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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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"...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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. — The NTNU Energy Transition Podcast aims to function as a knowledge hub that...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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?...