Energy Unplugged by Aurora

Ed Birkett, Senior Research Fellow in the Energy and Environment unit at the Policy Exchange & Rachel Fletcher, Director Regulation and Economics at Octopus Energy join our Research Director Richard Howard for this week’s Energy Unplugged episode.  The conversation focuses on the challenges around energy market design in a Net Zero world. Ed wrote a report last year called ‘Powering Net Zero - Why local electricity pricing holds the key to a Net Zero energy system’ which tackled the energy market design topic.  Rachel is an experienced executive and regulatory expert, she spent many years at Ofgem in senior roles in retail markets, consumer protection, smart grids and networks, before moving to Ofwat as CEO and then more recently she has returned to the energy sector at Octopus Energy.  Main topics include:  •Is the current market design for power, gas, hydrogen and heating fit for purpose? •Will it deliver and enable the transition towards Net Zero? And if so, will it do so at the least costs for consumers? •How can we ensure security of supply and network operability, make sure we keep the lights on in a Net Zero world If you'd like to hear more about this topic join our in-person Aurora Spring Forum on Wednesday 29 September 2021 in Central London, where we will continue the discussion on market design to enable the Net Zero transition. More info available here: https://auroraer.com/events/spring-forum/ Support the show

Our Head of Commissioned Projects in Central Europe, Hanns Koenig speaks to Alexander Voigt, CEO of STOFF2 & Board Member and Founder of HH2E.  Alexander is one of the pioneers of the global energy transition. He has studied physics and started his career at an engineering bureau working on solar thermal solutions. He has founded several companies in the energy sector such as Solon in the solar space, Younicos in the battery space, Lumenion in the high temperature heat storage space, and STOFF2 & HH2E in the hydrogen space.  Hanns and Alexander discuss: •Alexander’s journey and solar wind as a niche topic in the past •New technologies and concepts in the energy transition from battery & heat storage to hydrogen •Hydrogen economics and CO2 prices  •Regulations needed to make the energy transition work Support the show

Our Head of Commissioned Projects in Central Europe, Hanns Koenig is joined by one of the key executives in European hydrogen - Sopna Sury, Chief Operating Officer for Hydrogen at RWE Generation.  Previous to the current role, Sopna spent ten years in roles that have spanned leading Strategy and Regulatory Affairs at RWE Renewables, Energy Services and Infrastructure at Uniper, and Business Development at E.ON Climate and Renewables. Before entering the energy sector, she completed a bank training, then studied economics and joined McKinsey, where she spent almost 10 years.  Hanns and Sopna discuss: •Sopna’s professional journey and the reasons for which RWE has a board member for hydrogen  •The role of hydrogen in the energy transition and why is everybody getting excited about it •The controversial use of hydrogen in sectors such long distance road transport and heating •RWE’s hydrogen strategy and its role in this pretty crowded market Support the show

In this episode, our CEO John Feddersen is delighted to be joined by Stef Murphy and Paro Konar, Directors of Industrial Energy at Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).  Stef and Paro are job share directors for the Industrial Energy Directorate which provides focus and leadership of BEIS strategy, policy development and delivery on industrial energy issues, and also ensure that industrial energy policies maximise the economic opportunities to the UK from the global move to cleaner growth, as part of the overall Industrial Strategy.  The focus of the conversation is around industrial decarbonisation as the UK government has published its strategy in March this year, and the upcoming hydrogen strategy.  The main topics include: •Key challenges and opportunities for industry in the move to Net Zero •The progress against commitments in the UK’s Energy White Paper and the Ten Point Plan •The UK’s upcoming Hydrogen Strategy and what to expect from it •UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), what did it take to set it up from scratch & lessons learnt since the early EU ETS in 2005 •The impact of EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on the UK industry NOTE: At ~ min. 23:15 in the recording the ‘Net Zero Hydrogen Fund’ supporting the development and adoption of hydrogen is mentioned and referred to as the £250 million fund. We would like to clarify that the ‘Net Zero Hydrogen Fund’ is £240 million. Support the show

Our Head of Iberia, Ana Barillas speaks to Federico Giannandrea, Partner and Head of Continental Europe at Foresight, a sustainability-led listed infrastructure and private equity investment manager.  Federico joined Foresight in 2010 and leads Foresight’s infrastructure investments in continental Europe and the business development for infrastructure globally.  Ana and Federico discuss: •How is renewable investment changing across Europe and value shifting across development stages •Vertical integration in development and construction •Local partnerships and how difficult is it to enter a new market Support the show

Our Managing Director in Australia - Hugo Batten speaks to Andrew Butler, Managing Director at Nectr – an Australian energy retailer that’s a subsidiary of the Korean group Hanwha.  Andrew has successfully led three retail energy start-up ventures - Australian Power & Gas, Alinta Energy and now Nectr and he’s also spent time in telco and infrastructure more broadly.  Hugo and Andrew discuss: •The retail space shift in Australia over last decades and other major aspects in the evolution of the Australian retail  •Nectr and Octopus Energy Kraken Technology Platform •The state of Australian energy in terms of energy start-ups and innovation •Rising government intervention in energy markets with focus on wholesale and retail Support the show

Dolf Gielen, Director of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Innovation and Technology Centre joins our Research Director Richard Howard for this week’s Energy Unplugged podcast.  Dolf has been with IRENA for over 10 years, having previously been Chief of the Energy Efficiency and Policy Unit at UNIDO, and spending a number of years with IEA – starting as a Senior Energy Analyst and being promoted to Project Head of Energy Technology Scenarios.He has a strong engineering background, following his degree in Chemical Engineering with an MA in Environmental Sciences and a PhD in Energy and Materials Modelling.  The interview covers a breadth of key market concerns around decarbonisation, focusing initially on IRENA's flagship publication setting out the pathway for a 1.5 degrees celsius ambition and closely examining the key issues and opportunities en route.  The chat takes a deep dive into: •What we need to achieve •Hitting the targets by 2050 – what we can do with what we have, and the importance of joined-up thinking, including:oInterconnectionoFlexibilityoRetrofitoCarbon Capture and Storage  •and crucially includes for the burning hot topics of the sector: 'kalte dunkelflaute' and green hydrogen Support the show

In this episode, our CEO John Feddersen is joined by a leading thinker on South Eastern European energy - Julian Popov.  Julian is former Minister of Environment of Bulgaria, European Climate Foundation (ECF) fellow and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Buildings Performance Institute Europe. He has been voted twice as one of the most influential voices in European energy by EURACTIV.  John and Julian discuss: •Julian’s journey, his novel called ‘Island of Mists’ and his experience as the Bulgarian Energy Minister •Energy transition and the power investment climate in South Eastern Europe  •Offshore wind potential and growing interest  •The European Commission as a force for good in South Eastern European power sector governance, structure, rules and markets Support the show

Our CEO John Feddersen speaks to Guy Newey, Strategy and Performance Director at Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) - an independent, not-for-profit centre of excellence that bridges the gap between industry, government, academia and research.  ESC has recently published its report called ‘Rethinking Electricity Markets – EMR 2.0’, an initiative aiming to develop proposals to reform electricity markets so that they best enable innovative, efficient, whole energy system decarbonisation.  Guy has had a diverse career across the energy sector. He has been a Special Adviser to two former Energy Secretaries of State, and was previously Head of Policy at Ovo Energy and Head of Environment and Energy at the think-tank Policy Exchange. Before this, Guy worked as a journalist in Hong Kong and in the UK.  John and Guy discuss: •Guy’s journey, his early experience as a journalist and the impact on his present role •ESC’s mission in the energy transition and avoiding clean growth costs  •‘Rethinking Electricity Markets’ report with a focus on the role of consumers  •The agreement on decarbonisation in 5 years’ time Support the show

Our Nordics Lead Alexander Esser speaks with Harald Överholm, CEO and co-founder of the leading solar Power Purchase Agreement provider in the Nordics - Alight (previously Eneo).  Harald has been an advisor to WWF, the Swedish government and the Stockholm Environment Institute, as well as a former board member of Swedish Solar Energy. He is a Cambridge alumni with a PhD focused on market development of US solar PPA market and holds a masters degree in Industrial Engineering of Energy Systems.  Alex and Harald discuss: •Harald’s in-depth studies of the US solar market, importing concepts to Europe and his inspiration in founding the company •Nordics as one of the most advanced PPAs markets and long term supply of PPAs  •Alight and how does Solar as a Service differ from a typical project development Support the show