Power Struggle

What if the future of clean energy isn’t about replacing fossil fuels — but building on what already works?

In this new episode of Power Struggle, chemical engineer and hydrogen advocate Matthew Klippenstein joins host Stewart Muir for a refreshingly honest conversation about Canada’s energy future. They explore why only 29% of hydrogen projects succeed, why natural gas is still essential for a stable grid, and why the energy transition isn’t a “clean vs. dirty” debate — it’s about resilience, realism, and respect.

From the January 2024 cold snap to dispatchable power and the future of oil sands as carbon fiber, this conversation cuts through the noise to offer grounded, forward-thinking insights for those serious about building sustainable systems.

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The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

What if the secret to understanding Canada’s energy future lies not in spreadsheets but in storytelling?

In this exclusive Power Struggle episode, renowned energy economist, author, and visual communicator Peter Tertzakian sits down with Stewart Muir to explore how we decode complexity, build trust, and make better decisions in a noisy, polarized world.

From photographing power lines to developing real-time AI diagnostic tools, Peter reveals how his unique blend of artistry and analytics is helping decision-makers, from cabinet ministers to CEOs, navigate the fast-changing energy landscape.

 Why are Canadians still missing the signal behind the noise?
 How can visual storytelling change how we talk about power, pipelines, and policy?
 What does the “Studio” model mean for the future of energy intelligence?

Whether you're an investor, policymaker, or just energy-curious, this is one conversation you’ll want to revisit.

 Don’t miss this wide-ranging discussion on trust, transition, and the tools we need to thrive in a world of energy abundance and information overload.

Watch now. Think deeper.

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The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

Canada could lead the world in clean aviation but will we? In this episode of Power Struggle, Stewart Muir sits down with Geoffrey Tauvette, head of the Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, to explore how Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) could revolutionize the industry, if we can overcome the cost, policy, and infrastructure hurdles.

With 810,000 Canadian jobs tied to aviation and growing demand for low-carbon travel, the stakes are high. Jeff explains why Canada has all the right ingredients, abundant feedstock, refinery capacity, and global partners, yet still lags in building a domestic SAF market.

We break down:

• What SAF is (and why it matters for climate)
  
  
• How airline economics and public expectations collide
  
  
• Why BC's "climate leadership" may backfire
  
  
• What Canada must do to stay competitive in global aviation
  
  
  

This is the conversation aviation, climate, and energy leaders need right now.

 Don’t miss this deep dive into one of Canada’s most urgent energy debates.

 Subscribe for more from Power Struggle.

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The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

Is Canada quietly sabotaging its own prosperity?

In this powerful new episode of Power Struggle, UBC lecturer and policy expert Adam Pankratz returns to the studio with Stewart Muir for a no-nonsense conversation about Canada's energy, economy, and future. From the ballooning costs of the Trans Mountain pipeline to the unintended consequences of government overreach, this episode breaks down the real reasons investors are fleeing  and what that means for your job, your home, and your standard of living.

We dig into:

• Why a $5B pipeline ended up costing over $30B
  
  
• How government failures in Indigenous consultation stalled critical projects
  
  
• Why no one wants to build pipelines in Canada anymore
  
  
• Whether EVs are really the clean solution we’ve been sold
  
  
• The growing fear over private property rights in B.C.
  
  
• And what happens to young Canadians if we keep missing the economic moment
  
  

Clear-eyed, courageous, and sometimes uncomfortable, this episode is essential viewing for anyone who cares about Canada’s future.

 Don’t miss this conversation with one of the most compelling voices on Canadian policy today.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

Crystal Smith, former Chief Councillor of the Haisla Nation, joins Power Struggle to share how her community turned a legacy of exclusion into one of empowerment by leading one of Canada’s most ambitious Indigenous-owned energy projects, Cedar LNG.

In this powerful conversation with Stewart Muir, Smith reflects not only on the business and policy decisions behind Cedar LNG, but also on the personal journey that shaped her leadership, from confronting intergenerational trauma to building confidence in the face of skepticism.

They discuss:

• What meaningful economic reconciliation looks like
  
  
• Why First Nations must lead resource development
  
  
• How the Haisla Nation took control of its future
  
  
• And what it takes to inspire the next generation of Indigenous leaders
  
  

Crystal Smith is one of the most influential Indigenous voices in Canada which makes this episode essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand what real progress looks like.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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Instagram
Facebook
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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

In this revealing episode of Power Struggle, host Stewart Muir sits down with Barry Penner, former Attorney General of British Columbia and Chair of the Energy Futures Institute, to examine the growing gap between EV policy and real-world implementation.

British Columbia has some of the most ambitious electric vehicle mandates in North America aiming to phase out the sale of internal combustion engines by 2035. But beneath the headlines, serious challenges are emerging: Not enough EVs on lots

- Charging access in condos and rural areas
- Power grid pressure and infrastructure lag
- Rising costs for used vehicles
- Regulatory speed bumps for consumers and industry

With decades of political and legal experience, Penner outlines what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change fast to make the energy transition fair, functional, and future-proof.

Whether you drive electric, gas, or don’t drive at all, this is a critical conversation about what sustainable transportation really requires.

🎙️ A new season of Power Struggle begins, with new voices, bold questions, and Canada’s energy future in focus.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

Linkedin
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

Forget model tweaks—the real AI race is about power. We sit down with Kris Krug to map how GPUs translate into gigawatts, why data centers are the new factories, and what it would take for British Columbia and Canada to turn clean energy into sovereign intelligence instead of exporting value and importing electrons. From Vancouver’s buzzing AI meetups to Meta’s multi‑gigawatt builds, we connect the dots between policy, infrastructure, and the businesses already adopting AI far beyond chatbots.

Kris walks us through his path from creative tech to generative AI, the moment Midjourney reignited his practice, and the community that formed around practical workflows. We dig into the hard math of energy—firm power versus storage fantasies, LNG tradeoffs versus hydro flexibility—and the strategic fork in the road: build compute where clean energy is abundant or watch others do it faster with our resources. Along the way, we unpack how jobs are changing toward orchestration and token efficiency, why hallucinations fade with purpose‑built tools, and how young workers use AI as an operating layer, not a search engine.

We also spotlight a different kind of leadership: Indigenous‑led data centers in cooler, energy‑rich regions, sovereign data governance, and the Indigenomics Institute’s AI platform measuring economic value GDP misses. Alberta’s coordinated push (and Amii’s impact) shows what alignment can unlock; BC’s opportunity is to organize around clean, green, ethical AI that keeps models, insights, and benefits closer to home. If energy is the new cornerstone of intelligence, then policy is product design—and the decisions we make now will decide who owns the tokens of tomorrow.

If this conversation got you thinking, follow and share the show, leave a review with your biggest takeaway, and tell us: should clean power make AI a Canadian strategic priority?

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The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

What does it take to build the largest private investment in Canadian history? Susanna Pierce reveals the inside story of the $40 billion LNG Canada project as it prepares to ship its first cargo – a milestone she helped shape during her tenure as president of Shell Canada.

The conversation takes us behind the curtain of mega-project development, where Pierce describes the intricate dance of coordinating every aspect of the value chain while building meaningful partnerships with First Nations communities. "What made LNG Canada reality was everyone coming together," she explains, highlighting how Indigenous leadership from figures like Crystal Smith and Ellis Ross was fundamental to the project's success. This represents a powerful model of economic reconciliation where First Nations have "a share and a say" in resource development.

Pierce offers unique perspective on what it means for Canada to become an energy superpower – balancing our hydrocarbon resources with climate responsibility while remaining competitive in global markets. Drawing from her experience living in both Alberta and British Columbia, she provides nuanced insights on the cultural and economic divides that shape our national energy conversations: "When I read the newspaper in BC about oil and gas, I heard about how bad we are. In Calgary, I heard about how misunderstood we are."

Now heading into a new chapter with Peter Tertzakian at StudioEnergy, Pierce is applying her skills to create data-driven solutions for Canada's energy challenges. But perhaps most surprising is her passionate commitment to fighting human trafficking in Canada – a cause she's tackling by building networks between organizations and corporations to create collective impact.

As Canada navigates complex choices about its energy future, Pierce offers a compelling vision: the opportunity to redefine who we are on the global stage while creating prosperity at home. Her journey demonstrates how leadership, resilience and cooperation can move seemingly impossible projects from vision to reality.

Ready to hear more conversations with energy decision-makers shaping our future? Subscribe to Power Struggle and share this episode to help us keep these important dialogues going.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

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Instagram
Facebook
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🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

California's ambitious EV mandate faces serious challenges with the 2026 requirement of 35% zero-emission vehicles while current market share sits at just 20%. Brian Maas, president of the California New Car Dealers Association, explains the growing tension between political ambition and market realities.

• California leads the US in electric vehicle adoption with one in five vehicles sold being pure EVs

• Upcoming mandate requires 35% of all vehicles manufactured for California to be zero-emission by 2026

• Manufacturers face $20,000 fines per non-compliant vehicle, likely leading to restricted allocation of gas-powered cars

• 64% of Californians oppose the zero-emission vehicle mandate to go 100% by 2035

• Insufficient charging infrastructure remains the top concern preventing consumers from transitioning to EVs

• California needs 1 million public chargers by 2030 but currently has only 178,000

• Price difference between electric and gas vehicles ranges from a few thousand to over $10,000

• California dealers have launched a "Calibrate" campaign asking regulators to pause enforcement

• China's BYD has become the world's largest EV manufacturer, raising trade and policy questions

If you're enjoying Power Struggle, make sure to subscribe, like and share this episode, because it helps us bring fact-based energy conversations to more people across Canada and beyond.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

Linkedin
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod

The Tahltan Nation of northwestern British Columbia is redefining Indigenous participation in the mining industry, with women leading operations and creating economic prosperity through ownership stakes in major resource projects.

• Tahltan territory spans 97,000 square kilometers (size of Portugal) and contains the mineral-rich "Golden Triangle"
• The nation has deep historical connections to mining, trading obsidian across North America before European contact
• Women from this matrilineal society dominate leadership positions and excel in operating heavy equipment
• Economic agreements like Impact Benefit Agreements ensure communities receive fair benefits from resource development
• Chad Day developed "internal reconciliation" processes that create certainty through community-wide ratification votes
• The Tahltan have become part-owners of $3 billion in hydroelectric projects that power their territory
• Cultural preservation remains a priority alongside responsible development
• Future goals include creating Tahltan-controlled institutions for wildlife management and justice

If you want to learn more about the Tahltan Nation's approach to resource development, visit thadu.ca or follow Chad Norman Day on social media.

Send us Fan Mail

The energy conversation is polarizing. But the reality is multidimensional. Get the full story with host Stewart Muir.

Reach out to us with thoughts, questions, or ideas at [email protected]

Linkedin
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter

🎧 For audio versions of our podcast visit powerstruggle.ca and listen on the go in your favourite podcast app!
Video available on Power Struggle’s YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@PowerStrugglePod