As U.S. utilities and power providers explore numerous new technologies in their pursuit of a cleaner energy future, industry experts believe it is important not to lose sight of the evolution of an existing carbon-free resource. Darren Sweeney, a senior reporter at S&P Global Commodity Insights, joined Energy Evolution for this episode to share interviews about nuclear energy with Xcel Energy Chairman, President and CEO Bob Frenzel and John Kotek, a Senior Vice President of Policy Developme...
Jun 02, 2023•19 min•Ep. 76
This episode takes you into the German Solar Valley, which was once the world’s largest production hub but was abandoned in the 2010s as China became solar powerhouse Number One. Now, companies like Meyer Burger Technology are ramping up the old factories, gunning for a revival of European production. But, CEO Gunter Erfurt tells the podcast, panels have evolved from commodity to geopolitical poker chip, and Europe risks losing the game without injecting more money into the sector. Thanks to the...
May 26, 2023•15 min•Ep. 75
Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) were born out of Europe's desire to wean itself off renewable energy subsidies. PPAs are now becoming more common across the region as more companies use them as a key risk hedging and decarbonisation tool. From a very niche industry, PPAs are becoming mainstream, with companies now having entire PPA departments, which would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Henry Edwardes-Evans, Head of Gas and Power News, discusses the fundamentals and potential of the Eur...
May 25, 2023•23 min
This Energy Evolution episode features three guests from across the electric vehicle supply chain. Our first guest is David Slutzky, the founder and CEO of Fermata Energy. The company hopes to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and the transition to renewable energy. Fermata's bidirectional charging technology enables customers to earn revenue from their electric vehicles while combatting climate change and supporting grid resilience. Our second guest is Kulr Technology Group CEO Micha...
May 19, 2023•32 min•Ep. 74
With investors, importers, and the public paying more attention to greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel production, US natural gas producers have increasingly turned to third-party certifiers to attest that they are responsible operators. Wyoming gas producer PureWest Energy has been on the forefront of the emerging certified gas market, having certified 100% of its production through Project Canary and as a founding member of the Differentiated Gas Coordinating Council. PureWest CEO Chris ...
May 12, 2023•24 min
Last year, Duke Energy and Amazon Web Services announced they would be collaborating to build out cloud technologies to support Duke's Intelligent Grid Services. The technology is aimed at helping the utility anticipate energy demand and identify where and how it should update its power grid. The use of the cloud opens up a wealth of opportunities for data collection and analysis and is essential to Duke's efforts to transform the grid. For this episode, Energy Evolution spoke with Sarah Cooper,...
May 12, 2023•25 min•Ep. 73
Transitioning the world to cleaner forms of energy will require a significant infrastructure transformation. World Bank released a new framework on April 20 for overcoming the challenges created, particularly in developing countries, as renewable energy scales up and fossil fuel generation is phased down. For this episode, Energy Evolution spoke with Demetrios Papathanasiou, the organization's global director for energy and extractives. View the full report here: https://www.worldbank.org/en/top...
May 05, 2023•25 min•Ep. 72
Some members of the steel industry, which is known for being carbon-intensive, are looking toward cleaner primary steel production pathways to cut down on carbon emissions. One avenue is the production of “green steel,” which uses hydrogen instead of fossil fuels in the iron ore smelting process. Energy Evolution correspondents Camellia Moors and Camilla Naschert spoke with Chathu Gamage, a manager in the Climate-Aligned Industries Program at RMI, and Kajsa Ryttberg-Wallgren, head of hydrogen at...
Apr 28, 2023•22 min•Ep. 71
Energy Evolution co-host Taylor Kuykendall shares one last interview from this year's CERAWeek by S&P Global conference. Sunny Elebua, the senior vice president and chief strategy and sustainability officer at Exelon Corp., joined the show to talk about some of the problems and solutions associated with the rapid rise of electric vehicles. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the energy and mining sectors. They are jo...
Apr 21, 2023•21 min•Ep. 70
Battery production offcuts and end-of-life batteries are collected, dismantled and shredded to produce black mass from which critical materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese can be extracted. The recycling of black mass has become increasingly important as a supplement to virgin material supply and to reduce the carbon footprint of the battery supply chain. Platts, part of S&P Commodity Insights, has launched the publication of daily black mass assessments , which will provid...
Apr 18, 2023•22 min
Sunnova Energy President and CEO John Berger joined the podcast from the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference to discuss solar energy deployment in the U.S. Sunnova Energy is an American residential and commercial solar energy company based in Houston, Texas. Also joining from the sidelines of the energy conference is former U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. Moniz, the founder of the think tank Energy Futures Initiative, discussed how current geopolitical events might impact the...
Apr 14, 2023•26 min•Ep. 69
In a time of geopolitical strife, economic uncertainty, and energy transition, nuclear power is edging more and more into the spotlight. Countries are looking to decarbonize, boost their energy security and adjust to shifting trade flows. In the second episode of this special two-part series, S&P Global nuclear news and analytics experts Bill Freebairn, Morris Greenberg, Dr. Jone-Lin Wang, and Mason Lester discuss new developments in infrastructure and markets as fleets age out and more coun...
Apr 11, 2023•21 min
During CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston, Energy Evolution co-host Taylor Kuykendall spoke with Raphael Declercq, the CEO of PowerFlex. Declercq's company is a solar-powered electric vehicle microgrid developer. Kuykendall also spent a few moments with Mark Danzenbaker, the CEO of GridPoint. GridPoint is an energy management platform for commercial buildings. The company's technology is already in more than 17,000 commercial buildings across the U.S. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and T...
Apr 07, 2023•33 min•Ep. 66
In a time of geopolitical strife, economic uncertainty, and energy transition, nuclear power is edging more and more into the spotlight. Countries are looking to decarbonize, boost their energy security and adjust to shifting trade flows, with nuclear power seen by some as a way to advance on all these fronts. Policymakers are dangling attractive incentives in many countries for the energy source. In the first episode of this special two-part series, S&P Global nuclear news and analytics exp...
Apr 04, 2023•14 min
Plug Power is a company providing hydrogen fuel cell systems to power electric motors in place of conventional batteries. Energy Evolution co-host Taylor Kuykendall spoke with Plug Power General Manager of Energy Solutions and Chief Strategy Officer Sanjay Shrestha during the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston in early March. Tune in to their conversation about challenges in the hydrogen space, building out hydrogen supply chains, and the policy environment for green hydrogen proje...
Mar 31, 2023•24 min•Ep. 65
8 Rivers is a company providing net-zero solutions across a wide range of sectors, including the oil industry, the renewable sector and so-called hard-to-abate sectors such as cement and steel makers. Energy Evolution co-host Taylor Kuykendall spoke with 8 Rivers President and Chief Development Officer Damian Beauchamp at the company's booth during the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston in early March. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalist...
Mar 24, 2023•18 min•Ep. 64
An influx of public funding for energy transition technologies via the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is keeping the U.S. Department of Energy quite busy. S&P Global Commodity Insights' Energy Evolution caught up with Jigar Shah, director of the DOE's loan programs office. In this exclusive interview, Shah talks about the large-scale, all-of-the-above energy infrastructure projects his office is funding in the United States. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran...
Mar 17, 2023•18 min•Ep. 63
Pressure to improve metals supply chain transparency is growing, spurred by legislation as well as requirements set by end users like electric vehicle battery makers as they sign supply agreements with miners. At the same time, commodity producers are looking for ways to lure a new investor base to the industry. Supply chain participants are now turning to blockchain to help solve both problems. Energy Evolution correspondent Camellia Moors spoke with the leaders of two companies at the intersec...
Mar 10, 2023•21 min•Ep. 62
Li-Metal Corp. is a company working with lithium metal and anode technology to be used in next-generation lithium batteries. The company's newly appointed president, Kunal Phalpher, said it is an exciting time to be involved in lithium. The development of battery technologies is moving along faster than he anticipated. As vehicle makers increasingly embrace electric vehicles, a race for differentiating technology could produce interesting new types of batteries that pave the way for new consumer...
Mar 03, 2023•13 min•Ep. 62
Russia's invasion of Ukraine sapped its dominance as an energy and battery metals superpower, putting the energy transition at risk as countries scramble to source key resources elsewhere. While traders are still moving Russia's gas, nickel, and aluminum around the globe, prices for energy and key metals have jumped, wreaking havoc on the energy and mining industries in Europe and raising questions about global dependence on Russia for crucial supplies. On this episode, Energy Evolution shares s...
Feb 24, 2023•19 min•Ep. 60
The European Union’s implementation of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to support its industry’s efforts to decarbonize and prevent carbon leakage is likely to have far-reaching effects on global trade and the wider energy transition. S&P Global Commodity Insights' experts Eklavya Gupte, Coralie Laurencin, Michael Evans and Paula VanLaningham take a deep dive on CBAM, examining its potential impact on a range of industries, political alliances and its influence on carbon pricing ...
Feb 21, 2023•26 min
The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act is expected to unleash a wave of investment in renewable energy infrastructure. However, it also heavily favored investments at home, causing some concern among trading partners, including the European Union. Now, the EU is increasing its own efforts to promote the development of renewable energy. S&P Global Commodity Insights reporters Molly Christian and Alex Blackburne join the show to discuss the differences in approaches between the U.S. and EU. The show...
Feb 17, 2023•24 min•Ep. 59
Electric vehicle demand is on an upward trend, generating excitement among some investors about the prospects of electric vehicle manufacturers and the miners supplying the materials needed for their batteries. What retail investors lack, however, is direct exposure to minerals prices to avoid risks associated with investing in manufacturers and miners that may be untested or located in geopolitically hazardous areas, EMG Advisors CEO Will McDonough told metals and mining reporter and Energy Evo...
Feb 10, 2023•23 min•Ep. 58
In December, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory achieved nuclear fusion ignition, a major scientific breakthrough and a potentially big step for clean energy. Joining us to discuss the scientific, commercial and climate implications of this breakthrough are Tammy Ma, a plasma physicist at the Livermore National Lab, and Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykend...
Feb 03, 2023•29 min•Ep. 57
Join S&P Global experts from our Commodity Insights and Mobility divisions as they delve into the potential roadblocks facing the electric vehicle market in 2023. From fluctuating lithium prices to the phasing out of government subsidies, learn how these factors may impact EV sales and the battery metals market. Stay ahead of the curve as we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the ever-evolving EV industry. Related price assessments: BATLC04 - Lithium Carbonate CIF North Asia $/mt B...
Jan 24, 2023•24 min
The world is clamoring for more nickel to feed the energy transition, particularly for use in electric vehicle batteries. Lifezone Metals aims to not only fill the need for nickel but also to differentiate itself by creating a much less carbon-intensive product. Lifezone CEO Chris Showalter joins Energy Evolution to talk about the prospects for global nickel markets and what his company is doing to clean up nickel's environmental footprint. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykenda...
Jan 20, 2023•17 min•Ep. 56
In this episode, Energy Evolution hosts chat about the year ahead with S&P Global Market Intelligence's Steve Piper, the director of energy research, and Mark Ferguson, director of research for metals and mining. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa, Allison Good and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the utility, oil and gas and mining sectors. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorite platform to catch our latest episodes!
Jan 19, 2023•21 min•Ep. 55
The world is increasingly in need of more lithium and other battery metals to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles, but there are doubts that mining can scale up quickly enough. Li-Cycle President, CEO and co-founder Ajay Kochhar joins the podcast to talk about recycling batteries to recover valuable materials inside. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa, Allison Good and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the utility, oil and gas and mining sectors. ...
Dec 28, 2022•18 min•Ep. 54
Green ammonia is a leading contender as a hydrogen carrier for the energy transition, providing a ready end market and a means of transporting the product over long distances. S&P Global Commodity Insights energy transition reporter James Burgess talks to hydrogen analyst Matthew Hodgkinson and pricing managing editor Mario Perez to explore ammonia’s energy transition potential and the latest green hydrogen developments in Europe. Related price assessments: Renewable power-derived ammonia: G...
Dec 13, 2022•24 min
In this episode, S&P Global Commodity Insights reporter Karin Rives joins to share her interview with ZeroSix CEO Martijn Dekker. ZeroSix is a Houston-based venture focused on closing oil and gas wells and creating carbon offset credits for associated emissions that are avoided. Energy Evolution co-hosts Dan Testa, Allison Good and Taylor Kuykendall are veteran journalists with broad expertise covering the utility, oil and gas and mining sectors. Subscribe to Energy Evolution on your favorit...
Dec 12, 2022•14 min•Ep. 53
