Will Low Oil Prices Hurt Clean Energy?

With oil prices dropping to five-year lows, pundits are pushing conspiracy theories about OPEC, public investors are acting irrationally, oil companies are going deeper into debt and political leaders are considering previously untouchable ideas like a gas tax. Meanwhile, many people are asking if an extended period of $50-per-barrel oil will compromise the economics of renewables. In this week’s episode, we’ll address the spectrum of economic and political consequences from oil’s strong price slide. Michael Levi, a senior fellow for energy and environment at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins us at the top of the show to chat about OPEC, the resiliency of America’s unconventional oil & gas sector, the impact of low prices on consumers, and which renewable energy sectors will be affected first. Later in the show, we’ll talk about the renewed push for increasing the gas tax in Congress. We’ll also provide an update on the U.S.-China trade case that may bring good news for installers worried about the cost of tariffs on Chinese products. The Energy Gang is produced by Greentechmedia.com. The show features weekly discussion between energy futurist Jigar Shah, energy policy expert Katherine Hamilton and Greentech Media Editor Stephen Lacey.