Posts | The Energy Transition Show

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Mike Grunwald, POLITICO
[Episode #1] – The Real War on Coal (September 23, 2015)

How the real war on coal is about economics, geology, and little skirmishes in local courts, not a national or presidential campaign; and the tragic failing of politics to address the phasing-out of coal that has been going on in the US for many years. And in the news segment: More calls to kill the UK's planned Hinkley Point C nuclear […]

Geek rating: 1

Mackay Miller, National Grid
[Episode #2] – Limits on the Grid – Part 1 (September 30, 2015)

What the modeling work of our national renewable energy lab tells us about how far renewables can go on the grid under various scenarios, and their real technical limits.

Geek rating: 7

Bentham Paulos, Power Markets Project
[Episode #3] – Limits on the Grid – Part 2 (October 7, 2015)

How energy markets need to change to level the playing field for renewables, how renewables should be valued, and whether wind and solar must "eat their own lunch" by virtue of having a free marginal cost, or whether markets can be adjusted to prevent that. And in the news segment: Shell gives up on the Arctic; the new […]

Geek rating: 7

Craig Morris, Renewables International
[Episode #4] – Energiewende (October 14, 2015)

All about Germany's famed energy transition effort, the Energiewende. What it is, what it isn't (with a strong dose of mythbusting), and what the future of grid power looks like from one of the countries on the leading edge. And in the news segment: US LNG export terminals could be in trouble; China's massive push for renewables; and the […]

Geek rating: 4

Jeremy Leggett, Solarcentury
[Episode #5] – Winning the Carbon War (October 21, 2015)

One man's sweeping ride through three decades of campaigning for action on climate and deploying solar from a veteran of the "carbon wars," plus his pithy observations on what our leaders in government and in the energy industry really think. And in the news segment: New studies are finding that renewables are getting cheaper than any other grid […]

Geek rating: 2

Mark Lewis, Carbon Tracker
[Episode #6] – Transition from Oil (October 28, 2015)

In this episode we talk with a longtime energy analyst about why it's risky for the oil industry to assume that future demand for petroleum will remain as strong as they forecast, given the favorable economics of switching to EVs. We also discuss the recent history of oil production and prices, the future of the […]

Geek rating: 6

David Murphy, St. Lawrence University
[Episode #7] – EROI (November 18, 2015)

All about EROI (Energy Return on Investment), the state of biophysical economics, the relationship between energy and ecology, and what EROI could and should tell us about the outlook for a fuel -- for example, can we run a society on renewables? And in the news segment: LNG's troubled future, how low oil prices are causing surging gasoline […]

Geek rating: 6

Jason Burwen, Energy Storage Association
[Episode #8] – Storage on the Grid (December 2, 2015)

All about storage on the grid -- in front of the meter -- with a little bit about behind-the-meter storage. How to value storage, how storage complements and replaces generation, and some geeky excursions into locational marginal pricing, PURPA, non-market uplift payments, and FERC Order 819! And in the news segment: Comments on the COP 21 United Nations Climate Change Conference and […]

Geek rating: 8

Gregor Macdonald, Terrajoule.us
[Episode #9] – Macro Outlook for 2016 (January 20, 2016)

A full-spectrum romp through the macroeconomic context: Stock markets; oil and gas prices; coal's collapse; the difficult LNG export market; what commodities are telling us about the health of the global economy; trends in oil and electricity demand and electric vehicles; currency valuations and trends; the outlook for renewables; and much more!

Geek rating: 6

Lorenzo Kristov, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)
[Episode #10] – Grid Architecture of the Future (February 10, 2016)

What kind of grid architecture and markets will we need in order to actually operate the distributed, decentralized grid of the future? What sorts of regulatory models will be needed? And what does it all mean, from a philosophical point of view, about how human society is organized? How can mere mortals begin to understand […]

Geek rating: 11

Ashish Fernandes, Greenpeace
[Episode #11] – India and Coal (February 24, 2016)

Everyone knows that India is the second-largest coal importing nation in the world, after China, and that it is the fastest-growing source of global CO2 emissions thanks to its rapid adoption of coal. And it is widely believed that India will remain the world’s fastest-growing market for coal for years to come. But sometimes what […]

Geek rating: 3

Justin Guay, The Sunrise Project
[Episode #12] – Energy Access for the Developing World (March 9, 2016)

What’s the best way to bring energy to those in the developing world who lack it? Why do forecasts by agencies like IEA always seem to overstate the cost of solutions in the developing world? Why do big expensive programs run by NGOs and the World Bank so often fail to achieve their aims of […]

Geek rating: 2

Mason Inman, Global Energy Monitor
[Episode #13] – The Oracle of Oil (March 23, 2016)

Many have heard of peak oil, but few seem to understand what it really means, and fewer still know much of anything about the father of the idea, M. King Hubbert. In this episode we interview science journalist Mason Inman, who has written the first biography of Hubbert: The Oracle of Oil: A Maverick Geologist's […]

Geek rating: 8

James West, Mother Jones
[Episode #14] – China’s Energy Future (April 6, 2016)

China is always a bit of an enigma to the West: It is the world’s largest user of coal and the world’s largest emitter of carbon dioxide; the world’s largest car market; it has the world’s largest shale gas resources; and it has been building entire “ghost cities” with no one living in them. But […]

Geek rating: 2

Matthew Klippenstein, Green Car Reports
[Episode #15] – The Outlook for Electric Vehicles (April 20, 2016)

Electric vehicles are all the rage right now, and hopes are high that we might finally be able to transition off of oil and on to electric cars…preferably, cars powered by clean renewable electricity and not by coal-fired grid power. But they’re still less than 1% of the new vehicle market, and they still face […]

Geek rating: 2

Matt Golden, Open Energy Efficiency
[Episode #16] – Energy Efficiency Markets (May 4, 2016)

Improving efficiency is almost always easier and cheaper than generating new power, so efficiency should be our first target in energy transition. But it’s usually the last. And while there are very effective incentives for renewable energy, the incentives and programs for efficiency have been far less effective. In this episode we talk with efficiency […]

Geek rating: 9

Justin Gerdes, Independent Journalist
[Episode #17] – Denmark’s Energy Transition (May 18, 2016)

In percentage terms, Denmark is the world leader in energy transition, as well as the king of wind power. Wind now supplies 42% of all Denmark’s electricity, and by 2020, the country plans to get fully half of its power from wind. It’s also the only developed country in the world with a serious plan […]

Geek rating: 2

Taylor Kuykendall, S&P Global Market Intelligence
[Episode #18] – The Collapse of Coal (June 1, 2016)

The last of the big-time U.S. coal companies has gone bankrupt, and in the hills of Appalachia, they’re looking for their next move. How will the former coal miners find new careers and build new industries? How will the liabilities of coal companies ever get paid? And how did we get into this situation in […]

Geek rating: 5

Adam James, SolarCity
[Episode #19] – Distributed Renewables in Latin America and Beyond (June 15, 2016)

Finance geeks, this episode is for you! Latin America has had one of the fastest-growing renewable energy markets on the planet for the past several years, but nobody ever talks about it. We aim to correct that in this wide-ranging interview with Adam James, Deputy Director of Global Strategy and Policy with SolarCity. Who’s got […]

Geek rating: 8

Eric Gimon, Energy Innovation
[Episode #20] – Grid Evolution (June 29, 2016)

Utilities face a host of rapid changes in a what used to be a staid business: new business models, changing supply and demand forecasts, new distributed architectures, new types of resources, new participants in the power grid that they don't control…yet they still must maintain a highly reliable power grid that operates within fairly narrow […]

Geek rating: 10

Christine Eibs-Singer, Power for All
[Episode #21] – The Role of Development Banks in Energy Transition (July 13, 2016)

Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) like the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank are publicly committed to ending energy poverty and enabling energy access to the developing world. But their conventional processes and approaches to risk management make it difficult for them to invest in the decentralized renewable energy solutions that […]

Geek rating: 5

Ed Crooks, Financial Times
[Episode #22] – Can Economics Guide the Energy Transition? (July 27, 2016)

Is conventional, free-market economic theory really up to the task of energy transition and combating climate change? Can we let the so-called invisible hand of the market guide us through the troubled waters ahead, or will we need firm policy direction and deliberate, top-down planning to secure the best outcomes? How useful can free markets […]

Geek rating: 6

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #23] – Facts and Falsehoods in Energy Transition (August 10, 2016)

Should we tweak our markets to keep nuclear plants alive, or forget about markets and pay for them another way… and do we really need them at all to keep the grid functioning? Is nuclear power really declining because of overzealous environmentalists, or are there other reasons? Is it possible to balance a grid with […]

Geek rating: 8

Jim Kennerly, Sustainable Energy Advantage
[Episode #24] – Starting Over (August 24, 2016)

What if we didn’t have to work around the grid we have today, with all of its inertia and incumbents and inflexibility? If we could start over and design the grid from scratch, what would it look like? And once we understood that, how might it change the way we are going about energy transition […]

Geek rating: 9

Jordan Macknick, NREL
[Episode #25] – The Energy-Water Nexus (September 7, 2016)

Energy and water are inextricably linked: It takes energy to supply water, and it takes water to supply energy. And those processes consume vast amounts of both. Yet we have only really begun to study the energy-water nexus and gather the data that policymakers will need to understand the risk that climate change poses to […]

Geek rating: 6

Oliver Morton, The Economist
[Episode #26] – Geoengineering (September 11, 2016)

As the world continues to struggle with the effects of climate change, energy transition is more important than ever as a key pathway to stopping global warming. But will it be enough? Many serious climate researchers think it won’t be, and urge deliberate attempts to directly alter the Earth’s climate by using a number of […]

Geek rating: 5

Marissa Hummon, Tendril
[Episode #27] – Better Grid Modeling (October 5, 2016)

Although it’s clear enough that energy transition is necessary and reasonable, and although we know that transition is mainly happening on the grid at first, there is still much uncertainty about exactly where on the grid different strategies can be tried, how much they can accomplish, and what they’ll cost, relative to the alternatives….not to mention how the […]

Geek rating: 10

CC Huang, Energy Foundation China
[Episode #28] – Transition in Cities (October 19, 2016)

It is widely assumed that the ongoing migration of rural peoples to mega-cities all over the world will help reduce humanity’s per-capita energy footprint, while giving people a higher standard of living and accelerating energy transition. But the world is full of old, inefficient cities in desperate need of an eco-makeover, and of experts who […]

Geek rating: 3

Christopher Clack, Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC
[Episode #29] – Grid Simulation and Wind Potential (November 2, 2016)

What combination of power generators on the U.S. grid produces reliable power at the lowest cost? Or, what’s the most renewable energy that can be deployed at a given grid power cost, and what kind of transmission capacity is needed to support it? How would the U.S. grid be different if it were one, unified […]

Geek rating: 8

Ryan Wiser, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
[Episode #30] – The Future of Wind (November 16, 2016)

The cost of wind power has been falling steadily again since the 2008 price spike, and newer projects have been coming in at 2 cents per kilowatt-hour, making them very competitive with natural gas fired power and ranking among the very lowest-cost ways to generate electricity. But can wind prices keep falling, or have they […]

Geek rating: 4

Eamon Ryan, Ireland's Green Party
[Episode #31] – Transition in Ireland (November 30, 2016)

Ireland is one of the most advanced countries in energy transition, getting over a quarter of its electricity from renewables. It also has one of the most ambitious targets—to obtain 40% of its electricity generation from renewables by 2020—and the resources to be more than 100% powered by renewables, given time and technological development. On […]

Geek rating: 4

Carey King, University of Texas - Austin
[Episode #32] – Resources and Economy (December 14, 2016)

The notion of “decoupling” energy consumption from economic growth has become vogue in policy circles, but how much evidence is there that it’s really happening? If the energy intensity of our economy is falling, are we sure that it’s becoming more efficient, or might we just be offshoring energy-intensive industries to somewhere else…along with those […]

Geek rating: 8

David Hughes, Post Carbon Institute
[Episode #33] – Fracking Follies (December 28, 2016)

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) regularly updates its estimates for how much oil and gas might be recovered in the future, and at what rate. With the application of new technology from year to year, those estimates generally keep going up. But it’s important to remember that they are just estimates — and the […]

Geek rating: 9

Richard Caperton, Oracle
[eLab Extra #1] – Next Generation Demand Response (January 4, 2017)

This is a special edition of the Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder, recorded in December 2016 at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in Austin, Texas. Can utilities disrupt themselves, or does it take an outside force? How can demand response technologies—including simply informing customers of their electricity usage—help reduce demand peaks on the electricity system […]

Geek rating: 6

Lorraine Akiba, Hawaii Public Utilities Commission
[eLab Extra #2] – Hawaii’s Energy Transition (January 4, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. How is Hawaii managing one of the most rapid energy transitions in history to variable wind and solar generators, while maintaining a balanced, isolated grid and actually reducing long-term costs? It’s no accident: They have developed […]

Geek rating: 5

Lorenzo Kristov, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)
[eLab Extra #3] – Grid Modernization and DERPs (January 4, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. Grid architecture is evolving, with loads becoming increasingly indistinguishable from generators, and local generators and other distributed resources increasingly supplying the services that were always provided by large central generators in the past. Meanwhile, an ever-evolving […]

Geek rating: 11

Kees van der Leun, Ecofys
[Episode #34] – Transition in the North Sea and Netherlands (January 11, 2017)

The North Seas Countries’ Offshore Grid Initiative would knit together the power grids of the countries adjacent to the North Sea, and enable a far greater share of renewables—especially offshore wind—on the northern European grid than would be possible otherwise. It would also make it possible to use Norway’s substantial hydro capacity as a giant […]

Geek rating: 4

Eleanor Stein, EcoViva
[eLab Extra #4] – Transition in New York and the World (January 18, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. What are some of the ways that New York is building its resilience capacity while executing its Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) energy transition plan, particularly as a response to the damage it suffered in Superstorm […]

Geek rating: 1

Elizabeth Doris, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
[eLab Extra #7] – How NREL Supports Energy Transition (January 18, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) based in Golden, Colorado provides a wide range of research, guidance, and policy support to the whole government stack in the U.S., from the local and city level all the way […]

Geek rating: 2

Karl Popham, Austin Energy
[eLab Extra #5] – EVs and More in Austin, TX (January 18, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. Through a variety of programs, Austin Energy, the eighth largest publicly-owned electric utility in the U.S., has led the way to an EV future in Texas, installing the first EV charging infrastructure in the region, offering […]

Geek rating: 3

Jonathan Levy, Vision Ridge Partners
[eLab Extra #6] – Building EV Charging Infrastructure (January 18, 2017)

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. Should utilities be allowed to own EV charging infrastructure, or should that be reserved for private charging companies? How many Level 3 high-voltage chargers do we need at workplaces and shopping areas? And how do we […]

Geek rating: 2

Sean Kidney, Climate Bonds Initiative
[Episode #35] – Green Bonds (January 25, 2017)

What are green bonds, and how can they help mobilize private capital to fund energy transition and climate change mitigation measures? What kinds of things can green bonds be used to fund? What are the various roles for private, corporate, and sovereign issuers? Why does the green bond market need to grow by roughly 10x […]

Geek rating: 5

Joseph Majkut, Niskanen Center
[Episode #36] – Climate Science Part 1 – Climate Change Overview (February 8, 2017)

We discuss the current state of climate science and rebut the arguments of climate change skeptics, and look ahead to what must be done to halt climate change.

Geek rating: 5

Erin Craig, 3Degrees
[Episode #37] – Corporate Buyers of Renewables (February 22, 2017)

Corporations have emerged as some of the top buyers of renewable electricity, even buying it from wind and solar farms in other states. But why are they doing that when they could just buy grid power? And how do “virtual PPAs” work, anyway? Erin Craig has the answers.

Geek rating: 6

Jay Apt, Carnegie Mellon University
[Episode #38] – Getting from Here to There (March 8, 2017)

What are the hard problems and interesting questions on the road to energy transition, and what are their solutions? An astronaut and professor has answers.

Geek rating: 8

Jenny Riesz, Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
[Episode #39] – Transition in Australia (March 22, 2017)

How will Australia manage its energy transition, with both the most residential rooftop solar PV per capita, and the second-dirtiest power grid in the world?

Geek rating: 9

Zeke Hausfather, Stripe
[Episode #40] – Climate Science Part 2 – Taking Planetary Temperatures (April 5, 2017)

This deep dive into ocean science reveals how we take the Earth’s temperature, the truth about the “Climategate” business, and the “Pausebuster” paper.

Geek rating: 6

Gavin Bade, Utility Dive
[Episode #41] – Generator Survival Strategies (April 19, 2017)

Utility Dive editor Gavin Bade explains how independent power producers are using around-market reforms and re-regulation to survive energy transition.

Geek rating: 5

Rembrandt Koppelaar, Institute for Integrated Economic Research (IIER)
[Episode #42] – Can Renewables Power the World? (May 3, 2017)

Is the net energy of renewables high enough to actually power human civilization? Or will low EROIs doom energy transition?

Geek rating: 8

Ari Peskoe, Harvard Law School
[Episode #43] – Legal Challenges of PURPA and FERC (May 17, 2017)

What is PURPA and why are utilities trying to change it in their fight against solar? What are the legal issues in around-market reforms?

Geek rating: 4

Benjamin Sovacool, University of Sussex
[Episode #44] – Different Strokes (May 31, 2017)

Each state and country has its own unique set of resources and energy transition challenges, so there are different speeds and techniques for each one.

Geek rating: 7

Robert Kopp, Rutgers University
[Episode #45] – Climate Science Part 3 – Paleoclimate (June 14, 2017)

What can the history of Earth’s climate tell us about its future, and what is the relationship between climate change and the economy?

Geek rating: 5

Christopher Clack, Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC
[Episode #46] – Is 100% Renewables Realistic? (June 19, 2017)

Can we run the world on 100% renewables? Is that even the right goal? A new critique of Prof. Mark Jacobson’s work on 100% renewables offers some insights.

Geek rating: 9

Claude Turmes, European Green Party
[Episode #47] – Transition in Europe (July 12, 2017)

Claude Turmes, a 15-year Member of the European Parliament, relates the history of Europe’s energy transition policies and his hopes for the future.

Geek rating: 2

Sara Harris, University of British Columbia
[Episode #48] – Climate Science Part 4 – Teaching the Carbon Cycle (July 26, 2017)

How does the carbon cycle work, and what’s its relationship to global warming? And what are the most effective ways of teaching climate science?

Geek rating: 2

Justin Ritchie, University of British Columbia
[Episode #49] – Climate Science Part 5 – Business As Usual (August 9, 2017)

How should we think about the influence of the global energy system on the climate over the next century?

Geek rating: 5

Alexandra Klass, University of Minnesota
[Episode #50] – Siting Long Distance Transmission Lines (August 23, 2017)

To realize our renewable energy potential in the U.S., we’ll need more long-distance transmission lines. But there are a lot of obstacles, which we’ll discuss

Geek rating: 6

Bastiaan J. van Ruijven, IIASA
[Episode #51] – Climate Science Part 6 – Emissions Scenarios (September 6, 2017)

How does the IPCC climate modeling process work, and does any of it project a successful energy transition happening this century?

Geek rating: 9

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #52] – 2-Year Anniversary – Destination Unknown (September 20, 2017)

For our two-year anniversary, we discuss some of the most interesting questions in energy transition today. And Chris muses on the lessons of Hurricane Harvey.

Geek rating: 8

Robert Bean, Indoor Climate Consultants Inc.
[Episode #53] – Electrifying Heating (October 4, 2017)

In space heating, “deep decarbonization” is about a lot more than just swapping old furnaces. It requires a complete understanding of human health and comfort.

Geek rating: 5

William Rees, University of British Columbia
[Episode #54] – Resource Limitations (October 18, 2017)

When humanity’s demands exceed Earth’s ability to satisfy them, is energy transition even possible? Father of ecological footprint analysis Bill Rees explains.

Geek rating: 2

Martin Wästljung, ABB
[Episode #55] – Voltage Stability (November 1, 2017)

How can we maintain stable voltage and frequency on the power grid as we replace conventional synchronous generators with wind and solar?

Geek rating: 11

Molly Webb, The Climate Group
[Episode #56] – Blockchain in Energy Transition (November 15, 2017)

Could the blockchain be a powerful new enabler of energy transition, or is it just another overhyped solution in search of a problem?

Geek rating: 4

Glen Peters, CICERO
[Episode #57] – Climate Science Part 7 – Carbon Budget (November 29, 2017)

What do carbon budgets really say about the future warming of the planet, and how much warming should we expect? Climate scientist Dr. Glen Peters explains.

Geek rating: 8

Paul Denholm, NREL
[Episode #58] – Solar with Storage (December 13, 2017)

NREL’s Paul Denholm explains how solar + storage systems participate in wholesale electricity markets, and when they can compete with natural gas peaker plants.

Geek rating: 7

Garvin Heath, NREL
[Episode #59] – Lifecycle Assessment (December 27, 2017)

What is lifecycle assessment, and how can it help us choose between various energy options during the transition? NREL’s Garvin Heath explains.

Geek rating: 6

Sara Bell, Tempus Energy
[Episode #60] – Demand Flexibility (January 10, 2018)

How can artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things turn demand flexibility into a core grid asset and displace fossil fuels?

Geek rating: 8

Tad Pfeffer, University of Colorado at Boulder
[Episode #61] – Climate Science Part 8 – Melting Glaciers and Sea Level Rise (January 24, 2018)

How well do we understand the melting of our glaciers and ice caps, and how much sea levels might rise as a result…and when?

Geek rating: 4

Tim Johnson, Duke University
[Duke Energy Week extra #1] – Energy and Environment Education (February 1, 2018)

Why motivates students in the Energy and Environment program at Duke, what topics do they find the most challenging, and why are they interested in energy transition?

Geek rating: 1

Dalia Patino-Echeverri, Duke University
[Duke Energy Week extra #2] – Integration and Market Challenges in Grid Evolution (February 1, 2018)

How does utility resource procurement need to adapt to a changing world? Can wholesale markets survive the transition to more distributed resources? Is there a risk of becoming too dependent on natural gas to provide grid balancing services? And how does storage may need to be valued in order to fulfill its greatest potential on the grid?

Geek rating: 8

Kyle Bradbury, Duke University Energy Initiative
[Duke Energy Week extra #3] – Storage Potential, the Role of EVs, and Data Analytics (February 1, 2018)

How should we value storage services? Will CSP and EVs change the grid? How can machine learning and data analytics accelerate energy transition?

Geek rating: 8

Thad Moore, Post and Courier
[Episode #62] – How Advance Cost Recovery Swindled the South (February 7, 2018)

How did utilities in the South squander more than $40 billion on failed nuclear and coal plants, and how can such boondoggles be prevented in the future?

Geek rating: 2

Mackay Miller, National Grid
[Episode #63] – Pathways to Deep Decarbonization (February 21, 2018)

As we transfer loads from transportation and space heating over to renewably-powered electricity, will we discover a limit to the “electrify everything” mantra?

Geek rating: 3

Eric Gimon, Energy Innovation
[Episode #64] – Ask Eric (March 7, 2018)

Energy expert Eric Gimon answers questions submitted by Energy Transition Show subscribers.

Geek rating: 5

Valerie Trouet, University of Arizona
[Episode #65] – Climate Science Part 9 – Jet Stream (March 21, 2018)

The changing jet stream is associated with many of the extreme weather events in recent years, and tree-ring data shows that climate change is to blame.

Geek rating: 3

Liam Denning, Bloomberg
[Episode #66] – Transition’s Disruptors Part 1 (April 4, 2018)

What do disruptive companies like oil and gas frackers and Tesla have in common, and what can they tell us about energy transition? Part 1 of 2.

Geek rating: 5

Liam Denning, Bloomberg
[Episode #67] – Transition’s Disruptors Part 2 (April 18, 2018)

What do disruptive companies like oil and gas frackers and Tesla have in common, and what can they tell us about energy transition? Part 2 of 2.

Geek rating: 5

Gernot Wagner, Harvard University
[Episode #68] – Environmental Economics (May 2, 2018)

How can we count the uncountable in energy transition, and turn it into relevant data that can inform climate policy?

Geek rating: 7

Laura Wisland, Union of Concerned Scientists
[Episode #69] – Western Grid Regionalization (May 16, 2018)

If 13 US states and parts of Canada and Mexico were to join the California ISO system, how would it affect power markets across the West?

Geek rating: 8

Michael Panfil, Environmental Defense Fund
[Episode #70] – Who Should Control Wholesale Markets? (May 30, 2018)

Contests over the control of wholesale markets are a core feature of energy transition and raise complex legal questions, which we explore in this episode.

Geek rating: 10

Ivor Frischknecht, Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA)
[Episode #71] – Australia at the Cutting Edge (June 13, 2018)

Australia is at the cutting edge of energy transition, with the world’s largest grid battery and rapidly replacing coal with renewables. How are they doing it?

Geek rating: 6

Adam Browning, Vote Solar
[Episode #72] – The Future of Solar (June 27, 2018)

What’s next for solar, as it becomes the cheapest form of new power generation? Do we still need solar advocates and incentives, or can it now stand on its own?

Geek rating: 5

Gary Wolfram, Hillsdale College
[Episode #73] – Regulatory Capture (July 11, 2018)

How can we ensure that utility regulators aren’t unduly influenced by the companies they’re supposed to regulate as we proceed with the energy transition?

Geek rating: 6

Charlie Wilson, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
[Episode #74] – Climate Science Part 10: How to limit warming to 1.5°C without CCS (July 25, 2018)

Can behavioral changes and better delivery of services help us limit global warming to 1.5 °C without relying on negative emission technologies like CCS?

Geek rating: 5

Constantine "Costa" Samaras, Carnegie Mellon University
[Episode #75] – Transportation Transition (August 8, 2018)

Is the transition of transportation to electric vehicles good for society, or just a new set of problems? We explore some common questions in this episode.

Geek rating: 7

Mark Lewis, Carbon Tracker
[Episode #76] – Carbon Clampdown (August 22, 2018)

Europe is about to fix its cap and trade system for carbon emissions. But will carbon prices rise high enough to meet the Paris targets?

Geek rating: 8

Robyn Beavers, Blueprint Power
[Episode #77] – Perspectives of an Energy Transition Veteran (September 5, 2018)

Robyn Beavers shares some of her insights from a 15-year career in energy transition. How did we get here, and what’s next?

Geek rating: 7

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #78] – 3-Year Anniversary on the Jonathan Koomey Omnibus (September 19, 2018)

Veteran energy researcher Jonathan Koomey rejoins us for our 3rd anniversary show covering a wide range of topics related to energy transition.

Geek rating: 10

Samuel Golding, Community Choice Partners
[Episode #79] – Community Choice Aggregations (CCAs) (October 3, 2018)

Community choice aggregations (CCAs) are rapidly taking over power procurement in California and elsewhere, with both advantages and concerns to consider.

Geek rating: 9

Pier LaFarge, Sparkfund
[Episode #80] – Building Infrastructure as a Service (October 17, 2018)

Forget buying HVAC and lighting systems for your commercial buildings. Building infrastructure-as-a-service offers an exciting new path to energy transition.

Geek rating: 2

David Murphy, St. Lawrence University
[Episode #81] – Principles of Energy Transition (October 31, 2018)

Dr. David Murphy of St. Lawrence University interviews Chris about principles of energy transition, live from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

Geek rating: 2

Scott Tew, Center for Energy Efficiency & Sustainability at Ingersoll Rand (CEES)
[Episode #82] – The Business Case for Renewable Energy (November 14, 2018)

Can a large corporation, especially one involved in heavy industry like mining, use more renewable energy and become more sustainable? Ingersoll Rand thinks so.

Geek rating: 1

Patrick Graichen, Agora Energiewende
[Episode #83] – Revisiting Germany’s Energiewende (November 28, 2018)

How is Germany’s Energiewende (energy transition) coming along, why did they decide to phase out nuclear at a time like this, and when will they get off coal?

Geek rating: 2

Robbie Orvis, Energy Innovation
[Episode #84] – Designing Climate Solutions (December 12, 2018)

We talk with an author of Designing Climate Solutions about the best policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide, and how to design them.

Geek rating: 5

Michael Liebreich, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
[Episode #85] – Foreign Aid for Microgrids (December 26, 2018)

The best way to build a renewably-powered microgrid using foreign aid in Africa may be exactly the opposite of what you’d expect.

Geek rating: 4

Inês Azevedo, Carnegie Mellon University
[Episode #86] – Is Transition Worth It? (January 9, 2019)

Are investments in energy transition worth it, or do things like the rebound effect and dirty power grids nullify their value?

Geek rating: 8

Arne Olson, E3
[Episode #87] – The Value of Flexible Solar (January 23, 2019)

If utility-scale solar plants could be made to run more flexibly, they could avoid curtailment and play an even larger role in grid power supply.

Geek rating: 10

Alex Gilbert, SparkLibrary
[Episode #88] – Energy Trade in Transition (February 6, 2019)

The global energy trade is enormously complex, and its geopolitical implications are vast, but they are only made more complex by energy transition. If the US exports gas to Europe and Asia, might you expect it to largely displace coal in their power plants? Think again! What will be the geopolitical ramifications on our relationship […]

Geek rating: 8

Richenda Van Leuuwen, Global LPG Partnership
[Episode #89] – Energy Access and Health (February 20, 2019)

What kinds of energy solutions can really improve the health of people in developing countries, and how can energy transition support them?

Geek rating: 2

Pete Fuller, Autumn Lane Energy Consulting
[Episode #90] – How Will Decarbonized Power Markets Work? (March 6, 2019)

This one is for the grid geeks! With the Green New Deal now a hot topic in the US Congress, while wholesale power markets still struggle to figure out how to accommodate new kinds of resources even as coal plants and nuclear plants continue to retire, the question of how wholesale power markets should work, […]

Geek rating: 9

Tim Buckley, Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)
[Episode #91] – Energy Transition in India and Southeast Asia, Part 1 (March 20, 2019)

It has long been assumed that India, China, and other developing countries of Southeast Asia would power their vigorous economic growth for decades to come with coal. We heard over and over that China is building a new coal-fired power plant every three days, and about plans for multi-gigawatt sized coal-fired power plants in India. […]

Geek rating: 4

Chris Hansen, Colorado House of Representatives
[Episode #92] – Financing Coal Plant Retirements (April 3, 2019)

The coal power sector in the US is continuing to shrink due to poor economics, but this doesn’t mean we’re retiring coal fired power plants quickly enough to reduce carbon emissions at a rate that achieves our climate goals. So what’s the best way to get rid of coal plants before they reach the end […]

Geek rating: 7

Tim Buckley, Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)
[Episode #93] – Energy Transition in India and Southeast Asia, Part 2 (April 17, 2019)

This is Part 2 of our two-and-a-half hour interview with Tim Buckley, of the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, based in Australia. We featured Part 1 in Episode 91, in which we primarily discussed the future of coal fired power in India. In this second part, we expand on the India story and […]

Geek rating: 4

Lorenzo Kristov, California Independent System Operator (CAISO)
[Episode #94] – Integrated Decentralized Power Systems (May 1, 2019)

As more distributed energy resources arrive unbidden onto the power grid, they are increasingly requiring us not to just think about new utility business models, but to radically rethink what a utility might look like. What if millions of distributed resources become the dominant resources, and the grid assumes a subordinate role as a residual […]

Geek rating: 9

Dmitrii Bogdanov, Lappeenranta University of Technology
[Episode #95] – Powering the world with RE (May 15, 2019)

Can we run the world on renewables alone? Various researchers have tried to model how a given country might run a grid using mostly renewables, oftentimes finding that carbon-negative technologies, advanced nuclear power, and even coal power plants equipped with CCS will be a part of the solution set. But no one has produced a […]

Geek rating: 6

Debbie Hopkins, University of Oxford
[Episode #96] – Sustainable Mobility (May 29, 2019)

Energy transition is happening quickly and disruptively in the transportation sector. But it is generally an open question whether the transition currently at hand is producing socially beneficial results. As we grapple with a sudden influx of new modes of mobility and business models, and contemplate the dawning of an entirely new mobility paradigm, are […]

Geek rating: 2

Miles Farmer, NRDC
[Episode #97] – How State Policies Can Drive Decarbonization (June 12, 2019)

As we continue looking for ways to decarbonize our energy systems, we often have to decide whether it’s better to try reworking our market rules so that the markets will do a better job of procuring clean energy, as we discussed in Episode #90, or whether it makes sense to just mandate the procurement of […]

Geek rating: 9

Russell Gold, Wall Street Journal
[Episode #98] – Why Building Transmission is So Hard (June 26, 2019)

Building high voltage transmission lines has never been easy, but now it’s arguably both harder than ever, and more necessary than ever, as we seek to unlock the vast potential of wind and solar in the US and ship it to major population centers. But it’s not a business for the faint of heart, as […]

Geek rating: 3

Morgan Bazilian, Colorado School of Mines
[Episode #99] – Metals Supply in Energy Transition (July 10, 2019)

Is the supply of certain key metals—like lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt—and “rare earth” metals—like vanadium and indium—potentially a limiter on the progress of energy transition? Or is there enough of them to realize our ambitions? Are they being produced in a sustainable way? How will the geographic concentration of these metals affect geopolitics and […]

Geek rating: 1

Adam Warren, Colorado School of Mines
Constantine "Costa" Samaras, Carnegie Mellon University
David Murphy, St. Lawrence University
Dustin Mulvaney, San Jose State University
Sridhar Seetharaman, Colorado School of Mines
[Episode #100] – Teaching Energy Transition (July 24, 2019)

For our 100th episode, we thought we’d do a little something special: Interview professors from four US universities who are using the Energy Transition Show as coursework, and make the full show available to everyone, including non-subscribers. We ask these teachers about the specific topics they’re teaching, how they’re using the show in their classes, […]

Geek rating: 1

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #101] – What We Don’t Know About Energy Transition (August 7, 2019)

In this wide-ranging chat, Chris Nelder and Jonathan Koomey talk about the many things we don’t know about how the energy transition will proceed.

Geek rating: 9

Michael Wara, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
[Episode #102] – Transition as Wildfire Adaptation in California (August 21, 2019)

The energy transition provides some of the answers to wildfire risk, including how utilities deal with their own culpability.

Geek rating: 2

Colin Campbell, Petroleum Analysis Centre
[Episode #103] – A Return to Regionalism (September 4, 2019)

Unless energy transition is wildly successful, the world will have no choice but to depend on local resources when oil production begins its inevitable decline.

Geek rating: 4

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #104] – 4-Year Anniversary Show (September 18, 2019)

Jonathan Koomey returns to the show for another freewheeling discussion about some of the interesting developments over the past year in energy transition.

Geek rating: 6

Travis Kavulla, NRG Energy
[Episode #105] – Can Competition Decarbonize Electricity? (October 2, 2019)

How can electricity markets be used as a tool to decarbonize power supply?

Geek rating: 9

Jesse Burton, University of Cape Town
[Episode #106] – Transition in South Africa (October 16, 2019)

South Africa could be one of the world’s greatest success stories in energy transition if it can shed its apartheid-era legacy of coal dependency.

Geek rating: 5

Sally Benson, Stanford University
[Episode #107] – Macro-Energy Systems (October 30, 2019)

Energy transition is complex, and understanding it requires expertise in multiple disciplines, so a group of Stanford researchers proposes to study it that way.

Geek rating: 5

Kingsmill Bond, Carbon Tracker
[Episode #108] – Will Energy Transition Be Rapid or Gradual? (November 13, 2019)

Fossil fuel incumbents think energy transition will be gradual, while the disruptors think it will be rapid. What can we learn from these contrasting narratives?

Geek rating: 3

Neela Banerjee, Inside Climate News
[Episode #109] – Big Oil’s Climate Denial Machine (November 27, 2019)

Exxon was doing some of the best research on climate change 40 years ago. Why did they then commit to a global climate disinformation campaign?

Geek rating: 2

Mark Lewis, Carbon Tracker
[Episode #110] – Death Toll for Petrol (December 11, 2019)

The transition to electric vehicles powered by renewables is all but guaranteed by the massive energetic advantage they have over conventional oil-burning vehicles.

Geek rating: 9

Christopher Clack, Vibrant Clean Energy, LLC
[Episode #111] – No Coal in our Christmas Stockings (December 25, 2019)

Transitioning to renewables, and moving heating and transportation to the power grid, will save everyone money while reducing emissions.

Geek rating: 6

Glen Peters, CICERO
[Episode #112] – Climate Science Part 11 – Climate Confusion (January 8, 2020)

How likely are the various scenarios for global warming, what do they mean, and where is the current trajectory for climate change likely to take us?

Geek rating: 9

Joe Daniel, Union of Concerned Scientists
[Episode #113] – Coal Plant Self-Scheduling (January 22, 2020)

Fully-regulated utilities can choose to operate their plants at a loss when regulators give them a way to pass those losses onto their customers.

Geek rating: 8

Andy Bochman, Idaho National Laboratory
[Episode #114] – Cyber and Climate Risks (February 5, 2020)

What does cybersecurity on the grid mean, and what does it have to do with energy transition and climate change?

Geek rating: 9

Kate Mackenzie, Bloomberg Green
[Episode #115] – Wildfire and Transition in Australia (February 19, 2020)

How is Australia dealing with the reality of climate change in this season of hugely destructive wildfires, and what is the outlook for its energy transition?

Geek rating: 1

Michael Liebreich, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Nico Bauer, Potsdam Institute
[Episode #116] – Climate Science Part 12a – Improving Climate Modeling (March 4, 2020)

Two energy analysts ask an integrated assessment modeler to explain why the IPCC’s climate scenarios don’t seem to represent the progress of energy transition.

Geek rating: 10

Michael Liebreich, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Nico Bauer, Potsdam Institute
[Episode #117] – Climate Science Part 12b – Improving Climate Modeling (March 18, 2020)

Two energy analysts ask an integrated assessment modeler to explain why the IPCC’s climate scenarios don’t seem to represent the progress of energy transition.

Geek rating: 10

Shayle Kann, Energy Impact Partners
Stephen Lacey, Post Script Audio
[Episode #118] – Open and Answered Questions (April 1, 2020)

The Energy Transition Show joins up with The Interchange for our first ever crossover episode!

Geek rating: 7

Paulina Jaramillo, Carnegie Mellon University
[Episode #119] – Energy Basics Parts 1–3 (April 15, 2020)

These first three episodes in our mini-series on the energy basics explain some of the essential concepts and terms in energy, including what energy is, why we convert it, and how we use it.

Geek rating: 1

Liam Denning, Bloomberg
[Episode #120] – Carnage in the Oil Patch (April 29, 2020)

How much damage has the oil industry suffered from the coronavirus shutdown, how will it recover, and what are the implications for energy transition?

Geek rating: 7

Leah Stokes, University of California Santa Barbara
[Episode #121] – Winning and Losing the Policy Game (May 13, 2020)

What are the winning (and losing) tactics in crafting policy to support energy transition, and what do advocates need to do to win?

Geek rating: 3

Will Gorman, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
[Episode #122] – Hybrid Power Plants (May 27, 2020)

Why are utility-scale wind and solar farms increasingly being paired with integrated battery storage systems, and is that really the best way to deploy storage?

Geek rating: 8

Dustin Mulvaney, San Jose State University
[Episode #123] – Sustainable Energy Transitions (June 10, 2020)

What does “sustainability” really mean in the context of energy transition? We review a new textbook that explores these complex questions.

Geek rating: 5

Nat Bullard, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
[Episode #124] – Energy Transition Progress Report (June 24, 2020)

Will progress on the energy transition continue as the world gets back to work, or will it falter thanks to economies under pressure and vast unemployment?

Geek rating: 6

Auke Hoekstra, Eindhoven University of Technology
[Episode #125] – Beyond Planet of the Humans (July 8, 2020)

Why did the new film, Planet of the Humans, get so much about the energy transition wrong, and what are its filmmakers really trying to say?

Geek rating: 3

David Murphy, St. Lawrence University
[Episode #126] – Energy Basics Parts 4–6 – Electricity, Generation and Grid Management (July 22, 2020)

These episodes are part of our mini-series on the energy basics, and explain some of the essential concepts in electricity, including what electricity is, how we generate it, and how we manage power grids.

Geek rating: 1

Jules Kortenhorst, Rocky Mountain Institute
[Episode #127] – Hard-to-Decarbonize Sectors (August 5, 2020)

What are the solutions to reducing carbon emissions from the “hard-to-decarbonize” sectors that make industrial civilization possible?

Geek rating: 2

Paul Komor, University of Colorado Boulder
[Episode #128] – Energy Basics Parts 7–9 – The Electricity Business and Power Markets (August 19, 2020)

In this part of our Energy Basics mini-series, we review the evolution of the electricity industry, and explain how wholesale and retail power markets work.

Geek rating: 1

Jeffrey Sachs, Columbia University
[Episode #129] – Deep Decarbonization Policy for the US (September 2, 2020)

What are the policies that the US needs to pursue in order to achieve its decarbonization targets?

Geek rating: 3

Jonathan Koomey, Stanford
[Episode #130] – 5-Year Anniversary Show (September 16, 2020)

Jonathan Koomey returns to the show for another freewheeling discussion about some of the interesting developments in energy transition over the past year.

Geek rating: 7

Jamil Farbes, Evolved Energy Research
[Episode #131] – Decarbonizing the US by 2050 (September 30, 2020)

According to modeling by the UN, decarbonizing the economy of the United States, and getting to net-zero emissions by 2050, is not only possible but affordable.

Geek rating: 9

Jenny Chase, Bloomberg New Energy Finance
[Episode #132] – The Future of Solar (October 14, 2020)

How did the solar industry get to where it is today, and what does the future hold for it?

Geek rating: 5

Mark Campanale, Carbon Tracker
[Episode #133] – Stranded Assets (October 28, 2020)

Investors need to reduce their exposure to fossil fuel assets as the world starts taking action on climate change.

Geek rating: 7

Jason Burwen, Energy Storage Association
[Episode #134] – Storage Grows Up (November 11, 2020)

Battery storage has grown ten-fold in the US over the past five years, but the storage sector is still just getting started.

Geek rating: 9

Bob Litterman, Kepos Capital
[Episode #135] – Internalizing Climate Risk (November 25, 2020)

What risks does climate change pose to the financial sector and to various markets, and how should we recognize and internalize those risks?

Geek rating: 6

Carey King, University of Texas - Austin
[Episode #136] – The Economic Superorganism (December 9, 2020)

To what extent will economics and fundamental limits of energy resources guide and control the progress of energy transition?

Geek rating: 7

Morgan Bazilian, Colorado School of Mines
[Episode #137] – Energy and Climate in the Biden Administration (December 23, 2020)

What will the Biden-Harris administration mean for America’s energy transition, its relationship with the rest of the world, and for global action on climate?

Geek rating: 5

Lauri Myllyvirta, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)
[Episode #138] – Transition in China (January 6, 2021)

Is China the greatest threat to the global climate, or our greatest hope for energy transition?

Geek rating: 6

Robert Walton, Utility Dive
[Episode #139] – Vehicle-Grid Integration (January 20, 2021)

What is vehicle-grid integration, how are electric vehicles charged, and what are some of the best practices for managing EV loads on utility grids?

Geek rating: 7

Emily Grubert, Georgia Institute of Technology
Mason Inman, Global Energy Monitor
[Episode #140] – Methane Leakage (February 3, 2021)

The first study to make granular estimates for methane leakage in a large number of US cities exceeds the previous estimate by 72%.

Geek rating: 7

Danny Cullenward, CarbonPlan
[Episode #141] – Making Climate Policy Work (February 17, 2021)

How should we design climate policies so they really reduce emissions, and why have carbon market strategies mostly failed?

Geek rating: 5

Simon Evans, Carbon Brief
[Episode #142] – Hydrogen Economy 2.0 Part 1 (March 3, 2021)