Energy Evolution - podcast cover

Energy Evolution

S&P Global Commodity Insightswww.spglobal.com
Interviews, analysis and reporting from S&P Global Commodity Insights on energy and commodities' transition to a cleaner future. Hosts Taylor Kuykendall and Eklavya Gupte speak with policymakers, industry professionals and SPGCI in-house experts worldwide on topics related to decarbonization, climate, emerging fuels and energy sources, and the outlook for commodity markets from oil to power to metals. The Energy Evolution podcast has merged with the Platts Future Energy podcast as of January 2025.
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Episodes

A conversation with NanoGraf's Francis Wang

NanoGraf Technologies CEO Dr Francis Wang talks to S&P Global Platts senior pricing specialist Jacqueline Holman about the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on China’s dominance in the battery metal supply chain, as well as the challenges and opportunities of the supply chain becoming more global.

Jul 03, 202019 min

Boost to EVs from China’s new policy at risk due to COVID-19

The battery metals industry has welcomed China’s two-year extension of subsidies for new energy vehicles, but the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented EV sales from picking up as expected. In this edition of S&P Global Platts’ monthly Battery Metals podcast, Jacqueline Holman and Henrique Ribeiro discuss how the new Chinese policy works and what can be expected for EV sales and battery metals going forward.

Jun 03, 202011 min

Former DOE chief envisions a jobs revival coming from the energy transition

The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc on the world economy. Could the global energy transition and the jobs that come with it be a part of the cure? Former U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz believes it will be. He is behind a new initiative to develop the framework for a modern energy economy that prioritizes the creation and preservation of high-quality jobs. Energy Evolution called the former Obama Administration official to talk about the potential of this new effort, whic...

Jun 01, 202031 minEp. 10

Cobalt in the time of Corona: refining, mining and pricing

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals podcast looks at how cobalt markets are faring during the current coronavirus pandemic. Emmanuel Latham is joined by Battery Metals editor Melvin Goh to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Chinese cobalt sulfate refining, the developing situation in the DRC, anticipated market developments and what this all means for cobalt prices.

May 05, 202012 min

Energy transition to be shaped by world response to COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic could help accelerate the investment shift from oil and gas to renewable energy. But the pace of that transition depends heavily on how governments direct economic recovery spending, and whether the consumer behavior changes induced by the pandemic prove permanent. In this episode, the Energy Evolution team spoke about these issues with Fatih Birol of the International Energy Agency, environmentalist and writer Bill McKibben, Amy Myers Jaffe of the Council on Foreign Rel...

Apr 30, 202038 minEp. 9

Small reactors could be a big deal for nuclear industry

States developing long-term plans to zero out carbon emissions by mid-century are key to driving adoption of advanced nuclear technology, Dr. José Reyes, a co-founder of NuScale Power said on S&P Global Market Intelligence's Energy Evolution podcast. NuScale is developing a new design for nuclear small modular reactors, or SMRs, which could be useful for states moving toward a system in which "firm" carbon-free power generation technology is needed to complement renewables. Co-hosts Dan Test...

Mar 30, 202020 min

Lithium demand heads for 2020 decline as market feels effects of coronavirus

Joe Lowry of Global Lithium -- known as "Mr. Lithium" -- forecasts lithium demand to fall in 2020 compared with 2019, the first annual decrease in many years. Lowry examines the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak on the lithium market with Henrique Ribeiro of S&P Global Platts.

Mar 27, 202029 min

Coronavirus pandemic, oil price crash shake up energy industry

As the COVID-19 pandemic drives crude oil prices into the $30 per barrel range, the Energy Evolution team takes a look at what the global economic slowdown means for fossil fuels, utilities and renewable energy. Listen to the episode, and subscribe to catch future episodes. (Photo: AP)

Mar 13, 202012 min

China battery metals sector remains optimistic about 2020 demand despite weak Q1

In this episode of the S&P Global Platts Battery Metals podcast, Platts head of APAC Metals Insights Paul Bartholomew, analyst Lucy Tang, and associate editor Joyce Zhang discuss how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting China's automobile and new energy vehicle industry, and illustrate the details of the latest Platts survey on battery metals and lithium outlook.

Mar 05, 202010 min

Climate concerns are driving the financial world away from fossil fuels

BlackRock Inc., the world's largest asset manager, recently announced it would be pulling out of its investments in certain parts of the coal sector. The move is part of a broader trend where banks, insurers and other parts of the finance world are pledging to stay away from fossil fuels to address concerns about climate change. Join us on Energy Evolution, where this month we check in on what is being said about the rising fossil fuel divestment trend and talk to activists, analysts and a repre...

Feb 20, 202027 minEp. 6

What's in store for Nickel over 2020?

The S&P Global Platts Battery Metals podcast kicks off 2020 with a deep dive into nickel. Platts Editor Henrique Ribeiro is joined by Jason Sappor, nickel analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence, to discuss his expectations for the nickel market in 2020, the implications of the Indonesian ore export ban, and what this means for the EV battery industry. You can learn more in our quarterly Platts Battery Metals Insight ....

Feb 04, 202012 min

The forces driving a gas-fired power plant glut

After an S&P Global Market Intelligence investigative team uncovered the powerful incentives to build natural gas-fired power plants in the U.S., the Energy Evolution podcast interviewed some of the "Overpowered" series' sources and authors to follow up on why utilities are adding gas generation despite flat demand and some states' efforts to adopt more renewable energy. Energy Evolution also talked to sources from the Overpowered series about why the PJM Interconnection — the country's larg...

Jan 23, 202019 min

A very special Energy Evolution holiday episode

From turkeys and LED lights to celebrating Hanukkah with solar energy, the Energy Evolution team breaks down power usage during the holidays with efficiency tips, fun facts and a cooking tutorial. The fourth episode also features answers to questions about the history behind Americans' holiday light tradition, which variety of stuffing is best and how regional grid operators prepare to accommodate soaring demand. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on Soundcloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher. ...

Dec 18, 201911 min

Why solar energy could get even cheaper

The price of producing electricity from solar energy has dropped rapidly in the last several years and nothing is stopping it from dropping even further, an expert recently told the hosts of Energy Evolution, an S&P Global Market Intelligence podcast. There is still room for reducing the cost of solar, both by improving the physical workings of the technology itself and by reducing the cost of production and deployment of solar photovoltaics, said Greg Nemet, a professor at the University of...

Nov 20, 201922 min

Stationary storage market today and expectations for the future

Stationary storage takes the stage in the November edition of S&P Global Platts Battery Metals podcast. Senior pricing specialist Emmanuel Latham is joined by Felix Maire, lead analyst on US and European Power Storage markets at Platts Analytics, to discuss the major drivers on this growing...

Nov 12, 201914 min

US energy officials push innovation to meet evolving energy needs

As technological innovation is spurs opportunities in the energy sector, the U.S. government wants to facilitate a major shift in how the nation generates its power, top federal energy officials said during a new S&P Global Market Intelligence podcast. "We are in this incredible American moment where we are really seeing a fascinating transition in our energy landscape," Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Neil Chatterjee said on S&P Global Market Intelligence's second episode ...

Oct 21, 201925 min

Interview with Formula E Team Principal Mark Preston

In this month’s Battery Metals podcast, regional manager Marcel Goldenberg talks to Mark Preston, Team Principal of the Techeetah Formula E racing team, about battery technology and innovation in the world of electric vehicle racing and its possible applications to the everyday use of EVs, as...

Oct 15, 201922 min

Energy futurist sees major obstacles for renewables in next 30 years

Population growth and mineral resource scarcity will hamper the global energy sector's transition from hydrocarbons to renewables even as activist investors push many oil and gas companies to pivot toward more sustainable electricity sources, financial forecaster and futurist Jason Schenker says in the inaugural episode of Energy Evolution, a new S&P Global Market Intelligence podcast. Schenker is the Chairman of The Futurist Institute and the President of Prestige Economics. He has also aut...

Sep 19, 201927 min

Lithium producers seek direction amid changing scenarios

Despite the consensus on lithium demand spiking in about five years from now, the current outlook is challenging producers in many different ways. The bearish price trend triggered different strategies among some of the major worldwide producers, but which of them is more likely to succeed? And how...

Aug 30, 201915 min

What does H2 hold for Chinese battery metals prices?

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals Podcast brings its focus back to China, the world's largest producer of new energy vehicles and the largest consumer of battery raw materials. In this episode, Platts commodity associate Melvin Goh and metals associate editor Joyce Zhang examine the impact of...

Jul 31, 20196 min

The battery of the future: Seeking higher energy density

Lithium-ion battery manufacturers are in a quest to develop new, more efficient cathodes -- such as NCM 811—featuring higher energy density which allows electric vehicles to drive for longer distances. In addition to the cathode, there are several other areas of study being researched...

Jun 12, 201912 min

What's in store for China's new energy vehicles?

China plays a crucial role in the global electric vehicles industry. It consumes more than half of the world's battery raw materials. In this podcast, editor Joyce Zhang and analyst Lucy Tang take a look at the rapid growth of new energy vehicles in China as well as the demand and supply of metals...

Mar 22, 201910 min

Developments in battery metal raw materials; nickel and cobalt supply outlooks

S&P Global Platts global market and methodology specialist Marcel Goldenberg, battery metals pricing specialist Emmanuel Latham and news journalist focusing on battery metals Ben Kilbey discuss developments and outlooks on nickel and cobalt supply. High anticipated demand has seen the 'much...

Feb 14, 201911 min

Electric vehicle chargers: CHAdeMO, CCS, TESLA and GB/T

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals podcast series continues, tracking one of the most-followed topics in the market and how this has impacted lithium carbonate prices over recent weeks. Platts looks at chargers for electric vehicles and the East vs West battle about which technology will become...

Sep 21, 201812 min

Battery 'Gigafactories' and their impact on battery metals raw materials

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals Podcast series continues, tracking one of the most-followed topics in the market and how this has impacted lithium carbonate prices over recent weeks. In this edition, Platts looks at Gigafactories and why Europe seems to be the next hotbed for these to be...

Aug 01, 20188 min

Chinese EV subsidies squeeze lithium carbonate prices

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals Podcast series continues, tracking one of the most-followed topics in the market and how this has impacted lithium carbonate prices over recent weeks. In this edition, Platts looks into the implementation of the 2018 Chinese electric vehicle subsidies that came...

Jun 19, 20184 min

The battle between spodumene and brine – lithium mining

S&P Global Platts Battery Metals Podcast series continues, tracking the most-followed topics in the market. In this edition, Platts looks into lithium and how mining techniques differ for one of the lightest metals in the world. The podcast sheds light on what brine and spodumene are, where and...

Apr 30, 20186 min

Will there be enough nickel to support the EV hype?

Battery technology appears to be driving towards the 8:1:1 nickel-cobalt-manganese format from the currently used 6:2:2 version, but with nickel prices a third of what they were at the beginning of the decade, investment into nickel projects has been limited and poses the question of whether the...

Apr 03, 20186 min
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