[Episode #215] – IEA’s New Oil & Gas Outlook
In December 2023, a landmark declaration emerged from the COP28 climate conference: For the first time, the world’s climate delegates agreed that a global “transition away” from fossil fuels is...
View Article[Episode #216] – COP28 and the Outlook for Oil
Following from the December COP28 climate summit, we find ourselves at a pivotal juncture with the world’s governments clearer than ever about “transitioning away from fossil fuels.” Now, what is next...
View Article[Episode #217] – Passivhaus in Scotland
Discussions about energy transition often overlook the crucial role of reducing the energy consumed to maintain comfortable temperatures in the spaces where we live and work. Remarkably, generating...
View Article[Episode #218] – Accelerating Decarbonization in the US
How can we accelerate the decarbonization of the entire US economy? In this episode, we discuss the energy-related decarbonization strategies outlined in a new report from the National Academies,...
View Article[Episode #219] – Nuclear Illusions
In Episode #209, we peeled back the layers on civilian nuclear power, revealing its history as a facade for the nuclear weapons industry with a corresponding legacy of deception. Yet, the allure of...
View Article[Episode #220] – Climate Capitalism
What is the recipe for an energy transition at the scale needed to limit global warming below the crucial 2°C threshold? Bloomberg journalist Akshat Rathi has identified some of the key ingredients,...
View Article[Episode #221] – Fossilflation
What causes inflation? And how is it connected to the energy transition? Standard business press narratives often discuss inflation as if it has a mind of its own, seldom exploring its root causes....
View Article[Episode #222] – Green Industrial Policy
In this final episode of our three-show miniseries on green industrial policy (Episodes #220, #221 and #222), we look at it from the perspective of an economist who has written a book on the subject...
View Article[Episode #223] – Fiscal Implications of the US Transition
The dialogue surrounding so-called ‘just transition’ initiatives in the US has primarily focused on the workforce: How can communities reliant on well-paying fossil fuel sector jobs find new...
View Article[Episode #224] – US Hydrogen Tax Credits
Clean hydrogen is expected to be an essential pathway to decarbonizing the economy. The US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 offered a generous tax credit known as “45V” for clean hydrogen production,...
View Article[Episode #225] – Demand Side Solutions
Energy transition is often depicted as a choice between different supply-side technologies such as wind or solar versus oil and coal. However, the demand side of the energy transition — focusing on...
View Article[Episode #226] – Load Growth Shenanigans
In recent months, reports have circulated that data centers, cryptocurrency miners, and AI technologies are suddenly increasing electricity demand, allegedly straining power grids. These declarations...
View Article[Episode #227] – FERC Order 1920
The United States faces significant challenges in deploying enough transmission capacity and interconnections to support a modernized grid. Approximately 2.5 TW of new clean wind, solar, and storage...
View Article[Episode #228] – Public Persuasion
Most climate communicators emphasize the risk of climate change, in the belief that if only people understood how dangerous it is, they would do something about it. But what if terrifying messages...
View Article[Episode #229] – US Distributed Solar Potential
What is the full potential for distributed solar power in the US? Many models have been developed to explore how a decarbonized US energy system could look, consistently finding that solar power would...
View Article[Episode #230] – EV Charging Blues
The transition from oil-burning vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) has hit a few speed bumps over the past year, sparking widespread media coverage, but not much insight. A confusing tangle of...
View Article[Episode #231] – Five Times Faster
Why have our climate policies failed to significantly reduce carbon emissions? What new strategies could help us decarbonize the global energy system five times faster — as is needed to avoid the worst...
View Article[Episode #232] – Smart Meters and Appliances
Two decades ago, there was a surge of interest to make appliances, buildings, and utility meters smarter. Startups emerged to explore ways to monitor and manage electricity usage and optimize grid...
View Article[Episode #233] – Ending the Monopoly Utility
Can the energy transition happen fast enough if investor-owned utilities (IOUs) continue to operate the US grid under a regulated monopoly business model? Our guest today says no. These profit-driven...
View Article[Episode #234] – Transition in Australia 2024
In August 2024, Chris commenced a three-month research trip across Australia and New Zealand to explore their unique challenges and opportunities in the energy transition, and to conduct interviews...
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