Switched On

Danya Liu, a BloombergNEF specialist in climate resilience and adaptation, explains how rising insurance costs and climate exposure are squeezing property values and city tax bases. She discusses county-level maps linking climate to fiscal risk, evidence that buyers favor low-risk markets, and how weakened property wealth can ripple into local banks and muni finances.

Angela Taylor, LiquidStack strategy lead on liquid cooling; Steven Carlini, Schneider Electric data center and AI energy advocate; Haroon Inam, DG Matrix CEO building multi‑port solid‑state transformers. They discuss rising liquid cooling for dense AI racks, tradeoffs of immersion versus direct‑to‑chip approaches, new power architectures like 800V DC and solid‑state transformers, and the supply‑chain scramble to scale cooling and electrical gear.

Cosmo van Steenis, a BNEF storage analyst modeling solar-plus-storage economics, and Lara Hayem, BNEF head of solar research, discuss the slowing of global solar growth and why 2026 may see the first dip. They explore rapid rise of co-located solar+storage, falling battery costs, shared-connection savings, curtailment hedging, operational coupling challenges, and how far storage can extend solar’s expansion.

Peter Wall, Head of grids research at BloombergNEF, discusses the surge in global grid spending, which hit $480 billion, a 17% increase. He highlights that much of this funding is dedicated to replacing aging assets rather than expanding capacity. Wall examines the pressure on grids due to aging infrastructure, supply-chain issues, and the rising prominence of renewables that necessitate new grid locations. He also sheds light on the regulatory landscape shaping investment choices and how utilities are financing large-scale grid programs.

Atin Jain, a specialist from BNEF's wind team, dives into the transformative impact of AI-driven data center demands on power generation. He explains how data centers are pushing utilities like NextEra to expand gas capacity for quicker interconnection compared to renewables. Jain discusses NextEra's strategy of building dedicated generation near data hubs and their partnerships with tech giants like Google and Meta. He also examines the delicate balance between gas and renewables in the quest for a reliable, clean energy future.

David Doherty, Head of Natural Resources Research at BloombergNEF, and Enrique Gonzalez, Head of US Gas at BloombergNEF, dive into the shifting landscape of commodity markets. They discuss looming oil surpluses, emerging petrochemical dynamics, and concerns around Venezuela's heavy oil production. Enrique highlights the rapid expansion in U.S. LNG capacity and the potential for prolonged low prices due to oversupply. Meanwhile, David warns of a critical copper shortage driven by the electric vehicle boom, emphasizing the complex interplay of market forces.

In this captivating discussion, David Doherty, head of natural resources research at BloombergNEF, unpacks the complexities of Venezuela's oil market. He examines the challenges of higher production costs and political risks that could hinder the country's oil output. While there’s potential for increased global supply, he highlights the heavy crude demand from refineries. Additionally, David speculates on how shifting trade flows might impact pipelines and the US oil market, revealing the intricate dance between geopolitics and commodity economics.

Albert Cheung, Deputy CEO of BloombergNEF, discusses the complexities of the global energy transition. He contrasts the U.S., China, and Europe’s differing priorities, highlighting how geopolitical tensions shape energy strategies. Despite challenges, Cheung reveals record growth in renewables and declining storage costs, essential for the transition. He examines EV adoption and the expected peak in oil demand, while emphasizing the importance of policy in hard-to-abate sectors. Cheung paints a picture of a fragmented landscape where innovative technologies could drive progress.

Fauziah Marzuki, Global Head of Gas at BloombergNEF, and Nikolas Soulopoulos, Head of Commercial Transport Research at the same firm, dive into the challenges of decarbonizing maritime shipping. They explore the rising role of bio-LNG as a cleaner alternative and recent EU regulations pushing for greener practices. The duo discusses the complexities of navigating competing incentives among stakeholders and innovative technologies like advanced hull coatings and smart routing. Ultimately, they highlight the ongoing quest for consensus in shifting the industry toward a sustainable future.

Madeleine Brolly, an EV charging analyst at BloombergNEF, and Shananthan Kalaichelvan, who specializes in EV policy impacts, dive into the UK's mixed signals for electric vehicle economics. With purchase subsidies tripling, they discuss the upcoming pay-per-mile scheme aimed at recouping fuel tax losses. Key topics include the challenges for users without home charging, the impact of fluctuating public charging costs, and how these changes could affect high-mileage drivers. Together, they illuminate the balance between incentives for purchase and taxing usage in the evolving EV landscape.