Transmission

Graeme Martin, Founder of Village Power, shares insights on the rise of community batteries in Australia. He discusses how these shared storage systems can enhance solar energy consumption and ease network strain. The conversation delves into the barriers to rollout, including regulatory challenges and the importance of consumer trust. Martin emphasizes how community engagement and innovative funding models can drive these initiatives. He also highlights the global implications of Australia's experiences in creating a more resilient energy system.

Graeme Martin, Founder and Director of Village Power, shares insights on community batteries in Australia, aiming to enhance local energy storage and consumption. He discusses their role in maximizing rooftop solar efficiency and reducing grid strain. Key topics include the hurdles of regulatory complexities, the importance of customer trust, and innovative funding models. Martin emphasizes community engagement and collaboration as essential for successful projects, suggesting that these local solutions could pave the way for a resilient and inclusive energy future.

Lukas Gresnigt, Head of International at Alpiq, and Nadiya Vargola, Head of BESS Business Development, dive into the evolving landscape of energy storage in Europe. They discuss how pumped hydro and batteries complement each other, highlighting their respective strengths. The duo reveals insights on adapting to solar energy's rise and the financial dynamics influencing long-term investments in flexibility. Discover how Alpiq is addressing market challenges, developing battery assets, and strategizing for a low-carbon future.

Join Lukas Gresnigt, Alpiq's Head of International, and Nadiya Vargola, Head of BESS Business Development, as they navigate the fascinating world of energy storage. They discuss how pumped hydro and battery systems work hand-in-hand to enhance flexibility in Europe's evolving energy landscape. With insights into navigating cross-border market designs and adapting gas assets to accommodate solar surges, the duo shares strategies for overcoming challenges in storage project development and the future of clean energy in Europe.

McGee Young, Founder and CEO of WattCarbon, shares insights into the shortcomings of traditional carbon accounting, advocating for real-time, location-specific data. He discusses how granular metrics can enhance clean energy investment and the role of community-led decarbonization. Young also explores innovative strategies, like sleeved Virtual Power Purchase Agreements, to improve energy management. The conversation highlights the potential of AI in making data more accessible and empowering communities to tackle climate challenges collaboratively.

Carbon accounting underpins nearly every climate commitment and energy market, but today’s system often misses the mark. Most reporting is based on annual averages and generic certificates, ignoring when and where emissions are actually avoided. That mismatch creates blind spots for investors, policymakers, and clean energy developers alike.In this episode of Transmission, Quentin sits down with McGee Young, Founder & CEO at WattCarbon to explore how more accurate, time- and location-specific carbon data could transform the way we value clean energy.From tracking real emissions impact to building virtual power plants at the community level, this is a conversation about making carbon accounting smarter, and climate action more meaningful.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why traditional carbon accounting is broken and how granular, real-time data can fix it.What time-stamped energy attributes are, and why they matter for valuing clean energy projects.How virtual power plants (VPPs) can unlock local flexibility, avoid expensive grid upgrades, and share value with communities.The case for ‘sleeved VPPs’, where large energy users fund local demand-side programs instead of building new capacity.How community-led decarbonisation could reshape climate finance and deliver impact from the ground up.About our guestMcGee Young is founder and CEO of WattCarbon, a US-based company building the first platform for real-time, time-based carbon accounting and community-scale decarbonisation. At WattCarbon, he is delivering visibility into hourly carbon intensity and enabling more transparent, impact-driven carbon markets for buildings and energy projects. For more information about WattCarbons mission, head to their website. https://www.wattcarbon.com/About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

As the UK works toward a fully decarbonised power system by 2035, one thing is clear: hitting climate targets will require a more flexible electricity system. But that flexibility won’t just come from utility-scale batteries or grid-scale innovation. It will need support from consumers, households, businesses, and communities that can shift, shape, and reduce their electricity use.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter is joined by Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director of Governance for Data & Digitalization at Ofgem, to explore why consumer flexibility is no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s now essential for grid stability, cost efficiency, and net-zero progress.We dig into the economics behind demand-side response, the role of price signals and digital infrastructure, and the policy decisions needed to unlock this potential at scale. Whether you’re a system operator, innovator, or just trying to understand what demand flexibility actually means, this conversation is packed with insight.In this episode you’ll learn:Why demand-side flexibility matters now more than ever, and how it supports both consumers and the system.The practical and policy steps needed to scale flexibility across millions of homes and businesses.How real-time price signals and automation can help shift consumer load and reduce system costs.The regulatory shift underway at Ofgem, and why this matters for innovators and aggregators.Why enabling consumer flexibility is a ‘no regrets’ decision for a decarbonised energy future.About our guestMarzia Zafar is Deputy Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation at Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulator. With nearly three decades of experience across policy, utilities, and innovation, Marzia has worked on both sides of the Atlantic to design regulatory frameworks that support the clean energy transition. At Ofgem, she plays a leading role in shaping strategy around consumer flexibility, digitalisation, and system planning ensuring that market design keeps pace with the evolving needs of a net-zero grid. For more information on Ofgem - head to their website.About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

As the UK works toward a fully decarbonised power system by 2035, one thing is clear: hitting climate targets will require a more flexible electricity system. But that flexibility won’t just come from utility-scale batteries or grid-scale innovation. It will need support from consumers, households, businesses, and communities that can shift, shape, and reduce their electricity use.In this episode of Transmission, Ed Porter is joined by Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director of Governance for Data & Digitalization at Ofgem, to explore why consumer flexibility is no longer just a nice-to-have, it’s now essential for grid stability, cost efficiency, and net-zero progress.We dig into the economics behind demand-side response, the role of price signals and digital infrastructure, and the policy decisions needed to unlock this potential at scale. Whether you’re a system operator, innovator, or just trying to understand what demand flexibility actually means, this conversation is packed with insight.In this episode you’ll learn:Why demand-side flexibility matters now more than ever, and how it supports both consumers and the system.The practical and policy steps needed to scale flexibility across millions of homes and businesses.How real-time price signals and automation can help shift consumer load and reduce system costs.The regulatory shift underway at Ofgem, and why this matters for innovators and aggregators.Why enabling consumer flexibility is a ‘no regrets’ decision for a decarbonised energy future.About our guestMarzia Zafar is Deputy Director of Strategy and Decarbonisation at Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulator. With nearly three decades of experience across policy, utilities, and innovation, Marzia has worked on both sides of the Atlantic to design regulatory frameworks that support the clean energy transition. At Ofgem, she plays a leading role in shaping strategy around consumer flexibility, digitalisation, and system planning ensuring that market design keeps pace with the evolving needs of a net-zero grid. For more information on Ofgem - head to their website.About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

Raising capital for grid-scale storage in Australia is a balancing act. Projects need to navigate volatile wholesale prices, tight grid constraints and uncertain policy timelines while still delivering reliable returns. Government-backed green banks and specialist financiers have stepped in to bridge that gap, creating new structures that share merchant risk, widen the pool of lenders and move projects from concept to construction.This episode of Transmission breaks down how innovative finance is accelerating battery storage across the National Electricity Market. Modo Energy Director, Wendel Hortop sits down with Niall Brady - Head of Solar and Storage at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to explore the mechanics of concessional debt, profit-share structures and revenue floors, and examine how early deals paved the way for today’s multi gigawatt pipeline. If you want to understand why capital remains a bottleneck for Australia’s energy transition and how the right instruments can unlock it, this conversation is for you.In this episode you’ll learn:• Why merchant risk still scares traditional lenders and how tailored debt packages make first-of-a-kind battery projects bankable• How profit-share and upside mechanisms work to align public finance, private equity and project developers• What makes an effective revenue stack in the NEM, including energy arbitrage, FCAS and emerging capacity paymentsLessons from Australia’s earliest solar-storage hybrids and how their financing models have evolved with falling capex and sharper price spreads• The next frontiers for green finance, from long-duration storage to regional microgrids and community energy hubsAbout our guestNiall Brady is Head of Solar and Storage at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), Australia’s $30 billion government-owned green bank. Niall leads investment strategy for large-scale PV and battery projects, structuring deals that de-risk merchant exposure and crowd in private capital. His portfolio covers Australia’s first utility-scale solar-storage hybrids as well as new market entrants targeting firmed renewable generation for the NEM. For more information on what the CEFC do - head to their website.https://www.cefc.com.au/About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.

Raising capital for grid-scale storage in Australia is a balancing act. Projects need to navigate volatile wholesale prices, tight grid constraints and uncertain policy timelines while still delivering reliable returns. Government-backed green banks and specialist financiers have stepped in to bridge that gap, creating new structures that share merchant risk, widen the pool of lenders and move projects from concept to construction.This episode of Transmission breaks down how innovative finance is accelerating battery storage across the National Electricity Market. Modo Energy Director, Wendel Hortop sits down with Niall Brady - Head of Solar and Storage at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to explore the mechanics of concessional debt, profit-share structures and revenue floors, and examine how early deals paved the way for today’s multi gigawatt pipeline. If you want to understand why capital remains a bottleneck for Australia’s energy transition and how the right instruments can unlock it, this conversation is for you.In this episode you’ll learn:• Why merchant risk still scares traditional lenders and how tailored debt packages make first-of-a-kind battery projects bankable• How profit-share and upside mechanisms work to align public finance, private equity and project developers• What makes an effective revenue stack in the NEM, including energy arbitrage, FCAS and emerging capacity paymentsLessons from Australia’s earliest solar-storage hybrids and how their financing models have evolved with falling capex and sharper price spreads• The next frontiers for green finance, from long-duration storage to regional microgrids and community energy hubsAbout our guestNiall Brady is Head of Solar and Storage at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), Australia’s $30 billion government-owned green bank. Niall leads investment strategy for large-scale PV and battery projects, structuring deals that de-risk merchant exposure and crowd in private capital. His portfolio covers Australia’s first utility-scale solar-storage hybrids as well as new market entrants targeting firmed renewable generation for the NEM. For more information on what the CEFC do - head to their website.About Modo EnergyModo Energy helps the owners, operators, builders, and financiers of battery energy storage solutions understand the market - and make the most out of their assets.All of our podcasts are available to watch or listen to on the Modo Energy site. To keep up with all of our latest updates, research, analysis, videos, podcasts, data visualizations, live events, and more, follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Check out The Energy Academy, our bite-sized video series breaking down how power markets work.