Best Kleinman Center for Energy Policy Podcasts (2024)

1
Can the Global LNG Market Support U.S. Export Ambitions? 43:23

8d ago43:23

43:23

Natural gas market expert Anne-Sophie Corbeau explores the global outlook for LNG demand, and the potential for this demand to support the rapid expansion of U.S. LNG export capacity. --- The United States emerged as the leading global exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2023, surpassing long-standing leaders Qatar and Australia. Looking ahe…

1
Power Struggle: The Electric Grid’s Natural Gas Challenge 48:21

23d ago48:21

48:21

As the nation’s reliance on natural gas as a fuel for electricity generation has grown, so have reliability challenges. --- Over 40% of U.S. electricity is generated by gas-fired powerplants yet, double the role the fuel played two decades ago. Yet the past few years have exposed risks arising from our growing reliance on gas-fired generation. Majo…

1
Will Latest Solar Trade Dispute Impact U.S. Solar Growth? 23:51

1M ago23:51

23:51

Canary Media senior editor Eric Wesoff explains the latest in a history of solar PV trade disputes involving the U.S. and China, and what it could mean for the growth of solar power and domestic solar manufacturing. --- In April, a coalition of U.S. photovoltaics manufacturers petitioned the Department of Commerce to impose anti-dumping tariffs on …

1
California’s Solar Equity Challenge 36:06

2M ago36:06

36:06

Kleinman Center visiting scholar Severin Borenstein discusses California’s struggle to balance residential solar growth with electricity rate equity. --- California’s residential solar market is at a critical inflection point after years of strong growth. Last year the state, which has more rooftop solar than any other, lowered the net metering rat…

1
Can Competitive Electricity Markets Deliver Reliable Power? 38:42

2M ago38:42

38:42

An expert in electricity markets explains why market price signals alone will struggle to incentivize adequate investment in the flexible electricity resources needed for future grid reliability. -- In the 1990s the process of deregulation – or restructuring – of the U.S. electricity system began, leading to the introduction of competition to an in…

1
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse on the Rising Prospects for a U.S. Carbon Border Fee 31:56

3M ago31:56

31:56

Senator Sheldon Whitehouse discusses the prospects for bipartisan U.S. carbon border fee legislation, and the need to protect the Biden administration’s clean energy and climate achievements. --- (This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024, during Penn Energy Week) Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has a reputation as an advocate for strong climate polic…

1
Will Hydrogen Energy be Clean Energy? 38:10

3M ago38:10

38:10

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is finalizing rules that will determine which new clean hydrogen projects will receive the IRA’s generous 45V tax incentives, and whether those projects will deliver promised climate benefits. --- The Inflation Reduction Act provides a range of incentives for the development of clean energy resources in the Unite…

1
Europe Confronts the Reality of Energy System Sabotage 41:14

4M ago41:14

41:14

Physical attacks on critical European energy infrastructure have risen since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, threatening energy security and the pace of the low-carbon transition. --- Sabotage of critical energy infrastructure has been on the rise, most prominently in Europe, where multiple attacks have targeted subsea electric transmission cab…

1
Accelerating the Energy Transition with Repurposed Energy 40:52

4M ago40:52

40:52

Local opposition to clean energy projects slows the transition to a low carbon energy system. A legal expert explores how a national policy of “repurposed energy” could speed things up. --- Clean energy infrastructure projects often face opposition from communities where they would be built, a fact that stands in the way of efforts to rapidly lower…

1
Special Episode: Corporate Disclosure Law 9:07

4M ago9:07

9:07

Each fall, the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy hosts a student blog competition, where students from any field of study can showcase their creativity, innovation, and passion for energy policy and sustainability. This year, we welcomed audio submissions, and we’re featuring our first-place audio blog here. This year’s winner is Benjamin Chen, a j…

1
The CO2 Transportation Challenge 40:25

5M ago40:25

40:25

A national network of CO2 and biomass transportation infrastructure, spanning pipelines to rail routes, will be needed to support the permanent removal of atmospheric CO2. Can the network be economically built? --- In December the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory published Roads to Removal: Options for Carbon Dioxide Removal in the United Sta…

1
AI’s Big Future in Energy and Climate Regulation 33:41

5M ago33:41

33:41

Cary Coglianese, director of the Penn Program on Regulation, explores AI’s potential to help regulators keep pace with energy sector growth and climate-tech innovation. --- The ongoing transition to a cleaner energy system has positive implications for climate, energy security and equity. Yet the same transition poses myriad challenges for regulato…

1
FERC Transmission Reform: A New Year's Resolution? 32:00

6M ago32:00

32:00

Ari Peskoe, director of Harvard Law School’s Electricity Law Initiative, discusses FERC’s pending reforms to the electric transmission development process in the U.S., and legal challenges they'll likely face. Description Nearly two years ago, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission proposed a set of regulatory reforms to speed a much-needed …

1
Why the IRA’s Carbon Capture Tax Credit Could Increase Greenhouse Emissions 41:56

7M ago41:56

41:56

New research raises doubt around the climate benefits of the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and storage for fossil fuel powerplants. --- The Inflation Reduction Act earmarks billions of dollars of incentives for carbon capture and storage from coal and gas-fired powerplants. Ideally, the incentive will provide a path for fossil generators to red…

1
Aligning Clean Energy Policy with Grid Reliability 37:24

7M ago37:24

37:24

Recent electric grid emergencies highlight the need for better communication, and coordination, between energy policymakers and grid operators. --- In early November the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, convened its annual technical conference on the reliability of the electric grid. In most years the conference attracts little attent…

1
What’s a “Fair Share” Of Emissions Reductions Under the Paris Climate Process? 36:56

8M ago36:56

36:56

Brazilian economist and IPCC lead author Roberto Schaeffer examines what constitutes a “fair share” of emissions reductions under the Paris climate process, and how fairness is defined. -- This December, at COP 28 in Dubai, countries will consider the results of the first “global stocktake,” which is a global report card that compares real climate …

1
The U.S.'s Critical Mineral Supply Challenge 36:42

8M ago36:42

36:42

A metals industry executive explores the race to develop alternative supplies of critical minerals essential to the energy transition. --- For over a century the global energy system has been dominated by fossil fuels, and governments and industry have gone to great lengths to secure reliable supplies of oil, natural gas, and coal. All along, scarc…

1
How Uruguay Went (Almost Completely) Fossil Fuel Free 37:57

9M ago37:57

37:57

Ramón Méndez Galain, this year’s recipient of the Carnot Prize, reflects on leading Uruguay to a 98% renewable electricity mix, and what the rest of the world might take from his country’s experience. --- In 2008 Ramón Méndez Galain, a particle physicist with no experience in government, was appointed Director of Energy for Uruguay and proceeded to…

1
Michael Mann on the Lessons of Climate Change Past 26:08

9M ago26:08

26:08

Climatologist Michael Mann discusses his new book on Earth’s climate past, with insights into our climate future. --- Renowned Penn climatologist Michael Mann’s latest book, “Our Fragile Moment,” explores the history of climate change and the lessons it can provide into the trajectory of climate change today. The book is Mann’s response to the phen…

1
Why Oil Companies Support Renewable Energy 32:58

10M ago32:58

32:58

A Penn economist explores the relationship between regional energy policy and oil company support for renewable power. --- In recent years there has been a divergence in the trajectories of the world’s major oil companies. The shift has been most noticeable in the case of the European oil majors, including companies such as BP and Shell, which duri…

1
America’s Electric Power Transmission Crisis 39:59

11M ago39:59

39:59

Long-distance electric transmission lines are a critical to the energy transition, yet construction of new lines has come to a near standstill in the U.S. Rob Gramlich of Grid Strategies discusses recent market and regulatory action to resurrect transmission development. --- Electric transmission line mileage will need to triple by the middle of th…

1
Loss and Damage Finance Becomes Reality 27:04

12M ago27:04

27:04

As COP 28 draws closer, climate negotiators race to finalize a financing structure to help countries that suffer climate change-related damages. --- In late November this year’s global climate conference, COP 28, will begin in Dubai. The headline issue at COP will be the global stock take, which is a country by country review of progress toward ful…

1
California’s Deepwater Wind Challenge 47:54

12M ago47:54

47:54

California is set to present its strategic plan to scale an offshore wind power industry based on unconventional floating wind technology. --- In late June the California Energy Commission will submit its strategic plan for the development of offshore wind energy to the state’s legislature. The plan is the culmination of two years of efforts by Cal…

1
Tackling Climate Technology Investment Risk 36:14

1y ago36:14

36:14

Nick Rohleder, Energy Policy Now’s former editorial assistant and current climate entrepreneur, discusses the challenge of managing the investment risk inherent in emerging clean energy technologies. --- Last year, $1.1 trillion dollars were invested globally in carbon-free energy technologies and infrastructure. This volume of investment marked a …

1
Pennsylvania Effort to Join RGGI Faces Legal, Political Peril 46:37

1y ago46:37

46:37

A new report examines the economic and climate impacts of Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, now stalled in court. --- The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, was the first major carbon market to be established in the United States. Since its inception in 2009, RGGI has contributed to a reduction in greenhouse gas…

1
Geography, Equity and the Energy Transition 33:58

1y ago33:58

33:58

A geographer explores the impact of location on worker opportunity and equity in the clean energy economy. --- The Inflation Reduction Act earmarks hundreds of billions of dollars for clean energy and the development of jobs in the clean energy supply chain, construction and operations. Critically, the law also acknowledges that the transition to c…

1
Breaking the Bottlenecks to Climate Progress 42:28

1y ago42:28

42:28

Princeton University researchers have launched a global survey aimed at spotting and eliminating practical barriers to a net-zero carbon future. Description Much work needs to be done, very quickly, if if a net-zero carbon economy is to become reality by the middle of this century. Yet, the fact is that the current rate of investment in clean energ…

1
Energy Transition Puts Grid Reliability to the Test 1:09:01

1y ago1:09:01

1:09:01

PJM Interconnection is in a race to shore up electric grid reliability as the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy accelerates. --- In February PJM Interconnection, the largest wholesale electricity market in the US, published a report that points to the very real possibility that electricity supply in the market could fall short of the lev…

1
Accelerating Climate Action 57:36

1y ago57:36

57:36

A senior climate diplomat discusses scientific, economic, and diplomatic barriers to rapid global decarbonization. --- In March the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the final volume of its Sixth Assessment report on progress toward addressing climate change. The findings of the report aren’t encouraging, and point to an accelerati…

1
Climate Shocks and Green Returns 23:07

1y ago23:07

23:07

New research examines the relationship between climate change-related events and returns on green investment, and why returns for green stocks might lag those of brown. --- At first look it would seem to make sense that, as climate concerns grow, green investments would outperform investments in dirty industries. To put this into an energy context,…

1
How Families Cope with Energy Insecurity 26:30

1+ y ago26:30

26:30

New research looks into the coping mechanisms that families use to navigate energy insecurity, as a guide for policy-based solutions. --- The number of American households experiencing energy insecurity spiked during the COVID pandemic in 2020, as growing unemployment and falling incomes made it difficult for more households to balance utility bill…

1
Scaling Private Finance for Global Solar Growth 32:15

1+ y ago32:15

32:15

A working paper from WRI, the International Solar Alliance and Bloomberg Philanthropies examines the essential role of private finance in scaling solar power development. --- A recent working paper from the World Resources Institute, the International Solar Alliance and Bloomberg Philanthropies finds that $1 trillion must be invested into solar ene…

1
The Complex, Politically Fraught Path to Building Electrification 39:39

1+ y ago39:39

39:39

Judy Chang, former Massachusetts undersecretary of Energy and Climate Solutions, discusses the need to educate consumers on the imperative to cut building emissions. --- Residential and commercial buildings account for nearly a third of climate warming greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Yet efforts to reduce the climate footprint of bui…

1
Will New Technology and Climate Change Save Nuclear Power? 45:57

1+ y ago45:57

45:57

Daniel Poneman, former U.S. Deputy Energy Secretary and current CEO of Centrus Energy, explores resurgent interest in nuclear power a decade after Fukushima. --- Growing concern over energy security and climate change has revived interest in nuclear power in some of the world’s most energy-intensive economies. In Japan, nuclear generators that clos…

1
China Plays Competitor, and Collaborator, in the Energy Transition 41:10

1+ y ago41:10

41:10

Scott Moore, author of China’s Next Act, discusses China’s global role in energy technology and sustainability. --- China is indispensable in the global effort to address climate change and speed forward the transition to clean energy. Yet the country, which leads the world in both energy consumption and the manufacture of clean energy technologies…

1
Overcoming Economic Barriers to Electrifying Everything 29:07

1+ y ago29:07

29:07

Berkeley economist Meredith Fowlie explains why the drive to electrify everything in American homes is at odds with electricity rate setting practices, and explores pricing reforms to deliver rapid and equitable electrification. --- “Electrify everything” has become a mantra of decarbonization, and it’s one of the key strategies to reducing relianc…

1
Energy Transition and Opportunity in the Oil Patch 37:23

1+ y ago37:23

37:23

As energy industry growth shifts to the clean sector, oil and gas industry workers seek their paths forward. --- The past three years have been a particularly volatile period for the oil and gas industry. The sector has been impacted by the Covid pandemic, during which energy demand crashed and the price of oil contracts briefly went negative. More…

1
COP27 Dispatch: The Struggle for Agricultural Sustainability Under Climate Stress 23:34

1+ y ago23:34

23:34

Andrew Hoffman, dean of Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine, explores the intersection of climate change, agricultural sustainability, and food security. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share their observations from the global …

1
COP27 Dispatch: Can the COP Process Deliver Climate Action? 20:41

1+ y ago20:41

20:41

COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt has been called the “implementation COP”. Yet concern exists that the COP process may be ill suited to putting climate plans into action. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share their observations f…

1
COP27 Dispatch: Food Waste Gains Attention in Climate Discussions 22:51

1+ y ago22:51

22:51

Food waste is a major driver of climate change, and a cause of food insecurity. UPenn’s Steven Finn highlights the challenge and solutions discussed at COP27. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share observations from the global cl…

1
COP27 Dispatch: China’s Rapidly Evolving Role in Global Climate Negotiations 15:31

1+ y ago15:31

15:31

Scott Moore, Director of the Penn Global China Program, discusses China’s perspective on loss and damage finance, and the country’s future role in the Paris climate process. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share observations fro…

1
COP27 Dispatch: As Climate Impacts Grow, Cities Explore Paths to Adaptation 19:39

1+ y ago19:39

19:39

Three experts on cities discuss the efforts of urban communities to navigate climate change. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share their observations from the global climate conference and insights into key issues under negotiat…

1
COP27 Dispatch: What Defines a Successful National Adaptation Plan? 14:17

1+ y ago14:17

14:17

New research explores ways to measure countries' success in adapting to climate change. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share their observations from the global climate conference and insights into key issues under negotiation. …

1
COP27 Dispatch: Why Loss and Damage Finance is Critical to Small Island States 21:41

1+ y ago21:41

21:41

Loss and damage finance has made it onto the official COP agenda for the first time at Sharm El-Sheikh. An expert on small island states discusses why the issue has been so contentious. --- Experts from the University of Pennsylvania are on the ground at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. In this special series from Energy Policy Now, they share thei…

1
What Impact Will the IRA Have On Consumer Energy Costs? 37:46

1+ y ago37:46

37:46

New research from Resources for the Future quantifies the Inflation Reduction Act's expected impact on clean energy development, energy costs, and emissions. --- The Inflation Reduction Act provides hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of incentives for clean energy, and is a key part of the U.S.’s effort to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. N…

1
How Coal Maintains Its Political Hold on West Virginia 36:01

1+ y ago36:01

36:01

West Virginia’s coal industry has out-sized influence in the state’s politics, and in Washington. But the industry’s power has come at a cost to West Virginians. --- The state of West Virginia has made headlines over the past year on the high profile of its senior senator, Joe Manchin, who has been the swing vote in the Senate on major energy legis…

1
Scaling Green Hydrogen for a Global Market 49:44

1+ y ago49:44

49:44

Green hydrogen hubs are being developed in some of the world’s most remote locations, to serve growing clean energy demand in Asia, Europe and the U.S. --- Alicia Eastman, President of Intercontinental Energy, discusses the nascent global market for green hydrogen and her company’s development of more than 100 gigawatts of hydrogen production hubs …

1
Saudi Arabia Confronts Its Oil Dependence 43:59

2y ago43:59

43:59

A former senior U.S. diplomat to Saudi Arabia explores the kingdom’s effort to end its dependence on oil revenue, and the relationship between Saudi Arabia and global efforts to decarbonize. --- Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading exporter of oil. Yet it is also a country that is in the midst of an ambitious drive to end its dependence on oil reven…

1
Can Clean Energy Deliver Energy Justice to Canada’s First Nations? 40:08

2y ago40:08

40:08

A prominent advocate for indigenous rights in Canada sees promise in clean energy. --- The Canadian province of Alberta is home to the Oil Sands, a vast subarctic region that is rich in crude oil, and which has been a focus of controversy for decades over the environmental and climate impacts of the fossil fuel mining that takes place there. Melina…

1
Proposed FERC Rules Aim to Accelerate Grid Decarbonization 42:43

2y ago42:43

42:43

The United States’ electricity regulator has proposed two major electricity market reforms that could speed the pace of renewable energy development. --- In recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of proposed clean energy projects in the United States. In fact, the amount of clean energy that’s waiting in line to connect to th…

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