My Energy 2050 Podcast

This week we speak with Sarah Mills, a Senior Project Manager, at the Graham Sustainability Institute, and Lecturer at the School for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.    Uniquely for this podcast, we are learning about the Midwest of the United States and my home state of Michigan.  For me, this was one of the most eye-opening interviews I've done in a very long time. I realize that sounds really odd, but I was surprised by a lot of the research Sarah has done of who supports and who doesn't support the development of renewable energy projects at the community level. This rural community level is our focus this week.   As you'll hear throughout our conversation, the acceptance or rejection of wind farms and even solar is dependent on community members' perspectives on the use of the land. Farmers support wind, while those that have a second home on a nearby lake may oppose energy projects.   Sarah explains that the rollout of renewable projects that impact the landscape is only recent, stemming from our historical reliance on coal-fired power plants which took up less space. Sarah describes how a change in land use is a real challenge for community zoning boards who lack the expertise and experience to balance the polarized views of the community.   In this discussion, we look at how policies in Washington will be impacting communities across the US. Specifically, we discuss the expansion of tax credits to foster more renewable energy projects on a huge scale. This is the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and also the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the US.   I really enjoyed my discussion with Sarah, and as you'll hear, there remain important obstacles for renewable energy that communities must deal with. Is it fair to standardize zoning regulation or is it better to have different requirements every six miles or so, aligning with the different zoning areas for local government units?   We have a brief discussion about energy justice and local versus state or national standards. IS it really fair to exclude the locals in deciding to build energy projects? The subtext of our conversation is about that today. What do we do if we have ambitious targets to roll out renewable energy, but local communities say not-in-my-backyard? As you'll hear, this is not a theoretical argument, but happening more and more often across the US.

2/26/23 • 65:48

Research Professor of Climate and Society at the Finnish Environment Institute. She holds a long research record focused on energy efficiency, decarbonization, and innovation. One of her current projects is focused on national defense and the low-carbon energy transition. This is our starting point to understand the changes Finland is experiencing in its shift away from Russia and how energy security is reframed. As you'll hear towards the end of the interview, Paula introduces the concept of landscape shocks. How multiple crisis impact and shape the roll-out of the energy transition. How regimes emerge (51:00) and shift over time. The landscape was viewed as external, but how do these big events (like pandemics) influence the energy transition? Essentially, in our conversation, we work backward looking at the small changes that are building up and fostering and driving the energy transition. From Finland's shifting relationship with Russia to the role that energy efficiency can play in national security. The undertone of our conversation is how we conceptualize the energy transition. For example, energy security is moving away from stockpiles of natural resources to thinking about the impact of renewable energy production and the role this will play in the future. Therefore, demand response becomes important not only for grid management but for security. Further informing the landscape events, are issues of energy justice and security. How global justice is tied to resource flows from the global south, and the role this plays in the energy transition and impact on energy security. Perceiving this through different scales. If the north becomes more secure with renewable technologies with resources from the global south, what happens to those countries selling their resources for our security? You'll find our conversation wide-ranging, but academically engaging. Paula has published widely on a range of energy topics and she's well-versed in Finnish, British, and EU energy policy topics. I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did. A final note, this interview was done for my 2022 role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. Funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts for the episodes recorded in 2022. And now it is 2023 but I still have a few more in my back pocket.

2/16/23 • 56:15

David Schwartz is a theatre director, lecturer and activist. He holds a PhD, wrote and produced plays focused on the impact of energy prices and the shuttering of coal mines in Romania. This week we have a special guest with David Schwartz. How does the theater fit within the energy transition? As policymakers are discovering society matters. Unfortunately, this is more true in some countries than others. David's focus on Romania deals with economic transitions experienced through the people. His productions highlight the plight of people unable to afford the bare essentials to exist in modern society. From my experience when I think about the policy making and promises that come from national politicians and even at the EU level, I often think about what is the real impact on the ground for people on the economic margins. David has created plays reflecting these personal and local struggles. On one hand, David comes across as a radical instigator of performative art. But as you'll hear in part of our conversation, he takes the real experiences of people and presents it through theatrical performances. And what is more true than the real experiences of people or a fictional representation drawn from real experiences? I think as an academic I often get caught up in the policy or technology aspects of the energy transition, and I don't know or don't see those that suffer in energy poverty. When we hear about big policies and money to assist vulnerable groups, like that in the EU's Social Climate Fund, which is planned to contain €87 billion, I have my serious doubts about how this money will be distributed. From my conversation with David, you'll also get an impression he likewise holds limited faith in governments to assist citizens. When I said you'll hear part of our conversation, I have to admit I had a bit of technical difficulty. So I wasn't able to record some of the most essential parts of our conversation. So I both David an apology and you, as a listener for this failure. But I can certainly attest to David's in-depth knowledge and research skills at collecting and understanding how people experience and suffer from energy bills. The fact that he brings this to the stage demonstrates his skills in capturing social phenomena that we often only read about, and is hard to experience. My profound respects go out to David those working with him to raise this issues in a more engaging format that is usually emotionally detached from reality. Before we begin, I want to thank Roxana Bucata for putting me in touch with David and all her work in organizing the interviews I did in Romania in November 2022. A final note, this interview was done for my 2022 role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. 

2/4/23 • 34:48

Theory meets reality in Finland's energy security and climate change policies. In this episode with Emma Hakala, Senior Research Fellow, at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, and member of the BIOS Research Unit. We gain a greater understanding of what a cascade of crises around climate change looks like and the advantage of gaining foresight on these events before their impact is felt. We also learn about the quick shift in Finland's position on NATO membership and the changed relationship with Russia. This episode addresses the changing climate and geopolitical realities of Finnish efforts to go zero carbon while shifting away from Russia.   Welcome to the My Energy 2050 podcast where we speak to the people building a clean energy system by 2050. I'm your host Michael LaBelle.    A second title for this episode is the Cascading Challenges and Solutions for Finland. As you'll learn in the first half of this episode Finland is looking for ways to address climate change and become more adaptable. However, what was once thought of a solution with its forest acting as both fuel and a carbon sink, is now emerging as an inverted solution, with its forested carbon sink burned which is actually adding to its carbon emissions. How Finland addresses climate change requires a strong awareness of interlinked feedback.   The second part of the episode brings in an International Relations perspective. Emma tells us about the impact that Russia's war in Ukraine has had on Russian-Finnish relations. This includes Finland's application for NATO membership and a new security relationship through NATO and closer ties with the United States.   The importance of this episode lies in understanding the shift Finland has experienced since the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the explicit NATO alignment it now holds. Ambiguity is out the door. A new security line is emerging and we should be aware of how this new security pact changes relations with Russia. In addition, what were once important joint projects with Russia are almost all frozen. We can claim this as a win for EU sanctions, but it is important to be aware that some issues like water and other environmental issues still require a regional approach. Security may dominate current relations but we need to maintain the awareness that future cooperation will need to occur on environmental issues - when the time is right.   My take on this interview with Emma is that by learning about Finland's energy and security challenges we can appreciate the importance of regional cooperation. Even in a Nordic country like Finland with a small population and a vast land mass, meeting climate change goals is still a real challenge. What is unique about our conversation is the integration of the new security order with Russia and the concept of cascading crises and events. These are set to compound even more in our changing environment and security situation. We should not underestimate the challenges and unpredictability the war between Russia and Ukraine holds for the NATO alliance. Gaining some insight into Russia's neighbors and their actions can assist how we as researchers and analysts assess the longer-term impact of the war.   In episode 69 I spoke with Emma's BIOS Research Unit colleague Tere Vaden. I suggest checking out that episode on energy and philosophy to understand more about the Finnish perspective and how climate change is changing both policies and practices in Finland and humanity's relationship with energy. It is already proving to be a top podcast episode.   For those not in the know, - We are launching the Repowering Leadership in European Energy and Food Summer School 2023. This is done with the Central European University, Summer University program, and with the Open Society University Network. You can find a link to the call for applications in the show notes. The application deadline is February 14th, 2023.   We have an amazing line-up of instructors, Margarita Balmaceda, author of Russian Energy Chains and a past podcast guest. Alberto Potoschnig, the former director of ACER and at the Florence School of Regulation. We have Tim Benton and Leslie Vinjamuri from Chatham House along with EU energy law scholars, Kim Talus and Sirja-Leena Penttinen of the University of Eastern Finland and Tulane Law School. We also have instructors on energy communities, agriculture, and leadership. Check out summeruniversity.ceu.edu for a full list, or see in the show notes.   A final note, this interview was done for my 2022 role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. Funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts for the episodes recorded in 2022. I have a nice backlog of episodes to still get out, so these will be released over the next few weeks.   And now for this week's episode.   References:   Hakala, Emma, and Vadim Kononenko. “Re-Securitizing Climate: From ‘climate Security’ to ‘Ecology of Peace.’” Finnish Institute of International Affairs, September 2022. https://www.fiia.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/bp348_re-securitizing-climate_emma-hakala-vadim-kononenko.pdf.

1/7/23 • 57:40

What does it take to build the energy transition? Usually, the question is phrased like this, the energy transition is about deploying the right technology. But with this framing we lose sight of the more important element in the energy transition. It is people that build the communities to support the new technologies, behaviors and educate. These are the people creating the energy transition. Welcome to the My Energy 2050 podcast where we speak to the people building a clean energy system by 2050. I'm your host Michael LaBelle.  This week we speak with Vjeran Pirsic, a resident, businessman, and local campaigner on the island of Krk in Croatia. As you will hear, Vjeran is not a usual guest for this podcast, but then I don't know who is. So we can say that Vjeran joins the eclectic mix of interviewees who have really interesting stories and backgrounds around their involvement in the energy transition.   The overall, story for today is how the island of Krk is building a sustainable ecosystem and embracing the concept of an energy community. Moving from environmental actions in the area of recycling waste to building a self-sustaining island. As you'll hear, Vjeran paints us a colorful and vivid picture of what growing up in Krk and Yugoslavia under Tito was like. How Pink Floyd, Rubik's Cube, and visions of passive houses in 1980 set the stage for environmental campaigners to block the Soviet then Russia plan of building an oil pipeline from Russia to the Adriatic.   The interview is essentially divided into two parts, the first is about Vjeran's background, upbringing and early environmental activism. In the second half we discuss energy democracy and energy communities.   Before listening it will be helpful for you if I paint a picture of my meeting. I meet Vjeran in his home on Krk on a rainy cold December day. The island was relatively disserted - in my opinion, although Vjeran corrected me on this. Just a few local workmen in one of the few open cafes. As you'll hear, Vjeran has many thoughts on the state of the world and why and how he has led a life of activism.   For me, both Vjeran's personality and his stories provide a greater context to the people making the energy transition happen. I interviewed him at the end of traveling throughout Europe and speaking with other people like Vjeran, people who are building with their own hands the buildings and infrastructure necessary for a zero-carbon world. And their experiences are very important to listen to. Certainly, the Croatian government would probably object to some of his statements, but as social scientist learns, the positionality and the opinion of a wide range of people do matter.   I've come away even more from these interviews - some have been published and others will be published, with a slightly pessimistic outlook. Much is made of the current high energy prices driving change, but from talking to people on the ground, it still seems the entrenched interests of dominant companies and political elites want to maintain a strongly centralized energy system with little investment into demand reduction, smart systems, and distributed generation. The concept of energy communities runs counter to how governments want to set up their energy system.   As Vjeran points out, giving him the power to produce his own electricity would make him a free man. And this is not what the politicians and companies want. I'll let you listen now and judge for yourself the views expressed by Vjeran and whether his experience is unique or a common occurrence. For our housekeeping notes, I have these announcements:  - We are launching the Repowering Leadership in European Energy and Food Summer School. This is done with the Central European University, Summer University program and with the Open Society University Network. You can find a link to the call for applications in the show notes. The application deadline is February 14th. And I'll just say, if you like this episode, you should definitely apply. Because we'll be talking about energy communities, the politics and geopolitics of the energy transition along with food security issues.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. Funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022.

1/1/23 • 54:46

What went wrong with Germany? Europe's leader in renewable energy is now building LNG terminals to make up for lost Russian gas. Germany had no LNG terminals before Russia's war in Ukraine, now it's making deals in the Middle East and building LNG terminals. This activity exposes how much Russian gas was used to make the miracle of the Energiewende, Germany's roll-out of renewables in the energy transition, away from coal and nuclear. In this conversation with Pieter de Pous, E3G Senior Policy Advisor, on the Fossil Transition Team, we have a broad discussion on the background to Germany's energy transition and the switch away from Russian gas. We also delve into the world of EU politics and the Fit for 55 package.   I've titled this episode as the 'Big Conversation on Germany's Energy Crisis' for a reason. Pieter was kind enough to sit down and share his knowledge on how well Germany and the EU are weathering the high gas and electricity prices, and the impact this has on the energy transition. Our conversation covers a wide field of energy issues. I was really impressed by Pieter's knowledge of both the policy-making process and the balancing act that politicians straddle. He also is very knowledgeable about the workings in Brussels.   I've done minimal editing - as I usually do - but this episode unfolds in a gentle conversation style where a lot of topics are discussed in ways that are both clearly connected and in other ways are a bit more random. By the end, I'm convinced you'll have a greater understanding of the politics behind Germany's energy transition and a new perspective on energy security that the German government holds.   As Pieter describes, maybe Poland and its cautious stand against Russian energy interests was justified. Certainly, Germany and the EU is now adopting the Polish energy security position. And we have a lot more to say on this point.   This interview was recorded in October 2022. But I think it has aged well over the past few weeks and still provides a clear context to the challenges Europe faces to move away from Russian fossil fuels.   Before moving on, we have big news this week - We are launching the Repowering Leadership in European Energy and Food Summer School. This is done with the Central European University, Summer University program and with the Open Society University Network. You can find a link to the call for applications in the show notes.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. Funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. And the funding was provided to travel to interview a range of experts on how the current energy crisis is impacting different countries around Europe.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition.       Full AI Transcript is here   Outline:   The Big Conversation on Germany’s Energy Crisis.   0:03   What is EEG and how does it work?   4:11   Within the EU, is phasing out gas perceived to be happening quite quickly?   7:09   If your approach is replacing LNG with LNG, that’s not going to happen.   12:46   How long does it take to get to 100% renewable energy?   19:03   Germany’s dependency on Russian gas.   24:13   What’s the biggest problem in eastern Germany?   29:59   How the Just Transition Fund will impact regions that are transitioning away from coal.   32:44   What’s a plausible scenario for East Germany?   37:56   Hydrogen ready? What is it?   43:30   What’s the plan for the energy efficiency and renewables directive?   49:46   Energy prices are going to remain high.   55:05   How do you see energy solidarity developing in the future?   59:39    

12/26/22 • 65:50

The energy transition requires a ground-up approach. To move from a fossil fuel dominated energy system to one based on renewables and sustainable energy production requires community involvement. This week we talk with Alin Tanase, Climate and Energy Campaigner at Greenpeace Romania.   You may ask why Romania? If the energy transition is going to happen - and be a success, it has face the reality of a country like Romania. From the EU perspective, Romania is receiving funds from the EU's Just Transition Mechanism. From the US side, it appears a good country to foster new small scale nuclear power reactors. And for Europe's gas security, there are offshore deposits in the Black Sea that still can be tapped. In addition, it has Europe's largest onshore wind farm with even more renewable energy potential still to be harvested. It short, it is a microcosm of energy complexity that other countries face. Nonetheless, the energy transition is stagnating.   So on one hand, Romania has a lot going for it, on the other, it has huge government and social challenges that make the energy transition falter. At the end of this episode you'll gain a greater understanding of the challenges the country faces and an in-depth understanding of one person who is working hard to move Romania forward in the energy transition. As you'll hear from Alin, fossil fuels are in his family and dominated the city where he grew up. He's experienced first-hand the pollution of gas and oil and why the future is not fossil fuels. This episode is exciting to listen to learn about Alin, from both his own personal story and to learn about the struggles in Romania's energy transition.   Before moving on, we have big news this week - We are launching the Repowering Leadership in European Energy and Food Summer School. This is done with the Central European University, Summer University program and with the Open Society University Network. You can find a link to the call for applications in the show notes.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. And the funding was provided to travel to interview a range of experts on how the current energy crisis is impacting different countries around Europe.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition.

12/19/22 • 54:51

Waking up to Estonia's Energy Challenge  — Ingrid Nielsen, Episode 70   Welcome to the My Energy 2050 podcast where we speak to the people building a clean energy system by 2050. I'm your host Michael LaBelle.  This week we speak with Ingrid Nielsen, a Renewable Energy Advocacy Expert for the Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF).   It says about the importance of energy when an organization with a deep biological foundation and a mission to protect nature also addresses the role of renewable energy. This week’s conversation with Ingrid straddles these fields of environmental protection and the deployment of new energy technologies.   There was a reason I traveled to Estonia. And this was to gain a greater understanding about how this Baltic country is shifting away from the heritage of the Soviet Union. Each country as we are exploring in recent episodes of this podcast had different relationships and ties with the Soviet Union. How each of these relationships was navigated was based on a variety of factors, but probably the most important was the domestic resources of the country itself. In the case of Estonia, it was the deposits of oil shale.   As Ingrid explains, oil shale is the poor cousin of coal. Sounds bad doesn't it? Listen to our discussion of why and how Estonia became complacent on driving a more sustainable energy transition over the past decade - or more.   To understand Estonia's challenges and transitions in energy, Ingrid points out the importance of political will but also the price of energy. This is emerging as a common theme, the cheapness of energy. Bountiful and cheap energy stalled necessary changes. Now Estonia is attempting to move forward with a pressing need to utilize the sustainable natural resources it possesses.   I probably don't mention enough all the great people that provide assistance to organizing the interviews and topics. And this week, we can thank one of our former Central European University students, Johanna Maarja Tiik for her assistance with lining up this interview with Ingrid.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition. Outline and Transcript Transcript: Ingrid Nielsen What is Elf? What is an advocacy expert? What has changed through the years? 2:52 Why is journalism such a good fit for you? 11:39 What are the power dynamics that you see in the energy system? 17:05 What is shale oil? What is the environmental damage of that? 25:22 What is the impact on the community moving away from shale oil? 29:36 No government policy yet about what to do with the landscape in these former coal mining regions. 36:35 What should be the objective of national energy policy? Should it be self sufficiency or greater interconnection? 45:22 What’s happening to the energy community? 50:55 What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a member of the European Union? 59:32    

12/10/22 • 61:58

This week we speak with Tere Vadén, a philosopher in the Bios research unit in Helsinki.   Both society and nature are moving past the age of cheap fossil fuels. When coal, oil, and gas could be taken out of the ground and burned for the high calorific content to power our world. Now we have to contend with putting all that CO2 back into the atmosphere and the growing power of nature which threatens our climate.   In this interview, Tere, provides us with a perspective through philosophy and humanities to understand the deeper meaning of what it actually means to release so much CO2 from fossil fuels. Humanity released the CO2 by assuming we had power over nature, but the sad fact is, nature has the power over us. And now we are just beginning to pay the price. As we see now, a great humbling is now occurring based on our hubristic use of natural resources.   One of the key words for this episode is ‘hubris’ so pay attention.   The pace of this episode speaks to Tere's in-depth thinking about the interlinkages between societies, governments, and nature. If you enjoy a more business or market perspective on the energy system, then this episode delivers on these points; we start off our discussion from understanding current affairs in climate negotiations and the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine - from a Finnish perspective.   Later, we delve into a more philosophical discussion about how energy is not just the outcome of processing raw material, but rather a source of power and control - over both society and nature. That is, we discuss common understandings of how power can be seen through government actions, but we also get into how nature holds power over humanity - and this is one of the key lessons society has forgotten.   It was us that put so much CO2 into the atmosphere, and it is now us that have to deal with nature’s changing ways.   Each episode of the My Energy 2050 podcast is unique and different. This episode is a great representation of that. One of the main joys of doing this podcast is to find new people to talk with about energy. And here is a great example of meeting Terre in Helsinki and gaining a greater understanding of both Finland's approach and perspective on energy,   The meeting also brought about a deeper discussion about how philosophy can inform our understanding of energy. More specifically, how we use and perceive energy in our modern society and the greater awareness of the downsides.   As you'll hear, there are so many new ways we need to explore to expand our thinking on conceptualizing the energy transition. In fact, it is hard to see how we can have an energy transition if we don't have new conceptual framings to understand what we have done, what we are doing now, and what we need to get done in the future, all to get off fossil fuels.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. And the funding was provided to travel to interview a range of experts on how the current energy crisis is impacting different countries around Europe.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition.   Check out the free book: Energy and Experience: An Essay in Nafthology By Antti Salminen & Tere Vadén  

12/4/22 • 69:26

This week we speak with Ioana Ciuta, Energy Coordinator at CEE Bankwatch Network.   We'll be speaking about the Southeast of Europe, in general, historical terms we can use the word Balkans or update it more specifically and use the term Western Balkans for many of the former Yugoslav republics. But in a more specific energy sense, we need to broaden the perspective and include Romania, Bulgaria and of course include Albania.   In this episode, we discuss the role of the Energy Community Treaty keeping these - and some other - countries cooperating with the involvement of the EU and neighboring countries.   As Ioana tells us at the start there was and still is great interest in building coal-fired power plants in the region. But not by private companies, but by governments and utilizing loans from China and other international institutions. As Ioana highlights, the scarcity of financing options says a lot about the changes over the years, that coal is financially unviable for private companies.   But what does it say about governments, like China, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina who see coal as a viable energy source? Bankwatch is working hard to prevent financing to build new facilities to ensure a reduction of emissions and prompt investments into alternative energy technologies. If money from banks is not going to coal, then it can go elsewhere - hopefully into clean energy technologies.   At the beginning of the episode, Ioana describes how she became involved in environmental issues, first with nuclear power than fighting for coal phase-out. This episode provides context to understand the support for fossil fuels in the region and the reluctant uptake of cleaner generation sources, such as renewables. As we discuss there is a difference between EU and national goals and how they are implemented within the region.   The importance of the Balkans lies in the necessity to bring them along in Europe's energy transition. As I learned from a recent trip to Romania, the rising energy prices are set to derail many household budgets in the region. As Ioana points out, even firewood is increasing in price.  Relying on old technologies and resources does not provide households or industries a way forward in this economically deprived region. The lowest cost generation source is not coal. There's a tremendous need to change ways of thinking and gain acceptance and assistance for new practices and technologies in the energy transition.   This episode and some future episodes looking at Romania and Croatia will provide deeper context to the regions' challenges in the energy transition. The necessity for innovative thinking and deployment of proven solutions to delivering a socially affordable energy system - within the energy transition.     A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. And the funding was provided to travel to interview a range of experts on how the current energy crisis is impacting different countries around Europe.

11/27/22 • 53:56

This week we speak with Rüdiger Graf, who is  directing the research department on "Knowledge -Economy - Politics" at the Leibniz-Center for Contemporary History.   What is the influence of the 1970s on our current energy system? The importance of energy sits within our daily lives. As Rudiger states, any supply shortages or price increases are immediately noticed making energy a key political issue. The failure to secure supplies demonstrates weak leadership. Inversely, effective energy crisis management can display strong leadership skills. I think this can be one of our broad take-aways from looking at lessons learned from the 1970s energy crisis.   Rudiger introducing the term, 'a long 1970s', which is a term used by historians for other decades as well. For us it is important because the 1970s energy crisis stretched into the early 1980s with Reagan and Thatcher working to resolve the high price of oil. We are able to learn more about the role of nuclear power and the perspective on peak oil. There's an ironic trust in nuclear technology but not a trust in developing technologies to extract more oil.   Sometimes I think each new episode of this podcast is the best. But what I think what I mean is that each episodes uncovers a new aspect of the energy system I didn't know about. And this episode certainly delivers in this aspect. There's so much history in both Europe and within the global oil market that we don't consider today. Rudiger is able to explain in a clear manner the historical developments and how and why they happened at the time.   Taking a historical approach and delving into why political or business decisions were made at the time can inform and enhance or present day analysis.   This episode delivers in both scope and depth. Rudiger holds great knowledge and understanding how politicians interacted around the energy sector. He describes the role and perspective of Henry Kissinger and Richard Nixon along with Wiley Brandt enabling us to better grasp the power politics in both domestic and international terms.   Understanding how and why international organizations like OPEC and the International Energy Agency were created also provides context to some of the global fights over oil production and analysis.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition.

11/17/22 • 57:28

This week we speak with Benjamin Görlach, Head of Economics and Policy Assessment, Ecologic Institute.   If you like wide-ranging interviews about the policy challenges of navigating the current energy crisis in Europe. This episode is for you. Benjamin and I cover everything from the EU's emission trading system, the dominance of electricity for transport and the 4i Traction project - standing for innovation, investment, infrastructure and sector integration. These are buzzwords, but we get into an in-depth discussion on investments and infrastructure.   Some of the key issues we address are the price of ETS and whether politicians should be playing with it to reduce energy costs. How electrification of cars has won the day and why shifting away from fossil fuels is simply more profitable. Renewables have simply won.   The takeaway, since Benjamin is an environmental economist, is there's no going back for both the institutional structures that incentivize investments into renewables and the technology we have today is getting us to a zero-carbon energy system by 2050.   A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022.

11/11/22 • 72:24

This week we speak with Cillian O'Donoghue, the Policy Director at Eurelectric.   Eurelectric is the federation of the European electricity industry, representing more than 3500 utilities active in power generation, distribution and supply. They have a real voice in the energy transition. And we are really honored to have on Cillian.   The reason for this interview was I wanted to know how the electricity sector - as a whole - was navigating the current energy crisis of high prices and shifting geopolitical realities. This includes the perceived impact of the Fit-for-55 policies and the new RePowerEU plan in light of the Ukraine-Russian war.   For this perspective I turned to Cillian, a former student of mine from Central European University, and a former representative of Eurometaux, also an association of large energy consumers. You can hear his previous interview on episode 48.   In this episode, you'll hear about how the sector as whole sees the need for energy efficiency and reducing our electricity consumption now. While the membership of Eurelectric produces and sells electricity, the current state of the system requires everyone to reduce consumption. We discuss the longer-term prospects of the industry and how greater electrification of the economy relies on wind and solar for a majority of power production by 2045. But we also address the role of nuclear power in the future.   Overall, this is a great follow up to episode 63, with Florian Kern and our discussion about hydrogen. In that episode, Florian outlines why electrification of the economy is so essential for the future. For me, how Europe will be producing power - without Russia - is one of the most influential considerations I have when doing research now. This episode delivers both foresight into the European energy landscape and has a substantial discussion on the opportunities within the power market. We can already see this in the awarding of nuclear power contracts by the Polish government to US and South Korean manufacturers. There is an immediate geopolitical pivot within the European energy sector and it will be a rapid transformation.    A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. So we have some amazing interviews coming up.   The intent of the My Energy 2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future. The content of each episode is great for teaching, research and identifying how you can assist this energy transition.

11/4/22 • 49:25

This week we speak with Professor Frank Bosch. He is the director of the Center for Contemporary History in Potsdam and Professor of German and European 20th Century History at the University of Potsdam. We have an in-depth discussion about the history of energy relations in the 1970s. This is a formative period for the energy system we see today.   In this episode we discuss how Germany began to see relations with the Soviet Union. Or rather, utilizing business as a means to build a bridge where agreement in politics was largely not possible. This rapprochement enabled West Germany to receive Soviet gas while also involving West German steel mills producing pipes that would ship the gas from deep in the Soviet Union to the West.  Frank describes the policy of Ostpolitik as a means of rapprochement with Germany and the Soviet Union, but he also describes the West Politik that Moscow had towards the West.   One of the great joys doing this podcast is listening to the interview as I edit it. I can say in this episode, there's so much historical information you haven't heard or read in other places. It makes this episode very special in both understanding the history of energy relations with the Soviet Union, but also understanding how the energy crisis of the 1970s is shaping our current energy system.   It is important to keep in mind, that the shifting energy landscape in the 1970s was just as perilous as it is now. With the energy crisis in 1973 and 1979, what emerges are relations that were already being built up before the crisis hit. Frank provides us with a historical review and explains why and how energy and the trade of goods served to bridge the East-West divide. With conflict in the Middle East pushing oil prices up, the Soviet Union emerges as a stable - and reliable - supplier for Western Europe. For Eastern Europe, such as countries like Ukraine, they are forced to sacrifice their gas supplies for Western Europe.   This episodes enables us to trace back some of the present day relations and structures to justifications in the 1970s as to why energy trade should be expanded between the Soviets and Germans. We also provide context to the COMECON countries and how industries were divided by country and how the Soviet Union was able to succeed economically because of specializations between the different countries.   And just to flag one very important section. Make sure you listen closely as we discuss the rising role and realization of 'global interdependencies' in the 1970s. Just as we throw around the word, 'globalization' today, the 1970s emerged as a formative period that shaped the global interdependencies of the present day energy markets. A final note, this interview was done for my current role as an Open Society University Network, Senior Fellow at Chatham House, The Royal Institute of International Affairs. The funding was generously provided to produce the podcasts until the end of 2022. So we have some amazing interviews coming up.  

10/27/22 • 39:35

This week we speak with Florian Kern. He is the Head of the research field of Ecological Economics and Environmental Policy at the Institute for Ecological Economy Research in Berlin. He holds a PhD in Science and Technology Policy from the University of Sussex. Florian and I discuss the project: Hydrogen as a Panacea? Focused on the challenges of hydrogen and what needs to be done before large-scale deployment occurs. We talk about hydrogen-ready infrastructure - and whether this is just a PR exercise on the part of the gas sector. Or, is there really a future of hydrogen being transported like gas is today. This conversation with Florian delivers a fairly objective - and lively - discussion on the requirements of what is needed to make the hydrogen economy part of the industrial base. As you'll hear, the electrification of the energy sector is essential to make hydrogen a reality for industry. I came away from this conversation with a deeper understanding of the massive energy requirements for industry. Replacing coal or gas - fossil fuels - for the industry is a huge challenge that requires giving up fossil fuels in other areas of life, in order to enable either the remaining fossil fuels to be used in industry or to enable large-scale renewable energy infrastructure to produce green hydrogen. By the end of this episode, you should understand that to build the renewable energy infrastructure to produce green hydrogen, the electrification of transport and residential heating needs to occur first. Once sufficient renewables are built to meet everyday uses, then hydrogen can be produced from renewables. For me, this episode delivers a new appreciation of the scale of renewables that need to be deployed to produce hydrogen. The promise that the new gas infrastructure being built for hydrogen appears far off because of the massive amounts needed for industry. In short, the energy transition includes hydrogen, but we need to rationally assess the demand for hydrogen, the cost, and how it can be produced to meet the requirements for industrial processes.

10/21/22 • 41:35

This week we speak with Sam Raszewski, a senior lecturer and Programme Director for the Oil and Gas Management program at the University of East London Royal Docks Business School. Sam has published widely on energy security and particularly about security in the European gas sector. He regularly appears on a range of international media outlets and this week we are fortunate enough to have him on our podcast.   The interview took place in early April before Russia cut off the flow of gas to Poland and Bulgaria. Nonetheless, in the intervening weeks, we can see that Sam's analysis still holds water and is even more spot-on, as the European Union and the countries in the EU, are rapidly shifting away from Russian oil and gas.   An important takeaway Sam arrives at is the role of nuclear power. What is clear, and is reflected throughout our discussion is the economic necessity of rebuilding a more robust energy system that is less dependent on imports into Europe.   The interview is valuable both in how Sam frames energy security but also in how to fix the current security of supply failures that are dominating and restricting Europe's energy market.

5/2/22 • 32:53

This week I'm discussing another wave of the Carbon Storm. I define this more in episode 39. In this episode I update what this means in a time of war. If you are looking for hope, this may not be the episode for you. This recording was done for a recruitment event I did for the EMBA program at Central European University. It has a nice live feel to it. The presentation was a great opportunity to revisit this topic of increasing high energy prices as the world attempts to shift towards a low carbon economy. These periods of high prices will only continue to plague our future. So hold on tight.

4/23/22 • 36:24

On this episode, we speak with Rod Janssen, the man behind the Energy in Demand weekly newsletter and website. He is also the president of Energy Efficiency in Industrial Process. But more aptly, Rod is a true expert in energy efficiency. As you'll hear in this episode Rod's pool of knowledge goes back to the aftermath of the 1970s oil crisis. He shares his experience from then and the renewed focus on energy efficiency to survive another energy crisis. But as we learn from this conversation, good energy efficiency takes years to be built and can't be done just by hooking up a heat pump. However, as we discuss Europe does have a good foundation on energy efficiency, if it and member states decide to actually get serious about energy efficiency. Rod shares his experience consulting SMEs in Turkey impliment and comply with EU regulations on energy efficiency. These may be EU directives and rules, but as Rod tells us, these are just good and practical policies. You can also learn why Rod loves heat pumps. I'll give you a hint, his living room in Canada holds 100 people where it gets down to minus 25 degrees. The second half of the interview we go into details about the interplay between energy efficiency and government policies. This includes how Germany became too dependent on Russian energy and companies to provide gas while also overlooking the security benefits of energy efficiency. As Rod emphasizes, energy efficiency is the 'first fuel', that is you have to look at the demand side before you expand and change the supply side of the energy system. Why build bigger power plants when investing in reducing energy demand is more cost-effective and secure? Overall, we have a lively - and entertaining - discussion on a better design to energy security - which is investing into reducing the demand for energy.  He also appeared on a previous podcast episode. The link is here.

4/15/22 • 63:43

 This week we speak with Professor Cristina Corchero, who is the Serra Hunter Professor at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. She is the founder and Chief Technology Officer at Bamboo Energy.   We begin our discussion about her experience taking research and placing it within a start-up company. Christina is a great example of a reluctant but dedicated entrepreneur. Her company, Bamboo Energy is a key component of making the smart energy system work. It is a software platform that communicates with devices in the home or factories and interfaces with the grid to ensure things like the time of day pricing can be accomplished to save users money - and help balance the grid.   Cristina's story is special because she is originally a statistician, who found love in the energy sector (ok, that's my adlib) but what she found was the ability to use statics in the energy sector to solve problems. She's taken her research and brought it out from the academic environment and is now working to scale it up in a commercial environment. We go into detail of why and how she decided to make this change.   This is a double episode in one, because you get to learn about how the smart grid works - why energy communities are essential for a sustainable energy system to develop, and you'll hear an entrepreneurial story of Christina and her bold move to transfer her research to the real world.   If you are interested to know what it is taking to make a smart energy system work, then this episode with Cristina delivers. Because it is going to take a lot of innovation and entrepreneurs to bring new technologies into the energy sector. And as we discussed in the last episode with Gerard Reid, there are lots of technologies out there that can make a huge difference. Just some of the obstacles to deployment - including the big companies - need to get out of the way.   For me this episode is special because Cristina really represents the people that I like to have on the podcast. She is breaking out from her day job and seeking to do a bit more with her knowledge and experience. People like Christina are the people creating a better energy system.    I want to thank our mutual friend Bartek Kwiatkowski, who was a guest on episode 45. For both episodes, we talk about virtual power plants, which serve to balance supply and demand. And in both these episodes, you'll hear firsthand the benefits of a decentralized and cooperative energy system. Overall, after speaking with Cristina I'm more optimistic that we do have the right people and technologies to go zero-carbon, but we do need to unleash the pent-up innovation that is ready to go.

4/2/22 • 55:25

 This week we speak with Gerard Reid, who has put out 'The 1,600 TWh Challenge: How Europe can survive without Russian Gas'. Besides outlining other routes for gas to be imported into Europe, this deeper thinking on this, is a fundamental shift for energy-intensive businesses and support for households. As you'll hear in this interview, Gerard is both practical from his financial perspective and forward-leaning on innovation and the benefits for rapid deployment of renewables.  Gerard is a Co-founder and Partner at Alexa Capital. He is also a Fellow at the Institute of the Environment at the University of Minnesota. He is also a podcaster. Gerard is the co-host of the  “REDEFINING ENERGY” podcast. Along with his blog posts, Alexa Capital also publishes forward leaning analysis of innovation in the energy sector. I've been a fan since a 2012 report that was risky in its thinking of how the energy system will evolve with a mix of smart systems, distributed generation and a reworking of the power grid. What stood out to me most in this interview, was how we delve into the topics he raised in the 1,600 TWh Challenge8. Alexa Capital acts as a middleman in consultancy and financial transactions in the energy space. As you'll hear, this provides a voice that emphasizes the ability for industry to roll out new technologies to meet our demand for cleaner energy. BUT the incumbents and the current highly regulatory structure of the energy system is preventing the deployment of innovative solutions to the current dysfunctional energy market. We get into why it is dysfunctional - a reflection on the current prices indicates the tip of the iceberg. Gerard delivers a well-articulated call for a holistic change to the energy system. From his perspective, Russia's war in Ukraine demonstrates the risks of relying on fossil fuels - and this was long in the making. Politicians and businesses failed to do their job to reduce their energy risks. Where does this leave us? Industry must become better managed (not giving subsidies to inefficient companies). As Gerard describes, the well-operated companies will survive the price hikes because they were cautious, so the current energy crisis should be used to reform our energy regulations and market to incentives and enable new energy technology to come into the market. Listen in, and you'll hear how Jerard's 1600 TWh Challenge can be done. And just a final note, until the end of May 2022, I'll be an Open Society University Network Senior Fellow, at Chatham House, at The Royal Institute of International Affairs. So the episodes between now and then will be part of my research on the shifting energy landscape in Europe.

3/19/22 • 49:27

This week we speak with Professor Kacper Szulecki, who is a research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Kacper is at the forefront of research in the broad area of energy transitions, geopolitics, and the social implications of the transition. I highly recommend any of his publications as they are strong in analysis and well-grounded research pieces.   As you'll hear, we have a wide-ranging discussion on the lead-up to Russia's war with Ukraine and then we turn to the impact an EU energy system without Russia looks like. This episode is great for giving you a background to the development and integration of Russia's energy system with the Western and Central European systems.   We come around to the topic of energy security and how the Polish perspective may be a smart one to adopt for the rest of Europe. Yes, more LNG, more pipeline gas to Norway but also a recognition that Russia is not a dependable supplier. That is, the energy as a means to push foreign policy needs to be countered by diversification in both supply sources, but also other technologies that can deliver heating for households. Through in the mix an urgency for energy efficiency, then we begin to fill-in what needs to be done to transition our economies away from Russian energy resources.   What I find so interesting about Kacper's perspective is his ability to frame the energy transition as an ongoing project that can't be derailed by war. That is, our current efforts to build a non-fossil fuel energy system should move forward, but not be derailed or distracted from War and the imposition of sanctions on Russia. Yes, the flow of gas can be disrupted, but by following the playbook laid down by Brussels, like filling up gas reserves in the summer, then excluding Russian gas from the EU holds potential.   We also delve into the topic of nuclear power and the role biomass can play as a replacement for gas. Overall, Kasper doesn't provide predictions (which is smart) but he provides both a historical account of these energy relations and then the emergence of a new energy order that was broken when Russia invaded Ukraine. As Kacper describes the relations built over the past 60 plus years were just destroyed by Russia's war in Ukraine. This includes the sinking of Rosatom nuclear projects around the globe.

3/12/22 • 56:20

My fifteen-year-old daughter sent me a text message the other night. She asked if Ukraine joins the European Union will Russia stop its attack. Sadly, I couldn't comfort her that peace would soon be restored in Europe. Rather, I told her this is the new status for Europe and probably for years to come. The future sits in stark contrast to when I was fifteen and took a school trip from Michigan to the Soviet Union in the spring of 1989. Little did I (or anyone!) know the quick and dramatic changes that would unfold through the summer and fall.   For more than three decades the peace and economic growth has transformed the world, and most dramatically the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe - including Ukraine. I now call Hungary home and see daily the challenges the region still struggles to shift to a market-based economy and attempts to protect democracy. Sadly, until recently, there was little assistance from the United States and the European Union to ensure democratic norms were respected throughout the region.   Now we begin to write of a new militarized era rather than one marked by crumbling walls and peaceful and competitive economic growth. This past week when the German Chancellor pledged an initial 100 billion Euros for the country's military. Add in the European Union taking up arms to send to Ukraine, then we have a new unified militarized order in Europe against Russia. This is preciously what decades of politicians and average people worked to stop since the ending of the Second World War.   An isolated and militarized Russia is literally the deranged and angry caged bear that we do need to fear. Certainly, the Ukrainians are getting the first dose of this wrath and anger for plotting a democratic path and westward integration. This democratic path, where people vote in free and fair elections, with an open media landscape demonstrates the threat that an informed and educated populace can have for leaders who are more concerned by power and wealth. It is no coincidence that we see Russian oligarchs profiting from the autocratic Putin. It is also no coincidence that Russia continues its reliance on fossil fuels selling these abroad. As we know from the middle east, oil and gas are not the seeds of peace and prosperity, and democratic representation.   This brings me to framing the new energy order. We now have a militarized petrol state in Europe and Asia that is waging a war over territory and preventing a sovereign state from choosing the path its people have chosen. Of course, Africa and the Middle East know this experience well (even with war waged by democracies), but this threat in Europe now alters the calculations to rely on Russian resources while the energy transition slowly unfolds. Europe and the United States are now directly threatened by this petrol state. The energy interdependence with Russia, which was once a means to ensure peace, is now fueling war.   The injustice of a just transition is in full display in this war. The connection is direct. Russian oil and gas fuel the Russian state and its actions. If Europe wants to build a just energy transition - as it is described in its many energy policies, including Fit-for-55, then moving away from fossil fuels holds a moral imperative for Europe. Of course, climate change and attempting to save the planet should be enough, but now we have war within Europe. There is a clear need to stop using oil and gas and embrace other technologies and resources. Diversification from Russian supplies still enables these supplies to go to other buyers - although with gas at not such large quantities. The current high prices for oil and gas need to prompt a shift to other energy production and efficiency efforts.  There are three ways to reframe the energy transition to ensure a just transition unfolds by limiting dependency on Russian resources, including rare Earth minerals.

3/4/22 • 36:45

This week we speak with Jesson Bradshaw, CEO at Energy Ogre, a Texas-based consumer energy company. They help consumers save money by choosing the best energy company that can deliver their electricity or gas at the least cost.   It was a real honor to have Jesson on the podcast, as you'll hear, he is a true energy entrepreneur. Our discussion really delves into the opportunities he has been able to leverage from an open and competitive market in Texas and also across the United States. In my book, Jesson is a true energy pioneer, able to find market niches where special skills assist his clients. From large financial institutions to average families, he delivers solutions because of his deep insight into how the market works.   I want to emphasize the importance of 'the market' and 'regulations' because to learn from this episode you need to understand that when a business works with minimal regulations new and radically innovative technologies and services can develop. This episode is a case study of how Texas unleashed new technologies and kept prices low by reducing the power of monopolies and assisting the entrance of new generation technologies. And we are talking about renewables and gas-fired generation. These replaced the aging coal fleet that was limping along before deregulation.   As Jesson states, Texas is now the fifth biggest wind production in the world. It produces more power from wind than 25 other states combined - a quarter of all US wind power. How did this happen? Listen to the episode and you'll learn what markets - with low regulatory barriers can unleash.   Jesson embraces a low regulatory burden for enabling the electricity market to really develop into one based on renewables and gas that is cost-competitive. He pays the same as twenty years ago, but from more renewables in the system. This is a great episode to reflect on, and for those that know the European market - a great chance to compare and contrast Jesson's perspective on the benefits of a low regulatory barrier. But this is interesting to contrast with a more boom and bust cycle of capital that is acceptable. Unleashing the power of capital can be done in the energy sector, but there is a demonstrable balance that needs to be struck between regulation - including financial regulation, and investments that modernize and advance the energy system - without wasting too much money. But then, I think we would never have the railroads if we didn't have boom and bust cycles. Whatever your taste level is for regulation and bankruptcy this episode delivers a real inside perspective on how markets work over more than twenty years in Jesson's experience. To cap this boom and bust cycle, Jesson had Enron as a competitor but he couldn't figure out how they made so much money.. Well, for those that know Enron, they went bankrupt and gave market liberalization a pretty bad name. A lot of people lost a lot of money. And finally, we learn about Jesson's entrepreneurial ventures in the United States gas and electricity markets. He saw an opportunity, particularly in how to manage generation assets and he and a partner set up their first firm that quickly took on some of the assets that were going bankrupt. By operating them together, they could utilize the facilities better and deliver value for the new owners. And what I like best about Jesson's story - and maybe he doesn't, but that as the market matured, there came to be less demand for his services as generation ownership became consolidated. So it is also a story of evolution from when the market is freed from regulation how it develops and grows, and then over time, the players become more entrenched and can come to hold strong positions once again in the sector. Now we have Energy Ogre as a retail company offering customers new ways to manage and reduce their energy bills. The company gives new meaning to consumer-facing businesses. Are you too busy to find the best deal and compare deals? Because that is what you get to do in Texas, choose your utility provider. Well, Energy Ogre is set up with a power data system to crunch and compare the packages that consumers benefit the most from. By creating consumer profiles, they can offer the best package for their customers - and switch them when there is a better offer. Overall, it is these entrepreneurial stories that Jesson describes which really show he did not take the easy path to set up businesses that had a strong market niche. That is, he took a highly complex landscape and he and his partner had the knowledge to navigate and build two successful businesses. What he is doing is beyond rocket sciences, because he needs to deliver a retail product to consumers, and at the same time engage with the complexities and dominance of established utilities. These are not businesses for risk-averse people (I feel even better about my job now).

2/26/22 • 67:37

Fossil Fuels are inherently inefficient and built on injustice - so why keep? The energy transition needs to reclaim a humane approach Native and marginalized communities live in an unjust transition Welcome to the MyEnergy2050 podcast where we speak to the people building a clean energy system by 2050. I'm your host Michael LaBelle.  This week we join another Energy Policy Research Group roundtable discussion from Central European University. The topic this week is reevaluating energy justice in the Anthropocene.   All parts of society need to prepare to change to deal with climate change. And our discussion provides an understanding of how energy justice can be applied to communities that are normally left out. The discussions also force us to switch our perspectives on the energy transition. It does this by flipping on its head that fossil fuel use was actually a good choice as an energy carrier. Fossil fuels perpetuate injustices and keeping them only keeps an unjust energy system in place to profit the most powerful companies and political systems.    Before I introduce the speakers, I have to thank my students for coming up with a fantastic list of speakers who provide a fundamentally different perspective on energy justice and the energy transition. We have here an amazing show that provides a broad spectrum of cutting-edge scholarship and examples of how energy justice is being applied on the ground. We are joined by three speakers. The first is Professor Ankit Kumar who is a Lecturer at the Department of Geography in Development and Environment at the University of Sheffield. The second is, Shakti Ramkumar is the Director of Communications & Policy at Student Energy, a global youth organization that works with the next generation of leaders. And Professor Cara Daggett is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Virginia Tech.   I'm being very brief on each of their bios. And my apologies for this, but I really want to briefly summarize the issues that we get into during our discussion. I think the best way to summarize the discussion is to say the speakers turn energy justice on its head and understand the energy transition not as an Earth-saving project, but actually, a process that can sustain the current power relations far into the future. With Cara pointing the built narrative that renewables will push out fossil fuels. When - according to her, there is little evidence to suggest fossil fuels will actually go away. Just this point alone is controversial, but if we look at the actual numbers in 2022 - there seems limited scope that fossil fuels will fade away anytime soon. So we should not accept that they are actually going to go away.   The energy transition is not inevitable. By turning away from a techno-socio perspective, that sees technology leading the way, society can actually be put in the center of the transition. This upending of the perspective also aligns with Ankit's position looking at the neo-colonialist perspective that we actually need MORE politics, not less, in the energy transition. By politicizing the impact of the lack of an energy transition, then the true cost and injustices of the current energy system can be exposed.   Sandwiched in-between these academic discussions is Shakti who brings a clear guide as to how younger people can participate and help build a more just energy transition. Her practical and everyday approach really highlights the impact that our abstract discussion of energy justice can have on the ground and in our cities.   What is striking about all three speakers and their topics is how well they overlap on the edges to provide a broad and deep spectrum of knowledge on the topic of groups normally marginalized in the energy transitions debate. One of the fundamental pillars of the energy transition needs to be to bring everyone along. As you'll hear in this episode, many people are being left behind.   The intent of the MyEnergy2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future   And now for this week's episode.

2/19/22 • 93:01

This week we speak with John Shattuck, Professor of Practice in Diplomacy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, at Tufts University.  He is an international diplomat and scholar. From representing the United States in a variety of human rights roles, an ambassador to the Czech Republic, and president and rector of Central European University in Budapest, John has a steadfast adherence to human rights and holding positions that enable the United States and citizens of many countries to benefit from his dedication to public service. When I thought about who to speak to concerning Russia's threats to invade Ukraine, I thought of John. And to be honest, I don't know how to frame the pressures on our current international order. These pressures, we can see and feel in high oil, electricity, and natural gas prices. But high energy prices are not the problem, there are deeper reasons for the high prices. And this is what I’m attempting to understand and why we are speaking about it on a podcast focused on energy.  I've described this in previous episodes as a 'carbon storm' where the cost of energy increases for periods of time because of instability in energy markets and political actions. The current conflict around Ukraine has taken on the form of military tension between the NATO alliance and Russia. But as we explore in this interview, there are other factors at play, such as the erosion of human rights, respect for democratic institutions, and the election of populists. I've framed this interview in a broad macro perspective of what we can learn and understand from the Cold War. I think by understanding why we have the national and international institutions that we do, we can better enable these institutions to continue on with their founding missions. Because John was on the ground in Europe and the United States, both during and after the fall of Communism, we gain an informed perspective of the roots to the current international order, and the points of instability shaking the system now. When we speak of the energy transition, it is often framed as a technological transition. The Cold War, was cold, because of the technology of nuclear arms. A direct war could not be fought because of the consequences. What we can learn about the politics and aspirations during and after the Cold War speak to the need to be aware that politics and social movements DO shape how people live and countries act. John tells a story at the start of this interview and it wonderfully underscores this point. Listen to this and you'll understand how John began a life of public service that protected and exposed failings in the respect for human rights. At the end of the interview, John also brings up the benefits of person-to-person interactions as creating and sustaining the seeds to respect and protection of peace. I think his role as president and rector of CEU, where he led the institution to educate thousands of international students, underscores just one part of his international legacy to the advancement of human rights.   References: Shattuck, John, and J. Brian Atwood. “Defending Democracy: Why Democrats Trump Autocrats.” Foreign Affairs 77, no. 2 (1998): 167–70. https://doi.org/10.2307/20048857

2/11/22 • 56:41

This week we speak with Professors Natalie Dobson an Assistant Professor at Utrecht University, Department of International and European Law and Professor Arild Moe, Senior research fellow at Fridtjof Nansen Institute. As usual I'll keep their long list of individual achievements short, but it is impressive as each is making a significant contribution to understanding relations in the Arctic. This recording is from an online roundtable discussion held at Central European University, in our Energy Policy Research Group.  I've edited the discussion for the podcast. As you will hear, there's a wealth of information to inform how we understand both the EU's policy perspective toward oil and gas exploration in the Arctic area, and Russia's ability to expand their own exploitation of the oil and gas wealth in the region. This discussion goes beyond geopolitical considerations, and delves into both the legal framing the EU is attempting to implement and also the strategic decision making done by the Russian state. The key topics that are covered in this discussion fall under three broad headings: EU Policies, Russian Policies and Climate Change and the Arctic. Specifically, nine questions are answered: EU Policies Why is EU policy towards the Arctic important?   How has EU Arctic policy changed over time?   How does the EU attempt to influence Arctic policy?     Russian Policies What are Russian policies towards oil and gas exploration in the Arctic?   What is the impact of LNG on Russian gas policies?   What is the history of foreign investment into the Russian oil and gas sector in the Arctic?   Climate change and the Arctic How important is the Arctic to combating climate change?   What is the impact of a warming climate on oil and gas exploration in the Arctic?   Should there be a global freeze on oil and gas extraction from the Arctic?     In addition to these questions we have a short discussion about the impact of sanctions and what a war in Ukraine could mean in terms of Western sanctions on the Russian oil sector. And a final note for regular listeners. The past few episodes of the podcast were sparse, as I also came down with Covid - along with half the world. All I can say is thank goodness for the three shots.  Moving forward I'll do my best to get back on the weekly schedule. The intent of the MyEnergy2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future.

1/27/22 • 80:15

This week Michael LaBelle provides a rough description of why the EU has lost its soft power.   Rising gas prices, the military aggression of Russia, and rule of law breaches in former Communist states are heralding a new era for the EU. This 'post-acquis' era is marked by rising nationalism and populism which undermine the foundation of the EU's soft power.   The question that needs to be answered is, 'Why did the EU lose its soft power?' This question cannot be answered without including the hard power of NATO.   The Post-Cold War environment saw NATO's eastern expansion, which is now questioned by the hard military might of Russia. The expansion of democracy in former communist countries, once represented by EU membership, represents a new socio-political system expressing soft power. At the same time, the hard power of NATO also went East. Jointly, these institutions now are perceived to threaten the borders and sovereignty of Russia.   The EU has been slow, and even incapable of acting against its own member states who have discounted the democratic norms which are the foundation of the European Union. The EU's soft power derives from a descriptive cultural experience of individual liberty and respect for human rights. The Cold War-era institutions of the Helsinki Commission, European Court of Human Rights, and others symbolize a common pursuit of both the Soviet and Western countries to establish common rights within Europe. Now, these institutions are sidelined as nationalists and populists reclaim sovereignty given over to these Cold War institutions, including the EU.   The EU's Single Energy Market (SEM) was built and functioned as a place for companies and governments to 'come and play' (as Goldthau and Sitter state). Money could be made by neighboring countries selling gas and electricity by the rules within the SEM. However, over time, as competition and neoliberal rules took over from national governments' long-term agreements with Russia, participation in the EU's SEM was not a favorable place to play.   Gas is now near-enough, thanks to LNG and new pipelines, a global commodity. Russian gas is breaking the Soviet gas bridge and finding alternative buyers. For most companies and countries wanting to play in the SEM, there are other places to sell their gas. During the Cold War, gas was more than a commodity, it was a tool to build relations between the Soviet Union and Western (and even Eastern) countries. And to transfer money and technology. This was soft power at play. The Western European countries were attractive for their cash, knowledge, and business relations that could be developed over time. Thus, gas, while a commodity was also a relational tool creating trust and commerce between two different political-economic systems.   The downgrading of gas to a mere commodity overseen by market rules and regulations favoring consumers, means producers are no longer incentivized to participate in a market that has strings attached. The SEM is described by scholars, as a soft power tool with a hard edge. Meaning the market is attractive to foreign and domestic entities who will play in the market, but there are hard rules and regulations which dictate how participation is done. For Russia in 2021 and 2022, participation is defined as satisfying contractual commitments, but not sending higher levels of 'free' gas to participate in the market.   The EU's soft power is also undermined from within by member states. The growth of populism and nationalism delivers scathing blows against the legitimacy of the European project. NATO was a product of the Cold War - expressing hard power. But the EU is a product produced from World War Two seeking stability and being founded on a common platform of not only economic union, but also political and social union to prevent war between European countries. Therefore, the EU cannot be defined only through rules, regulations, and legislation, but through social and political norms that perceive democracy and individual liberty as foundational to society.   Breaches of the rule of law perceived to be happening in Hungary and Poland, demonstrate an effort by the EU to reclaim a semblance of democratic norms under an overly prescriptive governance system. For these two countries and others negating the acquis that guided their EU membership by conforming legislation and social systems to an EU norm, meant sacrificing Communist practices of non-market economies and social control.   In a post-acquis era, returning to Communist top-down political management appears to be the best way to deliver low-cost energy and societal control. There's little space for democracy or expression of individual rights. While the hard power of Russia may not appeal to the Polish government, the nationalistic and populistic tendencies are a return to a form of governance that the parties in power in both Hungary, Poland, and Russia appreciate. And, depending on how you count, over fifty percent of voters support this form. Legitimacy from the ground-up or from the top-down? For nationalists, there is no question.   The soft power of the EU, to be attractive while also persuading partners to be democratic and neoliberal in commerce is lost. The built-up EU institutions and mechanisms, seen in the SEM or the European Emission Trading System (ETS) provide stringent rules and regulations, not all member states are willing to abide by. Add to that democratic norms, such as respect for press freedom, then membership to the EU has a high cost.   Unfortunately, for the EU, holding soft power, means you can't kick out those that do not play by your rules. But they can choose to leave. The UK and Russia have decided they are better off not playing by the EU's rules. For Hungary and Poland, they decided it's better to stay in but pay no attention to the rules. For the EU, to build back its soft power, some hard power could be useful.

1/13/22 • 38:28

Welcome to the MyEnergy2050 podcast where we speak to the people building a clean energy system by 2050. I'm your host Michael LaBelle.  This week we speak with Adrian Bull, who is the Chair of Nuclear Energy and Society at the University of Manchester, and has been at the British Nuclear Laboratory for more than 20 years.   I wanted to have Adrian on to discuss the potential upswing in support for nuclear power. This is seen in the EU Commission proposing that nuclear is considered green power. Also, the rapid price increase in gas may be leading governments to look for long-term power solutions. However, Adrian's response is telling. He reflects back on a ten-year social media post, where he was projecting the last decade would be a new nuclear era. Well, as we all know that didn't happen.   I always consider nuclear a special case. First, it is extremely divisive. It provides essentially  carbon-free electricity, but this benefit is countered by the long-term radioactivity of nuclear waste - and the challenges of storage. Second, new nuclear power plants are extremely expensive upfront, and as we discuss, it requires government financial support. And finally, the projected lifetime from building to decommissioning is decades and decades. Nuclear requires serious social and political support. The shutting down of viable nuclear power plants in Germany demonstrates what happens when there is a loss of political and social support.   The focus of the interview, and the key take-aways are not the technical issues around nuclear. Rather, it is about understanding the social aspect of nuclear power. We explore how the nuclear industry is interacting with society. And if you think the nuclear sector is unique, you'll be surprised how our discussion develops. The lessons learned from nuclear power and public engagement can easily be applied to other energy generation projects, like wind and solar farms.   Regardless of your opinion ON nuclear power, our discussion around: 1) public engagement; 2) risk management; 3) Scientific knowledge engagement in the media. As Adrian describes, the history of nuclear power is not about the failure of the technology, but rather about finance and communication. The perception of the public and policymakers shapes the energy system.   This observation is highly relevant when we speak of the energy transition and how to make it happen. In some countries, nuclear power will have a role, for others, absolutely not. But regardless of the technology the issues of financing, risk perception each shape the energy system in a country.   My final suggestion is when you listen to this episode, to keep a broader frame of the whole energy system in mind. We delve into consideration of the generation technology in an energy mix, because if it's not nuclear what is it?   And just a note for frequent listeners. I updated the website over the holiday period. We are growing our episode list, so now we have a better search function and a more categories to organize the episodes. You can also now subscribe to the podcast on more podcast apps as well.   And finally, on the website you can sign up for episode updates, and the forthcoming newsletter. The podcast listener community continues to grow and I'm amazed by this. Feel free to share the episodes and think about using them as a resource for teaching and research. I post the transcripts and each episode contains historical accounts of a sector and the most recent policy discussions.   The intent of the MyEnergy2050 podcast is to spread the knowledge about how the energy system can assist our transition towards a greener future

1/6/22 • 62:17

This week we speak with Thierry Bros, he's a professor at Sciences Po in Paris. In the introduction I use the term  'eminent expert on gas' and after listening to this interview you will be using this term too. On the podcast, I try to keep introductions short but pay attention to his experience on the EU- Russian gas roundtable or his lead with the liberalization of the French gas market. I'm really honored for him to come onto the podcast to discuss his latest study done with Jean-Arnold Vinois, published by the Jacque Delors Energy Centre, titled, High Energy Prices, Russia Fights Back? In my opinion, this is one of the best reports on the current crisis in the gas market. It is direct, clear, and full of advice and information. Thierry provides a succinct path for how the European Commission - and national governments need to navigate the current crisis and overall energy transition. He is very clear in stating, we can't jump from 2020 to 2050. In his view, the Commission forgot this. In this episode, we balance his perspective between the market deciding on the technologies to get us to net-zero, and governments subsidizing our way through a green transition. That is, making energy affordable to households but smoothing the volatility that is caused by phasing out fossil fuels- and the natural rhythm of commodity markets. There is €30 billion coming from the EU's Emissions Trading System (ETS), this money should be used to assist households with the transition and put into R&D for new technologies - not given to large corporations to fund incremental improvements. Towards, the end we get to Russia- EU gas relations. Here Thierry's perspective is clear: The EU Commission needs to step up and engage with Russia over Nord Stream and the medium-term role of gas in the EU. He cites the disparaging treatment the EU has given towards Russia on the role of gas in the green transition. As EU suppliers dry up - like the Dutch and Norwegian fields, Russian gas is increasing its share in the EU. A long-term strategy needs to be developed to ensure sufficient investment occurs to weather the transition phase. For Thierry, he believes in the long-term viability of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS). But I would say, regardless of your view on CCS, gas is with us for the long-term, the current under investments, and high prices, like what I discussed with Adam Cyzewski, the Chief Economist of PKN Orlean, in episode 44, it is clear, jumping to a 2050 energy mix, without a deliberate strategy over infrastructure and without ensuring stable relations with gas suppliers, is not viable. Rather, a phased transition is needed that involves specific milestones and partnerships. My suggestion is to listen to this episode and read the gas report, you'll learn a lot about the causes and solutions to the current gas prices. Finally, there is an incredible amount of information in these podcast episodes - just like this one - I do make the transcripts available on the My Energy 2050 website. Just as a note, I'll be using these interviews to inform my own research, so if you are also a researcher, I suggest you check out the transcript - and even cite the episode in your publications. That actually helps my own citation scores and makes doing the podcast more fun than writing another journal article. Finally, for comments, I suggest to jump on the LinkedIn or Twitter posts of the episodes and leave comments there. Social media is a great way to share knowledge and grow the quantity of high-quality information about how to make the energy transition a reality.

12/16/21 • 53:31

The complexity of manufacturing from a global supply chain has never been more apparent than now. With supply shortages caused by the impact of Covid-19 and efforts to combat climate change, we are entering a new period, as I have stated in the past about Carbon Storms, where a confluence of events disrupt or place pressure on once stable markets.   At the end of 2021, there are shortages even with the common material of magnesium, with European production of cars, planes, and other lightweight aluminum alloys ceasing. The global shortage of computer chips sent the message of how integrated - and tight - global supply chains are. Now as Europe continues to produce everyday products like cars, but also higher-tech equipment necessary for the energy transition, there is a serious supply problem for European industry.   For this episode, we are joined by Chris Heron and Cillian O'Donoghue. Cillian, As you'll hear, the interview with these representatives of the European Metals Association (Eurometaux)  is perfect timing to understand both the current shortages and what is needed to improve the situation for European manufacturers.   I think you'll find many parts of this episode surprising. And certainly informative. Previously, I just thought Europe needed to be producing everything at home to ensure the security of supplies for these materials, but as you'll also find out, bringing it back home, may not be the answer.   Europe's high energy prices and other key competitive factors, making the rebuilding industry a challenge. Rather, diversification of sourcing may be a more competitive and secure way forward.   Also, bringing back industry to Europe - requires lower priced energy. The factory has to be competitive in Europe. And now with the big effort to decarbonize power and electrify everything, rebuilding the European smelting and resource sector may be beyond the rationale.   In terms of energy, as Cillian points out, smelters and factories can use wind and solar, but these are intermittent power sources, so it's necessary to develop large scale storage options - Hydro is a great example, but for other sources, a steady supply is important to ensure continual operation. This is not to say it can't be done, but the challenges are there.   In regards to building the circular economy, we put our hands down into the recycling box to find out that recycling can happen in the sector. But as Chris points out, the materials going into batteries or other new technologies are not at a sufficient level within the economy to create a recycling loop. Therefore, we need to rely on raw materials to build up a base for recycling.   We then get to the sources of raw materials. How can the industry source the materials from mines or locations that do have high environmental and social standards?  As I've discussed in previous episodes, Maty .. And Martin..  Verifying the supply chain becomes very important. Towards, the end we get to the carbon border adjustment mechanism that is being proposed by the EU Commission, to ensure that materials brought into the EU are made with sustainable energy. However, according to Chris and Cillian,  this turns out to be deficient in its application. Listen to find out why.

12/9/21 • 58:50