Sara & Ed chat with Martin Olszynski about Alberta's mounting energy liability crisis.

They discuss the billions in future costs for decommissioning, remediation, and reclamation of oil and gas projects as well as the challenge in accurately quantifying government and public exposure to financial and environmental risk amid profound energy sector disruption.

The question isn't whether these liabilities will materialize—it's who pays when they do. It's a lively and wide-ranging conversation that sparked a flood of audience questions.

Show Notes available on the episode page

About Our Guest:

Martin Olszynski is an Associate Professor and the current Chair in Energy, Resources, and Sustainability at the University of Calgary Faculty of Law. Martin's primary research interests are in environmental, natural resources, and water law and policy. He has appeared as a witness in regulatory hearings, committee hearings of both the House of Commons and the Senate, and as counsel before the Supreme Court of Canada. From 2020 to 2025, he was a member of the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada's advisory council on impact assessment.

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Donate to keep EvC going

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Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts

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Energy vs Climate Podcast
www.energyvsclimate.com

Contact us at info@energyvsclimate.com

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A fun, fast-paced, skeptics tour through some of the most talked-about emerging energy technologies.

From enhanced geothermal systems to thermal batteries, balcony solar, flying cars, and yes, even space-based solar power – David, Sara, and Ed dig into what’s real, what’s hype, and what might actually move the needle on decarbonization.

(00:00) - Cold open
(02:08) - Small modular nuclear reactors
(09:14) - E-bikes
(15:46) - Balcony solar
(22:13) - Fusion
(28:33) - Thermal batteries
(34:56) - Enhanced geothermal
(42:04) - Carbon capture and storage capacity
(43:19) - Space solar
(45:07) - Flying cars

A huge thanks to all the listeners who submitted suggestions for this episode!

Show Notes & References

About Your Co-Hosts
David Keith is Professor and Founding Faculty Director, Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago. He is the founder of Carbon Engineering and was formerly a professor at Harvard University and the University of Calgary. He splits his time between Canmore and Chicago.

Sara Hastings-Simon studies energy transitions at the intersection of policy, business, and technology. She’s a policy wonk, a physicist turned management consultant, and a professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development.

Ed Whittingham is a clean energy policy/finance professional specializing in renewable electricity generation and transmission, carbon capture, carbon removal and low carbon transportation. He is a Public Policy Forum fellow and formerly the executive director of the Pembina Institute, a national clean energy think tank.

Send us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)

Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts

___
Energy vs Climate Podcast
www.energyvsclimate.com

Contact us at info@energyvsclimate.com

Bluesky | YouTube | LinkedIn | X/Twitter

Sara's back for the launch of Season 7 of Energy vs Climate!

For our first episode, David, Sara, and Ed discuss whether solar will be the big energy winner. Has solar energy already won? What’s driving its rapid ascent? And what does it mean for energy production and policy here in Canada?

Show notes & references available on episode page.

About Your EvC Co-Hosts:

David Keith is Professor and Founding Faculty Director, Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago. He is the founder of Carbon Engineering and was formerly a professor at Harvard University and the University of Calgary. He splits his time between Canmore and Chicago.

Sara Hastings-Simon studies energy transitions at the intersection of policy, business, and technology. She’s a policy wonk, a physicist turned management consultant, and a professor at the University of Calgary and Director of the Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development.

Ed Whittingham is a clean energy policy/finance professional specializing in renewable electricity generation and transmission, carbon capture, carbon removal and low carbon transportation. He is a Public Policy Forum fellow and formerly the executive director of the Pembina Institute, a national clean energy think tank.

Energy vs Climate relies on the support of our generous listeners

Donate to keep EvC going

Send us a text (if you'd like a response, please include your email)

Produced by Amit Tandon & Bespoke Podcasts

___
Energy vs Climate Podcast
www.energyvsclimate.com

Contact us at info@energyvsclimate.com

Bluesky | YouTube | LinkedIn | X/Twitter