ScienceEarth Sciences

Energy Switch

Switch Energy Alliance

Energy and climate are intertwined, two of the most important topics in the world today. Yet listeners know very little about them. This podcast aims to change that. Energy Switch brings together two renowned experts from government, NGOs, academia, and industry, with differing perspectives on important energy and climate topics.These lively discussions are moderated by renowned energy scientist and communicator Dr. Scott Tinker. The podcast is produced, written, and directed by Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Harry Lynch.

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25 episodes
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Episodes 25

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August 13 · 25 min
Solar and Wind: Success or Failure?
We hear conflicting information about solar and wind energy. They’re the cheapest form of electricity. But they make electricity more expensive. They’re the fastest growing electricity. But they make only a small portion of total energy. Are they the future? Or uncompetitive without subsidy? Dan Kammen, energy scientist from Johns Hopkins, and Robert Bryce, energy author and journalist, debate.
August 13 · 25 min
S8 E10: Solar and Wind Success or Failure
We hear conflicting information about solar and wind energy. They’re the cheapest form of electricity. But they make electricity more expensive. They’re the fastest growing electricity. But they make only a small portion of total energy. Are they the future? Or uncompetitive without subsidy? Dan Kammen, energy scientist from Johns Hopkins, and Robert Bryce, energy author and journalist, debate. FOLLOW US ▷ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SwitchEnergyAlliance ▷ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SwitchEAlliance ▷ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchenergyalliance/ ▷ INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/switchenergyalliance ▷ WEBSITE: https://switchon.org/ About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
August 11 · 25 min
S8 E9: Ecomodernism vs Degrowth
Degrowth advocates say we’re overusing Earth’s resources, which will degrade living standards and harm the environment, so we must reduce. Ecomodernists say we’re fine: Technology, agriculture and energy will raise living standards while demanding less of nature. We discuss with Ted Nordhaus, co-founder of Breakthrough Institute, and Josh Farley, an economist from the University of Vermont. FOLLOW US ▷ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SwitchEnergyAlliance ▷ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SwitchEAlliance ▷ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchenergyalliance/ ▷ INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/switchenergyalliance ▷ WEBSITE: https://switchon.org/ About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
August 11 · 25 min
Ecomodernism vs Degrowth
Degrowth advocates say we’re overusing Earth’s resources, which will degrade living standards and harm the environment, so we must reduce. Ecomodernists say we’re fine: Technology, agriculture and energy will raise living standards while demanding less of nature. We discuss with Ted Nordhaus, co-founder of Breakthrough Institute, and Josh Farley, an economist from the University of Vermont.
August 6 · 25 min
Shipping, part 2
In part 1, we learned the basics of the industry. Now we look at CO2 emissions and the UN’s goals to reduce them, alternative low-carbon fuels and challenges to adopt those. We’ll hear what effects that might have on the industry, again with expert guests Margaret Doyle, a Director of Transparensea Fuels, and Anna Silva, Manager of Cruise Ops at the Port Everglades Terminal.
August 4 · 25 min
Shipping, part 1
Shipping brings us almost every product because it’s the lowest cost of any transport. This makes it extremely important globally, yet it faces many challenges, especially in the U.S., where the shipbuilding industry has nearly stagnated. We’ll hear insider perspectives from Anna Silva, Manager of Cruise Ops at Port Everglades Terminal, and Margaret Doyle, Director of Transparensea Fuels.
July 30 · 25 min
S8 E6: Arctic Climate
The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. Melting sea ice has opened northern shipping lanes but exposes more water to the warming sun. Melting land ice raises sea levels. Changing weather can bring cold air south to the rest of us. We’ll look at these with research scientists Nancy Fresco from the University of Alaska and Twila Moon from UC Boulder. FOLLOW US ▷ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SwitchEnergyAlliance ▷ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/SwitchEAlliance ▷ LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/switchenergyalliance/ ▷ INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/switchenergyalliance ▷ WEBSITE: https://switchon.org/ About Switch Energy Alliance: Switch Energy Alliance is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to inspiring an energy-educated future that is objective, nonpartisan, and sensible. With over 300 energy education videos and resources, Switch Energy Alliance engages students and general viewers in a positive conversation to work collaboratively on energy challenges. Learn more: https://switchon.org/ https://www.youtube.com/c/SwitchEnergyAlliance
July 30 · 25 min
Arctic Climate
The Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. Melting sea ice has opened northern shipping lanes but exposes more water to the warming sun. Melting land ice raises sea levels. Changing weather can bring cold air south to the rest of us. We’ll look at these with research scientists Nancy Fresco from the University of Alaska and Twila Moon from UC Boulder.
July 28 · 25 min
Energy PhDs
Two very promising PhD candidates discuss their energy research, federal funding cuts and how they may affect the academic and science environments today and tomorrow, and their job prospects and future careers. With Kelsey Richardson, pursuing her PhD in Chemical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara, and Teagan Reasch, PhD candidate in Energy and Environmental Policy at Ohio State.
July 23 · 25 min
Efficiency and Conservation
Using less energy saves money and can even reduce prices. It also reduces emissions and frees up energy for other uses without building more power plants and power lines. We discuss the benefits to consumers, businesses and utilities with Maggie Molina, Executive Director of Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships, and Laurie Wiegand-Jackson, CEO of Utility Advantage.
July 21 · 25 min
Public Opinion on Climate
Two veteran pollsters tell us not what they think, but what we think -- Democrats, Republicans and Independents -- about the environment, climate and energy. Some of their insights will certainly surprise you. Featuring Ashley Grosse, Executive Vice President at YouGov, and Alec Tyson, Senior Vice President at Ipsos Public Affairs, two leading survey and data companies.
July 16 · 25 min
Tribal Energy
There are 10 million Native Americans in the U.S. Those on reservations are often the last customers on the power line, getting the worst service at the highest prices. But many tribes are working to fix this, building diverse energy projects on tribal lands that could change their future. With Cheri Smith, CEO of the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, and Ken Ahmann, COO of Colusa Indian Energy.
July 14 · 25 min
Senators Talk Energy
Energy and climate have become increasingly partisan, resulting in slow, or no, political progress. Our guests discuss subsidies, climate and energy strategy, recall a time when senators collaborated more than they conspired, and how they might come together again to help solve today’s energy and climate challenges. With former Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Joe Manchin.
February 17 · 25 min
King Coal
Coal is still the dominant source of electricity worldwide. That’s because it’s available domestically in many countries, and is cheap and easy to mine, transport and burn. But those benefits come with serious downsides: local air pollution and global CO2 emissions. We discuss with Dr. Rahul Tongia from the Centre for Social and Economic Progress, and Dr. Mark Thurber from Stanford University.
February 10 · 25 min
Investing in Alternative Energy
Twenty years ago, wind, solar, grid-scale batteries, and the powerlines to connect them were rare. Now they’re mainstream. Our two guests have been there since the beginning. We’ll hear how they’ve led alternative energy development and investment companies with great success. With Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy, and Michael Harrington, Chief Investment Officer for Actis.
February 4 · 25 min
Fertilizers
Fertilizer drives modern agriculture, to feed the world. It turns natural gas, nitrogen from the atmosphere, and mined minerals into plant nutrients, which end up on our plates to nourish our bodies -- but with large energy and greenhouse gas footprints. We’ll discuss benefits, challenges and potential solutions with Chrystel Monthean from Yara and Dr. Jason Haegele from ICL Group.
February 2 · 25 min
Air Quality in America
The Clean Air Act has reduced particulate matter pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, ushering in capture technologies that have improved air quality and health. Further improvements, however, may be difficult to achieve. With Dr. Tracey Holloway, from the University of Wisconsin and NASA, and Emily Schilling, a law partner at Holland & Hart.
January 29 · 25 min
Russian Energy
Russia’s energy exports fund its government and war efforts. It’s the world’s 2nd largest producer of oil and natural gas, behind the US, and has avoided energy sanctions through careful maneuvering. Because of its energy, Russia will continue to play an outsized role in global politics. With Dr. Margarita Balmaceda from Seton Hall and Harvard, and Dr. Caroline Kissane, Associate Dean at NYU.
January 26 · 25 min
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning has changed the world, allowing hot regions to develop, with increased comfort, health, and productivity. But these benefits come with challenges -- greater electricity demand and emissions. There are new ideas that could bring cooling to more people, with less impact. With Dr. Daniel Betts, CEO of Blue Frontier, and Dr. Chiara Delmastro from the International Energy Agency.
January 21 · 25 min
Extreme Weather part 2
Last episode, our experts referenced IPCC data to explain that heat, heat waves and precipitation are trending up. While floods, fires and storms are flat or down. However, in this episode we’ll see that risk and damages from these events have increased, and we’ll look at potential solutions. Again with acclaimed environmental journalist Andrew Revkin and climate scientist Dr. Patrick Brown.

Showing 1–20 of 25 episodes