Podcast Archives - Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

Power system flexibility has emerged as a central challenge of decarbonizing the electric power industry worldwide. In China, new coal-fired generation is still being added to meet rising peak loads, and newly-constructed coal plants are required to operate flexibly, but the system still features a relatively low degree of flexibility. In this podcast Anders Hove, Dimitra Apostolopoulou and David Robinson discuss three case studies of the European power sector with potential value for the Chinese energy transition. The case studies were selected at a workshop with Chinese experts, and the analysis was published in a recent OIES publication, ‘Flexibility Case Studies for the Clean Energy Transition: Suggestions for China from European Experience’.  Anders, Dimitra and David cover developments in transmission and interconnection, the Nordic ancillary services markets, and demand-side flexibility – specifically looking at the case of Octopus and Kraken in the UK. Although European power markets are clearly a work in progress, the three case studies showcase different aspects of flexibility in Europe and their relevance to China. They showcase how various flexibility measures improve the utilization of existing assets (in the case of transmission), boost investment efficiency (in the case of relative technology neutrality of the Nordic ancillary services markets), and even lead to technology innovation (in the case of demand-side flexibility measures). The post OIES Podcast – Flexibility Case Studies for China’s Clean Energy Transition appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

In this lates OIES podcast, brought to you by the Gas Programme, James Henderson talks to Bill Farren-Price about their latest paper on the geopolitics that is influencing, and being influenced by, the global gas market. They start with a general overview of the current gas market and the key political drivers that are impacting the views of suppliers and consumers on the future of gas. They consider the impact of the sharp change in the direction of Russian exports since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, reflecting on the strong position this now gives to China as it further diversifies its sources of gas supply. The role of the US is also a key point of discussion, as expanding LNG exports could potentially be undermined by an overly aggressive stance on energy dominance from the White House. Gas demand in Europe appears to be on an inexorable decline, but the region could be swapping one source of supply risk (Russia) for another (US LNG). The key takeaway, though, is that at a time when overall LNG supply is set to increase sharply, major importers such as the EU, China and other regions in Asia can enhance their bargaining power and may be more inclined to do so if major suppliers try to use gas exports as a source of political power. The post OIES Podcast – Geopolitics of Gas: The Limits of Leverage appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

Naz Osmancik, Managing Director of Energy Management, Markets and Risk at Reventus Power, sheds light on the challenges faced by renewable energy projects post-CfD expiry. He explains how the end of Contracts for Difference leads to increased price volatility and risks to equity returns. The conversation dives into the importance of early planning and robust hedging strategies, revealing how investors can optimize their portfolios. Additionally, Naz discusses opportunities for secondary investors and highlights the need for policies that address latent risks in the evolving energy landscape.

In this insightful discussion, Paul Horsnell, an independent energy consultant and expert in oil markets, shares key findings from the OIES Oil Day. He emphasizes resilient global oil demand and the unexpected growth in Africa. Paul explores China's strategic stockpiling and the nuances of crude on water versus land stock. He explains OPEC+'s decision to unwind voluntary cuts and the emerging role of hedge funds in the market. Also discussed are projections for U.S. shale's performance and pivotal factors shaping the future oil landscape.

European policymakers face a dilemma regarding the entry of Chinese firms into the European wind market. Chinese turbines are cheaper than their Western competitors. Given the small number of players in the European market, Chinese manufacturers could provide a boost to the market and inject new competitive pressure. Yet there are concerns that allowing Chinese OEMs into the offshore wind sector, either as developers of or investors in projects, or as equipment providers for European-led projects, could undermine European industry. In addition to commercial threats, security concerns have also been raised by the UK, Germany, and Sweden: Will Chinese investments pose new security risks? Are Chinese OEMs a potential tool for economic coercion by Beijing? Do they pose a threat to energy security? These and other issues are discussed in a recent paper from the Institute, ‘Chinese participation in Europe’s offshore wind sector: the good, the bad and the unknown’. In this new podcast from the China Energy Research Programme, James Henderson talks about these issues with Michal Meidan, director of the China programme, and Anders Hove, senior research fellow. The podcast discusses what is known and unknown about the risks and benefits of China’s entry into the European offshore wind industry, based on in-depth interviews with industry experts. The report finds an urgent need to identify and distinguish between risks associated with China-made components vs broader software connectivity and data risks. Meanwhile, on the cost front, low and falling prices for offshore wind in China may not translate directly to Europe. The post OIES Podcast – Chinese participation in Europe’s offshore wind sector appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

Mathieu Lucquiaud, Professor of Carbon Capture and Storage at the University of Sheffield, and Ryan Cowden, PhD candidate exploring gas supply-chain emissions, dive into innovative strategies for reducing lifecycle emissions of natural gas. They discuss how carbon capture rates over 98% are achievable and emphasize the importance of lifecycle analysis for assessing emissions accurately. The duo highlights regulations in British Columbia that can guide cleaner production practices and reveal that gas with CCS can potentially match renewables in climate impact.

In this latest OIES podcast, from the Gas Programme, James Henderson talks to Mike Fulwood about the paper he has edited on the outlook for gas demand in a world of gas prices at $6/mmbtu. The concept of the paper is based on the consensus view that the imminent wave of new LNG projects will cause an oversupply of gas in the market and lead to lower prices through the rest of this decade. A number of OIES research fellows have analysed what this might do to gas demand as consumers react to lower prices, and Mike has brought the results together in a paper which looks at the major markets that import LNG. The analysis starts with Europe, before moving onto to Asia (in particular China and India) and then to Africa and Central and South America. Overall, a lower gas price is seen as a providing a significant boost to gas demand, with the implication that the market may well balance at a price higher than $6. The post OIES Podcast – The Global Outlook for Gas Demand in a $6 World appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

Hannah Hauman, Global Head of Carbon Trading at Trafigura and lead author on operationalizing Article 6, delves into the evolving landscape of global carbon markets. She discusses foundational aspects, recent trades, and the necessary digital and legal infrastructure to support scalability. Hauman emphasizes Article 6's role in creating a compliant international market that enhances cross-border trade. The conversation also touches on the benefits for developing countries and the potential for carbon trading to accelerate decarbonization by driving efficient capital flow.

In this latest OIES podcast, from the Gas Programme, James Henderson talks to Jack Sharples and Anouk Honore about the latest Gas Quarterly and their thoughts on the current state of the global gas market. Jack opens the podcast with a review of the current market looking at price movements over the past three months and assessing the key geopolitical and commercial factors which have influenced the market over the past three months. Anouk picks up the story with a review of Europe gas demand, highlighting the increasing volatility of gas demand in the power sector, the struggle for demand recovery in the industrial sector and the impact of the weather on residential consumers. Finally, Jack reviews global LNG supply, the main shifts in demand in Asia and the impact on LNG availability to Europe. He then looks at how LNG fits into the overall European supply picture before concluding with a look at the storage market and what it implies for future prices. The post OIES Podcast – Gas quarterly and market update appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.

In this latest episode of the OIES Electricity Programme podcast, Dimitra Apostolopoulou speaks with Sarah Montgomery, CEO and Co-Founder of Infyos, about the critical role of energy storage in achieving net zero. Building on Sarah’s recent presentation at the OIES annual Energy Transition event in June, the conversation begins with a deep dive into how storage technologies fit within the broader strategy for delivering reliable, low-carbon electricity systems. Dimitra and Sarah discuss the scale of storage needed to meet decarbonisation targets and examine where deployment is accelerating most rapidly, from China and the United States to emerging regional markets. They unpack the economics of storage, exploring how projects generate revenue today, how business models may evolve amid price volatility, and how policy tools such as capacity markets or cap-and-floor schemes provide revenue stability. Beyond economics, the episode also highlights key bottlenecks, including grid infrastructure constraints, permitting delays, and the global competition for critical minerals that underpin battery supply chains. Sarah offers her perspective on how these challenges intersect with geopolitics and supply security, providing a view of what it will take to scale up energy storage in the years ahead. The post OIES Podcast – Storage in the Energy Transition: Reality Check and Challenges appeared first on Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.