Energy Evolution

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has fundamentally reshaped its energy sector, with oil and gas exports diverted from Europe to Asia while soaring military spending strains the state budget.
The war has stalled Russia's decarbonization plans and reduced investment in cleaner energy projects. But with climate change impacts increasingly visible across Russia's vast territory, the question looms: How will Moscow adapt its energy infrastructure? And what potential exists if the government shifts priorities toward energy adaptation?
In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte and Rosemary Griffin, managing editor at Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, examine how geopolitical conflict and climate realities are creating a crossroads moment for one of the world's largest energy producers.
First, Tatiana Mitrova, fellow at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy, explains how the war in Ukraine is affecting Russia's energy strategy and why the country's enormous renewable energy potential remains largely untapped.
The conversation then turns to Eoin Quill, researcher at Climate Analytics, who puts Russia's greenhouse gas emissions in global context, examines its role as a carbon sink, and explores how the rapidly warming Arctic could alter the country's energy infrastructure and export capabilities.

Ernest Moniz was the 13th US secretary of energy, serving from 2013 to January 2017. During his tenure he was part of the team, along with then-Secretary of State John Kerry, that negotiated the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. Moniz currently serves as founder and CEO of the EFI Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the transition to a low-carbon energy future.  
In this episode, Dan Testa speaks with Moniz on the sidelines of the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, to hear the former secretary's perspectives on the current war with Iran and the impacts on oil and gas markets, as well as how the conflict could accelerate adoption of other forms of energy. Moniz also weighs in on steeply rising US power demand forecasts, which new energy technologies hold promise and possible "bumps in the road" for the energy transition.
This episode also features information about the Platts Global Power Markets Conference, scheduled for April 13-15 in Las Vegas. Click here to register or learn more about the conference.
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The EU Emissions Trading System is facing its greatest test yet. European leaders and companies are sounding the alarm, warning that high carbon prices are undermining the bloc's industrial competitiveness and threatening to drive manufacturing offshore.
In this episode of Energy Evolution, host Eklavya Gupte examines what's driving the turbulence in Europe's carbon market and what it means for the bloc's energy transition.
First, Irina Breilean, carbon price reporter at S&P Global Energy Platts, explains how political pressure from member states has dragged EU Allowance prices down by almost Eur30/mtCO2e in recent months.
The conversation then turns to Julia Michalak, EU policy director at the International Emissions Trading Association, who breaks down the ETS reforms now under consideration: extended free allocations, the modified Market Stability Reserve, and why industrial competitiveness concerns are dominating the climate policy debate in Brussels.
Eklavya also speaks with Pedro Barata, associate vice president for carbon markets and private sector decarbonization at the Environmental Defense Fund, who offers a perspective on the political economy of carbon pricing and how the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is evolving from a climate tool into an instrument of industrial policy -- with major implications for global trade.

Measuring and reducing upstream methane emissions is critical for US gas producers, particularly as they look to export their product to markets like Europe and Asia, and as the tech industry turns to gas as a key solution to its voracious power demand. 
In this episode, from the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, co-host Dan Testa talks with Courtney Loper, head of government relations and public affairs for EQT Corp., one of the largest US gas producers and pipeline operators, about the steps the company has taken to improve methane measuring. Also joining the episode is Ben Webster, director of policy at MiQ, a nonprofit providing data and certifications to understand and reduce methane emissions.

When it comes to advanced nuclear generation, most North American power producers are in the study and development phases. But Ontario Power Generation is currently constructing the first of four small modular nuclear reactors at its Darlington facility, with the first 300-MW unit scheduled to complete construction and connect to the grid by 2030. The other three reactors are scheduled to be complete in the mid-2030s, totaling 1,200 MW of firm capacity from advanced nuclear reactors. 
In this episode, Dan Testa speaks with OPG President and CEO Nicolle Butcher, from the sidelines of the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, about the state of the advanced nuclear project so far, how OPG selected this reactor design and why public power providers, like OPG in Canada and the Tennessee Valley Authority in the US, are taking the first steps to build advanced nuclear generation in North America.