Best Open Environmental Data Project Podcasts (2025)

1
In uncertain times, is a greater reliance on battery storage what’s needed? And how can developers better prepare for it? | Recorded live at Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit 36:44

3d ago36:44

36:44

Wood Mackenzie’s 18th Solar and Energy Storage summit is back, in Denver this week. If you can’t make it, don’t worry – we have all the debate and key insight you need to know here on the podcast. Recorded live on day 2 of the summit, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez talks to key industry leaders in solar and storage to answer these questions: What’s bes…

1
What do the tariff wars mean for low-carbon energy? | Recorded live at Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit 30:13

3d ago30:13

30:13

“With great uncertainty comes great opportunity”, says Abby Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, in this special episode of the Energy Gang, recorded live at Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit. Is she right? And what are those opportunities? To find out, host Ed Crooks welcomed Abby and Shyam Sriniv…

1
Solar and energy storage experts debate the current market: what have we seen in the first quarter of 2025? 50:04

4d ago50:04

50:04

Wood Mackenzie’s 18th Solar and Energy Storage summit is back, in Denver this week. If you can’t make it, don’t worry – we have all the debate and key insight you need to know here on the podcast. Recorded live on day 1 of the summit, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez talks to four industry leaders in solar and storage to answer these questions: Can the U…

1
It’s uncertain times in solar and storage. How can we use smarter grid optimisation to give developers some assurance? | Recorded live at SESS 2025 28:27

4d ago28:27

28:27

Over the past couple of years unprecedented low prices for solar panels have spurred incredible growth. But there’s a big shift underway. In this special episode of the show, recorded live from the stage at Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit 2025, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, sits down with Ben Sigrin…

1
Intent to Destroy: Russia’s Two-hundred-year Quest to Dominate Ukraine 45:17

10d ago45:17

45:17

About the Lecture: In this book presentation, Finkel uncovers the deep roots of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Following the rise of Russian nationalism in the nineteenth century, dominating Ukraine became the cornerstone of Russian policy. The Russian Empire, USSR and Putin’s Russia had long used violence to successfully crush Ukrainian efforts to chart…

1
Keeping cleantech investment alive | With technological, economic and policy challenges mounting, how can we keep energy innovation on track? 53:10

14d ago53:10

53:10

These are hard times for investment in low-carbon energy. The lack of progress in international climate negotiations, threats to policy support, and an increased awareness of the challenges of decarbonization, have created some strong headwinds. Everyone agrees that more breakthroughs in innovative emissions-reducing technologies are essential for …

1
Are current legal frameworks too restrictive for CCUS projects? What permitting and tax credit reform needs to happen to make things easier? 46:38

21d ago46:38

46:38

“If you don't think in 15 years that we're going to value decarbonisation, or if you're worried about the 45Q, it's pretty tough to write that multi-billion dollar cheque,” says Peter Findlay, Director of CCUS Economics at Wood Mackenzie. In this week’s Interchange Recharged, Peter sits down again with host Sylvia Leyva Martinez to look at the chal…

1
How can the power industry meet the challenge of rising demand? | In a special live episode recorded at the American Clean Power association, we discuss how to meet America’s growing need for electricity ... 41:11

24d ago41:11

41:11

If President Trump’s tariff strategy succeeds in sparking a revival in US manufacturing, one consequence will be surging demand for power. We are already seeing electricity demand starting to pick up after 15 years of stagnation, driven by new data centers for AI and a wave of factory-building for semiconductors and batteries that is already under …

1
Is the US being left behind in the race to develop new clean energy technologies? BYD is selling EVs that can charge in five minutes | China is streaking ahead of the US in the energy transition race 58:08

28d ago58:08

58:08

The Chinese car company BYD, the world’s top-selling manufacturer of electric vehicles, is launching two models that can charge in five minutes; about the time it takes to fill a tank with gasoline. It’s news that looks like a landmark moment in the energy transition, the way that the release of the DeepSeek model was for AI. It’s another eye-openi…

1
Uncertainty isn’t good for domestic solar manufacturing. How are suppliers and utilities managing it? 21:47

1M ago21:47

21:47

The US is projected to add an additional 26 GW of solar capacity in 2025. Solar has been one of the energy transition’s biggest success stories, but there are dark clouds gathering. Uncertainty is the biggest barrier to deployment at the moment: there’s potential changes coming with federal tax credits and trade policies (some of which are already …

1
“If not us, then who?”: Understanding Ukrainian Civilians’ Engagement in the War Effort Since February 2022 52:33

1M ago52:33

52:33

About the Lecture: Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, analysts and observers around the world were shocked and surprised that Ukraine did not fall in a matter of days or weeks. Instead people across the country resisted with both military and civilian means, halting the Russian advance. Surveys indicate that over 80…

1
What does financial market turmoil mean for low-carbon energy? 1:13:44

1M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

Investors have gone sour on clean energy. In a troubled time for stock markets in general, where is the capital for energy flowing now? Host Ed Crooks is joined by Shanu Mathew, Senior VP and Portfolio Manager at Lazard Asset Management, and Amy Myers Jaffe, Director of the Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab at NYU. Shanu returns to th…

1
180: Reinforcement Learning 1:52:22

1M ago1:52:22

1:52:22

Intro topic: Grills News/Links: You can’t call yourself a senior until you’ve worked on a legacy project https://www.infobip.com/developers/blog/seniors-working-on-a-legacy-project Recraft might be the most powerful AI image platform I’ve ever used — here’s why https://www.tomsguide.com/ai/ai-image-video/recraft-might-be-the-most-powerful-ai-image-…

1
Is the world giving up on green hydrogen? | Hydrogen energy is having an identity crisis but who’s to blame? 32:21

2M ago32:21

32:21

In 2025, the US will consolidate its position as a blue-focused hydrogen market, driven by policy developments under a second Trump administration. A surge in blue hydrogen investment – with at least three large-scale blue hydrogen projects reaching FID – will see the US emerge as the world's leading blue hydrogen producer. So what about the much-h…

1
Flexible, fast-responding and reliable – the growth of energy storage seems unstoppable. What could possibly go wrong? 57:00

2M ago57:00

57:00

Charge when it’s cheap, when energy is abundant, and discharge when the energy is needed. The role of energy storage will be critical to the transition to low-carbon technologies. It’s an exciting time in the industry, with spectacular growth in battery storage markets in the US and around the world, and it’s predicted to continue. “We’re in the ho…

1
The US needs nuclear energy now, more than ever | Are permitting and regulations set up for rapid deployment? 40:12

2M ago40:12

40:12

Former President Biden's final days in office involved signing an US$840 million energy contract with Constellation - a statement of intent for the US’s largest nuclear supplier. Since then, what’s changed with nuclear policy? To find out, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez – a principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie – welcomes Maria Korsnick, President and CE…

1
Power and Possession in the Russian Revolution 56:31

2M ago56:31

56:31

[About the Lecture:] The revolutions of 1917 swept away not only Russia’s governing authority but also the property order on which it stood. The upheaval sparked waves of dispossession that rapidly moved beyond the seizure of factories and farms from industrialists and landowners, envisioned by Bolshevik revolutionaries, to penetrate the bedrock of…

1
What do President Trump’s tariffs mean for energy? | The view from Washington and Canada 1:00:12

2M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

In 2018, President Donald Trump said “I’m a tariff man”, declaring they were the way to make America rich again. Six years on and just weeks into his second term, he is putting that philosophy into practice. President Trump has announced a barrage of new and increased tariffs on imports into the US, including a 10% levy on all goods from China. He …

1
What needs to happen to strengthen climate resilience in the US? | Balancing climate mitigation with adaptation is getting harder and harder 42:33

3M ago42:33

42:33

The fires in Los Angeles of January 2025 were devastating. They were also made about 35% more likely due to climate change. This is true all over the world; a recent study authored by Research Fellow Pierre Masselot at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that rising temperatures could kill an extra 2.3 million people in Europe …

1
What does DeepSeek AI mean for energy? 1:03:25

3M ago1:03:25

1:03:25

It’s a historic moment in energy, with a leap forward in AI technology coming as the Trump administration sets a new direction for the US. The Energy Gang break down what it all means. When they make The Energy Transition – The Movie, the week of 27th January 2025 will be a pivotal scene. The Chinese AI company DeepSeek sent shockwaves through stoc…

1
179: Project Planning 1:43:00

3M ago1:43:00

1:43:00

Intro topic: Lego event space & retail store: https://www.instagram.com/bambeecave News/Links: StackOverflow Question Count Going Down https://gist.github.com/hopeseekr/f522e380e35745bd5bdc3269a9f0b132 DeepSeek claims its ‘reasoning’ model beats OpenAI’s o1 on certain benchmarks https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/20/deepseek-claims-its-reasoning-model-…

1
Writing the Soviet History of Philosophy in the 1960s–1980s 47:16

3M ago47:16

47:16

About the Lecture: During the 70 years of its existence, the Soviet Union claimed to be a communist state based on the philosophical doctrines of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and, at the later stages, Vladimir Lenin. This made philosophy a mandatory course in every Soviet university and led to the creation of a peculiar version of the history of ph…

1
Meeting energy demand requires long-term solutions. What do they look like? 40:05

3M ago40:05

40:05

How a major US utility plans for sustainable growth. The US is on track to see over 25% growth in annual clean energy installations this year, despite uncertainty around permitting and grid connections. The new Trump administration threatens much clean energy legislation, so how can the industry plan ahead? Annual clean energy installations are set…

1
Does clean hydrogen have a future? Finding a role for hydrogen in a low-carbon energy economy 1:08:53

3M ago1:08:53

1:08:53

Hydrogen has been called the Swiss Army knife of energy, because it has so many potential applications, from home heating to heavy industry. But so far, deployment around the world has been slow. And in recent months there has been a series of setbacks for plans to use clean hydrogen to decarbonise energy systems. So what’s the problem? Is it unsui…

1
The energy analysts' view on what’s ahead in 2025 51:35

3M ago51:35

51:35

The trends, challenges and breakthroughs. Clean energy in 2025 will face challenges from rising electricity demand, inflation-driven costs, and political pressures. How can these challenges be solved? And what else lies ahead this year? To find out, host Sylvia Leyva Martinez, principal analyst at Wood Mackenzie, sits down with fellow analysts Chri…

1
What can we expect from energy in 2025? The people, places and technologies to watch this year 1:03:56

4M ago1:03:56

1:03:56

Host Ed Crooks is joined by regulars Amy Myers Jaffe and Melissa Lott to share their predictions for energy in 2025. They discuss the policy changes expected from Washington under the Trump administration, the crucial role for California as a leader in clean energy, the exciting new technologies that may be launched or ramped up this year, and the …

1
The Energy Gang’s Review of the Year in energy 1:02:01

4M ago1:02:01

1:02:01

China’s booming EV industry, AI and clean energy, questions over hydrogen, and the other big stories from 2024. To round off a momentous year for clean energy, Ed Crooks is joined by regulars Melissa Lott and Amy Myers Jaffe to reflect on the highs and lows of 2024. The gang revisit the predictions they made in January, share their highs and lows f…

1
Is US solar growth truly unstoppable? 34:20

4M ago34:20

34:20

In conversation with Abigail Hopper Policy changes which will impact US solar – both manufacturing and demand - are on the horizon. To discuss the current state of the solar industry in the wake of the US election, the implications of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), potential changes to tax credits, and the impact of tariffs and energy demand on…

1
Bonus episode from COP29: Getting real about methane emissions 36:41

5M ago36:41

36:41

More than 100 countries have pledged to cut methane emissions, with not much to show for it so far. What is being done to change that? Methane – the main component of natural gas – is the second most significant greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide. It accounts for about 30% of all the human-induced warming the world has experienced since the 19th …

1
Mapping Land Use and Habitat Changes in the Caucasus Through Spy Satellite Data 41:48

5M ago41:48

41:48

About the lecture: The legacy of past human activities strongly shapes current landscapes and ecosystems, with today’s actions set to leave similar long-term impacts. Predicting future landscape changes, however, requires a thorough understanding of past ones, yet most land and habitat change studies are limited to recent decades—starting only in t…

1
178: Working from Home 1:45:15

5M ago1:45:15

1:45:15

Intro topic: Smart homes News/Links: SpaceX Starship Flight Test Five / Six https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIKI7y3DTXk ShareDB https://github.com/share/sharedb Orion AR Glasses https://about.fb.com/news/2024/09/introducing-orion-our-first-true-augmented-reality-glasses/ Blade and Sorcery 1.0 is out https://www.meta.com/experiences/blade-sorcery-no…

1
What does a second Trump term mean for US solar? 32:50

5M ago32:50

32:50

Could the potential repealing of the IRA halt the progress of solar manufacturing? A second Donald Trump presidency will have a big impact on the energy transition. The Biden administration’s landmark climate bill the Inflation Reduction Act had incentives for domestic solar manufacturing and installations. Tearing up the act could slow down the ex…

1
What happened at COP29? 37:05

5M ago37:05

37:05

The climate talks agreed a $300 billion finance deal. Not everyone is happy about it. The COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, finally ended around 5.30am on Sunday morning, almost 36 hours after they had been originally scheduled to close. The good news was that the negotiators representing about 200 countries agreed a deal on climate finance:…

1
Live from COP29: One weird trick to solve our energy problem 54:54

5M ago54:54

54:54

As policy changes course in the US, is energy efficiency the key that can unlock a sustainable future? In our latest episode from the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, host Ed Crooks talks to our guests about the challenges facing the energy transition, including the far-reaching implications of a second Trump administration, as asks whether…

1
Can CCUS help achieve net zero? 41:01

5M ago41:01

41:01

The future of carbon capture With global emissions on the rise, the pressure to decarbonise is driving interest in CCUS (carbon capture, utilisations and storage) … but is CCUS a viable path to net zero, a temporary solution or a high-cost gamble that may simply just perpetuate the use of fossil fuels? Sylvia Leyva Martinez, principal analyst at Wo…

1
Live from COP29: Everyone is talking about climate finance. What do they mean? 47:22

5M ago47:22

47:22

How a deal at the climate talks could make a real difference to the energy transition In our latest episode from the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ed Crooks explores the challenges and opportunities of mobilizing climate finance to support the energy transition in emerging markets. As the "Finance COP", COP29 is under pressure to deliver…

1
Live from COP29: Are businesses still driving the energy transition? 57:48

5M ago57:48

57:48

As many nations face challenges in meeting their Paris Agreement goals, some businesses are stepping up to fill the gap. Climate action is not just a responsibility but a lucrative opportunity In this latest episode of The Energy Gang from COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ed Crooks explores the critical role of businesses in addressing climate change. He…

1
Live from COP29: How US states will keep up climate action under a Trump administration 53:22

6M ago53:22

53:22

A special COP29 episode exploring the power of states, regions, and cities to advance the energy transition amid uncertain national policies In this special episode of The Energy Gang from COP29, Ed Crooks brings together a panel of expert guests in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss the global implications of the US election and the growing importance o…

1
Live from COP29: climate finance at the forefront 26:50

6M ago26:50

26:50

The role of development banks in climate finance The COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, have climate finance at the top of the agenda. As global leaders and experts gather to deliberate on pathways to a sustainable future, the focus is on how funding from richer nations might facilitate decarbonization and resilience in poorer and middle-inco…

1
What’s next for energy after the US elections? 1:19:04

6M ago1:19:04

1:19:04

President Trump plans a sharp change of direction The US elections last week are set to transform the energy landscape, with the Republicans now in control of the presidency, the Senate, and likely the House of Representatives. They intend to set a new direction for energy policy, emphasising affordability and reliability over sustainability and cl…

1
Post-Protest “Misdemeanorland”: An Ethnography of Legal Repression and Legal Resistance in Russia 46:38

6M ago46:38

46:38

About the Lecture: The legal repression of opposition protests in pre-war Russia is characterized by the deployment of a bifurcated repressive system. This system relies, on the one hand, on “administrative” offenses and, on the other hand, on the criminal justice system to punish protesters. Following the demonstrators from the streets to the poli…

1
How can we ease stress on the grid? 44:20

6M ago44:20

44:20

Strategic solar for a stronger grid The solar industry is at a turning point, shifting from niche investments to a cornerstone of America’s clean energy future. With renewable energy investment soaring and energy needs intensifying, solar's role has never been more crucial. Sylvia Martinez, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, and David Banmiller s…

1
177: Vector Databases 1:28:26

6M ago1:28:26

1:28:26

Intro topic: Buying a Car News/Links: Cognitive Load is what Matters https://github.com/zakirullin/cognitive-load Diffusion models are Real-Time Game Engines https://gamengen.github.io/ Your Company Needs Junior Devs https://softwaredoug.com/blog/2024/09/07/your-team-needs-juniors Seamless Streaming / Fish Speech / LLaMA Omni Seamless: https://hugg…

1
Rivers and Society in Late Soviet Georgia: Nation, the Environment and the Everyday 46:20

6M ago46:20

46:20

About the Lecture: Georgia’s 26,000 rivers connect citizens to nature, to their childhood, to their unique regions, each of which has its “mother-river.” The sounds of rushing water as well as the sights and scents of riverside gatherings provoke powerful memories and remain central to Georgian identity. Rivers also form the republic’s economic bac…

1
Estonia’s Nordic Identity: History and the Present 55:45

6M ago55:45

55:45

About the Lecture: The idea of Estonia as a Nordic country gained traction in the late 19th century alongside the rise of Estonian nationalism. As Germany and increasingly also Russia came to be perceived as historical adversaries of the Estonian nation, Sweden’s arguably benevolent influence on Estonia’s history in the 17th century ‘good old Swedi…

1
The trouble with transformers 1:23:21

6M ago1:23:21

1:23:21

Electricity grids rely on transformers. Shortages are slowing down the transition to clean energy. Transformers are such commonplace pieces of local infrastructure that most people barely notice them. In America, they include those dustbin-shaped objects on poles for power lines, and in the UK they are those rectangular boxes on the pavement. But t…

1
How are tariffs and trade policies impacting green energy growth in the US? 30:14

6M ago30:14

30:14

Global investment in renewables is projected to surpass US$2 trillion by 2030, with wind, solar and storage projects leading the way. Syliva Martinez, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie is joined by Ray Long, President and CEO at ACORE (American Council On Renewable Energy), to look at how the energy transition is creating jobs, lowering costs and…

1
Russia’s War against Ukraine and The February 24th Archive Project 42:33

6M ago42:33

42:33

Solidarity Networking and Ukrainian Mental Maps: Russia’s War against Ukraine and The February 24th Archive ProjectAbout the Lecture: I am an East European intellectual and political historian by training, and a student of map prejudices by practice. For a digitally activist Ukraine, the February 24th Archive is a polyphonic treasure trove of solid…

1
Why is it so hard to find a charger for your electric vehicle? 1:01:44

7M ago1:01:44

1:01:44

To make the leap from niche products to the mass market, electric vehicles need to reassure potential buyers that they have enough range and enough charging options that they won’t get stranded by the side of the road with a flat battery. Amy Myers Jaffe, director of the Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab at New York University, has be…

1
How the energy industry is solving issues with battery safety – part 2 41:53

7M ago41:53

41:53

Part two of our analysis of safety developments for energy storage and batteries. Guest host Sylvia Leyva Martinez, Principal Analyst at Wood Mackenzie, joins us to explore the challenges and solutions to lithium-ion battery safety. In part one of our two part series, thermal runaway events (which can lead to fires) were a key issue. What are the b…

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