Renewable Energy SmartPod (Sean McMahon)

We're baaaaaaack!

After taking a break at the beginning of this year to recharge after a busy and exciting 2021, we’re ready to dive back into telling you stories about the people, technologies and trends that are powering the energy transition.

First up is an episode today about money. As in all the money that’s being spent on the energy transition. Joining me is Albert Cheung from BloombergNEF (BNEF) and Danielle Patterson from the law firm of Vinson & Elkins. Both of their organizations recently released reports (see below) about all the capital being poured into the energy transition … where it’s being spent … and who is spending it. We talk about each of those reports and also touch on how events like the war in Ukraine and the recently completed New York Bight offshore wind auction might impact the long-term outlook for renewables.

BNEF: Energy Transition Investment Trends 2022

V&E: How Private Capital is Shaping the Energy Evolution

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We spent a lot of time on the show talking about the technical pieces of it, the wind farms and solar farms, but not as much time talking about who's going to pay for it and how. 

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The term "energy transition" means different things to different people. In this episode, we focus on how "energy transition" means different things to people from different places. Michael Syn, senior managing director and head of equities at the Singapore Exchange (SGX), joins the show to talk about how markets in Asia are tackling decarbonization and the push to net-zero.

Often mistaken as just one big market, individual countries and companies across Asia have a very different history with fossil fuels than their counterparts in the US and Europe.  Michael breaks down some of the innovative solutions that are in play across Asia and how global initiatives like the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) can broaden their perspectives to bring more private capital to the sustainable investing market.

Michael also delves into how SGX helps Singpore lead the way in the push to net-zero by serving as a cutting-edge market for new technologies, financial products, regulatory efforts and education initiatives related to sustainability.

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Horace Luke, the Founder and CEO of Gogoro, has a vision. It's a vision that involves tackling a huge energy challenge the transportation sector is facing. While companies like Tesla, Rivian and BYD are electrifying four-wheel vehicles, less attention is being paid to electrifying two-wheel vehicles. That's where Luke sees opportunity because two-wheelers account for billions of commuter miles around the world every year.

In this episode, Luke explains the basics of battery swapping and outlines how Gogoro's network of charging stations is revolutionizing urban transportation. However, Gogoro's platform doesn't just change how riders get from Point A to Point B, it also works to enhance grid resiliency by working with power companies to manage two-way load.

Luke also sees a use for Gogoro's batteries beyond vehicles. From stoplights and parking meters to in-home use and glamping, Luke sees a wide range of sustainable uses for batteries. Luke isn't the only one who sees opportunity in the lanes Gogoro is occupying as the company recently went public on the NASDAQ after receiving early backing from the likes of Al Gore, Temasek and Engine No. 1.


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John Belizaire, the founder and CEO of Soluna Computing, joins the show to do a deep dive on how cryptocurrency mining and blockchain platforms impact the grid. You’ve probably seen the headlines and the narrative is that the computing power required to run these technologies places a huge strain on the grid. Well, John recently testified before Congress on the topic of cleaning up crypto mining and the energy impact of blockchains …  and his opinion might surprise you. In fact, his viewpoint turns that narrative on its head.

John also discusses how sustainable computing is becoming yet another tool renewables developers and utilities can use to enhance grid resiliency and improve the financial performance of power generation projects. In short, John believes computing can become part of the grid … rather than just something that demands power from the grid. 

Highlights:

(2:02) - Why the narrative around cryptocurrency mining is wrong.

(6:22) - The debate around 'proof of work' versus 'proof of stake'

(10:47) - On testifying before the US Congress.

(16:00) - How renewables and cryptocurrency mining can help power each other.

(20:40) - How computing can become part of the grid.

(23:21) - The intersection of sustainable computing and battery storage.

(27:24) - John's bold predictions.


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While the comment period for the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed rule on climate-related disclosure has been extended into June, the proposal offers a solid hint as to how the final rulemaking might take shape. Jamie Gamble, Managing Director at PwC, and Maggie Peloso, Partner at Vinson & Elkins, join the show to dig into the details of the proposed rule and offer tips on what companies should be doing now … yes, right now … to prepare for the final rulemaking.

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Key Talking Points:

What are the basics of the proposed rule (1:35)

Breaking down Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions (2:17)

The SEC departs a bit from “materiality” (3:02)

Key nuggets of the proposed rule (4:31)

Important things companies should be doing NOW to prepare (5:59)

The challenge of reporting physical climate risk (7:59)

Data, data and more data (9:50)

The proposal is about more than just greenhouse gas emissions (11:47)

A closer look at Scope 3 (13:08)

The role shareholders might play in shaping the future ‘materiality’ (19:39)

Will this rule cause companies to shy away from setting Scope 3 goals? (20:27)

Navigating a new form of ‘vendor risk’ (22:34)

Why planning ahead for this reporting matters (25:48)

Will this rule change the makeup of individual boards? (29:40)

More resources from Vinson & Elkins

Proposed SEC Climate Disclosures: What’s happening and what are the implications for companies?

The SEC’s Climate-Disclosures Proposed Rule – Eight Key Takeaways

More resources from PwC

SEC Climate Risk Disclosures: What it means for companies and what business leaders should do next

The SEC wants me to disclose what? The SEC’s climate disclosure proposal

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It's all happening! The U.S. Congress finally took action to try to stem the tide of climate change. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes $369 billion of climate and clean energy initiatives -- and tax incentives represent a huge chunk of that amount.

Lauren Collins, a partner at Vinson & Elkins, joins the show to explain how the plethora of tax incentives in the IRA stand to boost the deployment of renewable energy in the U.S. From Production Tax Credits and Investment Tax Credits to various Bonus Credits and the potential for investment funds and retail investors to start trading in new tax credit markets, Collins covers it all. She also highlights one key area of the energy puzzle that the IRA has unfortunately overlooked.

Key Highlights

3:44 - The most important tax aspects of the bill  - PTC, ITC, Standalone Storage, Bonus credits

6:00 - The new technology neutral credit regime and leveling the playing field for smaller players

9:09 - Credit flexibility provisions (Direct pay and Transferability)

12:20 - Bonus credits and "Stacking" (Domestic Content, Energy Community and Low-Income)

17:10 - Prevailing wage provisions

19:26 - What about Hydrogen, Nuclear and Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS)?

23:38 - Making room for Manufacturing, Minerals and Mining tax credits

26:15 - Which aspects of the IRA are overhyped?

28:21 - A new industry and marketplace for tax credits and tax professionals

29:30 - The 'missing piece' in the legislation

30:27 - Which aspects of the legislation are flying under the radar? Transmission misses out

33:30 - Bold predictions - Credit investment funds enter financial markets ... and so do retail investors!

More resources from Vinson & Elkins

Renewable Reboot: A Download on the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 – Clean Energy Tax Provisions

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Joseph Triepke and Daniel Cruise from Lium Research join the show to talk about the many ways the Inflation Reduction Act is poised to shape markets for solar, wind and battery storage. Joseph and Daniel will offer their views from more of an investor and financial market intelligence perspective. And speaking of market intel, don’t miss the nugget Joseph and Daniel share about solarSAT, a new data collection platform the team at Lium recently launched. And in this case, when they say launched … they really mean launched!

More intel from Lium on what the IRA means for utility solar

Learn more about solarSAT

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This episode is all about the "Blue Economy." Jason Busch is the Executive Director of the Pacific Ocean Energy Trust and he joins the show to talk about the many ways the ocean can power a more sustainable future. Offshore wind energy has certainly been in the headlines as of late, so Jason covers that topic, but he also provides an update on other blue technologies. Technologies like wave energy and tidal energy as well as other ocean-based carbon dioxide removal solutions that can help boost the role the ocean already plays in reducing carbon in our atmosphere.  And finally … Jason offers a preview of the agenda for Ocean Energy Week, which is a big conference Jason and the team at POET are helping host next week in Portland, Oregon.

More resources

Ocean Energy Week 2022

Pacific Ocean Energy Trust

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A key component of the Biden administration's energy transition plan involves establishing hydrogen hubs at multiple locations across the US.  Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., joins the show to share details about H2theFuture, which is a green hydrogen cluster that's being developed in southern Louisiana.

H2theFuture was recently awarded $50 million from the US Economic Development Administration to develop a green hydrogen hub that will include everything from R&D facilities at multiple Louisiana universities to an end-use project at the Port of South Louisiana. Michael and his team pulled together many different stakeholders to get H2theFuture off the ground, so his insights on why southern Louisiana is well-positioned to play a big role in the future of green hydrogen are worth a listen.

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When a heat wave gripped California a couple of months ago, authorities sent out tweets and texts urging businesses and consumers to reduce their energy use to help utilities and other power providers avoid blackouts. That was an example of demand response. And guess what? It worked.

James Muraca, the Chief Technology Officer at Enersponse, joins the show to explain how demand response can be automated and why it doesn't take a heat wave or some other kind of crisis for demand response to pay dividends. After all, demand response is when businesses and consumers shift their electricity usage during any peak periods. James outlines how automation and other demand response technologies are making grids more reliable and cleaner. That's right ... cleaner.

Not only can demand response help consumers take advantage of time-based rates or other forms of financial incentives, but advances in automation allow businesses and consumers to use more of their energy when the grid is generating more power from renewables. So demand response helps the grid go green and helps businesses and consumers save some green.

Key highlights

2:34 - What is Demand Response?
5:36 - The impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on Demand Response
7:55 - What new technologies are on the way when it comes to Demand Response
9:41 - The role of Demand Response during extreme weather and other crises
13:37 - What are the Price Response and Clean Response programs?
15:05 - How Demand Response can make the grid cleaner
16:13 - Demand Response and grid resiliency
17:04 - Demand Response as an ESG reporting tool
18:38 - Bold predictions

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last year or so, you’ve probably heard about all the money that’s either already been deployed or is on its way toward funding the energy transition.  When there are billions and billions in play, it’s not surprising that groups are coming together to lure capital to not only certain technologies, but also certain geographic regions.

Jane Stricker is the SVP for Energy Transition at the Greater Houston Partnership. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Houston Energy Transition Initiative. Jane and the team at HETI recently released a report from their capital formation working group, which includes some big time banks and investment firms – we’re talking Blackstone, Bank of America, Citigourp, EnCap, JP Morgan and more. The report is all about capital formation and what it will take to turn Houston – yes, Houston, which of course has a long history in oil and gas – into THE destination for climate capital to fund the energy transition.

More resources

HETI's Capital Formation Whitepaper

HETI's Energy Transition Strategy

Learn more about the H2Houston Hub

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Luiza Demôro, the Head of Energy Transitions at BloombergNEF, walks us through a pair of reports that the team at BNEF recently released. One is their annual Power Transition Trends report. And the other is a special look at the state of clean energy funding in emerging markets and developing economies. 

And now that COP27 is upon us, Luiza also gives us a global perspective on energy trends, with a specific focus on where renewables are making inroads. She also shines a spotlight on some of the countries and regions that are ripe for investment. Along the way, Luiza also touches on what countries and jurisdictions can do to attract more capital from private investors who are looking to power the energy transition. 

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When most people think of batteries these days, they probably think of lithium-ion batteries. But serious questions are starting to be asked about lithium-ion batteries; questions safety, sustainability, performance and the supply of the rare earth materials that go into those batteries. 

So with all those battery questions swirling, today's show features Hugh McDermott, the senior vice president of business development and sales at ESS. The team at ESS has pioneered a different kind of battery: iron flow batteries. Hugh shares some of the basics about iron flow batteries and how they stack up when it comes safety, sustainability and performance.  Hugh details how the Inflation Reduction Act is a game-changer for the battery sector and how batteries from ESS are already … yes already … playing a role in the long-duration energy storage market.

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Experts agree that the transportation sector needs to be a key target of any effort to decarbonize the global economy. Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, the Global Director for the Transport Sector in the Infrastructure Practice Group of the World Bank, joins the show to talk about a report the bank recently released that analyses the economics of electric vehicles for passenger travel.

When most people think of EVs these days, they think of aTelsa, a Rivian or perhaps a Ford F-150 Lightning.  The truth is, the menu of electric vehicles is expanding rapidly. But most of those EVs zoom around roads and cities in places like the US, Europe and China. This report produced by Nicolas and the rest of the team at the World Bank focuses on the roll an electric vehicle build out can play in low- and middle-income countries -- countries where the majority of miles traveled are traveled on two-wheel vehicles, three-wheel vehicles or buses.

The report offers fascinating insights about the transportation and energy policies that can be leveraged to decarbonize this massive sector of the global economy.

More resources

The Report: The Economics of Electric Vehicles for Passenger Transportation

WorldBank.org/MovingToZero

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Andy Posner is the founder and CEO of Capital Good Fund. Since 2009, Andy and his team have been working on the frontlines trying to tackle one of the biggest challenges homeowners face when they are thinking about installing solar on their homes: cost.

The Capital Good Fund develops lending programs, like DoubleGreen Solar Loans, that deliver the benefits of solar and other energy efficiency improvements to middle- and low- income homeowners, as well as communities of color. 

Andy is passionate about the work he does. So much so that he recently got a desert-themed tattoo featuring a solar panel. So yes, Andy is all in on expanding the accessibility of renewables!

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Carbon emissions offsets can be a touchy subject. Some people think offsets are just a price businesses can pay to keep generating emissions. But the truth is, there are many industries where the technology needed to decarbonize doesn’t even exist yet.

So if you're a business leader who wants to offset the emissions from your operations, how exactly do you go about doing that? Or if you are an individual who wants to buy offsets for the emissions you create in your daily life, would you know how to do it?  And perhaps most importantly, with accusations of greenwashing flying around everywhere, how does one offset emissions in a transparent and responsible way?

Blake Lawrence from Cool Effect joins  today's show to answer those questions and more. The team at Cool Effect works to use science expertise and transparency to give people the confidence to purchase carbon offsets that will deliver positive results for the world around us. 

For those of you who are new to carbon markets, Blake and I are going to walk through a list of 5 questions every person should ask before buying carbon offsets. You’ll even learn how much it would cost you to offset your OWN emissions … or give offsets to others as a gift!

More resources

Cool Effect Model
Seller's Pledge
Offsetting Travel
Business Offset Calculator

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The rise of ESG investing has investors clamoring for accurate and transparent data. Larry Lawrence, Head of Sustainable Finance - US at IntercontinentalExchange (ICE), outlines the crucial role data plays in the ecosystem of sustainable finance.  Public companies have ginormous reporting obligations, so Larry and the team at ICE help organizations sort through seemingly endless reams of data to satisfy stakeholder expectations and regulatory expectations associated with ESG investing.

So when you hear a company announce a bold net-zero commitment, chances are that company is relying on someone like Larry to help navigate the maze of data needed to report progress on those goals. But ICE doesn’t just serve the needs of big companies with household names. When a small company – or maybe even one of the many oh-so-hot ClimateTech startups – is considering going public, Larry helps guide those businesses through the complexity of that process.

With more than two decades of experience working in sustainable finance, Larry has seen trends come and go. The insights he shares on topics ranging from carbon markets and greenwashing to Know Your Data principles and the individual intricacies of the "E" the "S" and the "G" in ESG are definitely worth a listen.

More resources

Using climate data to understand the greenhouse gas emissions reporting landscape

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Now that the calendar has turned to 2023, it’s time to look ahead to what the coming year might have in store for the renewable energy industry. To peer into that crystal ball, a pair of executives from EDF Renewables join the show. Tristan Grimbert is the President and CEO of EDF Renewables. Raphael Declercq is Executive Vice President and serves as the CEO of the company's Onsite Solutions business unit, which operates under the PowerFlex brand.

2023 is definitely going to be an interesting year. Elements of the Inflation Reduction Act should pick up momentum, but headwinds - including supply chain issues and transmission challenges – could make this year a tricky one for renewables.

Tristan and Raphael offer their insights on all of those topics - and more. We also dive into the work of Powerflex and how the efforts of Raphael and his team fit into EDF Renewables’ overall strategy of not just generating renewable energy, but also helping end-users optimize the storage and consumption of that renewable energy.

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No matter which renewable energy generation or storage technology -- or combination of technologies -- an end-user chooses to deploy, it's crucial that the output and capabilities of those technologies are optimized. To reach peak optimization, more and more organizations are turning to digitalization. Krishna Vanka, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer at Fluence, joins the show to explain how digitalization is boosting ROI for renewable energy and storage assets while helping create a cleaner, more efficient power grid.

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From Russia's invasion of Ukraine to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in the US, numerous major events have transpired during the last couple of years that have had an impact on the global energy landscape. Luke Brett from Reuters joins the show to talk about how leading policymakers and key industry executives are keeping pace with such rapid change and continuing the shape the global energy transition. Luke also shares the details of upcoming events that he and the team at Reuters are planning for the rest of 2023.

SmartBrief also has some huge news on the podcast front. We've launched yet another show, and this one focuses on all things sustainability. The Sustainability SmartPod is an industry agnostic show that will keep you informed about all the people technologies and trends, who are shaping a more sustainable society for all of us.

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While most of the listeners of this podcast might work in the renewable energy industry, ALL of the listeners of this podcast are energy consumers. And let’s be honest … even some of the most die-hard members of the renewables industry probably have at least one or two things about their home that they wish were more sustainable.

With that in mind, Matt Ferrell joins the show to outline various ways everyday people can embrace cost-saving strategies that also make their homes more resilient and more sustainable.

Matt is the creator of Undecided with Matt Ferrell, where he has amassed more than one million subscribers on YouTube by applying his technology-focused eye to all things sustainability. Matt is also the co-host of the Still To Be Determined podcast. He tests smart and sustainable technology solutions and often offers advice to viewers who … just like you and me …  might need just a wee bit of help making decisions about which solutions are best for their home.

Matt and I will touch on batteries, solar panels, weatherization and various other topics, including … yes … even the Inflation Reduction Act. Matt is a real straight shooter, so you’ll appreciate hearing what he has to say.

Key highlights

(3:57) - The most common questions from consumers
(5:00) - The Do's and Don'ts when it comes to installing solar
(9:35) - The Do's and Don'ts when it comes to installing batteries
(13:47) - How to prioritize energy efficiency needs
(16:25) - The low-hanging fruit when it comes to energy efficiency solutions
(19:02) - How the Inflation Reduction Act impacts consumers
(21:47) - The role of Community Solar
(23:03) - Exciting tech of the future: Flow batteries for homes
(25:00) - Matt's bold predictions
(26:17) - Matt's take on the future of EV charging

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If you've flown on American Airlines recently, there's a chance your plane was fueled by a small amount of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Jill Blickstein, Vice President of Sustainability at American Airlines, joins the show to talk about the latest advancements in SAF, how the carrier leverages renewables to power its operations and fleet upgrades the airline has made to enhance its sustainability. We also chat about an AI-enabled system called 'Smart Gating' that conserves fuel and saves time for travelers.  American Airlines is undertaking numerous initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. As Jill explains, many of those efforts come in places passengers might not notice, but certainly lead to more sustainable air travel.

Highlights

Update on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) - (4:10)
American Airlines' goals for SAF usage - (7:56)
Using SAF to attract business travelers - (10:36)
Creating a SAF certificate for all travelers - (14:22)
The potential for zero-emission hydrogen-electric aircraft - (14:47)
Partnering with the Bill Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy Catalyst - (17:24)
Other sustainability initiatives at American Airlines - (19:10)
'Smart Gating' - (23:47)
Powering operations with renewable energy - (26:20)
Validation from the Science-Based Targets initiative - (27:02)

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When many people think of solar power, they think of rooftop solar panels or massive, utility-scale solar farms. But there are more options. Kacie Peters, senior director of communications at Pivot Energy, joins the show to explain the basics of community solar. Peters highlights the momentum this segment of the renewables industry is enjoying -- and some of the challenges it is facing. Peters also details how more consumers and business owners can access community solar to power their homes and/or operations.

Highlights

What is community solar? - (1:48)
Community Solar vs. Residential Solar vs. Utility Solar - (3:05)
Cost benefits of community solar - (5:26)
Increasing awareness about community solar - (6:42)
Typical companies that tap community solar - (10:54)
Other types of customers - Nonprofits, Schools, etc. - (13:00)
How the Inflation Reduction Act is affecting community solar - (15:49)
The role of community solar in the net energy metering debate - (17:34)
Kacie's bold predictions - (20:17)
Pushing back against misinformation and 'Astroturfing' - (22:50)

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Workforce development is a crucial step along the path to a clean energy future. Proponents of the energy transition can't stop talking about all the jobs, jobs, jobs that the transition will bring, but what exactly will that workforce look like?  Jasmine Robinson, a project manager at IHI Terrasun Solutions, joins the show to talk about what the energy sector can do to recruit, develop and retain more women. Jasmine started developing her engineering skills at an early age and she's determined to see more women follow in her footsteps. That's why she's keen to see things like STEM classes, mentoring programs, and other initiatives used to develop a pipeline of talented women to seize all those jobs, jobs, jobs. 

Key highlights

Jasmine's path to an engineering career - (5:15)
Advice for a young person pondering a career as an energy engineer - (7:59)
Advice for someone considering a mid-career pivot to the renewables sector - (8:50)
What the industry can do to attract, develop and retain more engineering talent - (10:29)
How has the landscape for women in the engineering field changed in the last 15 years? - (12:33)
Pivotal mentors during Jasmine's engineering journey - (16:09)
Important programs working to bring more women into the renewables sector - (17:47)
 

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Things are cooking in New Orleans!

This quick podcast offers a taste of what went on at Day One  of the American Clean Power Association's CLEANPOWER conference, including insights from:

Retired US Army General Stanley McChrystal
John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation
Mark Bradley, President of Bradley Construction Management
Craig Cornelius, CEO of Clearway Energy Group

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The show keep marching along in NOLA!

This quick podcast offers a taste of what went on at Day Two  of the American Clean Power Association's CLEANPOWER conference, including insights from:

Governor John Bel Edwards
Former Senator Mary Landrieu
Susan Nickey from HASI
Jason Grumet from ACP
Art Del Rio from EDF Renewables

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This quick podcast offers a taste of what went on today at Day Three of the American Clean Power Association's CLEANPOWER conference, including insights from:

Magic Johnson
Leo Moreno from AES Clean Energy
Armando Pimentel from Florida Power & Light
Jesse Gronner from Triple Oak Power

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Sponsored by Deloitte

There’s been a lot of buzz about the role hydrogen stands to play in the energy transition. Alan Alexander, a partner at Vinson & Elkins, joins the show to help separate the signal from the noise. V&E just released a paper ("Unlocking the Opportunity of Low-Carbon Hydrogen: Investment, Incentives, and Collaboration")  that outlines the current hydrogen landscape and what lies ahead as factors like the Inflation Reduction Act continue to drive growth in the sector. Alan walks us through the themes of the paper and shares his thoughts on how the hydrogen sector is maturing. The paper is an excellent primer on hydrogen and also includes an insightful summary of key points that developers and financiers need to remember when planning and negotiating hydrogen projects.

From Deloitte

Power, Utilities & Renewables services

Start charting your decarbonization path today

Discover what’s sustainable, renewable, and possible in the future of energy. Deloitte’s Renewable Energy Seminar is back September 27-29, 2023! Registration opens June 28

Sustainability SmartPod episode featuring Deloitte's John Mennel

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This episode will put you ahead of the curve on some key conversations taking place these days in the renewables sector.

Numerous companies are striving to match their energy consumption – on a daily, intraday or evenly hourly basis – with renewable energy sources. It’s an ambitious goal, so today's guests are Gridmatic Founder and CEO Matt Wytock and VP of Business Development David Miller. Their team leverages artificial intelligence to make that matching a reality.

And speaking of AI … the rise of ChatGPT and other generative AI solutions has propelled the technology to the top of the headlines. Not a day goes by when we don’t hear about how some company is using AI in a new way … or how many jobs AI is going to make obsolete. But you know what we don’t hear much about? How much energy it takes to power the computers that are cranking thru those AI algorithms. In fact, This story arch is eerily similar to cryptocurrency. Crypto had been on the scene for a while before people started asking hard questions about how much energy all those crypto mining computers were pulling from the grid. AI is no different. 

Matt and David are going to share their insights on how AI can help solve an energy consumption conundrum created by the popularity of AI. 

We will also discuss developments in the market for Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and the impact the Inflation Reduction Act has had on the entire energy industry. 

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Sponsors:
CDMSmith.com/Webinars
CDMSmith.com/Energy
ImpactAISummit.com

When you think of the company 3M, you probably think of Post-it notes. But 3M produces a lot more products than Post-it notes. In fact, 3M is very active in the energy sector.

Terry Collier, Vice President of Research and Development for 3M's Electrical Markets Division, joins the show to spend some time talking about the grid. Transmission queues are a well known problem for the energy sector, with some new projects expected to take years before the power they generate can be integrated into the grid. But as you all know, we need more power now. So Terry shares some of the solutions that 3M is developing to help get the most out of existing grid infrastructure.

With events like extreme weather putting a strain on grids, Terry also outlines technologies already in the marketplace that aim to enhance grid stability and resiliency. We also discuss cutting-edge innovations to help wind farms, utilities and distributed energy resources (DERs) control their costs, reduce downtime, and optimize performance.

More resources from 3M

The Future of Our Grid
3M.com/Forward

Highlights from Terry Collier

Challenges to electrifying everything - (5:13)
3M's activities surrounding EVs - (6:43)
Addressing the problem of lengthy transmission queues - (7:47)
Deplying sensors to boost grid performance and resiliency - (9:03)
More solutions to enhance grid resiliency - (15:41)
The role of AI in modern grid management - (18:55)
3M's activities in the wind and solar sectors - (21:42)
Terry's bold predictions about the movement to electrify everything - (24:10)
The 'One Thing' related to energy that Terry spends the most time thinking about - (26:30)

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Sponsored by Deloitte

According to a recent report from the Solar Energy Industries Association, US solar and storage companies have announced more than $100 billion in private sector investments since the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August of 2022. So while there's certainly momentum (and capital) flowing in the right direction for solar, the forecast is not entirely sunny.

Daniel Cruise, partner and Head of Renewables at Lium Research, joins the show to discuss which segments of the solar sector are looking bright ... and which segments might have a cloudy future.

From Deloitte

Power, Utilities & Renewables services

Start charting your decarbonization path today

Discover what’s sustainable, renewable, and possible in the future of energy. Deloitte’s Renewable Energy Seminar is back September 27-29, 2023! Register today!

Sustainability SmartPod episode featuring Deloitte's John Mennel

Highlights from Daniel Cruise

Current trends in the renewables sector - (5:06)
Clouds in the forecast for residential solar - (6:46)
Utility-scale solar looking bright - (11:36)
SOLARSAT insights - (14:11)
Battery storage moving slow, but remains crucial - (17:18)
Big-picture risks for the renewable sector - (18:09)
Daniel's bold predictions - (19:56)

More resources from Lium Research

Utility-scale solar analysis

Residential solar analysis

Daniel's previous appearance on this podcast

Learn more about SOLARSAT from Lium Research

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Sponsored by: ImpactAISummit

It's time for Part 2 of our back-to-back episodes focused on trends that are shaping the solar sector. On our last episode, Daniel Cruise from Lium Research discussed what's going on in the solar market here in the United States. Today, we hear from Harald Overholm, the co-founder and CEO of Alight Energy. Alight is a solar energy development and consulting company based in Stockholm, Sweden, so Harald is going to walk us through current solar trends in the Nordics and the rest of Europe. During our conversation, Harald and I will touch on the rise of solar-as-a-service, the role power purchase agreements (PPAs) are playing in Europe, and how Alight is working with companies like Toyota and Swedbank to help organizations optimize the potential of both on site and off site solar.

Highlights from Harald Overholm

How did Alight get started?  (3:29)
How has the solar market matured? (6:03)
The trend of industry verticals moving to solar together  (11:22)
Headwinds solar is facing (13:21)
Investment trends in the Nordics  (16:10)
The benefits of agrivoltaics  (18:37)
Bold predictions for the future of solar (23:32)

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Sponsored by: ExxonMobil

Climate Week is about to kick off in New York, so Lauren Collins and Michael Joyce, who are both partners at the law firm of Vinson and Elkins, join the show to talk about what to expect from Climate Week, what kinds of news and announcements they will be keeping an eye on and how the overall conversation about Climate Week -- and climate coverage in general -- has evolved over the years.

We also mark the one year anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act with a deep dive on the impact that legislation, particularly the tax credits it contains, has had on the energy sector. Lauren and Michael discuss  how the IRA will continue to reshape the energy mix and what to watch for as US government agencies continue to release related tax and regulatory guidance. They also share insights about Basel III and other headwinds that might slow the momentum of the IRA. Finally, Lauren and Michael offer their bold predictions about what lies ahead for the IRA in the next few years.

Check out the Sustainability SmartPod

Highlights

How the conversation around Climate Week has evolved - (3:14)
News to watch for coming out of Climate Week - (6:09)
How and where firms are investing in renewables - (10:21)
The IRA's impact on specific energy sectors - (16:24)
Headwinds the IRA is facing - (20:23)
The threat Basel III poses to tax equity and renewables investing - (21:38)
US Treasury's much-anticipated guidance on hydrogen - (25:53)
Questions developers are asking before closing deals - (29:09)
The need for more talent throughout the industry - (30:46)
Tax issues that continue to fly under the radar - (33:05)
'Stacking' tax credits takes off - (37:09)
Biggest takeaways from the first year of the IRA - (38:11)
Lauren and Michael's bold predictions - (41:44)

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Sponsored by: KPMG

Much-anticipated guidance coming down the pipeline from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department is set to define how clean hydrogen can be produced in the US. Amid furious lobbying efforts, the release of this guidance has already been delayed once. With potentially hundreds of billions of dollars on the line, Adi Bhashyam, a hydrogen analyst for BloombergNEF, joins the show to share what he describes as a framework that should be followed for thoughtfully crafting and effectively implementing the hydrogen piece of the Inflation Reduction Act.

From BloombergNEF
Adi's recent article: "US Hydrogen Guidance: Be Strict or Be Damned"

More resources from KPMG
The Hydrogen Horizon
Energy & Chemicals
Energy Institute 2023 Statistical Review of World Energy

Highlights from Adithya Bhashyam
The basics of the 45V hydrogen tax credit - (3:43)
Possible timeline for when to expect the guidance - (5:31)
How is 'clean energy' defined within this guidance? Which colors? - (6:25)
$70 billion in potential tax credits - (7:28)
Not the normal lobbying battle lines - (8:27)
Criteria for qualifying for the 45V tax credit: additionality, time-matching, deliverability - (9:40)
The ideal framework for US hydrogen guidance - (11:23)
Potential timeline for implementation - (14:13)
Outside factors and headwinds to consider - (17:45)
Adi's bold predictions about how it all plays out - (21:32)

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Sponsored by Deloitte

Environmental liability (E-liability) introduces a simple, accurate, and verifiable calculation for the total cradle-to-gate emissions of any product or service.  Karthik Ramanna is the Co-founder and Principal Investigator at the E-liability Institute . He's also the Professor of Business & Public Policy and Director of the Master of Public Policy Program at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government. (3:17) Karthik explains the basics of E-liability and makes the case for why companies, standards setters and regulators all around the world should be familiarizing themselves with the concept of E-liability.

Few companies produce as many household products as Colgate-Palmolive. Vance Merolla is the Senior Vice President of Global Sustainability at Colgate-Palmolive and he joins the show (28:28) to discuss how the company tackles sustainability across all its products and brands.  The initiatives Vance outlines include advancements in recyclable toothpaste tubes, what the company learned from getting certain aspects of its Sustainability and Social Impact Strategy approved by the Science-Based Targets initiative and how Colgate-Palmolive recently went about signing a virtual power purchase agreement to help Colgate-Palmolive power its operations.

From Deloitte
Power, Utilities & Renewables services
Start charting your decarbonization path today
Sustainability SmartPod episode featuring Deloitte's John Mennel

More resources about E-liability
Harvard Business Review: Getting a Clearer View of Your Company’s Carbon Footprint
Harvard Business Review: Accounting for Climate Change
Harvard Business Review: Accounting for Carbon Offsets

Highlights from Karthik
What is E-liability? - (3:26)
Mobile phones as an example of how E-liability would work - (5:27)
The impact E-liability could have on supply chains - (9:33)
Pilot program with Giti Tire - (11:34)
How E-liability is better than standard carbon measurement approaches - (14:24)
Bringing more supply chain companies into the process - (15:51)
Eliminating "inspirational disclosure" for Scope 1-3 reporting - (20:34)
What's preventing wider adoption of E-liability - (22:21)
How many companies will adopt E-liability in 3-6 years - (25:52)

Highlights from Vance
The details of Colgate-Palmolive's VPPA - (28:40)
Key points in the VPPA decision-making process - (32:43)
Collborating with other market participants - (34:42)

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Sponsored by: KPMG

It's time to talk about sustainable fuels; specifically sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Dr. Patrick Gruber is the Chief Executive Officer of Gevo, where he and the team are at forefront of sustainable fuel development. Patrick is here to outline the basics of those fuels, how they fit into a wider energy ecosystem, what it will take for those fuels to see wider adoption, and the hurdles that might be standing in the way. He also explains how some fuels can be carbon negative.

Patrick is a no-nonsense executive who is passionate about growing the sustainable fuel sector in an effort to fight climate change, so enjoy the energy he brings to this episode.

More resources from KPMG
The Hydrogen Horizon
Energy & Chemicals
Energy Institute 2023 Statistical Review of World Energy

Highlights from Patrick Gruber
The basics of what Gevo does - (2:14)
Gevo's supply chain and feedstocks - (3:23)
Overview of various markets for sustainable fuels - (8:53)
Guidelines for SAF and CORSIA eligible fuels - (11:32)
How SAF fits into existing aviation fuel infrastructure - (15:32)
A2J: Alcohol to Jet fuel - (17:16)
Current SAF production capacity - (18:00)
Uncertainty surrounding the Inflation Reduction Act - (20:52)
Growing bi-partisan support for sustainable fuels - (21:43)
Paying farmers more for using better agriculture practices - (24:29)
The impact of climate change on feedstocks - (29:01)
The concept of carbon negative fuels - (30:11)
The share of the global aviation fuel market SAFs can capture - (33:35)

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Sponsored by: KPMG

The Statistical Review of World Energy, which is compiled by the Energy Institute, offers a comprehensive look at global energy production, consumption, trade and emissions. Energy Institute Chief Executive Nick Wayth joins the show to discuss some of the key takeaways from the most recent edition of the review, including region- and country-specific growth of renewables and how the industry is navigating a 'Triple Crises' spawned by the pandemic and geopolitics. Wayth also outlines the progress on the energy transition that he hopes will materialize at COP28. 

More resources from KPMG
Energy Institute 2023 Statistical Review of World Energy
The Hydrogen Horizon
Energy & Chemicals

Highlights from Nick Wayth
Background info about the Energy Institute - (2:47)
The history of the Statistical Review of World Energy - (3:47)
Key takeaways from this year's review - (4:59)
Specifics about the growth of renewables - (6:34)
Data related to key minerals - (10:05)
Headwinds for offshore wind - (12:34)
Geopolitics and the 'Triple Crises' - (15:34)
Under-the-radar nuggets of info from the review - (19:07)
The regional outlook for Africa - (22:43)
What to expect from COP28 - (28:33)
Nick's bold predictions about changes to the energy landscape - (30:03)

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The battery energy storage sector was already in a strong position before the Inflation Reduction Act. Now, the industry is charging up for a boom.

Mike Wietecki, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at Powin, joins the show to share his insights on the technology and trends that are driving energy storage growth. Mike does a deep dive on how the Inflation Reduction Act is providing additional momentum for the sector, including how investment tax credits related to labor, location and domestic content are having a big impact on manufacturing.

Mike also delves into the jobs-related politics of renewables and the IRA; and how Powin is working with companies like IKEA to create a blueprint for the expansion of the battery energy storage market. 

Highlights from Mike Wietecki

Basics about battery energy storage - (2:41)
Powin's current customer base - (7:15)
Common questions from customers about energy storage - (8:34)
How Powin keeps the lights on in Sydney, Australia - (11:10)
How the Inflation Reduction Act has supercharged the battery sector - (13:20)
The importance of IRA guidance related to domestic content - (15:41)
Powin's current manufacturing footprint - (19:43)
The crucial role the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office - (21:05)
Untangling supply chain issues - (22:14)
Political headwinds - (25:00)
Why speed is key for IRA projects - (27:22)
Creating a battery blueprint with coporate partners like IKEA - (29:25)
Batteries boosting grid resiliency in places like Texas and Califronia - (32:20)
Mike's bold predicitons - (33:54)
Biden administration's risky IRA politics - (34:30)
Will we see a government pricing scheme for carbon? - (36:35)

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We can produce all the renewable energy we want, but the march to net zero will take an unnecessarily long time if all that power is being used in inefficient buildings. Buildings are responsible for about 40% of energy related carbon emissions around the world. That means any conversation about reducing emissions and achieving net-zero goals will have to feature insights about the efficient construction and – perhaps more importantly – operation of buildings.

Mark Reinbold, vice president of Global Sustainable Infrastructure at Johnson Controls, joins the show to discuss what he gleaned from attending COP28 in Dubai about how business executives and other experts are factoring infrastructure into their sustainability strategies. Mark shares some of the key findings from research Johnson Controls conducted with Forrester Consulting about smart building trends and outlines the role technologies like artificial intelligence are playing amid the expansion of the concept of net zero buildings-as-a-service.

Highlights from Mark Reinbold

Conversations about sustainability with global leaders - (2:08)
Common roadblocks to more sustainable infrastructure - (6:39)
Have global gatherings like COP and Davos 'jumped the shark'? - (8:19)
Any deal follow-up from COP28 - (10:26)
Expanding Net Zero-as-a-Service - (13:10)
Key takeaways from Forrester Research on smart building trends - (16:20)
Examples of artificial intelligence delivering for smart buildings - (19:16)
Showcase project: University of North Dakota - (23:41)
How renewable energy is factoring into projects - (26:16)

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This episode is sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG:
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals

It's tax season, so it's time to once again hear from Lauren Collins, a partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins.  Lauren has become a regular guest on this podcast as she stops by about once a year to share her insights on all the tax issues related to the Inflation Reduction Act. During our conversation, Lauren touches on an array of specific topics, including:

• Domestic content credits 
• Direct pay
• Transferable tax credits
• Energy community credits
• Credits related to hydrogen production
• And much more...

If you want to learn more about which tax aspects of the IRA are off to a great ... and which aspects might be stumbling out of the starting block, give this episode a listen.

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables.

Leaders from across the renewable energy industry are gathered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this week for the CLEANPOWER conference. This annual gathering, hosted by the American Clean Power Association, is always a great chance to check in on the key issues and trends that are driving the energy transition. Adam Bernardi, director of renewables sales and strategy at Burns & McDonnell, joins the show to talk about what he's hearing at CLEANPOWER and out in the marketplace. Key topics from our conversation include:

• The recent filing of Anti-Dumping/Countervailing Duty (AD/CVD) petitions on U.S. imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells
• Concerns about breakers being in short supply
• Aspects of the  Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) that are and aren't working well
• Robot technology at solar sites
• Workforce and apprenticeship initiatives
• Domestic content
• Shared lessons learned from Burns & McDonnell's projects
• Pop culture references to "Robocop," the Kevin Kline movie "Dave," the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the Kansas City Chiefs and ... yes ... Taylor Swift.

More resources from EDF Renewables
Who we serve

More resources from Burns & McDonnell
How to Drive Predictable Results With an Integrated EPC Team

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This episode is sponsored by EDF Renewables

Rob Gramlich, the founder and president of Grid Strategies, discusses the challenges faced by the US grid in accommodating increasing demand for renewable energy sources, including power demand growth, limited grid capacity, and constraints in the interconnection process. Rob highlights the importance of building transmission infrastructure and leveraging battery storage to ease grid stress during peak summer hours. Rob also shares his perspectives on the Inflation Reduction Act's impact on clean energy, including the significance of storage tax credits and the need for transmission cost allocation policies to develop the grid. Finally, Rob emphasizes the importance of maximizing clean energy sources and leveraging energy storage to provide value in the system.

More resources from EDF Renewables
Who we serve

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With the American Clean Power Association’s brand new RECHARGE conference taking place this week in Portland, Oregon, we decided to bring on a guest who is the leader of a battery energy storage company that just so happens to be headquartered in The Rose City.  Chris Taylor, the CEO of GridStor, has been in the renewables industry for a long time, so he joins the show to discuss the origins of GridStor and how the battery sector has grown in recent years. Ahead of his appearance on the "A View From the Top - Energy Storage Leadership Fireside Chat" panel discussion at the RECHARGE conference, Chris also shares his insights about the state of the marketplace and how factors like the Inflation Reduction Act and growth in energy storage procurement among utilities and corporations are driving big interest in batteries.

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Sponsored by: EDF Renewables

When it comes to the utility-scale and residential solar sectors in the US, Daniel Cruise, partner at Lium Research, says current trends tell a tale of two markets. While research from the team at Lium points to a booming utility-scale market that is enjoying record construction starts, the residential market is struggling in California and beyond. Other highlights from our conversation include:

• With sourcing of solar modules a hot topic in the news, Cruise notes that NextEra is switching to Indian suppliers for many of its large scale solar projects.
• Cruise predicts 40 gigawatts of new solar will be interconnected to the grid in 2024, with an additional 50 gigawatts to follow in 2025.
• Noting a decline in the fervor surrounding overall renewables markets in the last year or two, Cruise shares his insights on suspected causes  ... and possible remedies. 

More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

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Sponsored by: EDF Renewables

The Inflation Reduction Act has revolutionized how the energy transition is being financed. The IRA is chock full of tax credits and other incentives designed to spur investment in renewables and one key aspect of the IRA pertains to the transferability of those tax credits. Alfred Johnson, the co-founder and CEO of Crux, joins the show to discuss how the market for transferable tax credits is taking shape. The team at Crux recently released their Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report, which details how the market for transferable tax credits is faring so far this year.

Alfred also offers his insights on how the market for transferable tax credits is set to grow -- regardless of political uncertainty -- and what firms can do to make their tax credits 'highly transactable' in a rapidly evolving market.

And finally, Alfred tells the remarkable story of how part of his inspiration to co-found Crux came from a source that is VERY familiar to listeners of this podcast.

Key highlights
Background information at Alread and the founding of Crux - (3:34)
How Crux's 2024 Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report was compiled - (6:41)
The 6 key takeaways from the Mid-Year Market Intelligence Report - (9:31)
What's driving growth in the market for transferable tax credits - (11:18)
Participation in the market expands beyond big banks and Big Tech - (14:27)
How long it takes deals to close - (15:46)
Regions where deals are originating - (17:55)
How the market is coping with political uncertainty - (19:13)
Possible headwinds the market might encounter - (20:28)
How big will the market be by 2030? - (21:56)
How organizations can make their tax credits highly transactable - (23:43)
Where Alfred got some of his inspiration to co-found Crux - (28:05)


More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

Sign up for the Renewable Energy SmartBrief

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Sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

As the financial landscape for the renewables industry continues to evolve, Luis Silva, the chief financial officer at EDF Renewables, joins the show to offer his perspective on what lies ahead for the energy transition. Luis delves into areas of focus like the Inflation Reduction Act, the cost of capital and emerging trends around how projects are being financed. We also spend a great deal of time talking about transferable tax credits. In fact, when asked to share his bold predictions … the first one Luis mentions is very much related to transferable tax credits.

Key highlights
How the financial landscape for renewables has evolved - (3:21)
Operating in the current interest rate environment - (5:06)
What are the biggest financial risks to the renewables industry right now? - (6:40)
New players in the transferable tax credit market - (8:10)
Key questions being asked around tax deals - (10:19)
Luis' views on the Inflation Reduction Act - (13:47)
Policy moves that could help the renewables industry - (17:05)
Top concerns around deal finance - (17:51)
Luis' bold predictions - (19:26)

More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

Sign up for the Renewable Energy SmartBrief

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Sponsored by KPMG and Vinson & Elkins

Chris Creed, the chief investment officer at the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO), joins the show to discuss how the LPO is deploying public funds and attracting private capital to energy, transportation and manufacturing projects that are advancing technologies and delivering jobs across America. Creed shares his insider perspective on how the LPO's various financial programs are helping established companies expand their operations and newer companies build what the LPO calls a 'bridge to bankability.'

Key highlights
Overall mission of the LPO - (3:42)
Projects the LPO has recently helped finance - (4:26)
Diversity of projects that apply for LPO financing - (6:50)
The differing maturity levels of companies within the LPO's portfolio - (10:13)
The philosphy behind the 'bridge to bankability' - (18:27)
The 'patient capital' of the LPO - (20:08)
How the LPO works with private investors - (22:25)
The process for LPO applicants - (24:44)

More resources from the LPO
Monthly Application Activity Report

More resources from KPMG
Turning the Tide in Scaling Renewables
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

More resources from Vinson & Elkins
Energy Transition & Clean Technology
In-Depth Insight on the Energy Transition
V&E+ - Conversations About Our Values, Views and Ventures
Vinson & Elkins' main office is located at:
845 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002
+1-713-758-2222

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Sponsored by EDF Renewables

This special episode focusing on RE+ features insights from Jessica Libby, a Principal in the KPMG US Trade and Customs service line. Jessica shares her expert analysis of all the hottest topics from the conference, including the outlook for tariffs, news related to forced labor and the future of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We also discuss the long-term prospects for key components of the Inflation Reduction Act -- regardless of which party takes the White House.

And in a lighter moment, Jessica kicks off the conversation by revealing that one of the 'must-see' things at this year's RE+ is sheep ... real, live sheep in the convention hall.

More resources from EDF Renewables
What We Do

Sign up for the Renewable Energy SmartBrief

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Sponsored by KPMG

In this special episode from RE+, we connect with Ryan Pfaff, EVP of Grid- and Distribution-Scale Power at EDF Renewables. Ryan discusses the massive growth in energy demand from companies and utilities, the geographic distribution of clean energy jobs across the US and what the future of automation might look like for renewables. Ryan explains how the longer duration of incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act is boosting renewables and he also outlines what customers and developers can do to quicken the pace of projects and bring more clean energy to the grid.

More resources from KPMG
Survey results:  High energy expectations for renewables 

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Sponsored by KPMG and EDF Renewables

With the election fast-approaching, many people in the renewable energy industry are wondering how a potential shift in the current political power structure in the US might impact the push for clean energy. With that uncertainty in mind, Suzanne Leta, vice president of policy and advocacy for the Americas at Fluence, joins the show to discuss tax incentives related to the Inflation Reduction Act, with a particular focus on domestic manufacturing. Suzanne also explains how tariffs related to batteries are structured in a way that makes them surprisingly vulnerable to the whims of whoever occupies the White House. Suzanne also touches on cybersecurity and shares her insights on the impact data centers powering AI are placing on batteries and the rest of the grid … and how smart utilities and other organizations are planning to manage that increased energy demand.

More insights from Suzanne:
Powering America's Future: Grid-Scale Energy Storage Boosts Grid Reliability, Jobs and US Manufacturing

More resources from KPMG:
Survey results:  High energy expectations for renewables

More resources from EDF Renewables:
What We Do

Key highlights from Suzanne:
The buzz around domestic manufacturing - (4:01)
Other IRA incentives like the PTC, ITC and other bonus tax credits - (10:45)
The whimsical nature of Section 301 tariffs on batteries - (13:20)
The politics of the election and the energy transition in the US - (17:15)
Cybersecurity and the grid - (22:12)
Manaing the boom in energy demand from AI data centers - (26:41)
'Hyperscale' data centers vs. typical data centers - (27:24)
Suzanne's bold predictions about the future of battery storage - (31:46)

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Sponsored by KPMG

With Climate Week in full swing, tons of speeches, meetings and presentations are taking place in New York, with an eye toward how the energy transition will continue to evolve. One key technology that will continue to play a huge role in that evolution is batteries. Roger Miksad, the president and executive director of Battery Council International, stops by the show to explain how batteries of various chemistries are advancing to power things like data centers, EVs and microgrids. Roger also touches on a few policies that the battery sector is watching closely, like the USA Batteries Act. And with more and more batteries coming to the market, Roger outlines the hard work BCI and its members have put in over the years to advance recycling and develop a circular economy for raw materials and components.

More resources from KPMG
KPMG generative AI survey report: Energy, natural resources and chemicals
KPMG LLP AI & Digital Innovation Quarter Pulse Survey - Q2 2024

Key highlights
The importance of Climate Week - (2:57)
What Roger hopes to see from this year's Climate Week - (3:59)
The expanding role of batteries in the energy landscape - (4:30)
Specific areas batteries are powering the energy transition - (6:04)
The impact the Inflation Reduction Act is having on battery manufacturing - (7:53)
Other policies that are crucial for the battery industry - (10:31)
The role batteries play in powering data centers - (14:41)
Advancements in battery recycling and the circular economy - (16:42)
Roger's bold predictions - (19:58)

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Jason Peart, GM of Strategy and Development at Sage Geosystems, joins the show to outline the many ways geothermal energy is advancing to provide diverse solutions for the world's booming growth in power demand. Jason walks us through some need-to-know information about the latest trends and technologies related to geothermal energy, including how progress is being made on using geothermal for energy storage. Jason also shares details about a partnership Sage recently formed with Meta to power data centers, as well as the work Sage is doing with the US Air Force, the US Army and California Resources Corporation.

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Wade Gungoll, CEO of Industrial Sun, and Christine Larson, the Head of Strategy and Operations at Modern Energy, stop by the show to discuss the role of renewables in heavy industries like chemical processing, manufacturing, and oil and gas. Petrochemical refineries might not be first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the facilities that powered by renewables, but it’s happening -- and Wade and Christine are here to tell us more about it.

They highlight the unique approach of Industrial Sun, which focuses on industrial net-metered solar for heavy industries, offering significant cost savings and green attributes. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the data center market and outline why Big Tech's race for computing power means renewables might actually have to wait to capture a larger share of the market. Christine predicts a rise in battery storage, while Wade predicts more than $100 billion in green hydrogen investment in ERCOT by 2030.

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Sponsored by EDF Renewables
Learn more about Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind

The offshore wind industry has been navigating some choppy seas as of late, so Oliver Metcalfe, Head of Wind Research at BloombergNEF, stops by the show to outline what the industry must do to chart a course for sustained growth. Oliver recently returned from an industry conference in China, so he shares his expert insights on that market -- including how Chinese turbine companies are starting to boost their export efforts. When it comes to policy, Oliver details how the early steps in the UK market that put offshore wind on a path for success could be copied in other developing markets. And finally, we turn our attention to the US, where tough economic conditions are beginning to recede, but much work lies ahead for the offshore wind industry to reach its full potential.

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Walt Musial, a principal engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, stops by the show to discuss the current state of the US offshore wind market. Walt details progress in key regions like the Northeast, where gigawatt-scale projects are actively under construction. Walt addresses the ramifications of renegotiations of power purchase agreements and the mixed outcome of recent offshore wind lease auctions. On the technology front, Walt goes into great detail about the potential of floating wind technology, which offers flexible siting and cost benefits when compared to fixed-bottom turbines. Walt also outlines the key highlights of NREL's annual Offshore Wind Energy Market Assessment, which track information for 2,036 active offshore wind energy projects in 49 countries.

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This preview is a quick look at the upcoming Renewable Energy SmartPod. If you're looking for a fun and informative podcast that focuses specifically on the people, technologies and trends powering the energy transition … this is it. 

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Richard Glick, the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, joins us for our launch episode. After discussing the chairman's undying love for the New York Mets and initiatives that are at the top of FERC’s agenda, our conversation inevitably turned to the continuing fallout from the Texas power crisis. We also delved into how enhanced transmission lines and grid resiliency will help power a more renewable energy future.

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Tristan Grimbert, the President and CEO of EDF Renewables North America, joins us to talk about all the big proposals coming out of the Biden administration (4:07), distributed energy trends (9:02), the power outage in Texas (11:12) and some of the policy changes taking place in Mexico (18:29). We also discuss transmission challenges (14:51) and issues related to China that the US solar industry supply chain is facing (17:00). Of course, we also had a bit of fun. Tristan is a proud Frenchman, so he also gives us his take on the sometimes heated rivalry between French wine and California wine (28:05) and he even offers up a surprise tip on where you can buy quality French wine for a great price right here in the US.
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The social justice movement that gathered momentum in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder forced many industries, including renewables, to take a long, hard look at their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.  This episode features Kenneth Labeja, the co-founder and CFO of Triple Oak Power, and Dareem David, director of finance at Primergy Solar, discussing the progress the industry has made on DEI initiatives (4:46 and 16:25) and difficult circumstances they've experienced as Black men in renewables (8:30). They also look at ways the renewables industry can flex its financial clout to drive change (19:29) and diversify its ranks of younger talent and experienced professionals (22:26). 

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The Leaders Summit on Climate that was organized by the Biden administration just wrapped up a few hours ago. And since that virtual gathering was convened to tackle the climate emergency, we thought we’d respond by convening an emergency podcast!

This episode features a conversation with Justin Gerdes, senior correspondent for Energy Monitor, breaking down the key takeaways from the summit. We talk about all the emissions reduction targets (6:01), decarbonizing the transportation sector (8:30) and some of the memorable appearances at the summit, including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm (13:14), Lonnie Stephenson from IBEW (11:55) and Xiye Bastida of Fridays for Future (19:36). We also tackle complaints arising about the temporary nature of energy transition jobs (13:44).  And yes, we even discuss the prospect of President Joe Biden driving an electric bus from Proterra (11:57) and (21:05).

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There's a debate that’s percolating in the residential solar power market that, if it’s not resolved carefully, could end up hammering the renewables industry and the wallets of rooftop solar customers. The debate is about net energy metering. For those of you who don’t know what net energy metering is … don’t worry… Joseph Triepke from Lium Research joins us to explain what net energy metering is (3:38) and why you should care about it … even if you think the rooftop solar market has nothing to do with you (11:41).

This debate has created strange bedfellows (20:40) as it features competing factors surrounding the economics of residential solar, equity in energy (22:20) and the jobs, jobs, jobs that are supposed to keep powering the energy transition (20:06).

The "Renewable energy project or NOT a renewable energy project" quiz returns (34:40) and we also debut a new segment of the show called "The PodBrief" (37:05)

Background info on Net Energy Metering

Research note from Lium Research - March 23, 2021

News analysis from Canary Media - April 12, 2021

Resource page from California Public Utilities Commission

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With billions of dollars flowing into ESG investment products, changes are afoot for ESG disclosure best practices and reporting regulations.  Maggie Peloso, partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins, shares her insights on numerous reporting challenges companies large and small are trying to tackle, including data management (10:20) and determining materiality (16:01). Maggie also outlines how companies can prepare to meet the evolving expectations of investors and changing demands of regulators (25:38).

We also have a bit of fun as Maggie, a proud Duke grad, shares stories from her days among the Cameron Crazies and names her 5 favorite Blue Devil players (43:30).

In this episode's PodBrief (49:30), the topic turns to a key piece of information that is missing from all the news about the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets being touted by various countries -- including the US and the Biden administration.

More insights from Vinson & Elkins

Executive Order on Climate-Related Financial Risk: One Small Step for Climate, One Giant Leap for Federal Climate Policy

U.S. Climate Change Disclosure Regulation is Inevitable, Here’s What To Do About It Now

Maggie Peloso's book

Adapting to Rising Sea Levels: Legal Challenges and Opportunities

EDF Renewables is a market leading independent power producer and service provider with over 35 years of expertise in developing wind, solar, storage and electric vehicle charging systems. EDF Renewables - Energy your way.

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Renewable energy certificates (RECs) are a key financial tool in the renewable energy industry. Steve McComb, senior vice president at IncubEx, joins the podcast to do a deep dive on what RECs are and how they function in the marketplace across different states and regions (2:34). Steve outlines the evolution of states' renewable portfolio standards (12:06), what Texas gets right about RECs (16:32) and how RECs are traded in futures markets (18:03). We also discuss the impact proposals coming out of the Biden administration are having on the market and the role RECs are poised to play in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (20:51).  And with so many companies looking to green their operations and portfolios, Steve explains how big banks are expanding their footprint in the REC space (29:35).

Learn more about IncubEx

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Despite the pandemic, the amount of renewable energy deals announced by large-scale buyers set a record in 2020. Miranda Ballentine, CEO of the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance (REBA), join the show to talk about how corporations are reshaping the large-scale energy procurement market. Ballentine talks about the new kinds of corporate buyers that are entering the market (9:02), how firms have shifted their goal from merely investing in renewable energy to decarbonizing the power system (12:20) and shares her reaction to the renewable energy proposals coming from the Biden administration (20:20). In light of the Colonial pipeline attack, Ballentine also highlights the importance of grid cybersecurity and resiliency (26:13).  Ballentine also outlines the types of energy deals that are trending in the market and reveals some of the leadership tactics she uses (49:38) to guide an organization that is full of so many big-name brands.

The PodBrief in this episode focuses on how additional  efforts from REBA members like Google and Microsoft stand to change the everyday lives of consumers (52:39).

More resources:
Salesforce Best Practice Paper: "More Than a Megawatt"

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The upfront costs associated with residential renewables and energy efficient technologies often act as a roadblock to deployment in millions of US homes. Greg Hopkins, a Manager within RMI’s Carbon-Free Buildings Program, joins the show to talk about how green mortgages can play help put those expensive home improvements within the reach of millions of homeowners. Just how much potential is there for green mortgages? Well, as Hopkins explains, tweaks to the housing finance system could grow the single-family green mortgage market from $170 million to potentially $2.2 TRILLION.

Oh yeah ... and along the way green mortgages could save homeowners $12 billion, enhance the comfort and resiliency of 8.7 million homes and generate 650,000 jobs.

Resources - RMI report: "Build Back Better Homes - How to Unlock America’s Single-Family Green Mortgage Market."

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Across the U.S., there are 23,000 separate jurisdictions and 3,000 utilities involved in the permitting process for residential rooftop solar installations. Completing the permitting process can take weeks -- or even months. SolarAPP+ is a new tool that can be put to use across the country to reduce that wait time to just minutes. The app is a game-changer. Homeowners receive faster installations and installers enjoy greater certainty about scheduling their projects. Plus, all those government agencies involved in the permitting process can use the tool for free.

Arthur Coulston from the SolarAPP Foundation and RMI joins the show to explain how the Energy Department, particularly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, collaborated with various solar industry stakeholders to make SolarAPP+ a reality. Coulston also details how some of the lessons learned via the launch of SolarAPP+ can be applied to other renewables endeavors, like the development of electric vehicle (EV) charging station networks.

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Green hydrogen's potential to transform energy markets is immense. With the growth of renewables inspiring greater interest in use cases for green hydrogen, Michael Ducker from Mitsubishi Power joins the podcast to outline the state of the green hydrogen market and how it is poised to grow. Ducker explains how green hydrogen differs from other "colors" of hydrogen and also details how the long duration energy storage capabilities of projects like Mitsubishi's Advanced Clean Energy Storage site in Utah can play a key role in alleviating seasonal energy shortages in the western United States.

More resources:

Green hydrogen and the transportation sector

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Janice Lin, the founder and president of the Green Hydrogen Coalition, joins the show to discuss how green hydrogen is poised to play a larger role in everyday energy generation and consumption. From US efforts like HyDeal LA (22:28) and the Western Green Hydrogen Initiative (24:12) to international endeavors like the European Hydrogen Backbone (14:50), Janice outlines how quickly the green hydrogen economy is accelerating.

Janice also highlights how green hydrogen as an energy storage solution could reduce blackouts and she also poses a fantastic question (1949): We have a Strategic Petroleum Reserve ... why not a Strategic Renewable Energy Reserve?

PODBRIEF: (33:26) What would happen if a Category 5 hurricane slammed into an offshore wind farm? Plus, a funny study about a wind farm to protect New Orleans from hurricanes.

MORE RESOURCES

Green Hydrogen Guidebook

DoE: Wind turbines in hurricanes

Stanford - Univ. of Delaware: Wind farms as a buffer for hurricanes

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Michael Rucker, founder and CEO of Scout Clean Energy, joins the show to talk about the latest news and trends in renewables. Among the many topics we discuss:

• A massive backlog of interconnection requests in the US
• How to communicate clearly in the face of NIMBY sentiments to get projects developed
• The potential for a federal Clean Energy Standard
• Carbon tax versus tax credits
• Lessons learned from operating during a pandemic 

Michael's experience in the industry spans a couple decades, so we also talk about what has changed during that time ... what has remained the same ... and how he sees things taking shape in the future.

PODBRIEF: A look at recently released reports that paint a clear picture of how much work the US needs to do to fulfill the potential of a successful energy transition.

US Department of Energy: "Solar Futures Study"
Lium: "Biden’s Solar 40% By 2035 Already Falling Short"
GWEC: "Global Offshore Wind Report"

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Bob Yeager, President of Emerson’s Power and Water Solutions, joins the show to outline the three Ds that will play a huge role in future of the energy industry: Decarbonization, Decentralization and Digitalization (3:41).

Bob delves into how FERC Order No. 2222 stands to reshape the power sector (12:18), how improved analytics might have reduced the severity of the Texas energy crisis (19:30) and how the process for purchasing energy might one day come to resemble ordering an Uber -- on your phone and whenever you need it.

PODBRIEF

Read more about Bob Yeager's Uber-istic vision for the future of power.

Nick Ferris from Energy Monitor on the reliability of fossil fuel energy sources, or lack thereof.

Email me your COP26 Insights - sean.mcmahon@futurenet.com

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Few people know more about the policies that shape the US grid than Rob Gramlich, the founder and president of Grid Strategies. With more and more renewables coming online (and interconnection queues getting longer and longer), Rob joins the show to talk about all the challenges the US grid is facing and what can be done to overcome them.

Rob also delves into the details of what is in the infrastructure bills currently circulating around Capitol Hill. What are the 'must-haves' that need to be in the legislation? And what are some things the bills should include, but don't.

I also throw a couple dinner party questions at Rob. As in, what information about the grid does he share when he is at a dinner party full of grid newbies? And what do grid gurus talk about when they all gather around the dinner table?

PodBrief:

The Conversation - Why banning financing for fossil fuel projects in Africa isn’t a climate solution - Benjamin Attia and Morgan Bazilian

World Economic Forum - Namibia is poised to become the renewable energy hub of Africa - President Hage Geingob of Namibia

More resources:

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COP26 is finally here!

With many countries and companies announcing net-zero goals that target 2035, 2050 or 2060, Tej Gidda joins the show to talk about why the next decade is critical for the energy transition. Tej, a vice president at GHD and also the firm's Global Lead for Future Energy, shares his thoughts on COP26 and what the people gathered in Glasgow need to do to make the next 10 years count. Tej also explains the concept of "The Missing Middle" ... and why policymakers and industry leaders must work to make the missing middle disappear.

Tej also shares the details of a paper the team at GHD released this morning -- A Supercharged Transition -- that puts forth 3 key ambitions for the next 10 years: 

1. Doubling down on renewable energy production and grid integration
2. Leveraging the transitional importance of carbon capture
3. Turning small-scale energy storage into a big business

PODBRIEF: Energy accessibility and affordability tops the agenda for building a more resilient Africa.

More resources:

GHD - A Supercharged Transition
GHD - Future Energy
McKinsey & Company -  Green Africa: A growth and resilience agenda for the continent

More Podcasts from SmartBrief:

The Modern Money SmartPod
Touchpoints - A conversation about care, connection and costs in US health care

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This episode is a wee bit different from previous shows. With loads of big headlines coming out of the first week of COP26 in Glasgow, it seems like a quick roundup is in order to separate the news from the noise. There were also a few notable quotes (and even one song) that are worth highlighting.  I hope this episode helps you get caught up fast!

Related links:
The Green Grid Initiative
Mark Carney and GFANZ
SBTi aims to define "net-zero"
BlackRock's Larry Fink on greenwashing
Global methane reduction pledge
IFRS Foundation announces International Sustainability Standards Board
Greta Thunberg owns her critics with net-zero pledge for bad language

More resources:
GHD - A Supercharged Transition
GHD - Future Energy

More Podcasts from SmartBrief:
The Modern Money SmartPod
Touchpoints - A conversation about care, connection and costs in US health care

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Now that we’ve all caught our breath after the onslaught of news and frenetic finish to COP26, it's time to step back and reflect on the events in Glasgow from a broader perspective. SmartBrief's Karen Kantor and Paula Kiger edit a wide variety of newsletters for SmartBrief -- including topics such as energy, sustainability, government, business transformation and even the United Nations -- so they join the show for a roundtable discussion that highlights the achievements, disappointments and surprises from COP26.

There is plenty of talk about the energy transition, but we also make time to discuss COP26 issues that touch on local government, fashion, shipping containers ... and how Las Vegas should start taking bets on the exact day and time COPs in the future will end!

More resources:

GHD - A Supercharged Transition
GHD - Future Energy

More Podcasts from SmartBrief:

The Modern Money SmartPod
Touchpoints - A conversation about care, connection and costs in US health care

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As more and more renewables come online, load flexibility is a key component of the grid of the future. John Powers, founder and CEO of Extensible Energy, joins the show to talk about how smart technology is helping building owners and tenants optimize their energy efficiency and save big money.

John also outlines the work of the California Load Flexibility Research and Development Hub (CalFlexHub), which is a team of experts from across the energy landscape working to develop energy efficiency and distributed energy resource technologies that are flexible, interoperable, and grid-integrated.     

More resources

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Tax incentives like the Production Tax Credit and the Investment Tax Credit have had a massive impact on the growth of renewables, but the possibility of direct pay also looms on the horizon. Sean Moran, a partner at the law firm of Vinson & Elkins, is here to dive into what lies ahead for the tax side of the renewables industry, particularly as projects expand into the realm of offshore wind.

More resources

Offshore Wind — The Current State of Affairs

Federal Backstop Authority for Transmission Line Siting

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