Energy Evolution

Energy Evolution is a podcast from S&P Global Commodity Insights that explores how the energy industry is changing in response to the growing call for cleaner energy. Co-hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall, veteran S&P Global Commodity Insights journalists, spend each episode talking to leading experts from the energy, mining and finance sectors and breaking down the energy transition trends that the policymakers, traders and industry professionals need to know about. The team uses the reporting firepower and data resources of Market Intelligence. It taps into experts worldwide to tackle the climate and energy issues of the day, as well as changes on the horizon.

Microreactors promise nuclear power anywhere, deliverable by truck

  Today's episode of Energy Evolution, your podcast for all things energy transition, focuses on small micronuclear reactors and their role in the energy transition. Our guest, Jay Yu, is the founder of Nano Nuclear Energy. Their products include microreactors, which produce one to 20 megawatts of thermal energy that can be used directly as heat or converted to electricity. They are compact, modular, and can be deployed in various locations, including remote areas. They offer a reliable and sustainable source of energy, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to something like a diesel generator. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.  Energy Evolution is a podcast dedicated to exploring the latest innovations, trends, and challenges in the energy sector. We bring you expert interviews, insightful discussions, and thought-provoking analysis to help you stay informed and engaged in the rapidly evolving world of energy.

05-31
17:31

Bridging the gap between conventional energy resources and newer technologies

In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Taylor Kuykendall sits down with Emily Easley, CEO of Novus Energy Advisors. Emily, who hails from the Texas oil and gas fields, now works in the world of renewable energy. During their conversation, Taylor and Emily delve into the topic of bridging the gap between conventional fuels and new energy technologies. They explore the lessons that can be learned from both sides of the energy spectrum and how these insights can be applied to drive innovation and sustainability.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.   

05-24
24:18

Venture capital arm of mining giant Vale hunting for sustainable mining tech

In this episode of Energy Evolution, Taylor Kuykendall interviews Bruno Arcadier, head of Vale Ventures, the venture capital arm of international mining giant Vale. Vale Ventures aims to invest in cutting-edge technologies that will revolutionize the mining industry and make it more sustainable. The mining sector plays a critical role in the energy transition because metals like copper, nickel and cobalt are essential components in renewable energy technologies. The challenges in promoting the energy transition in mining include decarbonizing the supply chain, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and addressing waste management. Vale Ventures focuses on four verticals: decarbonization, circular mining, sustainable mining of the future, and energy transition metals. Arcadier said the company takes a portfolio approach to mitigate risks associated with early-stage investments. He also said that Vale Ventures not only provides capital but also offers access to expertise, R&D centers, partnerships and a global network of experts. 

05-17
27:19

Maintaining reliability in the face of an increasingly complex US power grid

As utilities grapple with how best to expand the US electric grid to improve reliability and support technologies like electric vehicles, they’re turning to a host of technologies like grid storage and AI that can help with planning and managing new demands.  On this week’s episode, co-host Taylor Kuykendall and correspondent Camellia Moors speak with guests Anthony Allard, executive vice president and head of North America at Hitachi Energy, Josh Brumberger, CEO of Utilidata, Robert Piconi, chairman and CEO of Energy Vault, and Paul Doherty, principal communications representative at PG&E.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

05-10
31:05

Space-based solar: Vast promises and major challenges

Capturing solar energy in space promises 24/7 renewable energy at a competitive cost. But to get space solar to scale, scientists and engineers need to tackle questions around technology management in space, social acceptance of power beaming and ground infrastructure, as well as financing hurdles.  On this week's episode of Energy Evolution, reporter Camilla Naschert discusses all of this with Sanjay Vijendran, who leads the European Space Agency's space solar program, and Martin Soltau, founder and co-CEO of UK startup Space Solar.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

05-03
34:06

The century-old US law complicating offshore wind goals

A maritime law from 1920 prevents non-US ships from operating in and out of US ports. The problem for offshore wind? There are no large turbine installation ships under US flag yet. In this episode of Energy Evolution, we hear from industry experts how the Jones Act affects a fledgling offshore wind buildout and how developers found workarounds to get turbines offshore.  Guests are Dominion Energy SVP Mark Mitchell, Ørsted SVP Troy Patton and S&P Global Commodity Insights analyst John Murray. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

04-26
23:48

How renewables and AI drive cyber threats for utilities

Cyber threats are mounting for utilities' critical infrastructure assets globally. If used by savvy hackers, AI also provides new tools for those trying to disrupt power supply or extract data. Decentralization of assets through the rollout of renewables is growing the attack vector for malign actors, NERC SVP Manny Cancel tells Energy Evolution correspondent Camilla Naschert. Cybersecurity expert Andrew Ginter of Waterfall Security lays out the threat landscape and why IT teams and engineers need to layer their prevention approaches.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

04-19
26:25

Catching up with Innovators throughout the battery materials supply chain

Wrapping up the series of episodes featuring interviews gathered at CERAWeek by S&P Global, co-host of Energy Evolution Taylor Kuykendall shares bits of conversations with executives from new, innovative companies across different parts of the battery materials supply chain. Guests on this episode are: Gabi Knesel, a senior vice president at Locus Fermentation Solutions; Mahesh Konduru, CEO of Momentum Technologies; Srini Godavarthy, CEO of Li Metal; and John Busbee, the CEO and co-founder of Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. Veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall co-host the show.

04-12
24:08

National Grid, Portland General Electric CEOs share thoughts on the energy transition

Energy Evolution continues to showcase interviews with influential leaders in the energy transition after co-host Taylor Kuykendall returned from CERAWeek 2024 by S&P Global, the company's flagship energy conference.  In this episode of the Energy Evolution podcast, Maria Pope, President and CEO of Portland General Electric, and John Pettigrew, CEO of National Grid, discuss the future of energy and the challenges facing the industry in the coming years. PGE provides electricity to a service area with a population of about 1.9 million people. National Grid is a large investor-owned utility with operations in the UK and in the northeastern US. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

04-05
34:26

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Svante CEOs on the future of carbon capture

Energy Evolution continues to showcase interviews with influential leaders in the energy transition after co-host Taylor Kuykendall returned from CERAWeek 2024 by S&P Global, the company's flagship energy conference.  For this episode, Taylor sat down with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America CEO Takajiro Ishikawa and Svante President and CEO Claude Letourneau about the past and future of carbon capture projects. Carbon capture is a key technology for reducing emissions, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy industry and transportation. These sectors are responsible for significant global carbon emissions and are difficult to decarbonize using conventional methods. Carbon capture technology offers a promising solution by capturing carbon dioxide emissions before they are released into the atmosphere and storing them safely and securely. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

04-03
34:58

Catching up with the CEO behind the largest clean energy infrastructure project in US history

Energy Evolution continues to showcase interviews with influential leaders in the energy transition as co-host Taylor Kuykendall returns from CERAWeek 2024, by S&P Global, the company's flagship energy conference.  In this episode, we talk with Hunter Armistead, the CEO of Pattern Energy. Pattern Energy is developing SunZia Wind and Transmission to capture energy from the winds of New Mexico to power three million Americans in the western US. Hunter and Taylor talk about the challenges and opportunities of renewable energy, the importance of transmission in meeting demand, and the role of green fuels. They also touch on the difficulties of financing large-scale projects like SunZia, as well as the policy changes that could make it easier to build transmission and allocate costs. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

03-29
25:25

Energy transition insights from a former DOE Secretary and the COP24 President

Energy Evolution continues to showcase interviews with influential leaders in the energy transition as co-host Taylor Kuykendall returns from CERAWeek 2024, by S&P Global, the company's flagship energy conference.  On this episode, we start with a chat with Ernest Moniz, former US energy secretary under the Obama administration, and now president and CEO of the Energy Futures Initiative think tank. Then, we talk to Michał Kurtyka, a fellow with the Atlantic Council Global Energy Center, the first minister of Poland’s Ministry of Climate and the President of COP24 — the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Poland.  In wide-ranging conversations, Energy Evolution talks to the two officials about policy changes, the need to act on climate and rapidly changing energy technologies — from coal to hydrogen to fusion. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

03-27
37:57

Curbing emissions in the oil and gas industry

This week, Energy Evolution reports from CERAWeek, S&P Global's flagship energy conference. Today’s conversation is with Colin Parfitt, vice president of Midstream at Chevron Corporation. Parfitt discussed Chevron’s approach to cutting carbon emissions intensity in the oil and gas business amid growing energy demand, the role of liquified natural gas in the energy space, and the pace of energy sector decarbonization with podcast co-host Taylor Kuykendall on the sidelines of the event. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

03-22
18:01

Virtual power plants and the future electric grid

This week, Energy Evolution reports from CERAWeek, S&P Global's flagship energy conference. Today’s conversation is with Meghan Nutting, executive vice president of Government and Regulatory Affairs at Sunnova Energy. Virtual power plants (VPPs) can help manage grid demand and support electrification, Nutting told podcast co-host Taylor Kuykendall on the sidelines of the event. She also talked about Sunnova’s Project Hestia, how VPPs may fit in with large conventional power plants, and policy levers to support solar power deployment. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

03-21
15:05

Commodities leave crisis era as demand booms, economist says

This week, Energy Evolution reports from CERAWeek, S&P Global's flagship energy conference. While the event has become increasingly focused on the energy transition, one commodity trading house says the good times for fossil fuels are far from over. Demand for oil and gas, as well as key metals such as copper, is set to grow across most global markets, Trafigura chief economist Saad Rahim tells Taylor Kuykendall on the sidelines of the event. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall.

03-20
38:33

AI is changing the energy system, putting premium on flexibility

This week, Energy Evolution reports from CERAWeek, S&P Global's flagship energy conference. Our first conversation from the 'Super Bowl of energy' is with Arshad Mansoor, president of the Electric Power Research Institute. With AI changing the energy landscape at lightning speed, grid flexibility is increasingly indispensable, Mansoor tells podcast co-host Taylor Kuykendall.  Given that, innovation and deployment of small modular reactors and hydrogen cannot come fast enough, Mansoor says.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

03-19
19:17

Previewing 2024 cleantech trends ahead of CERAWeek 2024

Energy Evolution podcast co-host Taylor Kuykendall interviews researchers behind S&P Global Commodity Insights' Top Ten Cleantech Trends in 2024 for insight into what might be at the front of mind as energy leaders from around the world converge in Houston for CERAWeek 2024. This show's guests are Cormac Gilligan, an associate director at S&P Global Commodity Insights who focuses on solar and energy storage research, and D'avack Francesco, principal analyst, global power and renewables, climate & sustainability for S&P Global Commodity Insights. Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

03-15
20:58

Decarbonizing heavy industry with technology and policy

What industries produce the most greenhouse gas emissions, and how are they changing as the energy transition proceeds? What are the major technological and policy solutions to cutting emissions in the iron and steel, chemicals, and cement and concrete sectors?  Energy Evolution correspondent Camellia Moors spoke with Jeff Rissman, senior director for industry at Energy Innovation, about his new book on industrial emissions and emissions mitigation strategies, Zero-Carbon Industry: Transformative Technologies and Policies to Achieve Sustainable Prosperity.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay up to date on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

03-13
27:51

Building from scrap: Fueling EV batteries with recycled materials

As electric vehicle and clean energy technology demand ramps up, so is interest in sourcing the critical minerals they need from recycled materials.   Energy Evolution correspondent Camellia Moors spoke with guests Ahmad Ghahreman, CEO, president and co-founder of rare earths recycler Cyclic Materials, and Julian Proelss, director of business management battery recycling at chemical company BASF, about how these materials are extracted from old equipment and used in new batteries.  Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay up to date on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

03-08
23:06

Powering up the US EV battery manufacturing boom in Michigan

Green tech, mining and energy company Fortescue announced in January that it plans to create an advanced manufacturing hub in Detroit, joining a host of companies starting up or expanding EV battery production facilities around the US.   What does Fortescue’s announcement mean for the Michigan EV battery supply chain, and how is the state working to encourage similar projects? How do investments in US EV battery production stack up against those around the world?  Energy Evolution correspondent Camellia Moors spoke with guests Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund, and Nick Nigro, founder of data-driven research and advisory group Atlas Public Policy.  Tune in to Energy Evolution to stay up to date on the energy transition and its implications. The show is co-hosted by veteran journalists Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall. 

03-01
22:58

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