What Does Energy Transition Mean To You? 9/18/2023

What Does Energy Transition Mean To You?

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Jim Crompton is a co-host on this podcast hosting Dr. Ershaghi, Director of the Ershaghi Center for Energy Transition (E-CET), on the history of the energy transitions; where we stand in the race to net zero; the role that governments, private sector, and individuals play in the energy transition; and the importance of combating misinformation.  Also featured, Mathew Davis, a Master’s student in petroleum engineering at USC, on how he defines energy transition and the role that petroleum engineering plays in the energy transition.  September 18, 2023.  

The Global Energy Landscape 7/5/2023

The Global Energy Landscape

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is on this podcast discussing the intersection of policy and climate technology, how to drive energy access in the global south, Dr. Bazilian’s work at the UN and World Bank, how to facilitate the energy transition in the U.S., the importance of community engagement, and many other topics.  July 5, 2023.

Why China dominates the world’s EV supply chain 6/20/2023

Why China dominates the world’s EV supply chain

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast discussing that after a rare visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Beijing this week, a group of lawmakers are meeting with American car companies to urge them to lessen their reliance on Chinese electric vehicle parts — especially batteries.  To build its refining capacity, the U.S. will have to cite, permit and develop infrastructure, which is hard to accomplish.  June 20, 2023.

Why we must act now on critical minerals for a greener future 5/26/2023

Why we must act now on critical minerals for a greener future

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian and Simon Moores write about how critical minerals are vital for modern technology and the advent of electric vehicles have driven them to the top of the geopolitical agenda.  However, there is a big gap between supply and demand, as well as a disconnect between miners and users of these key raw materials.  Stakeholders must act now to enable the energy storage revolution, with decisions made now impacting the geopolitical order of the next century.  May 26, 2023.

Saudi to play significant part in mineral supply 5/24/2023

Saudi to play significant part in mineral supply

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian discussed how Saudi Arabia’s entry to the mineral supply equation is “significant.”  The intent for Saudi Arabia to be a key player in the mineral supply chain for the critical minerals space was there in Saudi Arabia, as well as the building blocks to have a downstream presence through processing industries. This was, however, not without its challenges.  May 24, 2023.

EV manufacturers look ahead amid high lithium demand 5/24/2023

EV manufacturers look ahead amid high lithium demand

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast discussing on how EV manufacturers are dealing with increased competition to secure lithium used to produce batteries (second track).  May 23, 2023.

What You Should Do Is What You Can Do 5/23/2023

What You Should Do Is What You Can Do

Payne Institute Research Associate Baba Freeman is on this podcast discussing how as the world shifts toward green technology, how can African countries with abundant rare mineral reserves navigate and benefit from this change? What role do global financial systems play in responsibly investing in these minerals? With an in-depth analysis of the implications for developing countries in Africa and across the globe.  May 23, 2023.

Critical Minerals and China, With Morgan Bazilian 4/25/2023

Critical Minerals and China, With Morgan Bazilian

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is on this podcast discussing why critical minerals have emerged as a major issue in the U.S.-China geopolitical competition.  Topics include critical minerals, foreign policy, national security, and China.  April 25, 2023.

The Global Competition for Critical Minerals with Morgan Bazilian 3/16/2023

The Global Competition for Critical Minerals with Morgan Bazilian

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on the Energy Security Cubed podcast discussing the shift to clean energy, and how America must rethink supply chains amid the growing global competition over critical minerals.  March 16, 2023.

Are we about to see a mining boom for EV minerals in the West? 1/26/2023

Are we about to see a mining boom for EV minerals in the West?

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this podcast discussing critical minerals and mining in the West. Lange directs the mineral and energy economics program at the Colorado School of Mines and is an expert in mining economics. He discusses what’s going on in the world of critical minerals—specifically those used in electric vehicle batteries.  These include cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel and are mostly mined overseas, but we do have some of them here in the U.S. And we could see a big increase in domestic mining for them thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which included subsidies aimed at stimulating mining at home. January 26, 2023.

Financing Utility Scale RE in Developing Countries 1/25/2023

Financing Utility Scale RE in Developing Countries

Payne Institute Sustainable Finance Lab Program Manager Brad Handler on a podcast discussing how multilateral development banks (MDBs) like the World Bank are increasingly under pressure to find ways that more capital can move into emerging market renewable energy projects.  Brad walks the listeners through some recent Energy Transition Mechanisms (or ETMs) and Just Energy Transition (or JET) refinancing projects that aim to close coal plants in the developing world long before the end of their expected lifespans, and replace their generation with renewable power.   January 25, 2023.

Drought threatens hydropower produced by Colorado River 1/25/2023

Drought threatens hydropower produced by Colorado River

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Adrienne Marshall is featured on this podcast discussing how the seven U.S. states along the Colorado River — Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California — are up against yet another deadline to curb their water use amid extreme drought. They have until Tuesday to agree on massive voluntary cuts or the Bureau of Reclamation, a Department of the Interior agency, has said it will impose cuts on them.  The basin states have called the federal government’s bluff before, but whatever happens next week, millions of westerners and their livelihoods will be affected.  January 25, 2023.

New rule for electric car tax incentive delayed 12/20/2022

New rule for electric car tax incentive delayed

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about how the Joe Biden administration wants half of all new vehicles sold by 2030 to be zero-emission. It’s pouring billions into the industry to incentivize car companies to make electric vehicles and get customers to buy them.  However, this week, the administration delayed announcing the details of a new rule requiring that a certain percentage of battery components be sourced in the U.S. or countries that have free-trade agreements with the U.S.  December 20, 2022.  

Fusion energy breakthrough could be an ‘inflection point’ for clean fuel technology 12/12/2022

Fusion Energy Breakthrough Could be an Inflection Point for Clean Fuel Technology

Payne Institute Fellow Alex Gilbert is featured on this news show about a fusion energy breakthrough that could be an inflection point for clean fuel technology.  The Department of Energy is expected to announce a major development regarding fusion energy on Tuesday December 13th, and Alex Gilbert, discusses the significance of this potential discovery.  He further explains how scientists have produced net energy gain using fusion and how nuclear fusion power could be the key to clean energy.  December 12, 2022.

By 2025, coal will no longer be the main way to generate the world’s electricity 12/8/2022

By 2025, coal will no longer be the main way to generate the world’s electricity

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this podcast on how the International Energy Agency released a report this week saying renewables would overtake coal and become the world’s biggest source of electricity generation by 2025.  The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act includes billions in subsidies and tax credits to encourage development of technologies like advanced nuclear power and hydrogen generation in the U.S.  December 8, 2022.

As EV sales accelerate, battery makers face a new shortage of a crucial mineral: graphite 11/3/2022

As EV sales accelerate, battery makers face a new shortage of a crucial mineral: graphite

Payne Institute Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about how Ford Motor Co. reports that it sold twice as many electric vehicles in the month that just ended as it did in October of last year. But as demand for electrics is surging, manufacturers are facing yet another shortage of yet another crucial material — not lithium this time, but graphite.  November 3, 2022.

The Latest in Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment, with Alex Gilbert 9/27/2022

The Latest in Nuclear Energy Innovation and Deployment, with Alex Gilbert

Payne Institute Fellow Alex Gilbert is featured on this podcast about the latest developments in nuclear energy innovation, policy, and deployment.  In the podcast, he discusses the types of nuclear technologies in the development pipeline, how they differ from older technologies, which technologies are being piloted, and how recent policies—especially the Inflation Reduction Act—are incentivizing the deployment of these technologies. September 27, 2022.

Lithium mining’s water use sparks bitter conflicts and novel chemistry 9/13/2022

Lithium mining’s water use sparks bitter conflicts and novel chemistry

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Jessica Smith is featured on this podcast exploring the impact of the world’s hunger for lithium-ion batteries, an important tool in the fight against climate change. Mining of lithium used to manufacture batteries in electric cars comes with a cost to the local environment and access to water. September 13, 2022.

How Ukrainians Purchased Military Equipment 9/9/2022

How Ukrainians Purchased Military Equipment

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Kathleen Hancock is featured on this podcast about how Ukraine and the IAEA say they’ve learned of a serious development at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The challenges facing the European Union as ministers meet to discuss what to do about soaring energy prices, as Russia threats to cut off natural gas supplies to Europe.  September 9, 2022.

High energy prices could threaten European utilities’ ability to keep doing business 9/6/2022

High energy prices could threaten European utilities’ ability to keep doing business

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about how over the past few days, Europe’s energy crisis has started to look like it might turn into a financial crisis as well.  The turbulence in the natural gas market is threatening the ability of some European utilities to buy the gas they need.  September 6, 2022.

Should air conditioning be a human right? 8/10/2022

Should air conditioning be a human right?

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this radio show about how sweltering temperatures continue to sweep nearly every continent this summer, with millions of people experiencing temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.  Billions of people need air conditioning to combat the deadly heat, which raises the question: Should access to it be a human right?  August 10, 2022.

Why isn’t Big Oil up in arms about the climate-friendly Inflation Reduction Act? 8/8/2022

Why isn’t Big Oil up in arms about the climate-friendly Inflation Reduction Act?

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributed to this podcast about how there’s a lot of stuff baked into the 755-page Inflation Reduction Act, which was approved in the Senate and is expected to pass in the House. Top of mind for many is the nearly $370 billion set aside for energy transition and climate change mitigation. In fact, some are calling the Democrats’ measure the biggest piece of climate legislation in U.S. history.  On the surface, that sounds like it could be bad news for traditional fossil fuel companies, specifically Big Oil and Gas. But believe it or not, some of them sound fairly encouraged by the bill.  August 8, 2022.

A federal gas tax holiday might be popular. But it might not be useful 6/23/2022

A federal gas tax holiday might be popular. But it might not be useful.

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast about how hoping to curb the pain consumers are feeling at the pump right now, President Biden has called for a suspension of the federal gasoline tax. Biden asked Congress on Wednesday for a three-month suspension of the tax, a lot of which helps pay for roads and bridges, to provide some relief. June 23, 2022.

Coal prices are way up and long-term commitments from customers are hard to find 6/2/2022

Coal prices are way up and long-term commitments from customers are hard to find

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange is featured on this podcast about how Saudi Arabia is ready to start pumping more oil onto the market, which could bring oil prices down a bit. But oil and gas aren’t the only fossil fuels in tight supply.  A lot of miners are having to tell customers that even if they wanted to sell them coal at these high prices, they just don’t have any ready and they have to fulfill their prior commitments.  June 2, 2022.

Now Hiring: Industry Jobs for the New Space Age 5/31/2022

Now Hiring: Industry Jobs for the New Space Age

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Angel Abbud-Madrid contributes to this podcast about how as the modern space race has taken off, thanks in large part to the growing role played by private companies. As businesses send up more missions, build their own space stations and even think about mining the moon, they will need to find and train new types of workers. On the first episode of The Wall Street Journal’s special series of Tech News Briefing about the developing space economy, host Zoe Thomas looks at space jobs that go beyond astronauts.  May 31, 2022.

U.S. coal isn’t counting on Europe for a comeback 5/17/2022

U.S. coal isn’t counting on Europe for a comeback

Payne Institute Fellow Ian Lange contributes to the podcast about how the price of coal has surged since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions the European Union has placed on Russian coal in response.  Those sanctions announced last month are set to take full effect in August, creating — one would think — an opportunity for coal producers here in the United States. But they’re having trouble cashing in.  May 17, 2022.

Can oil companies use their extra money to ease pain at the pump? It’s complicated. 4/12/2022

Can oil companies use their extra money to ease pain at the pump? It’s complicated.

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast about how the cost of gasoline continues to rise across the globe and in the United States due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and continued inflation associated with the global pandemic.  However, lowering the price at the pump isn’t just about big oil making a small amount less.  April 12, 2022.

CAN WE GET CLEAN ENERGY WITHOUT DIRTY MINES? 4/8/2022

CAN WE GET CLEAN ENERGY WITHOUT DIRTY MINES?

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about how in 2021, global sales of electric vehicles more than doubled. This year, automakers are projected to make another huge gain, driven by soaring gas prices and new models with increased range. Getting away from gas-powered vehicles is essential to transition to a clean energy economy. But it’s not all good news on the clean energy front. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted global supply chains, and roiled markets for nickel and other commodities used for renewables and batteries. April 8, 2022.

For Europe, quitting Russian coal will be easier than quitting Russian natural gas 4/05/2022

For Europe, quitting Russian coal will be easier than quitting Russian natural gas

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange contributes to this podcast discussing the future of fossil fuels and the ease of how Russia supplies coal to much of Europe compared to natural gas.  The EU depends on Russia for around 40% of its oil and natural gas needs. That figure is more like 20% for coal.  April 5, 2022.   

Biden poised to invoke Cold War-era law to encourage domestic mining 3/31/2022

Biden poised to invoke Cold War-era law to encourage domestic mining

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian contributes to this podcast about Russia’s presence worldwide in uranium enrichment and how developing countries have traditionally turned to Russia to help develop nuclear power plants.  Up until 2 months ago this was a viable option, now there are other challenges (sound clip starts at 13:00 minutes into the podcast). March 31, 2022.  

The EU has sworn off Russian steel. That could be bad news for the environment. 3/21/2022

The EU has sworn off Russian steel. That could be bad news for the environment.

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast about how Russia is one of the biggest steel exporters in the world. This week, the European Union landed another blow on the Russian economy by banning imports of Russian steel, and the reverberations will be felt across a host of industries.  March 21, 2022.

The impact of global conflict and economic instability on gas prices 3/8/2022

The impact of global conflict and economic instability on gas prices

Jim Krane, Varun Rai, and Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian discuss how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is causing price increases and volatility for the two most widely traded global commodities: oil and gas.  Crude oil prices have spiked in response to provocation by Russia — the second-largest oil and gas exporter in the world — in Ukraine, which is a major transit route for Russian gas.  March 8, 2022.

Fighting cyber warfare tied to Russian invasion of Ukraine 2/28/2022

Fighting cyber warfare tied to Russian invasion of Ukraine

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Elizabeth Van Wie Davis discusses how Ukraine is fighting for its life. And the globe is fighting to grasp the repercussions of the Russian invasion on this podcast. In Colorado, Governor Jared Polis has said he’ll welcome refugees. He also told his IT workforce to shore up cyber defenses.   February 28, 2022.

Minerals and the clean-energy transition: the basics 1/21/2022

Minerals and the clean-energy transition: the basics

The Payne Institute research is featured in this article and podcast about a lot of the talk in the energy world, and the minerals needed by clean-energy technologies and whether mineral supply problems might pose a threat to the clean-energy transition.  The US, like most developed countries, has become highly import-dependent in minerals.  January 21, 2022.

Space Mining 1/10/2022

Space Mining

Payne Institute Fellow Alex Gilbert is featured on the inaugural Multiplanetary Society podcast about his article on resource extraction in space published in the Milken Institute Review about space exploration, and that commercial developments in the space industry may be on the cusp of starting the largest resource rush in history: mining on the Moon, Mars and asteroids.  January 10, 2022.

Everything you wanted to know about gas prices but were afraid to ask 12/10/2021

Everything you wanted to know about gas prices but were afraid to ask

Payne Institute Fellow Brad Handler on a podcast discussing what’s going on with gas prices, and is the Biden administration to blame? Aaron, Kate, and Jesse are joined by Brad Handler of the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines, who explains why gas prices spiked this summer, and what comes next. December 10, 2021.

Coal prices are high as stockpiles hit new lows 11/30/2021

Coal prices are high as stockpiles hit new lows

Payne Institute Faculty Fellow Ian Lange is featured on this podcast discussing recent higher than normal natural gas prices are boosting coal demand, but who knows how long that will last?  For all the talk of an energy transition, this economy still uses tons of fossil fuels, and it’s not just oil and natural gas.  November 30, 2021.

How might COP26 affect the Mountain West? 11/7/2021

How might COP26 affect the Mountain West?

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian on a podcast discussing the UN Climate Conference, or COP26, that is underway in Glasgow, Scotland. Global agreements made there aim to limit the negative effects of climate change, like drought and extreme fires, which are already apparent in the Mountain West. But will it have more immediate impacts on the region?  November 7, 2021.

The New Energy Geopolitics 9/16/2021

The new Energy Geopolitics

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian is featured on this podcast discussing how for nearly a century, fossil fuels have been a key source of geopolitical tension, and how is international politics changing with the surge of renewables?  September 16, 2021.

IOCs and the Energy Transition: Rethinking “Business as Usual”? 6/17/2021

IOCs and the Energy Transition: Rethinking “Business as Usual”?

Payne Institute Fellow and Researcher Brad Handler on a podcast that aims to review how climate action could impact the traditional corporate approach of International Oil Companies (IOCs), seeking to maximize value for shareholders through a stable dividend, while considering the continuously renewed demand for oil and gas as a given.  June 17, 2021.

GOVERNMENT AGENCY PERSPECTIVE – THE LATROBE VALLEY AUTHORITY IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: Scope, Authority, Organization and Key Operating Principles part 1 5/28/2021

GOVERNMENT AGENCY PERSPECTIVE, PART 1 – THE LATROBE VALLEY AUTHORITY IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: Scope, Authority, Organization and Key Operating Principles

Payne Institute Fellow Brad Handler on the Just Transitions Podcast discussing the scope, authority, organization, and key operating principles of the Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA) with Karen Cain, Chief Executive Officer at LVA, Victoria, Australia.  May 28, 2021.
Just Transitions – Economic Development Organization Perspective

The Latrobe Valley Authority in Victoria, Australia: Growing Employment Demand/Supply and Smart Specialization (part 2) 5/28/2021

Government Agency Perspective, Part 2 – The Latrobe Valley Authority in Victoria, Australia: Growing Employment Demand/Supply and Smart Specialization

Payne Institute Fellow Brad Handler on the Just Transitions Podcast discussing the key services of the Latrobe Valley Authority (LVA) and growing growing employment demand/supply and smart specialization opportunities in the region with Karen Cain, Chief Executive Officer at LVA, Victoria, Australia.  May 28, 2021.
Just Transitions – Economic Development Organization Perspective

Communities Perspective, Alberta, Canada 5/28/2021

Communities Perspective, Alberta, Canada

Payne Institute Fellow Brad Handler on the Just Transitions Podcast discussing the communities perspective on just transitions in Alberta, Canada with Laura Swain, Chief Administrative Officer, Parkland County, Canada, Chris Warwick, Mayor, Hanna, Canada, George Glazier, Chairman, Battle River Economic Opportunities Committee (BREOC), Don Kroetch, Reeve, Flagstaff County, Canada, and Joel Maweni, Executive Director, Battle River Economic Opportunities Committee (BREOC).  May 28, 2021.
Just Transitions – Communities Perspective, Alberta, Canada

Colonial Pipeline hack reveals critical infrastructure risks 5/10/2021

Colonial Pipeline hack reveals critical infrastructure risks

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian discusses big industrial networks, including the Colonial Pipeline, which has been down for three days following a cyberbreach, that fill vital everyday needs such as gasoline, clean water and electricity on a podcast with Scott Tong. The Joe Biden administration plans new cyber rules for agencies and contractors involved in critical infrastructure.  May 10, 2021.

Geopolitics of the Energy Transition 4/22/2021

Geopolitics of the Energy Transition

Payne Institute Director Morgan Bazilian was interviewed on the Hopkins Podcast on Foreign Affairs discussing how the global transition toward a less carbon intensive energy system is affecting global geopolitics as we know it. Over the past century, energy geopolitics have centered on struggles to secure oil and gas, but if oil and gas become less important, will energy geopolitics eventually go away?  April 22, 2021.

The Payne Institute experts are regional, national, and international leaders in applied research in natural resources, energy, and the environment. Our team is involved in a wide variety of research projects in these fields, and are committed to sharing these results with academic and professional audiences.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed are those of the author alone and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, viewpoints, or official policies of the Payne Institute or Colorado School of Mines.