Powering Sustainable Ideas

The new generation of nuclear reactors will be smaller than conventional plants, and capable of being factory-built at speed. But can they shake the industry’s historical record of delays and cost overruns? At RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition conference, Cory Kos of Cameco and Alastair Evans of Rolls-Royce SMR outline their vision, while Rajesh Kedia from the UK’s National Wealth Fund predic...

Current types of sustainable airline fuels will only last 10 years. Existing grids won’t support electrification of some big bus depots. Jonathon Counsell, Group Head of Sustainability at airline group IAG, and Ryan Mangold, Chief Financial Officer at bus operator FirstGroup, explain how they plan to overcome these limitations on their decarbonisation journeys, in a conversation at RBC Capital Mar...

The UK is acknowledged as a renewables leader. Heavy transmission investment will help it enhance energy security alongside clean power. But when it comes to the third point of the energy trilemma, affordability, there’s a problem: the country’s electricity demand is just too low. Chris Stark, the UK government’s Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030, sets out its strategy in conversation a...

For over 50 years, the Drax power station has been helping to power the UK – first as a coal-fired plant, and today as a biomass facility. Could Drax, and other energy infrastructure from the same era, evolve yet again to help meet the soaring electricity demand of the coming decades? Richard Gwilliam, Future of Drax Power Station Director, outlines his vision in a session at RBC Capital Markets’...

The march of AI and electrification have opened up diverse applications for storage and mineral companies. At RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition Conference, three players in different parts of the market surveyed the biggest opportunities, and the challenges faced by the European industry. André Burdet of Hitachi Energy, Matti Heitanen of Finnish Minerals Group, and Osprey Charging’s Monique R...

In a 40-year career, Francesco Starace has become one of the leading figures in the energy transition – first as CEO at Enel Group, and now as a Partner at specialist investment EQT Group. In a keynote session at RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition Conference, Starace shared his views on the progress of the transition, the global challenge posed by soaring electricity demand, and the potential...

With a 75-year track record under its belt, TC Energy is poised to enter a new phase of growth, thanks to a presence across North America and the growing demand for energy at home and abroad. In conversation at RBC’s Global Energy, Power and Infrastructure Conference, President and CEO François Poirier outlines the company’s current tailwinds, and why he sees particular LNG growth opportunities fo...

The expansion of power and infrastructure to support the energy transition is unfolding against a complex backdrop. Policy uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and shifting market forces are colliding with record investment and a rapidly evolving mix of technologies. Ralph Ibendahl, Global Head of Energy Transition and Co-head of Power Utilities for Europe, assesses the challenges and opportunities...

Canada is building a Sustainable Finance Taxonomy to provide clarity for issuers and investors navigating the energy transition. In this episode, Barbara Zvan, President and CEO of the University Pension Plan and Chair of the Canadian Taxonomy Financial Sector Advisory Group, outlines the governance structure and timeline, in a conversation with Sarah Thompson, Global Head of Sustainable Finance r...

They extract CO2 direct from the air, but direct air capture technologies typically drink up massive quantities of water and energy while doing so. An alternative offered by New Jersey-based Avnos actually generates water. In this episode of Powering Sustainable Ideas, Avnos founder Will Kain explains how it’s done, and why he believes his innovation will be especially attractive to datacenter ope...

As geopolitical tensions in the Middle East raise the prospect of a more prolonged energy shock, how should investors think about the implications for inflation, consumer behavior, and markets? Global Head of Commodity Strategy Helima Croft, Chief Economist Frances Donald, and Head of U.S. Equity Strategy Lori Calvasina discuss what a disruption in oil supply could mean for the macro outlook — and...

As electricity demand surges, geopolitical risks increase, and the physical impacts of climate change escalate, how are investors responding? In this episode, RBC Capital Markets' Global Head of Sustainable Finance Sarah Thompson reflects on the outlook for the market in the light of new global realities, in discussion with Moses Choi, Head of U.S. Sustainable Finance, and Stefano Vitali, Head of...

The industry is going all-out to put new energy on the grid. The spike in projected demand will boost every type of generation. But how will renewables fare amid connection constraints and policy changes? In this episode of Powering Sustainable Ideas, analyst Chris Dendrinos offers some insight from his new analysis of the clean energy outlook for 2026 and beyond.

IMI has notched up an enviable three-year growth record. Now the engineering group is raising the bar, setting itself higher margin targets. In this episode of Powering Sustainable Ideas, CFO Luke Grant sets out the strategy behind this run of success, in a conversation recorded at RBC Capital Market’s 2026 UK Focus Conference with Mark Fielding, Head, European Capital Goods Research.

Is now the right time to jump into carbon removals? Moderated by Brian Hong, Director of Environmental Market Solutions at RBC Capital Markets, this episode features Dr. Eddie Halfyard (CarbonRun), Charlie Renzoni (Deep Sky), Kate Rodger (Isometric), and Bill Shmygol (Evok Innovations) discussing the carbon removal market's shift from early adopters to mainstream corporate buyers.

As rocketing demand growth collides with real supply constraints, how can energy, power, and mining players fund and deliver the large-scale projects required? Joining Trevor Gardner, Head of Investment Banking Coverage, to survey the sectors’ outlook for 2026 are Chris Redgate, Head of Canadian Energy Investment Banking; Craig Edgar, Managing Director, Power Utilities and Infrastructure; and Fari...

What does it take to turn a climate tech start-up into a fully-fledged, profitable business? For RBC Capital Markets’ Climate Week CEO summit, four leaders discussed their companies’ journeys. As they set out to transform their diverse sectors – carbon capture, waste management, geothermal energy, and electricity transmission – each grapples with the hard realities of capital-raising and commercia...

At the RBC Energy Transition Conference 2025, Paul Betts, Co-Head of European M&A at RBC Capital Markets, moderates a panel on Europe's battery value chain, EV targets, and market repositioning.

At the RBC Energy Transition Conference 2025, Paul Betts, Co-Head of European M&A at RBC Capital Markets, moderates a panel on Europe's battery value chain, EV targets, and market repositioning.

At the RBC Energy Transition Conference 2025, Alex Thomas, Managing Director, Investment Banking at RBC, leads a panel exploring AI-driven energy demand, power delivery challenges, and the innovations shaping digital infrastructure.

At the RBC Energy Transition Conference 2025, Biraj Borkhataria, Global Head of Energy Transition Research at RBC, moderates a panel on energy security, reliability, and affordability.

While some point to culture wars and range anxiety, the real story behind the electric vehicle (EV) slowdown may lie in the used car market. Tom Narayan, Lead Equity Analyst for Global Autos at RBC Capital Markets, reveals how a surprising pricing dynamic is reshaping consumer behavior and forcing a revised outlook for EV adoption over the medium term.

While nuclear energy has long been recognized for its potential to deliver clean and reliable power, its adoption has faced challenges. Ontario is addressing these hurdles through refurbishment programs and a strong local supply chain. In this episode, RBC's Sabahat Khan, Industrials Analyst, moderates a panel discussion with Aaron Johnson (SVP, Nuclear at Aecon), James Scongnack (COO, Bruce Power...

While carbon capture has long promised to transform industrial emissions, deployment has been hampered by cost and scalability challenges. Svante aims to change that with its solid sorbent technology and ambitious manufacturing plans. CEO Claude Letourneau discusses the company's strategy to capture 15 million tons of CO2 by 2030 with RBC's Rob Nicholson, Managing Director and Head of the Canadian...

Natural gas markets are experiencing structural shifts as demand from power generation and data centers creates new growth opportunities. Industry leaders are adapting their capital strategies to capitalize on these trends while managing financial complexity. CFO Jeremy Knop shares insight on EQT Corporation’s transformation, the company's innovative $3.5 billion midstream joint venture with Black...