Renewable Energy SmartPod

Walt Musial, a principal engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, stops by the show to discuss the current state of the US offshore wind market. Walt details progress in key regions like the Northeast, where gigawatt-scale projects are actively under construction. Walt addresses the ramifications of renegotiations of power purchase agreements and the mixed outcome of recent offshore wind lease auctions. On the technology front, Walt goes into great detail about the potential of floating wind technology, which offers flexible siting and cost benefits when compared to fixed-bottom turbines. Walt also outlines the key highlights of NREL's annual Offshore Wind Energy Market Assessment, which track information for 2,036 active offshore wind energy projects in 49 countries.

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Sponsored by EDF Renewables
Learn more about Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind

The offshore wind industry has been navigating some choppy seas as of late, so Oliver Metcalfe, Head of Wind Research at BloombergNEF, stops by the show to outline what the industry must do to chart a course for sustained growth. Oliver recently returned from an industry conference in China, so he shares his expert insights on that market -- including how Chinese turbine companies are starting to boost their export efforts. When it comes to policy, Oliver details how the early steps in the UK market that put offshore wind on a path for success could be copied in other developing markets. And finally, we turn our attention to the US, where tough economic conditions are beginning to recede, but much work lies ahead for the offshore wind industry to reach its full potential.

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Wade Gungoll, CEO of Industrial Sun, and Christine Larson, the Head of Strategy and Operations at Modern Energy, stop by the show to discuss the role of renewables in heavy industries like chemical processing, manufacturing, and oil and gas. Petrochemical refineries might not be first thing that comes to your mind when you think of the facilities that powered by renewables, but it’s happening -- and Wade and Christine are here to tell us more about it.

They highlight the unique approach of Industrial Sun, which focuses on industrial net-metered solar for heavy industries, offering significant cost savings and green attributes. They discuss the challenges and opportunities in the data center market and outline why Big Tech's race for computing power means renewables might actually have to wait to capture a larger share of the market. Christine predicts a rise in battery storage, while Wade predicts more than $100 billion in green hydrogen investment in ERCOT by 2030.

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Jason Peart, GM of Strategy and Development at Sage Geosystems, joins the show to outline the many ways geothermal energy is advancing to provide diverse solutions for the world's booming growth in power demand. Jason walks us through some need-to-know information about the latest trends and technologies related to geothermal energy, including how progress is being made on using geothermal for energy storage. Jason also shares details about a partnership Sage recently formed with Meta to power data centers, as well as the work Sage is doing with the US Air Force, the US Army and California Resources Corporation.

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Sponsored by KPMG

With Climate Week in full swing, tons of speeches, meetings and presentations are taking place in New York, with an eye toward how the energy transition will continue to evolve. One key technology that will continue to play a huge role in that evolution is batteries. Roger Miksad, the president and executive director of Battery Council International, stops by the show to explain how batteries of various chemistries are advancing to power things like data centers, EVs and microgrids. Roger also touches on a few policies that the battery sector is watching closely, like the USA Batteries Act. And with more and more batteries coming to the market, Roger outlines the hard work BCI and its members have put in over the years to advance recycling and develop a circular economy for raw materials and components.

More resources from KPMG
KPMG generative AI survey report: Energy, natural resources and chemicals
KPMG LLP AI & Digital Innovation Quarter Pulse Survey - Q2 2024

Key highlights
The importance of Climate Week - (2:57)
What Roger hopes to see from this year's Climate Week - (3:59)
The expanding role of batteries in the energy landscape - (4:30)
Specific areas batteries are powering the energy transition - (6:04)
The impact the Inflation Reduction Act is having on battery manufacturing - (7:53)
Other policies that are crucial for the battery industry - (10:31)
The role batteries play in powering data centers - (14:41)
Advancements in battery recycling and the circular economy - (16:42)
Roger's bold predictions - (19:58)

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Sponsored by KPMG and EDF Renewables

With the election fast-approaching, many people in the renewable energy industry are wondering how a potential shift in the current political power structure in the US might impact the push for clean energy. With that uncertainty in mind, Suzanne Leta, vice president of policy and advocacy for the Americas at Fluence, joins the show to discuss tax incentives related to the Inflation Reduction Act, with a particular focus on domestic manufacturing. Suzanne also explains how tariffs related to batteries are structured in a way that makes them surprisingly vulnerable to the whims of whoever occupies the White House. Suzanne also touches on cybersecurity and shares her insights on the impact data centers powering AI are placing on batteries and the rest of the grid … and how smart utilities and other organizations are planning to manage that increased energy demand.

More insights from Suzanne:
Powering America's Future: Grid-Scale Energy Storage Boosts Grid Reliability, Jobs and US Manufacturing

More resources from KPMG:
Survey results:  High energy expectations for renewables

More resources from EDF Renewables:
What We Do

Key highlights from Suzanne:
The buzz around domestic manufacturing - (4:01)
Other IRA incentives like the PTC, ITC and other bonus tax credits - (10:45)
The whimsical nature of Section 301 tariffs on batteries - (13:20)
The politics of the election and the energy transition in the US - (17:15)
Cybersecurity and the grid - (22:12)
Manaing the boom in energy demand from AI data centers - (26:41)
'Hyperscale' data centers vs. typical data centers - (27:24)
Suzanne's bold predictions about the future of battery storage - (31:46)

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Sponsored by KPMG

In this special episode from RE+, we connect with Ryan Pfaff, EVP of Grid- and Distribution-Scale Power at EDF Renewables. Ryan discusses the massive growth in energy demand from companies and utilities, the geographic distribution of clean energy jobs across the US and what the future of automation might look like for renewables. Ryan explains how the longer duration of incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act is boosting renewables and he also outlines what customers and developers can do to quicken the pace of projects and bring more clean energy to the grid.

More resources from KPMG
Survey results:  High energy expectations for renewables 

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Sponsored by EDF Renewables

This special episode focusing on RE+ features insights from Jessica Libby, a Principal in the KPMG US Trade and Customs service line. Jessica shares her expert analysis of all the hottest topics from the conference, including the outlook for tariffs, news related to forced labor and the future of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). We also discuss the long-term prospects for key components of the Inflation Reduction Act -- regardless of which party takes the White House.

And in a lighter moment, Jessica kicks off the conversation by revealing that one of the 'must-see' things at this year's RE+ is sheep ... real, live sheep in the convention hall.

More resources from EDF Renewables
What We Do

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Sponsored by KPMG and Vinson & Elkins

Chris Creed, the chief investment officer at the US Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office (LPO), joins the show to discuss how the LPO is deploying public funds and attracting private capital to energy, transportation and manufacturing projects that are advancing technologies and delivering jobs across America. Creed shares his insider perspective on how the LPO's various financial programs are helping established companies expand their operations and newer companies build what the LPO calls a 'bridge to bankability.'

Key highlights
Overall mission of the LPO - (3:42)
Projects the LPO has recently helped finance - (4:26)
Diversity of projects that apply for LPO financing - (6:50)
The differing maturity levels of companies within the LPO's portfolio - (10:13)
The philosphy behind the 'bridge to bankability' - (18:27)
The 'patient capital' of the LPO - (20:08)
How the LPO works with private investors - (22:25)
The process for LPO applicants - (24:44)

More resources from the LPO
Monthly Application Activity Report

More resources from KPMG
Turning the Tide in Scaling Renewables
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

More resources from Vinson & Elkins
Energy Transition & Clean Technology
In-Depth Insight on the Energy Transition
V&E+ - Conversations About Our Values, Views and Ventures
Vinson & Elkins' main office is located at:
845 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002
+1-713-758-2222

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Sponsored by KPMG

More resources from KPMG
Transferable Tax Credits
Energy & Chemicals
Energy Institute 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy

As the financial landscape for the renewables industry continues to evolve, Luis Silva, the chief financial officer at EDF Renewables, joins the show to offer his perspective on what lies ahead for the energy transition. Luis delves into areas of focus like the Inflation Reduction Act, the cost of capital and emerging trends around how projects are being financed. We also spend a great deal of time talking about transferable tax credits. In fact, when asked to share his bold predictions … the first one Luis mentions is very much related to transferable tax credits.

Key highlights
How the financial landscape for renewables has evolved - (3:21)
Operating in the current interest rate environment - (5:06)
What are the biggest financial risks to the renewables industry right now? - (6:40)
New players in the transferable tax credit market - (8:10)
Key questions being asked around tax deals - (10:19)
Luis' views on the Inflation Reduction Act - (13:47)
Policy moves that could help the renewables industry - (17:05)
Top concerns around deal finance - (17:51)
Luis' bold predictions - (19:26)

More resources from EDF Renewables
What we do - Solar

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