Noah Rettberg, physics lab technician in training and popular Decouple guest, sheds some light on the protests regarding the expansion of the Garzweiler mine into Lützerath and unearths the deeps roots that Germany and lignite share. Germany, with limited bituminous coal and no petroleum to speak of, has always been able to lean on its sizable lignite coal reserves. It has been transformed into anything from synthetic fuels to margarine to autobody.
Jan 23, 2023•45 min•Season 17Ep. 8
Nate Hagens, host of the podcast “The Great Simplification,” discusses the implications of fossil fuel/material depletion and the ways that our financial system is accelerating consumption under the shadow of a looming economic correction. Nate argues that classical economics neglects the central role of energy, and he offers a critique of the idea of resource substitution, especially when it comes to liquid hydrocarbons. Will peak oil rear its head again as we slurp up dwindling oil reserves fr...
Jan 16, 2023•57 min•Season 17Ep. 7
Cal Abel, CTO of Signal Power and Light, discusses the engineering behind the sodium-cooled fast reactor Natrium, and argues for their centrality in the U.S. coal to nuclear transition, as their high temperatures could be used for the dual production of electricity and synthetic fuels from the gasification of coal.
Jan 09, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 17Ep. 6
Gerrit Bruhaug, based out of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at Rochester University, joins Decouple to talk about the significance of the recent ignition event at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories.
Jan 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 17Ep. 5
An IAEA panel discussion at COP27 on how nuclear energy intersects with the lives of individuals and a diverse array of nations including Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa, the USA and Sweden. Moderated by: Mark Nelson, Managing Director, Radiant Energy Group Panelists: Seth Grae - American Nuclear Society - CEO, Lightbridge Corporation Heba Elkomey - International Youth Nuclear Congress - PhD Candidate at Claremit, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority Amanda Mbhele - Women in Nuclear Young...
Dec 30, 2022•56 min•Season 17Ep. 4
Noah Rettberg, physics lab technician in training and popular Decouple guest, updates us on Germany's return to fossil fuels and discusses a salient topic in the energy transition debate: that of human factors.
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 17Ep. 3
Dr. Simon Michaux, Associate Professor at Geometallurgy at Geological Survey of Finland, uncovers the truth about the vast mining requirements behind any proposed transition to a "clean" energy future. Watch the Decouple Studios episode on Dr. Michaux's work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19-gqgugKOc Read academic works by Dr. Michaux: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Simon-Michaux-2
Dec 12, 2022•1 hr 34 min•Season 17Ep. 2
Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant Energy Group, digests COP27, whose location in Egypt leads him to reflect on the incredible structure and longevity of the pyramids and what lessons on energy they harbor for the modern observer. Intro and outro music: Overture (Lawrence of Arabia) by Maurice Jarre, performed by Mark Nelson immediately prior to the interview.
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Season 17Ep. 1
Seth Grae, CEO of Lightbridge Corporation, reflects on the 2022 UN Climate Chance Conference, or COP27, held this year in Egypt. We discuss perceived attitudes between the global wealthy and underdeveloped nations, how nuclear was nearly left out of the language in the final negotiated statement, and how the UAE can make the most of hosting COP28 next year in Dubai.
Nov 29, 2022•57 min•Season 16Ep. 10
Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant Energy Group, debates Tobias Holle, an activist with Fridays for Future Germany, at the pavilion of the International Atomic Energy Agency at COP27 in Egypt. The question at hand: is nuclear power a climate friend or foe? This event was streamlined live on IAEA social media channels on November 15, 2022: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdAV0kVJFWk
Nov 21, 2022•45 min•Season 16Ep. 9
A very special guest, Dr. Robert Gale, a physician and medical researcher who pioneered knowledge on bone marrow transplantation and the molecular biology and immunology of leukemia, shares his first-hand perspective on the radiation impacts of nuclear accidents, LNT, and other radiation-related topics. As a world expert in his field, Dr. Gale was asked in 1986 by Soviet Union president Mikhail Gorbachev to coordinate medical relief efforts for victims immediately after the Chernobyl accident. H...
Nov 15, 2022•40 min•Season 16Ep. 8
Kalev Kallemets, CEO of Fermi Energia, joins us once again to discuss the "secret sauce" of successful nuclear construction, and how his company is working to get new reactors built in his homeland of Estonia.
Nov 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 16Ep. 7
BF Randall, an environmental lawyer who has made a rapid rise on #energytwitter for his detailed threads on mining and energy, explains why we may be pursuing the wrong strategy to decouple human well being from emissions. Namely, by focusing on decarbonizing electricity, we are ignoring and even increasing the 85% of global primary energy that comes from fossil fuels for non-electricity uses. Randall argues that, more than almost anyone appreciates, crude oil heavy distillates are the lifeblood...
Nov 01, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Season 16Ep. 6
James Fleay, an Australian engineer and project manager in the energy sector, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss the "Hydrogen Alliance" proposed between Canada and Germany. This Hydrogen Alliance is coming under increasing scrutiny due to allegations of a conflict of interest arising out of the Premier of Newfoundland, Andrew Furey's luxury trip to a lodge owned by Canadian billionaire John Risley this summer. Risley happens to be one of the principal investors in a project called Nujio’qonik, one of ...
Oct 21, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Season 16Ep. 5
Listen to a panel discussion hosted in-person in Ontario by the Canadian Nuclear Workers Council, featuring: Ross Galbraith, International Representative of the labour union IBEW Dr. Keefer, host of Decouple and President of Canadians for Nuclear Energy Madi Hilly, Founder of Campaign for a Green Nuclear Deal Moderated by Mike Belmore, External Relations for the Society of United Professionals. They discuss their entry into nuclear advocacy, their involvement with labour, and how nuclear advocat...
Oct 19, 2022•58 min•Season 16Ep. 4
Dr. Chris Keefer teamed up with Dr. Douglas Boreham, Professor and Division Head of Medical Sciences at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, to speak before residents in South Bruce, Ontario, the potential site of Canada's Deep Geological Repository for used nuclear fuel. The event, organized by the local grassroots group Willing to Listen, features presentations from each speaker followed by an open Q&A session. Recorded Sept. 17, 2022. **DECOUPLE READS** We are excited to launch Decoup...
Oct 10, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Season 16Ep. 3
Adam Blazowski, an engineer and co-founder of FOTA4Climate, joins us to provide context to the breaking news of the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage and what it means for Europe and Germany. Adam walks us through the history and geopolitical implications of the project, especially for Ukraine and Eastern Europe, and explains the role of Gazprom-funded environmental NGOs in blocking German LNG infrastructure. We also explore Poland’s coming nuclear buildout and Adam’s perspectives on the cold, dark ...
Sep 27, 2022•56 min•Season 16Ep. 2
Noah Rettberg returns for an update on the tragedy of German energy and energy policy. As politicians continue to mislead the public and force a nuclear phaseout amid a full-blown energy crisis, the country has become a lesson in what not to do when it comes to clean energy. We discuss: The frantic posturing of Minister Robert Habeck, Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, as he attempts to navigate an energy crisis while justifying the closure of the country's last ...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 14 min•Season 16Ep. 1
Doomberg, author of the leading Substack newsletter on energy, finance, and the economy at-large, has written extensively on the energy crisis devastating Europe. We discuss a recent Twitter Spaces debate in which Doomberg argued that the European energy crisis is "analogous to the global financial crisis" of 2008; the political, technological, and financial roots of the crisis; the ways in which Green ideology has doomed Germany to backwards progress on climate and economic goals; what hope Eur...
Sep 19, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 15Ep. 10
Robert Parker, a civil engineer and ex-president of the Australian Nuclear Association, walks us through Australia's misguided energy aspirations, and what it will take to get the country on track for a feasible and affordable low-carbon power grid. By repealing its ban on nuclear, the island continent could get up to speed on nuclear by collaborating with countries that have maintained a thriving sector, like Canada. In addition to proposing an Australia-Canada partnership on nuclear, Parker of...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 15Ep. 9
Isabelle Boemeke, the founder of Isodope and a key influencer in the recent victory to keep Diablo Canyon Power Plant online, reflects on the organizing efforts by the pro-nuclear community; the numerous, dedicated advocates involved; a pivotal Stanford/MIT study supporting the plant's continued operation; the largest pro-nuclear rally in the United States; what resistance pro-nuclear organizers faced; and what the future of the Diablo Canyon fight looks like. Learn more about Isodope: https://i...
Sep 08, 2022•53 min•Season 15Ep. 8
Michael Shellenberger, best-selling author and an early organizer of the pro-nuclear movement, joins Dr. Keefer to discuss the landmark victory of saving Diablo Canyon with the passage of California Senate Bill SB846 on August 31. Shellenberger reflects on the history of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant, the early days of the fight to keep it open, and what this victory means for the future of nuclear power.
Sep 02, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 15Ep. 7
Brahm Neufeld, senior engineer of process controls at CAMECO and a lifelong avid reader, joins Dr. Keefer on a new Decouple series: Decouple Reads. We discuss the value of reading, lay out a hopeful format for this new series, and discuss two recent books on climate and energy by Alex Epstein on the political right and Matt Huber on the political left. Read Brahm's Goodreads review of Fossil Future: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4875800094 Brahm's review of Climate Change as Class War: h...
Aug 30, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 15Ep. 6
Jeff Phelps, Vice President of Major Operations at Bruce Power, sits down with Dr. Keefer at Bruce Nuclear Generating Station to discuss the ongoing refurbishment of units at the world's largest operating nuclear plant. What are refurbishments, or major component replacements, and what do they mean for Ontario's energy and economy?
Aug 22, 2022•19 min•Season 15Ep. 5
Robert Bryce, author, film producer, and host of the Power Hungry Podcast, discusses headlines and current events in energy, notably the recently-passed landmark U.S. bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. He offers an alternate perspective to the hyperbolic praise this bill has receive from some clean energy advocates, and contextualizes it amid broader trends in energy geopolitics. Listen to the Power Hungry Podcast: https://robertbryce.com/power-hungry-podcast/ Subscribe to Emmet Penney's Grid Br...
Aug 16, 2022•56 min•Season 15Ep. 4
Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant Energy Group, joins us for the third installation of our masterclass series, this time all about energy storage. We take a first principles approach focusing on the core concepts of storage to equip the listener with the analytical skills to better understand the contentious energy debates of our time. Mark explains the basic physics of storage, corrects common misconceptions, and gives a numerically literate overview of a few different energy storag...
Aug 09, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Season 15Ep. 3
Dr. Keefer and Decouple producer Dylan Moon reflect on their visit to Ontario's Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). The NWMO is tasked with designing, siting, and building a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for the long-term storage of used nuclear fuel. Although decades of engineering and a current annual budget of over $100 million have led to a robust and safe storage solution, the organization's "gold standard" consent-based siting process leaves no clear path for the project to ev...
Aug 02, 2022•29 min•Season 15Ep. 2
Mark Nelson, managing director of the Radiant Energy Group, joins us for his second masterclass, this time all about coal. Much maligned by environmentalists, and a significant source of air pollution and carbon emissions, coal still constitutes a whopping 25% of our primary energy consumption, and over 30% of global electricity production. What is it, where does it come from, how did it change the world, and why is it so difficult for even the most affluent and environmentally conscious countri...
Jul 19, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 15Ep. 1
Noah Rettberg returns to update us on how Germany is faring amid its ongoing energy crisis. How and why is the crisis unfolding, how have key industries been affected, will Germany capitulate to Russian pressure and how can Germany serve as a warning for other countries pursuing energy transition? Follow Noah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoahRettberg
Jul 12, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 14Ep. 10
Ontario can't seem to make up its mind about energy. Partway through a historic nuclear-powered coal phaseout, the province adopted the Green Energy Act (GEA), which established costly feed-in-tariffs for renewables in the footsteps of Germany's Energiewende. Now, three years after rising energy costs prompted the GEA's repeal, the planned 2025 closure of the 3.1 GW Pickering Nuclear Generating Station is leaving Ontario with no option to meet coming capacity shortfalls without winding back clim...
Jul 05, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 14Ep. 9
