logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
33m 28s

173. The politization of Critical Materi...

Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
250. Inside the US Datacenter exuberant buildout - Oct26
The current datacenter buildout is the biggest GDP bet in America since the railroads 150 years ago. We have never seen a frenzy quite like this. The system is running on overdrive—and the cracks are starting to show. While Anthropic and OpenAI announce dizzying financing numbers ... Show More
27m 39s
Oct 5
249. World’s largest VPP - Oct26
The global market for Virtual Power Plants is assessed around 100GW (+/- 20GW). It is a 7bnUSD expected to grow at a CAGR above 20% in the next 5 years to reach 40bnUSD within a decade. VPP are a digitally coordinated flexible network of distributed resources: cheaper than centra ... Show More
29m 51s
Sep 28
248. Remembering Joe Romm (1960-2026): Clearing the Air on Climate Solutions - Sep26
Joseph J. Romm (1960–2026) was an MIT-trained physicist who became one of the most prominent voices in the U.S. climate movement after serving as Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy in the 1990s. He founded the Cl ... Show More
56m 7s
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
China: The mineral superpower
The country dominates the global processing of critical minerals - materials essential to clean energy, defence, and modern manufacturing. In the second part of our series on the global race to secure these resources, we explore how China built its control over the supply chain, ... Show More
17m 29s
May 2025
Critical minerals: The global race is on
They’re essential to the green transition, modern tech, and defence systems—and global demand is soaring. In the first part of our series on critical minerals, we ask what they are, where they're found and why they matter?As countries scramble to secure supplies, we explore the r ... Show More
17m 29s
May 2025
Can Europe build a mineral supply chain?
China’s headstart in market dominance is significant, and its grip on critical mineral supply chains remains tight. The question now is whether other governments can move fast enough — and smart enough — to build something more secure, more sustainable, and less dependent. We hea ... Show More
17m 28s
Jun 2024
121 - Rare Earth Elements: The Futile Fight Against China
As the world pivots towards a green energy future, the dominance of rare earth elements has never been more crucial. Yet, while the West has been preoccupied with other geopolitical challenges, China has quietly taken control of this vital industry. This episode delves into the s ... Show More
1h 9m
Apr 2024
US Energy: The Minerals and Materials at Risk
<p>With global temperatures rising and an increasing urgency to speed progress on the energy transition, our Head of Sustainability Equity Research examines the key materials needed—and the risks of disruption from US-China trade tensions.</p><p><br></p><p>----- Transcript -----< ... Show More
4m 5s
Jun 2025
China's dominance in critical minerals
Decades ago, China foresaw what the U.S. didn't - a future dependent on critical minerals. Now, the U.S. is playing catch up as China’s export controls threaten global supply chains. Join Laurie Chen, Ernest Scheyder and Jarrett Renshaw to hear the latest on critical minerals, pa ... Show More
18m 48s
Apr 2025
ICYMI: The Business of Rare Earth Materials in the US
ICYMI: Joshua Ballard, CEO of USA Rare Earth, discusses the challenges faces American companies interested in producing and refining the crucial raw materials that are used in the likes of missiles, electric vehicles, MRI machines and other advanced technologies - while China sta ... Show More
11m 37s
Apr 2025
The geopolitics of rare earth elements
China’s new export controls on rare earth elements (REEs) are a problem for EVs, renewables, and other industries that rely on the minerals, especially the permanent magnets they’re used in. The vast majority of the global supply chain is in China. Plus, Chinese companies control ... Show More
32m 24s
May 2025
Critical minerals: What does the future hold?
In the final episode of our series, we've gather together a panel of experts who all have an interest in critical mineral mining.Demand for minerals like cobalt, lithium and copper is growing rapidly, as countries turn to green energy solutions. These minerals are used in EV batt ... Show More
17m 31s
Feb 2025
The Critical Technology in Finding Critical Materials
<p>Critical materials like copper, lithium, and gallium have been mined for decades, but their role in core technologies, geopolitics, and the energy transition have come to a height in recent years.</p><p>In this episode, a16z partner Connie Chan discusses how technology is chan ... Show More
42m 38s