Powering Sustainable Ideas

The new generation of nuclear reactors will be smaller than conventional plants, and capable of being factory-built at speed. But can they shake the industry’s historical record of delays and cost overruns? At RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition conference, Cory Kos of Cameco and Alastair Evans of Rolls-Royce SMR outline their vision, while Rajesh Kedia from the UK’s National Wealth Fund predicts investors’ reaction. And Warrick Matthews of Tokamak Energy offers insight into the progress of fusion energy technology.

Current types of sustainable airline fuels will only last 10 years. Existing grids won’t support electrification of some big bus depots. Jonathon Counsell, Group Head of Sustainability at airline group IAG, and Ryan Mangold, Chief Financial Officer at bus operator FirstGroup, explain how they plan to overcome these limitations on their decarbonisation journeys, in a conversation at RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition conference.

The UK is acknowledged as a renewables leader. Heavy transmission investment will help it enhance energy security alongside clean power. But when it comes to the third point of the energy trilemma, affordability, there’s a problem: the country’s electricity demand is just too low. Chris Stark, the UK government’s Head of Mission Control for Clean Power 2030, sets out its strategy in conversation at RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition Conference.

For over 50 years, the Drax power station has been helping to power the UK – first as a coal-fired plant, and today as a biomass facility. Could Drax, and other energy infrastructure from the same era, evolve yet again to help meet the soaring electricity demand of the coming decades? Richard Gwilliam, Future of Drax Power Station Director, outlines his vision in a session at RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition conference in London.

The march of AI and electrification have opened up diverse applications for storage and mineral companies. At RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition Conference, three players in different parts of the market surveyed the biggest opportunities, and the challenges faced by the European industry. André Burdet of Hitachi Energy, Matti Heitanen of Finnish Minerals Group, and Osprey Charging’s Monique Rodrigues trade perspectives on the fast-changing market.

In a 40-year career, Francesco Starace has become one of the leading figures in the energy transition – first as CEO at Enel Group, and now as a Partner at specialist investment EQT Group. In a keynote session at RBC Capital Markets’ Energy Transition Conference, Starace shared his views on the progress of the transition, the global challenge posed by soaring electricity demand, and the potential contribution of his first specialism, nuclear.

With a 75-year track record under its belt, TC Energy is poised to enter a new phase of growth, thanks to a presence across North America and the growing demand for energy at home and abroad. In conversation at RBC’s Global Energy, Power and Infrastructure Conference, President and CEO François Poirier outlines the company’s current tailwinds, and why he sees particular LNG growth opportunities for Canada.

Key Points

• Canada has new opportunities to meet growing global demand for LNG.

• TC Energy is lifting self-imposed capital allocation limits as it seeks to grow its assets across North America.

• Safety, profitability and asset reliability are closely entwined in the success of the business.

The expansion of power and infrastructure to support the energy transition is unfolding against a complex backdrop. Policy uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and shifting market forces are colliding with record investment and a rapidly evolving mix of technologies. Ralph Ibendahl, Global Head of Energy Transition and Co-head of Power Utilities for Europe, assesses the challenges and opportunities with expert colleagues from the U.S., Canada, and Australia.

Key Points

• Increasing global power demand is leading to growth across all power types and grids.

• Policymakers need to balance affordability concerns with growth opportunities.

• Recent deals include financing for a major nuclear project in Canada, and build-out of Germany’s grid.

• Companies are drawing on a full mix of funding types, including infrastructure equity, private credit, and structured capital.

• Many companies are turning to the public markets, where valuations are stronger.

• RBC Capital Markets is guiding clients through this volatile market.

Canada is building a Sustainable Finance Taxonomy to provide clarity for issuers and investors navigating the energy transition. In this episode, Barbara Zvan, President and CEO of the University Pension Plan and Chair of the Canadian Taxonomy Financial Sector Advisory Group, outlines the governance structure and timeline, in a conversation with Sarah Thompson, Global Head of Sustainable Finance recorded at RBC Capital Markets' Sustainable Debt Conference.

They extract CO2 direct from the air, but direct air capture technologies typically drink up massive quantities of water and energy while doing so. An alternative offered by New Jersey-based Avnos actually generates water. In this episode of Powering Sustainable Ideas, Avnos founder Will Kain explains how it’s done, and why he believes his innovation will be especially attractive to datacenter operators.