Table of Contents
The energy future is electric, but transitioning from fossil fuels to low-carbon electricity (wind, solar, batteries, hydro, nuclear, etc.) is an immense challenge. This section explores those challenges in countries around the world.
General
The 2nd Age of Electricity…this time we’re electrifying EVERYTHING – interview with economist Dr. Werner Antweiler
Wind, solar adoption will soar during 2020s – IEA – anchor story interview with Heymi Bahran, International Energy Agency
Accelerated electrification of economies is inevitable – video interview with Natasha Vidangos, head of research Alliance to Save Energy
Electric revolution by 2030? – anchor story with Tony Seba, economist and founder of Re-ThinkX
Canadian energy experts prefer wind, solar – study – video interview with Dr. Tom Green of the David Suzuki Foundation
Electricity sector responsible for all of American emissions reduction – Energi Talks podcast with Dr. Thomas Rowlands-Rees of BloombergNEF
Electricity Systems
Micro-grids part of the answer to California, Texas electricity system problems? – video interview with Peter Asmus, director of micro-grids for Guidehouse Insights
60% of electricity micro-grid projects fail in developing countries – video interview with Prof. Feyza Sahinyazan, Simon Fraser University
Canada’s energy sector vulnerable to cyber-attacks by organized crime, malicious govts, hackers – video interview with cyber-security expert David Masson
Pacific NW electricity going carbon-free without natural gas? – anchor story with Ben Kujala, director of power planning for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council
Can intermittent wind/solar be integrated into Canada’s power grids? You bet! – Zoffee with Prof. Tim Weis, industrial engineering, University of Alberta
Canada likely to meet 90% no-emissions electricity by 2030 target – video interview with economist Dave Sawyer of EnviroEconomics
Behind-the-meter applications are hit and miss – video interview with Allan Fogwill, CEO of the Canadian Energy Research Institute
Texas power outages due to frozen natural gas infrastructure, not wind turbines – video interview with Prof. Joshua Rhodes, University of Texas at Austin
How a little mistake created a big financial bubble around coal, gas, nuclear, hydropower assets – video interview with Tony Seba of RethinkX
Electricity Systems of the Future
Net-zero electricity system by 2050 is doable, but needs provinces to cooperate with Ottawa – video interview with Dr. Mark Jaccard, Simon Fraser University and co-author of, “A Zero Emission Canadian Electricity System by 2035.”
Canada, USA will need 2-3x more electricity by 2050 – video interview with Dr. Chris Bataille of Paris-based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations
Old coal and gas power stations can become fabulous green assets, says new study – video interview with Dr. Peter Harrop of IDTechX
Integrated Canada and US power grid goal of new advocacy group – video interview with Philip Duguay, managing director, of Canada Grid
SolarAPP+ reduces US residential solar permitting times to…zero seconds? – video interview with Mark Parthum, Accela
Vancouver tech firm creates platform to help decarbonize global energy systems – Mischa Steiner, CEO of Awesense
Biden’s climate ambitions require US power grid innovation. Fortunately, the technology has arrived – video interview with Jenny Erwin of Smart Wires
Biden spending $100 billion to modernize US power grid – video interview with Rob Gramlich, executive director of Americans for a Clean Energy Grid
Coming soon: The electric utility of the future – Energi Talks podcast with American utility expert Val Jensen
The future electricity system requires better markets – video interview with Dr. David Robinson of the Oxford Energy Institute
Using “grid enhancing tech” could double amount of wind, solar in electricity systems – video interview with Rob Gramlich, executive director, WATT Coalition
Alberta’s Electricity System of the Future
Batteries combined with gas turbine reduce ENMAX peaker plant GHG emissions by 80% – video interview with Lonnie Enns of ENMAX
Only in Alberta: Corporate electricity purchases big part of solar, wind growth – video interview with Rebecca Nadel, director, Business Renewables Centre Canada
New report addresses future of Alberta power grid – video interview with economist Dr. Blake Shaffer
Preparing for an uncertain future: Modernizing the Alberta power grid – video interview with Olexandr Vasetsky, director of technology and innovation at the Alberta Utilities Commission
Rebrand Alberta by focusing on electricity – Markham On Energy column
Open letter demands ENMAX adopt net-zero emissions by 2050 goal – video interview with Dr. Joe Vipond, Calgary Climate Hub
Alberta govt earns $26 million from renewable energy program – video interview with economist Dr. Blake Shaffer
British Columbia’s Electricity System of the Future
BC Hydro’s draft power strategy is hugely underwhelming: “a 20th century plan for the 21st century” – video interview with Dan Woynillowicz, clean energy and technology consultant, Polaris Strategy
The future of BC Hydro and the BC electricity system – Energi Talks podcast with Dr. Mark Jaccard, director of the School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University
Election question: BC Hydro status quo or more market-based electricity system?– Markham On Energy column
Western states not the solution to BC power needs – video interview with Ben Kujala, director of power planning, Northwest Power and Conservation Council
California power problems a potential migraine for BC?– Markham On Energy column
BC needs more private electricity, not less – Markham On Energy column
First Nations should be allowed to offer clean energy to BC ratepayers: SFU group – Energi Media article
Manitoba’s Electricity System of the Future
Brad Wall review of Manitoba Hydro raises privatization concerns – video interview with Dr. Christopher Adams, adjunct professor, political studies, University of Manitoba
Ontario’s Electricity System of the Future
Ontario’s broken electricity system – Energi Talks podcast with Prof. Mark Winfield, York University
Big benefits of rooftop solar for Ontario electricity system – video interview with Nicholas Gall, Canadian Renewable Energy Association
Hydrogen a fix for Ontario’s natural gas power plant problem? – video interview with Mark Kirby, CEO of the Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association
Huge utility-scale battery project planned for SW Ontario – video interview with Jason Rioux, of NRStor Inc., about Oneida Energy Storage project
Ontario launches review of gas-fired power as nuclear plants prepare to go offline – video interview with Prof. Mark Winfield, York University
Ford govt inexplicably repealing Ontario policy prioritizing renewable energy – video interview with Prof. Mark Winfield, York University
The Lake Erie Connector: $1.7 billion boondoggle mostly paid for by Canadian taxpayers? – video interview with Prof. Mark Winfield, York University
The Martitimes’ Electricity System of the Future
Nova Scotia solar law a good start, but the devil is in the details – video interview with Greg Goubko of Sierra Club Canada
American Electricity System of the Future
Why “grid modernization” is at the heart of renewables, climate targets in USA and Canada – video interview with Hudsen Gilmer, CEO of LineVision
FERC 2222A: Will ruling “supercharge” wind, solar, and battery adoption by American power grid? – video interview with Allison Bates Wannop of Voltus
Texas’ Electricity System of the Future
Texas power outages due to frozen natural gas infrastructure, not wind turbines – video interview with Prof. Joshua Rhodes, University of Texas at Austin
Electricity Markets
How renewable energy certificates + markets grow European wind, solar – video interview with Tom Lindberg of Norwegian consulting firm ECHOZ
Electricity market reform: No energy transition without it – Energi Talks podcast with Prof. Joshua Rhodes, University of Texas at Austin
FERC 2222A: Will ruling “supercharge” wind, solar, and battery adoption by American power grid? – video interview with lawyer Allison Bates Wannop of Voltus
Virtual power plants and evolving electricity markets – video interview with Stanford economist Prof. Frank Wolak
Canadian prices driving changes to provincial electricity rules – video interview with economist Grant Bishop of the CD Howe Institute
Renewables/storage not economic for arbitrage (2019) – video interview with Allan Fogwill, CEO of the Canadian Energy Research Institute
Hydro
Hydropower growth is slowing just as the world needs more of it to support net-zero by 2050 – video interview with Heymi Behar, IEA analyst
Hydro’s main value is not electricity generation, but storage for renewables – Energi Talks podcast with Emil Dimanchev, PhD candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Floating solar farms on hydrodam reservoirs an interesting niche renewables application – video interview with Jenny Chase, head of solar analysis for BloombergNEF
Site C cost balloons to $16 billion, Horgan govt ploughing ahead anyway – video interview with economist Nic Rivers, University of Ottawa
Should Site C proceed? Only under certain conditions, says new study – video interview with economist Dr. Kent Fellows
Site C bombshells in new study by American consultant – video interview with consultant Robert McCullough
Government red tape holding back American small hydro development – video interview with Hannah Cohen, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Master of Arts in Sustainable Energy program
Wind Energy
Move over Alberta gas, wind and solar now the cheapest form of energy – video interview with economist Dr. Blake Shaffer
Floating offshore wind power starting to take off – video interview with Paul Hillegiest, Quest Floating Wind Energy
Solar Energy
Rooftop solar economics: cost vs. value – Energi Talks podcast with Behnam Zakeri, research scholar with the Integrated Assessment and Climate Change Research Group
Solar-powered greenhouses in the Yukon? Even in the winter? – video interview with Henry Penn, University of Calgary and The Arctic Institute of North America’s Kluane Lake Research Station
Solar is the new king…because of engineering advantages – video interview with Dr. Sara Hastings-Simon, Colorado School of Mines
Alberta’s solar’s moment in the sun – video interview with Ben Thibault, executive director of Solar Alberta
Turning Alberta well sites into solar farms – video interview with Keith Hirsche of RenuWell
The Alberta solar revolution – Zoffee with engineer and Canadian solar pioneer Gordon Howell
Energy Storage
ACCURE Battery Intelligence – sponsored
ACCURE Podcast: Interview with Professor Dirk Uwe Sauer
Battery Recycling: Interview with Kim Kreisköther
Batteries
Li-ion battery’s poor cousin, iron phosphate, in vogue thanks to Tesla – video interview with Dr. Kai-Philipp Karies, CEO of ACCURE Battery Science
Tesla’s “beer can” battery key to future $25,000 electric car – video interview with Ram Chandrasekeran, principal transportation and mobility analyst for Wood Mackenzie
Battery storage important for wind and solar adoption, but power grid reform also critical – video interview with Dr. Kai-Philipp Karies, CEO of ACCURE Battery Science
Ottawa, Quebec kick in $50 million for new $160 million Lion Electric battery factory – video interview with Joanna Kyriazis, EV policy analyst for Clean Energy Canada
Battery storage plays a big role helping power grid integrate wind, solar – US govt lab study – video interview with Nate Blair, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
This changes everything: Battery prices in free fall – interview with James Frith, head of BloombergNEF battery storage research
Recycle 95% of lithium-ion batteries? Canadian company leads industry – video interview with Tim Johnston of Li-cycle
Holy batteries, Batman! Pow! Bam! Right on the kisser of the internal combustion engine – video interview with Mady Tyson, senior analyst with the Rocky Mountain Institute
Compressed Air Storage
Is compressed air storage the answer to adding more wind and solar to the electricity grid? – video interview with Jon Norman, CEO of Hydrostor.
Building Electrification
Home electrification set to take off – video interview with Daniel Talero, analyst for Navigant Research
In 1960 only 2% of USA homes were heated with electricity, today it’s 38% – video interview with economist Lucas Davis, a professor at the Haas Institute, University of Berkely
Readying Canada’s buildings for the climate of tomorrow – article by Tom-Pierre Frappé-Sénéclauze, Pembina Institute
Geothermal
New Geothermal Energy Lab hopes to accelerate development of new geothermal technologies – video interview with Dr. Roman Shor, University of Calgary
Geothermal project a go after testing shows Grande Prairie well hot enough to produce electricity – video interview with Dr. Catherine Hickson, CEO of Alberta No. 1
Feds give $40.5 million for 100% indigenous-owned geothermal project in Fort Nelson, BC – video interview with John Ebell, Barkley Project Group
DEEP Earth Energy designing first geothermal power facility in Canada
Geothermal commitment by Alberta a great start – video interview with Alison Thompson of Canadian Geothermal Association
Alberta’s geothermal regulations need improvement – video interview with Alison Thompson of Canadian Geothermal Association
Nuclear
California slow to plan for 2024 Diablo Canyon nuclear reactor closure – video interview with Mark Specht, Union of Concerned Scientists
New Brunswick small modular reactor passes preliminary review – video interview with Rory O’Sullivan, North American CEO of Moltex
Nuclear power plant fuelled by old waste from CANDU reactors could be only a decade away – video interview with Simon Newton of UK-based Moltex
Small modular nuclear reactor for Ontario by 2028? OPG says it’s possible – video interview with Robin Manley, VP for nuclear development, Ontario Power Generation
Is nuclear answer to Canadian concerns about climate change? – video interview with John Gorman of the Canadian Nuclear Association
Nuclear power ready for primetime? – video interview with Marla Orenstein, director of the Natural Resources Centre, Canada West Foundation
Alberta embraces small modular nuclear reactors – video interview with Prof. Brian Livingston, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
Small modular reactor first to receive US design approval – video interview with Dom Claudio of NuScale Power
Small modular nuclear reactors: The forgotten clean energy source? – video interview with Prof. Rudi Tschinger, faculty of law, University of Calgary
Coal
Canadians still financing dirty coal projects around the world – German study – video interview with Adam Scott, director, Shift Action for Pension Wealth & Planet Health
Global coal use up in 2020 led by China, but demand rapidly slowing in rest of Asia – video interview with Dr. Christine Shearer of Global Energy Monitor