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The future of energy, transport, sustainability and more, as told by BNEF analysts. Each week, Dana Perkins and Tom Rowlands-Rees sit down with BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysts to uncover the key findings and stories behind their latest research.

1 DAY AGO

Record Energy Transition Investment, But Slower Pace

Investment in the energy transition reached a record $2.3 trillion last year. That’s a huge figure, but it tells only part of the story. Renewables investment dipped year-on-year as China shifted its power market policy, clean industry and carbon capture gained ground, and growth shifted toward Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Behind the total lies a careful process to define what counts, decide when capital is truly committed, and reconcile everything from electric-vehicle sales to nuclear construction and green debt issuance. So what does this year’s record really reveal about the trajectory of the energy transition? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by BNEF’s deputy CEO, Albert Cheung, to review findings from the “Energy Transition Investment Trends 2026.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Energy Transition Investment Trends 2026 - https://www.bnef.com/flagships/clean-energy-investment Publicly Available Summary - https://about.bnef.com/insights/finance/energy-transition-investment-trends/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37 min
25 FEB

What Really Determines Where Data Centers Get Built

The geography of data center development is being redrawn at speed. BloombergNEF is tracking nearly 23 gigawatts of new capacity under construction worldwide, as AI and cloud workloads drive the next phase of digital infrastructure growth. But siting decisions are becoming more complex. Energy availability and land permitting now dominate, while taxes, fiber connectivity and existing ecosystems still shape competitiveness. As AI demand scales and ambitions grow, regions from the Nordics and Iberia to the Middle East and Latin America are positioning for the next wave. So which markets are best placed to win, and what really determines where the next gigawatt gets built? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Lloyd Arnold, an analyst from BNEF’s technology and innovations team, to review findings from their note “Data Center Development: Regional Drivers and Hurdles.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Data Center Development: Regional Drivers and Hurdles - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38579 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

35 min
23 FEB

Clean Tech’s US Tariff Whiplash: Analyst Reaction

A US Supreme Court ruling is shaking up global clean-tech trade. By striking down Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, the justices have created an opening for some solar equipment and stationary storage batteries. Yet not everyone will benefit equally, and with the administration moving to put new tariffs in place, just how durable is this reprieve? On today’s show, Kamala Schelling is joined by Derrick Flakoll, a senior policy associate for North America, and Matthew Hales, an associate on BNEF’s trade and supply chains team, to discuss their analyst reaction “Trump’s Tariff Loss Opens Window for Clean Tech Imports.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Trump’s Tariff Loss Opens Window for Clean Tech Imports: React - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/tarz9pt96osl00 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

13 min
18 FEB

Sustainable Finance Enters Its ‘Messy Middle’

Sustainable finance has entered what might be its “messy middle.” For years, governments leaned into reporting regulations and other policies in support of ESG-aligned financial activities. Then came 2025, with the European Union weakening flagship rules, the US rolling back federal guidance, and other markets pausing or delaying new standards. Yet investors still demand standardized data on how companies are spending their money. So is this retreat a sign that the era of sustainable finance is coming to an end, or simply part of the shift to its next phase? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Maia Mesanger, a BNEF specialist in finance policy and transition risk, to review findings from her note “Sustainable Finance Policy Quarterly: 4Q 2025.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Sustainable Finance Policy Quarterly: 4Q 2025 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38471 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

37 min
11 FEB

How Climate Risk Flows From Insurance to City Budgets

Climate adaptation is increasingly a matter of financial resilience, not just physical protection. Across the US, climate risk is filtering into rising insurance costs, shifting property values and heavy reliance on property tax revenues, exposing some cities and counties to mounting fiscal strain and potential spillovers into municipal bond markets. With climate exposure, tax dependence and access to federal aid varying sharply by location, risks are emerging unevenly across the country. So how are climate stresses reshaping municipal finances, and what should investors and policymakers be watching? On today’s show, Tom Rowands-Rees is joined by Danya Liu, a BNEF specialist in climate resilience and adaptation, to discuss findings from her note “Climate Risk and US Municipal Finances: Storm Ahead.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Climate Risk and US Municipal Finances: Storm Ahead? - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38257 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 min
4 FEB

Beyond the Chip: Rewiring Data Center Supply Chains

As AI drives a new wave of data center expansion, the focus is shifting from chips to the infrastructure that powers and cools them. Denser AI workloads are accelerating the move toward liquid cooling, higher-capacity electrical equipment and new power architectures, putting pressure on traditional supply chains and forcing rapid innovation across the ecosystem. So how is AI reshaping the hardware behind data centers, and what does it mean for the future of power, cooling and grid infrastructure? At the BloombergNEF Summit San Francisco, Mark Daly, BNEF’s head of technology and innovation, moderated a panel titled “Seeing Beyond the Chips: Innovations in Data Center Supply Chains.” This episode brings listeners that panel, which featured Steven Carlini, chief advocate for data centers and the AI energy management business unit, at Schneider Electric; Haroon Inam, the co-founder and chief executive officer of DG Matrix; Jill Macari, the chief financial officer of VEIR; and Angela Taylor, the chief of staff and head of strategy at LiquidStack. To learn more about BNEF’s Summits taking place around the world and to see recordings of BNEF Talks at previous Summits, head to https://about.bnef.com/events/type/summit/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

34 min
29 JAN

How Co-Located Batteries Are Reshaping Solar’s Future

After years of rapid expansion, the buildout of solar power is starting to slow. Capacity additions are set to dip slightly in 2026, the first decline since BloombergNEF began tracking the market. At the same time, the way solar is built is changing, with developers increasingly pairing projects with batteries to manage curtailment, share grid connections and boost revenues. So what does this new phase mean for solar, and how far can co-location carry the industry? On today’s show, Tom Rowands-Rees is joined by BNEF’s head of solar research, Lara Hayim, and analyst Cosmo van Steenis to discuss findings from the notes “4Q 2025 Global PV Market Outlook: First Ever Dip” and “Co-Located Storage Boosts Solar’s Business Case.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: 4Q 2025 Global PV Market Outlook - First ever dip - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38279 Co-Located Storage Boosts Solar’s Business Case - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38241 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

31 min
22 JAN

Power Grid Spending Surges But Capacity Still Lags

Investment in power grids is rising fast. Worldwide, spending on this critical piece of infrastructure rose 17% last year. Yet higher outlays are not necessarily translating into new capacity on the ground. Aging assets, supply-chain constraints and the rollout of new technologies are slowing delivery, while connection queues for both generation and load are getting longer. With grids under pressure from all sides, what’s really holding expansion back, and what will it take to turn rising investment into real-world capacity? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by BloombergNEF’s head of grids research, Peter Wall, to discuss findings from his team’s note “Grid Investment Outlook 2025: Double-Digit Growth – Again.” Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Grid Investment Outlook 2025: Double-Digit Growth - Again - https://www.bnef.com/insights/38127 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

29 min

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The future of energy, transport, sustainability and more, as told by BNEF analysts. Each week, Dana Perkins and Tom Rowlands-Rees sit down with BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysts to uncover the key findings and stories behind their latest research.

Channel

Bloomberg
Creator

Bloomberg
Years Active

2019 - 2026
Episodes

275
Rating

Clean
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Switched On