Switched On

Remember acid rain and worries about sulfur emissions from your car? Maybe. Maybe not. It was a long time ago that sulfur was regulated out of the gas you put in your car. Well those concerns are front-of-mind for the global shipping industry, which still relies heavily on high-sulfur fuel to move goods across the seas. On January 1, new regulations come into play that drastically reduce the amount of sulfur oxide ships can emit. This week on Switched On we talk with Richard Chatterton, who leads oil market analysis for BloombergNEF, about how shippers will meet the new standards, what the regulations could do for refiners, and what it all means for the rest of us.This episode is based on a report series titled IMO 2020 Monthly. BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In solar’s early days, getting electrons from solar panel to power grid was as much a financial as a technical challenge. Photovoltaic power cost more than conventional grid power, and so deploying it required government subsidy of some kind. Those subsidies could create a booming market, and gloom thereafter when subsidies expired. However, with more than a decade of decreasing costs and increasing efficiency, solar is now not just cheap enough to be viable - it is often cheaper than any other source of power in a given market. This competitive position is driving a boom in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. This week on Switched On we talk with Pietro Radoia about this coming-of-age for solar, and the challenges this boom brings.This episode is based on a report titled Europe’s Subsidy-Free PV Market Takes Off.BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We use cobalt every day. It's in the lithium-ion batteries in our phones, and in the growing fleet of electric vehicles out on the road. But chances are more than good that at least some of the cobalt in your phone or EV is not ethically sourced. This week on Switched On, we talk with Kwasi Ampofo, a BloombergNEF analyst focused on metals and mining, about his recent travels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We'll hear about what he observed in the cobalt mines there, and what companies are doing to ensure ethical sourcing of this critical metal.This episode is based on a report titled Solving the ‘Blood Cobalt’ Challenge for EVs.BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia has the biggest share of everything -- area, population, economic growth, and now, carbon dioxide emissions. Can Asia keep its pace of development while reducing CO2, or does it have to go dirty to get rich? This week on Switched On, we talk with Justin Wu, head of Asia Pacific for BloombergNEF, about Asia's three largest economies, China, Japan, and India, and BNEF's outlook for how they are approaching the energy and transport transition.This episode is based on three reports: 2H 2019 China Market Outlook Japan to Take on Plastics But It’s Not Quite in the Bag New Energy Outlook 2019, section on India BNEF clients can access these reports on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solar thermal power plants can provide electricity when demand is most high, during the evening, or even all night long. This ability could become more valuable in certain locations as the amount of less consistent wind and photovoltaic solar power on the grid expands. This week on Switched On, we talk with Jenny Chase, head of solar analysis for BloombergNEF, about where this lesser-known renewable works, and doesn't, and how it fits into the energy mix of the future.This episode is based on a report titled Solar Thermal Market Outlook 2019. BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Obama-era Clean Power Plan is being cut out by the Trump administration. It probably doesn't matter so much because the U.S. power fleet is decarbonizing anyway. And cars are getting more fuel efficient, despite efforts by the federal government to roll-back regulations there as well. This week on Switched On, we talk with Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas for BloombergNEF, to make sense of what is going on in the U.S. in power, transport and climate.This episode is based on reports titled Time Running Short for Trump’s Anti-Climate Agenda, and Democrats Go to Town on Climate.BNEF clients can access these reports on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil has always carried with it the possibility of adventure and big wins to be had, and thereby a growth story for investors. Utilities, not so much. But we could be seeing the tables turn as there seems to be no shortage of oil, and the world is increasingly going electric. Could there be a swap of sectors in the dull club? This week on Switched On, we delve into that with Nathaniel Bullard, BNEF's Head of Executive Insights and author of a weekly opinion piece called Sparklines.This episode is based on the weekly Sparklines series from Bloomberg Opinion, by Nat Bullard.Or on Bloomberg Anywhere at NI BULLARD<GO>. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Governments play a role, but the private sector may hold the real keys to decarbonization. This week on Switched On, we talk with Kyle Harrison, a BloombergNEF analyst focused on corporate energy strategy, about companies increasing use of renewable electricity and the targets they're setting to cut down on carbon. This episode is based on a report titled 2H 2019 Corporate Energy Market Outlook. BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ride-hailing, e-commerce, micro-mobility, robotaxis – each of these is or will chip away at the need to own a car. Will the day come when the car becomes obsolete? This week on Switched On we talk with Ali Izadi, BNEF’s head of intelligent mobility, about this and whether car sales will peak, or if they already have.This episode is based on a report titled Peak Car? BNEF Light Duty Vehicle Outlook.BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage increases, a lot more lithium, cobalt, and nickel will be needed. This week on Switched On we talk with Sophie Lu about BNEF's battery metals forecast to 2030 and some of the political, environmental, and economic challenges of getting these critical metals out of the ground and into the factory.This episode is based on a report titled 2H 2019 Battery Metals Outlook: Demand Realities. BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal.If you want to read more about the Wedderburn meteorite mentioned at the top of the show, have a look here, or here. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hydrogen has been in and out of fashion several times over the years. But now its potential to decarbonize long-haul trucking, and industrial processes that have been hard to reach with renewables and batteries, mean hydrogen could be back for good.This week on Switched On we'll kick off the discussion about hydrogen with some basics, and start to get into the economics. We'll open the discussion with Albert Cheung, Global Head of Research for BloombergNEF who will introduce the topic and why BNEF is looking at it. Then we'll go into further detail with Kobad Bhavnagri and Martin Tengler about a report they wrote titled Hydrogen: The Economics of Storage. This report is the first in a series BNEF is doing on hydrogen, and can be found at: https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/21015BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, a Tesla has zero tailpipe emissions, but it charges from the grid, and the grid is powered by coal, so it can't really be considered clean, right? Today on Switched On we talk with Logan Goldie-Scot, who leads energy storage coverage for BloombergNEF, and BNEF Energy Storage Analyst James Frith. We'll discuss the CO2 footprints of electric vehicles and the batteries that go into them. EVs generally produce fewer lifetime emissions than vehicles with internal combustion engines, but there's a bit of nuance to this. It turns out it matters a lot where you are. James and Logan will explain this and the findings that throw BNEF squarely into the debate about whether EVs are actually clean. This episode is based on a report titled Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing Emissions, which can be found at: https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20953 BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Light-up your dryer, TV, dishwasher, microwave, air conditioner, and maybe even mine some bitcoin, all at dinnertime, because it's all-you-can-eat electricity. Today on Switched On we talk with Jame Sprinz, Head of Decentralized Energy for BNEF, about the raft of new business models being applied to retail electricity. Never think about your bill and don't want to? There's a company that'll help you do that. Want to take control of your bill to get the best price, or pool electricity with other solar panel owners in your neighborhood? Someone wants to help you there, too. James will walk us through these business models, the start-ups testing them out, and the incumbents scoping their next moves. This episode is based on a report titled Company Profiles: New Residential Retail Models that can be found at: https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20973 BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF< GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hong Kong taxi drivers are getting older. What happens when they retire? Is a busy city like Hong Kong ready for driverless cars? Insurance and insurability in a climate change world, and what companies are doing about it. And how climate change is all most of us have ever known. This week on Switched On we have a wide-ranging discussion with Nathaniel Bullard, BNEF's Head of Executive Insights and author of a weekly opinion piece called Sparklines. This episode is based on the weekly Sparklines series from Bloomberg Opinion, by Nat Bullard. You can sign-up here: http://link.mail.bloombergbusiness.com/join/4wm/sparklines-signup&hash=b9b2681361bede0e1069ca238efb1ec2 Or on Bloomberg Anywhere at NI BULLARD<GO>. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Switched On we talk with Hannah Davinroy and Claire Curry about oil companies going after digital technologies. Whether it is to make their operations more efficient or help them expand into new areas, oil companies are developing digital capabilities via work in-house, acquisitions, or partnerships with big tech. Is it all just PR or are oilcos making meaningful steps to becoming more dynamic and sustainable organizations? It kind of depends. Listen to Hannah and Claire discuss oilco modernization efforts and how companies have different personalities or traits that lead them to different digital strategies. This episode is based on: Digitalization Strategies of Oil Majors: Company Profiles -- https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20883 BNEF clients can access this report on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by BNEF Head of Product, Mark Taylor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Switched On we talk with Meredith Annex, who leads BNEF's coverage of heating and cooling. Making buildings warmer or cooler accounts for 21% of global energy consumption, and a considerable share of CO2 emissions. Listen to Meredith explain why this is the missing piece to the energy and emissions puzzle. We will discuss the different ways of decarbonizing this sector, one so far driven by scrappy startups and generational players. This episode was based on two reports: The Greening of Heat -- https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20787 Decarbonizing U.S. Heat: Getting Started -- https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20779 BNEF clients can access these reports on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF< GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Switched On we talk with BNEF Wind Industry Analyst Tom Harries, about floating and airborne wind power. These applications are still in their infancy but show promise. Floating turbines can open up new market territory for offshore wind power, allowing for placement in waters too deep for fixed-bottom kit. And airborne wind could potentially provide quick deployment in disaster locations to power relief efforts. But first, costs have to come down at sea and in the air. Switched On is hosted this week by BNEF's Head of Business Development, Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on Switched On we talk to Dr. Julia Attwood, Head of Advanced Materials for BNEF about bioplastics. Bioplastics comprise just about 1% of the plastics market right now, but its share is growing. Concern about plastic waste in the environment, climate change, and product sustainability has driven interest in bioplastics, though additional capacity has been slow-going. Julia walks us through the basics and what could push bioplastics to be a more significant part of our daily lives. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Air conditioning already accounts for 9% of electricity consumed globally, and that demand is set to grow substantially in the coming decades. While many living in hot climates need it just for comfort, others see it as a status symbol – their ticket to the middle class. For businesses, it may underpin worker productivity. BNEF's Seb Henbest and Matthias Kimmel join the show today to discuss the effect of the ever-louder hum of aircon units on global electricity demand. Switched On is hosted this week by Head of Business Development Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we talk to Dr. Julia Attwood, Head of Advanced Materials for BNEF about composites. We see them in high-end sporting goods and automotive, but carbon fiber and other composites are starting to make their way through industry and down the cost curve. Julia will introduce us to composites, go over their uses, advantages and limitations, costs, and future demand. Hosted this week by BNEF's Head of Product, Mark Taylor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Switched On we talk with BNEF Intelligent Mobility Analyst Andrew Grant about the role of 5G in cars. It looks like baby steps as we start to see more 5G roll-outs worldwide with things like better video streaming and gaming to entertain passengers. But as more 5G is deployed we could see such applications as cooperative and autonomous transport take hold. Embedded in this 5G future are considerable opportunities for telecoms and automakers. BNEF clients can find the report this episode was based on at https://www.bnef.com/core/insights/20559 on bnef.com or BNEF Mobile, or at BNEF<GO> on the terminal. Switched On is hosted this week by BNEF's Head of Business Development, Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will you still be driving an internal combustion engine vehicle in 2040? Maybe. This week on Switched On we talk to David Doherty, a BNEF senior analyst specializing in oil demand analysis. Today on the show he'll make the case that despite all the EVs and trucks getting out on the road, oil demand and CO2 emissions in 2040 from transport will be largely flat from today. Transport demand in developing economies, as well as growing demand for things -- think of it as the Amazon effect -- will be the main drivers. David gets right to the point of how this scenario plays out and the factors contributing to it. Switched On is hosted this week by Mark Taylor and Dana Perkins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.