The HC Commodities Podcast

Investors, traders, ags, and energy businesses are investing in biofuels. Technology and decarbonization are driving the market. However, policy, crop yields, rising feedstock prices and public perception make it risky. Our guest Walter Cronin, Chief Commercial Officer at Green Plains, guides us through the global biofuels market and where we might go from here. Will renewable diesel overcome rising feedstock prices and the food for fuel debate? Are energy investors prepared for the uncertain world of crop yields? Has recent technological advances meant corn ethanol will be the dominant bridge fuel? What would changing policies in China and India do to the market? And what about that blend wall?To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

23 Jun 202155min

Ammonia sits at the heart of the chemical industry and was the vital component in our first ‘green’ revolution, boosting global food production. Now, Ammonia could sit at the heart of the next ‘green’ revolution as a transporter for hydrogen atoms for fuel cells and as a carbon-free fuel in its own right. This is launching a surge in interest from the energy industry,  just at a time when food and fertilizer prices are also rising. Is Ammonia a real contender in energy transition? What does this mean for the current and future of the Ammonia market?  And who better to ask than a trader. Our guest is Christophe Savi, Managing Director of Ammonia at Trammo, the global commodity merchandiser engaged in the marketing, trading, distribution, and transportation of ammonia, among other commodities, for over 60 years. To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

16 Jun 202144min

Hydrocarbons have been a key driver of geopolitics and globalization over the past century. Even in the past decade, we have seen how US shale production and China’s energy security policies have dramatically changed the world. Now, peak demand and the energy transition is set to upend decades of global policy and economics – with a huge impact on the commodity markets. Will battery metals become the crucial natural resource? Will the electron revolution reverse globalization? We are delighted to have as our guest, Pulitzer Prize winning author and Vice Chairman of IHS Markit, Daniel Yergin. We discuss Daniel’s latest book – The New Map, Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations and explore his take on the future of hydrocarbons and the impact of energy transition.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

9 Jun 202149min

Blockchain has the power to revolutionize commodity trading by lowering transaction costs, boosting liquidity and, crucially, providing the mechanism to track, price and trust a range of ESG attributes, which consumers are demanding. But what is blockchain technology, tokenization, smart contracts etc? What about regulation, security and power consumption? In this episode we do a blockchain 101 and look into the commodity trading use-cases being developed by tech’s vanguards. Our guest is Clint Nelsen, a prolific blockchain entrepreneur and co-founder of Startup Weekend - the worlds largest grassroots ecosystem of tech entrepreneurs. Today, Clint is co-founder of Neo Holdings, (visit www.neo.co) a cross-industry coalition and group of companies focused on tokenizing commodities and their trading.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/To find out more about Neo visit www.neo.co

2 Jun 202158min

For commodities traders, trading around storage assets is nothing new. The same is becoming true in power. As the generation of power increasingly comes from renewables, batteries are seen as a key tool to manage the associated intermittent availability and short-term price volatility. These batteries provide a growing opportunity for power traders with the quantitative and technological capability to capture it. Will this be the dominant form of power trading in the energy transition world? Our guest, Aaron Lally, Managing Partner of clean tech trading business Vest Energy, provides his insight on the current and opportunity set, the participants and technology involved and the drivers behind it.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

26 Mai 202138min

We are in the foothills of a commodity super-cycle. Interest and investment is returning to the sector as the narrative of energy transition, inflation driven by policy, and scarcity in the wake of Covid-19, takes hold.  What does this mean for traders over the next year and beyond? What are the trades? In honor of our 50th episode, we are delighted to welcome back our first ever guest John Massey, Head of the Houston Office for commodity trader ECTP. A year ago, John joined us to discuss the impact of Covid-19 on the commodity markets. He made some prescient calls including that Covid-19 would accelerate a re-balancing of the sector and lead to rising prices, rising opportunity, and rising interest. A year later, John discusses the super-cycle he foresaw and gives us his insight on the market opportunity and some predictions.To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

19 Mai 202138min

Electric utilities around the developed world face fundamental challenges to their business model as the way power is produced, transported, traded, and consumed is changing. Meanwhile, investors and policies demand rapid reductions in carbon emissions, rendering existing generation assets liabilities and promoting less consumption. Visibility to the customer is more crucial than ever to balance loads and service changing consumer habits. How can utilities meet these challenges and transform into more nimble, future ready organizations? Our guest Julia Hamm, CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance, gives us her insight into these challenges and how utilities in the US are responding. With disruption from all angles, will their actions be sufficient?To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

12 Mai 202154min

Institutional investors and family offices want to invest in commodity hedge funds, as the narrative of the super-cycle and inflation drives both interest and return to form. Ryan Duncan of Bridge Alternatives  provides his unique insider view of hedge funds’ performance in commodities over the past two decades and what themes and lessons can be identified for both the traders and investors. Will we see the fabulous returns (and volatility) of the last bull run? Or will structural changes that have affected performance over the past decade limit the future opportunity? What kind of investor can weather the volatility and risk inherent in the sector and what kind of trader?To find out more about HC and our talent advisory services in the energy & commodities sector visit www.hcinsider.global To connect with our host Paul Chapman, you can find him at www.linkedin.com/in/paulchapmanhc/

5 Mai 202141min