In this episode of Green Shift, David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian sit down with Riccardo Barbiellini, maritime and energy transition specialist at Bureau Veritas' Future Shipping Team. Riccardo works at the intersection of shipping, regulation, and decarbonisation, helping one of the world's most essential sectors navigate the shift to a low-carbon future.

We explore:

• What a sustainable ASEAN port city looks like in 2040

• The IMO's MEPC 83 meeting and why political risk is slowing investment

• Ammonia as a fuel: safety, toxicity, and whether it's a real solution

• Where investment is actually going right now (LNG, AI, and efficiency)

• Why top-down regulation is essential for hard-to-abate sectors

• Singapore's MPA grants and the "sandbox" approach to ammonia trials

• Biofuels from palm oil: plug-and-play potential vs. traceability problems

• Nuclear-powered commercial shipping: silver bullet or essential option?

• Bureau Veritas' timeline for commercially viable SMR vessels (2040)

• Floating nuclear power plants for island nations

Resources mentioned in this episode:

White paper on nuclear energy in shipping:

https://marine-offshore.bureauveritas.com/newsroom/bureau-veritas-contributes-new-industry-white-paper-role-nuclear-energy-shipping

Technical review on maritime nuclear development:

https://marine-offshore.bureauveritas.com/newsroom/maritime-nuclear-development

Read the deeper dive:

Prefer reading to listening? Each episode is turned into a rich, detailed blog post with additional analysis and context:

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About Green Shift:

Green Shift makes sense of the energy transition—from net zero and carbon markets to nuclear, renewables, and the policies shaping our future. Hosted by David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian.

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In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin and co-host James Balzer sit down with Kevin Pang (SVP at FutureScaleX) to unpack one of the most complex—and potentially transformative—climate solutions: Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

From Japan’s push to export CO₂, to Southeast Asia’s vast storage potential, this conversation explores the real-world challenges of turning CCS into a regional, scalable system.

🎯 Key Topics Covered:

What CCS actually is (pre-combustion, post-combustion, oxy-fuel explained simply)

Why transport—not storage—is the biggest bottleneck in Asia-Pacific

The geopolitics of cross-border CO₂ (Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia)

The economics: can CCS ever be commercially viable?

Carbon credits vs real costs—where’s the tipping point?

The role of state-owned enterprises and government incentives

Why ASEAN’s geography (ports + industry clusters) is a hidden advantage

The governance challenge: tracking CO₂ across borders (MRV systems)

CCS as a transition solution, not a permanent fix

And the big idea: could CO₂ become a valuable resource instead of waste?

💡 Standout Insight:

If CO₂ can be converted into products like ethylene, it could unlock real market demand—turning climate policy into economic opportunity.

🌱 Why This Matters:

Asia-Pacific is at the center of global growth—and emissions. Getting CCS right here could define whether the region can balance development with decarbonisation.

🔗 Related Episodes:

Check out our previous deep dive on CCS governance https://youtu.be/uH5R-8oSOW8?si=rbGnpAgd1p6O3KWz

🔗Download James' policy brief, "Diagnosing Governance Dysfunctions

of CCS in Indonesia" https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/ca134fed-3c95-42d1-bf19-decdd72df6d1/CSER_PB08_Diagnosing%20Governance%20Dysfunctions%20o.pdf

👍 Like, subscribe, and follow Green Shift for more conversations on the transition to a sustainable economy—through an Asia-focused lens.

#CarbonCapture #CCS #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #AsiaPacific #ClimateTech #Decarbonisation

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What if the batteries in your remote control, toys, or clocks were 100% eco-friendly, biodegradable, and even more powerful than regular alkaline batteries? 🌱🔋

This episode of Green Shift welcomes Nimisha Varma, co-founder of Aloe E-Cell, and Kash Singh, founder of Primea.Earth, to explore one of the most intriguing sustainability innovations coming out of India: batteries powered by aloe vera.

Aloe E-Cell has created a non-toxic, biodegradable alternative to traditional household batteries—designed not only to perform better, but also to eliminate the massive e-waste problem created by the 89 billion batteries thrown away globally every year.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why aloe vera is surprisingly ideal as a battery material

How Aloe E-Cell batteries deliver 1.5x more performance than conventional AAs

What “100% eco-friendly” really means in the context of battery chemistry

How discarded batteries can be upcycled into fertilizer through their patented process

The challenges of setting up a circular economy system across India

Why human behaviour is hard to change—but products can be redesigned to make sustainability effortless

The founders' journey: the setbacks, breakthroughs, and unwavering belief behind the innovation

Their plans for AAA, button cells, rechargeable batteries, and future high-energy applications

Whether you’re interested in sustainability, circular economy solutions, climate tech innovation, or the entrepreneurial stories behind world-changing ideas, this is a must-listen.

🔋 About Aloe E-Cell

Aloe E-Cell is the world’s first aloe vera–based battery company, offering biodegradable, non-toxic AA batteries that outperform conventional alkaline options. They are currently expanding across India, Singapore, Mauritius, and beyond.

https://www.aloeecell.com/

🌿 About Primea.Earth

Primea.Earth distributes sustainable products—including Aloe E-Cell batteries—in Singapore and Malaysia while promoting circular economy solutions.

https://primea.earth/

🎧 Listen to Green Shift

A sustainability podcast hosted by David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian, featuring innovators and leaders accelerating the transition to a greener economy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From greenwashing and carbon taxes to the role of sovereign wealth funds and banks in Asia’s energy transition, this wide-ranging conversation breaks down:

✅ Why the number one predictor of ESG scores is size, not sustainability

✅ How politics and policy distort what counts as “green”

✅ Why disclosure and rule of law matter more than PR

✅ And how the real challenge isn’t an abundance of capital — it’s allocation.

🎙️ Hosted by David Austin, with co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian and Dini Sandys from the Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources (CSER).

#GreenShift #SustainableFinance #ESG #Greenwashing #ClimateFinance #EnergyTransition #Singapore #INSEAD #CSER

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In this episode of Green Shift, hosts David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian speak with Ms. Corinna Choong, Chief Sustainability Officer and pioneer staff member at SUTD, about how the university is using design, technology, and research to drive sustainability impact — from AI-powered urban planning to biodiversity mapping and nature-based cooling on campus.

Ms Choong also reflects on how thoughtful design can transform Southeast Asia’s cities — citing examples from Bangkok and Malaysia that illustrate how architecture, materials, and community planning can all contribute to resilience and decarbonisation.

In this episode:

🌳 What “sustainability by design” means at SUTD

🤖 How AI, robotics, and research are reshaping urban systems

🏙️ Singapore’s role as a living lab for the region

💡 Real-world examples of sustainable design across Southeast Asia

💰 Breaking down barriers in green finance and policy

👩‍🎓 Advice for young innovators leading the next generation of change

🎧 Listen, learn, and be inspired to design boldly, act locally, and collaborate regionally.

#Sustainability #DesignThinking #GreenShift #Singapore #SUTD #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #ClimateAction #UrbanDesign #Innovation #AI #SmartCities

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Singapore is exploring how to power the future—clean, round the clock. 🌞⚡🌙

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin and co-host Dr. Victor Nian speak with Isabella Suarez, Policy Analyst at Transition Zero, about their new report on 24/7 Carbon-Free Electricity (CFE).

They discuss:

🔹 How renewable energy certificates (RECs) and hourly matching actually work

🔹 Why the shift from annual to hourly carbon accounting matters

🔹 The role of batteries, interconnectors, and data transparency in Asia’s clean energy future

🔹 What it will take for Singapore to hit its 2050 net-zero target

Transition Zero’s research shows how modeling, transparency, and smart policy design can help countries decarbonize efficiently—without breaking the system.

🔗 Learn about their webinar here: https://www.transitionzero.org/events/singapore-cfe

🎧 Tune in to learn how 24/7 carbon-free energy could reshape Southeast Asia’s power markets and what it means for companies, policymakers, and investors.

#GreenShift #Sustainability #EnergyTransition #Singapore #TransitionZero #CarbonFreeElectricity #CleanEnergy #NetZero #CSER #VictorNian #DavidAustin

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Description:

Indonesia is the first country in ASEAN to introduce national carbon capture and storage (CCS) regulations — but can it turn ambition into action?

In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin and co-host Dr. Victor Nian (Founding Co-Chair, Centre for Strategic Energy and Resources) sit down with James Balzer, strategic foresight practitioner and CSER affiliated expert, to unpack Indonesia’s emerging CCS landscape.

They explore:

🔹 How carbon capture actually works — and why it matters for developing economies

🔹 The governance challenges slowing CCS adoption in Indonesia

🔹 Lessons from the Gundih CCS project and Presidential Regulation No. 14 (2024)

🔹 The role of markets, regulation, and public trust in the just energy transition

Whether you’re a policymaker, researcher, or sustainability advocate, this deep dive offers a rare look at how climate governance, regulation, and real-world politics intersect in Southeast Asia’s energy future.

To register for James' Workshop: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-diagnosing-governance-dysfunctions-in-ccs-regulation-in-indonesia-tickets-1814712426719

Find James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-balzer/

#EnergyTransition #CCS #CarbonCapture #Indonesia #ClimatePolicy #NetZero #Sustainability #GreenShiftPodcast #CSER #JustEnergyTransition

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In this episode of Green Shift, we sit down with Dr. Aisha Al-Sarihi, a leading expert on environmental policy, to unpack the dramatic sustainability shift happening across the Gulf region. From Oman's net-zero pledge to massive investments in green hydrogen, the story is changing faster than you think.

We explore:

⚡️ Why Gulf nations like Oman and the UAE are aggressively pivoting to renewables and a circular economy.

💧 The real strategy behind Oman's bid to become a global green hydrogen superpower.

🤝 The surprising and powerful alliance forming between the Gulf and Southeast Asia—and what it means for the future of clean energy.

💸 The role of massive sovereign wealth funds in financing a global green future.

This isn't just about phasing out oil; it's about a multi-trillion dollar economic transformation. Join the conversation as we look beyond the headlines to the real policies, partnerships, and people driving the Green Transition in the heart of the energy world.

#GreenShift #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #GulfCountries #Oman #Hydrogen #RenewableEnergy #ASEAN #ClimateAction #NetZero #CleanEnergyFuture #MiddleEast

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In this episode of Green Shift, David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian sit down with Clarence Woo, Managing Director of the Global Centre for Green Fuels, to explore the critical role of biofuels and green fuels in Asia’s energy transition.

We unpack key questions:

What counts as a green fuel?

Why is ethanol such an important piece of the puzzle?

How do concepts like carbon intensity, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and drop-in fuels fit into the future of transport?

What policies and technologies are shaping Southeast Asia’s green energy journey?

From fraudulent feedstocks to food-vs-fuel debates, Clarence provides a deep dive into the opportunities and challenges of making fuels sustainable, affordable, and scalable.

🔑 Highlights:

00:00 – Intro: What are green fuels?

05:00 – Clarence Woo on founding the Global Centre for Green Fuels

08:30 – Why ethanol matters for Asia’s transport sector

14:00 – Food vs. fuel: myths and realities

20:00 – Sustainability criteria for biofuels

25:00 – Effective policies in Asia

30:00 – SAF & maritime biofuels

35:00 – Governance and the ecosystem approach

36:30 – Final thoughts: what most people don’t know about ethanol

🎙️ About Green Shift

Green Shift is a podcast about Asia’s path to a sustainable economy. Hosted by David Austin and Dr. Victor Nian, it brings you stories, insights, and conversations with leaders driving the transition to net zero.

🔔 Subscribe for more conversations on sustainability, climate, and the future of energy.

#GreenShift #Podcast #GreenFuels #Biofuels #EnergyTransition #Sustainability #Ethanol #SAF

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In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin is joined by co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian (CSER) and Jordan Kronen, along with special guest Hasliza Omar, PhD candidate in energy security at the University of New South Wales. Together, they dive into:

🔹 What green steel really means — and how it’s made

🔹 The role of hydrogen (green, gray, pink… the whole rainbow!)

🔹 Why nuclear could be a game-changer for industrial heat

🔹 The geopolitics of high-grade iron ore and hydrogen supply

🔹 Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAM) and what they mean for Asia

🔹 The opportunities — and pitfalls — for Southeast Asia in building a green steel ecosystem

Hasliza also shares her vision of a “green corridor” future where nations cooperate across resources, technology, and finance to power a low-carbon world.

🎧 Whether you’re interested in climate tech, industrial policy, or the geopolitics of energy, this episode connects the dots on one of the hardest — and most important — sectors to decarbonize.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro – The hydrogen rainbow

03:00 How steel is made: traditional vs. green steel

06:00 Green hydrogen explained

09:00 Nuclear’s role in industrial decarbonization

18:00 Why steel is crucial to climate goals

20:00 Geopolitics of high-grade iron ore

23:00 Australia’s hydrogen dilemma

24:00 CBAM and green steel trade

27:00 Asia’s unique challenges and opportunities

35:00 Policy advice for Southeast Asia

39:00 Utopian vs. realistic futures

42:00 Closing thoughts

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We explore the misconceptions about “easy” renewable adoption, the social and cultural dimensions that often determine whether projects succeed or fail, and the importance of building not just hardware and software, but what she calls “orgware”—the community structures that keep projects running in the long term.

From karaoke nights powered by diesel gensets to the role of women as household energy managers, this conversation uncovers the human side of energy transition and why community-led approaches are critical for lasting impact.

Show Notes

🎙️ Guest: Dr. Mary Ann Franco, Senior Consultant & Regional Coordinator (Southeast Asia) at Aquatera, and CSER Global Expert

🌱 Topics Covered:

What daily life really looks like in off-grid island communities

Why renewable energy projects often fail without social buy-in

The role of women and inclusion in sustainable energy adoption

How to move from “donation projects” to durable community energy solutions

The concept of orgware—and why it’s the missing piece in many energy projects

🔗 Here are the links to the projects Dr. Franco mentioned:

Rural Energy Hub: https://www.braeruralenergyhub.com/

https://communityenergy.scot/projects/rural-energy-hubs/

https://www.aquatera.co.uk/news/brae-rural-energy-hub-secures-significant-funding-boosting-its-community-impact

Ayrton POWERE Project: https://www.ukri.org/news/projects-funded-to-propel-low-carbon-energy-transition/

EC10 Wave-Powered Microgrid in Thailand: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/innovate-uk-grants-1-9-million-for-wave-energy-project-in-thailand/

#RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #SoutheastAsia #Sustainability #GreenShiftPodcast

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Paul breaks down the total system cost of different energy sources, explains why baseload power matters, and challenges common assumptions about renewables and nuclear. With co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian and Jordan Kronen, this episode goes beyond the headlines to tackle the real math behind the energy transition.

🔋 Topics we cover:

What "total system cost" really means

Why LCOE alone can mislead

The case for nuclear in Asia

Grid realities and backup power

Debunking common critiques of nuclear

Listen if you're curious about:

How to balance clean energy, cost, and reliability

What hyperscalers are signaling about future power needs

Whether renewables can truly stand alone

📌 Green Shift is a podcast that makes sense of sustainability—especially from an Asian perspective.

🧠 Hosted by:

Jordan Kronen (guest host)

Dr. Victor Nian (CSER)

🎙️ Guest: Paul Murphy

Subscribe for future episodes and follow us for deeper dives.

Read the policy brief on the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) here: https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/ca134fed-3c95-42d1-bf19-decdd72df6d1/downloads/66be7022-ba09-45d0-b2b6-339a0ddd8ba6/CSER_PB6_SG-MY%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Cooperation_Web.pdf?ver=1752843377572

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In this episode of Green Shift, host David Austin sits down with climate policy expert Melissa Low to unpack Singapore’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), its emissions trajectory, and the risks of relying too heavily on carbon offsets or carbon capture.

We discuss:

• What NDCs are and why they matter under the Paris Agreement
• Singapore’s peak emissions goal and 2035 reduction target
• Why the word “contribution” (not “commitment”) matters
• The difference between good and bad carbon credits
• Why carbon capture is a major stretch in Singapore’s context
• How international collaboration could support national goals

🎙️ Guest:

Melissa Low, Research Fellow, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Subscribe to Green Shift for more stories from Asia’s frontlines of climate transformation.

#GreenShift #ClimatePolicy #Singapore #NetZero #Sustainability #MelissaLow

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In this special episode of Green Shift, host David Austin is joined by co-hosts Dr. Victor Nian and Jordan Kronen to explore Spain’s growing role in Southeast Asia’s energy transition. Featuring Antonio García Rebollar and Daniel Yáñez  from the Economic and Commercial Office of the Embassy of Spain in Singapore, the discussion covers:

⚡ Spain’s leadership in renewable energy and how it's supporting ASEAN’s clean energy goals

🌿 The growing role of Spanish companies in solar, wind, hydrogen, biofuels, and nuclear power

🌏 Regional initiatives like the ASEAN Power Grid and the digital-green maritime corridor

🤝 What to expect at the upcoming Spain-Singapore Business Summit on July 16, 2025

Find out how Spain is building long-term, values-driven partnerships across the region and why ASEAN’s path to net zero could be powered in part by Spanish innovation.

🔗 Register for the Summit Here

🎧 Subscribe and listen now to join the conversation on building a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future.

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In this episode, we break down the mechanics of carbon taxes, emissions trading, and cap‑and‑trade policies — and show how putting a price on carbon can drive down emissions while supporting economic growth.

Joined by Dr Shreekant Gupta, a veteran economist specializing in climate and sustainability, we explore how carbon pricing works across different countries, why it needs to be tailored to national circumstances, and how it incentivizes innovation and cleaner energy. We also unpack the role of global frameworks like the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), the Paris Agreement, and the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

From understanding “net zero” and the “social cost of carbon” to tackling questions of equity, international trade, and the future of climate policy in Asia, this conversation is a must‑watch for anyone interested in climate solutions, economic resilience, and global cooperation.

Topics covered:

✅ What is carbon pricing and why does it matter?

✅ Cap‑and‑trade vs. carbon taxes vs. offset markets

✅ The role of pricing in achieving net‑zero emissions

✅ EU ETS, CBAM, and global climate trade tensions

✅ Challenges and opportunities for Asia and the global South

Read the report: Carbon Tax in an Evolving Carbon Economy: Policy Design & Digital Innovations

🌍 Listen now and learn how carbon pricing can help build a cleaner, fairer, and more sustainable future.

#CarbonPricing #ClimatePolicy #EmissionsTrading #CapAndTrade #Sustainability #ClimateChange

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That was the question at the heart of this episode.

Our guest, Assaad Razzouk is CEO of Gurīn Energy, a renewable energy company based in Singapore and is also known as The Angry Clean Energy Guy on his podcast of the same name.

And he is the author of Saving the Planet Without the Bullshit. What they don’t tell you about the Climate Crises, which has been a big influence on many of us.

Not too long ago Razzouk had an episode of his podcast where he really tore into nuclear energy, saying its expensive, polluting, takes a long time to build, and that it is not necessary to solve the climate crisis and any attempt to do so is just a waste of time, effort, and money that would be better spent on developing renewables.

Green Shift co-host Dr Victor Nian happens to be an expert in nuclear energy, and he’s made a compelling argument for including it as a key ingredient in the energy mix of carbon-free energy.

Hear how we hash it out it in our first episode and let us know what you think!

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Everyone on the team met while working with the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP). We're excited to carry that relationship forward post-IES. We'll be covering everything from a just energy transition to carbon credits, sustainable cooling, ASEAN regional cooperation, green taxonomy, green financing, to the water energy food nexus.

One of our early inspirations came from Singapore’s Assaad Razzouk—also known as The Angry Clean Energy Guy—who has passionately argued against nuclear power. He believes it’s expensive, polluting, slow to build, and unnecessary for solving the climate crisis. In his view, investing in nuclear is a distraction from developing renewables.

But CSER co-founder and Green Shift co-host Dr. Victor Nian is one of Southeast Asia’s leading experts on nuclear energy, hydrogen, and net-zero strategies. His work focuses on long-term energy planning, industrial development, and technology cooperation.

So I was eager to hear Victor’s take. We recorded a segment exploring Razzouk’s arguments in detail. Which you will hear on this episode. But first, I’m thrilled to share that Assaad Razzouk has agreed to be one of our first podcast guests. We'll be recording with him in early June, with an official launch soon after.

Please like and subscribe so you can hear the first "official" episode when it drops.

Warmly,

David Austin

Founder, Austin Media

Co-host, Green Shift Podcast

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