Powering Sustainable Ideas

The expansion of power and infrastructure to support the energy transition is unfolding against a complex backdrop. Policy uncertainty, geopolitical tension, and shifting market forces are colliding with record investment and a rapidly evolving mix of technologies. Ralph Ibendahl, Global Head of Energy Transition and Co-head of Power Utilities for Europe, assesses the challenges and opportunities with expert colleagues from the U.S., Canada, and Australia.Key Points• Increasing global power demand is leading to growth across all power types and grids.• Policymakers need to balance affordability concerns with growth opportunities.• Recent deals include financing for a major nuclear project in Canada, and build-out of Germany’s grid.• Companies are drawing on a full mix of funding types, including infrastructure equity, private credit, and structured capital.• Many companies are turning to the public markets, where valuations are stronger.• RBC Capital Markets is guiding clients through this volatile market.

At the RBC Energy Transition Conference 2025, Alex Thomas, Managing Director, Investment Banking at RBC, leads a panel exploring AI-driven energy demand, power delivery challenges, and the innovations shaping digital infrastructure.

While some point to culture wars and range anxiety, the real story behind the electric vehicle (EV) slowdown may lie in the used car market. Tom Narayan, Lead Equity Analyst for Global Autos at RBC Capital Markets, reveals how a surprising pricing dynamic is reshaping consumer behavior and forcing a revised outlook for EV adoption over the medium term.

While carbon capture has long promised to transform industrial emissions, deployment has been hampered by cost and scalability challenges. Svante aims to change that with its solid sorbent technology and ambitious manufacturing plans. CEO Claude Letourneau discusses the company's strategy to capture 15 million tons of CO2 by 2030 with RBC's Rob Nicholson, Managing Director and Head of the Canadian Power Utility and Infrastructure Group, in this episode of RBC Capital Markets' Powering Sustainable Ideas podcast.

With over a century of power generation behind it, TransAlta Corporation is redefining its legacy for the energy transition era. The Canadian utility has cut its emissions dramatically while positioning for AI-driven demand growth and grid reliability challenges. CEO John Kousinioris explains how the company is balancing decarbonization with reliability, pursuing data center co-location opportunities, and navigating policy uncertainty in this episode of RBC Capital Markets' Powering Sustainable Ideas podcast.

What happens when you design a carbon removal business around the needs of real industries and real customers – rather than new tech? CO280’s Natalie Khtikian and Jon Rhone explain how their project development approach is transforming pulp and paper mills into high-quality, high-volume CDR hubs. Speaking with Jonathan Sisto, Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets, they share why unlocking private capital, not just public support, is central to their model – and to the future of CDR.

How does a traditional oil and gas producer position itself to be simultaneously a leader in carbon capture and storage technology? In this episode of RBC Capital Markets’ Powering Sustainable Ideas podcast – CFO Clio Crespy explains how California Resources Corporation aims to do just that. CRC has gained the go-ahead for the first project of its CCS business, but what does that mean for its finances?

At RBC’s 2024 Carbon Conference, Sarah Thompson, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at RBC Capital Markets, sat down with Lee Hodgkinson, Head of Sustainability and Technical Services, Dream, and Maxime Cossette, SVP, Kruger, to discuss their roles in the net zero community, Zibi.