logo
episode-header-image
May 2023
53m 54s

AI in Energy; Evolution or Revolution?

Wood Mackenzie
About this episode

The excitement around ChatGPT and other large language models has put AI firmly in the spotlight in recent months. Public perception is that we’re entering a new age of AI; it is a brand-new technology that promises to change our lives. In the world of energy, though, AI is not a new concept. GE was developing its AI capabilities more than a decade ago. BP invested in an AI company in 2017 to support oil exploration and production. And so far, although you can see the impact of AI in many parts of the world of energy, it has not exactly transformed the fundamentals of the industry. So when people get excited about AI in energy today, and expecting revolutionary change, are they just buying into some well-orchestrated hype?

Amy Myers-Jaffe is Director of the Energy, Climate Justice and Sustainability Lab at New York University. She joins Ed and explains the real-world benefits of automation and AI for electricity networks. Automating home energy use and business operations in conjunction with power supplies could have huge implications for energy. The gang is also joined this week by Michael Webber. Michael is the Josey Centennial Professor in Energy Resources, in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas. He’s also CTO of Energy Impact Partners, a cleantech venture fund.

Together, the team examine whether AI will transform energy and our lives in the same way the internet did. And they assess the question: is AI the tool that will ultimately open the door to a net zero energy system?

 

Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss an episode and follow us on Twitter, we’re @theenergygang  


Wood Mackenzie’s Solar & Energy Storage Summit is back, taking place at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco on June 21 and 22. Join expert solar and storage analysts for discussions with leading grid-scale utilities, solar and energy storage developers and federal policy makers.   

 

How is the IRA catapulting the development of solar and

storage in North America? How can we continue to build a productive environment

for solar and energy storage as we move forward with the energy transition?

What is required to nurture the development of a thriving localized storage

component supply chain?   

 

Expect two days of panel discussions, presentations and

workshops, as we explore the opportunities for solar and storage in the coming

decades.    

 

If you are interested in sponsoring or attending find out

more on woodmac.com/events/solar-energy-storage-summit 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Up next
Aug 19
Petrostates, electrostates, and the energy transition. Gerard Reid of the Redefining Energy podcast visits the Energy Gang
Is the global transition to low-carbon energy accelerating or slowing down? One answer is that it depends where you look. In the US, energy policy has shifted away from support for low-carbon technologies, but China is continuing with record installations of solar, wind, and batt ... Show More
1h 3m
Aug 5
Planning the grid to meet future energy demand | A discussion on the future of the grid, AI, energy innovation, and delivering the electricity supply we will need in the coming decades
The grid “is designed for the core components - supplying electricity - but we are definitely pushing it to its limits,” says Melissa Lott, Partner for energy technologies at Microsoft*. The electricity grid has been described as one of the greatest achievements of human civilisa ... Show More
1h 11m
Jul 22
What will energy look like 5 years after the 'Big Beautiful Bill?' The Energy Gang report from 2030.
In this episode, we take a trip in a time machine, five years into the future. 2030 has been set as a deadline for many climate goals, and is a milestone for checking progress towards a low-carbon energy system. Ed Crooks, Amy Myers Jaffe and Melissa Lott imagine themselves five ... Show More
1h 14m
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
The Four Horsemen of the Energy Transition: Where’s The Money Going?
Solar, wind, hydrogen and nuclear – we need more investment in these renewables, but where can the money come from? In 2022, worldwide investment in renewables hit almost half a trillion dollars. Investment in solar – the largest sector - jumped 36% to 308 billion. Investment in ... Show More
55m 28s
Apr 2022
Redefining Energy Storage
When the sun stays out for a few extra hours in summer, where do we store the excess energy? This is one of the biggest challenges facing the renewable energy industry. When looking at countries like Norway, which is currently powered by 50% renewable energy, mostly coming from H ... Show More
1h 1m
Jul 2024
Apple's AI Alliance, Tesla's Resilience, and the Quest for Fusion Energy
In this episode of Discover Daily, we explore four fascinating developments in technology and innovation. We begin with Apple's groundbreaking partnership with OpenAI, which will see the integration of ChatGPT into Apple's operating systems. As part of this collaboratio ... Show More
8m 20s
Aug 2023
2474: Debunking AI Myths and Harnessing AI's Potential
A recent article by Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson painted a somewhat grim picture of AI and its implications, stirring significant controversy within the tech community. Today's episode dives deep into the ongoing debate about AI technology's potential risks and rewards. I wel ... Show More
49m 6s
Aug 2021
How can smart tech tackle climate change?
Humans are responsible for emitting over 40 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year – and we all know that we need to reduce that figure to prevent devastating climate change. Listener Saugat wonders whether smart technology and artificial intelligence can ... Show More
37m 49s
Jun 2023
2418: British Gas Zero: The Technology Building a Sustainable Energy Future
Andrew Middleton from British Gas Zero joins me on this episode of Tech Talks Daily.  Andrew plays a pivotal role in a venture dedicated to installing, managing, and supporting EV chargers, heat pumps, and smart home technologies. These innovations are helping pave the way to a d ... Show More
24m 33s
Sep 2019
64 | Ramez Naam on Renewable Energy and an Optimistic Future
The Earth is heating up, and it’s our fault. But human beings are not always complete idiots (occasional contrary evidence notwithstanding), and sometimes we can even be downright clever. Dare we imagine that we can bring our self-inflicted climate catastrophe under control, thro ... Show More
1h 16m
Nov 2022
Climate tech to save the planet: Techno-optimism or greenwashing?
Billions of dollars are being spent by tech companies and investors on new technology to fight climate change. In the final episode of this series of Tech Tonic, Eric Toone, from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, tells FT columnist and host Pilita Clark why he believ ... Show More
24m 22s
Mar 2022
Qu'est-ce que le Global Digital Power Forum ?
Il y a peu, près de 200 acteurs des technologies vertes se sont réunies à Barcelone pour le Global Digital Power Forum. Cette grand messe de la tech verte avait cette année pour thème Lighting Up a Low-Carbon Smart Future (mettre en avant un futur intelligent bas-carbone). Tout ç ... Show More
2m 4s
Mar 2024
ITIF's Daniel Castro on Energy-Efficient AI and Climate Change - Ep. 215
AI-driven change is in the air, as are concerns about the technology’s environmental impact. In this episode of NVIDIA’s AI Podcast, Daniel Castro, vice president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and director of its Center for Data Innovation, speaks with h ... Show More
33m 13s