Energy Unplugged by Aurora

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Katan Hirachand, Chief Executive & Chief Country Officer of Société Générale India. Katan will be discussing project finance in India with our Managing Director responsible for our activities in the region, Dan Monzani. Katan oversees Société Générale’s Global Banking and Investor Solutions activities in India. With over two decades of global experience, he has held positions such as Co-head of Advisory and Project Finance for EMEA, and was responsible for the largest-ever project financing in Africa at USD 15.5 billion. Before joining Société Générale, Katan worked in commercial roles with BG Group in Brazil, Tunisia, Iran, and the UK. Main topics include the following: Why do state lenders have a prominent role in India, and what opportunities exist for private lenders? How are projects being influenced by the emergence of commercial and industrial PPAs and the design of round-the-clock renewable electricity auctions? What is the potential of the green hydrogen market in India? Support the show

Mateo Jaramillo, co-founder and CEO of Form Energy, previously oversaw Tesla's stationary energy storage program. He dives into the world of iron-air batteries and their potential to revolutionize long-duration energy storage. The conversation highlights the unique benefits of iron and air compared to lithium-ion batteries, and explores the challenges of scaling clean tech manufacturing. Jaramillo also discusses market dynamics and the critical need for diverse energy solutions to achieve a carbon-free grid.

Andrew Waranch, President & CEO of Spearmint Energy, brings over 25 years of expertise in the electricity power markets. He dives into the dynamic U.S. battery storage landscape, predicting substantial growth by 2030. The conversation highlights the importance of risk management, innovative offtake structures, and how AI is reshaping energy solutions. Andrew also discusses the complexities of the battery supply chain, fluctuations in lithium prices, and the future of battery technology amid evolving energy policies.

Thinking of applying to our Australian Graduate Program? Listen in! In this episode, we sit down with Daniel Mechtersheimer and Michael Veld, Graduate Analysts in the 2024 cohort, to hear about their first-hand experience at Aurora. You'll hear about everything from the application process to the day-to-day responsibilities and projects. To learn more visit auroraer.com/grads!  Support the show

Buddy Rizer, the architect of 'Data Center Alley', discusses data centre demand and its impact on power systems. Topics include future growth, power prices, feasibility of 100% green power, and challenges in forecasting data center demand and growth. Learn about the origins of Data Center Alley, the impacts on Loudoun County's power system, and collaboration within the data center industry.

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Agnes Maria da Costa, Director at the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL). She joins our Managing Director for Iberia & LATAM, Ana Barillas, to discuss policies for the Brazilian electricity market, including capacity reserve auctions.  Agnes has been a Director at ANEEL since December 2022. Before this role, she spent almost eighteen years at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, where she held positions such as advisor, special advisor, program director, deputy head, and head of the Special Advisory Board on Economic Affairs. Throughout her career, Agnes has played a significant role in shaping energy policy in Brazil.  In this episode, we cover the following main topics: What are the electricity market policies where Brazil has been a global leader? What is the future of electricity sector regulation in Brazil? How do capacity auctions work in Brazil, and why is more flexible and adaptable regulation needed? Support the show

On our 200th episode of Energy Unplugged, which also marks our first India-focused episode, we are delighted to welcome a very special guest: Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog. He takes a deep dive into the Indian market with Dan Monzani, Managing Director at Aurora, who oversees our activities in India. Mr. Bery is an eminent economist, academic, writer, and policy leader who has spent the better part of the last three decades at the World Bank, eventually becoming their Lead Economist. Between 2012 and 2016, he served as Shell’s Chief Economist. In India, he has been a member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council and the Reserve Bank of India’s Technical Advisory Committee on Monetary Policy. NITI Aayog is both India’s Ministry of Planning and its apex public policy think tank, bringing together senior Union Ministers and all the Chief Ministers of the states. Mr. Bery currently serves as NITI Aayog’s Vice Chairman, reporting directly to the Prime Minister, who acts ex officio as its Chair. Main topics include the following: The development of India’s energy infrastructure in the context of the country’s economic growth. The Indian Energy Transition and its ambitious target of deploying 50GW of renewables per annum, including the roles of PPAs and green hydrogen. The Government’s vision in promoting liquid, open, competitive markets, and the importance of foreign direct investment. Aurora opened an office in Delhi earlier this year and will be launching its coverage of the Indian power market from July 2024.  If you would like to contact the team and find out more about our work, please email contact.delhi@auroraer.com. Support the show

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Flemming Sørensen, Vice President for Europe, LevelTen Energy, and Ángel Sanz, Head of Energy Markets Iberia, ENGIE, analysing the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) market in Europe with our Managing Director for Iberia & LATAM, Ana Barillas. This episode was recorded at the LevelTen Energy European Forum, a key event in the PPA industry that brought together leaders and innovators from across the renewable energy sector. This forum has become the ideal environment for sellers, buyers, financiers, and advisors to debate, exchange ideas, and collaborate on building a sustainable future. Main topics include the following: The likelihood of seeing price reopeners or renegotiation of PPAs in the current environment in Europe Grid curtailment in Europe and its consequences for PPAs The impact of inflation on PPA negotiations Support the show

On this week’s Energy Unplugged episode, the Aurora team analyses the new Renewable Electricity Support Scheme in Northern Ireland.  Salman Khan, Principal in our Oxford Advisory team, welcomes for the discussion our colleagues Steph Unsworth, Senior Associate and Product Manager for I-SEM, and Michael Joos, also Senior Associate manager of the project Aurora is delivering to the Northern Irish Government to support the design of this new scheme. Main topics include the following: Why is a support scheme needed in Northern Ireland? What is the design of the new scheme, and what are its key features? How is the new scheme expected to impact the I-SEM market? Support the show

In this episode of Energy Unplugged, we are delighted to welcome Chris Stark, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, discussing the UK’s climate targets with our Managing Director for the UK & Ireland and European Hydrogen, Dan Monzani. A world-renowned climate policy expert, Chris is the Chief Executive of The Carbon Trust, a global climate consultancy dedicated to accelerating the transition to a decarbonised future. In his previous role as Chief Executive of the UK’s Climate Change Committee, Chris led the independent advice to put the UK’s Net Zero target into law. He frequently speaks on the urgent need to confront climate change and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and an Honorary Professor at the University of Glasgow. Main topics include the following: The ambitions of the UK’s Carbon Budgets and their achievability  Whether climate targets are being scaled back because they are impossible to achieve or because of a lack of political will to deliver them The mission and role of the Carbon Trust Support the show