What does financial market turmoil mean for low-carbon energy?

Investors have gone sour on clean energy. In a troubled time for stock markets in general, where is the capital for energy flowing now?

Host Ed Crooks is joined by Shanu Mathew, Senior VP and Portfolio Manager at Lazard Asset Management, and Amy Myers Jaffe, Director of the Energy, Climate Justice, and Sustainability Lab at NYU. Shanu returns to the show to break down how institutional investors, under pressure to deliver returns, are shifting strategies on energy. Amy shares insights on cleantech venture capital trends, and the factors that support investment in low-carbon solutions. With support for renewables under threat, and cutting-edge technologies facing mounting challenges, is the transition to low-carbon energy slowing down or recalibrating?

Meanwhile, Big Oil companies are changing course on their decarbonisation strategies. BP and Shell are pulling back from power and renewables and emphasizing oil and gas investments instead, after pressure from investors. Are they adapting to market realities, or are they abandoning clean energy too soon? And what will their strategic shift mean for the rest of the industry? Amy discusses the close ties between oil prices and capital flows into cleantech.

Finally, there’s no end to the debate around AI’s evolving role in energy infrastructure. Electricity demand growth remains a dominant trend. The hyperscale data centre users, such as major tech firms, have emerged as key players in power demand. But trust issues persist between them and energy providers. The sector has a history of overestimating demand growth, leading to overbuilding. Are we in danger of going through that cycle all over again?

Let us know what you think. We’re on X, at @theenergygang. Make sure you’re following the show so you don’t miss an episode – we’ll be back in two weeks, Tuesday morning at 7am eastern time.