The Energy Gang
Wood Mackenzie
Bi-weekly discussions on the latest trends in energy, cleantech, renewables, and the environment from Wood Mackenzie. Hosted by Ed Crooks.
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Top 10 The Energy Gang Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Energy Gang episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Energy Gang for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Energy Gang episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Watt It Takes: Why Steph Speirs Wants Solar For All
The Energy Gang
10/23/20 • 52 min
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Solstice CEO Steph Speirs.
Solistice is a community solar company trying to make PV accessible to everyone.
Steph Speirs grew up one of three kids, first generation, in Hawaii. Her mom had immigrated from Korea. She knows what eviction feels like, and what it’s like to skirt homelessness. And she knows how a poor credit score can sink a human being.
She got a scholarship to a private high school, became a National Merit scholar and accrued three masters degrees at Yale, Princeton and MIT.
In this interview, we’ll hear how her time in the Obama administration led to a summer internship with the non-profit impact investor Acumen. She worked on solar lanterns in India. Her time in Yemen, India, and then Pakistan led to an awakening about energy injustice in the United States.
Solstice has now developed demand for 100 MW of community solar and just closed its biggest funding round so far.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Managing Large-Scale Solar [Special Content]
The Energy Gang
03/31/22 • 27 min
Of all the stages of a solar project, the operations and management stage is arguably the most crucial. When you’re thinking about project efficiency and financial returns in solar, you need to have a concise plan for the O&M stage.
Greg Shambo is Vice President of Business Development at Borrego Energy. He says that ‘when you get into the operations stage, this is where you make the money. If you can’t operate profitably from day one, you end up losing money. We call these walking dead sites, because they were doomed to start with.’
For the last forty years, Borrego have established themselves as one of the nation’s most reliable names in the Solar and Energy Storage industry. From their early days as solar pioneers, to today - as leaders on the national energy storage stage – Borrego have delivered timely and secure management to solar projects. In 2014, Borrego launched a stand-alone O&M business for both EPC and non-EPC customers to help optimise and maintain system performance and help their clients achieve their financial goals.
Jay Smith also joins us, he's the Director of Asset Management at Standard Solar, a client of Borrego.
On the show, Greg and Jay take us through the management of large-scale solar projects, and how clients can ensure they pick the best O&M provider for the job.
This episode was produced in collaboration with Borrego, a leading developer, EPC and O&M provider for large-scale renewable energy projects throughout the United States. With over 1.4 GW and more than 1,000 sites under its management nationwide, Borrego O&M is comprised of technical experts that have been helping customers maximise their asset performance and value for the last decade.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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What Does The World Need From COP26?
The Energy Gang
11/08/21 • 49 min
COP26 is under way in Glasgow. It has been billed as the “last best hope for the world to get its act together” on climate change, but what is the real significance of the talks?
Host Ed Crooks is joined by new regular co-host of the Energy Gang Melissa Lott, Director of Research at the Centre on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, to discuss the key issues and outcomes of the conference. Also joining for this episode is Emily Chasan, Director of Communications at Generate Capital, and former Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg journalist.
What needs to happen at COP26 for it to be counted as a success? The UN Environment Program noted in its new Emissions Gap 2021 report last week: “As a group, G20 members are not on track to achieve either their original or new 2030 pledges. Ten G20 members are on track to achieve their previous NDCs, while seven are off track.”
In this episode, the gang will explore the pledges made at previous conferences, as well as the new ones, and discuss whether they can lead to meaningful change in the global energy system.
In the second half of the show: soaring prices for gas, coal and electricity since the summer have raised questions about energy access, poverty and international equity: how can the world address these issues at COP26 and beyond?
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Bloom Energy. Bloom’s onsite energy platform provides unparalleled control for those looking to secure clean, reliable 24/7 power that scales to meet critical business needs. It eliminates outage and price risk while accelerating us towards a zero carbon future. Visit Bloom Energy to learn how to take charge today.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Hitachi Energy. What does your energy future look like? Look to Hitachi Energy for the advanced energy technologies needed to deliver real outcomes — unlocking new revenue streams, maximizing renewable integration, and lowering carbon emissions. Learn more.
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How a Changed Supreme Court Could Derail Climate Progress
The Energy Gang
09/25/20 • 60 min
Does the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg mean the future of federal climate policy is in jeopardy? What will a changed Supreme Court mean for climate change, and for the all-important endangerment finding? The Gang weighs in.
Then, the great plastic cover-up. How important are plastics to the profits of fossil fuel companies? We dive into an important investigation from NPR and Frontline into how fossil fuel companies hoodwinked the public on plastics recycling.
Then last, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is out with an important and long-awaited policy that opens the door for all types of distributed energy – hot water heaters, batteries, rooftop solar, electric cars – to feed energy into the grid in the aggregate. Are we finally there?
Recommended reading, viewing:
- Scientific American: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Leaves a Nuanced Legacy on Env. Issues
- Politico: Ginsburg Left a Long Environmental Legacy
- Axios: The Climate Stakes of the Supreme Court Fight
- Guardian: Oil industry lobbies US to help weaken Kenya’s strong stance on plastic waste
- Fast Company: Surprise: Your cleaning supplies are full of fossil fuel
- Frontline: Plastic Wars
- NPR: How big oil misled the public into believing plastic would be recycled
- Greentech Media: ‘Game-Changer’ FERC Order Opens Grid Markets to DER
- Houston Chronicle: FERC opens grid to power aggregators
- Twitter: Peter Cavan’s thread
- Twitter: Ari Peskoe’s thread
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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What's Behind China's Zero-Carbon Aim?
The Energy Gang
10/03/20 • 51 min
China, the country currently pouring the most carbon into the atmosphere, is making a promise to get to zero emissions – 40 years from now. Is it a breakthrough? Or is it a plan to keep burning coal? Is it both? We’ll hash it out.
Then, the Governor of California wants to stop selling any new cars that run on gasoline – in 15 years. It’s ambitious, can it be done? Is it legal? What will that take?
And last, a flurry of serious commitments from top American brands – Walmart, Google, Apple. Each of them is super challenging for a different reason. But also groundbreaking. We’ll dig in.
Resources:
- The Guardian: China Pledges to Become Carbon Neutral Before 2060
- Bloomberg: China’s Top Climate Scientists Map Out Path to 2060 Goal
- L.A. Times: Newsom Orders 2035 Phaseout of Gas-Powered Vehicles
- Axios: Walmart Aims for Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2040
- GTM: Google Pledges 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy by 2030
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. KORE Power is building the first large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility in the U.S. owned by an American company. Once it’s operational, the 1-million-square-foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Can Biden Undo Trump's Damage?
The Energy Gang
11/05/20 • 47 min
This week: the future of the planet depends on the mail.
The mail-in votes are still being counted, but it’s increasingly likely that Joe Biden will become America’s next president.
As of this recording on Thursday morning, Biden’s path to the presidency looks much better than Trump’s. It could be Thursday night or Friday when we get calls for Georgia, Pennsylvania, Nevada and North Carolina.
We do not have an official result. But the direction feels clearer -- and we have plenty of local results, too.
Meanwhile, America is officially out of the Paris Climate Accord. What happens next?
In this episode, we’re just going to cover a smattering of stories coming out of the election.
Plus, we’ll answer a bunch of listener questions.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Wärtsilä Energy, leading the transition toward a 100% renewable energy future. Wärtsilä launched “The Path to 100%” to accelerate the transition to renewables. Become part of the discussion.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by Honeywell, a leading supplier of IoT solutions to mission-critical industries around the world. Honeywell Smart Energy helps utilities transform their grid operations through advanced solutions and targeted services from edge to cloud. Learn more.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Energy Crisis
The Energy Gang
04/08/22 • 59 min
The energy crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the most serious since the oil shocks of the 1970s. Rising prices for oil, gas and coal are hitting living standards and putting people under financial strain around the world. We are facing some tough decisions about how to relieve hardship and energy poverty, while still cutting greenhouse gas emissions to limit the impact of climate change. In this edition of the Energy Gang, the gang discusses the war in Ukraine and the consequences for the rest of the world. How can we work through the short-term impacts whilst keeping the energy transition on track?
Ed is joined on today's episode by two returning guests. We’re happy to welcome back again Melissa Lott, the Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia. Our other guest has not been on the show for almost a year, and we are very glad she’s back. Amy Duffuor is Co-founder and General Partner at Azolla Ventures and leads our second topic on climate innovation investments. VC funds are heavily invested in some sectors and steer clear of others. What sectors get the most investment and why?
One of the impacts of the current energy crisis is the surge in gas prices in America. The gang discusses the options open to American policy makers and what’s being done to ease the pain at the pump. And we talk about the innovations in energy that can help resolve these complex challenges. Stick around to the end for the free electrons to hear what the hosts are up to outside of the show.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by EPC Power.
EPC Power manufactures self-developed energy storage smart inverters made in their American factories with gigawatt level capacity.
Visit epcpower.com/energygang to learn more about their utility scale and C & I product lines and schedule a call to learn how they can help you power your energy storage projects.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Watt It Takes: Michael Liebreich
The Energy Gang
09/22/20 • 57 min
This week on Watt It Takes: Powerhouse CEO Emily Kirsch sits down with Michael Liebreich.
You may know Liebreich as the brain behind New Energy Finance, which was sold to Bloomberg in 2009.
But before that company, Leibreich started a ski-based travel startup and invested in a portfolio of companies that lost 90 percent of their value in the dot-com bust.
After that, he was "unemployable." But he used a team of interns to begin compiling data on clean energy investment. in this episode, he tells the story of how that became a 140-employee business that Bloomberg eventually acquired.
This conversation was recorded live (remotely) as part of an interview series in collaboration with Powerhouse and Greentech Media.
To learn more about future speakers and attending a live event, go to Powerhouse.fund and click on the events tab. You can listen to all of the episodes of Watt It Takes here.
The Energy Gang is brought to you by KORE Power. Based in the U.S., KORE Power is situated to meet the growing global demand of the energy storage market. In fact, KORE Power is building a large-scale battery cell manufacturing facility here in the U.S. Once it’s operational, the 1 million square foot facility will have 12 gigawatt-hours of scalable manufacturing capacity. Learn more.
The Energy Gang is also brought to you by Sungrow, the leading global supplier of inverter solutions for renewables. During these uncertain times, Sungrow is committed to protecting its employees and continuing to reliably serve its customers around the world. Sungrow has also leveraged its extensive network across the United States to distribute face masks to communities in need.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Fifty years since the first Oil Shock: how much has changed?
The Energy Gang
10/20/23 • 62 min
This week marks 50 years, almost to the day, since the 1973 OPEC oil embargo on the US, which led to global oil prices soaring. Oil’s potential role as a political weapon was thrown into sharp relief, and the world woke up to a new awareness of the vital importance of energy security.
On the Energy Gang this week, Ed Crooks hosts Robbie Orvis and Amy Myers Jaffe, to explore the parallels between that first great oil shock and the economic and political issues arising from the conflict in the Middle East today. Robbie is Senior Director of Modeling and Analysis at the think-tank Energy Innovation, and Amy is Director of NYU’s Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab. Together they discuss the implications for energy security in the US, and around the world, of the fighting that began with the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel.
This month US oil production has hit a new all-time record high, at 13.2 million barrels a day. This surge in production means the US will be a net exporter of crude and oil products this year, to the tune of almost 2 million barrels a day. That sounds like it should help US energy security, but does it really? Despite surging production, US consumers remain vulnerable to fluctuations in fuel prices. Reducing oil consumption, as the gang discuss, could be the best way to strengthen energy security.
Electric vehicles play a critical role in helping to break our addiction to oil. There have been some big changes in that industry this year, with most leading auto-makers, including Hyundai, Kia, Ford, GM, and others, adopting the North American Charging Standard developed by Tesla. That is a big win for Elon Musk, but more importantly it’s a big win for customers, who won’t have to worry about getting an EV with the right connection ports to find public chargers. It’s like Lightning cables versus USB-C, but with much more at stake.
Finally, we look once again at the ever-evolving hydrogen sector. The Biden administration last week announced the seven Hydrogen Hubs selected to share $7 billion in government funding to accelerate the domestic market for clean hydrogen. The hubs are spread around the country, from the Pacific Northwest to south Texas, and are intended to catalyse more than $40 billion of private sector investment.
The idea behind the hubs is that developing the industry in a few locations will make it easier to share infrastructure and a skilled workforce, helping to bring costs down faster. But questions still remain about how big a role hydrogen can play in the energy transition.
It’s a packed show, and as usual we are keen to hear thoughts and comments. You can find us on most platforms – we’re @theenergygang. Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss the next one, out every second Friday at 7am ET.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Energy Gang have?
The Energy Gang currently has 512 episodes available.
What topics does The Energy Gang cover?
The podcast is about Environment, Energy, Climate Change, Podcasts, Technology, Business, Innovation and Sustainability.
What is the most popular episode on The Energy Gang?
The episode title 'Can Biden Undo Trump's Damage?' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Energy Gang?
The average episode length on The Energy Gang is 50 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Energy Gang released?
Episodes of The Energy Gang are typically released every 7 days, 2 hours.
When was the first episode of The Energy Gang?
The first episode of The Energy Gang was released on Jun 7, 2013.
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