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Energy Explained
Get the latest as our experts share their insights on global energy policy.
Chinese Customs Data Reveal Deeper US Dependence on Chinese Rare Earths
One of the central objectives of the second Trump administration has been to pursue a maximalist trade policy toward China.
Podcasts
Hear in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society.
Jessica Uhl on the Fractured Energy Transition: Why Speed Matters Now
The clean energy transition had real momentum at the end of 2024. It was buoyed by federal support, billions of dollars of investment in new technologies, and broad...
With a population of 1.4 billion people and one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India is crucial to the future of global energy markets and climate change – and coal is fueling much of that economic growth in India. Coal is the most carbon-intensive fossil fuel and is responsible for more than 40 percent of energy-related global carbon emissions. Over the next five years, India’s coal demand is expected to grow more than that of any other country in the world. In short, there’s no pathway to global decarbonization that does not include meaningfully changing the trajectory of India’s current and projected coal use.
In this edition of Columbia Energy Exchange, host Jason Bordoff is joined by Dr. Rahul Tongia, author of the new book “Future of Coal in India: Smooth Transition or Bumpy Road Ahead?” to help shed light on that very subject.
Dr. Rahul Tongia is a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Social and Economic Progress in New Delhi, where he leads its Energy, Natural Resources, and Sustainability group. He is also a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He was the founding Technical Advisor for the Government of India’s Smart Grid Task Force. He holds a PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from Brown University.
You can read Dr. Tongia’s blog post about his book here.
More Episodes
Jessica Uhl on the Fractured Energy Transition: Why Speed Matters Now
The clean energy transition had real momentum at the end of 2024. It was buoyed by federal support, billions of dollars of investment in new technologies, and broad...
Ashley Finan and Amy Roma on Speed, Safety, and Reforming Nuclear Energy
For years, the energy transition was discussed as a shift that would happen in steady, predictable increments. But a massive surge in electricity demand in recent years—now colliding...
Columbia Energy Exchange Podcast
• June 2, 2026
Katie Auth on How the ‘Modern Energy Minimum’ Can Drive Economic Growth
Despite all the advancements we have achieved globally in recent decades, as many as 750 million people still lack access to electricity. Tackling energy poverty requires far more...
Speed to Power: Christian Bruch on Siemens Energy’s Turnaround
For years, the energy transition was discussed as a shift that would happen in steady, predictable increments. But the last 24 months have shattered that illusion. Energy providers...
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Chinese Customs Data Reveal Deeper US Dependence on Chinese Rare Earths
One of the central objectives of the second Trump administration has been to pursue a maximalist trade policy toward China.
Pourquoi les Prix du Gaz Européens ne Flambent-Ils pas?
CHRONIQUE. Nouvelles usines de liquéfaction et augmentation des exportations expliquent, entre autres, pourquoi les prix du gaz ne connaissent pas le pic observé en 2022, lors de l’invasion de l’Ukraine. Mais cette stabilité des prix ne traversera pas l’été, écrit Anne-Sophie Corbeau, spécialiste de l’énergie au Center on Global Energy Policy de l’Université Columbia
How the Next Round of US Tariffs Could Shape Global Energy and Industrial Value Chains
In March 2026, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced it was investigating "structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors" in 16 economies.
