Energy Switch

By Switch Energy AllianceScience Earth Sciences

Energy Switch episodes

October 20, 2025 Electric Cars - Pros and Cons, Part 1 | Energy Switch Season 3, Episode 7
Electric cars are fast and efficient and produce no local emissions. But they're also expensive, with issues around the metals for their batteries.
Here to discuss these issues with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Dr. David Rapson, Economic Policy Advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank and Professor of Economics, University of California
- Dr. Beia Spiller, Director of the Transportation Program, Resources for the Future
Originally aired 10/08/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 15, 2025 Students on the Future of Energy | Energy Switch Season 3, Episode 5
Two advanced energy students share their thoughts on the future of nuclear, carbon capture and storage, solar and wind, batteries, energy reliability, climate change and their hopes for the future.
Joining Dr. Scott Tinker this episode is:
- Shadya Taleb, a graduate research assistant in carbon capture and storage at the Bureau of Economic Geology
- Grace Stanke, a nuclear engineering student and Miss America 2023
Chapters:
00:00 – Teaser
00:36 – Intro
01:40 – Topic
02:04 – Guests
02:37 – What does the younger generation think about energy and climate?
02:56 – Guests' fields of study
04:24 – Fearing nuclear energy
06:08 – Younger generation's view on wind and solar
07:50 – Energy outside of the U.S.
10:02 – Lower emitting, new technologies
11:10 – Does the younger generation understand the life cycle of energy sources?
12:37 – Hydrogen awareness
13:08 – How informed are young people on energy and climate?
15:43 – How do we have a conversation without conflict?
17:22 – What does "sustainable" mean?
19:41 – Is more nuclear energy coming?
20:53 – Hope for the future
21:46 – Ideal energy futures
22:55 – Final thoughts
24:42 – Discussion summary
26:10 – End credits
Originally aired 10/06/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 13, 2025 China’s Energy and Climate Policies, Part 2 | Energy Switch Season 3, Episode 4
While China continues to build coal plants, they intend to reduce their use, to manage local air pollution and meet peak CO2 and net zero goals, while prioritizing their energy security. Can it be done?
Continuing their discussion with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Dr. Wei Peng, Assistant Professor, Princeton University
- Dr. David Sandalow, Founder & Director of Columbia's US-China program
Originally aired 10/05/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 10, 2025 China’s Energy and Climate Policies, Part 1 | Energy Switch Season 3, Episode 3
China is the world’s largest energy producer and consumer, the largest exporter of solar, the current leader in nuclear, and emits 1/3 of global CO2. This makes China’s energy and climate policies of vital concern to all nations.
Discussing with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Dr. David Sandalow, Founder & Director of Columbia's US-China program
- Dr. Wei Peng, Assistant Professor, Princeton University.
Originally aired 10/04/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 08, 2025 Carbon Capture and Storage | Energy Switch Season 3, Episode 2
One solution to reducing carbon emissions is to capture and store them underground. But there are challenges in capturing, transporting and storing the CO2, and determining who will pay for it.
Joining Dr. Scott Tinker to discuss current projects and how carbon capture storage could contribute in the future is:
- Dr. Sallie Greenberg, formerly with the Illinois State Geological Survey
- Dr. Julio Friedmann, Chief Scientist at Carbon Direct
Originally aired 10/03/2023 on PBS.
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▷ WEBSITE: https://switchon.org/
About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 03, 2025 How Do We Power the Developing World | Energy Switch Season 2, Episode 12
80% of the world lives in developing nations, but uses just 20% of global energy. To provide them access to a modern life, we’d need to double energy production globally. Can we do it affordably, while reducing energy’s environmental impact?
Joining Dr. Scott Tinker on this episode is:
- Ashvin Dayal from The Rockefeller Foundation,
- Robert Stoner, Deputy Director at the MIT Energy Initiative
Originally aired 07/09/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 03, 2025 The Energy-Water Nexus | Energy Switch Season 2, Episode 11
Energy and water are tightly linked. We use extraordinary amounts of energy for municipal water systems and irrigation. And we use huge volumes of water in energy too. How could we use less energy and water to make more of both?
Examining these systems with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Afreen Siddiqi, research scientist at MIT
- Newsha Ajami, the Chief Development Officer for Research at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
Originally aired 07/02/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 02, 2025 Batteries for Cars and Grids Part 2 | Energy Switch Season 2, Episode 9
What are the potential new materials to make batteries more affordable, safer and less environmentally impactful? What could this mean for the future?
Tackling these tough questions with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University
- Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory and Professor of Molecular Engineering in the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago
Originally aired 06/18/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 01, 2025 Batteries for Cars and Grids Part 1 | Energy Switch Season 2, Episode 8
Battery technology has already made incredible leaps, making electric vehicles commercially viable and attractive to consumers. Could it also revolutionize the electric grid itself?
Joining Dr. Scott Tinker on this episode is:
- Shirley Meng, Chief Scientist at Argonne National Laboratory
- Lynden Archer, Dean of Engineering at Cornell University
Originally aired 06/11/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min
October 01, 2025 Energy Impacts on Land | Energy Switch Season 2, Episode 7
All energy facilities must be sited somewhere. All energy requires extracting something from Earth– fuel must be drilled for and materials must be mined. Transmission lines and pipelines cover many miles. What are the impacts of energy on land, and how could we reduce them?
Discussing with Dr. Scott Tinker is:
- Mark Mills, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute
- Gurcan Gulen, Principal at G2 Energy Insights
Chapters:
00:00 – Teaser
00:36 – Intro
01:41 – Topic
02:09 – Guests
02:45 – How does energy impact land?
03:57 – How do we analyze these impacts on land?
05:37 – Energy density
08:39 – Oil land impacts
09:25 – Coal land impacts
09:50 – Natural gas land impacts
11:03 – Solar panel land impacts
14:16 – Wind turbine land impacts
15:56 – Hydro land impacts
17:00 – Nuclear land impacts
17:37 – Land impacts from transporting power
18:33 – Highest and lowest land impact forms of energy
19:00 – How do we reduce land impacts?
21:06 – Balancing impacts on climate and land
22:36 – Meeting energy demand with minimal land impact
24:51 – Discussion summary
26:10 – End credits
Originally aired 06/04/2023 on PBS.
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About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/
https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
27 min

About Energy Switch

From the publisher's feed

Energy and climate are intertwined, two of the most important topics in the world today. Yet listeners know very little about them. This podcast aims to change that. Energy Switch brings together two…