How a Shortage of Transformers Threatens Electricity Supply
To slash emissions fast, the formula is simple: electrify everything and clean up the grid. But in practice, progress is slowed by all sorts of bottlenecks — from arcane permitting processes to sky-high electricity costs. This week on Zero, Akshat Rathi sits down with producer Oscar Boyd to spotlight a surprising culprit slowing the transition: a global shortage of transformers, and why it has industry insiders so worried. This episode kicks off Bottlenecks, a new series exploring the lesser known obstacles standing in the way of our net-zero future.
Listen now, and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube to get new episodes of Zero every Thursday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
How To Keep Your Cool When Negotiations Heat Up
Negotiating One of the reasons negotiations grind to a halt is that one party is playing 'the heavy' and the other party seems at a loss as to how to deal with the situation. In in those moments of hesitation, the heavy gets what they want and the acquiescent party gets little. It does not have to be this way. When dealing with 'a heavy,' it is important to identify the type of person you are dealing with. That is, 'knowing what he'll do to perpetuate his efforts,' writes globally-recognized negotiation expert Dr. Greg Williams. 'This identification process is paramount to the strategies you'll create to combat him. As part of the identification process, you must be attentive to what he says, the words he uses to make his pronouncements. That means you have to listen intently and not be thinking of the rebuttals you'll offer while he's speaking.' [Disclaimer: Dr. Williams is a member of 100 Coaches of which I am also a member.] When dealing with someone who likes to play 'the heavy,' it is important to identify the type of person you are dealing with. That is, 'knowing what he'll do to perpetuate his efforts,' writes globally-recognized negotiation expert Dr. Greg Williams. [Disclaimer: Dr. Williams is a member of 100 Coaches of which I am also a member.] 'This identification process is paramount to the strategies you'll create to combat him. As part of the identification process, you must be attentive to what he says, the words he uses to make his pronouncements. That means you have to listen intently and not be thinking of the rebuttals you'll offer while he's speaking.' Understand your outcome. Knowing what you want to accomplish before you begin negotiating is essential. Keep it front and center as you converse. Do your homework. Find out as much as you can about the person with whom you will be negotiating. Ask questions of people who know them or have dealt with them previously. Read up on tactics they may employ against you. Role play. Stage a give-and-take session with your team members. Consider it practice before the game. Ask others to ask you tough questions, even if it means being insulted. Stay calm. Do not rise to the bait. Take a deep breath and stay focused on the outcome. 'Be vigilant of nonverbal cues,' advises Dr. Williams. 'Nod to display agreement, maintain an open stance to convey approachability, and mirror the opposition's positive gestures. Always give attention to the body language negotiators exhibit, and align your gestures to increase rapport and trust.' Seek common ground. Look past the taunts to find common ground. Express your desire to find solutions that benefit both parties (or all parties). Be the voice of reason. 'Use interest-based negotiation techniques, such as asking open-ended questions to uncover underlying interests and exploring multiple options before settling on one,' says Dr. Williams. 'To do this more effectively, seek to expose the 'why' the other party pursues the outcome they are after. Propose solutions that address all parties' core needs, emphasizing collaboration over competition.' Remain open to discussion. Know when to end a negotiating session, but make it clear that you want to continue exploring ways to work together. There is another solution. Silence. Too often, we become so enamored of our position that we exaggerate it, sometimes to the point of overstatement. Learn the art of the pause. You do not have to keep talking. Silence can be a stealth weapon in your arsenal. Coupling calmness with resolute silence can be masterful. Negotiating with someone who is trying to provoke you is their tactic. It does not have to be yours. Learn how to keep your cool.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Canada's summer forecast 2025: Hot and dry conditions a concern for wildfires
On the first day of June, most Canadians' thoughts turn to summer plans. So, what can we expect over the next three months. Global's chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell has the summer forecast.
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
Trump's Tariff Pressure Can Stimulate U.S.–Asia Energy Cooperation
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 14: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Energy Dominance Council ... More members (L-R) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. The council will lead a summit with Asian leaders in Alaska, likely to promote American LNG to these countries. (Photo by) U.S. President Donald Trump's Energy Dominance Council plans to host a liquified natural gas summit in Alaska on June 2, where it hopes to announce that Japan and South Korea have committed to the long-pursued Alaska LNG project to ease American gas shipments to Asia. Since his return to the Oval Office, Trump has positioned hydrocarbons as the backbone of the U.S. energy portfolio and also as a lever for exerting America's geopolitical influence on the global stage. The focus on Washington's utilization of natural resources as a geopolitical tool has centered around Europe, where the U.S. helped wean its transatlantic allies off their dependence on Russian gas. Trump's push for Asian investment in the Alaska LNG project as a way to balance the region's trade with the U.S. amid the tariff disputes is a new test of U.S. energy diplomacy. Washington is seeking to leverage Asia's growing demand for energy to compel renegotiations. Once seen as a pipe dream hindered by challenges related to its scale, cost, and complexity, there is now renewed optimism regarding the $44 billion Alaska LNG project. The project, if built out, will move natural gas along an 800-mile pipeline from fields north of the Arctic circle to Southern Alaska and then be shipped on tankers to Asia, providing access to Alaska's more than 120 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and the logistical benefit of avoiding the Panama Canal, reducing bottlenecks and drastically decreasing shipment times. Alaska LNG's project creates an opportunity for the U.S. to extract LNG in the state and ship it to ... More Asian partners via an LNG facility, mocked up here. Following President Trump's suggestion that trade partners can avoid tariffs by increasing their purchases of U.S. energy, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that investments from Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan in the flagship LNG project could form the basis of a deal with those countries. If Trump's reciprocal tariffs are implemented, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan would face 24%, 25%, and 32% tariffs, respectively. Japan's biggest electricity producer and gas buyer, Jera, is considering participating as part of its effort to negotiate a trade deal with the U.S., while officials from South Korea are expected to visit Alaska to discuss the project in the coming weeks. These developments follow announcements in March that Taiwanese state energy company CPC signed a nonbinding agreement with the state-run Alaska Gasline Development Group to buy U.S. LNG and invest in the project. In addition to East Asia, U.S. tariff negotiations have brought several countries in Southeast and South Asia to the table, all of which are eager to purchase energy to reduce their trade surpluses with the U.S. There's a strong convergence of interests on all sides, especially from Asia. With electricity demand in Southeast Asia growing at an annual rate of 4% and a heavy reliance on maritime oil and gas imports through the Strait of Malacca, Indo-Pacific energy security stands to benefit greatly from increased trade with the U.S. Since the onset of negotiations, several countries have started to explore the possibility of buying American energy. Bangladesh signed an agreement with Louisiana-based Argent LNG for up to five million tons per year, Indonesia has offered to buy $10 billion of additional U.S. energy goods, and Vietnam announced provisional deals for the import of U.S. energy projects to avoid tariffs. Some countries have taken measures aside from increasing their purchases of American energy products. For example, India is weighing the option to scrap its import tax on American LNG in addition to boosting U.S. oil imports, and Thailand pledged to buy more U.S. energy commodities and reduce import tariff rates on LNG and ethanol With China's suspension of U.S. LNG imports and Italian energy giant ENI's CEO Cristian Signoretto's cautionary comments on the competitiveness of American LNG as the U.S. imposes tariffs, Washington is angling to find new customers as it streamlines regulations, works to increase efficiency, and cut costs for natural gas export projects along the Gulf Coast. The Trump Administration's attempt to corral Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea into making significant investments in the Alaska LNG project signals a continuation of its departure from the U.S.'s historical 'hubs and spokes' alliance system in Asia. In addition to bilateral contacts between the U.S. and its Asian partners, Washington is no longer limiting its collective engagement in Asia to defense and security. Asian countries recognize the increasing importance of regional energy security, and the U.S.'s energy-focused outreach is striking a chord. Trump's use of energy in his carrot-and-stick approach reveals the mutual benefit of increased energy cooperation for all parties, given the region's growing energy demand. Without the resources to be self-sufficient, Asia must rely on LNG imports to meet its energy demands, and the U.S is taking advantage of the opportunity to supply. Whether this will be sufficient to counterbalance U.S. trade deficits remains to be seen: Japan and Korea had $66 billion deficits in 2024, while Taiwan's amounted to $74 billion. The Trump Administration has its work cut out for it.
