NTNU Energy Transition Podcast

In today's episode, we discuss the emerging field of agrophotovoltaics (agri-PV) with Marta Victoria, an associate professor specializing in solar photovoltaics and energy systems modeling at the University of Aarhus in Denmark.

We learn about the basic concept of agro-PV, combining agriculture and solar panels on farmland, and discuss its benefits, geographical viability, challenges, and the use of different crops. Marta explains various installation methods—horizontal and vertical setups—and addresses concerns regarding material consumption, reduced solar panel yield due to crop shadows, and potential collaborations with irrigation systems to optimize water usage.

The ongoing HyPErFarm Project aims to create real installations in Germany, Belgium, and Denmark to study and implement agro-PV systems, focusing on crop-solar panel interactions, irrigation integration, and overall efficiency.

Ewan Dunlop leads the European Solar Test installation at the Joint Research Centre (JRC). As we will cover in the episode, JRC's work is significant in the standardization and calibration of solar PV technologies, which ensures accurate measurements, reliability, and trustworthy information for consumers.

In this episode, Dunlops explains the history of solar PV testing, emphasizing its evolution from early applications in the 70s to current silicon-based module dominance. He highlights the crucial role of standardized testing methods in guaranteeing product quality and market confidence.

In this podcast episode, we explore the concept of just transitions in the context of energy transition. The episode features a conversation with Dr. Kirsten Jenkins, a senior lecturer in Energy, Environment, and Society at Edinburgh University, discussing the challenges and complexities of achieving a fair and equitable energy transition.

We delve into four key principles or tenets: distributional justice, recognition of affected communities and individuals, responsibility for addressing injustices, and procedural justice, which involves evaluating the processes in place to address these issues.

The conversation highlights real-life examples, such as the impact of cobalt mining, building on grazing lands used by Sami reindeer herders, challenges faced by oil and gas workers, and issues related to the implementation of renewable energy technologies. The episode emphasizes the importance of acknowledging historical injustices, considering the cultural identities of affected communities, and ensuring that the energy transition benefits everyone, leaving no one behind.

In today’s episode: The complex decision-making process behind the energy infrastructure at Norway's Melkøya LNG plant. The plant, located in the Snøhvit field in the northernmost region of Norway, lacks a pipeline to transport gas to Europe. Therefore, the gas must be liquefied, a highly energy-intensive process. There have been plans to decarbonize the liquefaction process through carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. However, recently the government has shifted towards electrification, raising questions about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of CCS.

Our guest this week is Eivind Berstad, a chemical engineer and team leader for CCS in the environmental NGO Bellona - an organization working towards finding climate solutions, emphasizing the importance of industry cooperation and research funding.

Together, we delve into the Melkøya plant's history, operational challenges, the reasons behind considering electrification over carbon capture, and the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. We consider factors like rising emission costs and the future outlook of carbon reduction initiatives. The episode highlights the urgency in finding economically viable solutions to curb emissions and achieve climate goals, underscoring the intricate balance between environmental responsibility and economic viability.

Mentioned in this episode: Eivind on the Mimir & Marsdal podcast.

Carl Christian Strømberg, is founder and CEO of Solcellespesialisten, Norway's largest solar PV installer. Carl shares his journey from graduating with an electronics degree from NTNU in 2005 to becoming the CEO of a leading solar company in Norway. He talks openly about the challenges of starting a solar business in a market where solar installations were virtually nonexistent, and his plans for the future.

Over the years, Solcellespesialisten has snowballed, doubling its workforce and expanding its operations several times. Carl explains how the company focuses on quality and close relationships with customers to achieve this growth. When listening to this episode you will also learn about the status quo of the Norwegian solar energy ecosystem and how Carl and Solcellerspecialisten aim to shape it in the future as the energy transition progresses.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast is a project by the NTNU Energy Transition Initiative designed to share energy-related knowledge and, thereby, help accelerate the deep decarbonization of our society as swiftly as possible. If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing to this podcast and give it a five-star rating on the app of your choice. Thanks a lot and looking forward to have you back in two weeks.

If you want to send me feedback or suggest other podcast guests please reach out via Linkedin, or write me an email to [email protected].

In this episode, I interview the Executive Vice President for Sustainability at SINTEF, Nils Røkke, in front of a live audience during NTNU's Hyfer festival. The conversation, initially meant to focus on Norway's looming power deficit, also encompasses other aspects of Norway's energy transition and the challenges it faces

Røkke explains that Norway is one of the most electrified countries globally, but that it still relies on fossil fuels in some sectors. He touches on the trade-offs involved in the transition, such as social acceptance of renewable energy projects and the balance between affordability, competitiveness, and sustainability.

Røkke emphasizes the importance of developing renewables, energy efficiency, and offshore wind power to meet the growing energy demand while reducing carbon emissions. He also mentions the role of hydropower and the need for more investments in the energy sector to achieve decarbonization goals.

After our talk, we invited the audience to challenge Nils with some questions of their own.

In this episode, we cover three recent news related to energy transition. First, I discuss the electrification of Melkøya, an energy island off the coast of Hammerfest in Norway. Next, about Germany's decision to phase out fossil heating systems, which contribute significantly to the nation's CO2 emissions, and will likely reduce the demand for gas from Norway. And finally, an update on electric vehicle registrations in Norway, where more than 83% of new passenger cars registered in August 2023 were electric.

This episode was a bit make-shift, as the planned guest had to cancel. But stay tuned for upcoming episodes: Next we're interviewing Carl Christian Strømberg, Founder/CEO of Solcellespesialisten, Norway's largest solar installer. Plus, don't miss the live episode recording on September 22nd and a Green Energy Shifters networking event on September 28th in Oslo as part of Oslo Innovation Week.

Nicola Paltrinieri is a Professor of Risk Assessment at the NTNU Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, and leads the NTNU Team Hydrogen. He joins us to discuss the complexities of hydrogen safety and its role in the energy transition.

The conversation starts off by bringing up an earlier podcast episode. In episode 44, Professor Robert Warren Howarth, co-author of the controversial paper "How Green is Blue Hydrogen?" was a guest. Professor Paltrinieri was part of a comment team that aimed to provide a more balanced view of that paper, and helps us understand the nuances of the debate surrounding the paper, emphasizing the importance of data accuracy, context, and diversification in investment.

Following the blue hydrogen discussion, the conversation shifts to hydrogen safety. Professor Paltrinieri explores the complexity of hydrogen safety, emphasizing that it involves multiple factors beyond just combustion and explosion risks. He addresses the challenges of working with an emerging technology where operational experience is limited, leading to uncertainties in statistical analysis. Additionally, he discusses the interaction between human factors and technology, and the need for effective inspection and maintenance strategies.

Also, check out research centers HYDROGENi, HyValue, and the Norwegian research school on hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels, HySchool.

In this summer bonus episode, Herman Hegli Sagør from YoungEnergy discusses various aspects of the energy transition with Jacopo Iorino from Equinor. They delve into Equinor's commitment to net-zero goals, renewable energy, and career opportunities for graduates interested in working in the renewable industry.

Iorino, a leader in Equinor's communications department, shares his experiences as a graduate within the company, where rotations among different departments are common. The conversation covers Equinor's efforts to balance oil and gas production with renewable energy growth, emphasizing increased carbon efficiency and developing renewable projects like wind and solar. Iorino highlights the company's focus on strategic planning, investment allocation, and the importance of individuals contributing to the energy transition within various roles. He explains how Equinor's diverse business segments allow employees to engage in different dimensions of the energy transition, whether one's passion lies in renewables, strategy, engineering, or other areas.

Due to the holiday break, we've asked youth from Young Energy and Young Climate to create two bonus episodes for us. Having the freedom to choose both guests and topics themselves, their first episode delves into a somewhat controversial topic: Nuclear energy, and its potential in Norway.

Today's host, Daniel Øystrøm, starts by discussing the historical context of nuclear energy in Norway. The episode features two other students from UngEnergi and UngKlima, and Professor Erik Wahlström, the leader of the newly established NTNU Team Nuclear, whose primary goal is to gather information and resources related to nuclear energy to determine the best strategies for the university's involvement in the field.

Their discussion touch upon public and political opinion on nuclear energy in Norway, the complexity of the current nuclear energy debate, the credible arguments on both sides, and the potential risks and costs associated with nuclear power. The need for a more nuanced public debate is emphasized.

Ultimately, the episode explores whether Norway should actively participate in nuclear energy development or wait to observe progress in other countries before making decisions. It raises questions about the viability and safety of different nuclear technologies, such as thorium-filled reactors, and the importance of cost-effectiveness in determining the future of nuclear energy in Norway.

Jørn Haanæs is the investment director at Katapult, a climate venture capital fund. We discuss the challenges and rewards of being involved in startups, emphasizing the need for passion, excellence, resilience, and the importance of pursuing meaningful problems and maintaining motivation in the face of challenges.

Haanæs explains the role of venture capital firms in providing risk capital to startups and highlights the importance of finding outliers that can generate significant returns. We look closer at the concept of accelerators and how Katapult combines venture capital investment with an accelerator program to support early-stage startups.

In this episode of the NTNU Energy Transition Podcast, we invite Hege Marie Norheim to discuss the future of battery production in Europe. Hege, who is an executive vice president at FREYR, shares her journey from working in the Prime Minister's office in Norway to her current role in the battery industry. She helps us understand how batteries play a crucial role in the energy transition, by decarbonizing the transportation sector and scaling renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

Norheim sheds light on the growing demand for batteries in electric vehicles and energy storage systems. While discussing the potential for recycling used lithium-ion batteries from the mobility market, she emphasizes that the demand for fresh batteries is enormous and expected to increase significantly in the coming years.

The conversation also touches upon different types of batteries, including vanadium flow batteries used in stationary applications. Hege explains that each battery type has its own advantages and trade-offs depending on factors such as charging speed, energy storage capacity, and lifespan. She emphasizes the need for optimizing battery chemistry to meet various requirements.

Overall, this episode provides valuable insights into the role of batteries in the energy transition and the future of battery production in Europe.

Norway's "IRA": https://www.dn.no/politikk/ira/jan-christian-vestre/store-regjeringen/mener-den-norske-pakken-er-bedre-enn-usas/2-1-1477692 (norwegian article)

Emil Yde Aasen, a Market Strategy & Insight Manager at Aker Carbon Capture, shares his insights on the challenges and developments in the CCS market. Together, we discuss the importance of CCS in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and enabling decarbonization in hard-to-abate industries.

Emil also highlights the two operational CCS projects in Norway and the ongoing efforts to capture and store CO2 emissions from industrial processes. The episode provides an overview of CCS, its significance in combating climate change, and the emerging field of carbon capture and utilization. We shed light on the progress made in CCS technology and the need for further commercial projects to scale up its implementation. Join the conversation to learn more about the current state and future prospects of CCS in Norway and beyond.

Also, consider joining our Green Energy Shifters networking meeting tomorrow. See more information at greenenergyshifters.no.

Anne Margrethe M. Platou, an ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) analyst at DNB, one of the largest banks in the Nordic region, joins our 50th episode to talk about steering capital flows toward low-carbon projects. She explains the importance of finance and capital flows in driving the energy transition and highlights the role of banks in channeling capital toward new solutions that shape the future. We look at three key components: commercial banking, asset management, and investment banking, and highlight how they work together to realize the bank's sustainability strategy. The current state of the financing system is discussed, and we explore strategies, challenges, and opportunities in aligning it with the energy transition, emphasizing the role of banks, investors, and pension funds.

Find our LinkedIn page here (and don't forget to follow).

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society towards carbon neutrality.
New episodes every second Thursday. The podcast is hosted by the NTNU Energy Transition Initiative which was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies to achieve the Paris ambitions. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

In this episode, we explore the topic of scaling low-carbon technologies. Without a guest this time, I will delve into my own field of study: Sustainability transition theory, innovation theory, and innovation systems theory, to shed light on what it takes to effectively scale low-carbon technology and accelerate the energy transition. I will share my own research and insights, aiming to provide valuable information for those involved in scaling low-carbon technology and driving the energy transition.

The episode starts by discussing sustainability transitions and the processes involved in shifting social-technical systems toward sustainability. I emphasize the multidimensional changes required, including technological, material, organizational, institutional, political, economic, and social-cultural aspects. You will learn how sustainability transitions are ongoing processes that take time and lead to the emergence of new products, services, business models, and organizations.

The episode then focuses on a framework called the multi-level perspectives, introduced by Frank Geels, which helps in understanding sustainability transitions. Geels’s framework includes the concepts of regimes (existing systems), landscapes (external pressures), and niches (emerging alternatives). I explain how regimes need external pressure from the landscape to break up and create space for more sustainable niche configurations, and highlight the importance of understanding these dynamics in order to drive effective scaling of low-carbon technologies.

Lina Bertling Tjernberg is a Professor in Power Grid Technology at KTH – The Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. In this episode, she helps us understand how the power grid work. We start by discussing the importance of reliability in power grids and how it relates to asset management. Then we delve into the structure of the Swedish power system and the challenges it faces due to the country's geography and the distribution of population centers. We also touch on the current developments in the Scandinavian power grids and how challenges such as integrating renewable energy sources can be alleviated in the long run.

Check out Lina's book on Infrastructure Asset Management with Power System Applications.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, and on our ⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠. Please reach out by mail to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

In this episode of the NTNU Energy Transition Podcast, we discuss "BECCS", or Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage. We explore the use of biomass for heating and capturing CO2 to be stored underground, and how it fits into pathways for reaching net zero emissions. I am joined by Fabian Levihn, the head of R&D at Stockholm Exergi and a member of the carbon removals expert group for the European Commission. Levihn explains how BECCS technology works and its potential as a negative emissions solution. We also discuss policy frameworks and market models needed to make BECCS and other negative emissions technologies economically feasible.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, and on our ⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠. Please reach out by mail to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

In this episode, we explore the intersection of science and activism in the fight against climate change. We delve into the growing movement of scientist activists, who are using their expertise and research to advocate for climate action through unconventional means, like civil disobedience.

Our guest is Angeline Bruls, a PhD candidate at NTNU's Department of Biology. Bruls is part of the group Scientist Rebellion, who have an active group here in Trondheim. Together, we discuss the role of universities in the fight against climate change, where Brulss shares her experiences with NTNU, how Scientist Rebellion is influencing the university, and future goals.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠, and on our ⁠⁠webpage⁠⁠. Please reach out by mail to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

How do the plans for further oil exploration of the Norwegian government fit with recent reports of the IPCC that we are on a path well above the Paris goals of 2° centigrade? Why is drilling in the Arctic pushed by the Norwegian government, despite not only environmental concerns but also substantially higher predicted extraction costs? And why are strongly needed renewables so highly taxed in Norway? These questions and more asked Julius to Andreas Bjelland Eriksen who is the state secretary in the Norwegian Ministry for Petroleum and Energy during Andreas' visit to Trondheim last week for the NTNU Energy Transition Week. If you want to know the answers, check out the episode.

Join StartUp Extreme if you are a startup founder or investor in Hemsedal, Norway 26-27 April 2023. Julius will host a panel debate on "Navigating our way out of the Energy Crisis" on April 27th at 2.30pm.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠LinkedIn⁠, and on our ⁠webpage⁠. Please reach out by mail to ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Robert Warren Howarth is a professor and earth system scientist at Cornell University (USA), and is also member of the Climate Action Council appointed by the State of New York. In 2021, Howarth and Stanford Professor Mark Z. Jacobson, stirred up controversy with their paper, "How Green is Blue Hydrogen?"

Their study found that the production of blue hydrogen results in significant greenhouse gas emissions, both carbon dioxide and unburned fugitive methane, which is a major contributor to climate change. Even with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, the emissions associated with blue hydrogen are still substantial, argue Howarth and Jacobson.

The peer-reviewed paper sparked a lot of reactions. Among others, researchers here at NTNU later published a Comment on “How green is blue hydrogen?”, questioning Howarth and Jacobson's methods for computing the energy balance of blue hydrogen plants, and saying the assumed methane leakage in the United States cannot represent all natural gas and blue hydrogen value chains globally.

Has the dust now settled? We sat down and had a chat with Professor Robert W. Howarth, to find out.

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Next week, we are organizing the NTNU Energy Transition Week 2023 in Trondheim, Norway. The week features our annual conference, energy transition-related networking events, a town hall assembly, and expert-led workshops with different focus areas.

Are you a young professional and want to accelerate the energy transition in Norway. If yes, then join me, Dr. Julius Wesche, on March 20th for the first face-to-face meeting of the Green Energy shifters network (www.greenenergyshifters.no).

Lars-Henrik Paarup Michelsen is the Director of The Norwegian Climate Foundation - a think tank that specializes in climate issues, publishes energy-related news online, and organizes events on climate issues.

In this podcast episode, we discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Norway's energy industry. We explore the dilemma of moving away from a profitable oil and gas business model while still meeting short-term demand from Europe. The conversation raises questions about Norway's long-term strategy and the potential consequences of continuing to invest in oil and gas rather than transitioning to renewable energy solutions.

Also, check out The Norwegian Climate Foundation's podcast, "Energi og Klima"

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21 March, come meet us at our annual NTNU Energy Transition Conference in Trondheim, Norway.

Join us on March 20th for the first Face to Face meeting of the Green Energy Shifters Network (greenenergyshifters.no). The Green Energy Shifters Network acts as a meeting place for energy  enthusiastic young professionals in Norway to exchange knowledge and  ideas as well as build their personal networks. Members of the Green Energy Shifters Network are young professionals  from businesses, academia, and public administration (municipalities, fylkeskommune etc).

Are you a young professional and want to accelerate the energy transition in Norway. If yes, then join us on March 20th for the first face-to-face meeting of the Green Energy shifters network (www.greenenergyshifters.no).

Germany has two critical needs: first, to decarbonize its heavy industry at scale using hydrogen, and second, to access storage for its CO2. Fortunately, Norway can provide both. As a result, Germany and Norway are currently in discussions to determine the optimal pipeline routes, suitable locations for wind farms, and the amount of CO2 storage capacity that can be made available.

At the forefront of the project on the Norwegian side is Odd Even Jakobsen, the key project manager at Gassco AS who is facilitating the examination of the currently conducted feasibility study of how such a mammoth task could look like in real life. Together with his German counterpart, they are conducting an in-depth study on the potential structure of a hydrogen and CO2 value chain that could bring the two countries closer together.

In this episode Odd Even and I delve into the current gas infrastructure and the transportation of gas from the Norwegian Continental Shelf to Europe. In addition, we discussed how hydrogen could be utilized in the future for industrial purposes, as well as the various challenges that both nations may encounter when implementing a hydrogen and CO2 value chain.

Both CEOs of Gassco (Frode Leversund) and the German Energy Agency (Andreas Kuhlmann) will be at this year's NTNU Energy Transition Conference, on March 21st in Trondheim.

We are organizing this free event and would be thrilled if you can attend. The week is filled with energy transition-related networking events, a town hall assembly, and expert-led workshops with different focus areas. All the information is available on our website: https://lnkd.in/daEumNdW.

Mitchel Selby works on Shopify's Sustainability Fund, which supports the most promising solutions to fighting climate change. Right now, they're focused on kickstarting carbon removal and decarbonizing shipping.

Despite increasing awareness and calls for action, many companies are still wary of making investments in carbon removal. But fear not, Mitchel Selby and Shopify have put together a comprehensive guide to make the process a lot less daunting. In "Buying Carbon Removal, Explained" they lay out nine lessons that cover everything from building a strong business case to finalizing a contract with your supplier. So in this episode, we demystify purchasing carbon removal and learn how to make a positive impact on the environment."

Join us on March 20th for the first Face to Face meeting of the Green Energy Shifters Network (greenenergyshifters.no). The Green Energy Shifters Network acts as a meeting place for energy  enthusiastic young professionals in Norway to exchange knowledge and  ideas as well as build their personal networks. Members of the Green Energy Shifters Network are young professionals  from businesses, academia, and public administration (municipalities, fylkeskommune etc).

Scaling Direct Air Capture technologies will need substantial capital. Hence, in this episode we will discuss where financing and capital comes from for Direct Air Capture, what the barriers are and what needs to be done to funnel more resources into Direct Air Capture startups.

This podcast episode is the third in a series about Direct Air Capture (DAC), a technology that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Our guest this time is Andrew Shebbeare, a managing partner at Counteract, an investment firm that focuses on combating climate change through Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) technologies. The episode covers topics such as the barriers, drivers, and types of markets for DAC, and discusses what needs to happen for it to scale in the future.

Mentioned in this episode: https://www.cdr.fyi/

Sasha Mackler is the director of the Energy Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center - a Washington, DC-based think tank. He has spent over 20 years in this field, including 10 years in the private sector working on carbon capture and biomass fuel supply. Mackler has managed a number of energy policy projects on topics such as tax incentives, federal RD&D, finance, workforce transition, carbon capture and storage, low carbon fuels, cap and trade, climate impacts and adaptation, and geoengineering research.

Policies play a crucial role in defining the environment in which technologies, such as direct air capture (DAC), can thrive or struggle. Several policy measures have been implemented in the United States in recent years to support DAC. In this episode we cover the most important ones. First, we cover 45Q, which is a section of the US Tax Code that supports carbon capture and was enacted in 2008. The second is the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) which is a policy measure, initially implemented in California in 2007, which aims to drive the use of clean fuels and includes DAC as a qualifying pathway for decarbonizing fuels. Third we look at the Energy Act from 2020 that authorized new programs for the US Department of Energy to support the demonstration and commercialization of advanced energy technologies, including DAC. Fourth we cover the the Inflation Reduction Act, adopted in August 2022, which provides incentives for carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects.

In this episode, Sasha and Julius discuss how current US policies support DAC, and consider how policymakers in other parts of the world can look to the US for guidance and inspiration.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub  that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to  tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon  neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy  Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research  on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an  efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy  Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn,  and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Christopher Jones is a Professor at Georgia University of Technology and has been working on direct air capture (DAC) technology since 2008.

Direct air capture is a process that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in order to reduce the negative impacts of climate change. In this podcast episode, Jones discusses the importance of this technology in reversing the paradigm of emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere for the past 100 years and how it can be used as a waste management solution to clean up the excess CO2 we have released. He also touches on the shift in discourse surrounding DAC, the increasing prevalence of this technology in media, and its importance in the energy transition and climate change mitigation.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Ann Mari Svensson is a Professor at NTNU's Materials Science and Engineering department. She specializes in electrochemical processes for energy storage and electrolysis, which is important for developing new battery technologies. ntnu.edu/employees/annmari.svensson

The future is electric, and batteries will play a big role in it. Renewables, like wind and solar, don't consistently deliver energy when we need it the most. Batteries can alleviate this, by providing storage and lending flexibility to the grid system. Ever thought about the fact that more and more people own electric cars, which are basically big batteries, hooked up to the system when charging? In theory, there are several amazing possibilities on the horizon. What are the current hurdles we need to overcome, and what is today's status?

Traditional electric batteries

• Led Acid batteries - first invented in 1859 and hence a low energy density in comparison to today’s standard. However still often used in cars to start gas or diesel engines.
• Nickel–cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries - of limited use today because of toxicity, and limited energy density.
• Nickel–metal hydride (Ni-MH) batteries – used by first Toyota with their Prius hybrid models; outcompeted by lithium-ion batteries due to their limited energy density.

Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) batteries

• Lithium Iron phosphate (‘LFP’) - good in terms of safety, cost and durability, but not great in terms of energy density; not so problematic in terms of mining, human rights and child labour; often used in stationary applications.
• Nickel Cobalt Aluminum (NCA) batteries - better in terms of energy density in comparison to LFP batteries, but difficult in terms of supply chain, child labour and human rights.
• Nickel cobalt manganese (NMC) batteries - similarly difficult in terms of supply chain, child labour and human rights.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

What are the first thoughts you have when you think about Switzerland? Mountains, Skiing, Nature, Toblerone? For sure! But what you may not have known is that the pace of the energy transition in Switzerland has not been amazingly fast in the last years. However, now, with the energy crises and spiking prices for fossil fuel things seem to be moving at a different pace. In this episode you will learn how the energy sector in Switzerland is structured, what the challenges are that the system is being faced with, and how the country is now embarking on an acceleration trajectory. For this episode I am joined by Dr. Florian Egli from ETH Zurich and by Dr. Léonore Hälg from the Swiss Energy Foundation.

Enjoy the episode. 

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

In this episode, I talk to Prof. Christina Voigt. Christina is a Professor at the University of Oslo and has been a member of the climate negotiation delegation of Norway for years. The last time we talked was right after COP26, in episode 3 of this podcast.

The climate negotiation process occurring through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the primary forum for international cooperation on stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to prevent catastrophic anthropogenic interference with the climate system aka. climate change.

In this episode, we talk about expected negotiations at COP27, the current situation in the world, and the results we hope for in the coming weeks.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

This week we ask Equinor - Norway's state-owned multinational energy company - straight up: Why are you still investing in oil and gas?

As society transitions away from fossil fuels, a huge oil and natural gas exporter like Norway will face huge changes. To understand how Equinor is positioning itself for this, we talked to Frida Eklöf Monstad, who works with business development for low-carbon solutions.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

High energy prices and a reduced supply of natural gas are pressuring the European economy. What possible impacts will this have on Europe's climate ambitions? Already we have seen a shift back to coal, and with the current war in Ukraine as a backdrop, it is little wonder that many raise concern.

To help us ponder this question, we've brought along Taube van Melkebeke for this week's episode. She is a Policy Advisor on EU Politics and Climate Governance at E3G - an independent think tank whose aim is to steer the global transformation at the pace our planet requires. Before joining E3G, Taube was an attaché at the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the EU.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Most pathways to climate neutrality include the use of carbon management technologies, like carbon capture and storage (CCS). In many ways, the technology is mature, but still needs massive upscaling to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change. Has CCS been overlooked? What is the current situation in Europe? What policies are needed to move this forward?

In this week's episode, we grill Eadbhard Pernot about CCS and pepper him with popular Internet arguments. Eadbhard is a Policy Manager with the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) in Brussels- a global NGO working to rapidly reduce emissions while advancing climate solutions. In his role, he supports the carbon capture team in developing and implementing carbon capture policy advocacy in the European Union.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

What are the challenges Romania faces in the Energy Transition? The Eastern European country has committed itself to phase out coal, and plans a transition to renewables like solar and hydrogen. How are things progressing, and what are the current hurdles?

To learn about Romania's energy system, policies, markets and social situation, we talked with Dr. Luciana Miu. She is is the Head of Clean Economy at Energy Policy Group - an independent think-tank located in Bucharest, specializing in energy and climate policy, market analytics and energy strategies. She holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Energy Systems from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings from the Imperial College London. Before joining EPG, Luciana worked for the UK Parliament and for the British Government’s Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), as well as a consultant for Climate-KIC and London City Hall.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Technologies are often spotlighted when examining different energy transition pathways. However, how we use and produce technology and energy plays a significant role. Profound changes are needed to avoid dangerous climate change, and can only be achieved through public support for relevant policies. Therefore, implementing energy policies requires knowledge of citizens' lifestyles and behaviors. That's where Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) steps in.

To teach us more about the importance of SSH in the energy transition, our guest this week is Chris Foulds, Professor at Anglia Ruskin University. Chris has been part of coordinating the energy-SSH platforms www.shapeenergy.eu and www.energy-shifts.eu, which has evolved into the SSH Centre of Excellence on climate, energy and mobility research for the EC.

Papers mentioned in the episode:

• EC SSH monitoring reports: https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/4f198f8e-4599-11eb-b59f-01aa75ed71a1
• Overland and Sovacool, 2020, The misallocation of climate research funding, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629619309119
• Royston & Foulds, 2021, The  making of energy evidence: How exclusions of Social Sciences and  Humanities are reproduced (and what researchers can do about it), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629621001778
• Foulds at al. 2022, An agenda for future Social Sciences and Humanities research on energy efficiency: 100 priority research questions https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-022-01243-z
• Silvast & Foulds 2022, Sociology of Interdisciplinarity - The Dynamics of Energy Research, https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-88455-0

The Inflation Reduction Act promises a $369 billion investment in climate action - the largest in U.S. history - and could drive significant emissions reductions. Its passing is both surprising, controversial, and full of compromises. To get the gist of it, we sat down with the founding editor of BusinessGreen.com, James Murray, who explains why he thinks the legislation's climate provisions will "turbocharge" US climate action.

Also in this episode, we talk about the Net Zero Festival 2022 on 28-29 September, where some of the world's foremost thinkers will meet to discuss what it takes to accelerate and expand the net zero transition. Go check them out at https://netzerofestival.com/2022/en/page/home.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Traditionally, business school teaches us to maximize profits. Is this really what the world needs right now? In this week's episode, we talk to Puck Hegeman about the practice and importance of financing startup companies and small businesses, and give advice to conscious startups that look beyond just making money.

Hegeman is a private equity impact investor at Wire Private Markets Fund (WPMF) - a provider of solutions for private investors and foundations to invest their wealth consciously. Puck is an experienced impact investor who previously worked for the Dutch Development Bank (FMO), and wrote her PhD thesis on the effects of the green transition at NTNU in Trondheim.

Impact Institute

Why do they do it? Corporate venture capital investments in cleantech startups

LinkedIn / [email protected]

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Our guest this week is Helen Anijalg, Co-Founder of Roofit.solar - a provider of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) construction elements that replace the conventional roofing and facade materials. By combining solar technology and building material, homeowners can invest in visually appealing roofs and facades that, over time, pay for themselves. Listen and learn more about the technology and developing markets from an inside perspective. Check out https://roofit.solar/ for inspirational photos, links to social media, and more information.

Enjoy the podcast 😊.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Connie Hedegaard was the EU Commissioner for Climate Action between 2010 and 2014 and continues to be a strong climate action advocate. Since she left office, she continued to work with a number of non-profit organizations, and is also active on corporate boards of companies such as Danfoss, Volkswagen, and Nordex. In this episode you will learn how policy is made in the EU, and while we talk mostly about the formal ways we will also touch upon the informal ways, and what happens behind the scene. Additionally, you will learn how Connie experienced the rather unsatisfactory COP 2009 in Copenhagen, what lessons she learned from that for policy making at large and we also talked briefly about current major EU policy initiatives such as Fitfor55 and RePowerEU.

Enjoy the podcast 😊.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

The International Energy Agency estimates total annual energy investment to surge to USD 5 trillion by 2030. Why is money so important in the energy transition and how can countries move to sustainable, market-oriented economies? This is what you will learn when listening to this episode of the NTNU Energy Transition Podcast with Harry Boyd-Carpenter (Managing Director, Climate Strategy and Delivery) and Nigel Jollands (Associate Director, Head for Sustainable Infrastructure, Climate Strategy and delivery) both at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

Per Lindberg is the CEO and co-founder of Sunlit Sea - a technology provider to the floating solar industry, that aims to address the potential of optimizing cost, longevity, power production, operation and maintenance. He has over 10 years of experience within the solar industry and explains both pros and cons of floating solar technology.

How does it harmonize with other energy sources? How does it compare to onshore solar? And how will the floating solar market look in the coming years? Join us, and let's find out!

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

Expectations are one of these fluffy social science topics, but when you look closer you actually realize how important they are in innovation and sustainability transition processes. The energy transition is fundamentally influenced by expectations that we have towards specific solutions and modes of operations. We set up financial incentives, change policies, and invest into research, because we expect that wind power, solar PV or hydrogen can blaze the trail towards a low carbon economy. If we would not have these expectations, we would not move a thumb. Expectations are also important in the start up world. Start ups normally don't have products, but only ideas, and they get funding and press coverage not because on the results of their actions, but on the expectations that they will build the next big thing.

Hence, today we look at expectations. For this episode I invited Prof. Harro van Lente from University of Maastricht who is known as one of, if not the father of the sociology of expectations. First we define what expectations are and how the differ from visions, imaginaries and representations. Then we discuss how expectations shape socio-technical transitions as a whole and energy transitions in particular. And in the end we talk about how you as member of an organization, a start up or as policy makers can actually make use of the expectations related knowledge that you will have gotten when you listen to this podcast.

Enjoy the show :-). 

Resources:

- van Lente (2012), Navigating foresight in a sea of expectations: lessons from the sociology of expectations, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537325.2012.715478.

- Borup, Brown, Konrad, van Lente (2006), The sociology of expectations in science and technology, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09537320600777002.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to accelerate the energy transition move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every other Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

Bryte Batteries thinks unused, self-produced energy could be strategically stored and sold by utilizing cost-efficient and safe battery technologies. This creates business opportunities for building owners in most sectors, that are both profitable and environmentally friendly. 

This week's guest is the CEO of Bryte Batteries - an NTNU affiliated startup. Brian explains to us the principles behind flow batteries, the pros and cons compared to other battery technologies, and the potential he sees in them. Please go check them out at bryte.no or contact Brian over at his LinkedIn.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

How can governments support renewable electricity technologies? What's being done, and what does the future look like? And why were these policies needed initially, to give such technologies traction? What's needed, if we are to reach Europe's ambitious goals for transitioning to renewable energy?

Today's guest is Dr. Pablo del Rio. He is the head of the Environmental Economics Group (GEA) at the Institute for Public Goods and Policies at the National Research Council of Spain (CSIC) and has spent more than 20 years looking particularly at the policies for renewable energy.

In this episode we cover the following policy instruments:

Primary instruments

• Feed-in-(laws)
• Tariffs
• Feed-In-Premiums
• Auctions
• Tradable green certificates

Secondary instruments

• Investment subsidies
• Soft loans
• Fiscal incentives (Tax)

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

Today's guest, Marianne Ryghaug holds a PhD in Political Science and is a Professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She leads the Center for Energy, Climate and Environment at the Department of Interdisiplinay studies of Culture, NTNU. The last years her research has particularly been focused on research related to sociotechnical transitions in the areas of smart grids, smart homes and cities, electric vehicles, transportation and sustainable mobility.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

What if we treat energy efficiency as a source of energy in its own right? Investors could prioritize more cost-effective demand-side solutions instead of complex and costly energy sources and new infrastructure. Essentially reducing fossil fuels consumption and energy production while increasing independency and security of supply. Reduced energy demand could also control the level of investment needed for the transition toward renewables.

Today we're discussing the "energy efficiency first principle"- a key element of EU policy on emissions reduction, which highlights energy efficiency's importance in planning and investment processes in the energy transition.

Our guests today are Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eichhammer and Dr. Jan Steinbach.

Prof. Dr. Eichhammer heads the Competence Center for Energy Policy and Energy Markets at Fraunhofer ISI and is a physicist with professional experience gathered in various countries of the European Union and world-wide in designing and evaluating energy efficiency and renewables policies as well as climate policies.

Dr. Steinbach is the Managing Director of IREES GmbH – Institute for Resource Efficiency and Energy Strategies since November 2017 and also heads the business unit “Energy Management and Energy System Models”.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

The global south, with countries such as Indonesia and India, relies heavily on coal and other fossil fuels. Many of these countries have not embarked on real decarbonization pathways. In this episode, we take a closer look at the barriers these countries face to supply the growing energy demand and do this in a sustainable way.

Today's guest, Jose Antonio Ordonez, is a researcher in the Fraunhofer ISI's Competence Center Energy Policy and Energy Markets where he works in the business unit Global Sustainable Energy Transitions. Over the last years he has conducted a large number of energy transition and decarbonization projects across a variety of countries in the global south and emerging economies dealing with supporting the integration of renewable energy, energy efficiency and climate protection policies.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to "[email protected]".

The CO2 is all around us, can't we just collect and store it safely? Today's guest is Jay Fuhrman. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Joint Global Change Research Institute. He received his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2021. Jay’s research uses integrated assessment models to understand the transitions required for deep climate mitigation, including the large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal technologies, their potential side-effects, and co-benefits.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Some of the biggest emitters also face the biggest challenges in the energy transition. I today's episode, we take a closer look at the potential solutions, with focus on the steel and refinery industries.  Our guest today is Dr. Frauke Urban. She is an Associate Professor and Docent in the Management of Sustainable Energy Systems at the Department for Industrial Economics and Management at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and specializes in technology and business perspectives as part of the Research Initiative on Sustainable Industry and Society (IRIS).

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Chief Scientist and Research Manager at SINTEF Energy, John Olav Giæver Tande is a pioneer in floating offshore wind energy and head the NorthWind research center - an 8 year, 31.5 million EUR research center working to make wind power cheaper, efficient, and more sustainable. The European Commission wants 1/3 of all electricity to 2050 supplied by offshore wind, making it the backbone of the entire energy supply in Europe.

As our guest, John follows episode #14 with a representative from the lobbying industry for wind power. Naturally, we bring along questions about social challenges, onshore vs offshore, wind power's relation to other energy sources, and ask how to reach these 2050 goals.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

CEO of WindEurope - Europe's voice of the wind industry - is today's guest. Together with 400 other members from across the value chain of wind energy, he works to coordinate policy, communicate, research and analyze in order to further the development of wind power. WindEurope analyses, formulates and establishes policy positions for the wind industry on key strategic sectoral issues, cooperating with industry and research institutions on a number of market development and technology research projects. Additionally, the lobbying activities undertaken by WindEurope help create a suitable legal framework within which members can successfully develop their businesses.

Learn what makes wind power so important, what it will take for it to succeed, and about the current barriers.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

This episode comes out on day eight of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. War, destruction and death have been flickering across our TV and mobile screens in recent days. These actions in themselves are terrible, and we realize that this war is likely to turn the tide on European energy policy.
In this episode, I am joined by Thijs van de Graf from Ghent University (Thijs on Twitter). Thijs is Associate Professor of International Politics at Ghent University in Belgium. He shares insights into how dependent Europe is on Russian fossil fuels, and we discuss what kind of implications this geopolitical crisis may have on European energy policy.
We are only approaching the end week one, of this conflict, and the situation in Ukraine is very dynamic. Although there have been significant sanctions in place by the EU and other Western nations, the first energy-related political changes have been promoted, this episode can only be a snapshot. However, we hope you learn something, and we send our thoughts to the Ukrainian people.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

The energy transition is the generational challenge of our time. It can not be solved by researchers in their ivory towers, nor policymakers in the country's capitals. Instead, we need all parts of society to engage and work towards a common goal. One group that is often overlooked, but that is key for the transformational processes that we are going through, is the youth. First, if today's youth is not empowered they won't be the ones who can do the heavy lifting in 5-10 years. Second, there is a lot of climate-positive projects that young gals and guys can do already today. To empower youth, a group of friends of mine founded Student Energy some 15 years ago in Calgary, Canada. Their mission is to empower young people to accelerate the sustainable energy transition through a variety of initiatives, including university-based Chapters, and the largest student-led energy conference in the world. In this podcast episode, I talk with another friend of mine Meredith Adler. Meredith is the executive director of Student Energy and helps build this wonderful organization. Go check it out.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

EU just unveiled that it plans to label investments in natural gas and nuclear projects as sustainable if certain criteria are met, a controversial move that raises concerns about greenwashing and divides member states. If a majority backs it, it will become EU law, coming into effect from 2023. The taxonomy - a labeling system that incentives investing in green solutions - is a part of the strategy to make the 2050 net-zero goal.

Kira Taylor (@KiraTaylor15), an energy and environment journalist for Euractive stationed in Brussels, is our guest in this episode. We talk about the taxonomy's effect and people's reactions. How does this labeling system work? What are the advantages of a taxonomy like this?

If you find this interesting, please consider registering for the workshop: "The Future of Nuclear Energy" at the upcoming NTNU Energy Transition Week 2022.

Sources referred to in this episode:

1. The first climate delegated act
2. Remarks by Commissioner McGuinness at the press conference on the EU Taxonomy Complementary Climate Delegated Act
3. Kira's article: The Green Brief: An EU taxonomy fairytale

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Transport represents almost a quarter of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions and is the main course of air pollution in cities. The transport sector has not seen the same gradual decline in emissions, as other sectors. Emissions just started decreasing in 2007 and still remain higher than in 1990. Hence, let's have a look at this sector to actually understand it a bit better and its current state.

For this episode, we're joined by the Coordinator of Business Unit Energy Economy at Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, Priv.-Doz. Dr. Patrick Plötz. He has studied Physics in Greifswald, St. Petersburg and Göttingen and did his thesis in Theoretical Physics on correlated electrons in one-dimensional systems. He holds a Doctorate degree in Theoretical Physics from the University of Heidelberg (Institute for Theoretical Physics) on complex dynamics in cold atomic gases. Fom January to December 2011 he was a researcher in the Competence Center Energy Policy and Energy Systems at the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, and since January 2012 in the Competence Center Energy Technology and Energy Systems. Since 2020 he's been the Coordinator of Business Unit Energy Economy, and a private lecturer at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

How do we transition away from carbon-intensive industries while avoiding unemployment? How do we rebuild communities in a sustainable way after losing major job providers? How can marginalized groups get their opinion heard when their society must change?

Society faces huge changes in the energy transition. Technological solutions get most of the attention for reducing emissions and transitioning. However, research shows that these technology implementations have unforeseen consequences, like increasing inequality. To get everyone on board and working towards common goals, we need to make it fair. Just Transition explains how we can solve these issues. It's a framework that aims to ensure we take care of people affected by the transition towards a decarbonized society. This includes not only those with a voice, but also smaller groups without the resources to speak up.

This podcast episode was first published as a pilot episode in the spring of 2021. In this episode, Dr. Rita Vasconcellos Oliveira, a researcher in Fair and Sustainable Energy Transitions and the project manager of Energy Transitions Week 2022, gives us an introduction to Just Transition.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

"Solar energy is a substantial global industry, one that has generated trade disputes among superpowers, threatened the solvency of large energy companies, and prompted serious reconsideration of electric utility regulation rooted in the 1930s. One of the biggest payoffs from solar’s success is not the clean inexpensive electricity it can produce, but the lessons it provides for innovation in other technologies needed to address climate change.", says the description of UW–Madison professor Gregory F. Nemet's 2019 book: How Solar Energy Became Cheap.

Nemet is a former teacher of mine and was kind enough to guest in today's episode. We talk about different ways countries utilize PV's, and solar's relationship to other emerging technologies. For although the first commercial solar cell was available in 1957, wide use hasn't been implemented until recent years. Why did it take so long to build traction? What can other technologies and innovations learn from solar energy? And what's the point of solar when the weather is bad?

All this and more in episode 8: The Rise of Solar PV.

— The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every spring we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

The German energy transition, commonly known as the "Energiwende", is challenging many parts of German society. Until March 2011, one-quarter of Germany's electricity was obtained from nuclear energy, which is now due to be phased out in 2022. Coal-fired power generation is expected to diminish, as wind and solar receive generous financial support.

Whether Germany's efforts have been a success or a failure has been a popular debate in recent years. Luckily for us, we found the perfect person to ask for a status update. Dr. Eva Schmidt, Team Leader German and European Energy Policy in Germanwatch: a non-profit, non-governmental organization that actively engages in international political and economic discussions, met with Julius for a chat in Berlin.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Technology alone can't magically solve all our challenges. It is highly intertwined with user practices, other technologies, business models, value chains, regulations and structures in organizations, institutions, and policy. Therefore, while radical innovation and its diffusion is necessary, socio-technical systems always undergo long term incremental changes. In light of this, understanding these transformations becomes vital when trying to accelerate an Energy Transition that depends on change to both existing and future technologies.

Giving us an introduction to how to understand these dynamics, Deputy Director for FME NTRANS, Professor Tomas M. Skjølsvold from NTNU's Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture (KULT) joins in this week's episode. He researches society-wide transformations and transitions, much in the field of Energy Systems, and how one can work to make such transitions as democratic, inclusive and responsible as possible. Underlying this is a concern for the way science, technology and society interacts, and how this tends to privilege certain voices and interests, while marginalizing others.

Link to articles mentioned in the episode: Technology Innovation System Analysis 1 & 2, Niche Destabilization 1 & 2.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

In late 2021, US President, Joe Biden signed a 1.2 trillion infrastructure bill in law, a key part of his agenda for the US' future economy, but also climate change mitigation. At that same time, NTNU adjunct professor Steven Gabriel from the University of Maryland paid us a visit. So naturally, I sat down to chat with him about this bill and what it could mean for the American Energy Transition.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

Norway is Unique: It has abundant natural energy resources and a relatively small population. It’s electricity runs mainly on carbon free hydro energy, and it is one of the wealthiest countries on the planet. But most of its wealth comes from exporting fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil. While the Norwegian government aims to accelerate the low carbon energy transition, social resistance rises against new wind farms in order to preserve nature and the cultural heritage of the country.

To give an overview over these tricky topics I met with Asgeir Tomasgard. Asgeir is Professor at NTNU in the department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management. He is the director of the NTNU Energy Transition Initiative, and hence  he is the one that gave my producer Martin and me the slack to start this podcast.

For the recording of this episode, I met him at the Gloshaugen Campus, where he has an office on the 9th floor of one of the main buildings. The view up there is pretty nice across the city of Trondheim.

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

In this episode, I talk to Prof. Christina Voigt. Christina is a Professor at the University of Oslo and has been a member of the climate negotiation delegation of Norway for years. 

The climate negotiation process occurring through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the primary forum for international cooperation on stabilizing atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to prevent catastrophic anthropogenic interference with the climate system aka. climate change. 

In this episode, Christina explains how the climate negotiations processes were established in the 1990s and how it developed over time. Furthermore, you will get an overview of COP 26 in Glasgow and the results it yielded. At last, you will learn where the next COPs will take place and what topics will be negotiated. 

Thanks for spending time with the NTNU Energy Transition Podcast. If you like this podcast, I would appreciate your five-star rating on Apple Podcast or Spotify, so that more people get to learn about how we can get the Energy Transition accelerated, both in Europe and beyond. 

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The  NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world-leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and on our webpage. Please reach out by mail to [email protected].

There is no doubt. Climate change is happening. And yes, the vast majority of researchers agree that it is us who cause it. But there is hope. We can fix this. In this episode, I talk to Kimberly Nicholas, who is a climate scientist and professor at Lund University in Sweden. Kimberly was born and raised in California, in a place surrounded by grapes and wine. She has a PhD from Stanford University, published a lot of peer reviewed papers, and is an energy package herself. I got to know her at a conference in Bergen, where she delivered a keynote and I thought "I just have to have her on the podcast". In this episode you will learn why the climate is warming, why we are sure that it is us, that it is bad, but also how we can fix it.

Precisely about this topic, Kimberly has recently published a book. It is called Under the Sky we make. I am sure you can get it delivered to your local bookstore.

If you want to reach out to Kimberly, you find her on Twitter and LinkedIN, and also through her webpage.

Find Kimberly's newsletter on wecanfixit.substack.com.

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The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Conference in Trondheim, Norway. You can find us on Twitter, LinkedIN and our webpage or you can send us an email to [email protected].

The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that empowers individuals and organizations in Europe and beyond to tackle climate change and move our global society toward carbon neutrality. New episodes every Thursday. Join us in our Discord Channel, or find us Twitter, LinkedIN or our webpage. If email is your thing, than shoot us an email to [email protected].

The NTNU Energy Transition Initiative was established to deliver world leading research on energy transition strategies, to achieve the Paris ambitions in an efficient and realistic way. Every March we organize the NTNU Energy Transition Week in Trondheim, Norway. 

The podcast is hosted by Julius Wesche. Julius is a researcher at the NTNU Energy Transition Initiative and the NTNU Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture. He also runs the enPower Podcast on the German Energy Transition and the scicomX Podcast on digital science communication. You can find him also on Twitter, LinkedIN, and Instagram.