The Rethink Energy Podcast complements the Rethink Energy weekly strategy bulletin, as we dive deeper into the dynamic factors of the energy market. We discuss the week’s key issues, while providing insight into our own research and forecasts to give clearer direction of where momentum is building through the energy transition.
Guests welcome for future episodes. Write to [email protected] for details.
Grid operator ElectraNet has announced that South Australia’s grid will reach 100% net renewable energy at some point in 2026 or 2027, Poland’s Nanopure Technology will begin selling LFP cathode additives by the end of the year, and state-owned enterprise China Energy Engineering Corporation is to develop a $7 billion green hydrogen complex in Egypt, intended to supply Europe.
In this week’s episode the team discusses the European solar module stockpile, which may not be as large as previously reported, the massive impact which China’s graphite export ban will have on the EV industry, and how the upcoming US Farm Bill will support the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
An Australian report has advocated $6.5 billion savings if the government were to adopted concentrated solar power, Rethink Energy latest figures find strong performance across global EV markets despite policy headwinds, and the European Union adopts an ambitious green hydrogen target.
China’s solar manufacturing giants have begun criticizing each other’s choice of next-gen silicon cell design, Rethink Energy has released a new report detailing an immense diversity of battery and anode routes through 2040, and Europe’s solar module stockpile trends towards 100 GW.
LG Chem has entered LMFP manufacturing with a 50,000-ton cathode factory in Morocco. The UK threatens to be the weak link in a mooted UK-German hydrogen partnership. A new study has found 36 HVDC transmission lines which would begin construction across the U, serving 187 GW of renewables, if the policy environment was more favorable.
The solar industry’s growth and its adoption of heterojunction technology will contribute to the global silver shortage in the short term. Oil majors’ adoption of green hydrogen at refineries will ironically place them among the biggest patrons of green hydrogen, allowing for a sustained learning curve reducing product cost. And the UK has delayed its ICE vehicle sales ban from 2030 to 2035, angering activists and car makers alike.
Saudi Arabia and the United States are exploring a partnership which would see Saudi money invested in African mining assets, guaranteeing US customers a cut of production. Power Roll explains its microgroove perovskite technology which sees it produce adherable sheets which see kilowatts of panels transportable under the arms of installers. Vale has announced that it will be investing $25-$30 billion in assets focused around Indonesia, Brazil, and Canada as it looks to expand its nickel and copper output.
Companies such as Cummins, Tata, and Fortescue have all thrown their hats in the ring pursuing hydrogen internal combustion engine technology for heavy-duty freight purposes, but is it the right path to pursue for the climate? Saudi Arabia looks like it might be hosting a major polysilicon factory from China’s GCL Technology, potentially enough to fuel Europe’s solar needs for years to come. CATL has announced that its Shenxing battery will be produced at both its German and Hungarian plants once it has entered mass production, further strengthening the position of LFP in Europe.
Rethink Energy releases its newest report detailing the commercialization of perovskite solar technology and its future in surpassing silicon-based solar modules. Lithium batteries to see significant improvement this decade as silicon anodes and solid-state battery manufacturing mature and begin contributing significantly to volume manufacturing to the EV industry. Japan looks to source $100 billion in public and private investment towards the country’s hydrogen industry.
Continued weak economic data from China and the refusal to provide the truly damning information has spooked industrial and base metal markets into receding as China’s government continues to forego significant support. Aviation startup Boom Supersonic has claimed that its planes will be fully SAF compatible, reassuring airliners that supersonic flight will remain economically unviable. Perovskite module manufacturer TandemPV continues to bide its time before coming to market as it seeks further efficiencies it claims are a tooling and engineering challenge rather than in the uncertain lands of materials science.