Energy vs Climate: How climate is changing our energy systems
Energy vs Climate is a live, interactive webinar and podcast where energy experts David Keith, Sara Hastings-Simon, and Ed Whittingham discuss the trade-offs and hard truths of the energy transition in Alberta, Canada, and beyond. Each episode features guests including scientists, policy experts, and industry leaders, exploring the forces reshaping our energy future—from breakthrough renewable technologies to the real-world impacts of climate change. The show aims to break down complex energy and climate topics for a broad audience and is produced by Amit Tandon and Bespoke Podcasts.
Episodes
Replay: Battery Storage and How to Make It Better | With Shirley Meng
This is a replay of our conversation with Dr. Shirley Meng from the University of Chicago on battery storage. It's one of our favourite deep dives because batteries touch everything from EV range anxiety to grid scale storage, and even the whole critical minerals conversation.When we recorded this in May 2024, Shirley was predicting real solid state battery platforms by 2027 or 2028, and here
Stuck in the Middle: The Mid-Transition Crisis & the Energy System's Awkward Middle Age | With Emily Grubert
Decarbonization usually means addition: more wind, solar, EVs. But a real transition also means taking something away.We talk about decarbonization like it's a shopping list: more wind, more solar, more EVs, stacked on top of whatever's already running. But a real transition means something also has to come off the list. Fossil systems have to shrink at the same time clean systems grow,
Can Octopus Energy Wrap Its Arms Around North America? | Demand Flexibility & More With Eric Davids | BONUS
Octopus Energy paid its UK customers collectively over £100,000 during a recent heat wave, not through new infrastructure, but a text message and a price signal offering demand flexibility. That caught our attention.In this episode, Ed and Sara (David sits this one out) talk with Eric Davids, Head of Strategy for Octopus Energy's US business, about redefining utility-customer relationships, h
BONUS | EvC vs The Internet: David, Sara, and Ed respond to the comment section
They say there's no growth without feedback. This season, you've given us plenty of it.In this episode, David, Sara, and Ed do something most podcasters shouldn't do: they read the comments. Out loud and on purpose.Some feedback was positive. Some was additive. Some fell into the category we're calling "strongly suggestive." If you've ever left a comment on an Ev
BONUS | Where Should Canada’s Nuclear Energy Go From Here? | Toronto Climate Week
Ed's new project, Critical Mass, starts with a deceptively simple question: if Canada decides it wants more nuclear power, can it actually deliver it? The answer turns out to be complicated.As part of the project, we're hosting four live town halls across the country. The first was recorded at Toronto Climate Week on June 5, featuring Todd Smith (former Ontario Minister of Energy, now VP
Mapping the Next Energy Shock with The Economist's Vijay Vaitheeswaran
The aftershocks of the Iran war are reshaping energy markets, investment decisions, and climate politics in very different ways around the world.David, Sara, and Ed sat down with Vijay Vitheeswaran, Global Energy and Climate Innovation Editor at The Economist and 2025 Energy Writer of the Year, to discuss the shock rippling through energy markets since the war in Iran began. On one side are forces
The Nuclear Option: A Canadian Reality Check with Jason Donev
Nuclear is having a global moment. But the story in Canada is a lot more complicated.David, Sara, and Ed sat down with Prof. Jason Donev of the University of Calgary for a full, unsparing look at where nuclear fits in a rapidly growing and electrifying Canadian grid.Jason is one of the clearest thinkers on energy systems in the country. He's also someone who started out opposed to nuclear and
The Hosts in the Hot Seat: Turning the Tables on Ed and Sara
EvC Superfan and fellow energy nerd Robert Tremblay turns the tables on Sara and Ed — asking the questions the podcast usually doesn't: how EvC started, the energy transition over the 7 seasons of the show, what's changed, and whether any of it is working.They get into their backgrounds, the EvC origin story (are the rumours about Danielle Smith true?), how the show has evolved, and what
EvC BONUS | Fire Weather: John Vaillant on the New Era of Extreme Fire
Energy vs Climate X Climate Books Reviews This week we're sharing an episode from Ed's other podcast, Climate Book Reviews, co-hosted with Dr. Roger Thompson of Arizona State University. Their guest is John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast. (US and International - Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World)Many listeners will know Vaillant from his earlier book
From Straits to Stoves and Tankers to Tables: Iran, Oil and Climate Trade-Offs in a Crisis
The Iran war and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz have triggered a major shock to global oil and LNG markets. Roughly 20 million barrels of oil per day normally move through Hormuz. The IEA says nearly all of that has been disrupted.Oil and gas prices have surged sharply; and the disruption extends well beyond oil as Qatari LNG exports have been largely severed. Asia is especially exposed,
The Hidden Power Bill of Artificial Intelligence with MIT's Vijay Gadepally
Vijay Gadepally joins Ed and Sara to break down the real energy footprint of AI—and why most people (and companies) are getting it wrong. They discuss: How "agentic" AI systems use an order of magnitude more energy than ChatGPT.Whether efficiency gains can keep pace with exploding usage (spoiler: not yet). The one simple change that could cut AI energy use by 80%. Vijay is Senior Scienti
Understanding China's Energy Transition: Experts Weigh In | Andrew Light, Jeremy Wallace, Christina Pan, and Hong Li
This episode is different. We're tackling China's energy transition, and instead of David, Sara, and Ed just talking about it, they went out and interviewed different experts on the subject.Why China? Because it's arguably the most important energy story on the planet right now. China is the world's largest emitter. It's also the world's largest investor in clean ener
Alberta’s Energy Transition: Economics, Emissions, and the Hard Trade-Offs (LIVE)
Recorded live at the Energy Transition Centre in Calgary, David, Sara, and Ed took on one of the toughest questions in Canadian climate politics: what does energy transition actually look like for Alberta? They dug into emissions, economics, diversification, and the uncomfortable trade-offs that tend to get glossed over in public debate. It's a fun conversation with an extended Q&A from t
Aviation vs Climate: Can Sustainable Flight Take Off? with Sebastian Eastham
Can we have guilt-free flying?David, Sara, and Ed chat with Sebastian Eastham, associate professor of sustainable aviation at Imperial College London, about the climate impacts of aviation and what we can actually do about it.The conversation covers immediate levers like contrail avoidance and operational changes that don't require waiting decades for new tech—plus the real potential (and lim
Ask EvC Anything 2025 | David Keith, Sara Hastings-Simon, and Ed Whittingham
You asked — David, Sara, and Ed answered.We're wrapping up the year with our annual Ask EvC Anything episode, touching on topics that pair well with New Year's bubbly: We talk about whether Canada’s climate targets are quietly slipping out of reach, the practicalities and prospects of direct air capture, what a net zero electricity grid in Alberta might actually look like by 2050, whethe
Energy Past vs Energy Future with Energy Innovation's Robbie Orvis
A look back at the biggest energy stories of 2025 and some crystal ball gazing about what to watch for in 2026.David, Sara and Ed chat with Robbie Orvis, Senior Director of Modeling & Analysis at Energy Innovation, an American Think Tank. The show was set up to do two things: First, to sort out what genuinely shifted in 2025 and what didn't. Second, to build a 2026 energy and climate watc
Canada-Alberta Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Energy Agreement | Hot Take
There are many takes on the big Carney-Smith energy agreement – we thought you could use one more.The new Canada–Alberta MOU unveiled last Thursday is already generating more chatter than a pipeline hearing, and has set off a fresh round of debate about economy, emissions, and where the country is headed on energy. The hot takes have been flying. Naturally, we couldn’t resist adding our own, so we
Sara & Ed - Help Us Reach Our Annual Listener Fundraising Goal
For us, delivering content about energy and climate is a labour of love – we put our time towards Energy vs Climate because we feel strongly about the public service benefit of the project. But there are costs for our producer, website, Ed’s manicures, and more. (OK one of those isn’t true.) That's why this show relies on the support of generous donors, like our listeners.Please consider maki
Rewiring a Nation of 1.4 Billion: India’s Energy Transition with Dr. Jai Asundi
David, Sara, and Ed chat with Dr. Jai Asundi, Executive Director of the Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP), an independent Indian think tank. Dr. Asundi has been leading CSTEP since 2009, connecting data, modeling, and policy to tackle India's energy and climate challenges. They dive into India's electricity grid, the EV revolution, oil and gas dependency, and whe
Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen x EvC | Energy, the Economy, and the Environment
David, Sara, and Ed join Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen for a live on-air conversation.Their decidedly non-spooky Halloween round-table discussion covered a lot of climate and energy ground, including the G7, critical minerals, carbon capture and storage, and oat milk cream liquor. (Well admittedly that last one is not a climate and energy topic, but if you listen you'll get the reference.)It&
Drill & Dash: The Oil and Gas Liability Crisis with Martin Olszynski
Sara & Ed chat with Martin Olszynski about Alberta's mounting energy liability crisis.They discuss the billions in future costs for decommissioning, remediation, and reclamation of oil and gas projects as well as the challenge in accurately quantifying government and public exposure to financial and environmental risk amid profound energy sector disruption. The question isn't whether
Energy Tech That Has Us (and You) Talking
A fun, fast-paced, skeptics tour through some of the most talked-about emerging energy technologies. From enhanced geothermal systems to thermal batteries, balcony solar, flying cars, and yes, even space-based solar power – David, Sara, and Ed dig into what’s real, what’s hype, and what might actually move the needle on decarbonization. (00:00) - Cold open(02:08) - Small modular nuclear reactors(0
The Great Energy Showdown: Solar Takes All?
Sara's back for the launch of Season 7 of Energy vs Climate!For our first episode, David, Sara, and Ed discuss whether solar will be the big energy winner. Has solar energy already won? What’s driving its rapid ascent? And what does it mean for energy production and policy here in Canada?Show notes & references available on episode page.About Your EvC Co-Hosts:David Keith is Professor and
Season 7 Promo: She's baaack...
Send us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts
BONUS: Author Don Gillmor on his latest book "On Oil" | Climate Book Reviews
We're sharing another episode of Ed’s podcast Climate Book Reviews with acclaimed Canadian author Don Gillmor on his latest non-fiction work, On Oil.Ed is joined by his regular co-host Dr. Roger Thompson, Director of Writing Programs and Professor at Arizona State University.This episode dives into the sharply drawn and darkly funny world of On Oil, a slim and punchy examination of the most e
BONUS | Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill vs Climate: Hot Take with BlueGreen Alliance’s Jason Walsh
Ed chats with Jason Walsh, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance (BGA).Jason and his organization recently made headlines for opposing the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act—President Trump's sweeping piece of legislation passed this summer that rolls back many of the clean energy tax credits introduced by the Inflation Reduction Act. While a lot of the climate world focused on the e
BONUS: Climate Book Reviews with author Ashley Shelby on Honeymoons in Temporary Locations
In this latest episode of Ed’s occasional podcast Climate Book Reviews, we dive into the wildly imaginative and disturbingly plausible world of Ashley Shelby’s acclaimed story collection, Honeymoons in Temporary Locations.Recently named one of Fresh Energy’s Favorite Climate Books of 2025 and shortlisted for the Janet Heidinger Kafka Prize, Shelby’s collection has been praised by Scientific Americ
From Doom to Hope: Katharine Hayhoe on Bridging the Climate Gap
David & Ed chat with renowned scientist, author and Canadian, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe who argues that hope—not doom—is what drives action. Dr. Hayhoe is one of the world’s most prominent climate communicators and known for crossing political, religious, and cultural lines to connect with audiences that most climate advocates can’t or won't reach. It's an engaging discussion that delves
BONUS: Canada’s Carbon Edge - How We Can Lead in Carbon Removal with Na'im Merchant & Grégoire Baillargeon
LIVE from the Montreal's Climate Solutions Prize Festival 2025 Na'im Merchant, Executive Director of Carbon Removal Canada and the host of The Carbon Curve podcast, and Grégoire Baillargeon, President of BMO Quebec and Vice Chair of BMO Capital Markets join Ed Whittingham for a panel discussion exploring how Canada can become a global leader in carbon removal. With two podcast hosts and
Energy Transition in Africa & its Climate Dilemma with Dr. Rose Mutiso
David & Ed chat with Dr. Rose Mutiso about the tension between energy, climate, and economic development in Africa and the global south. They touch on many topics to do with sub-Saharan Africa, including energy production & consumption, electricity and power grids, and the vast economic inequity that still exists between the global north & south.About Our Guest:Dr. Rose M. Mutiso is a
Has the World Surrendered to Climate Breakdown? Andreas Malm, author of How to Blow Up a Pipeline
Ed and David chat with special guest Andreas Malm, author of How the World Surrendered to Climate Breakdown and How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Learning to Fight in a World on Fire. They discuss Malm’s critiques of climate inaction—how liberal democracies, fossil capital, and the Global North have collectively abandoned meaningful efforts to stop climate breakdown—and what comes next for movement strat
BONUS: Upton Sinclair's Oil! - Climate Book Reviews Podcast with Michael Tondre
Ed Whittingham & Roger Thompson discuss Upton Sinclair's classic novel - Oil!We're sharing another episode of Ed's occasional podcast, Climate Book Reviews, this time discussing the book that was the inspiration for the critically acclaimed 2007 movie, There Will Be Blood, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.Ed and co-host Dr. Roger Thompson (Associate Dean and Professor of Writing and Rh
Power Hungry: Can Our Grids Evolve Fast Enough for AI's Appetite? | with Amy Myers Jaffe
Energy expert Amy Myers Jaffe returns to EvC to chat with Ed about Energy and Artificial Intelligence. Nearly every aspect of the economy seems to be impacted by the stunningly rapid development of AI. Energy is no exception. Ed and Amy have a wide-ranging discussion that covers a lot of ground and touches on several hot topics, including: How AI is transforming the production, distribution, and c
BONUS - Carbon Removal Day Panel: Lucy Hargreaves, Daniel Kelter, Jorden Dye
There’s something in Carbon Removal for everyone — are we building enduring relationships to advance the sector?A bonus EvC episode - on February 27, 2025, EvC co-host Ed Whittingham hosted a panel discussion at Carbon Removal Canada's Carbon Removal Day in Ottawa. They cover a number of topics including the changing political headwinds in the US, efforts to bolster investment in Canada, and
The Rise of Conspiratorial Environmentalism with Dr. Holly Jean Buck
David & Ed chat with Dr. Holly Buck about Conspiratorial-Environmentalism’s connection to climate & geoengineering; the anti-vax movement; and what it tells us about mainstream environmentalism & climate politics.(03:08) Skip Intro(09:12) David's personal experience with Conspiratorial-Environmentalism(27:15) Social Media and monetization(38:58) What do we do when environmentalist
Scrubbing the Sky - Episode 4 - Skeptics vs Believers: Is Direct Air Capture Hope or Hype?
Host Ed Whittingham closes out Season 1 by examining the case against Direct Air Capture by one its harshest critics, Al Gore, followed by the counterarguments of supporters. Will DAC live up to its hype and potential to help cool a warming planet? Guests include: Greg Nemet, professor at the University of WisconsinKlaus Lackner, professor at Arizona State UniversityDavid Keith, professor at the U
Scrubbing the Sky - Episode 3 - The Carbon Gold Rush: Tech's Next Frontier
Host Ed Whittingham delves into the early days of another pioneering Direct Air Capture (DAC) company, Switzerland’s Climeworks, and its innovative modular approach to deploying its technology. Ed also looks into the developing synergy between the tech sector and carbon removal. Guests include: Jan Wurzbacher, co-founder of ClimeworksLucy Hargreaves, Corporate Affairs and Climate Policy at PatchJi
Scrubbing the Sky - Episode 2: Bill Gates & Building a Climate ‘Miracle’
Host Ed Whittingham continues the story behind the development of Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology and its potential role in helping to fight climate change. Ed explores the early days of Canadian cleantech company Carbon Engineering, and how it drew the attention of both Bill Gates and Occidental Petroleum. Guests include: Ken Caldeira, senior scientist at Breakthrough EnergyDavid Keith, profe
The USA vs Climate - Trump's New Climate & Energy Policy with Dr. Jesse Jenkins
Jesse Jenkins, David Keith, and Ed Whittingham break down the key policy reversals, their impact on U.S. emissions, and the broader geopolitical and economic consequences—for Canada and beyond. Plus, audience questions!Full Show notes with links to references on our websiteAbout Our Guest:Jesse D. Jenkins is an assistant professor and macro-scale energy systems engineer at Princeton University wit
Scrubbing the Sky - Episode 1 - Carbon Removal: Engineering Earth's Cooling
EvC co-host Ed Whittingham's new series on Carbon Dioxide RemovalHost Ed Whittingham dives into the world of Direct Air Capture (DAC), a technology that extracts carbon dioxide directly from the ambient air. Ed explores the early history of carbon dioxide removal, why it could be useful in fighting climate change, and challenges the technology has faced along the way. Guests include: Klaus La
Trailer - Scrubbing the Sky: Inside the Race to Cool the Planet
The race to remove carbon is on. This is the inside story.🌎 Scrubbing the Sky: Inside the Race to Cool the Planet drops early March 🌎 This narrative podcast series takes listeners through one of the most ambitious climate efforts ever attempted: removing carbon from the atmosphere.Join EvC's co-host Ed Whittingham as he uncovers the story behind carbon removal —the companies racing to scale i
Green Giving: Climate Philanthropy
Ed chats with four movers & shakers in Canadian climate philanthropy.On Nov. 13, 2024, nine prominent Canadian family foundations, including EvC's David Keith’s, announced a combined pledge of $405 million, all dedicated to accelerating Canada’s shift to a low-carbon economy. They touch on: Why this financial commitment occurred and why now The challenges facing climate advocacy today and
Ask EvC Anything - 2024
Join David & Ed for a special end-of-2024 Ask-Us-Anything episode dedicated to your questions. Thanks to everyone who sent in your questions - we couldn't do it without you!Also, thanks to the Pembina Institute for help with an answer at 22:00 (reference link - Meeting the emissions cap-A feasible pathway for the oil and gas). More show notes on our website.About Your EvC Co-Hosts:David K
New York Times Columnist David Wallace-Wells: In Conversation on EvC
𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙙 & 𝙀𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩-𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝘿𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙙 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚-𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨. It's a wide-ranging discussion covering everything from the potential fallout of the US election, shifting global interests and priorities, climate activism, China's role in climate and green energy technology, and as usual - listener questions for our guest. (01:27) US election fallout(09:33) Where do
Ed's #GivingTuesday Fundraising Pitch for Energy vs Climate
Support Energy vs Climate on #GivingTuesdayEnergy vs Climate is a labour of love – we hosts don't draw a salary from the show because we feel strongly about the public service benefit of the project.But, we still have production costs. So, we're asking one last time for you to please consider making a one-time or monthly donation in our only annual donation campaign. Thanks in part to la
EvC x Climate Book Reviews: "She’s a Killer" author Kirsten McDougall
Climate Book Reviews is co-hosted by EvC's own Ed Whittingham and his friend Roger Thompson, Associate Dean and Professor of Writing and Rhetoric at Stony Brook University in New York. Each episode highlights some climate related books worth knowing about. This episode is an interview with New Zealand author Kirsten McDougall about her novel, She’s a Killer. At times hilarious and at other ti
Raising the Heat: How Warming Can Reduce Lifespans & Slow Economic Growth with Michael Greenstone
David & Ed chat with University of Chicago's Michael Greenstone. Show Notes:(02:52) Engineering the Planet(03:25) The future of the Temperature–Mortality Relationship(04:48) Valuing the Global Mortality Consequences of Climate Change(07:36) Climate Damages and Adaptation Potential Across Sectors of the US(09:35) Heat Exposure & Poverty(11:30) Seasonality of Mortality Under Climate Cha
Solar Geoengineering: Should we go there? LIVE SHOW with David Keith & Ed Whittingham
𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: 𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝗶𝘁𝗵 & 𝗘𝗱 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗺David and Ed hit the stage at the Energy Disruptors: UNITE 2024 summit in Calgary to discuss solar geoengineering, a major focus of David's academic research. Together, they unpack the technical and non-technical dimensions of solar geoengineering, including global governance and decision making.(00:45) Start of live s
Electric Vehicle (EV) Ownership vs Level 1 Charging with Sara Hastings-Simon
Rethinking EV ChargingA commonly held belief by new or prospective EV owners is that purchasing one requires the installation of a “level 2”, or 240 volt, home charger. Sara and Ed chat about recent University of Calgary research that challenges this assumption. They discuss considerations that might go into choosing which option is best for EV owners and people considering EVs, as well as the pra
Campaigning on Climate: Climate, Politics, and Elections with The Strategists podcast's Stephen Carter
We have a special climate politics focused show to open the new season. It's a time of elections here in Canada and the U.S. As multiple campaigns heat up, we’re asking, where does climate fit in as an issue? David Keith and Ed Whittingham chat with political strategist and co-host of The Strategists podcast, Stephen Carter, to understand where climate fits as a priority issue for voters. The
A personal message from Sara Hastings-Simon
A personal message from EvC co-host Sara Hastings-Simon.You can find more information on cancer screening in Canada at the Canadian Cancer Society website.Send us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podc
Introducing Climate Now: When insurers can no longer afford the risk
Introducing Climate Now: Today, we are excited to bring you an episode from the Climate Now podcast. Climate Now, hosted by James Lawler, and accessible wherever you listen to podcasts as well as on their website - climatenow.com - is a podcast and newsletter that explores and explains the ideas, technologies, and policies we need to address the global climate crisis. The episode we’re sharing, &
Energy vs Climate Promo
Energy vs Climate is available wherever you get your podcasts.Produced by Amit TandonSend us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)Follow us on:LinkedInBlueskyX/TwitterInstagramEnergy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listenersDonate to keep Energy vs Climate goingProduced by Bespoke Podcasts
Canada vs Climate: Federal Minister of Energy & Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson
David, Sara, and Ed talk to Canada's Minister of Energy & Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson. Show Notes:(02:57) Powering Canada Forward(04:24) Modernizing the energy sector(06:28) Powering Canada(07:46) Canada’s Electric Reliability Framework(11:30) Canadian Climate Institute(12:17) Mohawk Council of Kahnawake inks deal with Hydro-Québec(14:24) Governments of Canada, Nova Scotia &
FROM FIBS TO FINES: Climate Disinformation, Lawsuits & Their Ripple Effects with Dr Benjamin Franta
David, Sara, and Ed talk to Dr Benjamin Franta, Senior Research Fellow in Climate Litigation at the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme and the founding head of the Climate Litigation Lab. Show Notes:(01:05) Dr. Benjamin Franta (02:20) Nearly 15% of Americans deny climate change is real(02:25) The social anatomy of climate change denial in the US(02:50) Understanding the Shift in Media Perception Tow
Fully Charged: Battery Storage & How to Make it Better with Dr. Y. Shirley Meng
Hosts David, Sara, and Ed chat with battery storage expert Dr. Shirley Meng of the University of Chicago.About Our Guest:Dr. Y. Shirley Meng is a Professor at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago. She serves as the Chief Scientist of the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science (ACCESS) Argonne National Laboratory. Show Notes:(01:12) – Dr. Shirle
EvC Bonus - HOT TOPIC: Alberta Electricity Update with Blake Shaffer
Another BONUS Podcast Episode!The electricity file has been popping, especially in Alberta, where on a weekly basis a clash of worldviews on the future of electricity generation is on full display.About Our GuestBlake Shaffer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at The University of Calgary. He works on electricity markets, climate policy, and energy transitions, and frequently
EvC Bonus - Hot Topic: Carbon Tax with Mark Jaccard
New BONUS Podcast EpisodeCanada's consumer carbon tax policy has been getting a lot of press attention of late, especially following the $15/T increase that took affect on April 1, 2024. Much has been said about it across the political spectrum, some of it accurate, and some of it just plain wrong. David's away this month, so it's just Sara and Ed talking all things carbon tax with
Buzzkill: Understanding the Shift in Media Perception Towards EVs with Dr. Simon Evans
Dr. Simon Evans, Deputy Editor & Senior Policy Editor at Carbon Brief join co-hosts David, Sara, and Ed, to tease apart EV fact from fiction. About Our Guest:Simon Evans is deputy editor and policy editor at Carbon Brief. Simon covers climate and energy policy. He holds a PhD in biochemistry from Bristol University and previously studied chemistry at Oxford University. Show Notes:(00:02:01) –
Energy vs Oilsands: How did we get to 3.5m bbl/day and what do we need to do about it? | with Andrew Leach
Co-hosts David, Sara, Ed, and energy/environmental economist Dr. Andrew Leach of the University of Alberta unpack the past, present and future of Canada's oilsands. About Our Guest:Andrew Leach is an energy and environmental economist and is Professor at the University of Alberta, with a joint appointment in the Department of Economics (Arts) and the Faculty of Law. His research spans energy
History vs Energy - How the history of energy transitions can inform our future with Dr Petra Dolada
Overview:What does the history of energy tell us about energy transition? Can we learn from the past or will we repeat the same mistakes? What do people get wrong when trying to extract lessons from the history of energy? Co-hosts David, Sara, and Ed are joined by guest, Dr. Petra Dolata, to discuss data on historical transitions, including lessons of deindustrialization in the Ruhr region of Germ
Stranger than (Climate) Fiction with Kim Stanley Robinson
What is the role of literature in the climate policy and technology discussion? How does the genre allow us to explore uncomfortable climate scenarios, including those to do with heat death and direct action? While ultimately successful, the path laid out in the book is very bumpy, volatile, and rife with violence – strikingly different from the smooth and orderly transition often offered up by po
Energy vs IEA Oil and Gas Scenarios
Published each year, the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) World Energy Outlook (WEO) is a leading source of scenario-based analysis of global energy demand and supply. This year, as the global energy crisis shows signs of calming, the WEO finds a peak in fossil fuels before 2030 across all scenarios. The result has been met with skepticism by some politicians in Canada, with Alberta’s Premier D
Energy vs Carbon Removal
We are excited to bring you a special live taping of Energy vs Climate from November 22, 2023 at the Ampersand in Calgary. Energy vs Carbon Removal is a dive deep into this still relatively new climate mitigation pathway. The IPCC and other bodies increasingly view Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) as a critical tool to reduce CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and bring warming back down to 1.5C by
Building for Sustainability - What Really Matters
What matters - and really doesn’t matter - when it comes to Building for Sustainability? David, Sara and Ed answer that question in a live episode of Energy vs Climate recorded on November 5, 2023 to kick off the Building for Sustainability symposium in Canmore, AB. EPISODE NOTES@00:3:30 Carbon sink and low-carbon building materials@00:5:30 Keeping The Heat In - Section 8: Upgrading windows and ex
Transmission vs Climate
Long distance and interregional transmission lines promise to increase reliability, mitigate the impact of extreme weather events, and provide electricity consumers with access to low-cost resources. They are an important piece of the energy transition puzzle. But despite the well documented benefits of long-distance transmission, to date there has been limited progress in building out interties a
BONUS | Nils Gilman on avocado politics and climate security from Challenging Climate
Hey everyone, Ed here. David, Sara and Ed will be back next week with an episode about electricity interties in the clean energy system. Until then we’d like to share another podcast with you that we think might be of interest, called Challenging Climate. Hosted by Jesse Reynolds and Pete Irvine, Challenging Climate tackles tough questions about the science, technology, economics and politics of
Energy vs 1.5°C - Breaking Down the 1.5C Warming Target
Since the Paris Agreement coming into force in 2016, world leaders have increasingly emphasized the need to keep warming to the 1.5°C target by the end of this century, in order to avoid more dangerous impacts from climate change. Yet temperature readings around the globe show that the world has already warmed by roughly 1°C on average above pre-industrial levels. Many models suggest we will very
Albertan Attitudes Toward Energy Transition
On our first episode of Season 5, Sara and Ed speak to Dr. Melanee Thomas of the University of Calgary about her survey research into Albertans' attitudes to the energy transition, the oil and gas industry, coal and climate change. David wasn't able to join us for this one, but he'll be back live for Episode 2.EPISODE NOTES@00:49 If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: how the public’s eco
Is Heat The Greatest Climate Threat? [Rerelease]
[Rerelease] David, Sara, Ed and author Jeff Goodell discuss the impacts of heat on humans, the topic of Jeff’s new book. From heat-wave deaths, to reduced ability to learn, to the economic effects, who will suffer the most, and what does it mean for the politics of the energy transition?EPISODE NOTESB.C. heat wave leads to 11-hour ambulance wait time, spike in sudden deathsThe Ministry for the Fut
Take our survey!
Hi Everyone!We've got a favour to ask. We're doing a survey to help us understand what you like about Energy vs Climate, and how we can bring you more of that!We would be extremely grateful if you took just a few minutes out of your summer schedule to complete the survey. Your feedback will help us as we plan for Season 5.Thanks! We look forward to coming back in September.Send us a text
Climate vs Wildfires
On a special summer episode of Energy vs Climate, we’re addressing the record-setting wildfires that Canada has been experiencing this summer. We're joined by molecular paleoecologist Allison Karp to examine how fire has changed across geologic timescales and how much of this year's wildfires we can attribute to climate change.EPISODE NOTES@1:23 Allison Karp, paleoecologist at Yale and B
BONUS | Energy Efficiency at Home with Matt Ferrell of Still TBD
No, we didn’t forget to fill in the pod title after Matt Ferrell’s name. On Still TBD, aka the Still To Be Determined Podcast, Matt and his brother Sean discuss electric vehicles, renewable energy, smart technologies, and how they impact our lives. And this week we have a special treat for you: a bonus episode with Ed, Sara, and Matt, who also happens to be host of the massively popular Undecided
Solar Geoengineering–Should we go there?
On the final episode of Energy vs Climate Season 4, we’re covering the basics of solar geoengineering. We're joined by The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, former Prime Minister of Canada, to unpack the debate over the role of further research, the place of these technologies in the global climate toolkit, and the role for Canada in research and governance.EPISODE NOTES@1:36 Right Honourable Ki
Canada's Big Bet on Electrification with Dr. Blake Shaffer
On Season 4 Episode 9 of Energy vs Climate, David, Sara, Ed and special guest Dr. Blake Shaffer of The University of Calgary, dig into the how and why of Canada's big bet on electrification in the 2023 Federal Budget. EPISODE NOTES: @0:44 Blake Shaffer, economist and professor at the University of Calgary @3:59 Blake Shaffer: Technical Pathways to Aligning Canadian Electricity Systems with Ne
Can Contracts for Difference Keep Canada Competitive?
On Season 4 Episode 8 of Energy vs Climate. David, Sara, Ed, and special guest Dr. Chris Bataille, Adjunct Research Fellow at Columbia University’s Center for Global Energy Policy (CGEP) and researcher with the Institut du Développement Durable et de Relations Internationales (IDDRI.org), discuss contracts for difference policy and and how can it help industrial decarbonization. EPISODE NOTES:Dr.
Just Transition
“Just Transition” is making headlines again in Alberta with the Provincial government pushing back against the yet to be tabled just transition legislation the Federal government first promised in 2019. Part of the debate is political, but underneath is the reality of the energy transition and the impact it will have on Alberta communities.How do we separate the politics from the policies when it
BONUS: Behind the Scenes of Energy vs Climate Session Ale
You may recall that we sipped Annex Ale Project's Easy Answers Pale Ale when we recorded our Crypto vs Climate episode back in Season 3. Little did we know that would be the start of a fun and productive relationship with the good folks at Annex Ales. And now the beer is here, we're proud to introduce our very own Energy vs Climate Session Ale, the beer that remembers to turn off the l
Energy vs Climate vs Offsets
On Season 4, Episode 6 of EvC, Sara, David and Ed tackle the thorny and always controversial topic of carbon offsets, live at Avatar Innovations at The Energy Transition Centre in downtown Calgary.An offset in principle is paying someone else - a company, or a country - to reduce emissions that you yourself cannot, or simply will not reduce. What is the role of offsets in helping the world to avoi
COP 27 Debrief
David (just back from Egypt), Sara, Ed and special guest Adrien Abécassis, Chief Policy Officer of the Paris Peace Forum and former Advisor to the French President (also just back) unpack COP 27 and what it means for Canada and the world going forward on Season 4 Episode 5 of Energy vs Climate. EPISODE NOTES@1:31 Adrien Abécassis, former senior advisor to the French president, and the Chief Policy
Recommended
Accounting for the Future
Travel Beyond
Stress Test
Toronto News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!
The Powder Room
Prophecy Girls: A Buffy Rewatch Podcast
Jewelry Business Academy Podcast
Business Built Different
i Like Hue
Daily TV Mass
Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
The SpokenWeb Podcast
