Switched On

• Direct Air Capture’s Cost Curve Conundrum

  Right now, there are technologies that can pull carbon dioxide directly out of the air. That could be a critical tool in a world where climate change is rampant. Yet to fulfill this carbon removal potential, the sky-high costs of direct air capture need to fall. Today, capturing a metric ton of carbon dioxide with DAC costs around $900 on average, presenting a huge challenge to scaling the technology when there are more affordable alternatives available. So what is the cost outlook for direct air capture, and which technology type offers the most financially viable means of growth? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Brenna Casey, an associate on BNEF’s sustainable materials team, to discuss findings from her report “Out of Thin Air: The Cost of Scaling Direct Air Capture”. Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Out of Thin Air: The Cost of Scaling Direct Air Capture - https://www.bnef.com/insights/37093See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Reshaping Trade Flows in a Fragmented World

  The Trump administration’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs are reshaping global trade flows. With the US currently renegotiating its trade positions with traditional partners and rivals alike, the tariffs’ true impact is yet to be fully understood. Even the handful of new deals that have been struck offer little guidance, as they break from the legally binding forms that international trade deals traditionally take and their contents remain largely undisclosed. Assessing the geopolitical landscape has thus become critical for making business decisions. On today’s show, Dana Perkins is joined by Jennifer Welch, chief analyst of Bloomberg’s geoeconomics team, and Antoine Vagneur-Jones, BloombergNEF’s head of trade and supply chains, to delve into the decisions currently shaping global trade. Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: US Energy Trade and Tariff Indicators: June 23-July 28 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/37117 Trump Tariffs Are Thrashing the US Energy Storage Market - https://www.bnef.com/insights/36483 Solar and Battery Makers Stung by Latest Trump Tariffs - https://www.bnef.com/analyst-reactions/t0h9c7gpqq6j00 To find out more about Bloomberg's geoeconomics research, email us at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• BNEF Pioneers: Making Light Industry More Sustainable

  Cutting industrial emissions has long been one of the most intractable hurdles in the energy transition. That may finally be changing, as a new generation of smart technologies not only paves the way for abating industrial emissions but promises to do so at scale. Four companies emerged victorious in this year’s BloombergNEF Pioneers challenge dedicated to decarbonizing heavy and light industry: AtmosZero, Circ, Rondo and Everdye. On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by guest host Benjamin Kafri, co-chair of BNEF Pioneers, to interview the leaders of these companies. Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Climate-Tech Companies to Watch in 2025: BNEF Pioneers - https://www.bnef.com/insights/36311See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Fueling Change: Cutting Aviation’s Carbon Footprint

  With air travel on the rise, the need for cleaner aviation is growing. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) presents the simplest means of decarbonization, but it’s expensive. Aircraft that burn less fuel, engines powered by hydrogen, and even electric air taxis are all potential means of decarbonizing air travel, but none are the silver bullet. So what will it take to green the aviation sector, and what will it cost consumers? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by Nikolas Soulopoulos and Takehiro Kawahara, BloombergNEF’s head of commercial transport and aviation specialist respectively, to discuss findings from the report “Aviation Decarbonization Outlook 1H 2025”. Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Aviation Decarbonization Outlook 1H 2025 - https://www.bnef.com/insights/36893See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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• Harvest Halted: Why Agriculture Funding Is Withering

  Agriculture is responsible for around a third of global emissions. Yet investment in low-carbon means of growing food has stalled. Venture capital and private equity funding has declined by a massive 76% since 2021, ag-tech firms have declared bankruptcy, and large companies are backtracking on their green ambitions. So are there any “good news” stories about the food of the future? And in the current geopolitical climate, can the agriculture sector green itself while maintaining growth? On today’s show, Tom Rowlands-Rees is joined by co-host Kobad Bhavnagri to talk with Alexander Liddington, a BloombergNEF food and agriculture analyst, about findings from the inaugural “Food and Agriculture Transition Indicators” research note. Complementary BNEF research on the trends driving the transition to a lower-carbon economy can be found at BNEF<GO> on the Bloomberg Terminal or on bnef.com Links to research notes from this episode: Food and Agriculture Transition Indicators - https://www.bnef.com/insights/36969See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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