This week our guest is Jason Schneider, Director, Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) and Reeve of Vulcan County in Southern Alberta. The RMA is a progressive, independent association committed to meeting the diverse and changing needs of Alberta’s 69 counties and municipal districts. Since 1909, the RMA has helped rural municipalities advocate for strong, effective local government.  The RMA did not ask for a pause on new permits for renewables projects in Alberta; however, they do have...

This week our guest is Rob West, founder and CEO of Thunder Said Energy. Founded in 2019, the firm aims to help decision-makers find economic opportunities in the energy transition. Rob lives nine time zones away in Estonia and is an uber-productive energy expert, covering a wide range of topics in his consultancy.   Here are some of the questions Peter and Jackie asked Rob: What are your views on the likely demand for oil and gas in 2050? Assuming that oil and gas demand remains relatively...

On October 13th, Canada’s top court ruled that Canada’s federal Impact Assessment Act (also known as Bill C-69 and sometimes called the “no-more-pipelines act”) is unconstitutional, with a 5-2 decision.  To learn more about the decision and the implications for major projects in Canada and future environmental policy, we welcome Sander Duncanson, Partner, Regulatory, Indigenous, and Environmental at Osler to the podcast. Osler is a Canadian business law firm.    Sander was one of the...

This week, our guest is the Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta.  There are some important federal policies under development with implications for the province of Alberta, including Ottawa’s oil and gas emissions cap and the Clean Electricity Regulation (CER) that aims to move Canada to net-zero electricity by 2035. The Alberta government has also put a six-month moratorium, until the end of February 2024, on approvals of new renewable power projects.  Here are some of the...

The 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) was held in Calgary from September 17 to 21, 2023. The conference is the world’s leading assembly for the petroleum industry.  This week on the podcast, Jackie and Peter discuss some conference themes, including the lively discussion on the future of oil demand and the decarbonization of oil and gas.  They also debate whether the industries’ messaging about the likelihood of higher oil and gas demand in the future needs to be adjusted to address the...

The 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) will be held in Calgary from September 17 to 21, 2023. The conference takes place every three years and has been described as the world’s leading assembly for the petroleum industry. The organizers are expecting 15,000 visitors and 5,000 delegates from over 100 countries.   This week, we hear from Matthew Crocker, Senior Vice President, Product, Strategy and New Assets, for ExxonMobil’s Low Carbon Solutions business. Matt, along with others from...

The 24th World Petroleum Congress (WPC) will be held in Calgary from September 17 to 21, 2023. The conference takes place every three years and has been described as the world’s leading assembly for the petroleum industry. The organizers are expecting 15,000 visitors and 5,000 delegates from over 100 countries.   This week, we hear from Lisa Baiton, President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), and Mike Sommers, President and CEO of the American Petroleum...

Before you know it, summer is gone and its back to school!  Peter and Jackie look back on the energy headlines of summer 2023.    They start the podcast by discussing the new nuclear capacity announced in Ontario, with three additional small modular reactors (SMRs) announced and the potential for a significant expansion at the Bruce Power nuclear plant.  The excitement over room-temperature superconductors and another net-energy gain nuclear fusion reaction got their attention.   Next, a...

The United Kingdom (UK) has had to balance its net-zero ambitions with energy security after suffering from a price shock in 2021 that increased the cost of energy and forced them to stop importing Russian natural gas.  This week, Lord Martin Callanan, the UK’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance) at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, joins the podcast. His responsibilities include CCUS, hydrogen, green finance, energy...

The podcast is back after a summer break! This week, Vittoria Bellissimo, President and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association (CanREA) joins the podcast to discuss the recent developments in Canada’s electricity markets.  On August 4th the Alberta government announced that Alberta is pausing new approvals for large-scale wind and solar projects for six months. Peter and Jackie asked Vittoria about the industry's reaction to this news and if a pause was required to address the...

This week our special guest is Daniel Yergin vice chairman of S&P Global and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power”.    Dan’s most recent book “The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations” now has a revised edition. “The New Map” has been described as prophetic, predicting that Ukraine would be the scene of confrontation and conflict between Russia and the West.  Here are some of the questions Peter and Jackie asked Dan:...

This week our guest is Eric Nuttall, Partner, and Senior Portfolio Manager at Ninepoint Partners LP.  Eric manages the Ninepoint Energy Fund (NNRG) and the Ninepoint Energy Income Fund (NRGI), which are traded on the NEO Exchange. The Ninepoint Energy Funds are some of the largest actively managed energy funds in the world. Eric’s views on oil and gas commodities and equities are sought after by the media and investors.    Here are some of the questions Peter and Jackie asked Eric:  Are you...

Energy markets are undergoing major changes.  Demand for electricity is increasing and at the same time supply from intermittent renewables is gaining market share. Artificial intelligence (AI) is another source of disruption for electricity markets.   To help us understand the changing market dynamics from an electricity trader perspective, our guest Cory Paddock, President and Co-Founder of GBE Energy joins the podcast.  Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter ask Cory: How is...

The United Conservative Party (UCP) and its leader, Danielle Smith won a majority in the Alberta election on May 29, 2023.  Jackie and Peter start the podcast by reviewing the election results and the outlook for energy policy.  Next, the conversation moves to Texas.  The Lone Star State has witnessed big growth in wind and solar energy, but now Republican lawmakers in Texas are trying to impede renewables growth.  Peter and Jackie talk about the shift in sentiment, and if it could spread...

This week on the podcast our special guest is John Dillon, former Senior Vice President, Policy and Corporate Counsel at Business Council of Canada.    First, John joins Jackie and Peter in a discussion about the Alberta Election that is being held on May 29, 2023.  What can we learn from the past record of the two leading parties, the United Conservative Party (UCP) and the New Democratic Party (NDP)? What do we know about their plans for the future of Alberta’s energy industry?    Next, we...

This week on the podcast Peter and Jackie discuss the results of a recent survey they conducted with a group of investors to understand their perspectives on investing in clean energy.  Do investors see an opportunity to generate strong returns in clean energy? Are they actively investing in clean energy? What do investors view as the most significant risks or uncertainties?  Next, Peter and Jackie discuss why policy risk was one of the top concern areas for investors.  Why does policy risk...

This episode marks the 200th ARC Energy Ideas podcast!  Peter and Jackie start the podcast commemorating this milestone.  Next, Richard Masson, Chair of the World Petroleum Council Canada joins the podcast. Richard tells us about the 24th World Petroleum Congress that will be held in Calgary from September 17 to 21, 2023. The conference is held once every three years and has been described as the world’s leading assembly for the petroleum industry. The organizers are expecting 15,000 visitors...

This week John Dalton, President of Power Advisory joins the podcast to provide an overview of the electricity markets in Atlantic Canada, including the provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.  We also cover Quebec’s role in supplying electricity to the region.   Here are some of the questions Peter and Jackie asked John:  Is the Muskrat Falls hydro project operating yet? What is the final cost of Muskrat Falls?  Considering the high cost,...

This week Michael (Mike) Rose, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Tourmaline joins us as our guest.  Tourmaline made some exciting announcements last week. First, they announced a partnership on a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station network across Western Canada to enable heavy-haul trucks to get off diesel.  The company also announced that they plan to double the amount of gas they ship as LNG by 2026.  Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked...

Listen to Peter and Jackie speak in front of a live audience with world-renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky at the office of GBE Energy in Calgary (recorded on April 14, 2023). Edward is regarded as one of the world's most accomplished contemporary photographers, known for his large-format images of natural environments altered by industry. His collections are included in over 80 major museums around the world.   Peter and Jackie talk about how Edward’s industrial pictures show the impact...

On April 2, OPEC surprised the markets by announcing a large production cut. Oil prices jumped about $5 a barrel on the news.  On March 28, the 2023 Canadian Federal Budget was released which included additional details on investment tax credits (ITCs) and other incentives to support clean energy investment. This week on the podcast, Peter and Jackie discuss both the OPEC cuts and the 2023 Budget.  Content referenced:  Canada Budget 2023 Jackie Forrest’s Globe and Mail Article from November...

Albert Cheung, Deputy CEO, of BloombergNEF joins us as our guest this week.  BloombergNEF provides its clients with research on global commodity markets and the technologies driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy.  Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked Albert:  How has the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changed your outlook for energy transition investment in the U.S.? How much did investment in energy transition increase in 2022 and what was the total level of...

This week Frank Davis, Assistant VP, Green Hydrogen and Canada Country Head at Pattern Energy joins as our guest.  Pattern Energy is developing a green hydrogen project at the Port of Argentia in Newfoundland and Labrador. The project will use renewable electricity to produce green hydrogen and convert it into ammonia.   Here are some of the questions that Jackie and Peter asked Frank: Tell us about the different parts of the project (electricity production to hydrogen and ammonia). Why did...

Institutional investors are making pledges to reduce the emissions in their portfolio of investments. Most often the goals are tied to their scope 1 and 2 emissions (those controlled by a company they invest in). Occasionally, scope 3 emissions are also included in their goals (indirect emissions from a company’s value chain).  While it is not common today, this podcast explains why scope 4 (also called avoided emissions) should be considered in green investment goals. Scope 4 emissions...

This week our guest is the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.  The Government of Canada is working on some key energy policies, such as the clean energy incentives in the 2023 federal budget and a Sustainable Jobs Plan.  Peter and Jackie asked Minister Wilkinson these questions: How has the Sustainable Jobs Plan been received so far? Which provinces are joining the regional roundtables and what do you hope to learn from them? What is the progress on Canada’s Carbon...