Switched On

Clean energy is booming in Latin America, where wind and solar are breaking records year after year. But as the world battles inflation, can the trend continue? And can the region harness its clean-energy resources to become a key green hydrogen exporter? To find out more, Dana spoke with BNEF’s Head of Latin America Research, James Ellis, and São Paulo-based BNEF Associate Natalia Castilhos Rypl. Together they discuss the key findings from BNEF’s most recent Latin America Market Outlook, which nations are throwing their weight behind renewable energy installations, and whether the region could be on the brink of a green hydrogen boom.

Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

Links to research notes from this episode:

1H 2023 Latin America Market Outlook - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31585

Latin America’s Big Green Hydrogen Export Dreams May Slip - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31343

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Countries are racing to acquire the rare minerals and resources necessary for clean energy tech. So how can they secure their own positions while also building strategic partnerships? Helaina Matza, who has spent her career as a diplomat and negotiator with the US Government, is here to help explain the process. Now the Deputy Special Presidential Coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, Helaina has also served as Director of Energy Transformation at the Bureau of Energy Resources and Director of Climate Diplomacy and Energy Transformation at the National Security Council in the White House.

Helaina sat down with BNEF Editor Kamala Schelling to discuss US policy and the energy transition, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, and what her work as a diplomat has taught her about tackling climate change.

Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

To find out about BNEF’s Summits and to listen to more interviews, go to https://about.bnef.com/summit/

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Agriculture, forestry and land use are among the most climate-sensitive areas of our economy. They also account for almost a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, which begs the question: Can anything be done to reduce farming’s sizable carbon footprint? On today’s show, Dana talks to Caroline Lewis, an analyst from BNEF’s Sustainable Agriculture team, about perennial crops, one possible solution. Together they discuss the benefits of multiyear lifecycles, the evolution from annual to perennial cereals, and how these crops could aid carbon sequestration while also reducing overall emissions in the sector. 

This podcast drew upon themes found in the BNEF research note, Perennial Cereals: The Root of Regenerative Agriculture. Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

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The last year has been a tough one for the G-20 member nations, with soaring energy prices and a global inflationary crisis. Against such a backdrop, what is happening to climate policies and net-zero targets? Victoria Cuming, Head of Global Policy at BloombergNEF, returns to the pod to talk with Dana about the 2023 edition of the G-20 Zero-Carbon Policy Scoreboard. Together they discuss a range of topics, including this year’s ‘winners and losers,’ the US Inflation Reduction Act’s global impact, and what the upcoming G-20 meeting may mean for climate goals worldwide.

Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

Links to research notes from this episode:

G-20 Zero-Carbon Policy Scoreboard: Issue 2023 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31383

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Have you ever wondered what it would take to get a clean energy transition loan from the US government? Jigar Shah knows all about it. An entrepreneur, podcaster, and director of the US Energy Department’s Loan Programs Office, Jigar helps businesses fund their clean energy transition while offering thought leadership in the field. He recently sat down with BNEF Senior Editor Vandana Gombar to discuss his current role, available DOE loans and how companies can apply for them, and who should pick up the tab for new transmission capacity in the US.

Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

To find out about BNEF’s Summits and to listen to more interviews, go to https://about.bnef.com/summit/

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From investing in startups and appearing on TV shows to writing books and teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs, Michael Webber, the CTO of Energy Impact Partners and the Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources at the University of Texas at Austin, brings an array of experiences and insights to the energy transition. On today’s episode, he joins BNEF Chief Editor Ben Vickers to discuss the art of entrepreneurship, what Energy Impact Partners look for when investing in startups, and how his time working with ENGIE helped him change his mind about ‘green’ hydrogen.

Complimentary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app.

To find out about BNEF’s Summits and to listen to more interviews, go to about.bnef.com/summit/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The passing of the Inflation Reduction Act by the Biden administration was partly designed to stimulate US clean-tech energy projects and equipment production. In the nine months since its introduction, has the IRA succeeded in increasing domestic renewables production, and what has been the reaction to it outside the US? On today’s show Antoine Vagneur-Jones, BNEF’s head of trade and supply chains, returns to talk to Dana. Together, they discuss a variety of topics, including the potential fracturing of existing supply chains as countries attempt to onshore their clean-tech production, the policies that other nations and trading blocs have introduced in response to the IRA, and the dangers posed to international net-zero targets by these structural shifts.

BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. 

Links to research notes from this episode: 

Energy Transition's New Industrial Landscape - https://about.bnef.com/blog/energy-transitions-new-industrial-landscape/

Europe's Bid to Reshore Clean Tech Pulls Its Punches - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31053

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For more than a century, the ESG label has been used to describe investments that take environmental, social and governance concerns into account. Recently, the label has become a political flashpoint,  buffeted between lawsuits from the right and accusations of greenwashing from the left. So where does ESG investing go from here? On today’s show, Dana talks with Maia Godemer, a Senior Associate from BNEF’s Sustainable Finance team. Together they discuss a variety of topics, including how ESG fits into different investment strategies, the greenwashing risks attached to the label, and where ESG sits within the turbulent political landscape in the US. 

BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. 

Links to research notes from this episode: 

Mass ESG Fund Downgrades That Rocked Market May Be Reversed - https://www.bnef.com/news/1131545 

Unpacking ESG ETFs' Fall From Grace - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31157 

US Lawmakers Hoisted By Own Petard With Anti-ESG Push - https://www.bnef.com/insights/31121 

To Stop Greenwashing We First Need to Agree on What It Is - https://www.bnef.com/insights/30359 

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Having overtaken China as the world’s most populous nation, and with a developing economy that’s rapidly industrializing, India’s energy demand is growing. But as other countries move toward green energy sources and net-zero targets, can India, this year’s G-20 host, find a way to successfully transition away from its coal-dominated energy market? On today’s show, Dana talks with Rohit Gadre, a Senior Associate from BNEF’s New Delhi office. Together they discuss a variety of topics, including the current makeup of India’s energy sector, the IPPs and global companies taking part in India’s energy auctions, and how – and whether – the country can achieve its net-zero goals.

BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com or on the BNEF mobile app. BNEF Insight Notes cited in this podcast include, Renewables Meet Peak Power Demand in Latest India Auction and 1H 2023 India Renewables Market Outlook: A Turbulent Time. Information regarding BNEF's New Delhi Summit can be found at https://about.bnef.com/summit/newdelhi

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CEPSA, the Spanish multinational traditionally known for its oil and gas expertise, is looking toward a greener future with its new Positive Motion strategy. On today's show, Albert Cheung, Deputy CEO at BNEF, speaks with CEPSA CEO Maarten Wetselaar about what it means to rethink the future of a business that has traditionally focused on hydrocarbons. Together they discuss a variety of subjects, including how the implementation of the Positive Motion strategy is successfully transitioning the company across multiple sectors, conflicting approaches between public and private multinational investment in renewables, and recent international competition between nations within the green energy space.

Complimentary research from BNEF on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal, on bnef.com, or on the BNEF mobile app.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.