Energy Connects Podcast

In the next episode of the Energy Connects Podcast, host Chiranjib Sengupta sits down with Dr. Sama Bilbao y Leon, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, to delve into the significant opportunities nuclear energy presents for decarbonising the industry.

During this extensive conversation, they cover a range of topics including the World Nuclear Association's Net Zero Nuclear initiative, which was launched at COP28 with the goal to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050.

They discuss how the nuclear industry is addressing its clean-energy perception, noting its position as the second-largest source of low-carbon electricity worldwide. The discussion also highlights nuclear energy’s pivotal role in decarbonising sectors that are difficult to abate, like metallurgy, petrochemicals, and the oil & gas industry.

Additionally, they explore the anticipated demand for nuclear energy in the coming years amid its global resurgence, the industry’s approach to overcoming regulatory and financing challenges, and Dr. Sama's insights on cultivating future leaders in the global nuclear field as the President of the World Nuclear University.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta hosts Massimo Di Odoardo, Vice President of Gas and LNG Research at Wood Mackenzie, and Eugene Kim, Research Director at Wood Mackenzie's Americas Gas Research team, to dive deep into the debate over whether data centres and AI could shake up the global LNG market.

Outlining the evolution of the US shale gas market, Massimo and Eugene provide valuable insight into how that will define the competitiveness of the US LNG sector, and the long-term outlook on LNG markets and contracts developing globally. With digitalisation and AI seen as essential enablers of the energy transition, they also discuss why upscaling both will lead to a massive surge in power demand, and how the energy sector is likely to cope with it.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta speaks to Grant Dougans, Partner and Lead of Energy and Natural Resources at Bain & Company, to discuss whether confidence in the world’s ability to achieve net zero by 2050 is eroding. Grant explains why an increasing number of global energy executives feel that net zero by 2060 is a more accurate reflection of the current realities of the energy transition, as published in Bain’s annual Energy & Natural Resource Executive Survey. He touches on the recognition by the industry of the scale of infrastructure needed for the energy transition to succeed, the shift in capital spending patterns for long-term projects, and why ROI is emerging as a stumbling block for investments in clean energy. They also talk about energy transition being all about project economics, how policy certainty is critical for all stakeholders to pick up pace on the transition, and why energy efficiency matters in the global landscape for green energy investments.

In the next episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Editor-in-Chief Chiranjib Sengupta speaks to Ben Cahill, Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Change Program, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), for a broad discussion on the latest advances in the global LNG landscape, energy security and curbing emissions.

Ben explains why the current US LNG pause could matter globally in the post-2030 capacity dynamics, the immediate ripple effects of the decision, and how the LNG sector and the energy industry in general is pursuing the pathway to a lower-carbon future. He also touches on the impact of clean energy initiatives such as the Global Methane Pledge and the Oil & Gas Decarbonisation Charter on the industry.

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta speaks to Dr Carole Nakhle, CEO of Crystol Energy and founder of Access for Women in Energy, ahead of International Women’s Day to discuss why increasing female representation across the industry is an urgent necessity.

Outlining how the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals prompted more inclusivity in the industry, Dr Carole calls for more women’s participation, specially at the leadership and executive levels, and greater commitments from the corporate sector to make their workforce truly diverse and ready for the future. She also unpacks the details on how a just energy transition is a great opportunity to support the professional development of women in the industry, globally.

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects Podcast ahead of India Energy Week 2024, Chiranjib Sengupta catches up with Vandana Hari, the founder and CEO of Vanda Insights, on why India remains a bright spot for the energy industry and the opportunities for companies to invest in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

Vandana elaborates on the outlook for the Indian and global energy market against an extraordinary environment this year, the policies and collaboration needed to bolster India’s upstream sector, and what she is looking forward to at India Energy Week in Goa this February.

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects Podcast ahead

One of India’s leading geoscientists, Dr Rath outlines Oil India’s historic contribution to the Indian energy sector, how it is the sheet anchor for the Hydrocarbon Vision for India 2030, the company’s plans for overseas collaborations and setting up a carbon sequestration hub.

He also talks about the outlook for the Indian energy market, Oil India’s role in India’s ambitious energy transition journey, and why he is looking forward to India Energy Week in Goa next month.

In our next episode of the Energy Connects Podcast recorded at COP28, Chiranjib Sengupta catches up with Benjamin Dineshkar, Head of DNV Maritime Advisory, Middle East & Africa, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the decarbonising the maritime sector.

They discuss why the maritime sector is so critical for the energy transition, and the response to the new UAE Maritime Decarbonization Centre set up in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

Benjamin also highlights how innovation and technology will play a key role in the industry’s journey to net zero, and what DNV is doing to bring the sector together.

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects Podcast recorded at COP28 in Dubai, Chiranjib Sengupta talks to Ferdinand Varga, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, on scaling up decarbonisation solutions for the global energy industry.

In this exclusive episode, Ferdinand also discusses ways to close the $18 trillion climate finance gap, how regulators can help develop nascent renewables markets and the expectations of the industry from COP28.

In the latest episode of the Energy Connects podcast, Chiranjib Sengupta hosts Grant Dougans, Partner at Washington, DC for Bain and Company, and the global lead of the company’s strategy capability across Energy and Natural Resources sectors, to discuss the lessons learnt from the recently published Global Energy & Natural Resources (ENR) analysis.

Grant dives deep to examine whether companies are doing enough to speed up decarbonization and whether the target of Net Zero by 2050 is realistic, and identify new growth opportunities for energy businesses.

They also discuss technologies that would be most critical to the pursuit of energy transition, the fallout of a shortage of technical talent in the industry, and why 2030 is a pivotal year in the race to net zero.