Author: Arnes Biogradlija

Demand for critical minerals is set to rise by over 400% by 2050, driven primarily by renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles, and digital infrastructure. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE With this staggering increase comes the imperative to scrutinize supply chain vulnerabilities—an issue already underscored by geopolitical dependencies and environmental considerations. For instance, 60% of global cobalt supply comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, often fraught with political instability, raising alarms about economic and ethical resilience. Complexity in Supply Chains: A Balancing Act Critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements—power the technologies transforming energy and mobility. Yet their…

Hydrogen might be the energy transition’s most promising yet polarizing player. With global investments soaring into the hundreds of billions, it remains a battleground of competing technologies, entrenched political interests, and engineering roadblocks. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE Josh Carmichael—a leader who has helped shape energy projects from Australia’s mega-battery to global hydrogen ventures—believes that the industry’s fragmented strategies risk stalling its potential. While the hydrogen debate often focuses on colors or feasibility, Carmichael reframes it: What will it take for hydrogen and batteries to collaborate rather than compete? Core Tension and Challenges in Adoption The hydrogen industry suffers from…

The global push toward renewable energy is built on a foundational assumption: that we can seamlessly replace fossil fuels with greener alternatives. However, mining engineer and resource economist Simon Michaux says this premise may not hold water. The reason? We don’t have enough material resources to make it work. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW Consider this: transitioning to a fully renewable energy system would require staggering amounts of critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and copper. Current estimates show that global reserves of these materials fall far short of what’s required, and recycling offers only limited relief. Material Shortages and Scaling Challenges…

The promise of a hydrogen-powered future has long been touted as a transformative solution to the energy and environmental crises. Companies like Toyota have been at the forefront of this narrative, leveraging their market dominance and technological prowess to drive the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs). However, beneath the surface lies a tangled web of consumer grievances, legal disputes, and systemic technological flaws that cast doubt on the viability of hydrogen as a sustainable alternative. The Mirage of Hydrogen Infrastructure California, often lauded as a progressive leader in renewable energy, has served as the primary testing ground for…

The hydrogen market has already reached a staggering $100 billion annually, yet it still faces a significant roadblock: the absence of a plug-and-play market. Unlike solar and wind, which flourished due to clear infrastructure and standardized pricing, hydrogen remains fragmented. This gap raises a critical question: can hydrogen achieve its potential as the cornerstone of the energy transition? WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW Erik Rakhou, hydrogen strategist and author of a globally acclaimed book on the energy transition, outlines the challenge. Solar and wind succeeded because their integration into power grids was seamless—they had the infrastructure, pricing, and demand mechanisms from…

In 2023, the global electrolyzer market hit $5.8 billion; projections show it will reach $8.5 billion by 2027. Yet, 78% of planned projects focus on gigawatt-scale installations. This fixation on size might be the industry’s biggest strategic error since the 1970s hydrogen economy hype. A deeper analysis reveals a startling reality: while mega-projects grab headlines, modular systems under 10MW demonstrate 37% better capital efficiency and reduce project timelines by 64% on average. The Economic Blindspot Consider this: A typical 100MW centralized electrolyzer installation requires $145 million in upfront capital and 30 months for completion. Meanwhile, the modular approach to manufacturing—splitting…

In an era where green energy dominates headlines and shapes policy, Lars Schernikau brings a perspective that challenges our fundamental assumptions about energy transition. As an energy economist and commodity trader who’s witnessed energy markets evolve across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas, his insights force us to confront uncomfortable questions about our path to a sustainable future. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW The Physics We Can’t Ignore “There’s a physical limit,” Schernikau emphasizes early in our conversation, addressing the common belief that renewable technology will follow the same exponential improvements we’ve seen in computing. “Energy does not follow Moore’s Law.…

In an era where every company’s logo has gone green, and sustainability reports are thicker than phone books, one uncomfortable truth remains: most corporate environmental claims are about as solid as a sandcastle at high tide. While businesses rush to paint themselves in various shades of green, few are willing to face the cold, hard math of their environmental impact. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW The Corporate Sustainability Game Here’s an inconvenient truth: up to 90% of corporate emissions hide in what’s called “scope 3” – the environmental equivalent of sweeping dirt under the rug. While companies trumpet their LED lighting…

As the aviation industry scrambles to find sustainable solutions, hydrogen-powered aircraft have emerged as the darling of eco-friendly aviation promises. But beneath the shiny veneer of “zero-emission” marketing lies an uncomfortable truth: hydrogen aviation is shaping up to be one of the industry’s most expensive pipe dreams. WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW The Physics Don’t Lie Let’s start with an inconvenient truth: hydrogen hasn’t changed its properties since the beginning of the universe. And those properties are exactly what makes it such a problematic aviation fuel. While hydrogen boasts impressive energy content by weight, its volume efficiency is abysmal. To power…

In a presentation at the 2024 EAGE Global Energy Transition Conference, geologist Arnout JW Everts from AEGeo unveiled a comprehensive framework for understanding natural hydrogen occurrences that could revolutionize our approach to clean energy development. A New Classification System Everts’ research introduces three distinct “play types” for natural hydrogen, offering crucial insights for both exploration and commercial development: Commercial Viability and Future Potential What makes this research particularly valuable is its practical focus on commercial development potential. Everts meticulously analyzes each play type’s capacity to meet industrial hydrogen demands, concluding that Reservoir-Trap-Seal configurations show the most promise for large-scale commercial…