Innovation Frontlines

The importance of clean energy innovation

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Description

To attain a net zero emissions future and keep climate change in check, about half of the energy-related emissions the world must avoid do not yet have commercially available solutions that can be bought off-the-shelf today. This context-setting episode, recorded in early February 2022, includes discussions with experts – including Araceli Fernandez Pales, Head of the IEA’s Technology Innovation Unit, and Smita Rakesh, Vice President and Partner at Social Alpha. It delves into how we are counting on certain clean energy technology innovations to decarbonize our economies, introduces us to India’s innovation landscape and map the challenges associated with energy transitions in emerging market economies. Episode 1 is a precursor to the season’s upcoming discussions with founders of innovative clean energy start-ups.

Further reading: 

  1. Clean Energy Innovation, Energy Technology Perspectives, IEA 2020: https://www.iea.org/reports/clean-energy-innovation
  2. Net Zero by 2050, IEA 2021: https://www.iea.org/reports/net-zero-by-2050
  3. India Energy Outlook, IEA 2021: https://www.iea.org/reports/india-energy-outlook-2021
  4. Clean Energy International Incubation Centre, Social Alpha: https://ceiic.socialalpha.org/
  5. Financing clean energy transitions in emerging and developing economies, IEA 2021: https://www.iea.org/reports/financing-clean-energy-transitions-in-emerging-and-developing-economies
  6. ETP Clean Energy Technology Guide, IEA 2021: https://www.iea.org/articles/etp-clean-energy-technology-guide
  7. How Governments Support Clean Energy Start-ups, IEA 2022: https://www.iea.org/reports/how-governments-support-clean-energy-start-ups
  8. Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change, Innovation, technology development and transfer, IPCC 2022: https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6wg3/pdf/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_FinalDraft_Chapter16.pdf

 

This episode is hosted by Siddharth Singh, Simon Bennett and Lucila Arboleya Sarazola. It was produced by Rakesh Kamal (Suno India). Additional production help was provided by Rob Stone and Allison Leacu.