President Biden’s climate plans are starting to come into focus. The Whitehouse released “The American Jobs Plan” a few weeks ago, which included about $1 trillion of spending for clean energy and climate initiatives. The Whitehouse is also hosting a virtual Climate Summit this week with dozens of world leaders, and the United States is expected to announce an ambitious emissions reduction target for 2030. This week, our guest is Samantha Gross, Director of Energy Security and Climate Initiative...
Apr 20, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 111
This week Jackie and Peter take on listener EV questions and comments. Here are some of the questions they tackled: Are EVs impacting oil demand and markets? Is degrading battery life a risk of EV ownership? How much range is lost due to cold weather? How do the economics of leasing vs buying compare? What about people without the luxury of a garage with adequate electrical capacity? And, if the energy for manufacturing the cars is factored in, are EVs still the lower GHG emissions option? Link ...
Apr 13, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 110
LNG Canada’s $40 billion megaproject is taking shape. The project is the largest private sector investment ever made in Canada, and marks the birth of a new export industry. This week, the CEO of LNG Canada, Peter Zebedee joins the podcast to provide an update on the construction underway in Kitimat, British Columbia. Here are some of the questions we asked Peter Zebedee: What is the current long-term outlook for LNG demand? Is it possible for an LNG facility to be net-zero emissions? How would ...
Apr 06, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 109
Stock prices of companies in the clean energy space have rocketed-up over the past year. Even considering the recent pullback, most stocks are still up significantly. Clean energy investing is not new. There have been a few cycles in the past that have generally not ended well for investors. This week, Peter and Jackie discuss today’s market dynamics and what may have changed compared with the past. The mentioned article on direct air capture, including the estimated price for removing carbon di...
Mar 30, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 108
What is the effort required to respond to investor ESG disclosure requirements? Should oil sands companies have access to “green financing” to fund emissions reduction projects? How do Suncor’s GHG emission reduction goals compare to other oil producers? What types of new energy technologies and projects is Suncor investing in? What is your perspective on Canadian federal climate policy, including $170/tonne carbon price by 2030 and the Clean Fuel Standard? These are just some of the questions w...
Mar 23, 2021•28 min•Season 1Ep. 107
This week our guest is Simon Moores, Managing Director of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence offers price reporting and market intelligence for the supply chains of lithium ion batteries, electric vehicles and energy storage. Here are some of the questions Jackie and Peter asked Simon: What is driving the increase in lithium, cobalt, and nickel prices today? Are there new mineral mines coming? Are auto manufactures considering the battery supply chain in their ambitio...
Mar 16, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 106
This week marks a year since the oil price war started and COVID-19 reached North America. While pandemic restrictions still remain, the oil markets have roared back. In this episode, Jackie and Peter discuss the recent ARC commentary “A 60-to-0 Round Trip: Nine Oily Lessons from the Pandemic.” For the energy industry, the events of the past 12 months have been a thought experiment turned reality. What have we learned? See the IEA’s “Achieving net-zero emissions by 2050” to view the assumptions ...
Mar 09, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 105
Millions of Texans were left in the freezing cold when the electrical system fell short during a historic winter chill. The deadly event caused the electric system operator to cut about 35% of forecasted demand with blackouts. This week, our guests – Joshua Rhodes, Research Associate at the University of Texas at Austin and Founding Partner at IdeaSmiths LLC and Blake Shaffer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics and School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary – help us un...
Mar 02, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 104
Are electric vehicles the new family car? Jackie’s family recently purchased an EV to find out. In this episode, Peter and Jackie discuss the economics and utility of EV ownership, including the barriers of limited high-speed charging infrastructure and the need for standardized plugs. Next is an update on Canada’s Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). The draft legislation was released in the Canada Gazette in December 2020 and the deadline to provide feedback on the proposed CFS policy is quickly approac...
Feb 23, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Last week the IEA described the oil markets as ‘fragile.’ In contrast, the price of oil has soared back from all time lows (and negative pricing) to its pre-COVID levels. This week Peter and Jackie discuss the arguments of the bulls and the bears. The bears are focused on weak oil demand, slow vaccine roll outs and prolonged lockdowns. The bulls see beyond this near-term fragility to the demand recovery. Next, we consider the climate impacts of constraining North American oil production. Rating ...
Feb 16, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 102
The UN reported that net zero pledges from local governments and business have roughly doubled in less than a year. Canada has introduced a bill that would legally bind the government to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. But what do the people of Alberta think? This week, our guests – Linda Coady, the executive director of the Pembina Institute, and Janet Brown, a pollster and political commentator – share the results from a poll of Albertans commissioned by the Pembina Institute. Here are s...
Feb 09, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 101
Oil and gas stocks can hardly compete for news headlines with the wild volatility of GameStop and the soaring price of Tesla. Yet there is good news to report. Year-to-date oil and gas equities have outperformed the overall market. Relative to March 2020 - when the stocks were crushed - some public oil and gas names are now up 3 or 4 times. This week, our guest Trent Boehm, Vice Chairman and Head of Energy Sales for STIFEL FirstEnergy , explains the equity markets. Peter and Jackie asked Trent: ...
Feb 02, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 100
This week our guest is Dale Swampy, President of the National Coalition of Chiefs (NCC). Dale recently wrote an op-ed titled “UNDRIP will slow, not hasten Indigenous development.” UNDRIP (the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) was drafted by the United Nations in 2007 with the goal of recognizing basic human rights of Indigenous people and their right to self-determination. While these goals are laudable, the concern is that the legislation could create even greater ...
Jan 26, 2021•26 min•Season 1Ep. 99
This week our guest is Diane Cameron, Director of the Nuclear Energy Division at Natural Resources Canada. Canada is already a global leader in nuclear energy and safety. Canada is the second largest producer of uranium and home to the world’s largest fully operational nuclear power generation facility in Ontario. The next chapter in Canadian leadership is well underway with the development of Small Modular Reactors (SMR). On the podcast, Diane tells us about the government’s Action Plan, that a...
Jan 19, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 98
The news flow has started off 2021 with a bang! Saudi Arabia surprised the oil markets announcing a voluntary 1 MMB/d cut to their production for February and March. The Democrats gained two seats in the Georgia election, granting them greater power in the US Senate. The stock markets saw the change as a positive signal for clean energy companies. Bitcoin is attracting attention, but are digital currencies consequential for energy? Next, after a tough year for making predictions in 2020, we intr...
Jan 12, 2021•31 min•Season 1Ep. 97
On this week’s podcast we look back on the events that shaped the challenging year that was 2020. Early in January, tensions between the United States and Iran briefly pushed oil prices over $60/B. But when Coronavirus spread from China to the rest of the world, oil price plunged. The darkest days of the pandemic were in April, when oil demand dropped over 20% and price momentarily fell to negative $US 37/B (WTI). By summer, historic production cuts by OPEC+ and increasing demand brought more st...
Dec 15, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 96
The Canadian federal government is developing a Clean Fuel Standard (CFS) policy. The draft rule for liquid fuel (including gasoline and diesel) is expected later this month. Subsequently, rules for gaseous and solid fuels will be developed. This week’s episode is a primer on clean fuel standards. What is CFS? What jurisdictions have CFS policies already in place? What is the policy’s objective? Who is responsible? What are the compliance options? Is the clean fuel standard just another carbon t...
Dec 08, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 95
This week our guest is Doug Hooper, Director of Policy and Regulations at Advanced Biofuels Canada. Advanced Biofuels Canada is a national industry association established to promote the production and use of advanced biofuels In Canada. Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked Doug: Why is there a push to increase the use of biofuels in Canada? What feedstocks and processes are used to produce biofuels? How do biofuels compare with petroleum on the basis of greenhouse gas emis...
Dec 01, 2020•31 min•Season 1Ep. 94
On this week’s episode, we discuss the Canadian federal government’s plans to legislate net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. What is the reaction from the oil and gas industry? Next up, we consider the importance of energy efficiency for achieving low carbon goals. History has shown that energy demand growth is difficult to curb. Yet, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), a third of the emissions reductions in the Sustainable Development Scenario must come from efficiency. Sh...
Nov 24, 2020•29 min•Season 1Ep. 93
This week our guests are Mayor Alanna Hnatiw of Sturgeon County (the home of Alberta's Industrial Heartland) and Mayor Don Iveson from the City of Edmonton. Both Mayors are leaders on the Alberta Industrial Heartland Hydrogen Task Force. The group just released a report on the market potential for hydrogen in the region, titled: “Building a Transition Pathway To A Vibrant Hydrogen Economy In The Alberta Industrial Heartland.” Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked the Mayors:...
Nov 17, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 92
The US election has been a 'nail-biter' to say the least, with the votes still being counted three days after the election. While still not certain, the odds are now (at time of writing) skewed towards a Biden presidential win with the Republicans keeping control of the Senate. This week our guest is Robert Johnston. RJ leads the energy and natural resources practice at Eurasia Group, a firm with a pulse on geopolitical risks. Assuming a Biden win, we asked RJ: What Is the path to inauguration f...
Nov 07, 2020•32 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Canada’s largest solar farm is coming to Alberta! This week our guest is Dan Balaban, Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Greengate Power. Under Dan’s leadership, Greengate has developed $1 billion or 450 MW of producing renewable energy projects in Alberta. His company is currently developing the large Travers Solar Energy project in southern Alberta. Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked him: How cheap are electrons from solar now? Can costs go even lower? D...
Nov 03, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 90
As we woke up Sunday morning, the news was about Cenovus and Husky’s plan to merge and create a new “resilient intergraded energy leader.” The consolidation wave has been gaining momentum in Canada’s oil patch for some time, but this is the biggest announcement yet. On this week’s episode, Peter and Jackie analyze the drivers for industry consolidation by reviewing ARC’s Fiscal Pulse of the Canadian Oil and Gas Industry for 2020 . Low prices have slowed the fiscal pulse. This, along with pressur...
Oct 27, 2020•14 min•Season 1Ep. 89
This week’s guest is Daniel Yergin, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and authority on everything energy. We discuss Dan’s new book “ The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations.” Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked him: How has the US shale revolution changed the global energy order? Is the geopolitics of oil a non-issue now? What is the growing conflict between the United States and China? If Joe Biden were to win the US election, how could this change relati...
Oct 20, 2020•41 min•Season 1Ep. 88
On this week’s episode we discuss Alberta’s recently released “Natural Gas Vision and Strategy” that outlines petrochemicals, LNG, hydrogen, and plastic recycling as priorities for the government. We also talk about the province’s announcement around developing geothermal regulation. Next up, we consider the implications to lending and investing now that some banks are targeting net-zero emissions across their customers by 2050. Finally, we debate why companies should consider making net-zero 20...
Oct 13, 2020•34 min•Season 1Ep. 87
When it comes to energy, Alberta is most known for its large oil and gas industry. However, the province also has emerging new energy potential, including blue hydrogen, geothermal, minerals and carbon capture and storage (CCS). Alberta’s Energy Minister, the Honourable Sonya Savage, joined the podcast this week. Here are some of the questions we asked her: How are companies coping with the oil market crisis? What is your take on the federal government’s throne speech and plan to achieve net-zer...
Oct 02, 2020•30 min•Season 1Ep. 86
We start this week’s podcast talking about the Energyphile Vignette “Decarbonization Lessons from Edison.” Thomas Edison’s strategy for electrification provides learnings for today’s energy transition. We also cover recent energy headlines: BP’s prediction that oil demand will peak soon. California’s summer power blackouts and the state's pledge to ban the sale of new combustion vehicles by 2035. Canada also has big targets for the adoption of electric cars, but could Canada also become a leader...
Sep 29, 2020•28 min•Season 1Ep. 85
This week our guest is Duncan Van Bergen, Vice President of Nature Based Solutions for Royal Dutch Shell. What exactly are nature-based solutions? Duncan explains how Shell is harnessing nature to help achieve Shell’s ambitious GHG emission reduction targets. We learned that nature is a powerful weapon in the flight against climate change. Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked Duncan: What are some examples of nature carbon storage projects? Do the economics and scale compar...
Sep 21, 2020•33 min•Season 1Ep. 84
A recently published Transition Accelerator report suggests that hydrogen could represent a $C 100 billion per year economic opportunity for Canada. This week our guests are Dan Wicklum, President and CEO of the Transition Accelerator and David Layzell, Research Director at the Transition Accelerator, Professor and Director, Canadian Energy Systems Analysis Research (CESAR), University of Calgary. Dan Wicklum and David Layzell explain why Canada has a cost advantage for producing blue and green ...
Sep 15, 2020•38 min•Season 1Ep. 83
This week we have a special guest, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA. Dr. Birol provides his global energy perspectives, both on the current situation with the pandemic and how the future may unfold. Here are some of the questions that Peter and Jackie asked him: Has oil demand peaked? Does the pandemic speed up or slow down the transition to cleaner energy? Are you optimistic that that the world can achieve the Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS) and decarbonisation by 2050? What is...
Sep 09, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 82
