Rethink Energy Podcast

In this episode we discuss about the second quarter results of "Big Oil" players like ExxonMobil and BP, hydrogen transportation and alternatives to lithium ion batteries. 

Corporate solar funding has declined sharply in Q2 due to high module prices even as China's module exports surge; Ford has sidelined its own South Korean partners by adopting CATL's latest battery technology; and the UK government persists with supporting blue hydrogen and nuclear.

This week we talk about high solar module prices and its effect on utility scale projects - how long will they be delayed; We ask if Cyclo-Propane rings, could lead to the most powerful fuel known to man, and ask if Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory can use bacteria to manufacture them; and want to know why Europe has no specific targets or funding sources for energy storage, and who this has...

In Rethink Energy's latest podcast, we start discuss our annual global solar forecast to 2050, which shows a huge increase in solar around the world. We talked about a long duration storage play in Canada e-Zinc, and finally one of the world’s first hydrogen networks, planned to run across the Netherlands. If you would like us to discuss anything in particular in our next podcast please let us kno...

Our latest podcast discusses 'how will Volkswagen integrate its new Europcar acquisition', 'how Chinese cell and module manufacturers are cutting back production just to stay in slack with polysilicon and what it means to the market', there will be a discussion on hydro and whether it will make a comeback. Finally, the podcast ends with our publisher Simon Thompson sharing something that caught hi...

Our latest podcast discusses our new research paper produced by one of our senior analysts on 'what proportion of transport will come to rely on hydrogen', then talks about 'the US introducing a carbon border adjustment mechanism and is it likely?', before finishing with a 'detailed view of one Virtual Power Plant supplier and how he sees Virtual Power Plants developing'.

This episode contains discussions on the following points: 'The EU calling for an import ban on all products produced by China in forced labour', 'Next Era in the US setting a carbon zero template for all US utilities' and finally finishing with 'How Egypt plants to turn its waste into hydrogen and sell it to Germany'

Biden's energy emergency declaration and tariff moratorium may not reassure solar suppliers due to potential legal challenges, Ford has announced a belated commitment to cheap EV production, Middle Eastern markets are heating up for renewables with offshore wind under consideration for the Caspian Sea, and Energy Dome is pursuing a compressed-air CO2 project in Sardinia.

China's EV numbers have surged while the US stagnates, solar supply chain prices are to rise throughout 2022, and the next decade will see a global carbon price take shape as border taxes pressure Asian manufacturers to move away from coal-fired power plants.

The Australian election will help shore up flagging renewable investment in the country, especially if victorious Labor requires a coalition with the Greens; and Hyundai has joined the ranks of the EV makers with factory announcements for Korea and Indonesia.

The EU plans to move off Russian oil and gas imports by 2027, alternative battery technologies have several years to carve out grid market share while lithium-ion runs into issues, and California has announced a 5 GW "Reliability Reserve".

The Energy Ministers of Austria, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, and Lithuania have proposed a RepowerEU plan the European Commission which would see a doubling or tripling of even optimistic solar forecasts for the bloc. High oil and gas prices are also good news for green hydrogen and for Iran's ability to rustle up money for its own renewable energy development without Western finance.

The Biden Administration has managed to apportion $3.1 billion from the already-passed Infrastructure bill to help fund the battery industry, especially for EVs: but America will remain five years behind other major battery markets. The EU is bringing in sanctions on Russian oil which will cut down a large fraction of Russian state revenues, and the Dutch grid is becoming more congested.

The AD-CVD probe from the Department of Commerce continues to lay waste to US solar development long before any decision is made: Poland and Bulgaria have refused to pay for Russian gas in the manner demanded by Moscow: and Elon Musk's Twitter acquisition shouldn't completely overshadow the latest Tesla news.

Another US A-SMACC probe into solar module imports from Indochina threatens to disrupt American solar development, the UK's SMR nuclear initiative will take at least nine years to bear its expensive fruit, and the Suez Canal will come to be a green hydrogen nexus.

China's wind turbine manufacturers are gaining market share at the expense of the West even as Chinese battery maker CATL opens its first factory in Germany: and the UK's strategy is neglecting onshore wind and the opportunity it represents for both net-zero and post-Russia energy strategies.

World installations of wind power came to 92.5 GW in 2021, 25% lower than the incredibly high figure in 2020: Theion's sulfur battery technology will be a gamechanger, but the company will struggle to remain its leading player: and First Solar is co-operating with Sunpower to develop a CdTe-Silicon tandem module for the rooftop market within 24 months.

The latest Rethink Energy research identifies a battery supply shortage through to 2025, especially in the USA, whose car industry waited too long to invest in factories. Chinese trade statistics show 40 GW of solar manufactured in two months, and the Biden Administration's $5.8 trillion budget is already mediocre for renewables prior to Congressional negotiations.

Rethink Energy's Annual Primary Electricity 2.0 Forecast has been released, covering every energy source and category of demand in the 20 leading global markets through to 2050. That is the prime topic of discussion in this forecast - especially global trade flows of hydrogen.

Rethink Energy's 2021 solar installation numbers have been released, showing 12% year-on-year growth: Ghana will house one of the world's largest solar-battery complexes: and American silicon startup Leading Edge promises its floating silicon method could have 32 GW production capacity come 2030.

The West has begun banning Russian oil and gas exports, new drilling technology will make geothermal power available almost anywhere in the world at higher temperatures, and digital security from the likes of Intertrust Technology will ease the integration of EVs, demand response and domestic solar onto the grid.  

Western sanctions on Russia may even extend to its oil and gas exports: The US' offshore leasing round has met with remarkable success: and EV maker Nikola has restored itself from its past fraud and the Hindenburg short-seller report, but has yet to see its share price recover. 

Russia's intervention in the Ukraine leaves Europe trying to ditch Russian gas - but how and when can that be achieved? Meanwhile SoCal's 10 GW to 20 GW green hydrogen complex in California is menaced by the idea that Senator Manchin will insert blue hydrogen support into the Build Back Better bill.

California's updated energy strategy completely ignores wind while pushing unprecedented solar and battery storage: C-Power has begun to commercialize wave energy using remote offshore operations: and Modern Electron is promising to foster decentralized "turquoise" hydrogen production.

Scatec's 900 MW solar complex in India has had to be indefinitely delayed due to problems sourcing solar modules for the project; Mitsubishi has placed a $50 million electrolyzer order; and nuclear fusion has had a serious research breakthrough which makes it plausible that fusion will be part of the energy mix by 2070.