The clean energy transition will involve an unprecedented investment in zero and low-carbon technologies. This shift to a clean energy system  will require what are known as critical minerals such as aluminum and copper used in photovoltaic solar panels, and lithium and cobalt used in lithium-ion batteries. New surges in demand for these critical minerals has challenged the ability of global supply chains to keep pace with this demand. As more and more nations commit to ambitious net-zero targets, demand for these minerals will only go up. In this episode, Host Bill Loveless interviews Frank Fannon, the Managing Director of Fannon Global Advisors, a firm focused on geopolitics, market transformation, and the global energy transition.  Mr. Fannon was formerly the First Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources in the U.S. State Department, where he advised the Secretary of State on a host of issues related to energy resources and national security.  Bill spoke with Mr. Fannon about the future of the critical minerals supply chain as well as some of the broader geopolitical trends in the clean energy landscape.This episode references a past live episode that Host Jason Bordoff conducted with Ford CEO Jim Farley and Mary Nichols, Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy and the former Chair of the California Air Resources Board.

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Creating Supply Chains For Critical Minerals

Most of the pressure on oil companies to make more environmentally-conscious investments is targeted at companies like Shell and Exxon. But these companies produce only 15 percent of the world’s oil and gas supply.  The majority of oil production comes from nationally-owned oil companies, and the question of how they will respond to the clean energy transition is especially vital in Latin America where state-owned companies like PDVSA, PetroBras and Pemex dominate the region’s energy sector.  In this episode, Host Jason Bordoff speaks with a leading expert on oil markets and the Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) agenda in Latin America -- Dr. Luisa Palacios. She has special insight into this topic as a former board chair of the oil refiner Citgo, an energy firm owned by the Venezuala-based nationalized oil company, PDVSA.  Dr. Palacios is currently a Senior Research Scholar at CGEP and received a Masters degree at Columbia University. Previously, she was Medley Global Advisor’s Head of Latin America. She also worked at Barclays Capital as a Director in emerging markets research. Dr. Palacios spoke with Jason about where Venezuela and other Latin American oil majors are headed in a moment of big market shifts. They also took a broader look at the future of oil and ESG practices in the Latin American Region.

Financing Latin America’s Energy Transition

The Biden Administration recently released a blueprint for how the U.S. could get nearly half of its electricity from the sun by 2050 called, “The Solar Futures Study.” But reaching that 50% will require an expansive, multi-sector investment of money and resources toward the clean electricity source that meets only about 4% of the nation’s power demand now. Host Bill Loveless dug into the hows of deploying solar widely and effectively with Mary Powell, the recently-appointed CEO of Sunrun, a leading residential solar company in the U.S.  Mary previously headed up the Vermont-based electric utility, Green Mountain Power.  While there, Mary was known for being a disruptor in the utility space in her embrace of clean energy reforms.  Bill and Mary spoke about the tricky nature of the residential solar market, how solar is figuring into congressional legislation and how electric utilities can work with the clean energy transition instead of fighting it.

The Path Forward for Residential Solar

The transportation sector is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and there is much excitement today about the road ahead for electric vehicles.  Many automakers have pledged to increase the share of their production by going all battery or fuel cell electric within a decade, but few of the new models meet current buyer preference for larger vehicles with increased utility. But the Ford Motor Company’s introduction of the F-150 Lightning, a battery electric version of the best-selling truck in the U.S. for the last 44 years, may signal a tipping point in building the future of zero emissions transportation. This live episode of the podcast, moderated by Host Jason Bordoff, features two key figures in the clean transportation transition: The first is Jim Farley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ford, a role he took on just about a year ago. He also serves as a member of the company’s Board of Directors and was previously Chief Operating Officer. Also in the conversation is Mary Nichols, a long-time environmental champion and  Chair of the California Air Resources Board. She’s now a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy.   Jim and Mary discuss the significant changes taking place in the industry’s plans and strategies to achieve carbon neutrality and the role of regulation, policy and investments in building demand for battery electric vehicles.  The Climate Group has selected the Columbia Climate School as its University partner for this year’s Climate Week NYC. Running Sept. 20-26, Climate Week NYC convened key climate leaders to accelerate climate action and discuss ambitious commitments ahead of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference this fall in Glasgow.

The Road Ahead for the Electric Vehicle Market

Currently, high gas prices are rippling throughout much of Europe and Asia. The spike has driven up the price of coal too and sent electricity prices for businesses and homeowners to record highs. Governments are meeting with stakeholders and developing emergency plans. But as winter approaches, they’re in a time crunch to find a fix as large parts of Asia and Europe risk severe coal and gas shortages if the price surge continues. In this episode of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Jason Bordoff speaks with energy experts Anne-Sophie Corbeau and Dr. Tatiana Mitrova, who break down the latest on the crisis.  Anne-Sophie Corbeau is currently a global research scholar at CGEP and was previously the head of gas analysis at BP and a senior gas analyst at the International Energy Agency.  Tatiana Mitrova is a CGEP non-resident fellow and research director of the SKOLKOVO Energy Centre in Moscow. She is also a member of Schlumberger's Board of Directors, and NOVATEK’s Board of Directors.

Making Sense of Soaring Gas Prices in Europe and Asia

The world’s biggest carbon capture and storage machine launched last week in Iceland. It’s called Orca. According to Swiss startup Climeworks, the company which built the plant, it will capture 4,000 metric tons of CO2 per year and bury it underground.  The launch event for this new project was attended by the Center on Global Energy Policy’s Dr. Julio Friedmann. Host Bill Loveless snagged him for an interview to discuss what he saw there. Julio is a Senior Research Scholar at CGEP and one of the most well-known experts on carbon capture, removal and storage. He is also a distinguished associate at the Energy Futures Initiative. He gave his take on what the Orca plant foretells about this technology, the potential drawbacks, areas of concern, and why he believes that carbon capture technologies are integral to addressing climate change.

A Major Milestone For Direct-Air CO2 Capture

Mexico’s last President, Enrique Peña Nieto, put the country through a series of energy reforms that effectively opened up the Mexican energy market to private and foreign investment for the first time in 75 years.  But the current Mexican President, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wants to restore some of the power the state had before those reforms.  The question now is whether the state will succeed in regaining a dominant position in Mexico’s energy sector once again, or whether international markets continue to play a relevant role.   For a conversation on the future of Mexico’s energy markets, Host Jason Bordoff Spoke with former Mexican Deputy Secretary for Planning and Energy Transition, Leonardo Beltrán Rodríguez. Beltrán is a member of the Boards of Sustainable Energy for All, Fundacion Por México and the World Economic Forum’s Project in Partnership to Accelerate Sustainable Energy Innovation. He’s also a visiting fellow with the Columbia University Center On Global Energy Policy. 

The Future Of Mexico’s Energy Transition

This episode originally aired on August 6th, 2020. Young people around the world are speaking out increasingly about the dangers of climate change and taking actions to reduce the risks of global warming in their lifetimes. Host Bill Loveless interviewed Akshat Rathi, the editor of "United We Are Unstoppable," a collection of essays by 60 young people about their determination to save the world from climate change.The book is a stirring collection of stories about the impacts of climate change that are already taking place or are likely to do so in the future. Bill and Akshat discuss the message and significance of these essays in a time when the risks of a warming planet loom large, especially for generations that will live through it this century. Akshat writes for Bloomberg about people and their ideas for tackling climate change. Previously, he was a senior reporter at Quartz and a science editor at The Conversation. He has also worked for The Economist and the Royal Society of Chemistry.Akshat has a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford and a degree in chemical engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai.  He was a 2018 participant in the Columbia Energy Journalism Initiative, a program at the Center on Global Energy Policy that helps energy journalists deepen their understanding of complex topics associated with energy and environmental issues.

“United We Are Unstoppable”

This episode originally aired on October 20th, 2020. From California wildfires and Gulf Coast hurricanes to flooding in China and Pakistan, the impacts of climate change have grown increasingly evident. And whether it is agricultural workers, low-income and minority communities, or the world’s poorest in the Global South, the severe inequities in who bears the burden of climate change as well as in air and water pollution is also receiving growing recognition.  In this episode of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Jason Bordoff is joined by one of the leading reporters today writing about the links between a warming planet and such issues as race, conflict, natural disasters, and big tech: Somini Sengupta.  Somini is the international climate reporter for The New York Times. A George Polk Award-winning foreign correspondent, she previously worked in other capacities at The New York Times as its United Nations correspondent, West Africa Bureau Chief, and South Asia Bureau Chief. She spoke about the critical role journalists play in telling the stories that help illuminate how climate change affects families and workers around the world. 

Climate Change from the Front Lines

Last week, the UN Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change released its new climate science report. The report is a blistering reminder that even if we stop burning fossil fuels today, the planet is locked into decades of warming and adverse climate outcomes.  On this show, Host Bill Loveless interviews Climate Scientist Dr. Kate Marvel for her interpretation of the report’s conclusions. She’s a Research Scientist at the Center For Climate Systems Research at Columbia University and a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Kate doesn’t have “hope” that we can slow climate change and transition away from fossil fuels, but she has something she says is better: Certainty that we have knowledge, tools and technology we need today to start decarbonizing rapidly. 

How The IPCC Climate Report Can Spark Action

The Biden Administration has promised that 40% of its investments in clean energy will go into disadvantaged communities that experience the worst impacts of the changing climate. But as they work to make good on these promises, there are questions about how Biden’s team will execute. In this episode, host Jason Bordoff speaks with Heather McTeer Toney about what true climate justice should look like. She’s a former Mississippi Mayor, Obama EPA Regional Administrator and now a Climate Justice Liaison for the Environmental Defense Fund and Senior Advisor to Moms Clean Air Force.  They spoke about what it will take to elevate black and brown voices in climate policy. The conversation also touched on the massive infrastructure bill making its way through Congress, which will have a material impact on how energy systems, industry, roads, and transit are built in frontline communities. 

What Climate Justice Looks Like

Fossil fuel companies are under pressure from shareholders, citizens and the courts to shift their business models to reduce emissions or face huge financial consequences. There are now more than 1,500 large corporations with net-zero emission pledges, including one-quarter of the S&P 500. In today’s episode, host Bill Loveless speaks with Mindy Lubber — President and CEO of CERES, a sustainability nonprofit that pushes private companies to integrate the risks associated with climate change into their business strategies.  They spoke about the changes happening in the market and inside boardrooms, and whether any of it is happening fast enough.

Pushing The Private Sector

The global offshore wind industry is booming as China and Europe break records for the size and scope of their projects.    The US wind industry is a different story. America only has one small commercial project in operation. But states and the federal government are working hard to change that. New York wants to build 9 gigawatts of wind projects off its coast by 2035. And it has awarded contracts to a major developer, Equinor, to build a third of that capacity. Host Bill Loveless speaks with Richard Kauffman, Chairman of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) about the future of this energy source. Richard is also an Adjunct Senior Research Scholar at the Center On Global Energy Policy and Chair at Generate Capital. He lays out the legislatives and economic traps as well as the points of promise when it comes to American Offshore Wind.

Offshore Wind Gathers Momentum

Record-breaking heat waves in Oregon and Washington State. Wildfires rippling through the West. A looming season of hurricanes. These weather events take a toll on human life and strain our energy infrastructure.  But to what extent are extreme weather events made worse and more frequent by human-caused climate change? This week on the podcast, climate scientist and Columbia Professor Adam Sobel speaks with host Jason Bordoff about the latest science behind attributing extreme weather events to the changing climate.  They discuss the limitations and possibilities of this kind of attribution science and why making these connections matters.

How Climate Change Fuels Extreme Weather

In late June, Congress voted to undo former President Trump's rollback of methane regulations that were put in place during the Obama Era.  The move was a major milestone, but federal methane rules are just the beginning, and the battle to curb methane emissions promises big shifts for the entire natural gas industry. Host Bill Loveless speaks with Cate Hight, Principal at RMI, the Rock Mountain Institute.  They spoke about the technology behind figuring out how much methane is in the atmosphere in the first place and the levers of policy and power that need to be pulled in order to curb emissions. 

The Fight Against Methane

The Columbia Energy Exchange podcast features in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia and civil society. Hosted by Bill Loveless, the program explores today’s most pressing opportunities and challenges across energy sources, financial markets, geopolitics and climate change as well as their implications for both the U.S. and the world.

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