Energy Unplugged by Aurora

In this episode we focus on the grid connections reform process and we welcome Julian Leslie, Head of Networks and Chief Engineer at National Grid ESO in a conversation with Emma Woodward, Project Leader at Aurora.  Julian has 30 years' experience in electricity system operation, planning and investment in various senior leadership roles. His current role is to prepare Great Britain’s electricity networks for Net Zero. Julian has a degree in Electrical Engineering, is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and a Fellow Member of the Institute of Engineering and Technology. Main topics include: •The current grid connections process and the key steps developers have to follow  •The multiple connections reforms going on at the moment, their current status and relation with other existing reforms  •The key challenges in the reform process Support the show

In this Energy Unplugged episode, we discuss the upcoming priorities of the Swedish TSO (transmission system operator), such as the capacity market implementation and solving grid bottlenecks. We’re pleased to be joined by Lowina Lundström, Senior Vice President, Svenska Kraftnät, in a discussion with our Head of Nordics & Baltics, Alexander Esser. Lowina is also Chairman of the Board of Directors at eSett, a company providing balance settlement services to participants of electricity markets in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Prior to that, she had several roles at the Nordic utility Fortum, and at Ellevio, one of Sweden's largest energy companies. Main topics include: •The role of TSOs for the energy transition in Sweden •The needs and bottlenecks of the Swedish power system •Sweden’s future as an electricity exporter Support the show

This week on Energy Unplugged we welcome Dave Jones, Global Electricity Insights Lead at Ember in a conversation with our Managing Director for Central Europe, Hanns Koenig.  Ember is an independent energy think tank that uses data-driven insights to support the energy transition. Before joining Ember in 2020, Dave worked for 13 years at German utility E.ON as an electricity analyst and after that, in 2014, he joined the non-profit Sandbag, where he was working on phasing out coal in Europe. Main topics include:  •Driving the agenda for Europe’s coal exit and global trends in the coal phase out  •Campaigning for wind parks, grid expansion, efficiency vs. campaigning against coal  •Ember’s most recent European Electricity Review and its work on a global renewables goal Support the show

In this Energy Unplugged episode we focus on Japan’s energy markets. We’re delighted to be joined by Professor Llewelyn Hughes of the Australian National University (ANU) in a conversation with our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten and our Head of New Markets in APAC, Rowan von Spreckelsen.  Llewelyn is a deep expert in Japan’s energy markets, being currently the Director of the Japan Institute at ANU. He’s had a long and distinguished academic career, spending time at MIT, Tokyo University, and Harvard, he has worked both in government (i.e. as an advisor to Ichirō Ozawa, Liberal Party of Japan) and the private sector (i.e Enron in Japan), as well as providing strategic and regulatory advice to energy companies operating in Japanese energy markets.  Main topics include: •The evolution of Japan’s power markets over the last 5 years  •The Japanese power market de-regulation and market shifts and the big domestic players’ response to these  •The challenges of decarbonisation of the power sector in Japan, covering transmission, nuclear, hydrogen and offshore wind Support the show

This week on Energy Unplugged we welcome Sven Utermöhlen, Chief Executive Officer at RWE Offshore Wind, in a conversation with our Co-Head of Advisory for Central Europe, Casimir Lorenz.  RWE is a leading global player in renewables and number two worldwide in offshore wind. Sven joined RWE in 2022 and before he has held various senior executive roles in renewable energy for more than sixteen years, including at innogy SE, and E.ON, where he also led the company’s offshore wind division. He also previously served in management consultancy roles for the Boston Consulting Group. He studied at the Universities of Karlsruhe and Hamburg. Main topics include: •The outlook of the offshore wind supply chain in Europe  •The probably of reaching the ambitious offshore wind targets in Europe  •The aim of a good market design for renewables and offshore wind in particular  •The competition between different markets with regards to their attractiveness Support the show

This week we have a special episode on Energy Unplugged in which we discuss the Japanese power market with Aurora's leadership team in Tokyo. Our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten is joined by Aurora’s Rowan von Spreckelsen – Head of New Markets, APAC; Hayato Ono – Head of Advisory, Japan; Alex Luta and Zelin Chen – Project Leaders, Japan and Sehun Nakama – Associate, Japan. This episode is being released just as we open our office in Tokyo and deliver our first research projects in Japan. Main topics include: • The current generation mix in Japan and expected changes over the next years • Key elements of the energy transition in Japan • The Japanese electricity market design • Insights from Aurora’s Japan power market modelling work Support the show

In this week’s podcast we welcome Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem, in conversation with Dan Monzani, our Managing Director for UK & Ireland. Over the next 12 years, the energy system is under pressure for transformation to reach the goal of Net Zero. This episode focuses on the necessity for change within the energy system in order to achieve these targets. Jonathan has wide-ranging energy sector experience, having led Electricity Market Reform as the Director for Energy Markets and Networks at DECC. Prior to this, he was Director of the Office of Climate Change, a cross-government strategy unit focussed on climate change and energy issues, where he led the development of the Climate Change Act. Earlier in his career, Jonathan was a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. In 2020, Jonathan became Ofgem's Chief Executive Officer after two years in the role of Executive Director for Systems and Networks. Main topics include: *The current stability of the retail market in the run to Net Zero *The future of the system operators and how important some fundamental changes are for delivering Net Zero *Why networks play a critical role in driving the energy transition. Support the show

In this episode, we discuss the energy transition as an investment climate for low-carbon infrastructure in Europe and the US. Our Research Director, Richard Howard is joined by Aurora experts: Ryan Alexander, Research Lead for European Power Markets and Julia Hoos, Head of USA East.  Main topics include: •The impact of the REPowerEU plan and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in the US on the energy transition •The status of renewables deployment in Europe vs the US  •Green hydrogen as a direct replacement for natural gas Support the show

In this episode, we welcome Jack Curtis, Chief Commercial Officer at Neara, in a talk with our Managing Director in APAC and California, Hugo Batten, and our Head of Research in APAC, James Ha. Today’s discussion is focused on the challenges the power grid faces through the energy transition. Neara is a physics-enabled platform that builds 3D interactive models of networks and assets, providing the ability to run real-world scenarios, assess current and future risks, and prioritize maintenance and disaster response. In the past, Jack was also Head of APAC for First Solar, and before he was both an investment banker and a lawyer. Main topics include: •The development of renewables over the past 10 years in Australia •The government and the private sector’s roles in achieving the 1.5 degrees goal in Australia’s electricity system  •Neara’s platform, its fit with other models, and the challenges of the grid Support the show

In this episode we welcome Jan Pepper, CEO, Peninsula Clean Energy in a conversation with our Head of Advisory – US West, Felix Chow-Kambitsch and our Head of Research – US West, Kim Liu. The discussion focusses on clean energy in California, as the state transitions towards its commitment of 100% clean electricity by 2045.  Jan has been working on renewable energy in California for the last 30 years. She is now CEO of Peninsula Clean Energy, a Community Choice Aggregation agency for San Mateo County and the City of Los Banos. Under Jan’s leadership since its inception in 2016, Peninsula Clean Energy has been leading the industry with its unprecedented goal for a California load-serving entity to procure 100% renewable energy 24/7 by 2025. Main topics include: •The role of CCAs in the energy transition •PCE’s goal to deliver 24/7 renewable power by 2025 •Opportunities and challenges as California moves to 100% zero-carbon Support the show