Switched On Bloomberg
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- Business
Conversations about global commodity markets and the disruptive technologies driving the transition to a low-carbon economy. Each week, Dana Perkins sits down with different BloombergNEF (BNEF) analysts to discuss their latest research and unique perspective on the future of energy, transport, agriculture, sustainability and more.
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Nuclear Harbors Big Dreams Despite Hurdles
The global nuclear industry has been plagued with retirements for over a decade. However, after delegates at the COP28 summit last year voiced aspirations to triple nuclear capacity by 2050, the industry could be poised for growth. The usual regulatory, environmental and economic hurdles remain, but small modular reactors have the potential to ameliorate several of these obstacles if they can get off the ground. Meanwhile, exuberance for nuclear energy has been dampened by fluctuations in the price of enriched uranium.
On today’s show, Dana is joined by BloombergNEF’s lead nuclear analyst, Chris Gadomski. He shares insights from the recent report Nuclear Market Outlook 1H 2024: Big Dreams Despite Hurdles, and provides perspective on the feasibility of a comeback story for the nuclear industry.
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:
Nuclear Market Outlook 1H 2024: Big Dreams Despite Hurdles - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33819
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Strained Power Grids Test Flexible Market Solution
As already-strained power grids grapple with rapidly increasing demand, Europe is pioneering an innovative and powerful new tool to help system operators manage grid constraints. These local flexibility markets help balance electricity supply and demand by enabling distributed energy resources, such as electric vehicles or storage operators, to solve grid bottlenecks.
On today’s show, Dana is joined by BloombergNEF’s Head of Grids and Utilities, Sanjeet Sanghera, along with Felicia Aminoff, lead author of the recent BNEF report, Europe’s Local Flexibility Markets: Aiding a Strained Grid. Together they discuss the mechanisms that can be used to create a flexibility market, the potential scale of future markets and the technology required to grow them, and the existing regulatory models that underpin flexibility in an energy system.
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:
Europe’s Local Flexibility Markets: Aiding a Strained Grid - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33289/view
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Rooftop Solar Boom Turns Australian Power Prices Red
Rooftop solar is celebrating a runaway success in Australia, which has positioned itself to become a renewable energy superpower. From a target of doubling its renewable energy capacity by 2030 to $1.2 billion in the federal budget dedicated to the clean energy sector, the country has big plans for its energy transition. Yet the country still has a ways to travel before reaching its goals, with substantial legacy coal-fired power stations still contributing to the energy mix.
On today’s show, Dana is joined by Leonard Quong, BloombergNEF’s Head of Australia Research. Together they discuss the state of the energy transition in Australia, including how large volumes of rooftop solar are leading to negative power prices, the country’s ambitions to become a leader in green hydrogen, and how its exports of coal, liquefied natural gas and other commodities continue to shape the region.
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:
1H 2024 Australia Market Outlook - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33285?context=eyJjb250ZW50VHlwZSI6Imluc2lnaHQiLCJpbnNpZ2h0LXR5cGUiOls4XSwicmVnaW9uIjpbImF1cyJdLCJzZWN0b3IiOltdLCJhdXRob3IiOltdfQ==
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Self-Driving Vehicles Navigate Funding Speed Bumps
Autonomous vehicles might be the cars of the future, but following a flurry of venture capital and private equity funding a decade ago, investment in this space has since tapped the brakes. Last year saw VC/PE fundraising fail to reach $4 billion for the first time since 2017. While green shoots have come in the form of Tesla’s upcoming robotaxi launch, in such a capital-intensive industry, which levels of autonomy are the rest of the field still betting on?
On today’s show, Dana is joined by BloombergNEF’s Head of Intelligent Mobility, Andrew Grant. Together they discuss the recent drop in investment, advances in self-driving vehicle development, and Tesla’s continued resistance to following its peers in adopting laser-based sensor technology known as lidar.
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:
Automated Vehicles: State of the Industry 2024 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33597
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
US ESG Backlash Steps Up as EU Strengthens Standards
The first quarter of 2024 has seen a flurry of sustainable finance policy activity and a wave of mandatory reporting rules. Yet on the flip side, anti-ESG policies are gaining traction in the US. On today’s show, Dana is joined by Maia Godemer, senior associate for green and sustainable finance at BloombergNEF, to discuss this rapidly changing environment. Together, they consider BNEF’s new Sustainable Finance Policy Quarterly, touching on the new EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and how it differs from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).
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 1Q 2024 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33831
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. -
Brazil Harnesses Natural Capital to Fuel Green Future
As the host of this year’s G-20 meetings and next year’s COP30 climate conference, Brazil is in the spotlight. Ranked sixth globally for energy transition investment in 2023, and third for both wind and solar capacity additions, Brazil is aiming to use its vast array of natural resources to ensure its future as a clean energy powerhouse.
On today’s show, Dana is joined by BloombergNEF’s head of Latin America research, James Ellis, and analyst, Vinicius Nunes. They discuss Brazil’s potential for green hydrogen production, growing electric vehicle (EV) adoption in a market that is already dominated by vehicles powered by biofuels, and the role of the Amazon forest in voluntary carbon markets.
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:
Latin America Market Outlook 1H 2024: Brazil Drives Growth - https://www.bnef.com/insights/33999
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.