Energy Evolution

In this episode of S&P Global Commodity Insights' Energy Evolution, co-host Taylor Kuykendall dives into the future of nuclear energy. With rising global energy demands and an urgent need for sustainable solutions, nuclear power is once again at the forefront of energy discussions.

Listen in to hear about the challenges and opportunities that nuclear energy presents, including advancements in technology and changing public perceptions. Experts also discuss the recent surge in interest from tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, who signed power purchase agreements for over 3 GW of nuclear capacity to meet the energy needs of their data centers.

This week's guests include Mason Lester, a research analyst from S&P Global Commodity Insights, who shares insights on market trends; James Walker, CEO of Nano Nuclear, who is pioneering small modular reactor technology; and Brandon Oyer from Amazon Web Services, discussing how tech companies are integrating nuclear energy into their sustainability strategies.

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As 2025 kicks off, Energy Evolution and Platts Future Energy are joining forces to bring you the best in energy transition news, analysis, trends, interviews, and our expert insights. Starting January 21, the Platts Future Energy channel will host our merged energy transition podcast, Energy Evolution by Commodity Insights, so follow along there with hosts Taylor Kuykendall and Eklavya Gupte.

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With ample renewable resources, several African markets are tipped as key suppliers of green hydrogen for European industry.

In this episode of Energy Evolution, hydrogen analyst Oghosa Erhahon and clean energy investor Kevin Anderson lay out which regions have the biggest potential, which constraints need to be tackled and how to ensure investments benefit local stakeholders.

Beyond the export potential, markets in Africa may also develop significant local off-take for green hydrogen and its derivatives, the experts tell correspondent Camilla Naschert.

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In the latest All Things Aviation episode on the Platts Future Energy Podcast, Sarah Abu Bakar speaks with feedstock analysts Rob Hatchett and Wes Petkau along with biofuel research associate director Ji Yang Lum. The discussion highlights the implications of global biofuel policy uncertainty and the potential impacts that trade tariffs pose on feedstock flows, further complicating an already uncertain and fragmented market. The group takes a regional approach to briefly outline the current layout of key factors influencing SAF policy support.

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A proposal by Pacific Gas and Electric and real estate developer Westbank aims to connect datacenters and up to 4,000 new residential units in a net zero district energy system in downtown San Jose, California. The project could be a blueprint for tackling AI-driven datacenter demand and the need for housing.

In this episode, Mike Medeiros, PG&E's vice president of South Bay delivery, talks with Dan Testa about the new project's possibilities.

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In this episode, S&P Global Commodity Insights reporter Eklavya Gupte reflects on the outcomes of UN climate conference COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in conversation with correspondent Camilla Naschert.

What has been achieved and how did the oil and gas nation do as a host?

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The UN Climate Change Conference took place against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions and political divisions, yet it marked a significant step forward for carbon markets. For the first time in nearly a decade, nations reached a consensus on the rules for international carbon trading under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

World leaders also set new climate finance targets, with developed countries taking the lead in channeling at least $300 billion a year to developing countries by 2035, but many developing countries left the talks unimpressed.

In this episode, Eklavya Gupte, Roman Kramarchuk, Jonty Rushforth, and Ivy Yin analyse these key developments and explore their implications for climate policy, carbon markets, and the wider energy transition.

Links: Interactive: Platts Carbon Price Explorer

In this episode of the Energy Evolution Podcast, host Taylor Kuykendall discusses climate litigation with legal experts Hannah Weisman, a professor of law at Penn State University, and Phil Goldberg, special counsel with the Manufacturers Accountability Project.

Weisman argues that litigation is a crucial avenue for accountability in the face of legislative inaction on climate change, while Goldberg contends that courts lack the tools to effectively address broader policy issues and that litigation may divert attention from meaningful legislative solutions. The conversation highlights the differing perspectives on the role of the judiciary in climate action, with Weisman emphasizing the urgency of the crisis and Goldberg cautioning against using the courts as a primary mechanism for policy change.

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In the latest episode of Energy Evolution, hosts Dan Testa and Taylor Kuykendall analyze the energy transition implications of Donald Trump's return to the presidency and the Republican control of Congress.

They discuss potential shifts in energy policy, including anticipated deregulation that may benefit traditional energy sources while slowing the momentum for renewable initiatives. Key topics include the future of the Inflation Reduction Act, the outlook for offshore wind projects, and the evolving landscape for hydrogen and nuclear energy.

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In this episode of the S&P Global Commodity Insights Energy Evolution podcast, host Taylor Kuykendall interviews J. Clay Sell, the CEO of X-energy, a company focused on advanced small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs).

X-energy is pioneering a new generation of nuclear technology that promises safer, more economical, and more efficient power generation. The episode follows the announcement of a recent $500 million Series C financing round led by Amazon. The two companies aim to develop over 5 GW of SMR power projects across the U.S. by 2039. The discussion covers the potential of SMRs, the importance of government support and the challenges of deploying this technology.

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