The Energy Transition Show with Chris Nelder

Community choice aggregations (CCAs) are rapidly taking over power procurement in California and elsewhere, with both advantages and concerns to consider.

Veteran energy researcher Jonathan Koomey rejoins us for our 3rd anniversary show covering a wide range of topics related to energy transition.

Robyn Beavers shares some of her insights from a 15-year career in energy transition. How did we get here, and what’s next?

Europe is about to fix its cap and trade system for carbon emissions. But will carbon prices rise high enough to meet the Paris targets?

Is the transition of transportation to electric vehicles good for society, or just a new set of problems? We explore some common questions in this episode.

Can behavioral changes and better delivery of services help us limit global warming to 1.5 °C without relying on negative emission technologies like CCS?

How can we ensure that utility regulators aren’t unduly influenced by the companies they’re supposed to regulate as we proceed with the energy transition?

What’s next for solar, as it becomes the cheapest form of new power generation? Do we still need solar advocates and incentives, or can it now stand on its own?

Australia is at the cutting edge of energy transition, with the world’s largest grid battery and rapidly replacing coal with renewables. How are they doing it?

Contests over the control of wholesale markets are a core feature of energy transition and raise complex legal questions, which we explore in this episode.

If 13 US states and parts of Canada and Mexico were to join the California ISO system, how would it affect power markets across the West?

How can we count the uncountable in energy transition, and turn it into relevant data that can inform climate policy?

What do disruptive companies like oil and gas frackers and Tesla have in common, and what can they tell us about energy transition? Part 2 of 2.

What do disruptive companies like oil and gas frackers and Tesla have in common, and what can they tell us about energy transition? Part 1 of 2.

The changing jet stream is associated with many of the extreme weather events in recent years, and tree-ring data shows that climate change is to blame.

Energy expert Eric Gimon answers questions submitted by Energy Transition Show subscribers.

As we transfer loads from transportation and space heating over to renewably-powered electricity, will we discover a limit to the “electrify everything” mantra?

How did utilities in the South squander more than $40 billion on failed nuclear and coal plants, and how can such boondoggles be prevented in the future?

How should we value storage services? Will CSP and EVs change the grid? How can machine learning and data analytics accelerate energy transition?

How does utility resource procurement need to adapt to a changing world? Can wholesale markets survive the transition to more distributed resources? Is there a risk of becoming too dependent on natural gas to provide grid balancing services? And how does storage may need to be valued in order to fulfill its greatest potential on the grid?

Why motivates students in the Energy and Environment program at Duke, what topics do they find the most challenging, and why are they interested in energy transition?

How well do we understand the melting of our glaciers and ice caps, and how much sea levels might rise as a result…and when?

How can artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things turn demand flexibility into a core grid asset and displace fossil fuels?

What is lifecycle assessment, and how can it help us choose between various energy options during the transition? NREL’s Garvin Heath explains.

NREL’s Paul Denholm explains how solar + storage systems participate in wholesale electricity markets, and when they can compete with natural gas peaker plants.