Columbia Energy Exchange

Many parts of the US have experienced brutal, deadly heat in recent weeks—and there’s plenty of summer left. Intense rainfall, made more likely by warming, dropped more than 15 inches of rain in central Texas, claiming more than 130 lives. In addition to the devastating human toll these weather events take, they expose critical vulnerabilities in our energy infrastructure. Power grids are seeing tremendous demand from air conditioning, not to mention other factors including data centers. And of course, extreme weather events cause shocks that go well beyond power outages; they damage transmission lines and cascade across other critical infrastructure like water systems and healthcare facilities. The question isn't whether climate change is reshaping energy security—it's how quickly we can adapt. As traditional definitions of national security expand to include climate threats, what will it take to build truly resilient energy systems. This week, Bill Loveless speaks with Kate Guy about how extreme summer weather events are redefining energy security. Kate is a senior fellow and managing director of the geopolitics of climate change and the energy transition at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia SIPA. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O’Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

Artificial intelligence is transforming our world — and the energy sector. Earlier this year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a comprehensive report examining both AI’s projected energy demands and how it  might reshape energy systems. But while headlines often raise alarms around electricity demand growth, the reality is more nuanced and complex. While data centers currently account for just 1.5% of global electricity use, that share is expected to double by 2030, driven largely by the growth of AI. In some regions, particularly in the US, data centers could account for nearly half of all electricity demand growth in the coming years. So how should we understand the relationship between AI and energy? What does this mean for power systems around the world? Is artificial intelligence a friend or foe to the clean energy transition? This week, Jason Bordoff speaks with Laura Cozzi, about the IEA's findings on AI's energy demands. Laura is the chief energy modeler at the International Energy Agency, and its director of sustainability, technology, and outlooks. She oversees the IEA's analytical work on energy, climate, and economic modeling, and led the team that produced the agency’s report on artificial intelligence and energy. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O’Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

The global energy landscape is shifting right now. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, debates about peak oil demand, and waning support for climate action in some parts of the world are challenging long-held assumptions about the pace and scale of the energy transition. Confronting these complex challenges requires an understanding of the forces that drive energy markets and prices.  So where is global energy consumption headed? Are reports of oil's demise exaggerated? And as countries prioritize energy security and economic growth, what does "pragmatism" really mean for the energy transition? This week, Jason Bordoff speaks with Arjun Murti about the state of global energy markets and of the energy transition. Arjun is a partner with Veriten, an energy research and investment firm. He also publishes the Super-Spiked [https://arjunmurti.substack.com/] newsletter. Previously, Arjun served as co-director of Americas equity research for Goldman Sachs. Prior to that, he was a buy-side equity research analyst at J.P. Morgan Investment Management. He also serves on the Center on Global Energy Policy advisory board. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O’Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.

Just two days after President Trump deployed America’s military to attack Iranian nuclear development sites, a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Iran brokered by President Trump emerged. So far, this deal appears to be holding, but there’s no formal ceasefire agreement in place—at least not yet. It is clear that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure has suffered significant damage, but it’s not clear just how extensive that damage really is. That uncertainty leaves a lot of unanswered questions about where things go from here. Will there be a formal ceasefire in the coming days? How did energy markets react to the rapid de-escalation? And is this conflict really over? To help unpack the latest, leading experts at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University SIPA joined Jason Bordoff for a special rapid response episode to discuss what we know so far about the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, how oil markets reacted, and the status of American sanctions on Iran. Richard Nephew is a senior research scholar at CGEP. He formerly served as the US deputy special envoy for Iran under the Biden administration where he played a key role in negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal. Karen Young is a senior research scholar at CGEP and a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, where she focuses on the political economy of the Gulf states and energy policy. Daniel Sternoff is a non-resident fellow at CGEP. He is also the head of Energy Aspects’ Executive Briefing Service.  Richard, Karen and Daniel joined Jason on the afternoon of June 25 to discuss the current state of Iran’s nuclear program, the broader geopolitical and economic implications of this unfolding crisis, and where it all goes from here.  Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O’Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Gregory Vilfranc.

California has long led the nation in pioneering clean air regulations, from grappling with smog to setting ambitious zero-emission vehicle mandates. The Golden State's unique authority under the Clean Air Act has allowed it to set emissions standards that exceed federal requirements. Around a dozen other states have followed California’s lead. But that leadership now faces an unprecedented challenge. Last month, Congress voted to revoke three Clean Air Act waivers that the Biden administration had granted California. It was the first time in over sixty years that federal lawmakers blocked any of California's dozens of car and truck rules, and the state quickly responded with a lawsuit. So what happens next? Can California slash emissions from the transportation sector without this federal support? If not, how can it reach its overall climate goals? And what does this political battle mean for the future of clean transportation—and states’ abilities to regulate emissions—nationwide? This week, Bill Loveless speaks with Mary Nichols about California’s role in clean air policy, the impact of losing its vehicle emission waivers, how the auto industry is reacting, and what all of this means for the future of climate action in America. Mary is a distinguished environmental lawyer and policy expert with over five decades of experience in clean air regulation. She held a number of senior posts in federal and state government, including a long tenure as chair of the California Air Resources Board. She is also a former distinguished visiting fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia SIPA. Credits: Hosted by Jason Bordoff and Bill Loveless. Produced by Mary Catherine O’Connor, Caroline Pitman, and Kyu Lee. Engineering by Sean Marquand. Stephen Lacey is executive producer.