Scott Adair, CEO and Co-Founder of Cascade Trading and a seasoned power and environmental commodities trader, joins Energy Untold to reflect on two decades of navigating North America’s most complex energy markets. This conversation was recorded live in Denver at Yes Energy EMPOWER 2025.

From his early years on the night shift at Powerex to managing retail books and launching his own fund, Scott shares the moments that shaped his approach to risk, timing, and intuition. We talk trading mistakes (including a 500 MW scheduling error - not his!), how he clears his head after tough days, and what it means to develop true asymmetric insight in markets flooded with data.

Scott also describes the more human side of trading—what separates great traders from good ones, why mental capacity is a finite resource, and how team dynamics shape decision-making under stress. We explore the increasing importance of environmental compliance markets, the quirks of market behavior in California, and why he believes volatility is only increasing.

This conversation offers a rare window into the mindset of a veteran trader—equal parts disciplined, curious, and grounded in experience.Recorded on March 5th, 2025

Watch the full video on ⁠YouTube⁠.

Show Notes

• Follow Scott on ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠

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• Follow Cory on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• For more show information visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.energyuntold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Podcast Production: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shortlinecreative.com⁠

Jackie Forrest, Executive Director of ARC Energy Research Institute and co-host of the ARC Energy Ideas Podcast, joins Energy Untold to discuss some of the forces shaping today's energy environment.

From her early career in engineering to transitioning into analysis and investment, Jackie shares how economic realities—not just policy—are defining the energy transition. We explore the shifting investment landscape, the role of carbon capture and storage, the future of LNG exports, and the growing pressures on Canada’s energy security.

Drawing from her firsthand experience with rooftop solar, owning a Tesla, and visiting some of the most impressive solar, oil, and hydro projects in Alberta and British Columbia, Jackie offers insights into our energy choices and the scale required to power modern life.

She also reflects on her role as a podcast host and analyst, discussing how her research informs investment decisions and what she’s learned from using AI tools to accelerate her passion for learning.

Recorded on February 4th, 2024

Watch the full video on ⁠YouTube⁠.

Show Notes

• Follow Jackie on LinkedIn and Twitter

• Listen to ARC Energy Ideas

• Energyphile Stories

Connect with us

• Follow Cory on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• For more show information visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.energyuntold.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Email us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• Podcast Production: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.shortlinecreative.com⁠

In this episode of Energy Untold, Brendan Farris recounts his journey from discovering energy trading as a career to becoming a Senior Gas Marketer at Tourmaline, Canada's largest natural gas producer. He reflects on his early career at TransAlta, lessons learned from the speculative trading side, and how his move to Tourmaline reshaped his understanding of the upstream side of the business.

Listeners will gain insights into Brendan’s approach to trading, hedging strategies, and the balance between analytics and intuition. He shares personal stories of navigating market volatility, the lessons learned from career-defining trades, and the dynamics of managing Tourmaline’s vast gas portfolio. Brendan also offers a rare glimpse into Tourmaline’s culture and how it leverages analytics and upstream knowledge to make decisive moves in the market.

This is an episode for aspiring traders and energy professionals alike, curious about the intricacies of marketing natural gas. 

Recorded on November 13, 2024

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In this episode of Energy Untold, we explore the world of ultra running with Scott Cooper, a seasoned endurance athlete whose journey has taken him from Ironman competitions to some of the most challenging ultra marathons in the world. Scott had an impressive 2023 season, winning both the Sinister 7 Ultra 100-miler and The Divide 200. He continued this momentum into 2024, finishing 4th at the Canyons Endurance Runs, securing a spot at Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) —the world’s preeminent ultra marathon race.

Scott shares his insights into training methodology, preparation, and race-specific nutrition, delving into extreme endurance's psychology and physical demands. From overcoming hallucinations and the solitude of night running to the electric race atmosphere at UTMB, Scott reveals the mental resilience and dedication required to conquer 100+ mile races. An episode for runners and endurance enthusiasts, offering a behind-the-scenes look into the mindset and preparation behind ultra marathons.

Recorded on October 10, 2024

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A conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, former president of the University of Calgary, leading champion for women in STEM, and GPS innovator. Dr. Cannon is a fellow of the Creative Destruction Lab and an active early-stage investor. She serves on numerous non-profit, public, and private boards, including the Rideau Hall Foundation, Canadian Natural Resources, and Mancal Corporation.

In this episode, we explore the value of varsity athletics in the post-secondary experience, hear Dr. Cannon’s reflections on GPS technology's journey from niche to ubiquitous, and discuss the transformative Eyes High Strategy she led at UCalgary. She also shares insights on building high-performing teams that thrive through open and constructive idea exchange.    

Recorded on October 15, 2024

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In this episode of Energy Untold, a conversation with Graeme Edge to unpack the highlights from the recent Energy Disruptors Conference. Featuring a star-studded lineup of speakers, including renowned thinkers like Yuval Noah Harari, Bruno Maçães, Tom Goodwin, and Ron Garan, former leaders Jacinda Ardern and Sanna Marin, and industry experts Ed Crooks, Peter Terzakian, the event enabled an atmosphere capable of exchanging a wide range of energy ideas.

Graeme reflects on the success of this year’s edition and shares his excitement for future events, where we can continue to expect compelling speakers and a confluence of perspectives.

Recorded on October 10, 2024

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Bruno Maçães' writing is an indispensable tool for understanding the modern world. He is the author of four books: Dawn of Eurasia, Belt and Road, History Has Begun, and Geopolitics for the End Time. His latest book is set to be released in February. Maçães is also a foreign correspondent for The New Statesman.

With a worldview grounded in universal principles, his grasp of history and imagination for the future make him one of the preeminent geopolitical analysts of our time.

In this episode, we discuss the upcoming US election and the critical role of Michigan, how Trump's base has evolved, the importance of travel in an age of misinformation, the West's position in the global order, the conflicts in the Middle East, AI in warfare, Palantir, China's technological rise in semiconductors and electric vehicles, what Vaclav Smil gets right and wrong in his energy analysis, and why the characteristics of solar offer new energy possibilities.

Chapters

(00:02:45) Trump voters and Michigan

(00:10:30) Travel as indispensable in geopolitical analysis

(00:15:20) The struggles of the West

(00:17:44) AI in modern warfare

(00:26:40) China, semiconductors, and electric vehicles

(00:35:45) What Vaclav Smill gets right and the limitations of his analysis

(00:41:52) Energy as flow, advanced solar, and entropy

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Follow Bruno on Twitter where he has over 126k followers.

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As High Performance Manager for Canada’s beach volleyball program at the Paris Olympics, Kerry recounts the silver medal won by Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. Will there be a better venue than the Eiffel Tower? What is it like to stay in the Olympic Village? Will we continue to see physical and tactical evolutions in the sport?

Kerry’s volleyball journey began with early morning practices in Revelstoke, BC, leading to coaching club volleyball in Calgary, completing a master’s degree in coaching, a PhD in injury epidemiology, and coaching the University of British Columbia to a national title.

In this episode, we discuss the use of data in unwinding strongly held cultural beliefs in sport, and how to think about injury prevention and load management throughout the demands of a season. His unique blend of academic rigor and practical coaching strategies set the foundation for his role in helping some of Canada’s top volleyball athletes succeed on the world stage.

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Without Grant Oh, I wouldn’t have known that energy trading even existed. This episode marks the first in a series of conversations aimed at demystifying an industry that affects all of us.

Throughout his career, Grant Oh worked at some of the top energy trading firms in the world. What was it like to work at Enron? How did energy trading operate before the ICE Exchange? Does Hollywood get the stereotypes right, or do top traders have a completely different demeanor? Is there an alternate reality where Brian Hunter is the victor and John Arnold the vanquished? And what was the most inefficient market Grant ever witnessed?

Chapters

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The Canadian Renewable Energy Association is the leading voice advocating for the integration of wind, solar, and energy storage into our electricity grids. In this episode, Vittoria shares valuable insights on the current tailwinds and headwinds facing the industry. We delve into the intricacies of electricity market design, with a particular focus on the considerations being addressed by the Alberta Electricity System Operator (AESO). As our energy resource mix evolves, so too must our markets and mechanisms to ensure the delivery of reliable and affordable energy.

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