biden's Build Back Better agenda. The original bill included a lot of provisions that were hugely important for low-carbon energy in the US. It died in Congress late last year after Senator Joe Manchin declined to support it. The big question now is: can anything be salvaged from that agenda and where do we go from here?The US government's investigation into the alleged dumping of imported solar panels has reportedly had a “devastating” impact on planned solar projects. Is now the time to create a domestic economy for solar panels or are we still too reliant on cheap imports? It's an ongoing debate: the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. There is, of course, huge interest in the potential for low-carbon hydrogen in a zero-emissions energy system. But what role can hydrogen really play? And might other options be better for some uses?Today we're delighted to welcome back both Melissa Lott and Robbie Orvis. Melissa is the Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, and Robbie Orvis is the Senior Director of Policy Design at Energy Innovation. As always, your host Ed Crooks is here to anchor and lead the discussion.Stick around for a thrilling conversation about policy, technology, and innovation. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @theenergygang and let us know what you thought of today's episode.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Normally, we'd be bringing you an episode featuring an entrepreneur who's making our climate-positive future a reality. But behind every founder with a big idea are scientists, engineers and policymakers working hard to turn those big ideas into reality. And right now, a lot of them are tackling one of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis – carbonSo today, we have something new for you. As a bonus, we're bringing you an episode of one of our favorite podcasts, The Big Switch. It's hosted by the amazing Dr. Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University. In this episode of The Big Switch, we learn how pervasive carbon is in our lives. And how embedded carbon, in particular, hides inside our phones, our computers, our cars and even - our kitchen appliances. Enjoy the show and we'll be back with a new episode of Watt It Takes at the end of the month.  Powerhouse is an innovation firm that works with leading global corporations to help them find, partner with, invest in, and acquire the most innovative startups in clean energy, mobility, and climate. Powerhouse Ventures backs seed-stage startups building innovative software to rapidly decarbonize our global energy and mobility systems. You can learn more at powerhouse.fund, and you can subscribe to our newsletter at https://www.powerhouse.fund/subscribe.To hear more stories of founders building our carbon-free future, hit the “subscribe” button and leave us a review on Apple podcasts.Watt It Takes is brought to you by Baker Botts. Founders and leaders of clean energy companies around the world turn to Baker Botts for legal advice at every stage of their journey, from incorporation to exit. To scale your clean energy business faster, visit bakerbotts.com

In this week's episode, the gang discuss nuclear power: is it a solution for providing energy security, or could it make the problem worse? Given that many consuming countries need to import most of their uranium, does relying on nuclear power create new sources of fragility? The US imported 86% of its uranium in 2020, from a range of countries, including Russia. What does that mean for hopes that a new generation of reactors could provide affordable and reliable low-carbon power? Next up, it's California's quick peek into the future. The state's power grid ran last weekend on – very nearly – 100% renewable energy, even if it was for less than 15 minutes. How can California, and everywhere else, get to grids that are 100% carbon-free around the clock, 365 days a year? And then it's a topic that is at the top of the agenda right now for everyone working in energy: the current state of the global supply chain. Renewable energy products and components from little solar cells to giant wind turbines are being affected, driving up prices and restricting availability. The gang reflects on the worries of people in the industry, and discuss some solutions that might work, and some that might make the problem worse. Joining Ed today are Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, and Amy Harder, returning to the show. Amy is the Executive Editor of the Cipher newsletter published by Breakthrough Energy, the network backed by Bill Gates and other investors to support investment in emissions-reducing technologies. Welcome to this week's episode of the Energy Gang, and make sure to follow us on Twitter to stay up to date. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The energy crisis caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the most serious since the oil shocks of the 1970s. Rising prices for oil, gas and coal are hitting living standards and putting people under financial strain around the world. We are facing some tough decisions about how to relieve hardship and energy poverty, while still cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impact of climate change. In this edition of the Energy Gang, the gang discusses the war in Ukraine and the consequences for the rest of the world. How can we work through the short-term impacts whilst keeping the energy transition on track?Ed is joined on today's episode by two returning guests. We're happy to welcome back again Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia. Our other guest has not been on the show for almost a year, and we are very glad she's back. Amy Duffuor is Co-founder and General Partner at Azolla Ventures and leads our second topic on climate innovation investments. VC funds are heavily invested in some sectors and steer clear of others. What sectors get the most investment and why?One of the impacts of the current energy crisis is the surge in gas prices in America. The gang discusses the options open to American policy makers and what's being done to ease the pain at the pump. And we talk about the innovations in energy that can help resolve these complex challenges. Stick around to the end for the free electrons to hear what the hosts are up to outside of the show.The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity.Visit epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C & I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Petrochemicals. You might not have heard of them, but you certainly use them every day. These chemicals, made from oil, are in almost everything – plastics, medicines, clothes, toothpaste, even the insulation in your home.  So how can we decarbonize an industry that makes such a pervasive product?  This week, we spoke with climate solutions expert Deborah Gordon about how we can cut carbon emissions from the petrochemicals industry. And producer Alexandria Herr and Melissa Lott go on a mission to become zero-waste influencers – and find the petrochemicals hidden in their everyday lives. Guest: Deborah Gordon is a senior principal in the Climate Intelligence Program at the Rocky Mountain Institute. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Alexandria Herr and Daniel Woldorff. Theme music and mixing by Sean Marquand. Story editing by Anne Bailey. A special thanks to Natalie Volk, Kirsten Smith and Kyu Lee. Our executive editor is Stephen Lacey.

President Bidens Climate agenda has been reformed, and with the Build Back Better Act in a stalemate, should Americans give up hope on expecting anything to come of it?To discuss this and more, Ed Crooks is joined on the show this week by returning guest Dr. Melissa Lott from Columbia University, and Robbie Orvis from Energy Innovation, who makes his Energy Gang debut. The Build Back Better Act is up first. There's a glimmer of hope on the horizon for the climate policies within the climate package. How much of the package will be saved and is there anything in it that's different from before? Next, the gang looks at EVs. With the lack of federal climate action, states have now taken it upon themselves to make some policy changes within their own borders. New York, New Jersey, and Oregon all have taken the initiative within the past few months by pushing for cleaner energy and policies that could help with EV demand. Is this the natural evolution of policymaking when the “trickle-down effect” halts progress? Also, the team discusses the growing problems that clean energy is currently facing. The cost of inputs, battery raw materials, and the waste created by clean energy equipment including solar panels, wind turbines, and electric cars when they come to the end of their useful lives are causing issues. Can recycling be the solution or part of the answer at least? What does lithium-ion battery recycling look like? Who is currently recycling old EV batteries? The free electrons are super charged this week. Ed wonders why festival owners are turning down a possible renewable energy project, Melissa wants to talk carbon-free beef, and Robbie's been exploring the most overlooked parts when buying a hybrid car – chip shortages are throwing a spanner in the works.The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity. Visit www.epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C&I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects! EPC Power – Excellence in Power Conversion.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zero-emission, low-cost electricity, delivered to the grid from natural-gas fuelled technology. A wright-brothers first flight kind of breakthrough in energy? The gang discuss the possibilities and scalability of NET Powers Technology, a Texas-based energy company who've made this exact claim. Ed is joined as usual by Melissa Lott from Columbia University, and Emily Chasan from Generate Capital.The other big story of the week was the collapse of British energy provider Bulb, the 6th largest provider in the country and an issue that has impacted some 2 million customers. Could the same thing happen in the US? Within those talks, the pros and cons of carbon capture technology are explored, and if the Biden administration made the right decision to release 50 million barrels of petroleum from the SPR to help ease the heightened holiday energy demand. The gang leaves you with some holiday-season free electrons, including a cracking joke from Ed, and find out why climate change is affecting Canada's maple syrup production.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Electric autonomous vehicles shuttle us to high-tech mass transit hubs. Our fare system is contactless. We've already paid via a customized, equitable subscription model. All the trains and buses are on time. And we don't have to wait in traffic. This is a world in which we can hop in a car to get somewhere, but we don't have to. In this episode, the second in our five-part series on transportation, Dr. Giovanni Circella paints a picture of a net zero world in which public transportation improves our quality of life, while also reducing carbon emissions.  What will it take to get there? Dr. Circella and Dr. Melissa Lott talk about electrifying transit, coordinating autonomous vehicles for the public benefit, land use planning, fare pricing, and why so many in developing countries aspire to car ownership.  And we tell the story of TransMiCable, an electric cable car system in Bogotá, Columbia, and the researchers who are tracking the impact on the long commutes and air quality for residents of some of its poorest neighborhoods. Guests: Dr. Giovanni Circella directs the 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program at UC-Davis and is a Senior Research Engineer at Georgia Tech. Dr. Olga Lucia Sarmiento is a Professor of the Department of Public Health at the School of Medicine at Universidad de los Andes. Brett Marsh is a journalist and photographer based in Oakland, CA.  The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Daniel Woldorff and Alexandria Herr. Theme music and mixing by Sean Marquand. A special thanks to Natalie Volk, Kirsten Smith and Kyu Lee. Our executive editor was Stephen Lacey.

The COP26 circus has left town. Across 2 weeks of talks in Glasgow, what were the successes, and what were the failures? With current commitments putting the world on track to 2.4°C of warming, the cost of inaction on climate and health will vastly outweigh the costs of acting now, so which countries are snapping into action?Host Ed Crooks is joined by regular Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Amy Myers-Jaffe, Managing Director of the Climate Policy Lab, at the Fletcher School at Tufts University, to give the final verdict. Also in the show, the gang looks at innovations in technology in carbon capture and storage; President Biden's infrastructure bill proposes big commitments on CCS, what do these look like? Plus, nuclear and hydrogen technologies, which could play a huge role in the energy transition, go under the microscope. The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom's onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the next five episodes, we'll take a deep dive into decarbonizing the entire transportation sector -- everything from bulldozers and planes to ships and trains. In this episode we start with cars. How do we switch the world's over 1 billion fossil-fuel-powered cars to zero-carbon alternatives, and fast?  Dr. Melissa Lott explores the most promising pathway -- electrification -- with Dr. Sonia Yeh of Chalmers University. What kind of infrastructure and technology do we need to scale up electric cars? And why aren't there more electric vehicles on the roads right now?  We'll also tell the story of Tim Treuer, who put his EV to the test on 7,600-mile road trip, risking jail time in the process.  Guests: Tim Treuer, a biologist, journalist and cross-country EV adventurer. Dr. Sonia Yeh is Professor in Transport and Energy Systems in the Department of Space, Earth and Environment at Chalmer University in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Daniel Woldorff and Alexandria Herr. Theme music and mixing by Sean Marquand. A special thanks to Natalie Volk, Kirsten Smith and Kyu Lee. Our executive editor was Stephen Lacey.

In the first five episodes of this show, we talked about cleaning up our electricity system—the power grid. In upcoming episodes, we're going to explain how to make that Big Switch in every other sector of the economy—everything from cars and heavy trucking to industrial heat and buildings.   It's a lot to cover, and so we need a roadmap. In this episode, we're doing just that. Our host, Dr. Melissa Lott, talks to energy system modeler Amber Mahone about what those sectors are what we need to do to decarbonize them. What are the key strategies in each one of those sectors? What are the equity implications and tradeoffs for the strategies? But first, Kirsten teams up with the producers to hijack Melissa's road trip to an energy conference. We take a peek into the hidden energy embedded in our everyday lives. Guests: Kirsten Smith of Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy and Amber Mahone of Energy and Environmental Economics. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. This episode was produced by Daniel Woldorff and co-hosted by Kirsten Smith. A special thanks to Genna Morton, Artealia Gilliard, Natalie Volk and Kyu Lee. Our executive editor was Stephen Lacey.

We have a whole year of episodes coming up. In the first five episodes of The Big Switch, we talked about cleaning up our electricity system--the power grid. Next, host Dr. Melissa Lott will talk with experts about how to transform every other sector of the economy, including transportation, industry and buildings. To slow climate change, we need to transform our buildings, our homes, cars, and the economy as quickly as possible. But how do we do it right?  Subscribe to The Big Switch everywhere you find podcasts.

It's been a very intense year for America's power grid. Across the country, the electricity system just faced another stress-test as extreme heat taxed power plants and grid operators in the Pacific Northwest, Texas, and New York.Since 2000, outages across the U.S. have increased by 67%. Is the power system ready for tomorrow's extreme weather -- today?Stephen and Katherine are joined by Dr. Melissa Lott, a senior research scholar and the director of research at the Center on Global Energy Policy.Plus, we'll discuss a secret recording of an Exxon lobbyist bragging about the company's efforts to delay climate policy. What does it tell us about the oil industry's grip in Washington?We'll finish with a look at a new report from Columbia University: can we use natural gas pipelines to accelerate the low-carbon transition?The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow. As a leading provider of PV inverter solutions across the world, Sungrow has delivered more than 10 gigawatts of inverters to the Americas alone and 154 gigawatts in total across the globe. Email them to learn more.The Energy Gang is brought to you by S&C Electric Company. Today, non-wires alternatives such as microgrids can provide more sustainable, resilient and economical ways to deliver reliable power. S&C helps utilities and commercial customers find the best solutions to meet their energy needs. Learn more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In episode 2, we explored how to build a championship zero-carbon “team” on the grid. We could have the best players in the world — rooftop solar, batteries, net metering, demand response, high-voltage transmission, and so many others — but if the rules prevent these technologies from playing ball, then we won't be able to decarbonize fast enough.  How do we make sure the rules strike the right balance between innovation and reliability — while making the zero-carbon grid system equitable? In our fifth episode of season 1, Dr. Melissa Lott explores how the rules of the grid impact everyone. We'll look at how the lack of rules in Texas caused an economic disaster for some consumers during this winter's blackouts. And we'll discuss how to reform and refine them to support a fast transition to clean energy. Guests: Deandre Upshaw, Dr. Destenie Nock, and Alison Silverstein. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. Our producers are Daniel Woldorff, Dalvin Aboagye and Stephen Lacey.  A special thanks to Kirsten Smith, Genna Morton, Artealia Juilliard and Kyu Lee.

Matching electricity supply and demand is a high-wire balancing act. As we add more solar, wind and batteries, and shut down thermal generation, it shifts the balance. New kinds of distributed resources can help to balance things out -- but they also make grid management more complex. In our fourth episode of season 1, Dr. Melissa Lott explores the new ways to manage the zero-carbon grid. We'll revisit the Texas grid disaster of 2021. Why did the electricity system nearly go down for weeks or months? And could we have blunted the outages with different ways of balancing the grid? Guests: Catherine Traywick and Elta Kolo. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. Our producers are Daniel Woldorff, Dalvin Aboagye and Stephen Lacey.  A special thanks to Kirsten Smith, Genna Morton, Artealia Juilliard and Kyu Lee.

Today's guest is Scott Clavenna, Co-Founder of Greentech Media.Greentech Media was a leading source of integrated news, industry research, conferences, and executive councils in the clean energy economy. Wood Mackenzie, who acquired Greentech Media in 2016, announced it would close the publication earlier this year.In 2007, Scott founded Greentech Media and served as CEO for a decade. During that time, GTM was devoted to enabling the growth of cleantech worldwide with a mix of market research, news, and events. Wood Mackenzie acquired Greentech Media in 2016, and, the following year, Scott took on a new role as Chairman of Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables. As Chairman, he contributed to the strategic guidance of Wood Mackenzie's work in the global energy transition. Since leaving Wood Mackenzie, Scott is working with Stephen Lacey's Post Script Audio to produce climate-focused podcasts. Their shows include Greentech Media's Energy Gang and The Interchange as well as A Matter of Degrees hosted by Leah Stokes and The Big Switch hosted by Melissa Lott.In this episode, Scott takes me through Greentech Media's inception, his climate journey, and lessons learned from cleantech 1.0. We also dive into a lively discussion about the inability to uncouple policy and climatetech, why Scott is optimistic about the future, and the power of telling climate stories. Scott's unique perch allowed him to see a wide variety of climate solutions, making him a fantastic guest. Enjoy the show!You can find me on twitter @jjacobs22 or @mcjpod and email at info@myclimatejourney.co, where I encourage you to share your feedback on episodes and suggestions for future topics or guests.Episode recorded June 14th, 2021For more information about Post Script Audio, visit: https://postscriptaudio.com/For more information about Greentech Media, visit: https://www.greentechmedia.com/For more information about this episode, visit: https://myclimatejourney.co/episodes/scott-clavenna 

If the grid system is the backbone of a low-carbon economy, then transmission lines are the nervous system. We need a dramatic build-out of the transmission system to connect renewable energy to the places that need it, while managing a wider range of local resources. How do we build it quickly, cheaply, and in a respectful way? In our third episode of season 3, Dr. Melissa Lott explores the role of transmission in decarbonizing the grid system. We'll explore how Texas used transmission to encourage rapid uptake of wind power, and revitalize rural communities in the process. We'll also look at the role of the grid system during extreme events, like Texas' recent winter grid disaster. Guests: Greg Wortham and Cheryl LaFleur. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. Our producers are Daniel Woldorff, Dalvin Aboagye and Stephen Lacey.  A special thanks to Kirsten Smith, Genna Morton, Artealia Juilliard and Kyu Lee. 

This week, we are offering the first episode of a new podcast: The Big Switch.It's a five-part series about how to clean up the energy system -- told in a clear, understandable and fun way. The show is hosted by Dr. Melissa Lott, research director at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy.Stephen Lacey is the show's executive editor.Listen to the first episode of The Big Switch right now -- and subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, and any other place you get podcasts.

Building a low-carbon grid is like building a sports team with star players and supporting players. Or, more accurately, it's like re-building a sports team, where you have to go from underdogs to world champs.  First, you have to retire the under-performers like coal. Then, you have to grow your star players — namely wind and solar. Finally, you have to get your star players to work together with supporting players.  In our second episode of season 1, Dr. Melissa Lott explores the shifting power plant mix through a sports metaphor. We'll also cut through the confusion and blame in the wake of the Texas grid disaster in February 2020. Why were so many people pointing to renewable energy, when fossil fuels caused the biggest problems? Guests: Erin Douglas and Dr. Joshua Rhodes. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. Our producers are Daniel Woldorff, Dalvin Aboagye and Stephen Lacey.  A special thanks to Kirsten Smith, Genna Morton, Artealia Juilliard and Kyu Lee. 

The electric grid is the vast machine that powers everything around us. It's also the part of the energy system where we're seeing the most dramatic changes as we address climate change. So what are the stakes, solutions and tradeoffs as we move to a net-zero energy system? In our first episode of season 1, Dr. Melissa Lott explores the intricacies of how the grid runs everything around us — and why it's so vital to decarbonizing our economy. We'll tell the story by visiting Texas, where the electricity system broke down in a spectacular way in February of 2020. What do the vulnerabilities and failures tell us about how we need to rebuild the grid system in a way that supports decarbonization in a highly-reliable way? Guests: Dr. Emily Grubert, Dr. Varun Rai, and Catherine Traywick. The Big Switch is produced by Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy in partnership with Post Script Media. Our producers are Daniel Woldorff, Dalvin Aboagye and Stephen Lacey.  A special thanks to Kirsten Smith, Genna Morton, Artealia Juilliard and Kyu Lee. 

This week, we're pleased to hand the microphone over to our colleague: Dr. Melissa Lott.  Melissa is the director of research here at the Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy. And for the last few months, she and her team have been working on a new podcast, called The Big Switch. It's a five-part series about how to clean up the energy system -- told in a clear, understandable and fun way.  We are offering you the first episode of The Big Switch, right now. So I hope you'll give it a listen and subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, and any other place you get podcasts.

Welcome to our first season of "The Big Switch." It's a five-part series that explores how the power grid works, how it's changing, and how those changes can benefit society. Your host is Dr. Melissa Lott of Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy. To slow climate change, we need to transform our buildings, our homes, cars, and the economy as quickly as possible. But how do we do it right?  Subscribe to "The Big Switch" everywhere you find podcasts.

We are going to build a lot more wind and solar over the coming decades. It will inevitably lead to oversupply of these resources on the grid. But is that a good thing?That's the focus of this week's show, featuring a conversation between Shayle Kann and Columbia University's Melissa Lott.The stars have aligned for a rare win-win-win situation: Solar and wind are popular with politicians; they're popular with customers; and they're often the lowest-cost resource, making them an attractive bet for investors.As we build more solar and wind, many regions will start to look like California does on a sunny spring day, or like West Texas does on a windy night: power prices drop to zero or below, producers curtail excess electricity, creating the dreaded "overproduction” of renewables.So what do we do with all this carbon-free power?We asked Melissa Lott and it turns out quite a lot! She argues that renewable oversupply can actually be a feature of the grid, not a bug (even if it causes some minor pests along the way). There are all kinds of new resources we can harness with excess wind and solar. Melissa is a Senior Research Scholar at Columbia Center on Global Energy Policy and she and her colleague, Julio Friedman, wrote a paper laying out the case for intentionally overbuilding capacity — and thus intentionally creating oversupply. They lay out a framework for figuring out what to do with intermittent excess energy and zoom in on a case study in New Zealand.What happens when an aluminum smelter — one that uses a whopping 12% of the county's annual demand and is powered largely by hydroelectric power — closes down? It was one decarbonization modeler's dream. The Interchange is brought to you by the Yale Program in Financing and Deploying Clean Energy. Through this online program, Yale University is training working professionals in clean energy policy, finance, and technology, accelerating the deployment of clean energy worldwide, and mitigating climate change. To connect with Yale expertise, grow your professional network, and deepen your impact, apply before March 14, 2021.