Podcasts about renewables

Stephen Grootes speaks to Peter Armitage, CEO of Anchor Capital about the U.S.-Iran deal to end the war, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the impact on global oil prices and markets, and the uncertain path ahead for Iran’s nuclear programme and regional stability. In other interviews, Chris Yelland, managing director at EE Business Intelligence and energy expert talks about how rising curtailment, payment delays and growing operational challenges at Eskom are squeezing renewable energy producers, threatening project revenues, and pushing the sector toward a financial cliff. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephen Grootes speaks to Chris Yelland, managing director at EE Business Intelligence and energy expert, about how rising curtailment, payment delays and growing operational challenges at Eskom are squeezing renewable energy producers, threatening project revenues and pushing the sector toward a financial cliff. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to get to work with five fun and fascinating fast facts about energy, an interview with Lee Constable, a presenter and author of books about sustainability, and an energy transformation activity for you to try yourself at home.   Presented by Jenny Lynch and Matilda. Written and produced by Jenny Lynch. Music by Purple Planet Music. Sound effects by Pixabay. Support the podcast to keep it ad-free! https://buymeacoffee.com/creativescience Join the email list: https://www.creativescience.com.au/contact/ Creative Science: https://www.creativescience.com.au Facebook: @creativescienceaustralia Instagram: @creative_science_australia   Episode content: 00:24 Introduction and fast facts 05:37 Interview with Lee Constable 13:14 Energy transformation activity   Lee Constable: https://leeconstable.com   Energy transformation activity You will need: an object you can drop, such as a ball or a rolled-up pair of socks, and a rubber band. Energy cannot be created nor destroyed. This is called the ‘Law of Conservation of Energy'. However, energy can change into different forms. How many energy transformations can you observe in about a minute? Rub your hands together as fast as you can. You are turning moving energy into heat energy, with help from the force of friction. Hold the ball or socks high above the floor. What you are holding now has gravitational potential energy, otherwise known as stored energy, let go and the gravitational potential energy turns into moving energy as the object falls to the floor, because of the force of gravity. Feel the rubber band and notice if it feels cold or hot. Use both hands to stretch out the rubber band over and over again for a few seconds and then feel if the rubber band has heated up. If it has, some of the moving energy has turned into heat energy. Stretch out the rubber band again so it has lots of stored elastic energy and then aim the rubber band away from you and anyone who is with you. Let go, so the rubber band flings through the air, turning the elastic energy into moving energy. Look around you and see what other energy transformations you can see, for example, turning on a light.

Today, we're diving into a part of the climate transition that doesn't get nearly as much attention as solar panels, electric vehicles, or AI: the materials, minerals, and manufacturing systems that make modern civilization possible. Steel alone accounts for roughly 7–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the energy transition is driving unprecedented demand for critical minerals, advanced materials, and domestic manufacturing capacity. These sectors offer incredible investment opportunities, and that's the focus of my guest, Kavita Patel. Kavita is a portfolio manager for venture investment for MUUS & Company (MUUS), the family office of TIGER 21 Founder and Chairman, Michael Sonnenfeldt, and his family.We discuss opportunities ranging from critical mineral recycling to next-generation building materials, what she's learned investing through the ups and downs of climate tech, and why she believes some of the most compelling opportunities today may be hiding in sectors many investors overlook.We also explore where climate capital is flowing, where it may be underinvesting, and how investors can think rigorously about both financial returns and real-world climate impact.I learned a lot from this conversation, and I think you will too. Here we go. On today's episode, we cover:01:12 – Introducing guest: Kavita Patel of MUUS & Company02:35 – Kavita's background and path into climate investing05:24 – From BlackRock and ESG to climate venture07:19 – What is MUUS & Company? Climate thesis and focus areas09:35 – Why critical minerals, materials, and domestic manufacturing11:30 – Is materials & mining underhyped for investors? Market overview13:17 – Venture timelines in hardware and industrial innovation15:13 – Portfolio example #1: Nth Cycle's critical minerals recycling18:28 – Mining's environmental impact and why focus on recycling20:08 – Portfolio example #2: InventWood as a low‑carbon steel replacement22:53 – No green premium: solving top pain points in B2B climate tech23:03 – Where climate capital is flowing vs. where it should go25:22 – What Kavita has learned from founders through market cycles29:01 – Common fundraising pitfalls for climate founders32:20 – Building the capital stack: partners, family offices, and non‑dilutive capital35:15 – Measuring impact: MUUS' use of the Crane tool38:16 – Closing thoughts Resources MentionedMUUS & Company (MUUS)TIGER 21Nth Cycle (critical minerals refining & recycling)Trafigura (metals & commodities trading group)InventWood (wood-based high‑performance material)CRANE – Carbon Reduction Assessment for New EnterprisesInternational Energy Agency (IEA)Connect with usKavita PatelJason RissmanKeep up with Invested In ClimateSign up for our NewsletterSubscribe for our Other Future NewsletterLinkedInInstagramIf you like what you hear, subscribe and rate to support the show! Have feedback or ideas for future episodes, events, or partnerships? Get in touch!

Stephen Grootes speaks to Eskom’s Group Executive for Renewables, Rivoningo Mnisi, about the launch of Eskom Green, the utility’s plan to scale renewable energy capacity to 32GW by 2040, how it aims to partner with private developers rather than crowd them out, and what this shift means for South Africa’s energy security and transition away from loadshedding. The Money Show is a podcast hosted by well-known journalist and radio presenter, Stephen Grootes. He explores the latest economic trends, business developments, investment opportunities, and personal finance strategies. Each episode features engaging conversations with top newsmakers, industry experts, financial advisors, entrepreneurs, and politicians, offering you thought-provoking insights to navigate the ever-changing financial landscape.    Thank you for listening to a podcast from The Money Show Listen live Primedia+ weekdays from 18:00 and 20:00 (SA Time) to The Money Show with Stephen Grootes broadcast on 702 https://buff.ly/gk3y0Kj and CapeTalk https://buff.ly/NnFM3Nk For more from the show, go to https://buff.ly/7QpH0jY or find all the catch-up podcasts here https://buff.ly/PlhvUVe Subscribe to The Money Show Daily Newsletter and the Weekly Business Wrap here https://buff.ly/v5mfetc The Money Show is brought to you by Absa     Follow us on social media   702 on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalkRadio702 702 on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@talkradio702 702 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkradio702/ 702 on X: https://x.com/CapeTalk 702 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@radio702   CapeTalk on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CapeTalk CapeTalk on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@capetalk CapeTalk on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ CapeTalk on X: https://x.com/Radio702 CapeTalk on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CapeTalk567 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Success is rarely the result of vision alone. In this episode, Morris Zhou of Berde Renewables shares his insights on recognizing opportunities, building businesses, and leading with clarity in high-growth environments. From entrepreneurship and team culture to communication and accountability, the conversation explores why sustainable leadership is built on consistency, conviction, and leading by example rather than trying to satisfy every expectation.Morris explains how Berde Renewables is helping businesses transition toward more sustainable energy solutions while addressing the broader challenges of energy security and national competitiveness.00:02:13 - Morris Zhou, Group CEO & Co-Founder of Berde Renewables00:04:08 - What Berde Renewables does and the zero-capex solar model00:08:50 - The green vs. black energy debate is over — renewables are now cheapest00:15:26 - How Morris stumbled into solar with a one-page brochure in 200900:24:20 - The complexity jump from rooftop panels to utility-scale solar farms00:31:27 - The startup miracle: finding a new funder over coffee00:43:02 - Learning the language of banks: bankability, risk, and putting the puzzle together00:49:01 - Why the Philippines? The cartel, the incumbents, and the opportunity01:00:18 - Berde's business model: zero capex, day-one savings, 15–25 year contracts01:04:33 - 150MW+ of committed projects across the Philippines and Thailand01:05:27 - Why distributed solar is the future of energy in Southeast Asia01:19:46 - Making friends first — building trust before business in the Philippine market01:22:38 - Why FOMO is finally hitting the market: rising costs and geopolitical tension01:29:52 - Philippines vs. Australia team culture and the importance of psychological safety01:33:45 - Being the industry expert, not always the subject matter expert01:34:43 - What's next for Berde Renewables: scale, speed, and customer satisfaction01:36:04 - No barrier to entry — the case for going solar now 01:35:35 - How to reach Berde RenewablesFollow now and never miss an episode.

This week Stewart is joined by Patrick Lammers, CEO of Skyborn Renewables for a podcast recorder at WindEurope's event in Madrid. Most offshore wind developers talk about scaling projects, but Patrick discusses Skyborn's approach: building standardised infrastructure that ensures predictable, repeatable success. In a market dealing with massive, unpredictable projects, Patrick shares how standardisation and a focus on supply chain efficiency make offshore wind more reliable, affordable, and bankable than ever before.This episode dives into Skyborn's unique strategy of developing and owning stakes in wind farms, transforming offshore wind into a production line of projects instead of one-off ventures. Patrick discusses the importance of modular, repeatable turbine designs, the power of end-to-end standardisation, and why a focus on predictable Cadence can drastically cut costs and de-risk investments. You'll discover how Skyborn plans to roll out wind farms every 12 to 18 months with a clear, scalable blueprint — unlocking the potential for rapid, sustainable growth across Europe, Asia, and beyond.We break down:The shift from bespoke projects to a factory-like production model in offshore windHow standardisation reduces costs and delays, making projects more attractive to investors like BlackRock and GIPThe importance of clear project staging, supply chain predictability, and local partnerships in managing riskThe feasibility of applying this model outside Europe, especially in Korea and JapanWhy moving towards commodity-scale turbines and supply chain efficiency is essential for industry survivalGWEC's Offshore Wind Podcast is hosted by Stewart Mullin, GWEC's Chief Industry Officer, and Rebecca Williams, GWEC's Deputy CEO, who leads on all GWEC's Offshore Wind work.The podcast, or 'show' as Stewart still likes to call it, features leading voices from across the sector, whether that is large OEMs, key supply chain manufacturers or political leaders driving policy, to talk about how we can all work together to deliver on offshore wind's enormous potential.Follow Stewart on LinkedIn hereFollow Rebecca on LinkedIn here and Instagram hereFollow GWEC on LinkedIn here and Instagram here

The podcast opens with updates on the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a German state-owned energy company contracting for Canadian West Coast LNG, and the Pope's theological document warning about AI. Next, Peter and Jackie introduce this week's guest, Marc Spieler, Senior Managing Director for the Global Energy Industry at NVIDIA, joining from Houston, Texas, to discuss the latest developments at the intersection of AI and energy. Energy and AI are deeply interlinked. Energy companies are using AI to improve efficiency across oil and gas, renewables, and emerging sources such as next-generation fission and fusion. At the same time, AI's explosive growth is driving significant new electricity demand, requiring a build-out of both generation and grid infrastructure. Predicting future power demand from AI remains uncertain; it depends on the pace of adoption and whether GPUs, along with other delivery components of the digital infrastructure stack, will become more efficient over time. Marc highlights that data centres are becoming more flexible, with the ability to reduce consumption during periods of grid stress. This would allow new data centre capacity to be added without straining the grid, while also lowering costs for all power consumers by improving system utilization during off-peak periods. Content referenced in this podcast: NVIDIA Blog with examples of energy company AI applications: Efficiency at Scale: NVIDIA, Energy Leaders Accelerating Power‑Flexible AI Factories to Fortify the Grid (March 2026) NVIDIA's NeMo Framework was used for asset integrity and reliability at Petrobras (March 2025) NVIDIA's Earth-2 library of open models, libraries, and frameworks that democratize global access to professional-grade weather and climate AI NVIDIA Vera Rubin DSX AI Factory reference design to maximize efficiency (March 2026) NVIDIA and Emerald AI, along with other energy companies, pioneer flexible AI factories (March 2026)  Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence (May 25, 2026) Please review our disclaimer at: https://www.arcenergyinstitute.com/disclaimer/ Check us out on social media: X (Twitter): @arcenergyinstLinkedIn: @ARC Energy Research Institute Subscribe to ARC Energy Ideas PodcastApple PodcastsAmazon MusicSpotify

We are now recording an audio version of written posts that we will upload to Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, which you can listen to by clicking the button the play button above.As the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) Crisis completes its third month and on-again/off-again peace talks drag on, we are starting to see the outlines of various structural themes emerging, and, as importantly, some that are not. Thematically we see the following:* Power Surge! Our Power Surge! super-cycle theme has not only not been knocked off track by the SoH Crisis, but has likely been enhanced based on “the four Ds” of pragmatic energy policy orientation we discuss below. Recently completed 1Q 2026 earnings season shows the AI (artificial intelligence) and broader digital transformation theme is as strong as ever.* Geopolitical Super Vol. Geopolitical Super Vol remains our commodity macro framework, in particular for crude oil prices. Since Russia-Ukraine and through SoH-to-date, we have resisted crude oil super-cycle framings while also, importantly, rejecting perma bear doom-and-gloom. The unforgiving math of global oil demand being forced down to circa 95 million b/d of supply from around 105 million b/d pre-crisis suggests recession is the most likely clearing mechanism rather than a structural increase in long-dated oil prices in the event a significant disruption to flows persists. To be clear, we do see scope for a modest increase in long-end oil on the order of $10/bbl to account for both cost inflation and an increased geopolitical risk premium.* Molecules to markets. In our view, getting molecules to markets is the more pressing strategic imperative for countries than simply trying to find the molecules in the first place. In traditional energy, this puts a premium on well-positioned midstream and downstream assets. In the upstream business, there is always an opportunity to find acreage that is well positioned on the future cost curve. Having a midstream or downstream solution (e.g., LNG) may be an increasing success factor for larger E&P (exploration and production) companies.* New business models > pure-play (for larger companies). The era of extreme pure-play specialization we think will fade, or at least will no longer be the dominant ask of investors. Business model evolution is likely to continue to separate leaders from laggards. Examples we find intriguing include pressure pumpers and midstream companies diversifying into behind-the-meter (BTM) power, US shale gas producers expanding into midstream and potentially LNG, refiners that have grown midstream capabilities, midstream companies that have grown export opportunities, and the expanded commercial trading opportunities that larger companies have pursued. The list is growing.* Brownfield > greenfield (usually). The advantage of doing more from existing assets is something both countries and companies have in common. Brownfield almost always beats greenfield on profitability and speed-to-market, though a best-in-class greenfield project like Guyana oil is the type of exception that exists to the general rule.From an energy policy perspective, the Strait of Hormuz Crisis reveals what we are now calling the four Ds of country-level energy policy aspiration:* Do as much Domestic production as possible;* Diversify energy sources and technologies;* Do more from existing assets; and* embrace Digital transformation and AI.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com.The Four Ds of Pragmatic Energy PolicyThe four Ds are the pragmatic policy implication of country leaders recognizing energy's natural hierarchy of needs (Exhibit 1). On the right side of Exhibit 1, we rank (higher on list is better) resource rich countries and resource challenged areas in terms of federal policy orientation that recognizes energy's natural hierarchy of needs and implementation of the four Ds relative to a given country's strengths and weaknesses.Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates among resource rich regions and China among resource challenged areas we see as having favorable federal energy policy orientations. Laggards are not surprising: Western Europe, California, Canada, and Australia. What KSA, UAE, and China have in common are national leadership that emphasizes the ideas of “all of the above,” maximum (or optimal) output of what you can control, and unapologetic “their own country first” mentalities.Super-Spiked subscribers know we have a very favorable view of Canada's oil and gas potential and the leading companies in the province of Alberta. We had an unfavorable view of the federal energy policies pursued by the prior Trudeau regime, with the jury out on the current Carney administration. On the latter, we appreciate that the rhetoric has improved off a low starting point. The proof will be in the policy implementation pudding.No country should aspire to follow the path of California or Western Europe and their “climate first” ideology (dishonorable mention goes to many states in the US northeast). Sadly, poor energy policy choices made in those areas are going to mean that less fortunate consumers and businesses in developing Asia suffer from being outbid for needed energy like LNG, jet fuel, and diesel during times of stress, as we last saw in the early days of Russia-Ukraine. It has been some time since we have done a deep dive on Australia; our sense would be that it is in the Canada category of having substantial oil and gas resources that the world would massively benefit from, but is being held back by ill-advised climate-first ideology by its national leaders.Exhibit 1: A Hierarchy of Energy Needs & Country Policy Objectives and OrientationSource: Veriten.Doing More From Existing AssetsIn previous issues of Super-Spiked, we have discussed three of the Ds: do as much domestic production as possible, diversify energy sources and technology, and embrace digital transformation and AI. Therefore, in this post we will expand on the “do more from existing assets” theme.* A major advantage the developed world has over China, India, and other developing areas is a large installed base of assets and infrastructure. Prematurely retiring old power plants in the name of “energy transition” and “The Climate Crisis” is the type of 2020-2023 mistake that has hurt competitiveness and affordability in the United States and Western Europe. In power generation, we are intrigued with trying to answer the question of how much new generation from legacy sources (e.g., natural gas, BTM, and traditional nuclear) is needed versus how much new generation technology is needed (e.g., fuel cells, enhanced geothermal, advanced nuclear) versus how much can existing grid utilization be improved via flexible loads and various grid enhancing technologies. How much more can we get from existing is important to how much we need from the other two options.* In crude oil markets, we do not believe there is the urgency to figure out “what's next” from a resource perspective as there was in the 2004-2014 super-cycle. To be clear, this comment is intended at the macro level; individual companies are almost always in need of figuring out what's next. Exploration and capital spending is likely to grow but we do not believe the kind of re-rating that happened during China/BRICs is warranted now. Rather we are most intrigued with what companies are doing to extend asset life (i.e., resource to production ratio) via a combination of technology application, business development, and midstream/downstream investment that can ensure molecules get moved to markets and turned into usable end products. Ironically, the Middle East looks like a compelling upstream opportunity for western oil and gas firms, given improved fiscal terms in certain areas. We have long held a favorable view of Canada (our concerns about its federal energy policies notwithstanding) and Alaska. Recent developments in many Latin American countries warrant a fresh look at the region for western players.* The largest areas that seem ripe to “do more from existing” include US shale oil, US shale gas, Middle East oil, Canada's oil sands, Venezuela oil, and developed market power grids.Growth and opportunityThe five areas of energy where we are most confident in growth include:* US and global power generation* Midstream and downstream infrastructure for crude oil and various metals and minerals* Grid enhancing technologies* US and global natural gas* Renewables and storageThe long-term opportunity to grow nuclear power is going to prove to be compelling for many countries, justifying the required patience in terms of time to development. Nuclear is the ultimate baseload, domestic, clean energy source.We remain open-minded about emerging and new energy technologies. We are seeing current growth in fuel cells and optimism about enhanced geothermal on the power generation side of the business. The SoH Crisis will accelerate adoption of electric vehicles and LNG trucks in particular in oil importing countries for diversification and affordability reasons.The success of new business models should diminish investor and activist demand for pure-playsThere is a misperception that investors prefer pure-plays or that investors only want more dividends and stock buybacks. Investors prefer companies that generate superior profitability with differentiated growth. Both are needed to sustainably outperform: profitability AND growth.The challenge in mature, cyclical sectors is that corporate over-enthusiasm for growth usually erodes profitability to the point where investors demand a disavowal of growth in favor of profitability and returning capital to shareholders. To be sure, if structural demand growth for a given commodity is something like 1%-2% per year, the expected growth rates for the largest companies within that sector is unlikely to be any more than +/- 1%-2% of the broader demand trajectory.As businesses mature and growth slows, the demand by investors to focus on sub-parts of the business often increases in order to enhance the combination of per share growth and profitability for a particular business segment. The post-2014 oil super-cycle bust and growth in U.S. shale turbocharged the demand for pure-plays, especially within the traditional oil & gas value chains. Certain pure-play shale oil producers, midstream companies, and refiners in fact performed exceptionally well.Power is clearly in a super-cycle and traditional oil and gas is operating with a Geopolitical Super Vol macro backdrop (a dramatic improvement from the post super-cycle bust phase of 2015-2020) and business opportunities abounding in the different product lines and geographies.SoH Crisis FAQQuestion 1: Has an oil super-cycle begun?Answer: No. Our core view remains Geopolitical Super Vol, not super-cycle.Q2: Have the odds of “peak oil demand” increased?A: No, we don't think so. However, we are concerned that if the Strait remains significantly disrupted that the painful adjustment down in global oil demand could mean that we spend a good part of the remainder of this decade recovering back to pre-crisis demand levels as incremental supply is brought online. In our view, the timing of a more permanent peak in oil demand is unknowable so long as the other seven billion people on Earth continue to use only a fraction of the energy The Lucky 1 Billion of Us take for granted.Q3: Isn't AI and the resulting power demand growth forecasts a bubble waiting to pop?A: No or, perhaps more accurately, not at this time. The fact that numerous stock markets like the U.S. (S&P 500), Japan (NIKKEI), and South Korea (KOSPI) are at or near all-time highs may indeed reflect complacency with the risk of global recession due to the ongoing SoH Crisis. We would differentiate stock market complacency with an AI bubble. We see it in the areas where we spend a lot of time: digital transformation and the application of AI is a game changer for numerous businesses. The stock market may well experience a major correction if the world tips into recession. Whatever short-term setback that might mean for near-term power generation we think would be akin to the Great Financial Crisis hit to oil demand in the middle of the China/BRICs super-cycle of 2004-2014, i.e., it was temporary.Q4: Don't investors prefer “pure-plays” over diversified companies? A: That view is missing our point. Investors prefer companies with competitive profitability and differentiated growth opportunities. The demand for “pure-plays” typically is the result of a mature sector experiencing a structural downcycle and investors being disappointed on both profitability and growth. And for sure, some companies should remain as pure-plays. The larger a company's market capitalization and overall size, the less we think a pure-play business model makes sense, be it basin or geography or asset type or business line. For small-caps and new technologies, the pure-play business model is often logical.Q5: So E&Ps will merge with refiners?A: No, we aren't expecting that type of integration or diversification. A future “integrated E&P” likely means some combination of midstream and commercial exposure as opposed to a historical upstream-refining mix, as an example.⚡️On A Personal Note: Work Hard. Golf Hard.It's been a great three-week stretch of Spring golf ramp-up. 8 rounds in 5 days in and around Troon, Scotland the first week of May and then our NJ club's flagship member-member Governor's Trophy tournament over Memorial Day weekend featuring 45 holes of match play over 2 days. Day 2 of Governor's featured a good Scottish cold snap of low 50s weather and a light drizzle. Glad my rain pants got more work in and happy to be in sunny Houston as I finish writing this.At Governor's you can always see the short-game comfort from the returning Florida crowd versus those that stayed north over what is typically a 4-5 month winter hiatus. I failed to take advantage of part-time Houston residency this past winter and my partner and I didn't win our flight for the first time since 2021. Five 3 puts—FIVE!!!—from yours truly in Round 2 and two more missed make-able putts in Round 3 were seven half-point giveaways we did not overcome. Based on my accounting, my partner cost us only 2 points versus my 3.5, so the disappointing performance is on me. I'll need a stricter winter routine next year.I will say the Scotland golf intensity helped stamina at Governor's. The intensity and deliberate pace of hole-by-hole match play is usually mentally and physically draining. I didn't feel that this year. For future reference: I need to play 36 more often! It forces an easier swing. It improves mental resilience. Seems better than a cold plunge.Does a high level of golf intensity make you a better energy equity analyst, advisor, or board member? For sure it does. There is no question about this. Are we advising our companies to settle for mediocrity? That an 8% return on capital is good enough? That sector average TSR is fine? Of course not.Work Hard. Golf Hard.A Lot of Great Golf In Scotland: Western Gailes Near The Top Of My ListSource: Super-Spiked selfie.The Calm Before The Governor's Trophy StormSource: Super-Spiked.⚖️ DisclaimerI certify that these are my personal, strongly held views at the time of this post. My views are my own and not attributable to any affiliation, past or present. This is not an investment newsletter and there is no financial advice explicitly or implicitly provided here. My views can and will change in the future as warranted by updated analyses and developments. Some of my comments are made in jest for entertainment purposes; I sincerely mean no offense to anyone that takes issue.Subscribe to Super-Spiked to receive all content via email. Also available on https://veriten.com. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit arjunmurti.substack.com

Todd Royal, Author, BP Capital Advisors, stops by the Energy News Beat PodcastTodd Royal is an author, a true Nuclear expert, and a great friend of the Energy News Beat Podcast. I had an absolute blast visiting with Todd, and we covered a lot of great topics. Being in the rapital raising business for nuclear is an outstanding part of our Energy Dominance requirements. We need modular nuclear, mines, and critical minerals.Todd is an outstanding energy resource and industry leader. I recommend connecting with him https://www.linkedin.com/in/172466/1. Nuclear Power as the Solution to Energy DemandThe hosts emphasize nuclear energy as the most viable solution to meet growing electricity demands, particularly for AI data centers. They highlight nuclear's exceptional capacity factor (95%+), reliability, and ability to run continuously—far superior to renewables. The discussion includes the reopening of Three Mile Island and the potential to restart 20 of the 94 U.S. reactors.2. AI Data Centers and Power RequirementsA significant focus on the massive electricity demands of AI data centers and the challenges they create. The conversation explores the tension between needing this infrastructure and concerns about farmland usage, grid strain, and rising electricity costs. They discuss potential solutions like revenue-sharing models similar to oil royalties.3. Climate Policy and “Climate Orthodoxy”The speakers critique what they call “climate orthodoxy”—the ideological push for renewables and net-zero policies that they argue have harmed economies. They discuss how Democratic-led states have higher electricity costs (38% higher) and how climate policies have destroyed economies in Europe, California, and other regions.4. Renewables vs. Nuclear EconomicsA detailed comparison of levelized costs of electricity (LCOE) and total cost of electricity, arguing that renewables require expensive backup systems and storage. They propose that $10 trillion spent on wind and solar could have built 2,000 nuclear reactors instead, providing clean, reliable baseload power.5. Energy Security and GeopoliticsDiscussion of global energy security, including LNG exports, the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's energy crisis. They argue that energy dominance and security should start at home through reliable domestic power generation.6. Regulatory and Political BarriersThe hosts contend that the real obstacles to nuclear expansion aren't technical or financial, but political—including the NRC's historical anti-nuclear stance, environmental regulations, and permitting delays that make projects expensive and slow.7. Climate Science SkepticismThey challenge mainstream climate narratives, citing scientists like Roger Pielke Jr. and Judith Curry, and reference the UN's recent acknowledgment that climate change may not be as catastrophic as previously claimed. They discuss data manipulation allegations and the RCP 8.5 climate model controversy.8. Economic Impact of Energy PolicyThe conversation ties energy costs to broader economic issues like inflation, housing shortages, and manufacturing costs. They argue that cheap, abundant nuclear power could reduce inflation and boost economic growth.9. Data Center Backlash and OppositionDiscussion of organized opposition to data centers funded by billionaires and NGOs, which has halted $152 billion in economic activity. They explore the need for better communication and compromise between tech companies and local communities.10. Policy SolutionsRecommendations include passing the SAVE Act, implementing revenue-sharing agreements for data centers, building power plants dedicated to data centers, and reforming carbon markets and subsidies.The podcast presents a pro-nuclear, skeptical-of-renewables perspective on energy policy and its economic implications.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/

We need to triple global energy production by 2050. Renewables are scaling fast, but the real wild card that could change everything might just be fusion. The physics and engineering are closer than ever, but there's a critical materials problem standing between us and unlimited clean energy.This week on Everybody in the Pool, Molly speaks with Dr. John Elling, a Los Alamos chemist turned serial entrepreneur who's working on a solution that he believes will change the world. Both fusion and next-generation fission reactors rely on enriched lithium isotopes, and existing enrichment methods are slow, expensive, and require massive facilities. Dr. Elling's company, Molten Salt Solutions, is developing a simpler, cheaper process and building the US's first commercial production facility for enriched lithium — the ingredient that could determine whether fusion energy ever actually reaches the grid.We talk about:The big problem facing both fusion and advanced fission right now: the unmet demand for fuelA refresher on the science behind enriched lithium and nuclear energyThe world's growing energy demands, and why fusion will help us meet the 3x demand we'll face by 2050Why the US dismantled its only enrichment facility and why Russia currently holds the only meaningful supplyHow Molten Salt Solutions' mercury-free, scalable process differs from how governments did it during the nuclear weapons eraThe race to supply fusion developers with material they need now, before commercial reactors even existWhy the current administration's push to reduce regulatory barriers for small modular reactors is accelerating demand for lithium-7John's case for why fusion is the final frontier of humanity's energy evolutionLinks:Molten Salt Solutions: https://www.moltensaltsolutions.com/All episodes: https://www.everybodyinthepool.com/Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/2EsDhwQC2zSubscribe to the Everybody in the Pool newsletter: https://www.mollywood.co/Become a member for the ad-free version of the show (and support future field trips): https://everybodyinthepool.supercast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australians have had a rough few years when it comes to power bills, with the war in Ukraine helping send global energy prices soaring. But now, despite ongoing conflict overseas, electricity prices are finally set to fall for homes and businesses. Today, ABC energy reporter Dan Mercer on the battery boom driving down prices and whether more bill relief is on the horizon.Featured: Dan Mercer, ABC energy reporter

Host Russell Reading speaks with Craig Konz, Renewable Energy Carbon Advisory Manager from Schneider Electric about the emerging practice of adding battery storage to virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs). They cover financial and non-financial benefits including risk reduction, accounting effects, grid stability and potential revenue streams, as well as common deal structures seen in the U.S. and Europe. The conversation also explores developer perspectives, revenue-sharing models, forecasting challenges as storage proliferates, and a call for creative, win-win offers that evolve with markets and support grid resilience.  

Three years ago, the best price for a ready-to-build solar project in Spain was €200,000 per megawatt — today it is €50,000. Batteries have moved the opposite way, with ready-to-build prices climbing to around €100,000 per megawatt and a 30GW pipeline now stacking up behind them.Ed Porter sits down with Carmen Izquierdo Serrano, founder of nTeaser, the renewable energy marketplace where many of Spain's BESS, solar, and co-located deals are transacting, to unpack what those numbers actually mean for investors entering the Spanish power market and how the post-blackout urgency, and bottlenecks in financing and labour will shape who wins the next phase of Spain's energy transitionThey cover:Why Spanish solar ready-to-build prices have collapsed from €200,000 to €50,000 per megawatt while battery prices have climbed to ~€100,000 per megawatt in the space of three yearsHow the 30GW Spain BESS pipeline stacks up against the ~3.5GW expected to be operating by 2030, and why Carmen thinks that operating-asset forecast is conservativeWhere the real bottleneck is for delivery - not developers or permits, but bank financing and the skilled labour needed to construct the projectsWhy Italy's BESS market has slowed after the first MACSE auction while Spain has accelerated, and what that means for capital allocation across Southern Europe.How buyer expectations on arbitrage revenues are likely to be cannibalised as more batteries enter the market, and which revenue streams banks will actually finance againstWant to go deeper on Spanish BESS revenues? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, can walk you through asset-specific forecasts: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=carmen_izquierdo&utm_content=ko_signupChapters:0:00 - Spain solar prices crashed from €200K to €50K per MW1:10 - Why the Spain BESS market is misunderstood2:35 - Spain's 30GW battery storage pipeline explained3:25 - Inside nTeaser: Spain's renewable energy M&A platform5:00 - Is the 3.5GW Spain battery forecast for 2030 too low?7:50 - Spain BESS bottlenecks: bank financing and labour10:00 - Who is buying Spanish battery projects in 202612:50 - Spain vs Italy BESS: the MACSE auction setback15:00 - Data centres and behind-the-meter co-location in Spain18:00 - When Spain battery projects become bankable19:30 - Spain capacity market timing and revenue impact20:30 - BESS arbitrage cannibalisation and revenue stacking21:45 - Poland, Romania, and BESS expansion across Europe23:30 - How nTeaser is changing European renewables M&ATransmission is a Modo Energy podcast hosted by Ed Porter, Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

Three years ago, the best price for a ready-to-build solar project in Spain was €200,000 per megawatt — today it is €50,000. Batteries have moved the opposite way, with ready-to-build prices climbing to around €100,000 per megawatt and a 30GW pipeline now stacking up behind them.Ed Porter sits down with Carmen Izquierdo Serrano, founder of nTeaser, the renewable energy marketplace where many of Spain's BESS, solar, and co-located deals are transacting, to unpack what those numbers actually mean for investors entering the Spanish power market and how the post-blackout urgency, and bottlenecks in financing and labour will shape who wins the next phase of Spain's energy transitionThey cover:Why Spanish solar ready-to-build prices have collapsed from €200,000 to €50,000 per megawatt while battery prices have climbed to ~€100,000 per megawatt in the space of three yearsHow the 30GW Spain BESS pipeline stacks up against the ~3.5GW expected to be operating by 2030, and why Carmen thinks that operating-asset forecast is conservativeWhere the real bottleneck is for delivery - not developers or permits, but bank financing and the skilled labour needed to construct the projectsWhy Italy's BESS market has slowed after the first MACSE auction while Spain has accelerated, and what that means for capital allocation across Southern Europe.How buyer expectations on arbitrage revenues are likely to be cannibalised as more batteries enter the market, and which revenue streams banks will actually finance againstWant to go deeper on Spanish BESS revenues? Ko, Modo Energy's AI analyst, can walk you through asset-specific forecasts: https://modoenergy.com/sign-up?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=carmen_izquierdo&utm_content=ko_signupChapters:0:00 - Spain solar prices crashed from €200K to €50K per MW1:10 - Why the Spain BESS market is misunderstood2:35 - Spain's 30GW battery storage pipeline explained3:25 - Inside nTeaser: Spain's renewable energy M&A platform5:00 - Is the 3.5GW Spain battery forecast for 2030 too low?7:50 - Spain BESS bottlenecks: bank financing and labour10:00 - Who is buying Spanish battery projects in 202612:50 - Spain vs Italy BESS: the MACSE auction setback15:00 - Data centres and behind-the-meter co-location in Spain18:00 - When Spain battery projects become bankable19:30 - Spain capacity market timing and revenue impact20:30 - BESS arbitrage cannibalisation and revenue stacking21:45 - Poland, Romania, and BESS expansion across Europe23:30 - How nTeaser is changing European renewables M&ATransmission is a Modo Energy podcast hosted by Ed Porter, Director EMEA & APAC at Modo Energy.

Nightlife News Breakdown with Philip Clark, joined by Quentin Dempster AM, award winning journalist, author and former host of ABC's Stateline. 

Wind turbines, pig manure, people power – and one radical idea. Feldheim may look like an ordinary farming village, but it's become world famous for its unique energy system, where residents pay far less for power than most Europeans. So what can the rest of the world learn from the German village that decided to go it alone?

Terry Adair argues the Fermi Paradox has an energy answer. Advanced civilizations require photosynthesis, fossil fuels, and a brutal timeline. We might be alone because the requirements are impossibly rare.The thesis: We got here because of coal, oil, and gas. No civilization reaches our level without hundreds of millions of years of photosynthesis creating stored solar energy. Took 2 billion years to develop, then had to run long enough to create forests that became coal, phytoplankton that became oil.Without photosynthesis, planets never develop complex life. Not enough energy. Uranium can't fuel biology—destroys organic molecules. Only ongoing energy source: sunlight captured through photosynthesis.Cambrian explosion happened because genetics had surplus energy to experiment. Intelligence isn't evolution's goal—DNA only wants to reproduce. Human brain: 2% of body mass, 20% of resting energy. Super expensive. Without advantage, intelligence never evolves.Fossil fuels aren't optional. Can't reach our tech level without them. Renewables can't bootstrap industrial revolution. Nuclear requires already-advanced civilization. Energy ladder is fixed.Fermi answer: Most planets never develop photosynthesis. Those that do might not run it long enough. Those that do might not have accessible fossil fuels when intelligence emerges. Energy filter is brutal.

Pakistan's booming rooftop solar "shadow grid" has quietly grown larger than the country's official grid, saving billions while slashing fossil fuel imports. They also look at the staggering costs of keeping aging coal plants alive in the U.S., including millions spent just to maintain shutdown-ready facilities. Plus: a groundbreaking Inuit-owned hydro project replacing diesel power in the Arctic, bats vs. wind turbines, EV sales exploding in Canada, China's battery charging buildout, and why hailstorms are becoming a major challenge for solar farms. Support The Clean Energy Show on Patreon for exciting perks including a monthly bonus podcast, early access to our content, behind the scenes looks, access to our members-only Discord community and thank-yous in the credits of videos and shoutouts on our podcast! Starting at just $1 per month! Topics this week include: Pakistan's massive solar "shadow grid" now bigger than the official grid - end of show! Trump-era coal plant extensions costing hundreds of millions Coal pollution reducing global solar output Inuit-owned hydro project cuts Arctic diesel use by 80% Researchers study how bats interact with wind turbines OPEC instability and what oil prices mean for the energy transition DOJ investigates emissions-tuning car app data BYD rapidly expanding ultra-fast charging stations Denmark hits nearly 82% EV sales Texas adding 12.9 GW of grid batteries this year Renewables overtake natural gas on the U.S. grid for the first time Hailstorms become the top cause of solar insurance losses XPeng predicts Level 5 self-driving by 2030 The Lightning Round covers drone strikes on nuclear infrastructure, floating solar over manure lagoons, sodium batteries, Ukraine targeting Russian oil infrastructure, and more. Contact Us cleanenergyshow@gmail.com or leave us an online voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/clean Support The Clean Energy Show Join the Clean Club on our Patreon Page to receive perks for supporting the podcast and our planet! Our PayPal Donate Page offers one-time or regular donations. Store Visit The Clean Energy Show Store for T-shirts, hats, and more!. Copyright 2026 Sneeze Media.

Host Joe DeMare talks about the history of disinformation around nuclear power, and efforts to counter the overwhelming corporate and government propaganda pushing nukes right now. He also describes his experiences testifying against Ohio Senate Bill 294 which would outlaw all new wind and solar development. Rebecca Wood talks about faux environmental opposition to a proposed solar farm in Toledo. Ecological News includes solar passing coal in Texas, how solar fields improve the land, and New Zealand's plan to eliminate all invasive predators. #nuclear #antinuclear #Solar #NewZealand #HB6

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The war in the Middle East has put energy security back at the top of Europe's political agenda. For many, it brings back uncomfortable memories of 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that forced governments to scramble for solutions. But this time, something is different. In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte speaks with Alex Blackburne, senior reporter at S&P Global Energy, who recently sat down with Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, CEO of Portugal's EDP — one of Europe's largest utilities and a major player in renewable energy. Stilwell d'Andrade explains why Europe's power system is more resilient now than it was four years ago, driven by the region's massive expansion of wind, solar and storage. But progress hasn't been uniform, and the EDP CEO argues that consistent policy execution, as opposed to new measures, is what Europe needs most to secure its energy independence.

The war in the Middle East has put energy security back at the top of Europe's political agenda. For many, it brings back uncomfortable memories of 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered an energy crisis that forced governments to scramble for solutions. But this time, something is different. In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte speaks with Alex Blackburne, senior reporter at S&P Global Energy, who recently sat down with Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, CEO of Portugal's EDP — one of Europe's largest utilities and a major player in renewable energy. Stilwell d'Andrade explains why Europe's power system is more resilient now than it was four years ago, driven by the region's massive expansion of wind, solar and storage. But progress hasn't been uniform, and the EDP CEO argues that consistent policy execution, as opposed to new measures, is what Europe needs most to secure its energy independence.

The power system is aging and poorly equipped to handle the rapid, large-scale shift toward renewables. According to Philipp Schröder, CEO of 1KOMMA5°, the real solutions lie “behind the meter.”  Gerard and Laurent sit down with Schröder to unpack what it will take to unlock the so-called “Behind the Meter” revolution.  Schröder is among a small group of European founders aiming to build a vertically integrated, consumer-focused clean energy company—something akin to a European hybrid of Tesla Energy and Sunrun. His approach combines hardware (such as solar PV systems, home batteries, heat pumps, and EV chargers), installation networks, intelligent software (including IoT-driven energy management like “Heartbeat”), and active participation in energy markets.  Software is becoming increasingly critical. Grid management and pricing systems remain outdated and inefficient, especially in Germany, where reform has been slow due to entrenched interests and the slow deployment of smart meters. By contrast, countries like Sweden are already moving ahead with more modern approaches.  The company's growth appears to validate this strategy. 1KOMMA5° now employs over 3,000 people, is approaching EUR1 billion in annual revenue, and has raised EUR400 million from investors including Eurazeo, CalSTRS, and several prominent family offices.  Key questions remain: How does Schröder position 1KOMMA5° against competitors like Octopus, Enpal, Base, and Thermondo? Is he building the next kind of utility—or deliberately staying outside that model? And how does he navigate policy challenges, particularly when engaging with energy leaders in Germany who remain supportive of fossil fuels?  A fascinating conversation with a formidable entrepreneur who gives back literally “Power to the People”.

We built this city on rock n roll! And cheap oil. And it's currently running out… so what happens now? This week I chat with Nathan Surendran to get a foothold on the fossil fuel crisis (which is the Everything Crisis) and how we can keep our balance, together. Nathan is a systems thinker, recovering engineer, energy and security analyst, policy advisor, author of the Energy and Resilience substack and chair of the Wise Response society. He is also seriously kind, and provides so much practical, empowering advice in this convo, including:Moving far far away from civilisationThe unsustainability of citiesNeurodivergence leading to deep researchThe Energy Elephant in the room: WHAT AREN'T WE SEEINGWhy oil (diesel) is the lifeblood of industrial societyDrawing down ancient sunlight 1 million times faster than it's being rechargedEvery calorie of food takes 10 calories of fossil fuels, oofThe Iran WarWhy we can't just switch to renewablesRight relationship with renewablesWhat are baseline standards of living?Household appliance heroes for the energy descentWhat is Energy Blindness?Emotionally processing peak oilOne barrel of oil = 5 years of human labour (!)Are we being gaslit about the situation in the strait?The industrial system schools us to comply, not thinkWhy the rich aren't as protected as they might thinkLess affluent people are ahead of the gameWhat is mutual aid?Un-pathologising co-dependenceMaori concepts of community careWhy we need danger from a mental health perspective

How is the ongoing Middle East conflict reshaping the global economy, energy markets, and the tech sector? In this episode of the BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech Podcast, Jeremy Au sits down with Kristie Neo, PitchBook's newly appointed Asia Editor, to unpack the macroeconomic shockwaves hitting Southeast Asia and the Gulf. From surging oil prices and the fuel emergency in the Philippines to the sudden acceleration in green energy and defense tech investments across Singapore and the UAE, we cover what founders and investors need to know to navigate this crisis. Tune in for deep-dive insights on venture capital shifts, global capital flight, the resilience of safe-haven economies, and why times of conflict often forge the strongest technological innovations. 00:00 - Introduction & PitchBook's APAC Expansion 03:10 - The Middle East Crisis & Macro Impacts 06:45 - How the Conflict Affects UAE Venture Capital 09:30 - Inflation, Supply Chains & Asia's Energy Security 12:28 - Surging Demand for Renewables & Nuclear Power 15:28 - Tech Capital, LPs, & Diversification out of the Gulf 22:48 - The Rise of Defense Tech in Singapore & Israel Parallels Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/kristie-neo-global-energy-crisis Get transcripts, startup resources & community discussions at https://www.bravesea.com WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakR55X6BIElUEvkN02e TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jeremyau Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyauz Twitter X : https://x.com/jeremyau LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bravesea English: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Bahasa Indonesia: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts Chinese: Spotify | YouTube | Apple Podcasts #Singapore #TechNews #StartupNews #Business #Podcast #southeastasia #techpodcast

Brenda Shaffer discusses her Wall Street Journal piece arguing that current renewable-driven policies undermine energy security by making Western systems less reliable, more expensive, and dependent on concentrated supply chains, often tied to China. She says maritime security failures (Red Sea, Russia-Ukraine, Strait disruptions) show poor preparation, and argues fossil fuels still dominate the global energy mix (87%) despite decades of subsidies, while wind/solar remain limited and require backup baseload. She criticizes restricting fossil-fuel finance, especially in Africa, for worsening energy access and development. Shaffer claims UN climate institutions are political, seek taxation power withouBt representation, and that climate movements often oppose both fossil fuels and nuclear. She highlights Germany's costly energy transition, emphasizes operational energy in warfare, and calls to restore energy security as national security and enable open debate.00:00 Renewables and Crisis00:57 Energy Security Failures03:04 Emperor New Clothes05:36 China and Methane Politics10:32 Climate Narratives vs Reality12:33 Myths of Transition16:26 Cutting Supply Hurts Poor19:50 Africa Needs Real Power26:36 Germany Energiewende Fallout29:21 Climate Activism and Anti West30:33 Hydrocarbon Roadmap Skepticism31:19 UN Climate Taxes and Power Grabs33:18 Transparency and Budget Secrecy34:39 Trump Era Workarounds and Lawfare38:08 Gatekeepers and Speaking Freely39:13 Languages and Middle East Shifts44:07 Operational Energy in Warfare47:53 Military Electrification Limits51:52 IPCC Politics and Carbon Markets55:27 Extreme Weather Narratives58:01 Energy Realism Closing Messagehttps://x.com/ProfBShaffer=========Slides, summaries, references, and transcripts of my podcasts: https://tomn.substack.com/p/podcast-summariesMy Linktree: https://linktr.ee/tomanelson1

What happens after a country's electricity infrastructure is destroyed by war? Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Turkish conglomerate Karadeniz Holding had an innovative idea: if ships could be retrofitted as floating power plants, they could be quickly deployed to countries in crisis, then moved elsewhere again when needed.  Gökçe Günel returns to the Land and Climate Podcast to discuss her latest book, which uses the history of ‘powerships' and their operations in Ghana to analyse the unexpected ways that geopolitics, business and conflict shape energy systems, and to question the concept of a linear energy transition.  Gökçe Günel is Associate Professor in Anthropology at Rice University. Her 2019 book “Spaceship in the Desert: Energy, Climate Change and Urban Design in Abu Dhabi” explored Masdar City project - discussed in our previous episode here. Her new book, “Floating Power: Energy, Infrastructure, and South-South Relations,” published by Duke University Press, is available to purchase here. Further reading:  ‘Energy accumulates: Ghana shows that the “energy transition” is more myth than fact', Land & Climate Review, 2026  ‘Cin Fikir: Infrastructure, War and Progress', Against Catastrophe, 2025 ‘Leapfrogging to Solar', South Atlantic Quarterly, 2021 ‘Energy Accumulation', e-flux Architecture, 2020,   Spaceship in the Desert: Energy, Climate Change, and Urban Design in Abu Dhabi, 2019 Send us Fan MailClick here for our website to read all our most recent Land and Climate Review features and pieces.

Nick Martocci, founder of Technical Training Academy in Las Vegas, joins to discuss expanding from wind technician training to other energy technologies and career pathways for veterans in energy. Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us! Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining Light on Wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow. Allen Hall: Nick, welcome back to the program. We’re Tower Trading Academy. Now your technical trading Academy since we last spoke and we last spoke at OM and S in Nashville. Yep. Now we’re here in Orlando. A lot’s changed over the last year.  Nick Martocci: We went through a lot of growth and changes, if you will, to the point where, because I added the program from just wind turbine technician to battery energy storage technician as well. And obviously like always I’ve got something brewing behind the green curtain. Right, right. Uh, we’re, we’re always doing something and adding and changing training. And what we really did is get to a place where we’re getting really technical with some of the things that we’re doing. And what I did want to [00:01:00] do is rebrand, go through all of the, you know, uh, marketing and pieces again, and try to change things. And so I tried to find what was the most simplistic, easy pivot, but also kept us out in the people’s eye. Yeah. And we went to Technical Training Academy. So we really didn’t have to do a whole heavy rebrand. We didn’t have to change a lot, but those that are already working with us, it was just letting them know, Hey, we are still Legally Tower Training Academy. Even the Department of Labor recognizes that, uh, we just have a DBA in place and the DBA doing business as, uh, allows us to now really open that up as far as what are we capable of doing when it comes to. Deliverables for, you know, people in energy and those types of security places.  Allen Hall: Well, I’ve been watching your shorts. I, they’re on YouTube or on LinkedIn. They’re really good. The little clips about what you [00:02:00] guys are up to, they’re excellent. And the, what I follow, because I, I met you several times, it was just kind of cool to follow the progression there. The state of Nevada has recognized you. There’s a lot of, uh, congratulatory, uh, events that are happening and like, all right, Hey, Nick’s making this thing happen because it’s so hard to be in that training business. Mm-hmm. To get to where you have brought that whole company. Two is all right. This, this is a, this is a good spot.  Nick Martocci: Yeah. Uh, you’re  Allen Hall: making some progress  Nick Martocci: there. We had Susie Lee’s office last year help us announce the Battery Energy Storage Program, so there was a congressional recognition there as well. Uh, we’ve also been working with other local politicians and things of that nature to be able to showcase some of the things that not just TTA is doing, but veterans and energy. Because of my partnership with Project Vanguard, I am a state, uh, representative [00:03:00] for Project Vanguard in the state of Nevada. So it’s another piece of also being able to showcase, hey, this is not just what TTA is doing, but what are veterans doing in energy? And I want to be able to not only highlight, you know, obviously TTA, but those pieces as well. And whatever you state, you know, the veteran pieces, obviously legislators will listen, if that makes sense. That when you start saying, Hey, a veteran is speaking legislation. We’ll quiet down for a second to see, hey, what is this rumble that you guys are creating? And they start to see what we’re doing and they wanna be a part of that. Allen Hall: Well, I think that’s wonderful. And all the effort and time that you put towards veterans and veteran efforts. Mm-hmm. Thank you so much for doing that. You’re a veteran, you’re a helicopter pilot, you served Yep. Uh, for a number of years. That’s a difficult job. I, you know, obviously the US is involved in some activity at the moment, but. You know, shout out to all the veterans out there, [00:04:00] obviously. And, and there’s a lot of ’em in renewable energy right now.  Nick Martocci: Well, I mean, not just renewables, but energy, period. ’cause I, I speak to a lot of veterans throughout my downtime, if you’ll say I have that. And you know, the, there’s people that are PMs, program project managers, there are folks that are doing logistics, warehouse hr, and seeing that movement migration. Of transitioning individuals from active duty, even some folks that are in my program that are in the guard and now getting into a position where, hey, you know, I’m a technician. I’m in energy. Whether they’re a wind turbine tech, they’re in battery, solar, hydro, what have you. Uh, there are quite a number of veterans in the energy market and industry. Allen Hall: So if you’re a veteran right now or just exiting, uh, the military. I, I think a lot of opportunity is there. They may not [00:05:00] realize. Mm-hmm. Uh, so getting trained up is a lot easier than it used to be. I remember years ago, I think I, we knew people that came outta the military and, and they were just sort of tossed out the door and had to go find things for themselves. There’s a lot more resources now I would Right. I it feel like than there were even a couple of years ago. And it’s people like you that are kind of bridging that gap for the military to, to get people onboard, to get people trained, to get ’em out in. And doing work in the civilian world, that’s huge.  Nick Martocci: Yeah. There’s so many leadership traits and skills that veterans already bring to the table. It’s a matter of taking some of those skills that maybe they, you know, worked in motor T and uh, and the motor pools, and they were turning wrenches and fixing, you know, Humvees and other, you know, mechanical vehicles, or they were. Um, A and p, so airframe and power plant for, uh, aviation and things of that nature. Sure. So now they understand these different types of systems. Already it’s a matter of, oh, how, [00:06:00] how do I transition this over to wind? How do I transition this over to solar? How do I transition this to battery and such? And then be able to pick that up? It, it, it makes it easier for them because of the familiarity, if you will. To be able to say, Hey, this is very similar to that. All I gotta do is change this information here and now I’m good to go.  Allen Hall: Right. And Project Vanguard’s helping with that a a great deal.  Nick Martocci: Oh yeah. You talked about Project Vanguard, if you don’t know what that is, so Project Vanguard is an initiative to help veterans get into renewable energy careers, utilizing the network that we already have because. Um, America’s energy is our security as well, and so who better to help take care of the nation’s security of energy than veterans who have already been doing it. And so being able to help individuals, like I said, not always be a technician. Maybe they wanna be able to get into, uh, program or project management. Maybe they want to get into hr. And by utilizing the [00:07:00] vast network that Project Vanguard has, it, it gives them that ease of entrance and access that maybe they didn’t have before.  Allen Hall: Well, that’s the key. Finding out where those opportunities lie, and it’s hard to do that on your own. Right. Reaching out for some help is the right answer, I think all the time. And every, especially now, uh, there’s a lot of, uh, military focused companies that, like technical training Academy that are bridging that gap and, and absolutely. That’s fantastic. Now, the amount of training you’re doing on site is impressive and you’re, you’re growing. You’re into Best now, and you’re into more, more and more training, doing some OSHA training. So there’s a lot of resources available and the website’s been updated. Right. And I think a lot of people are, go to the website, just Google it. You can get there. But the offerings are getting more expansive. The, the technical details are getting deeper into the aspects of all parts of the industry,  Nick Martocci: right? We’ve worked with, uh, a few entities, uh, to name Drop Ner [00:08:00] and um, destructible. They’ve donated quite a bit of different pieces for our training programs, for blades, for brake systems and things of that nature. For us to be able to take our program to that next level and actually put what technicians are going to be putting their hands on in our training places rather than something as simple as a, uh, like an theory plate piece and actually putting something that a manufacturer is building for these entities. And saying, Hey, here, this is the exact same thing you’re gonna see, uh, they donated a, a unit that goes to a GE one X, but you know, if you go out to a four X, it’s gonna be the same thing, just a little bigger.  Allen Hall: Bigger. Right,  Nick Martocci: right. And, and so it, it makes it so that it goes from serious hands-on theory to, oh, I’ve seen something just like this, but it was a little smaller. This is just bigger. I get it. Same thing. And so with destructible being able to make those donations for blades and other pieces. Uh, we’re putting together a LPS program, lightning [00:09:00] Protection Systems. Oh,  Allen Hall: good.  Nick Martocci: And so that’s something That’s awesome. Yeah, it’s something that, it’s a  Allen Hall: lightning protection company. That’s fantastic.  Nick Martocci: You know, uh, there’s a lot of stuff coming down the pipe for all of those additional pieces. We, we even revamped our whole website when we did the name change back in July, and it allows people to be able to go in and see all those pieces that we’re doing. One of the things is we became a Sprat facility, so being able to do rope access, especially when it comes to those offshore technicians and things of that nature. So we’re gonna be able to. Help out the wind industry with a lot more of those pieces that they’re looking for. Uh, like I said, the rope access, they’re definitely gonna need, uh, for offshore and things of that nature. Uh, being able to do LPS training, there’s so many other pieces. I’m gonna try not to reveal that we’re working on that are in addition to just the apprenticeship program, but okay. Somebody went out to the field, I want to get a certification in. Become better SME in this piece and start putting building blocks into people’s [00:10:00]careers.  Allen Hall: Well, that’s the key, right? It it’s the industry’s grown to be more SMEs being on site.  Nick Martocci: Yep.  Allen Hall: And there you have your gearbox people, you have your electrical, diagnosing, debugging people that are out there. And I think as the industry evolves, we’re gonna have more subject matter experts on sites. Mm-hmm. Doing LPS systems, doing gear boxes, handling some of the electrical things that are happening, even in blades and blade repair. They’re becoming more of subject matter experts. ’cause you have people that, that’s what they do. They are the expert in fixing this particular kind of blade problem. And they make a great living doing that.  Nick Martocci: And uh, one of the other things that we’re doing is the complimentary training. Right. And what I mean by that is I’ve partnered with, uh, CSN  Allen Hall: Oh Good  Nick Martocci: College of Southern Nevada. Uh, I’m also partnering with some other universities and working on those pieces because I understand that technicians, as they grow in this industry, they want to be able to do other [00:11:00] things, whether that be be a pm, be an engineer. They want to be able to go and get that piece. And so if I can help refer through our partnerships. Hey, if you want to go get your construction management at CSN, we’re a preferred partner, go talk to. This individual and we can actually, rather than say, Hey, go forth and do great things, we can actually say, Hey, you need to speak to this person, and you know what? Better yet, let me do an email intro. Making it easier for the end user to actually now say, Hey, you know what? That was so much easier when you create that holistic program similar to what I’ve done, which doesn’t just say, Hey, here, you’re a technician. Bye. Um, you’re actually a part of their career. That, that’s one of the major big things that just really stuck out as far as a different difference maker from me to everybody else. I don’t just say, Hey, here you go. I, I create a program [00:12:00] with you and your career in mind. You can call back to either TTA or my other business, IFC, infinite Fidelis Consulting, and that is exactly what they do. They, it’s a nonprofit that does workforce development. That is exactly what they do, and they will help. And so through those partnerships, you now have access immediately to those resources. And I think some of the misnomers and steps that I’ve seen before me is, is exactly that of, hey, you know, we’re finished, right? We’ve taken care of your certs, we’ve taken care of your basic training. Bye-bye. And there there is no un until you see ’em in two years and you do their recertification. Then you don’t really get to interact with them. And so there’s two years of just what I call dead space. There’s just two, two years of I’ve never seen this person again. And that’s, if they come back to me, they might work for company A, B, or C. And that company might have an internal recertification program where now I’m not [00:13:00] able to still help them and they’re just on a maybe. Well, that’s where Technical Training Academy  Allen Hall: is doing something different. I, I think you’re right about. The, some of the training schools that exist today are very focused on getting technicians out on a site, and then that’s where it ends. The, the problem is those people tend to grow, especially if they’re from the military. They tend to go up and rank as they get out in the field a little bit because they do, are doing the right things and every, the, the management realizes I’ve got these people out there that know what they’re doing. I’m gonna promote them, I’m gonna make them the lead, I’m gonna make them the project manager, I’m gonna expand their role. But you have to also learn that skillset, right? And I think that’s where you’re thinking ahead and trying to help those people grow as they get more experience.  Nick Martocci: And I’m probably repeating myself from two years ago, but this is why I built it. I built it off of the similar frame of leadership style and progression piece that is familiar to us as veterans in the military. When you’re an E [00:14:00] one, you’re being groomed to be an E two. E two to be groomed to be an E three in, in the civilian world, there really is no grooming process to help you do that ladder climbing piece. And what I wanted to do was help bridge that gap,  Allen Hall: right?  Nick Martocci: And help put those support structures and pieces in place so that somebody could say, Hey, I want to do this. Who can help me? Well, you can come over to TTA or IFC and we’ll give you a hand. No problem.  Allen Hall: Well, that’s a part about TTA and I think if I was coming outta the military. I, and I wanted to get into renewables. I wouldn’t necessarily necessarily think Las Vegas. I would think Texas, Oklahoma, maybe Indiana, where there’s wind turbines and there’s solar and there’s batteries. But the reality is, is that the resources that Nevada is putting into veterans and into supporting you make your facility much more powerful than a lot of other places.  Nick Martocci: Well, and and I kind of remember this conversation we had last year about. [00:15:00] The negative connotation of a two mile square space in Las Vegas. Right. Right. And, and when people immediately think of Las Vegas, that two mile strip is what they immediately think of.  Allen Hall: Sure.  Nick Martocci: Without understanding. And they’re doing a little homework. And that’s why even, you know, tell people, Hey, come out for a tour, check this out and see where we are. Because we’re right across from Nellis Air Force Base right next to the speedway. One more exit from my, uh, my training center and you’re out of Las Vegas.  Allen Hall: A lot of people coming up in the industry just don’t think about outside that Midwest, that Texas spot. Mm-hmm. And they need to have their horizons open a little bit and realize that there are other places to get training that are high quality, that are gonna be caring about you as a person and the growth of you. Think about that when you’re applying to school, Joe. Absolutely. Just take whatever’s the closest. And head toward it.  Nick Martocci: We, we don’t play, and we’re going to treat this just like a career. That’s why [00:16:00] training at our school is a 12 hour training day. It’s not an eight hour day, it’s a 12 hour day.  Allen Hall: Right.  Nick Martocci: And that gets them acclimated to a 12 hour work day. Allen Hall: But that’s  Nick Martocci: what it’s gonna be. Exactly. So that way when you hit the field and some supervisor says, Hey, it’s gonna be a long day. We’re doing 10 hours today. Ah, part-time job. Got it. You know?  Allen Hall: Right. Right. That’s it. So I, I think there, uh, a lot of people have choices if they’re trying to get into renewables. Mm-hmm. And they need to be thinking about the choices they make. Technical training Academy should be high up on the list.  Nick Martocci: Absolutely  Allen Hall: high up on the list now, especially with veterans. I mean, that, that’s, that’s a no brainer that Do people get ahold of you? How do they contact you? Where should they start that process? Should they reach out to you on LinkedIn? Should they go to the website? What’s the best way?  Nick Martocci: Best way is really just to go to the website and, uh. O one of the misnomers I made was the Technical Training Academy, and there, there are so many in the United States, I did not realize that. But if you do Technical Training Academy Las Vegas, it narrows it down to four and [00:17:00] we’re the ones on top. And it makes it easier. And so if you do, uh, technical Training Academy in the Google Bar and just say, Hey, technical Training Academy, Las Vegas will pop up. Otherwise, on LinkedIn, you’ll find us under Technical Training Academy. Uh, Facebook and Instagram. Were still Tower Training Academy. I’m working on getting that changed over, uh, and then from there, yeah, the, I, I think that’s, oh no, we have a YouTube channel. Tower Training Academy. We’re also on YouTube. Yeah, YouTube. But as far as reaching us, go on our website. Hit enroll now. Uh, also on our website is our phone number, (725) 272-9495.  Allen Hall: There you go.  Nick Martocci: And so you can just ping that or you can even. Hit up my head of administration at admin1@towertrainingacademy.com. Allen Hall: Great. So everybody reach out, connect up with Nick, get started, figure out what your future looks like because Nick’s here to help and uh, it’s great to connect with you [00:18:00] again because year it’s something more exciting. Like, alright, this is, this is great. It’s expanding. You’re doing training, you got technicians out in the world, you’re going to the best. That’s fantastic. I’m always cooking. Congratulations because it’s hard. Your business is hard. Yep. And And that is amazing. It’s amazing.  Nick Martocci: I’ve always got something brewing behind the green curtain.  Allen Hall: Yes.  Nick Martocci: Always got something brewing back there.  Allen Hall: Thank you so much for being on the podcast.

China buys lots of Iran's oil, but it's trying to avoid getting drawn into the war, instead calling for de-escalation and peace in the Middle East. So, what role is Beijing actually playing, how is its economy affected and what is it learning about the United States' military? Today, Neil Thomas, an expert in China's politics from the Asia Society Policy Institute on Xi Jinping's strategy and standing in the world. Featured: Neil Thomas, fellow on Chinese Politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute's Center for China Analysis

Ember released its 2026 Global Electricity Review (GER26) last week—an extraordinary report showing that 100% of new global electricity generation has been met by renewables. At the same time, the decade's “twin energy shocks” (Russia in 2022 and Hormuz in 2026) are accelerating existing trends.  What do the latest numbers tell us—and what do they mean? Laurent and Gerard are joined by a great friend of the show, Kingsmill Bond, Lead Energy Strategist at Ember, to break it all down.They begin with the GER's key findings, looking closely at China, the United States, Europe, and India. The figures are striking: in 2025, wind and solar alone accounted for all net global power growth—roughly equivalent to Japan's total electricity consumption. And even that may be an underestimate, given likely gaps in data from Africa and behind-the-meter generation.  From there, the discussion shifts from long-term trends to sudden shocks. These shocks act as accelerators. Consumers, responding quickly, are installing rooftop solar and buying electric vehicles at record rates. Governments, by contrast, often move more slowly, seeking to protect incumbents and hoping for a return to the old status quo. But that return is increasingly unrealistic.  Looking beyond the numbers, the episode explores how energy shocks reshape the system. The oil shocks of the 1970s drove gains in efficiency and a wave of nuclear investment. Today's shocks are pushing electrification, expanding renewables, and speeding up EV adoption.  Four major long-term implications stand out: 1) Asia is set to electrify faster than the rest of the world 2) Transport electrification will accelerate 3) LNG will be pushed out of the power sector 4) The long-anticipated “peak oil demand” is drawing closer.   In summary, we are shifting from a world defined by range anxiety to one increasingly shaped by pump anxiety.  Link to papers.-  Ember GER26 https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/global-electricity-review-2026/-  Twin Shocks https://ember-energy.org/latest-insights/the-new-twin-fossil-shock/

Today, we are breaking down Altius Minerals, a Canadian royalty company that stands apart from the precious metals and oil and gas names that usually define the category. 17 people in Newfoundland control royalties over Canadian potash mines that supply 90 percent of the potash used in the US, along with 2.9 gigawatts of operating renewable power. I am joined by Luke Bridgeman, portfolio manager at Hosking Partners based in London. We start with Brian Dalton founding the business in a university dorm 29 years ago and how the company built its edge through a project generation model that turned $13 million of spend into $200 million of equity proceeds while keeping the royalties. We cover why Altius focuses on base metals rather than precious metals, how it extended the royalty structure into renewables where there is no land to claim, how countercyclical capital deployment has shaped nearly every important decision in the company's history, and what it means to run a $2 billion business with only 17 employees. Please enjoy this breakdown of Altius Minerals. For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Become a Colossus member to get our quarterly print magazine and private audio experience, including exclusive profiles and early access to select episodes. Subscribe at ⁠colossus.com/subscribe⁠. ----- This episode is brought to you by⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Portrait Analytics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - your centralized resource for AI-powered idea generation, thesis monitoring, and personalized report building. Built by buy-side investors, for investment professionals. We work in the background, helping surface stock ideas and thesis signposts to help you monetize every insight. In short, we help you understand the story behind the stock chart, and get to "go, or no-go" 10x faster than before. Sign-up for a free trial today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠portraitresearch.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ----- Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here. ----- Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Timestamps (00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns (00:00:00) Welcome to Business Breakdowns (00:04:20) What is Altius Minerals?  (00:04:52) What Are Base Metals?  (00:05:30) How Do Royalties Work?  (00:09:57) When Are Royalties Sold?  (00:11:04) Altius Origin Story  (00:12:24) How Did Altius Differentiate?  (00:13:35) Commodity Diversification  (00:15:51) Geographic Diversification  (00:17:37) Renewables Strategy  (00:19:50) The Listed Renewables Vehicle  (00:20:17) Renewables Financing Structure  (00:21:08) Renewables vs. Legacy Minerals  (00:22:04) Revenue Model: Volume x Price  (00:22:43) Portfolio Revenue Breakdown  (00:23:58) Do They Hedge Commodity Prices?  (00:24:13) Cost Structure & Overhead  (00:25:37) Capital Allocation Framework  (00:27:14) Buyback Criteria  (00:28:06) Use of Debt  (00:28:42) Renewables' Balance Sheet Impact  (00:30:42) Key Risks  (00:31:59) Why Do Precious Metal Royalties Trade at a Premium?  (00:32:47) Lessons from Altius

For all the recent negative news surrounding renewable energy in the US, the reality is that in 2025, around 80% of the new power generation that came online globally was renewable. But to encourage global players to participate in that market for renewables, you need a rigorous system of verification, and a stable modern marketplace. That's where today's company comes in.John Melby is the CEO of Xpansiv, the world's largest registry platform for renewable energy and carbon. John is an accomplished leader in energy and environmental markets, with over two decades of experience driving innovation in renewable carbon, natural gas, and power markets. John joins us for an in-depth discussion on the current state of power generation, and how Xpansiv's platform is facilitating the growth of renewables. Highlights:John's experience with energy markets (2:24)The opportunity for Xpansiv (3:44)Xpansiv's slate of services (5:05)Shifting energy consumption (6:22)Importance of registry infrastructure (9:05)Xpansiv's power business (11:39)Partnership with Constellation (13:56)Asia's role in the energy transition (15:25)Xpansiv's acquisition strategy (18:06)The evolving role of AI (20:48)Outlook for Renewables in the US (22:45)What's success for Xpansiv? (28:06)Links:John Melby LinkedInXpansiv LinkedInXpansiv WebsiteICR LinkedInICR TwitterICR WebsiteFeedback:If you have questions about the show, or have a topic in mind you'd like discussed in future episodes, email our producer, joe@lowerstreet.co

For anyone building a career in the energy sector, this conversation matters because it touches on something many of us are experiencing right now uncertainty. Whether you're early in your career, trying to transition roles, or deciding which direction to take, the decisions being made at policy level are directly shaping job opportunities, salaries, and long term stability.In this episode, I speak with Douglas Lumsden, who moved from a 25 year career in oil and gas into politics. We talk about what's really happening in the UK energy landscape, why opportunities feel more limited, and what this means for people working in or entering the sector.

Aidan Morrison and Derek Bush join John for a frank conversation about Australia's cumbersome renewable energy transition, and the real costs being borne by the communities expected to host it. They make the case that rural Australians are being overrun by a policy conceived in cities and imposed on regional areas, exposing the considerable gap between the government's 2030 targets and what the national grid can realistically deliver.This is a timely warning that Australia's energy policy is being driven by political ambition rather than engineering reality, and that the consequences will be felt by every Australian as power bills continue to rise.Aidan Morrison is a leading researcher into Energy Systems and currently the Director of Energy Research at the Centre for Independent Studies. In 2023 he exposed how the famous CSIRO report “GenCost” excluded vast costs required to integrate and firm renewables by treating them as “sunk” costs. In 2024 he was amongst the strongest voices calling for nuclear energy in Australia and was a leading critic of the ‘Integrated System Plan' (or ISP): Australia's blue-print for a transition to an energy system dominated by wind and solar. Derek Bush is a farmer from Bookham in southwest New South Wales, where his family has worked the land for many years, growing flowers and other produce. He has become an outspoken advocate for rural communities navigating the impacts of wind farm development and Australia's energy transition.

Get in touch - leave me a messageWhat if fossil fuels aren't energy security at all, but exposure dressed up as realism?This war is making that harder and harder to ignore.In this bonus episode of Climate Confident+, I unpack why the US and Israel's war against Iran is forcing a faster rethink of fossil fuels, renewables, EVs, and electrification. This is a solo episode with me, Tom Raftery, and the stakes couldn't be clearer: if your economy, business, or household still depends on fuels whose supply and price are hostage to geopolitics, then your energy security is far shakier than most politicians care to admit.You'll hear why I argue that fossil fuel dependence is not just an emissions problem, but an exposure problem. We dig into how war-driven shocks hit shipping, transport costs, inflation, industrial margins, and policy. And you might be surprised to learn why renewables, storage, grids, and EVs are starting to look less like climate tech talking points and more like strategic infrastructure for decarbonisation, emissions reduction, and real resilience.I also break down the numbers from IRENA and the IEA, including the cost advantage of new renewable power, the scale of clean energy investment, and the growing impact of electric vehicles on oil demand. Plus, I share a personal story from the Iberian blackout that brought home just how practical electrification can be in a crisis.

In this episode, we speak with Bruce Fleming, CEO of Montana Renewables, the leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel in the United States. Rather than building a new SAF facility from the ground up, Montana Renewables converted a portion of an existing crude oil refinery in Great Falls, Montana to process feedstocks including used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and emerging crops into SAF, renewable diesel, and renewable hydrogen.Fleming discusses:The retrofit model: Why converting an existing crude oil refinery is a fundamentally different capital proposition from building a greenfield SAF plant.Feedstock agnosticism: Why the company is indifferent to which renewable feedstocks run through its system, including its claim to be the first producer to have made SAF from camelina, a cover crop that does not compete with food production and carries a very low carbon intensity score.The investment drought: Why private capital has effectively exited the SAF space, and the direct link between regulatory unpredictability and the absence of long-term investment. The book-and-claim efficiency case: Why separating the physical movement of SAF from its associated emissions certificate could save a dollar per gallon in logistics costs, and how a global book-and-claim system could accelerate SAF adoption.Fuelling small, not large: Why the immediate SAF opportunity lies in general aviation and regional operations rather than long-haul commercial carriers.If you LOVED this episode, you'll also love the conversation we had with Adam Klauber, Chief Sustainability Officer at World Energy, who shares how the book-and-claim model has evolved from a concept to a practical mechanism for scaling corporate demand for SAF. Check it out here.Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry's challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume 2'. Click here to learn more.Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It's about time.Links & More: Montana Renewables Sustainable Aviation Fuel - Montana Renewables Montana Renewables and World Energy join forces to drive efficiency and scale in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) deliveries - World Energy Montana Renewables launches MaxSAF™ Blended, accelerating SAF supply - ChemAnalyst   

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Today, we return to the European energy markets, in particular power. How has European power demand fared since COVID and Russia's invasion of Ukraine? What has that done to power markets themselves and the energy mix? And just as European power demand was starting to pick backup, has Israel and the US's attack on Iran upended it? And what has all this volatility meant for power traders and European energy traders more broadly? Our guest is Xavier Veillard, Partner at McKinsey in part of their global energy practice and their lead for power trading.  For related content and to find out more about HC Group, a search firm dedicated to the energy & commodities sector, visit https://www.hcgroup.global

Cassidy DeLine has spent more than 16 years developing renewable power plants. As the founder and CEO of Linea Energy, she's built an independent power producer with a pipeline exceeding 7 GW in roughly two years—a pace she calls "a bit unrivaled" for a company of its size and age. On this episode of The POWER Podcast, DeLine sits down with executive editor Aaron Larson to explain how Linea got there and where it's headed next. At the core of Linea's approach is a commitment to better information, earlier. Most developers don't get detailed site data, such as wetland boundaries, topography, and transmission characteristics, until after leases are signed and field teams are deployed. Linea has built proprietary simulations to surface that information before a single landowner conversation takes place, giving its team a sharper picture of risk before committing capital. That discipline extends to how the company handles offtake. Unlike most developers, Linea is comfortable advancing projects without a power purchase agreement (PPA) locked in. DeLine explains why signing a PPA too early can actually create risk, particularly in a market where tariff volatility and shifting capital costs have burned developers who fixed the revenue side before they had certainty on expenses. The conversation also covers Linea's growing role in the data center space. The company is doing bespoke energy development for data center operators and, in some cases, developing the data center itself. But DeLine is candid about the engineering challenges: artificial intelligence (AI) inference workloads cause demand to swing on a microsecond basis, which is fundamentally different from what the grid was built to handle. Linea has developed battery-and-inverter solutions to smooth those rapid fluctuations, guided by a simple principle: the lights have to stay on. DeLine shares her perspective on battery storage as a grid resource, the maturing but still incomplete renewable energy capital markets, the interconnection queue bottleneck, and what it means to commit to communities for a 40-year ownership horizon. She also discusses why Linea is evaluating small modular reactor technology—not because the economics work today, but because projects started now won't come online until the 2030s, and she wants to be ready for where the market is heading. Whether you're in development, finance, policy, or just following the energy transition, this is a conversation worth hearing.

In this episode of the Everything Electric podcast, Robert is joined by fellow presenter Imogen Bhogal. What starts as a quick catch-up soon descends into a slightly unhinged conversation about the surprising return of the Freelander as an EV joint venture in China, the staggering energy demands of AI and data centres including battery systems measured in tens of gigawatt-hours that rival the power consumption of entire cities, and Robert's unexpected VW fandom...!   Links to stories:  https://electrek.co/2026/03/31/freelander-suv-reborn-sharp-off-road-ev-images/    https://electrek.co/2026/03/30/toyotas-new-luxury-ev-china-receives-3100-orders-in-1-hour/    https://electrek.co/2026/03/27/used-ev-sales-boom-new-ev-sales-drop-28-percent-q1-2026/    https://electrek.co/2026/03/26/byd-recruits-james-bond-launch-new-longe-range-luxury-ev/    https://www.utilitydive.com/news/worlds-largest-grid-battery-part-of-google-xcel-energy-agreement/813793/    00:00 – Intro: A "First Best" Guest?!  01:35 – Freelander Returns?! JLR's China EV Strategy  13:55 – April Fools  17:40 – The Rise of Mega-Batteries  26:25 – Electric Trucks & 1.5MW Charging  31:40 – The US EV Market: What's Really Happening?  34:05 – Renewables vs. Politics  37:40 – Are These "Dark Times" Temporary?  41:25 – Upcoming Reviews: BYD & Volvo  43:55 – Accidental VW Loyalty...  48:25 – Everything Electric Harrogate Preview  50:55 – Final Thoughts & What's Next   Why not come and join us at our next Everything Electric expo: www.everythingelectric.show    Check out our sister channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/EverythingElectricShow   Support our StopBurningStuff campaign: https://www.patreon.com/STOPBurningStuff Become an Everything Electric Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fullychargedshow Become a YouTube member: use JOIN button above Buy the Fully Charged Guide to Electric Vehicles & Clean Energy : https://buff.ly/2GybGt0 Subscribe for episode alerts and the Everything Electric newsletter: https://fullycharged.show/zap-sign-up/ Visit: https://FullyCharged.Show Find us on X: https://x.com/Everyth1ngElec Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/officialeverythingelectric To partner, exhibit or sponsor at our award-winning expos email: commercial@fullycharged.show   EE NORTH (Harrogate) - 8th & 9th May 2026  EE WEST (Cheltenham) - 12th & 13th June 2026  EE GREATER LONDON (Twickenham) - 11th & 12th Sept 2026 EE SYDNEY - Sydney Olympic Park - 18th - 20th Sept 2026

The Iran war's disruption to global oil supplies demonstrates another upside to switching to renewable energy sources. Instead, Europe is considering rolling back carbon regulations.Guest: Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW.Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Iran war's disruption to global oil supplies demonstrates another upside to switching to renewable energy sources. Instead, Europe is considering rolling back carbon regulations.Guest: Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW.Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Iran war's disruption to global oil supplies demonstrates another upside to switching to renewable energy sources. Instead, Europe is considering rolling back carbon regulations.Guest: Catherine Rampell, economics editor at The Bulwark and anchor at MS NOW.Want more What Next? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Summary: In this episode, Benoy Thanjan sits down with Dorian Hunt from Leo Berwick to break down the Foreign Entity of Concern(“FEOC”) rules and what the February 2026 guidance means for solar and storage projects. They unpack how FEOC is reshaping supply chains, tax credits, and project finance, and why uncertainty is currently the biggest risk to development.   Biographies Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, solar developer and consulting firm, and a strategic advisor to multiple cleantech startups. Over his career, Benoy has developed over 100 MWs of solar projects across the U.S., helped launch the first residential solar tax equity funds at Tesla, and brokered $45 million in Renewable Energy Credits (“REC”) transactions. Prior to founding Reneu Energy, Benoy was the Environmental Commodities Trader in Tesla's Project Finance Group, where he managed one of the largest environmental commodities portfolios. He originated REC trades and co-developed a monetization and hedging strategy with senior leadership to enter the East Coast market. As Vice President at Vanguard Energy Partners, Benoy crafted project finance solutions for commercial-scale solar portfolios. His role at Ridgewood Renewable Power, a private equity fund with 125 MWs of U.S. renewable assets, involved evaluating investment opportunities and maximizing returns. He also played a key role in the sale of the firm's renewable portfolio. Earlier in his career, Benoy worked in Energy Structured Finance at Deloitte & Touche and Financial Advisory Services at Ernst & Young, following an internship on the trading floor at D.E. Shaw & Co., a multi billion dollar hedge fund. Benoy holds an MBA in Finance from Rutgers University and a BS in Finance and Economics from NYU Stern, where he was an Alumni Scholar.   Dorrian Hunt Dorian leads Leo Berwick's Energy & Renewables tax practice. Dorian has 20 years of experience in tax credit monetization, with clients including renewable energy project developers, tax equity investors, project lenders, insurers and syndicators. Prior to joining Leo Berwick, he was a leader in the Power and Utilities and Energy Transition practices of a Big 4 firm, where he focused on providing tax consulting services with respect to tax credit-driven project finance across, with a focus on renewable energy. Dorian is a thought leader in the tax credit space and has authored articles on topics including the potential implications for “direct pay” of renewable energy tax incentives and on the impact of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on the US renewable energy industry.  He has also presented on these and other similar topics for organizations such as IPED, NARUC, and the Boston Bar Association. Dorian has experience with myriad energy incentive programs including Treasury 1603 grants, 48C advanced energy manufacturing studies, and the rapidly-developing field of 45Q carbon capture credits. Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com  LinkedIn: Benoy Thanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com Website: https://www.solarmaverickpodcast.com/   Dorian Hunt     Website: https://www.leoberwick.com/     Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorian-hunt/     Dorian Hunt on Episode 231 of the Solar Maverick Podcast:     https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solar-maverick-podcast/id1441876259?i=1000723865682      Please provide 5 star reviews      If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share the Solar Maverick Podcast so more people can learn how to accelerate the clean energy transition.    Reneu Energy Reneu Energy provides expert consulting across solar and storage project development, financing, energy strategy, and environmental commodities. Our team helps clients originate, structure, and execute opportunities in community solar, C&I, utility-scale, and renewable energy credit markets. Email us at info@reneuenergy.com to learn more.

Laurent and Gerard speak with Dr. Michal Meidan, Head of China Energy Research at the China Energy Research Programme at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, about the profound transformation reshaping China's energy system. At the heart of the discussion is the country's pivot from “molecules” to “electrons” — a structural shift from fossil fuels toward electrification powered by renewables, batteries, and electric mobility. This transition is not just about decarbonization; it represents a broader industrial and technological reconfiguration with global consequences. At the same time, China remains central to fossil fuel markets: it is the world's largest fossil fuel importer and is set to maintain that position for the rest of this decade and beyond.  Still the recent events in the Strait of Hormuz have vindicated China's energy policy of diversification, investment and strategic storage.  China's approach reflects a distinctive “dual track” model in which command-and-control planning coexists with market dynamics. Central government frameworks, including the recent 15th Five-Year Plan, set strategic direction, while provinces interpret and implement policy with varying degrees of alignment or competition. At times collaborative and at times antagonistic, the relationship between Beijing and local authorities shapes how targets are pursued and reported. China often reframes its narrative retrospectively, particularly where electric vehicles and battery production have dramatically surpassed official expectations, highlighting the interplay between state ambition and private-sector execution.  At the same time, the transition has been propelled by powerful entrepreneurial forces. Leaders such as Robin Zheng of CATL and Stella Li of BYD embody the “animal spirits” that have driven innovation and scale in batteries and electric vehicles. In many cases, private firms have exceeded policy goals, complicating simplistic narratives of top-down control and demonstrating how state guidance and commercial dynamism reinforce one another.  Energy security remains a central pillar of this strategy. The current Hormuz crisis as well as the power shortages of 2020–2022 have exposed vulnerabilities in China's system and reinforced the leadership's determination to build integrated domestic supply chains and reduce reliance on imported fuels and critical materials. Industrial policy and energy policy are deeply intertwined, with electrification, renewables, and advanced manufacturing serving both resilience and competitiveness objectives. The drive for clean technology is therefore as much about strategic autonomy as it is about environmental stewardship.  Finally, the episode also addresses persistent misconceptions in Europe and the United States about China's system, challenging both exaggerated fears and wishful thinking. Understanding China's energy transition requires grappling with its internal tensions, strategic pragmatism, and the scale of its ambitions.  Oxford Institute https://www.oxfordenergy.org/publications/disruption-in-the-strait-of-hormuz-implications-for-chinas-energy-markets-and-policies/  Carbon Brief and Lauri Myllyvirta    15FYP coverage https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-chinas-15th-five-year-plan-mean-for-climate-change/  Latest on China emisisons https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-chinas-co2-emissions-have-now-been-flat-or-falling-for-21-months/  Impact on GDP https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-clean-energy-drove-more-than-a-third-of-chinas-gdp-growth-in-2025/

Fuel costs can be vulnerable during geopolitical conflict. The war in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through energy markets. Over the past two weeks, oil and gas prices have been on a bit of a rollercoaster. This morning, we'll delve into what vulnerability and the lack of price stability for oil could mean for countries' renewable energy investment. Then, new data shows rent prices edging up after months of falling.

Fuel costs can be vulnerable during geopolitical conflict. The war in the Middle East has sent shockwaves through energy markets. Over the past two weeks, oil and gas prices have been on a bit of a rollercoaster. This morning, we'll delve into what vulnerability and the lack of price stability for oil could mean for countries' renewable energy investment. Then, new data shows rent prices edging up after months of falling.

War in Iran has triggered another global energy shock. Once again, conflict has exposed the deep instability built into the fossil fuel system. And once again, the world is reminded that these fuels are not only polluting, but precarious.In this episode, Christiana Figueres, Tom Rivett-Carnac and Paul Dickinson unpack why the threat to oil infrastructure and the Strait of Hormuz matters so much, and why these moments keep repeating. What does it mean to build an economy around fuels concentrated in a handful of volatile places, and transported through fragile choke points? And why are many responding to that insecurity by calling for more drilling?They're joined by Bruce Douglas, CEO of the Global Renewables Alliance and Chief Growth Officer at the Global Wind Energy Council. Bruce argues that although this is not the first energy crisis of its kind, it may be the first in which the alternatives are ready at scale. Renewables are available now - and, in many cases, cheaper, faster and more secure than doubling down on fossil fuels.Together they explore the fork in the road now facing governments. In a moment of insecurity, do countries try to squeeze more out of declining oil and gas reserves? Or do they use this as the push they need to invest in a more resilient system? That decision may determine whether this will be remembered as just another oil crisis - or as the moment political leaders finally started to absorb the lesson.Learn More:⚡ Read the Global Renewable Alliance's Renewables Action Plan to break the energy crises cycle☀️ Learn more about Pakistan's people-led solar revolution