Interviews, analysis and reporting from S&P Global Commodity Insights on energy and commodities' transition to a cleaner future. Hosts Taylor Kuykendall and Ekl...
Previewing CERAWeek: What world energy leaders will talk about in Houston
In this episode of the Energy Evolution podcast, host Taylor Kuykendall discusses the upcoming CERAWeek conference, scheduled for March 10-14 in Houston. He is joined by Ken Downey, Executive Director of Innovation Agora at CERAWeek, and Naki Mendoza, director of CERAWeek Programs at S&P Global. Key topics for this year's conference include the changing geopolitical landscape, especially in light of recent elections. Mendoza and Downey said energy leaders will also be focused in on supply chains, AI's role in energy, and the growing importance of metals and mining to the energy transition. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy, and episodes are now published on Tuesdays.
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13:24
War & emissions: The climate costs of conflict
On Energy Evolution this week, Eklavya Gupte and Rosemary Griffin examine the often-overlooked environmental ramifications of military conflicts as we mark the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war. Lennard de Klerk, who has studied the climate impact of this war, gives us some insights into how warfare, fuel consumption, forest fires, attacks on energy infrastructure and the estimated costs of rebuilding Ukraine have led to a surge in greenhouse gas emissions. As concerns around the climate costs of war have intensified, there have been wider calls for military emissions to be calculated and included in international reporting. We speak to Patrick Bigger, research director at the Climate and Community Institute, and Benjamin Neimark, a senior lecturer at the School of Business and Management at Queen Mary University of London, to learn more about the growing carbon footprint of militaries globally. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy, and episodes are now published on Tuesdays.
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30:59
How rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technologies are shaping the energy landscape
On this week’s episode, we explore how the rapid evolution of AI technologies such as DeepSeek is reshaping how experts think about the energy landscape and what it means for sustainability and power systems. Guests on to talk about artificial intelligence and power demand include: Neil Chatterjee, former FERC chairman and current chief government affairs officer at energy tech company Palmetto; Vic Shao, founder and CEO of DC Grid; Jonathan Schroth, a research analyst on the 451 Research Datacenter Infrastructure & Services team at S&P Global Market Intelligence; and Bruno Brunetti, head of S&P Global's Low Carbon Electricity Analytics. The episode also features a brief chat with Ken Downey, executive director of Innovation Agora at CERAWeek by S&P Global, who offers a preview of the Houston conference coming up on March 10-14. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy and now publishes episodes on Tuesdays.
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39:38
No transition without transmission? The grid equipment bottleneck explained
On this week’s episode of Energy Evolution, we lay out why grid equipment has become a bottleneck in the deployment of renewables, and why it takes time to ramp up manufacturing. Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of equipment provider Hitachi Energy, shares industry perspectives on investment trends and the operational realities of scaling up industrial manufacturing of transformers, while S&P Global Commodity Insights analyst Cormac Gilligan explains why demand for grid infrastructure has outpaced supply. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy, and episodes are now published on Tuesdays. Links: Register for CERAWeek
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28:02
What's next in US solar manufacturing
With new tariffs anticipated and a domestic manufacturing sector just ramping up, US solar manufacturers are facing trade headwinds as well as opportunities. Meanwhile, prices for modules in the US are substantially higher than in China and Europe. S&P Global Commodity Insights analysts Joe Steveni and Edurne Zoco lay out what to watch in the US solar supply chains and discuss the future of the Inflation Reduction Act and trade restrictions. Price reporter Karen Rivera describes what makes US panels so much more expensive, and Michael Parr of the Ultra Low Carbon Solar Alliance gives an industry perspective on the market dynamics. Energy Evolution has merged with Platts Future Energy, and episodes are now published on Tuesdays.Â
Interviews, analysis and reporting from S&P Global Commodity Insights on energy and commodities' transition to a cleaner future. Hosts Taylor Kuykendall and Eklavya Gupte speak with policymakers, industry professionals and SPGCI in-house experts worldwide on topics related to decarbonization, climate, emerging fuels and energy sources, and the outlook for commodity markets from oil to power to metals. The Energy Evolution podcast has merged with the Platts Future Energy podcast as of January 2025.
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