About this podcast
Energy and climate are intertwined, two of the most important topics in the world today. Yet listeners know very little about them. This podcast aims to change that. Energy Switch brings together two renowned experts from government, NGOs, academia, and industry, with differing perspectives on important energy and climate topics.These lively discussions are moderated by renowned energy scientist and communicator Dr. Scott Tinker. The podcast is produced, written, and directed by Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Harry Lynch.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 88 episodes
- Solar and Wind: Success or Failure? · 25 minWe hear conflicting information about solar and wind energy. They’re the cheapest form of electricity. But they make electricity more expensive. They’re the fastest growing…
- Ecomodernism vs Degrowth · 25 minDegrowth advocates say we’re overusing Earth’s resources, which will degrade living standards and harm the environment, so we must reduce. Ecomodernists say we’re fine…
- Shipping, part 2 · 25 minIn part 1, we learned the basics of the industry. Now we look at CO2 emissions and the UN’s goals to reduce them, alternative low-carbon fuels and challenges to adopt those…
- Shipping, part 1 · 25 minShipping brings us almost every product because it’s the lowest cost of any transport. This makes it extremely important globally, yet it faces many challenges, especially in the…
- Arctic Climate · 25 minThe Arctic is warming faster than the rest of the planet. Melting sea ice has opened northern shipping lanes but exposes more water to the warming sun. Melting land ice raises…
- Energy PhDs · 25 minTwo very promising PhD candidates discuss their energy research, federal funding cuts and how they may affect the academic and science environments today and tomorrow, and their…
- Efficiency and Conservation · 25 minUsing less energy saves money and can even reduce prices. It also reduces emissions and frees up energy for other uses without building more power plants and power lines. We…
- Public Opinion on Climate · 25 minTwo veteran pollsters tell us not what they think, but what we think -- Democrats, Republicans and Independents -- about the environment, climate and energy. Some of their…
- Tribal Energy · 25 minThere are 10 million Native Americans in the U.S. Those on reservations are often the last customers on the power line, getting the worst service at the highest prices. But many…
- Senators Talk Energy · 25 minEnergy and climate have become increasingly partisan, resulting in slow, or no, political progress. Our guests discuss subsidies, climate and energy strategy, recall a time when…
- King Coal · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 10Coal is still the dominant source of electricity worldwide. That’s because it’s available domestically in many countries, and is cheap and easy to mine, transport and burn. But…
- Investing in Alternative Energy · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 9Twenty years ago, wind, solar, grid-scale batteries, and the powerlines to connect them were rare. Now they’re mainstream. Our two guests have been there since the beginning…
- Fertilizers · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 8Fertilizer drives modern agriculture, to feed the world. It turns natural gas, nitrogen from the atmosphere, and mined minerals into plant nutrients, which end up on our plates…
- Air Quality in America · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 7The Clean Air Act has reduced particulate matter pollution, ground-level ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxides, ushering in capture technologies that have…
- Russian Energy · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 6Russia’s energy exports fund its government and war efforts. It’s the world’s 2nd largest producer of oil and natural gas, behind the US, and has avoided energy sanctions through…
- Air Conditioning · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 5Air conditioning has changed the world, allowing hot regions to develop, with increased comfort, health, and productivity. But these benefits come with challenges -- greater…
- Extreme Weather part 2 · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 4Last episode, our experts referenced IPCC data to explain that heat, heat waves and precipitation are trending up. While floods, fires and storms are flat or down. However, in…
- Extreme Weather part 1 · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 3We often hear that climate change is driving extreme weather. To understand the trends, our guests dug into the IPCC data for heat waves and cold spells. Historic rainfall and…
- Data Centers · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 2Every text, email and social media post. Every digital photo, web search and credit card transaction. Every online purchase. Every streaming show. Nearly everything in our lives…
- Unconventional Wisdom · 25 min · Season 7 Episode 1Our guests argue against conventional wisdom, that oil companies must be part of decarbonization. That solar and wind will never replace them. And that we don’t value our…
