Power Hungry: Can Our Grids Evolve Fast Enough for AI's Appetite? | with Amy Myers Jaffe

Energy expert Amy Myers Jaffe returns to EvC to chat with Ed about Energy and Artificial Intelligence.

Nearly every aspect of the economy seems to be impacted by the stunningly rapid development of AI. Energy is no exception. Ed and Amy have a wide-ranging discussion that covers a lot of ground and touches on several hot topics, including:

• How AI is transforming the production, distribution, and consumption of energy;
• The energy needs of data centers;
• Whether or not AI is an asset or liability for the clean energy economy;
• The role of tech companies;
• The geopolitics of AI;
• Security vulnerabilities created by increasingly AI-dependent energy infrastructure;
• And Canada-US relations.

Show Notes:

(00:10) Amy Myers Jaffe

(00:20) Energy’s Digital Future: Book by Amy Myers Jaffe

(02:50) “Saying 'please' and 'thank you' to ChatGPT costs millions of dollars, CEO says”: Article by USA TODAY

(04:50) “Some people are turning to AI for therapy. Here's why experts say it can't replace professional help”: Article by CBC News

(05:54) "Saying ‘Thank You’ to ChatGPT Is Costly. But Maybe It’s Worth the Price”: Article by New York Times

(05:55) "Alberta's eye on AI": Article by The Globe and Mail

(07:30) "Clean Energy Resources to Meet Data Center Electricity Demand": Article by the United States Department of Energy

(08:25) Strategic Industries Surging: Driving US Power Demand

(10:30) “Decoding Trump’s Tech And AI Agenda: Innovation And Policy Impacts”: Article by Forbes

(11:00) Solar, battery storage to lead new U.S. generating capacity additions in 2025

(11:55) Why it’s so hard to build new electrical transmission lines in the U.S.

(14:00) How virtual power plants are shaping tomorrow’s energy system

(19:30) Texas narrows gas plant projects vying for $5.4 billion in funding

(19:50) How New Battery Capacity Helped California Avoid Another Blackout

(20:30) “Microsoft deal propels Three Mile Island restart, with key permits still needed”: Article by the Reuters

(23:17) Wonder Valley: The Largest AI Compute Data Center Park on Earth

(26:25) “FACT FOCUS: Trump misrepresents facts about coal as he signs executive orders to boost its use”: Article by AP News

(26:35) How coal failed in the Texas deep freeze

(28:55) Hyperscalers: The Complete Guide to What, Why and How

(33:00) “China automaker turns heads with EV it says charges in 5 minutes”: Article by Financial Post

(34:06) “The U.S.-Canada energy relationship is underappreciated – and may now be under threat”: Article by the Business Council of Canada

(36:15) The impact of the war in Ukraine on euro area energy markets

(36:41) The Baltic countries switch off electricity reliance on Russia as they connect to the European grid

(38:13) “Gas shortage exposes fragile South Asian economies to more pain”: Article by Reuters

(38:41) “Carney aims to have 'free trade by Canada Day' between provinces and territories”: Article by CBC News

(42:00) 1 in 4 workers using ChatGPT at work

(43:30) “The Power Goes Out and Never Comes Back: North America without Electricity”: Article by the Mackenzie Institute

About Our Guest:

Amy Myers Jaffe is a leading expert on global energy policy, sustainability, and geopolitical risk. She is widely published on energy, commodity markets and finance and is author of several books, including her most recent book, Energy’s Digital Future and Oil, Dollars, Debt and Crises: The Global Curse of Black Gold. Jaffe serves as Director of the Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab at New York University’s School of Professional Studies and is a research professor who teaches graduate-level courses examining clean technology innovation and business and global climate finance. Jaffe is a regular contributor to the popular podcast “The Energy Gang” and a frequent media commentator in television and print media, including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times of London and CNN International. Jaffe holds a career prize in energy economics from the US Association for Energy Economics and also served as the organization’s President in 2020.

About Your EvC Co-Hosts:

David Keith is Professor and Founding Faculty Director, Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago. He is the founder of Carbon Engineering and was formerly a professor at Harvard University and the University of Calgary. He splits his time between Canmore and Chicago.

Sara Hastings-Simon studies energy transitions at the intersection of policy, business, and technology. She’s a policy wonk, a physicist turned management consultant, and a professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development.

Ed Whittingham is a clean energy policy/finance professional specializing in renewable electricity generation and transmission, carbon capture, carbon removal and low carbon transportation. He is a Public Policy Forum fellow and formerly the executive director of the Pembina Institute, a national clean energy think tank.

Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts

Energy vs Climate: How climate is changing our energy systems
www.energyvsclimate.com

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