Podcasts about Renewable energy

There are two great forces reshaping the world of energy today. The AI boom and the wave of investment in new data centres have sent power producers scrambling for generation capacity to meet soaring electricity demand. At the same time, the severe disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has put security of supply at the top of every importer's agenda. In this special episode, recorded at Wood Mackenzie's Gas, LNG and the Future of Energy Conference in London, host Ed Crooks speaks with three guests about what these twin pressures mean for gas. They discuss demand for gas for power, the sources of supply that could provide energy security in volatile times, and plans for tackling the increased greenhouse gas emissions that could result from increased consumption.First, Ed sits down with Neal Kalita, senior director of global energy management at NTT Global Data Centers, one of the world's largest data center developers. Neal explains why "speed to power" is a priority, and why gas plays such a key role in providing the reliable 24/7 firm capacity hyperscaler clients require.Relying on gas as a key component of the power generation mix means managing a complex set of issues around supply security, demand management and long-term investment. Neal explains how NTT thinks about commodity risk, the trade-offs involved in power supply agreements, and why on-site gas generation may be not just a bridge solution but long-term infrastructure for the electricity system. He highlights the key drivers that are changing the data centre industry, including rising GPU power density, AI-driven volatility in load, and climate-related grid reliability concerns. He also discusses NTT's participation in a demand response programme run by Voltus, which helped stabilise the grid when Winter Storm Fern hit Virginia in January.Next, Ed hears from Keith Shoemaker, Chief Commercial Officer at Coastal Bend, which is developing a new LNG liquefaction project at Corpus Christi, Texas. Coastal Bend is aiming to have the first project in the US to integrate carbon capture and sequestration into its design. Combined with the procurement of upstream gas with low methane leakage and flaring, that should make for the lowest carbon-intensity LNG in the world, Keith says. Crucially, the project can match competitor prices without charging a green premium. The US 45Q tax credit will cover the operational spending (Opex) for the transport and sequestration of the carbon, and costs will be kept down by using brownfield maritime infrastructure that is already in place. Regulation will still be essential in creating a market for lower-emissions LNG. Keith sets out an idea for making that work in the EU: linking the new Methane Emissions Regulation with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to create an "avoided carbon" currency that LNG importers could use to offset CBAM fees on other products such as cement, steel and fertiliser. That way, the methane regulation would change from a stick to a carrot for the LNG industry.Kristy Kramer, Head of LNG at Wood Mackenzie, closes the episode by assessing how the three trends of AI demand, energy security and decarbonisation fit together. She discusses the big question: has the conflict on the Middle East changed the world completely, forever. It may play out like the Covid pandemic. Huge changes were predicted, and although there were some permanent impacts, in other areas the world has gone back to the way it was before. Politics will change from week to week, or even from hour to hour, but geology and economics don't, and over time the fundamentals will reassert themselves. Kristy and Ed reflect on what that means for the future of energy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Beth breaks down the AI data center explosion hitting America right now - 3,400 announced, 781 under construction, each one a gigawatt heat machine dumping 1.4 Hiroshima bombs worth of waste heat into local environments daily. She maps the power grab, the water crisis, the noise plague, the eminent domain land grabs, and why this might be the the making of a digital grid prison - all while tracing NIMBY back to its origin in York, England 1880.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

Fluent Fiction - Swedish: Unearthing Confidence: Lars's Renewable Energy Triumph Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/sv/episode/2026-06-11-07-38-20-sv Story Transcript:Sv: Solen lyste starkt in genom de stora fönstren i aulan på Stockholms Högstadium.En: The sun shone brightly through the large windows in the auditorium at Stockholms Högstadium.Sv: Det var en varm sommardag.En: It was a warm summer's day.Sv: Elever pratade och skrattade, spända inför projektpresentationerna.En: Students talked and laughed, excited for the project presentations.Sv: Det var årets sista skoldag.En: It was the last school day of the year.Sv: Alla kände förväntan inför Midsommar, som snart skulle firas.En: Everyone felt the anticipation of Midsommar, which would soon be celebrated.Sv: Lars satt tyst i ett hörn, bläddrade igenom sina anteckningar.En: Lars sat quietly in a corner, flipping through his notes.Sv: Hans presentation handlade om förnybar energi.En: His presentation was about renewable energy.Sv: Ett ämne han brann för, men inte kände var lika spektakulärt som de andra elevernas projekt.En: A topic he was passionate about, but one he felt was not as spectacular as the other students' projects.Sv: Greta, klassens stjärna, hade planerat en interaktiv konstutställning.En: Greta, the star of the class, had planned an interactive art exhibition.Sv: Hon var nervös men dolde det väl.En: She was nervous but hid it well.Sv: Antons projekt handlade om fysikens regler i sportvärlden.En: Anton's project was about the physics of the world of sports.Sv: Hans charmerande sätt gjorde honom alltid populär.En: His charming demeanor always made him popular.Sv: Lars kände en klump i magen.En: Lars felt a lump in his stomach.Sv: Hans projekt verkade tråkigt jämfört med Gretas och Antons.En: His project seemed dull compared to Greta's and Anton's.Sv: En tanke dök upp i hans huvud: kanske skulle han ändra sitt projekt i sista minuten?En: A thought popped into his head: maybe he should change his project at the last minute?Sv: Men djup inombords visste Lars att hans arbete var gediget.En: But deep inside, Lars knew that his work was solid.Sv: Han måste tro på sig själv.En: He had to believe in himself.Sv: Det blev dags för presentationerna.En: It was time for the presentations.Sv: Greta startade först med en fantastisk utställning.En: Greta started first with a fantastic exhibition.Sv: Publiken applåderade högt.En: The audience applauded loudly.Sv: Anton följde med en demonstration som fängslade alla.En: Anton followed with a demonstration that captivated everyone.Sv: Sedan blev det Lars tur.En: Then it was Lars's turn.Sv: Hjärtat bultade hårt när han gick fram.En: His heart pounded as he walked up.Sv: Lars andades djupt innan han började prata.En: Lars breathed deeply before he began to speak.Sv: Lars berättade om förnybar energi med klarhet och passion.En: Lars spoke about renewable energy with clarity and passion.Sv: Han ställde frågor till publiken och uppmuntrade till diskussion.En: He asked questions to the audience and encouraged discussion.Sv: En efter en började de nicka gillande.En: One by one, they started nodding approvingly.Sv: Lars kände en våg av självförtroende skölja över sig.En: Lars felt a wave of confidence wash over him.Sv: När alla presentationer var över började lärarna att ge feedback.En: When all the presentations were over, the teachers began giving feedback.Sv: Lars blev överraskad när han fick positiv kritik för djupet och förståelsen i sitt projekt.En: Lars was surprised when he received positive feedback for the depth and understanding in his project.Sv: Greta och Anton kom fram till honom och gratulerade.En: Greta and Anton came up to him and congratulated him.Sv: De sa att de var imponerade.En: They said they were impressed.Sv: Efteråt kände Lars sig stolt.En: Afterwards, Lars felt proud.Sv: Inte bara för att han gjorde bra ifrån sig, men för att han var sig själv.En: Not just because he had done well, but because he had been himself.Sv: Han insåg kraften i att vara autentisk.En: He realized the power of being authentic.Sv: Han kände att han kunde slappna av mer och njuta av att lära.En: He felt he could relax more and enjoy learning.Sv: Han log för sig själv medan sommarsolen värmde hans ansikte.En: He smiled to himself as the summer sun warmed his face.Sv: Midsommarhelgen var snart här och för första gången på länge såg Lars verkligen fram emot den.En: The Midsommar weekend was soon here, and for the first time in a long while, Lars truly looked forward to it.Sv: Allt var bra.En: Everything was good.Sv: Han hade upptäckt sin egen styrka och det gjorde honom glad.En: He had discovered his own strength, and that made him happy. Vocabulary Words:auditorium: aulaanticipation: förväntanspectacular: spektakulärtinteractive: interaktivexhibition: utställningdemeanor: sättlump: klumpapprovingly: gillandewave: vågfeedback: kritikdiscovery: upptäcktauthentic: autentiskrenewable: förnybarclarity: klarhetstudent: elevproject: projektpassion: passioncongratulate: gratulerafantastic: fantastiskcaptivated: fängsladedemonstration: demonstrationnodding: nickaconfidence: självförtroendeproud: stoltrelax: slappna avencouraged: uppmuntradestomach: magesolid: gedigetovercome: övervinnastrength: styrka

The Infrastructure Commission warns planning needs to start now for how energy infrastructure will power a larger, low-carbon economy. Its latest report estimates $2 to $5 billion will need to be spent per year over the next 30 years on electricity. General Manager of Strategy Peter Nunns says generation from sources like wind, solar, and geothermal will need to expand to meet demand. He told Heather du Plessis-Allan there's a gap at the moment in terms of energy, which is contributing to high and volatile prices. According to the Climate Commission, electricity use will rise about 60% over the next generation, Nunns says, so generation, transmission, and distribution will all need to increase to match it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The robotaxi company Waymo has announced new capabilities that provide benefits completely distinct from its primary business model.Waymo says that the large, heavy, power-intensive batteries that power its fleet will no longer go to a recycling center at the end of their lives. Instead, they have a new use: supporting the power grid.Through a new partnership with B2U Storage Solutions, Waymo's batteries will be repurposed in order to store clean energy. But rather than in one-off implementations, the goal for this effort is to establish grid-scale storage systems. Adam Lenz, head of Sustainability & Environment at Waymo, “Our shared fleet of EVs provide a massive opportunity to support the growth of clean energy on the electricity grid while expanding the circular economy,” adding it was important to the company that the batteries continue to provide “economic and environmental value” after they were retired from the road.The plan goes hand in hand with solar power, according to Waymo, who contends that the batteries will primarily be used to store the surplus energy produced during peak hours – namely the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest point. The batteries will then distribute that power during peak demand in the evenings.They say the process is largely plug-and-play, with batteries coming from cars and capable of being online in this power storage capacity within a matter of days.The first deployments derived from the partnership will take place in Texas and California – two states who not only have a significant need for electrical grid support but who also happen to already host Waymo fleets.Fellow automaker GM also recently revealed that it was expanding into different battery cell chemistries for varied uses – notably to increase its vehicle-to-grid capabilities. The automaker hopes to take advantage of the growth in AI data center development and use its batteries to help offset the strain on the nation's utilities.#Waymo, #Robotaxi, #AutonomousVehicles, #EV, #ElectricVehicles, #BatteryStorage, #EnergyStorage, #RenewableEnergy, #SolarEnergy, #CleanEnergy, #PowerGrid, #BatteryTechnology, #Sustainability, #Manufacturing, #ManufacturingNews

Richard Lyon is an electrical engineer, petroleum engineer, and energy economist. He spent more than twenty-five years in the oil and gas industry in senior operational management roles in the UK, Norway, Azerbaijan, Congo, and Cameroon. He writes about the gap between energy policy and physical reality at his Substack, State of Britain (richardlyon.substack.com). His book, The Energy Trap: Why the Renewable Energy Transition Can't Work — And What Can, will be published by Swift Press this coming September, 2026, available in the US through Amazon. The KunstlerCast theme music is the beautiful Two Rivers Waltz written and performed by Larry Unger

When data centers come to town, power bills go up, the water supply gets squeezed, and emissions start to rise. It's no wonder seven in ten Americans don't want one in their backyard. In the midst of this AI gold rush, many tech companies are taking advantage of communities, health, wealth, and safety for promises of a better future. But communities aren't taking the bait. In this episode, we talk about the real life effects of AI infrastructure and hear how it's affecting folks in our community. We get the stats on this booming industry and what's at stake. We hear from Abre' Connor, the civil rights attorney leading the NAACP's lawsuit against Elon Musk's xAI — a data center that's now running 59 methane gas turbines in a Mississippi community, breaking a law that's been on the books since the 1970s.And we ask the uncomfortable question: could all this energy hunger actually accelerate the renewable transition? Is the AI revolution happening to us or for us? And what can we do about it? Episode rundown: (00:53) - On thing we can agree on (09:14) - The ripple effects of the AI boom (14:35) - The NAACP Lawyer Taking Elon Musk's xAI (27:59) - Can the Grid Save Us? (43:52) - Keep Making Noise

Get in touch - leave me a messageNo one wants to ship water around the world. That one line says a lot about the next phase of energy storage.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Min Tang, Director of International Business at Rongke Power, one of the world's leading vanadium flow battery companies. We get into why long-duration storage is moving from climate tech side-story to core grid infrastructure, and why that matters for decarbonisation, energy transition planning, net zero delivery, emissions reduction, and policy.You'll hear why vanadium flow batteries are not trying to replace lithium-ion batteries, and why that matters. Different problem. Different tool. Min explains how flow batteries can run for more than 20,000 cycles, retain capacity over decades, and support grid-scale black start, the kind of resilience that becomes rather important when grids are asked to absorb more renewables, power more electrification, and stay upright while demand from industry and AI data centres grows.We dig into the economics too: why storage duration changes cost, how electrolyte leasing can cut upfront CapEx, and why local supply chains could become a major strategic advantage. You might be shocked to learn that localisation is baked into this technology because the electrolyte is mostly water. Glamorous? No. Important? Absolutely.

Investigative journalist, blogger, and broadcaster Brad Friedman's investigative interviews, analysis and commentary, as ripped from the pages of The BRAD BLOG (BradBlog.com), today's current events (if they matter) and the rest of the stuff we have to live with.

Energy and Environmental Economics Partner talks with CEM Associate Editor Abigail Sawyer about the changing shape of resource adequacy in the Desert Southwest as utilities try to thread the needle on reliably meeting a new level of "baseload demand" while striving for affordability and meeting state clean energy goals. 

The following article of the Energy industry is: 'Moby Dick and Renewable Energies: Beyond Electricity in 2026' by José Celis Alarcon, Director, Mitiga CO2. 

The conflict in the Middle East has created severe disruption to shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, taking roughly 20% of global supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) off the market. It has been a reminder that hundreds of millions of people rely on the international gas trade to heat our homes, fuel our industries and keep our lights on. And that trade is highly vulnerable to sudden shocks. In this special episode, recorded at Wood Mackenzie's Gas, LNG and the Future of Energy Conference in London, host Ed Crooks speaks with industry leaders and experts about the forces that are changing the gas business. Security of supply and affordability are now the top priorities for policymakers and business leaders around the world. But climate change has not gone away, and greenhouse gas emissions are going to be an increasingly significant issue in the future. Balancing those three imperatives is the trilemma that the energy industry has to solve.First, Ed talks to Anita Odedra, of the LNG platform MidOcean Energy, to discuss the critical role of geography. When energy supplies from the Middle East are disrupted, assets elsewhere in the world take on a greater importance. Joining Anita is Dr Valentina Kretzschmar, of Wood Mackenzie, who puts the shock from the Iran war into the context of a decelerating energy transition in the West. She walks through the EU Methane Emissions Regulation and why it is so hard to work out exactly how much escaped methane is associated with a cargo of imported LNG. And she talks about how the real threat to fossil fuels is cheap Chinese clean energy technology. Arturo Gallego, of Centrica Energy, is another industry leader who is attempting to balance consumers' immediate demands for reliable, affordable energy with long-term climate goals. He warns that if the Strait of Hormuz stays closed, Europe will struggle to find the gas it needs next winter, and high prices may be necessary to destroy demand. He makes the case for LNG as a transition fuel and for tackling greenhouse gas emissions step by step.TJ Conway, of the think-tank RMI, closes on a practical note. His work has focused on the technical solutions that make the EU methane regulation workable. He argues that his proposed framework could allow the EU to continue importing US gas, while still sending a signal that methane performance matters.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For years, electricity prices broadly tracked inflation. New pressures may be changing that. --- Electricity prices have become a major political issue in the United States, with policymakers increasingly focused on rising utility bills and the costs of meeting growing electricity demand. At the same time, renewable energy has often been blamed for driving prices higher. But what does the data actually show? Ryan Hledik of The Brattle Group discusses research conducted with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on U.S. electricity price trends. The research finds that, nationally, electricity prices have largely tracked inflation, though significant regional differences tell a more complicated story. Hledik explains the factors that really drive electricity prices, the role of renewable energy, natural gas, and infrastructure investment, and why electricity costs vary so dramatically across the country. Hledik also explores whether 2025, when electricity prices rose faster than inflation nationally, marks the beginning of a new era of rising electricity prices, or a temporary departure from a longer-term trend. Ryan Hledik is an alumni policy advisor with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy and a principal with The Brattle Group. Related Content: Congestion in General Equilibrium: Nodal Electricity Pricing, Production, and Welfare https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/congestion-in-general-equilibrium-nodal-electricity-pricing-production-and-welfare/ Boomtowns in the Battery Belt: Risks and Opportunities of Clean Energy Investments in Small Towns of America https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/research/publications/boomtowns-in-the-battery-belt-risks-and-opportunities-of-clean-energy-investments-in-small-towns-of-america/ How PJM Is Grappling With Data Center Power Demand https://kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu/commentary/podcast/how-pjm-is-grappling-with-data-center-power-demand/ Energy Policy Now is produced by The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. For all things energy policy, visit kleinmanenergy.upenn.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tax credit equity pricing is determined by various important supply-and-demand factors. On this episode of Tax Credit Tuesday, Michael Novogradac, CPA, sits down with Novogradac partners and CPAs Tony Grappone, Michael Kressig, Brad Elphick and Dirk Wallace to discuss the factors affecting demand for tax credit equity in 2026 and in the future. The speakers discuss the investor market and pressing issues for low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs), new markets tax credits (NMTCs), historic tax credits (HTCs) and renewable energy tax credits (RETCs). The five then discuss potential legislative and regulatory changes on the horizon. This episode is the second part of a two-part series, with Part 1 released June 2.

00:08 — Kathryn Ledebur is the Director of Andean Information Network.  00:33 — Dharna Noor is a fossil fuels and climate reporter at Guardian U.S. 00:45 — Laurel Paget-Seekins is Senior Policy Advocate for Transportation Justice at Public Advocates. The post Anti-Government Protests in Bolivia; Plus, Renewable Energy in Texas; And, New Change from CARB Cutting Transit Funding appeared first on KPFA.

Global conflicts are revealing vulnerabilities in the global reliance on imported fossil fuels and centralized power.  Energy Analyst Kyle Datta says energy security needs may speed the adoption of renewables and “as a side effect,” reduce the rise of global warming. For Datta's full speech, which he presented with videos at the 2026 Gold Lab … Continue reading "Kyle Datta – Energy Security, War & Renewable Energy"

Renewable energy firm IPV Flexgen will be hosting a public consultation at Andreas Parish Hall on Wednesday between 10.00am and 7.00pm to share updated proposals for the redevelopment of Andreas Airfield. This farmer led project includes agricultural growing units, an Anaerobic Digestor plant, ground mounted solar PV and battery storage to provide the site with electricity and heat. Could this project develop into a sustainable energy scheme that most people can get behind? IPV Flexgen claims to be paving the way for a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future for farming. Let's hope they're right.

From New World Screwworm to federal regulatory updates, livestock health and policy issues remain top priorities for agricultural producers. This week's agriculture news includes strong crop progress across the Midwest, declining farmer sentiment tied to rising input costs, and USDA preparations following the first U.S. detection of New World Screwworm in decades. Additional stories cover EPA efforts to develop a more durable Waters of the United States rule, legal challenges surrounding atrazine standards, expanded opportunities for ARC and PLC base acres and tariff reductions on agricultural equipment. In this week's interview, Greg Brophy, a fourth-generation Colorado farmer, former state senator and board member of the Renewable Energy Farmers of America, discusses how wind and solar projects are affecting rural communities. He gives insight into how Renewable Energy Farmers of America helps producers navigate renewable energy opportunities. Stay connected with us for daily agriculture content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube, along with our weekly videos!

Send us a voice noteOur guest is well-known author, journalist and environmentalist, Bill McKibben. His writing has appeared in countless publications like The New Yorker and Rolling Stone, and he has written many books over the last few decades. In this engaging interview, Bill shares insights on climate change, renewable energy, and the role of faith communities in fostering cultural and technological change. This conversation covers practical solutions, spiritual perspectives, and inspiring stories that motivate collective action for a sustainable future. This episode, cocreated by Circlewood and our partner organization A Rocha USA, is cohosted by James Amadon, executive director of Circlewood, and by Deb Rienstra, a writer, speaker, and professor who serves on A Rocha USA's advisory board.LinksBill McKibben's websiteHere Comes the Sun by Bill McKibbenA Rocha USADeb Rienstra's websiteEarthkeepers Episode 85: Becoming Hope: Debra Rienstra on Her Book Refugia FaithThe Vatican's solar projectThird Act: Harnessing generational power to safeguard our climate and democracy.350.org: Fighting climate change for people and planetA Rocha USA: Ways to get involvedTEND: Cultivating faith-based, creation-focused communityAdvocating for plug-in solarKey  TopicsThe economic shift towards renewable energyThe spiritual and cultural role in environmental changePractical steps for individuals and communities Keywordsclimate change, renewable energy, faith communities, cultural change, environmental activism, solar power, policy, spirituality, sustainability, environmental justice; Laudato Si, Pope Francis, Pope Leo, plug-in solarFind us on our website: Earthkeepers Support the Earthkeepers podcast Check out the Ecological Disciple 

In this eye-opening episode of The Tiberius Show, Tiberius sits down with David Epstein, President of The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, to explore what it really means to protect land, preserve forests, save wildlife habitats, and create a better future for the next generation.David shares how he helped preserve more than 30,000 acres of land, worked with over 9,000 volunteers, and helped protect everything from forests and farms to hiking trails and community gardens. Along the way, he explains why conservation matters, how renewable energy works, and why getting outside is more important than ever in a world full of screens.From preserving parts of the Appalachian Trail to helping urban kids experience forests for the first time, this episode is packed with inspiration, environmental education, and real-world lessons about leadership, integrity, and protecting the planet.Discussion Points●    What Is Land Conservation? How preserving land protects forests, farms, trails, and wildlife habitats.●    Protecting 30,000 Acres: Understanding the scale of conservation work and why it matters.●    Saving Land for Future Generations: How parks, hiking trails, and farmland are preserved forever.●    Helping Communities: Bringing urban kids into nature and creating community gardens and farms.●    Volunteer Work & Environmental Leadership: How thousands of volunteers help clean up and restore land.●    Renewable Energy & Geothermal Systems: How clean energy can save money and reduce environmental impact.●    Protecting Wildlife: Why preserving forests and clean water is critical for animals and people alike.●    Environmental Careers: How teens can get involved in conservation and make a real difference.●    The Importance of Integrity: Why trust, honesty, and responsibility matter in environmental work.●    Big Lessons From David's Career: Thinking bigger, taking risks, and never giving up.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-tiberius-show--3352195/support.

We have 8 huge stories, and David Blackmon, Forbes, Daily Caller, and Substack Author stopped by. Connect with David on his SubStack: https://blackmon.substack.com/1. Data Centers & Infrastructure DevelopmentWest Texas Data Center Project: A Forbes story about a responsible data center development near Fort Stockton that addresses activist concerns through sustainable practices (minimal water usage, closed-circuit cooling, local hiring, onsite housing)Data Centers Moving to Unincorporated Areas: Developers are shifting massive data centers to rural, unincorporated areas to avoid citizen decision impacts and regulatory hurdlesGrid Interconnection Challenges: Texas ERCOT is grappling with 410 gigawatts of large load interconnection requests, 87% from data centers2. Oil & Gas Production & Federal LandsNew Mexico's Dominance: Lea and Eddy counties account for 78% of onshore federal oil production, representing 14% of total U.S. onshore productionFederal Lands Significance: 29% of total U.S. production comes from federal lands and the Gulf of MexicoTrump Administration's Role: Companies stockpiled federal leases during the first Trump administration, allowing continued drilling during Biden's lease sale moratorium3. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) DrawdownThe SPR is being drained at record pace and approaching "deadpool" (critical minimum levels)Current levels around 365-378 million barrels, with projections to hit deadpool by AugustCalifornia facing severe refined product shortages (jet fuel, diesel)4. Renewable Energy & Climate Policy CostsClimate Lawfare: Democratic state attorneys general sued the Trump administration over ending offshore wind projectsFinancial Impact: $2 trillion spent on net zero pathways, including $690 billion on renewables, with only 3% energy gainsComparison: $10 trillion could build 267 nuclear reactors instead of wind/solarCalifornia's CARB Program: Gavin Newsom expanded emissions regulations despite energy challenges5. Refinery Operations & SafetyU.S. crude refiners pushing runs to maximum levels, creating safety concernsSkipping periodic maintenance to meet demand increases risk of incidentsValero stock performance highlighted as investment opportunity6. Geopolitical Tensions & Energy SecurityIran Strikes: Iran's Revolutionary Guard striking targets in the Gulf, including Kuwait's airportLNG Tanker Concerns: Multiple LNG tankers going dark (transponders off) in the Persian Gulf, raising security concernsRisk of Escalation: Potential for major price spikes if geopolitical tensions worsen7. Maritime & Shipping PolicyDiscussion of the Jones Act and its impact on shipping efficiencyUpcoming interview with maritime expert Dr. Beatrice Canamara about alternative solutions$5 billion Texas shipyard upgrade for Coast Guard Icebreakers8. Agricultural Land & Environmental ConcernsDebate over data center development on farmland vs. renewable energy installationsWind and solar farms permanently damage agricultural land through chemical leaching and deep foundations$89 billion land reclamation fee coming due for renewable installationsThe podcast presents a comprehensive energy news briefing with emphasis on the intersection of energy policy, geopolitics, environmental concerns, and economic impacts.We had 8 big stories today: 1.West Texas Data Center Project Addresses Activist Concerns Head-On2.Unprecedented Dominance: Two NM Counties Account For 78% of Onshore Federal Oil Production3.Data Centers Are Moving to Unincorporated Areas to Avoid Citizen Decision Impacts – Energy News Beat Exclusive Analysis4.State Attorneys General Sue Trump Administration Over Payment Ending Offshore Wind ProjectsHow Much Has Climate Lawfare Cost US Consumers?5.SPR Draw Down at Critical Levels and May Surpass the Biden Abuse6.US Crude Refiners Are Pushing Run Rates to Maximum Levels: Safety Concerns, Maintenance Trade-offs, Export Boom, and Investor Implications7.Iranian Strikes in the Gulf Raise Stakes for Gulf States8.Vitol Says Europe and US Aren't Facing Up to Oil Supply Crunch: How Will This Rubber Band Snap Impact Consumers and Investors?Thank you, Todd, for your great industry leadership.We have some great interviews lined up next week.Check out the Energy News Beat SubStack https://theenergynewsbeat.substack.com/A shout-out to Steve Reese and the Reese Energy Consulting group for sponsoring the Podcast https://reeseenergyconsulting.com/.Data2 if you have any business systems, can you trust A? Well, they have the patent on validation. . https://data2.zoholandingpage.com/energyAnd we have WellDatabase rolling in as a new sponsor. https://welldatabase.com/

Money flow seemed to be against the grain and cattle markets again on Wednesday as we saw pressure across the ag trade except for soybean oil and lean hogs. Could this be a sign that funds are exiting their positions and taking money out of the ag markets? Is this simply a short term correction or the start of a longer term trend? We discuss that, algorithm trade action and more with Mike Zuzolo from Global Commodity Analytics. Find more online at https://www.globalcommresearch.com. BASF and Arva Intelligence have announced a strategic collaboration to help biofuel producers and farmers capture the full value of the Clean Fuel Production Credit (Section 45Z) once the implementing regulations are finalized. We learn more about this with Jeff Carver, Commercial Manager for xarvio® BIOENERGY at BASF Agricultural Solutions and Ryan Pearcy, Managing Director, Biofuels and Renewable Energy at Arva. You can also learn more at https://agriculture.basf.us/crop-protection/news-events/news-releases/BASF-and-Arva-announce-strategic-collaboration-to-deliver-a-pathway-for-farmers-and-biofuel-producers-to-benefit-from-the-45Z-biofuel-tax-credit.html

The energy transition conversation focuses on what connects to the grid. Far less attention goes to whether anyone is coordinating what those assets do once connected. AI training runs swing hundreds of megawatts in seconds as GPUs checkpoint and restart a profile that looks like a generator tripping offline. At distribution level, millions of inverter-based resources create localised variability that overwhelms individual circuits even when aggregate models look healthy. The planning tools in use today were designed for neither problem.Host Bridget van Dorsten is joined by Kay Aikin, CEO and Founder of Dynamic Grid, energy engineer, grid architecture advisor to the DOE-supported GridWise Architecture Council, and contributor to the UN Environmental Program's building decarbonisation work. Kay unpacks what an AI training facility actually does to the grid with full GPU load for hours or days, then a drop to ten percent in seconds during checkpointing. She talks about how at the scale now planned, the Stargate project in Texas alone could represent ten percent of ERCOT disappearing in four seconds. The behaviour is stochastic and cannot be modelled with traditional statistical tools. At distribution level, virtual power plants responding to wholesale signals without circuit-level visibility can create competing oscillations, the kind of emergent dynamics that contributed to the Spanish grid failure.The proposed fix is an AI controller at the substation, sending price-based signals and flexible operating envelopes to large assets and VPP operators, giving them twenty-four-hour forecasts and real-time circuit visibility. Total cost: under a hundred thousand dollars installed. The reason it isn't everywhere is cost-of-service regulation. Utilities earn returns on deployed capital, so a million-dollar transformer replacement is more profitable than software that eliminates the need for it.Without new approaches, rebuilding the US distribution grid could cost up to ten trillion dollars by 2040. Kay is developing grid utilisation metrics with regulators in Maine, Virginia, and Maryland to incentivise extracting more from existing infrastructure. The episode closes on the need for distribution system operators and the affordability death spiral that looms if the structural incentives don't shift. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

Tax credit equity pricing is determined by a variety of critical supply-and-demand factors. On this record-breaking episode of Tax Credit Tuesday, Michael Novogradac, CPA, sits down with Novogradac partners and CPAs Tony Grappone, Michael Kressig, Brad Elphick and Dirk Wallace to discuss various factors affecting tax credit equity supply in 2026 and beyond. The speakers give an overview of new markets tax credits (NMTCs), historic tax credits (HTCs), low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs) and renewable energy tax credits (RETCs), as well as provide their estimates of what the market size will be in 2026, 2027 and 2028. The speakers then briefly discuss equity pricing in each tax credit area. This episode is the first part of a two-part series, with part two slated to release next Tuesday.

In this episode of The Intelligence Report, host Dylan Welch sits down with two-time New York Times bestselling author MeiMei Fox to discuss her journey from the corporate world to a successful career as a writer.MeiMei shares what inspired her to leave a traditional career path, the challenges and opportunities she encountered along the way, and how following her passions ultimately led to becoming a bestselling author. The conversation also explores the evolution of the publishing industry, the realities of writing professionally, and how aspiring authors can navigate a rapidly changing media landscape.Topics include career reinvention, creativity, entrepreneurship, personal growth, the business of publishing, and the lessons MeiMei has learned throughout her remarkable journey.Tune in for an insightful conversation about taking risks, pursuing meaningful work, and building a career around what you love.Support the show

What comes next for sustainable finance debt markets?   The energy transition's momentum has shifted towards more pragmatic rationales, including energy security, sovereignty and critical supply chain resilience.   In this episode, we discuss why, despite headwinds arising from global trade tensions, Asia remains a contributing force for the “pragmatic transition”, the favorable conditions supporting renewable investment, as well as the opportunities for both the public and private sectors.   Host: Giulia Calcabrini, Assistant Vice President, Analyst, Moody's Ratings   Guest: Rahul Ghosh, Managing Director, Head of Global Sustainable Finance & Emerging Markets, Moody's Ratings   Related Research:  Sustainable bond issuance on track to be flat versus 2025 levels after mixed quarter (Data Story) 12 May 2026 Carbon Transition – Asia-Pacific – Transition finance to expand as credible pathways emerge 19 March 2026 APAC Sustainable Finance Summit 2026 (Replay) 24 March 2026 In Person Event: Unlocking Capital for Climate Resilience: From Data to Decisions - London Climate Action Week 24 June 2026 © 2026 Moody's Corporation and/or its licensors and affiliates. All rights reserved. Go to www.moodys.com/pages/globaldisclaimer.aspx for complete legal terms and conditions governing use of Moody's information made available in this video. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Get in touch - leave me a messageFake people. Fake comments. Real clean energy projects killed.This is what climate delay looks like in the AI era.In this episode of Climate Confident, I'm joined by Leah Qusba, CEO of GoodPower, an organisation working at the intersection of climate tech, culture, policy, and decarbonisation. We explore a hard truth about the energy transition: solar, wind, batteries, and electrification may be ready, but public trust, local permission, and disinformation are now decisive barriers to getting projects built.You'll hear why Leah believes fossil fuel dependence is becoming harder to defend as “secure energy”, especially when oil and gas volatility keeps spilling into bills, food prices, business costs, and household budgets. We dig into why clean energy should be framed less as sacrifice and more as protection: protection from price shocks, geopolitical risk, climate impacts, and the charming little habit fossil fuels have of making everything more expensive.We also get into GoodPower's research on what actually changes minds. Their storytelling work has reached tens of millions of people and, in tested campaigns, shifted audiences from NIMBY to YIMBY by 11%. Leah explains why the right messenger can matter more than the perfect message, why rural voices can unlock rural support, and why creators in food, fashion, gaming, cars, comedy, and culture may be more effective climate communicators than traditional climate voices.And yes, we talk about AI-generated disinformation in permitting decisions, fake public pressure, and why pre-bunking false claims before they spread may become essential for emissions reduction, net zero delivery, and climate policy that survives contact with reality.

Average annual energy bills are set to go up by more than £200 a year from July, after energy regulator Ofgem announced a 13% rise in the energy price cap.It's largely down to the impact of the Iran War, but with the UK generating more electricity from renewable sources than ever before, why aren't we feeling the benefits in our bills?The answer is more complicated than you might think, and it all comes down to how energy prices are set in the UK... We explain what's going on, why renewables haven't made your bills cheaper, and if drilling in the North Sea might be the answer.

America is facing an energy supply crisis created by surging demand for electricity from data centres. A transition to a lower-carbon system requires massive investment in new clean energy infrastructure. But legal and regulatory structures mean that developing projects in the US is often an uncertain, drawn-out and expensive process.To take just one example, new transmission infrastructure is vital for connecting renewable generation to concentrations of electricity demand. But the last time the US added more than 1,000 miles of high-voltage transmission lines in a year was 2016.In this episode, host Ed Crooks is joined by Representative Scott Peters to discuss what Congress can do to help fix that. Scott is a Democratic member of the House of Representatives and a co-sponsor of the bipartisan CERTAIN Act, a new bill that attempts to take some of the risk and unpredictability out of the legal procedures for project development.Along with regular contributor Melissa Lott, Partner for Energy Technologies at Microsoft, they discuss whether reform of the permitting system can really help expedite investment in new energy projects. And they assess how likely it is that Congress will be able to make a deal and get a more streamlined system passed into law. The conversation starts with NEPA, the National Environmental Policy Act. Passed in 1970, it is the bedrock for environmental permitting for infrastructure projects. It is also the most litigated environmental statute in the US. A major project can take four years to prepare an environmental impact statement, with another four years of litigation to follow. As Scott points out, when NEPA was written there were few other environmental protections. Now there are dozens, yet the review process has only grown more burdensome.Melissa frames the core tension: NEPA was designed to inform decisions, not make them. But open-ended review processes have effectively become the decision, determining which projects live or die.Scott explains the current state of the legislative landscape. There are three key elements of a potential bipartisan agreement on reform. The CERTAIN act sets regular permitting milestones and protects issued permits from arbitrary revocation. The SPEED Act, which has already passed in the House, limits the need for environmental reviews, shortens timetables, and restricts the scope for subsequent challenges in the courts. And there are moves for new legislation specifically to support development of electricity transmission. A final deal in Congress is likely to include all three elements. Melissa discusses whether federal reform alone can transform the pace of delivery. Ed raises the question of whether the legal rights and political authorities enshrined in the US system mean that infrastructure development must always be a costly and protracted business. He cites Wood Mackenzie data showing US solar costs are more than double those in China. Scott counters with Texas, where a free-market approach has driven rapid renewable deployment, not because of climate concerns but because the market demanded it.The politics of permitting reform have shifted. Republicans wanted to limit the federal government's ability to block oil and gas projects. Now many Democrats support curbs on the executive's power to obstruct renewable energy development. The issue has risen up the political agenda after the Trump administration moved to block offshore wind projects already under construction, and delayed permits for onshore wind.Scott closes by arguing that this is the best opportunity for lasting permitting reform that he has seen in his 14 years in Congress. This episode is sponsored by Bechtel.Nuclear is back — and Bechtel is helping build what comes next. For more than 70 years, Bechtel has helped shape the nuclear industry, from work on the world's first commercial nuclear reactor to designing, constructing, and servicing more than 150 nuclear plants worldwide. Bechtel has helped bring more than 76,000 megawatts of nuclear power online globally. Today, Bechtel is helping deliver the next generation of nuclear energy — from large-scale plants to small modular and advanced reactors — using the company's decades of mega-project delivery experience to bring new nuclear online safely, reliably, and at scale. Learn more at bechtel.com/nuclear See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nour Haydar speaks with Christopher Knaus about the BHP files – the cache of internal documents leaked to the Guardian and the ABC's Four Corners – which show that the world's biggest miner has war-gamed ways to massively delay decarbonisation

Forget everything you've been told about the painfully slow pace of climate action. Instead, a quiet rebellion is taking root. The Angry Clean Energy Guy breaks down the potentially monumental shift from April's alternative climate summit held in Santa Marta, Colombia, where more than 50 countries bypassed the stagnant UN COP illusion to form a real coalition of the willing, one dedicated to actually dismantling the fossil fuel empire from the ground up.The Angry Clean Energy Guy also looks at the impressive numbers hitting the grid: clean power has now officially covered 100% of global electricity demand growth, while battery storage has become fastest-growing energy tech in human history and a key enabler of the transformation in heavy transport, where electric trucks are rapidly wiping out diesel's market share.Finally, the Angry Clean Energy Guy shines a light on the dirty shadow war Big Tech is waging against carbon accounting watchdogs. As tech giants scramble to feed the massive AI boom, they are panic-signing fossil gas deals behind closed doors while aggressively bullying climate organizations to accept cheap, fake paper certificates. It's a raw, uncompromised look at an economic war that fossil fuels are losing on the ground, no matter what the establishment wants you to believe. 

In this episode of The Intelligence Report, host Dylan Welch welcomes back Jason Seedall of the Roosevelt Alliance following the organization's official launch at EarthX.Jason shares how the Roosevelt Alliance is working to reconnect everyday Americans with the policymaking process through bipartisan civic engagement, leadership development, and grassroots community chapters inspired by the legacy of Theodore Roosevelt.The conversation explores why issues like natural resources, fair commerce, energy independence, regenerative agriculture, and civic participation affect every American regardless of political affiliation. Jason also discusses current policy initiatives involving national parks, renewable energy financing, nuclear and geothermal development, and conservation incentives for at-risk species.Dylan and Jason dive into the growing disconnect between citizens and institutions, the importance of bridging public and policy worlds, and why accessible civic engagement may be one of the most important challenges facing America today.Topics include: The launch of the Roosevelt Alliance  Bipartisan policy and civic engagement  National park and conservation policy  Regenerative agriculture and wildlife restoration  Renewable energy and geothermal financing  Bridging the gap between citizens and Washington D.C.  Theodore Roosevelt's relevance in modern AmericaSupport the show

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

Pennsylvania lags behind most of the country in increasing renewable energy.State Senator Doug Mastriano has been nominated to serve as the next US ambassador to Slovakia.The U.S. Senate has confirmed Brian Miller as the United States Attorney for the Moddle District of Pennsylvania.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has temporarily suspended Cumberland County attorney Richard Lee King.The City of Reading has officially broken ground on a major solar energy project on the public works campus.

In this episode of The Intelligence Report, Dylan Welch sits down with Bailey Reichelt, founding partner of Aegis Space Law, to discuss her unconventional path into the rapidly evolving world of space law.Bailey shares how her early career as a public defender in Texas eventually led her into international trade compliance, aerospace regulations, and the legal frameworks shaping the future of the commercial space industry. The conversation explores the unique challenges startups face as private industry expands beyond Earth.Alongside the legal and policy discussion, Bailey reflects on her personal background, curiosity-driven mindset, and the experiences that shaped her career.This episode offers an inside look at one of the fastest-growing intersections of law, technology, national security, and commercial innovation.Support the show

The era of stagnant electricity demand in the US is over. Data centres, electrification, and reshoring of manufacturing are driving a surge in demand that is stronger that anything that anyone currently working in the industry has yet seen in their professional lifetimes. The question of which market and regulatory structures are needed to respond to this new and fast-changing world is now at the centre of the policy debate.Host Ed Crooks is joined by Drew Maloney, President and CEO of the Edison Electric Institute, the trade body representing America's investor-owned utilities, which together serve more than 70 per cent of the US population. Drew argues that the current moment is exposing a fundamental divide in the US power system: vertically integrated, regulated utilities can plan generation, transmission, and distribution over 20-year horizons, while competitive markets like PJM are struggling to send the investment signals needed to get new power plants built.The conversation starts with one of the hottest topics in US politics: affordability and household electricity bills. There are some misconceptions about electricity bills that have gained traction with the American public. Drew points to EEI research showing that 34 states have kept increases in electricity rates below general consumer price inflation over the past five years. And he adds that the states where prices are rising fastest tend to be in deregulated markets, where capacity costs are climbing but no new generation is being built.Ed draws on the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's 2025 study of electricity bills and data centres (You can read that study here.). That study found that demand growth alone did not explain rising bills, and that the drivers vary significantly by region, from wildfire mitigation costs in California to capacity market dynamics in PJM and New England.They move on to another hot topic in the industry today: whether data centres and other large loads should go “off grid” and rely entirely on local on-site generation. Drew pushes back against the narrative that this model is now becoming widespread, arguing there is more talk than action. Building duplicative generation to create “five nines” reliability for a data centre is expensive, and can still be unreliable without grid backup. It also pulls investment and workforce away from the shared infrastructure that benefits all customers. Most data centres want grid access, even if some are pursuing hybrid approaches in the interim until their hook-ups to the network can be connected.The episode also covers FERC Chairman Laura Swett's emerging approach to market intervention, the prospects for bipartisan permitting reform in Congress, and the ratepayer protection plan brokered between the White House and the major hyperscalers. Drew closes with an optimistic long view: the current moment, though it needs careful management, could be an opportunity to transform the US grid for the better.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As coal and gas plants retire, the energy transition conversation focuses on replacing their generation capacity. What gets far less attention is the loss of the physical properties those machines provided for free: inertia that stabilises frequency, fault current that supports voltage during disturbances, and reactive power that regulates voltage across the network. These services come from the physics of enormous spinning rotors synchronised to the grid, responding instantaneously, without sensors, software or control loops. As inverter-based resources replace them, that mechanical immune system disappears, and a new, extreme stress test is arriving at the same time in the form of AI data centres whose loads can swing by hundreds of megawatts in a fraction of a second.Host Bridget van Dorsten is joined by Kristina Carlquist, General Manager of Synchronous Condensers at ABB, and Christian Payerl, Sales Manager of Synchronous Condensers at ABB, to unpack why a technology that has existed for as long as the grid itself is now experiencing a revival.Christian explains the three ancillary services the grid is losing, inertia, short-circuit current and reactive power, and why inverter-based generation does not replace them. Grid-forming batteries can be programmed to simulate inertia, but each charge-discharge cycle degrades lifetime, overload capacity is limited to microseconds, and the models needed for accurate grid simulation are often tied up in manufacturer IP. Synchronous condensers respond on physics alone, in both directions, with no degradation and no modelling uncertainty. The recent blackout in Spain illustrates what happens when that gap is left unfilled.Kristina walks through the commercial traction. ABB's partnership with VoltaGrid on isolated data center microgrids has grown from an unexpected inbound enquiry in late 2024 to dozens of synchronous condensers delivered. On the grid-connected side, the Faroe Islands have deployed four units with a fifth on the way as part of their push toward 100% renewables, already achieving multi-day periods of fully renewable operation. ABB is also working with Korea's Jeju Island on its first flywheel-equipped deployment. The demand pattern is widening: islands integrating renewables, TSOs managing weak grid regions, mines electrifying operations, and now data centre developers who had never considered grid stability equipment before.The episode closes on regulation and standards. Christian, who participates in international standards work through CIGRE, notes that there is still no international standard for flywheel safety and that the treatment of inertia as a paid service varies dramatically by country. While inertia is compensated as a paid service in the UK, in Sweden it is treated as free – rotating machines providing it receive no income stream for doing so. As data center load grows faster than regulation can respond, both guests argue that the answer is not one technology but a combination, provided the industry, utilities and policymakers can align on what the grid actually needs to remain stable.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

With policy changes such as the July 4th start-of-construction-deadline instituted by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) rapidly approaching and foreign entities of concern (FEOC) requirements forthcoming from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, renewable energy tax credit (RETC) developers are at a critical moment. In this episode of the Renewable Energy Tax Credit Finance Series, Michael Novogradac, CPA, and Novogradac partner Tony Grappone, CPA, discuss five additional topics every RETC developer should know in order to attract investors in a post-OBBBA world.'They cover how to document start of construction, prevailing wage and apprenticeship (PWA) requirements, common FEOC misunderstandings, cost segregation studies and appraisals and due diligence. Grappone also brings up a bonus topic on tax insurance. This episode is the second part of a two-part series, with part one having released in April.

Independent investigative journalism, broadcasting, trouble-making and muckraking with Brad Friedman of BradBlog.com

The war with Iran has put a spotlight on the security and resilience of energy and supply chains around the world. In this second special episode from the ACORE Finance Forum in New York, host Ed Crooks explores what that means for the US power industry, at a moment when rising electricity demand was already putting the grid under strain.Lori Ann LaRocco, a trade and supply chain expert and author of Trade War: Containers Don't Lie, explains the global impacts from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. She tells us that there are 70,000 products made from petrochemicals, including the components that go into solar panels, the chips for data centers, and your cell phone. Supplies of those products are being crunched because of the disruption to exports from the Gulf. Some are already in short supply. Even if the strait reopened tomorrow, the physical realities of repositioning tankers, clearing mines and restoring export infrastructure would mean supply chains would take at least a year to normalise. Her advice: know your supply chain not just to the first tier, but to the fifth, sixth and seventh.José Antonio Miranda, chief executive of Avangrid, talks about the opportunities and challenges created by rising electricity demand. He says investment needs to start now and keep going. His one word advice for policymakers: certainty. Investors have the capital and the expertise to deliver the new grid and generation capacity that policymakers want, he says. What the private sector cannot work with is retroactive rule changes and unpredictable permitting outcomes.Harry Krejsa, director of studies at the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Strategy and Technology, is a former official in both the Trump and Biden administrations who is focused on the relationship between energy and national security. He argues that worries about depending on China for clean energy technology often conflate two issues: cybersecurity risk, and supply chain dependency. His principle is guard the smart stuff, buy the dumb stuff, and build the future.Kara McNutt, Wood Mackenzie's head of power and renewables consulting for the Americas, shares her concerns about grid reliability. The share of dispatchable generation on the US grid is declining as coal-fired power plants shut down and new wind and solar capacity is added. Nuclear is genuinely exciting, with the global SMR pipeline nearly doubling in the past year, but it is a 2030s story rather than a solution for today.Benoy Thanjan, founder of Reneu Energy and host of the Solar Maverick podcast, is a solar developer. He is seeing surging interest in behind-the-meter storage, driven in part by concerns about energy security and resilience brought to the surface by the Iran war. The FEOC (Foreign Entities of Concern) rules, intended to stop unfriendly countries benefiting from US tax credits, remain a real point of friction. Customers want US-manufactured equipment, but the price gap between compliant and non-compliant products is still very large.Ray Long, president and chief executive of ACORE, closes by sharing his key takeaways from the forum. He says three things need to change to remove obstacles to investment: federal permitting reform, clear FEOC guidance from the Treasury, and faster approvals from the Departments of Interior, War and Energy for new projects. Follow the show wherever you're listening so you don't miss an episode. Let us know what you think. We're on X, at @theenergygang.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

with Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen

The numbers are staggering. The “magnificent seven” Big Tech companies are expected to have combined capital spending of about $800 billion this year. Data centres' electricity demand is soaring, and hundreds of billions of dollars more are being mobilised to invest in power infrastructure to meet that demand. In this special episode, recorded at the ACORE Finance Forum in New York, host Ed Crooks speaks with five guests at the heart of the revolution in energy finance: bankers, a deal lawyer, a data centre operator and a head of policy. James Wright, Managing Director and Head of US Corporate Banking at CIBC Capital Markets, explains the connection between power, data centres and AI with an analogy borrowed from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Think of AI as a layer cake, with power as the base, data centre infrastructure above it, then hardware, then AI models, and the applications as the icing on top. For banks like CIBC, it is those bottom two layers that matter most. James explains how power developers and data centre builders are increasingly converging. Gas, solar and battery storage are driving the bulk of activity in new power generation, though gas turbine supply chains remain severely stretched. “Powered land” projects, created as sites to attract data centre developers, are a popular idea at the moment. But many of them are highly speculative. James estimates that for every twenty conversations, perhaps a couple result in a financeable transaction. Another hot topic is of behind-the-meter generation and co-located power. James sees it happening, but only at the margin. Grid connections are still the ultimate goal.  Adam Altenhofen, Senior Vice President for Impact Finance at US Bank, brings a different perspective on energy finance. US Bank has deployed more than $33 billion in renewable energy since 2008, primarily through the tax credit programmes for solar, wind and battery storage. The wind and solar tax credits are winding down, but projects that start construction before 4 July this year can still be placed in service through to the end of 2030. The storage tax credit was preserved through to 2036. Behind-the-meter generation, Adam argues, presents a fundamental challenge to the project finance model. If the load disappears, so does the revenue. And unlike for a grid-connected project, there will be no readily available alternative revenue streams to fall back on. Guarantees covering the full duration of the power supply contract are the floor, not the ceiling, for what lenders would need to get comfortable, Adam says.  Mona Dajani, Global Co-Chair of Infrastructure, Energy and Real Estate at the law firm Cooley, sees something structural changing. Hyperscalers are now behaving like utilities, she says. They assess data centre locations based on access to power, reliability and duration of supply. Meanwhile, some utilities are becoming more like infrastructure platforms, building unregulated arms and investing in new technologies to serve growing demand. A cultural gulf used to separate the tech and energy industries. But as they have come to understand their mutual interdependence over the past few years, more constructive collaborations have emerged. Jon Edwards, Executive Vice President and Head of Capital Markets at the data centre developer Switch, offers the operator's perspective. Switch currently consumes roughly one third of Nevada's total power supply and operates at 100% green power. Jon explains how the company decoupled from the utility grid for generation purposes back in 2015, buying its own generation while still using the utility for transmission and distribution, and how that model helped reduce Nevada consumer electricity prices by double digits in 2025. He is another sceptic about behind-the-meter power: it is useful as a bridge in some circumstances, but grid-connected utility power remains the primary and preferred solution for serious, long-duration data centre operations. On the financing side, Jon discusses Switch's recent $2.6 billion letter of credit facility, designed to give utilities the financial certainty they need to invest in new infrastructure, knowing they can be confident the data centre load will be there.  The episode closes with Lesley Hunter, Senior Vice President for Policy at ACORE, who sets the policy backdrop against which all of this activity is playing out. ACORE's latest investor survey makes for sobering reading: 69% of capital providers who replied to the survey said they thought the US industry had in the past year lost attractiveness compared to clean energy sectors in other countries. The same proportion, 69%, expect a further relative decline over the next three years. Lesley identifies two main pain points: the still-unresolved foreign entity of concern rules (FEOC) for tax credit eligibility, and the Department of Defense slow-walking agreements needed for wind development that has held up more than 160 projects. Her message for policy-makers is that regulatory stability is vital. “The core ask of the industry right now is to ensure that players have the rules of the road,” she says. “That those rules won't change mid-stream, and they are able to deploy capital, and trust the federal government when making these long-term investments in US infrastructure.”  Follow the show wherever you're listening so you don't miss an episode. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ten weeks into the war with Iran, the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed. The ceasefire is officially holding, but occasional attacks on ships and installations continue. A difficult question is coming into focus: what if the strait never fully reopens?Host Ed Crooks is joined by regular contributor Amy Myers Jaffe, Director of the Global Energy, Climate, and Sustainability Lab at NYU, alongside two guests. Edward (Eddie) Fishman is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of Choke Points, a history of economic warfare. Christopher Aversano is Wood Mackenzie's Director of Maritime Partnerships, returning to give the view from the shipping industry.Chris reports that the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz had risen from around 10 a day at the low point to roughly 25 a day, but then dropped off again as tensions escalated and the threat of renewed fighting rose. Even at their best, the number of transits has been just a fraction of the 150-170 a day that was normal before the war began at the end of February.Some ships are still making it through the strait. Some LNG carriers have “gone dark”, shutting off their transponders, later reappearing weeks later on the other side of the world. Ship owners are pragmatic, Chris says, and high commodity prices create a strong financial incentive for tankers to pass through the strait when they can. But questions of insurance, crew safety, and freedom of navigation through the strait remain unresolved.Eddie says the US decision on what to do next is like a choice between two doors . Door one would be a negotiated deal that leaves Iran as gatekeeper of the Strait of Hormuz. Door two would be full-scale military intervention, which seems politically impossible. With neither option palatable, the result is drift. His base case is that Iran retains permanent control. A toll of $2 million per ship passing through the strait could generate $30-100 billion a year for Tehran, potentially exceeding its oil export earnings. The drones needed to enforce the closure can cost as little as $20,000 each.Amy argues the full impact of closing the strait has not yet hit. Emergency releases of oil from reserves, shadow cargoes from sanction ed countries that were already on the water, and seasonal refinery maintenance have all cushioned the blow. The real test comes in the weeks ahead, as those buffers run out. Ed argues that if the strait stays closed for six more months, oil at $150-$200 a barrel may be needed to balance the market, with a global recession as the likely consequence.The conversation broadens into the geopolitics of the dollar. Eddie explains why the US currency remains the backbone of global trade, involved in 90 per cent of all foreign exchange transactions, and why that gives the US government powerful strategic leverage. Amy suggests that China may see US entanglement in the strait as strategically useful, draining American resources without it lifting a finger.The episode closes with a warning. Eddie argues the weaponisation of American economic power against allies as well as adversaries risks fragmenting the global trading system further, with potentially disastrous consequences. History shows that when states cannot secure resources through open exchange, they tend to be tempted into conquest.‘Chokepoints : American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare' by Edward Fishman, published by Penguin, is available from bookstores now. This episode is sponsored by Bechtel. Nuclear is back — and Bechtel is helping build what comes next.For more than 70 years, Bechtel has helped shape the nuclear industry, from work on the world's first commercial nuclear reactor to designing, constructing, and servicing more than 150 nuclear plants worldwide. Bechtel has helped bring more than 76,000 megawatts of nuclear power online globally. Today, Bechtel is helping deliver the next generation of nuclear energy — from large-scale plants to small modular and advanced reactors — using the company's decades of mega-project delivery experience to bring new nuclear online safely, reliably, and at scale.Learn more at bechtel.com/nuclear See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In episode 325 of The Green Insider, we sit down with Mike Silvestrini—co-founder and managing partner of Energea—to discuss how everyday investors can participate in renewable energy projects globally starting at $100. Mike shares his path from line cook to solar developer, why solar has become the dominant new-build energy source, and how Energia structures investments and monthly dividends across portfolios in markets like South Africa, Brazil, Latin America, and the U.S. In This Episode Mike's journey from hospitality to building and exiting a solar development company (Green Skies) Why Energea was created—and how it differs from traditional Wall Street products How the platform lets individuals invest in renewable energy projects starting at $100 How investments are structured (shares in Delaware entities representing operating assets) How dividends work and what liquidity/withdrawal typically looks like Regional strategy highlights: microgrids in South Africa, community solar in Brazil, and opportunistic U.S. deals Performance discussed: approximately 12% returns over the past five years with monthly distributions Key Takeaways Solar's growth is being driven by economics and speed of deployment—not only environmental goals. Energea aims to give individuals direct access to project-level renewable energy investments typically reserved for institutions. Portfolios are diversified by geography and project type, with monthly dividend distributions that many investors reinvest for compounding. In emerging markets, distributed energy solutions like microgrids can be both impactful and investable when paired with reliable payment mechanisms. Featured Projects & Regions Discussed South Africa: Microgrids and distributed power for underserved communities using a prepaid energy model. Brazil: Community solar projects serving local subscribers. Latin America: Broader renewable energy opportunities (discussed as part of regional diversification). United States: Opportunistic solar investments driven by relationships and deal flow. Become a Green Insider Be sure to subscribe to The Green Insider, powered by ERENEWABLE, wherever you get your podcasts—and don't forget to leave us a five‑star rating! To learn more about our guests or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities, please contact ERENEWABLE and The Green Insider Podcast. #TheGreenInsider #RenewableEnergy #CleanEnergy #SolarEnergy #Solar #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #ImpactInvesting #ESGInvesting #ClimateTech #GreenInvesting #EnergyInvesting #DistributedEnergy #Microgrids #CommunitySolar #EmergingMarkets #SouthAfrica #Brazil #LatinAmerica #MonthlyDividends #PassiveIncome The post Investing in Renewable Energy with Mike Silvestrini (Energea) appeared first on eRENEWABLE.

Happy Earth Day! While we celebrate efforts to save the earth, the Trump administration appears to be doing everything in its power to destroy it. At the same time, the Iran war has driven gas prices through the roof, making sustainable energy sources more appealing than ever. Dharna Noor, climate reporter for The Guardian, joins the show to discuss how President Donald Trump's war of choice could push the US back toward renewables. And in headlines, Tucker Carlson apologizes for his role in bringing Trump to power, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth fights for…bodily autonomy, and Trump's choice to run the Federal Reserve has his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee.Show Notes: Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday