The Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder

What do carbon budgets really say about the future warming of the planet, and how much warming should we expect? Climate scientist Dr. Glen Peters explains.

Could the blockchain be a powerful new enabler of energy transition, or is it just another overhyped solution in search of a problem?

How can we maintain stable voltage and frequency on the power grid as we replace conventional synchronous generators with wind and solar?

When humanity’s demands exceed Earth’s ability to satisfy them, is energy transition even possible? Father of ecological footprint analysis Bill Rees explains.

In space heating, “deep decarbonization” is about a lot more than just swapping old furnaces. It requires a complete understanding of human health and comfort.

For our two-year anniversary, we discuss some of the most interesting questions in energy transition today. And Chris muses on the lessons of Hurricane Harvey.

How does the IPCC climate modeling process work, and does any of it project a successful energy transition happening this century?

To realize our renewable energy potential in the U.S., we’ll need more long-distance transmission lines. But there are a lot of obstacles, which we’ll discuss

How should we think about the influence of the global energy system on the climate over the next century?

How does the carbon cycle work, and what’s its relationship to global warming? And what are the most effective ways of teaching climate science?

Claude Turmes, a 15-year Member of the European Parliament, relates the history of Europe’s energy transition policies and his hopes for the future.

Can we run the world on 100% renewables? Is that even the right goal? A new critique of Prof. Mark Jacobson’s work on 100% renewables offers some insights.

What can the history of Earth’s climate tell us about its future, and what is the relationship between climate change and the economy?

Each state and country has its own unique set of resources and energy transition challenges, so there are different speeds and techniques for each one.

What is PURPA and why are utilities trying to change it in their fight against solar? What are the legal issues in around-market reforms?

Is the net energy of renewables high enough to actually power human civilization? Or will low EROIs doom energy transition?

Utility Dive editor Gavin Bade explains how independent power producers are using around-market reforms and re-regulation to survive energy transition.

This deep dive into ocean science reveals how we take the Earth’s temperature, the truth about the “Climategate” business, and the “Pausebuster” paper.

How will Australia manage its energy transition, with both the most residential rooftop solar PV per capita, and the second-dirtiest power grid in the world?

What are the hard problems and interesting questions on the road to energy transition, and what are their solutions? An astronaut and professor has answers.

Corporations have emerged as some of the top buyers of renewable electricity, even buying it from wind and solar farms in other states. But why are they doing that when they could just buy grid power? And how do “virtual PPAs” work, anyway? Erin Craig has the answers.

We discuss the current state of climate science and rebut the arguments of climate change skeptics, and look ahead to what must be done to halt climate change.

What are green bonds, and how can they help mobilize private capital to fund energy transition and climate change mitigation measures? What kinds of things can green bonds be used to fund? What are the various roles for private, corporate, and sovereign issuers? Why does the green bond market need to grow by roughly 10x over the next few years to $1 trillion a year globally, and is there even enou...

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) based in Golden, Colorado provides a wide range of research, guidance, and policy support to the whole government stack in the U.S., from the local and city level all the way up to the federal and tribal level. From supporting the rebuild o...

This is a special, free "extra" episode recorded at RMI’s eLab Annual Summit in December 2016 in Austin, Texas. Should utilities be allowed to own EV charging infrastructure, or should that be reserved for private charging companies? How many Level 3 high-voltage chargers do we need at workplaces and shopping areas? And how do we build charging infrastructure now that won’t become stranded assets...