EnergyCents- Emissions mission: California prepares to adjust its climate regulations (Ep 161)

The steel industry accounts for almost 10% of the world’s final energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. Nucor (NYSE: NUE), North America’s largest steel producer and recycler, pioneered lower-emission electric arc furnace steelmaking more than 50 years ago and continues to prioritize innovation in sustainable steel as it works toward a 2050 net-zero target. Tabitha Stine, Nucor General Manager of Energy Solutions Services, joins EnergyCents with hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss Nucor’s net-zero ambition and how the steelmaker is partnering with utilities, datacenters, and others to limit its carbon footprint. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en  

India plans to grow its refining capacity by about 60% to 8 mmbd over the next 10 years to meet both domestic demand and spur refined-product exports. S&P Global Refining Expert Pulkit Agarwal joins EnergyCents with hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss India’s ambition to expand its largely state-owned refining capacity and how planners expect to balance interest in both petrochemicals and transportation fuels.   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en  

The United Kingdom established state-owned Great British Energy in July 2024 to develop domestic clean energy supply, create jobs, and advance the country’s net-zero ambition. Glenn Rickson joins EnergyCents hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss what role this company will play in the renewable power sector and impact this will have on risk tolerance for future clean energy developments.   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

The African Energy Chamber began in 2018 to promote the continent’s energy sector and support indigenous companies’ efforts to expand their networks and engage international partners. The organization is preparing to host its fourth annual African Energy Week conference from November 4-8 in Cape Town, South Africa where this year's theme is, "Invest in African Energies: Energy Growth through an Enabling Environment." NJ Ayuk, African Energy Chamber Founder and Executive Chairman, joins EnergyCents hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss the chamber’s ambition to eliminate energy poverty by 2030, as well as its belief that goals can be realized with commitments to innovation in both traditional and emerging energy domains. Learn more about African Energy Chamber and African Energy Week at: https://energychamber.org/ https://aecweek.com/   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

Capacity auction prices for 2025/2026 delivery year jumped nearly 10x from the prior delivery year to $269.92/MW-day for much of PJM, a regional power market in the eastern United States. S&P Global Power Markets Expert Tanya Peevey joins EnergyCents with hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss reasons behind the price spike and consider whether rule changes will help incent investment in long-duration power supply for the region.   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

Led by investment in intermittent renewables, Texas has added more new power supply to its grid over the past five years than any other state. However, the lack of growth in long-duration power generation and increased frequency of extreme weather events have given way to reliability concerns within ERCOT. S&P Global power markets expert Mike Pickens joins EnergyCents hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss the Texas Energy Fund and how regulators expect state-backed low-interest loans can unlock investments in new gas-fired generation projects in ERCOT. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

Europe’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) now requires its trade partners to declare the carbon content associated with production of imported goods including iron, steel, aluminum, cement, fertilizer, hydrogen, and electricity. Trade partners will be asked in 2026 to buy CBAM certificates for these specified goods to access European markets.  S&P Global Expert Coralie Laurencin joins EnergyCents with hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss CBAM’s recently begun transitional period and how policy makers expect it to support decarbonization ambition and increase the competitiveness of European industry.   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en  

itselectric, a Brooklyn-based electric vehicle (EV) curbside charging company, partners with municipalities and property owners to install, operate, and maintain public chargers on sidewalk curbs. The Level-2 charging ports use spare electrical supply from nearby buildings via a revenue share with property owners and allow EV-drivers to recharge their vehicles without the hassles of locating off-street parking, garages, or out-of-the way charging stations.  Tiya Gordon, itselectric co-founder and COO, joins EnergyCents hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss itselectric’s business model and how the company is working behind-the-meter to accelerate zero-emission vehicle adoption in cities. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) pioneered much of North America’s emissions-reduction policies and is now in the process of updating its regulations as net-zero deadlines near. S&P Global experts Erin Tully and Matt Williams join EnergyCents hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and Cap-and-Trade Program and how these initiatives may evolve as the state makes progress toward its goal of net-zero emissions by 2045. Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en

New Zealand announced on August 26, 2024, that it will reverse its 2018 ban on offshore oil and gas exploration before the start of 2025. S&P Global Expert Joe Keith joins EnergyCents with hosts Hill Vaden and Sam Humphreys to discuss background behind New Zealand’s exploration ban and how domestic demand for natural gas influenced a campaign for its reversal.   Note: this podcast was recorded on August 7, 2024.   Learn more about S&P Global Commodity Insights energy coverage at: https://www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en