Energy Switch

China's position as the world's largest energy producer and consumer, along with its status as the top exporter of solar technology and a leader in nuclear energy, places its energy and climate policies at the forefront of global concerns. This episode features Dr. David Sandalow, Founder & Director of Columbia's US-China program, and Dr. Wei Peng, Assistant Professor at Princeton University....

In this continuation of the discussion on China's energy and climate policies, Dr. Wei Peng and Dr. David Sandalow delve deeper into China's commitment to reducing the use of coal plants despite ongoing construction. They discuss China's strategies for managing local air pollution, achieving peak CO2 emissions, and reaching net-zero goals while prioritizing energy security. The episode examines th...

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) offers a promising solution to mitigate carbon emissions by sequestering them underground. However, the technology faces significant challenges in capturing, transporting, and storing CO2, as well as determining financial responsibility. This episode features Dr. Sallie Greenberg, formerly with the Illinois State Geological Survey, and Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Sc...

The US stands unique in having permanent storage solutions for low and intermediate-level nuclear waste but lacks a comprehensive plan for high-level waste—a challenge faced by many countries with nuclear power plants. In this episode, Dr. Kathryn Huff, Assistant Secretary at the Office of Nuclear Energy in the DOE, and Dr. Allison Macfarlane, former Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,...

Providing modern energy services to the developing world is a monumental challenge, as 80% of the global population resides in these regions yet uses only 20% of the world's energy. This episode features a discussion between Ashvin Dayal from The Rockefeller Foundation and Robert Stoner, Deputy Director at the MIT Energy Initiative, on how to potentially double global energy production to meet thi...

Energy and water are intricately connected, each vital for the effective functioning of the other. This episode explores how municipal water systems and agricultural irrigation consume vast amounts of energy, while energy production itself requires significant volumes of water. Afreen Siddiqi, research scientist at MIT, and Newsha Ajami, Chief Development Officer for Research at Lawrence Berkeley...

Across the globe, numerous countries, states, and corporations have committed to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This episode features Dr. Melissa Lott, Senior Director of Research at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, and Terry Keeley, Managing Director at BlackRock, discussing the extensive technologies, policies, and financial investments requir...

Advancements in battery technology have propelled electric vehicles into the mainstream, offering consumers viable alternatives to traditional cars. In this episode, Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory, and Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University, explore the potential for these technologies to similarly transform the electric grid. They discuss the curren...

Send us a Text Message. Building on the previous discussion of battery technology's impact on vehicles and the grid, this episode dives deeper into the innovation behind battery materials. Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University, and Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and Professor of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago, explore potential n...

Energy infrastructure, from extraction sites to transmission lines, occupies and alters vast tracts of land. In this episode, Mark Mills, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Gurcan Gulen, Principal at G2 Energy Insights, discuss the extensive impacts of energy development on land. They explore how various energy processes require drilling and mining, and consider the footprint of energy...

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) hold transformative potential for the energy sector, promising enhanced efficiency and improved forecasting of electricity resources. In this episode, Pamela Isom, Director of the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office for the US Department of Energy, and Anima Anandkumar, Director of Machine Learning Research at NVIDIA, evaluate the cu...

While CO2 emissions often dominate discussions on the environmental impacts of energy, particulate air pollution presents a more immediate concern. Burning coal, wood, diesel, and animal dung leads to millions of premature deaths annually. In this episode, Angel Hsu from the University of North Carolina and Amod Pokhrel, a health sciences researcher at UC Berkeley, delve into the issues of air pol...

Recent IPCC reports show less warming than predicted a decade ago. Emission growth is slowing, but has not yet plateaued, and while climate scientists say we’re not on track to meet Paris climate goals, the news is better than we often hear. Roger Pielke, Environmental Studies Professor at UC Boulder, and Daniel Cohan, Environmental Engineering Professor at Rice, discuss.

The electric grid, and all its attached generators and transformers, has been called the largest machine in the world. In part 1, we’ll discuss how it powers our lives and the modern world, and as our electricity demands grow, how it could better meet them in the future. ERCOT CEO, Brad Jones, and Southern California Edison CEO, Steven Powell, discuss.

As we continue our exploration of the electric grid, we delve into its pivotal role in powering cities, industries, homes, and increasingly, our vehicles. In this episode, Southern California Edison CEO, Steven Powell, and ERCOT CEO, Brad Jones, discuss the necessity of expanding and enhancing national electric systems. They consider the challenges of increasing electricity supply while aiming for...

Liquefying natural gas and distributing it globally could equalize access to gas at a universal market price, potentially boosting industry and aiding developing nations in shifting away from coal. However, concerns about the high costs of LNG import terminals and the potential increase in emissions pose significant challenges. In this episode, Octávio Simões, CEO of Tellurian, and Jake Schmidt, S...

The oil and gas industry is a cornerstone of the US economy, supporting 10 million jobs and contributing billions of dollars annually. However, concerns about CO2 emissions and declining returns are driving investors away. In this episode, Dr. David Victor, Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at UC San Diego, and Matt Gallagher, former CEO of Parsley Energy, debate whether a system based on...

As carbon-based fuels continue to dominate global energy consumption, reducing emissions is both a financial and temporal challenge. In this episode, Dr. Billy Pizer, Vice President of Research and Policy Engagement at Resources for the Future, and Sasha Mackler, Executive Director of the Bipartisan Policy Center, delve into potential solutions. They discuss the pros and cons of a carbon tax and t...

Exploring the multifaceted approach to sustainable energy, this episode dives into three critical areas: environmental equilibrium, societal enrichment, and economic viability. Dr. Bridget Scanlon, Senior Research Scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology, and Sean O’Donnell, Partner at Quantum Energy, discuss whether various energy resources can align with these sustainability criteria and what...

As debates intensify about meeting climate goals, proponents argue that expanding nuclear power and embracing new nuclear technologies is essential, while opponents cite cost and time constraints as significant hurdles. In this episode, Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, and Michael Shellenberger, a best-selling author, discuss the role of nuclea...

The conversation on nuclear power continues as Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, and Michael Shellenberger, a best-selling author, delve deeper into its role in achieving decarbonization targets. They discuss the lengthy timeline required to permit and construct each nuclear plant, compared to the faster deployment of alternative technologies. T...

The world of energy is evolving. While many experts believe coal, oil, and natural gas will continue to dominate as the largest global energy sources, solar and wind are becoming more affordable, spurring their growth worldwide. In this episode, Secretary Ernie Moniz, the 13th United States Secretary of Energy, and Dr. Dan Yergin, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, discuss the new geopolitics of ene...

Transitioning the developed world toward lower-carbon energies and ensuring the developing world has sufficient energy are significant, and sometimes conflicting, challenges. Both transitions will require trillions of dollars. In this episode, Deborah Byers, Partner and Americas Industry Leader at EY, and Ken Medlock, Senior Director of the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University, explore whe...

Countries are increasingly looking to hydrogen as a solution to reduce CO2 emissions. However, for hydrogen to compete effectively, costs must decrease and technological and manufacturing developments need to advance. In this episode, Dr. Julio Friedmann, Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, and Dr. Steve Hamburg, Chief Scientist at the Environmenta...

Solar and wind energy are now among the cheapest new power sources in many countries, yet they contribute only 4% of global electricity. Scaling them up 25-fold poses a major challenge, but they offer a carbon-free alternative. In this episode, Robert Bryce, best-selling author, and Leia Guccione, Managing Director of Carbon Free Electricity at RMI, discuss the potential for wind and solar to powe...